        ___ _                     _      _                    __
       / __\ |__  _ __ ___  _ __ (_) ___| | ___  ___    ___  / _|
      / /  | '_ \| '__/ _ \| '_ \| |/ __| |/ _ \/ __|  / _ \| |_
     / /___| | | | | | (_) | | | | | (__| |  __/\__ \ | (_) |  _|
     \____/|_| |_|_|  \___/|_| |_|_|\___|_|\___||___/  \___/|_|

                       ___ _
                      / __\ |__   __ _  ___  ___
                     / /  | '_ \ / _` |/ _ \/ __|
                    / /___| | | | (_| | (_) \__ \
                    \____/|_| |_|\__,_|\___/|___/


        CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, October 1, 1998, Issue #34
               http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html

Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley <mailto:energizr@interlog.com>
Contributor/Copy Editor: Pedro Azevedo <mailto:ei94048@tom.fe.up.pt>
Assistant Copy Editor: John Weathers <mailto:grief@bellsouth.net>
Contributor: Andrew Lewandowski <mailto:kmvb73c@prodigy.com>
Contributor: Alain M. Gaudrault <mailto:alain@gaudrault.net>
Contributor: Brian Meloon <mailto:bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk <mailto:macabre@interlog.com>
Contributor: Paul Schwarz <mailto:saul@mcmail.com>
Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder

NOTE: For  more  Chronicles  of  Chaos  information,  check  out  the
      'Details' section at the end of this issue.

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

Issue #34 Contents, 10/1/98
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Deadly Dialogues
-- Death: Vision of the Anointed
-- Sepultura: Slowed Down, But Not For Long
-- Sentenced: Never to Be Freed
-- Bruce Dickinson: Bruce Don't Bullshit
-- Lesser Known: Who Knew?
* Album Asylum
-- Adnauseum - _Desire, Aspire, Inspire, Expire_
-- Various - _Amduscias_
-- Arkh'aam - _The Blue Beyond the Black_
-- Ataraxia - _Historiae_
-- Barrit - _Smiles Upon the Stroke That Murders Me_
-- Blood Ritual - _At the Mountains of Madness_
-- Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_
-- Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_
-- Cage - _Unveiled_
-- Castrum - _Black Silhouette Enfolded in Sunrise_
-- Cemetary - _Sweetest Tragedies_
-- Various - _Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4_
-- Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
-- Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_
-- Death List - _Severed_
-- Deuteronomium - _Street Corner Queen_
-- Dying Fetus - _Killing on Adrenaline_
-- Excruciating Terror - _Divided We Fall_
-- Exumer - _Possessed by Fire_ / _Rising From the Sea_
-- Godkiller - _The End of the World_
-- HammerFall - _Legacy of Kings_
-- The Haunted - _The Haunted_
-- H-Bomb - _Coup de Metal_ / _Attaque_
-- HIM - _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_
-- Impending Doom - _Signum of Hate_
-- In Ruins - _For Seasons of Grey_
-- Kataklysm - _Victims of This Fallen World_
-- Lycanthropic - _Obey the Moon_
-- Lycia - _Estrella_
-- Manegarm - _Nordstjarnans Tildsalder_
-- Mental Home - _Black Art_
-- Mercury Rising - _Building Rome_
-- Necromanicide - _Hate Regime_
-- Nembryonic - _Incomplete_
-- Nox Intempesta - _Damnanus Dominus_
-- Oathean - _The Eyes of Tremendous Sorrow_
-- Poetry - _Catharsis_
-- Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_
-- Skepticism - _Lead and Aether_
-- Soilwork - _Steel Bath Suicide_
-- Various - _Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2_
-- Sortilege - _Sortilege_ / _Metamorphose_
-- Spineshank - _Strictly Diesel_
-- Sutcliffe Jugend - _When Pornography Is No Longer Enough _
-- System of a Down - _System of a Down_
-- Theatre Of Tragedy - _Aegis_
-- Transport League - _Superevil_
-- Turkknifes Pope - _Performance Crippling Data Restriction_
-- Ultraspank - _Ultraspank_
-- Zao - _Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest_
* New Noise
-- Bihor Massif - _Gateway to the Fifth Dimension_
-- Cephalectomy - _Dark Waters Rise_
-- Ghoulunatics - _Carving Into You_
-- Graven Image - _Black Lung Cathedral_
-- Immortal Souls -_ Reflections of Doom_
-- Manifestium -_ The Dawn of Domination_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- Obscure and Violent Canadian Supremacy: Gorguts with Cryptopsy
-- Doom Descends Upon Deutschland: Cradle of Filth, Einherjer, etc.
* What We Have Cranked
* Details

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

                      _____)
                    /       /) ,            ,      /)
                    )__   _(/   _/_ _____     _   //
                  /      (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_
                 (_____)

                          by: Gino Filicetti


     Greetings loyal subjects. Once  again,  CoC  descends  upon  the
earth to strike terror in the hearts of the weak, and  glory  in  the
hearts of the initiated.
     The reason I've included  an  editorial  in  this  issue  is  to
introduce to you another group  of  new  writers  on  trial  here  at
Chronicles of Chaos. Firstly, there is Jody Webb, who  is  the  metal
director at WVKR, Vassar College Radio, and has been a  part  of  the
scene for his fair share of time. Secondly, we  have  Alex  Cantwell,
who is a writer for The Ultimatum Metal  Mag.  And  lastly,  we  have
David Rocher, who is a good friend of Paul Schwarz and has offered  a
hand in doing some reviews.
     I hope you all enjoy the work of our new writers as well as  our
long time veteran writers. Lest we forget our veterans,  for  without
them, where would we be?

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

                 M""MMMMMMMM                         dP
                 M  MMMMMMMM                         88
                 M  MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP    dP .d888b88
                 M  MMMMMMMM 88'  `88 88    88 88'  `88
                 M  MMMMMMMM 88.  .88 88.  .88 88.  .88
                 M         M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8
                 MMMMMMMMMMM

     M""MMMMMMMM            dP     dP
     M  MMMMMMMM            88     88
     M  MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b.
     M  MMMMMMMM 88ooood8   88     88   88ooood8 88'  `88 Y8ooooo.
     M  MMMMMMMM 88.  ...   88     88   88.  ... 88             88
     M         M `88888P'   dP     dP   `88888P' dP       `88888P'
     MMMMMMMMMMM

This is the column where we print those lovely  letters  our  readers
decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative,
ignorant or just plain spelled  wrong,  you  can  rest  assured  that
they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own
letter here,  e-mail  it  to  <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>  and  enter
'Attention Loud Letters' in the subject field. Hopefully all  letters
received will be featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos.


Date: Sat, 05 Sep 1998
From: Blackk Soul <blackksoul@hotmail.com>
Subject: Attention Loud Letters

Dear CoC,

     I was very disappointed at reading your 33rd issue. Why? Because
of the review of Sepultura.
     Sepultura is ,I think, a trendy and a bad metal band.  It  might
be a good Dance band but not metal. I used to be a big fan of  theirs
when I first listened to 'Morbid Visions'. It is in fact one  of  the
best,and pioneering,Death Metal realeases ever.  Other  albums  until
Arise are also not bad, but since the release of 'Chaos AD' they have
given a huge blow to the faces of fans like myself. From a very  good
Death Metal band, they transformed into a pop/metal band. 'Roots' and
this new album are even worse. The reviewer  of  the  new  album  has
given it a 9 out of 10. I had thought that CoC was a good  zine,  but
it seems to me that CoC, too, has bowed  down  to  trends  and  since
Sepultura is a very popular band, they have given  it  a  9.  Do  you
people at CoC really consider the new Sepultura a good metal band?
     CoC is a very high standard ezine. Although  everything  written
on is not up to my liking, I still consider it to be one of the  best
zines. As a dedicated reader I urge you  not  to  fall  into  trends.
Please do not review bad and shitty bands like Sepultura.  There  are
other thousands of magazines reviewing those pop  metallers.  Besides
you can do without them, don't you? And since you guys  are  so  much
dedicated to metal, why waste your space on a band that is a shame to
metal (which they truly are not).
     Readers who agree/disagree with me send love/hate mails  to  CoC
or myself.

Sunil 'Blacksoul'
<blackksoul@hotmail.com>

[I do really like the new Sepultura and I don't bow down to trends. I
think that if CoC didn't cover bands on the  grounds  that  they  are
suitably heavy and competent (categories which I think Sepultura fall
into easily) and not on the basis that they are "underground enough",
we would be guilty of snobbery and conforming  to  a  sort  of  trend
based on non-success instead of musical suitability. -- Paul]


Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998
From: Dmitry Dyomin <old_one@alice.ukma.kiev.ua>
Subject: Attention Loud Letters

Hi there.

I'm not subscriber of CoC, but I've read some numbers of this fuckin'
great 'zine. I think this one is the best in the world.  But  in  the
No.31  I've  read  the  article  'bout  Ukrainian  Black  metal  band
'Nocturnal Mortum'... and ...  what  I'm  reading?:  'Hail  from  the
frozen  Ukrainian  tundra!'.  I  forgot  who  wrote  it,   but   that
mother-fucker doesn't  know  anythin'  'bout  Ukraine.  There  is  no
fuckin' tundra there. So, fuck ya, man.

Best wishes.
Old One.

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

       __ \                 | |
       |   |  _ \  _` |  _` | | |   |
       |   |  __/ (   | (   | | |   |
      ____/ \___|\__,_|\__,_|_|\__, |
                               ____/

                 __ \ _)       |
                 |   | |  _` | |  _ \   _` | |   |  _ \  __|
                 |   | | (   | | (   | (   | |   |  __/\__ \
                ____/ _|\__,_|_|\___/ \__, |\__,_|\___|____/
                                      |___/


             V I S I O N   O F   T H E   A N O I N T E D
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                         CoC interviews Death
                           by: Aaron McKay

     Through the course of a thirty minute dialogue with a true metal
icon, Chuck Schuldiner of Death, I had reaffirmed for myself  what  I
already knew to be accurate. You see, I have been a  massive  fan  of
Death for many years. Growing  up  in  Florida,  Mr.  Schuldiner  and
various members of the band would surface at concerts at which I  was
in  attendance.  Never,  not  once,  did  he  or   any   of   Death's
rank-and-file ever not have a moment to sign an autograph or  take  a
moment to bullshit with a fan. I always have found this type  of  fan
loyalty to be extremely admirable.
     This  sterling  personality  trait  of  Mr.  Schuldiner's   came
flooding back to me during our discussion. My  phone  interview  with
Death's  founding  member  revealed,  once  again,  a  grateful   and
articulate gentleman. A true and honest pleasure to converse with.
     If I came away from the interview with anything at all,  it  was
Chuck Schuldiner's message to the listening  public  stems  from  the
recognition that no lasting solution to the problem of mediocrity  in
music can be brought  about  with  a  brief  reality  check.  Through
Death's new masterpiece, _The Sound of Perseverance_, Schuldiner  and
Death collectively manifest a new standard by which  all  metal  will
now be judged. Let  me  share  with  you  some  of  the  passion  and
enlightenment of one of metal's greats!

CoC: I've noticed that a lot of bands seem to be  relocating  to  the
     "Sunshine State", like Cannibal Corpse and, recently,  Pro-Pain.
     What draw do you feel Florida has, outside of hurricane  season,
     of course?

Chuck Schuldiner: <Laughs> Good question. I think, for one  thing,  I
                  know  personally,   survival-wise,   it   is   very
                  economical. You can get a house down here for  what
                  people  up  North  are  paying  for  an  efficiency
                  apartment. That, I think, is a really big  part  of
                  it. Honestly, in Florida, the only bands coming out
                  of here now are Matchbox 20 and that type of stuff.
                  For metal, Florida has had a little boom  in  Tampa
                  for a while, with a lot of the bands getting picked
                  up. Florida has never really been a big place for a
                  lot of the big bands to come out of.  [Death  being
                  the OBVIOUS exception! -- Aaron]  Bigger  bands  in
                  Florida are like Tom Petty from Gainesville...

CoC: Buffett plays there quite a little bit!

CS: Yeah! And Pat Travors! Florida is just  a  very  weird  place.  I
    think, more than anything, if I was going to move down here, it'd
    be, for one thing, awesome beaches and the economical side of it.
    As a musician, money does not come in all the time and it's hard.
    This is the only way to be  able  to  have  a  decent  house  and
    survive.

CoC: How is the scene there in Florida? I know that you  mentioned  a
     few bands that couldn't even be construed as metal,  but,  other
     than that, how is the scene for bands like Death?

CS: We never play around here. It is pretty  lame.  Orlando  and  the
    club scene is pretty pathetic. Basically, it has always been bad.
    Ever since 1983, when I formed the band, it has always been  bad.
    It has always been behind the times. We have the House  of  Blues
    now  which  has  been  doing,  like,  Megadeth  gigs;  the   more
    mainstream metal type of stuff, which is  cool.  It's  funny,  to
    tell you the truth, I don't even look at [Florida] as a place for
    a scene. I look at Florida as a place where I've lived most of my
    life and there has been a little scene bubble up here and  there,
    but it dies back down real quick. It is  an  odd  place  for  the
    music scene, compared to places like New York that have  such  an
    established reputation.

CoC: When I was growing up there, I remember seeing bands like  Nasty
     Savage and Rich Elliott's Blackout performing at Masquerade  and
     J. J.  Casino  and  Lounge.  How  do  you  think  that  kind  of
     atmosphere affected Death and its development?

CS: Nasty Savage was a  big  inspiration  to  me  in  the  beginning,
    because they were a real band. I remember  still  being  in  high
    school and  I  saw  them  play  and  I  remember  them  being  so
    professional, heavy, and those are some -real- special  times.  I
    still look back on those with a -lot- of cool  memories.  It  was
    definitely a major influence to see Nasty Savage. They  had  this
    killer demo out, _The Way to Mayhem_ [I think I heard the name of
    this demo correctly... -- Aaron]. I just remember looking  up  to
    them as being so  professional  and  inspirational,  as  well.  I
    remember thinking that they were going to be massive. I remember,
    honestly, telling my friend that they are going to be as  big  as
    Priest, one day. I thought they would be...

[At this point Mr. Schuldiner cleared up for me a forlorn  notion  of
mine that, once, at a club in Ybor City, Florida, a buddy of mine and
I thought we saw him take the lead guitar duties  for  Obituary  when
Obituary opened  for  Morbid  Angel.  I  then  asked  him  about  the
relationship between Morbid Angel and Death. -- Aaron]

CoC: Is there any animosity between the bands?

CS: Not that I know of. They have  had  some  really  odd  statements
    about our band. I don't know why.

CoC: Struck me as funny...

CS: I have no idea. Real good question, actually.

CoC: Speaking of that, I have always viewed Death as a group that has
     a real good positive vibe -- pointing out ills  in  society  and
     things that you could make right. "Overactive Imagination" comes
     to mind here. Is this a conscious effort on the part of Death?

CS: It definitely is [about] things that trouble  me.  I'm  a  pretty
    simple person. Basically, the way I live life is with good people
    around me. I love animals. I love normal things.  Love  going  to
    the beach. Everything normal. It troubles me that  there  are  so
    many people out in the world that want to see people fall flat on
    their face and not do well in life. It is weird to me because  I,
    personally, don't -ever- have the time to sit around and dwell on
    other people's lives. It is amazing how many people out there  do
    nothing -but- that. [They] start rumors,  say  bad  things  about
    people; I'm just not into this whole negative thing.

CoC: Along those lines, I wanted to ask you, in the  liner  notes  of
     _Human_, you stated that this album was more than  an  album  to
     you; it was revenge.

CS: Exactly. A lot of people tried to ruin my career, ruin  my  name,
    ruin my integrity. I'm just a musician. I'm here to make music. I
    guess that troubles some people.

CoC:  Gene  Hoglan,  in  the  liner  notes  on  _Individual   Thought
     Patterns_, called you the best cook in death metal. What did  he
     mean by that?

CS: I enjoy cooking. Definitely. When  Gene  was  down,  whenever  he
    would come down to rehearse, we'd always  barbecue  and  do  some
    cooking.

CoC:  I  think  I  remember  reading  that   he   really   benefited,
     weight-wise, from your cooking...

CS: I try to help. I thought it was really cool how he was trying  to
    keep that strong will-power to do good and loose  weight.  I  was
    just cooking a lot on the grill. Just a lot of light stuff.

CoC: I remember going to a "Death for Life" benefit for B.E.T.A.  and
     the National  Multiple  Sclerosis  Society.  A  kind  of  record
     release party for _Symbolic_.

CS: RIGHT!

CoC: Is there any unofficial release party scheduled for  _The  Sound
     of Perseverance_?

CS: Not really, no. Probably  just  have  a  party  at  my  house  or
    something. You know, just a few friends. Nothing major. I'd  like
    to do some benefits in the future for, like, the Humane  Society.
    I love dogs and cats. I think  that  they  are  basically  a  lot
    better than people, most times.

CoC: I want to give a great deal of credit  here  to  Nuclear  Blast.
     They really seem to have come behind Death 110%, giving you guys
     some much deserved attention. I know  Death  had  to  have  been
     pursued by any number of labels, so why Nuclear Blast?

CS: There were several labels that were interested  [in  Death],  but
    I've seen Nuclear Blast, for one thing, grow so rapidly over  the
    past couple of years, as a label, that it's insane. It is because
    of good decisions that they have made by signing good bands. They
    have a lot of good bands on their label right  now.  They  are  a
    label that, unlike most other labels out there, stuck their necks
    out and signed all this metal. It has paid off because  now  they
    are -the- label! I saw that, believe me. As a  fan,  I  recognize
    that, and, as a musician in a band that is suffering from  -lack-
    of proper decision making from other labels; I saw them making  a
    lot of good decisions. We started talking to each other  and  had
    several really good conversations about things. They know where I
    was coming from and I talked in great length about where the band
    has been, where it could go, and where it could  have  gone  with
    the proper support from [Death's previous] labels. Nuclear  Blast
    shared my viewpoints and we struck a deal. That was that. It just
    made perfect sense. I feel it is the  making  of  a  really  good
    relationship.

CoC: When listening to _The Sound  of  Perseverance_,  it  sounds  so
     multi-layered, dramatically heavy, and  complex.  Even  more  so
     than _Individual Thought Patterns_. How do you do it?

CS: Funny you should  mention  _Individual  Thought  Patterns_.  This
    record kinda reminds me of the spirit of that, in a way, while  I
    was moving into a fresh territory, as well.  It  kinda  has  that
    attitude of when I started writing for this record,  I,  for  one
    thing, had my home studio set up and was able  to  do  a  lot  of
    recording  and  experimenting  with   different   leads,   ideas,
    harmonies, playing the two guitars off of one another,  and  have
    two different guitar parts going on,  as  opposed  to  have  them
    always  doing  the  exact  same  thing.   This   opens   up   the
    possibilities for so many more melodies. It was a matter of  just
    really experimenting with  the  material.  We  re-did  the  whole
    record two times before we  even  entered  the  studio  with  Jim
    Morris, so by the time we were at Morrisound,  it  was  the  most
    prepared I have ever been in my life.

CoC: Fantastic!

CS: Yeah! It paid off. We went in wanting to keep this [album] fresh.
    We know what we are doing, we know what we want do to. We  worked
    with Jim Morris on _Symbolic_, so I knew exactly what to  expect,
    which was nothing but good things.  We  recorded  and  mixed  the
    album in three weeks, which is kinda really  unheard  of  in  the
    industry.

CoC: WOW!

CS: It was cool. It felt great. I wanted to capture that "real vibe".

CoC: It definitely came across that way. When I listen to _The  Sound
     of Perseverance_, it kinda feels like a musical excursion,  like
     an adventure, clocking in at 56 minutes and  change  --  by  far
     Death's longest release. Was there sometime you were  trying  to
     communicate with its length and get across to the listener?

CS: I had a lot of stuff  to  get  out  musically!  <Laughs>  When  I
    started writing this material, the songs, in general, were a  lot
    longer. Like "Flesh and the Power  it  Holds",  [which]  is  over
    eight minutes long.

CoC: That song is brilliant!

CS: That is my favorite song on the record, personally. You used that
    word "adventure". I like to use that [word] for  music.  I  think
    that music -should- be an adventure. For me, these  songs  turned
    in to these adventures more than any other record, I think. It is
    a very natural thing for me; when I start writing,  I  write  and
    whatever comes out -- comes out. I think [_TSoP_] is a good album
    to come out at this time. The state of metal now is so twisted in
    America. People take the easy way out musically and  everyone  is
    copying each other and I think this is  a  good  album  to  kinda
    throw in the middle of  everyone  and  say,  "Here,  take  this!"
    <Laughs>

CoC: Exactly. I think that Scott  [Clendenin],  Shannon  [Hamm],  and
     Richard [Christy] had some  enormous  footsteps  to  follow  in,
     because the stream of talented musicians that has  come  through
     Death has been cataclysmic. They all have really  risen  to  the
     occasion. What an excellent line-up you have now.

CS: I feel very good about it. We  all  do.  I  have  basically  been
    performing with Scott and Shannon for  over  two  years  now,  so
    we've had a really good  relationship  established,  and  Richard
    came in and just sounded killer.

CoC: It just clicked.

CS: Yeah.

CoC: I know that you personally tip your hat to Mercyful Fate, Venom,
     Hellhammer, and the like...

CS: Oh, yeah.

CoC: I feel that the argument can be made, even by me,  on  occasion,
     that Death is kinda the pioneer of the entire field.  What  kind
     of obligation does that place on Death?

CS: I don't know. Several people have mentioned that  and,  it  might
    sound weird, but I never really think about it like that.  It  is
    kinda like, I just go my own way and do my  own  thing  and  hope
    whatever comes out makes people happy. I feel, as a fan, not even
    as  a  musician,  but  as  a  metal  fan,  that  I  -do-  have  a
    responsibility to keep metal going and alive and  do  whatever  I
    can do. That is the fan side of me more than the musician. It  is
    an intertwined thing because I am -such- a fan still, and I think
    that people might forget that. A lot  of  people  in  bands  stop
    becoming fans. You can tell, listening to certain records by  the
    bigger bands, that they have stopped being a fan of  metal.  They
    are no longer intrigued by it or care especially;  when  you  see
    bands like Metallica saying that they are no longer a metal  band
    and don't want to be called a metal band, yet they got  huge  off
    of being metal. <Laughs>

CoC: I think that is very well put.

CS: It is sad. It makes me sad, as a fan, to see  bands  turn  people
    onto great music then whatever... It is  kinda  like  [Metallica]
    are old; they are not that much older than me, really. I'm 31 and
    they have to be in their  mid-thirties;  upper-thirties,  at  the
    most.

CoC: You mentioned that you were a fan and every time that I've  seen
     Death you have always been very  supportive  other  groups.  The
     band that comes immediately to mind is Sadus.

CS: Oh, yeah.

CoC: You have often gone out of your way to support other  acts  that
     have  followed  in  your  wake.  I  think  that  you  deserve  a
     tremendous amount of credit for that.

CS: It is like I've said before, I'm just trying to keep things going
    and whatever I can do anytime, I will do it. I am lucky  to  have
    some friends in some really cool bands like Sadus, who  are  such
    great people and they are such a great band. I saw  them  at  the
    Milwaukee Metal Fest.

CoC: Thank you, by the way, for performing at that show, too.

CS: I had a really great time. It was  really  hectic,  though,  man,
    'cause those shows are not put on well. Getting on stage and  the
    equipment being total  crap.  Richard  is  one  of  the  greatest
    drummers in metal and he had a horrible drum set to play on.  His
    snare kept falling; he only had two toms  and  he  usually  plays
    five. It was just a mess, but after the  third  song,  everything
    just clicked  and  the  audience  was  so  killer.  It  was  very
    uplifting to be a part of that show and look out  there  and  see
    all these people there for metal when supposedly metal is dead in
    America.

CoC: No way. Not after -that- show.

CS: That show really sent some shockwaves through corporate  America.
    I thought Mercyful Fate was incredible and Sadus was  awesome.  I
    was honored to sit there in front of Steve [DiGiorgio] and  watch
    him play. They were just really great.

CoC: I wanted to ask you about the  vocal  style  on  _The  Sound  of
     Perseverance_. I've noticed in recent interviews that  you  said
     it was the most limiting style to the genre that Death is in.

CS: It is. That is why I had a lot of fun  doing  "Painkiller".  That
    was my chance to do something different that I enjoy doing.  [The
    vocal style] is basically why I have Control Denied ready  to  go
    after the Death tours are done. Control Denied is  the  extension
    of Death.

CoC: I am excited about it!

CS: I am, too. It has so much potential, because  I  have  been  very
    blessed by people embracing the music of  Death,  and  when  they
    hear Control Denied it will be exactly what  they  are  embracing
    Death for, only more. It is that next, fifth  element,  which  is
    the vocals, that are, honestly, holding this thing back inside of
    me. I've grown so much, as the music has; I'm outgrowing  it.  It
    is like a shoe that is getting  really  tight  and  you  have  to
    switch to another pair and let things grow and breathe. The music
    for Control Denied is all about that. It is about not giving  in,
    it is not about anything but what the name of the  band  says.  I
    don't like to be controlled or  limited,  and,  with  music,  the
    worst thing to do is stay in the same spot when  you  know  there
    could be more and better things.

CoC: I personally believe that your fans are growing with you.

CS: I do, too. I think the greatest thing is that everyone is  really
    embracing the progress.

CoC: How do you feel about your upcoming tour with  your  label-mates
     HammerFall?

CS: It is going to be great. I'm looking forward  to  it  very  much.
    They are a killer metal band and I  think  America  is  going  to
    enjoy that tour!

CoC: Back to the Milwaukee Metal Fest for a moment,  I  noticed  that
     Brian Griffin of Broken Hope  was  twisting  the  knobs  on  the
     soundboard for Death's performance. Was that something that  was
     planned?

CS: Actually, our sound man didn't show up. The bus broke  down.  The
    sound man for Cannibal Corpse is also our sound  man,  sometimes.
    He was going to run our sound at that show,  but  the  bus  broke
    down, so I was freakin' out. We had to go on in an  hour  and  we
    had no sound man; our guitar tech didn't show up, our  drum  tech
    didn't show up. It was a nightmare. I mean, honestly, really,  it
    was one of the most nightmare-ish like shows leading  up  to  the
    performance that I have ever had.

CoC: How was the Dynamo Open Air Festival with Pantera?

CS: Great! Really great response. 35000 people. Insane. Kinda like  a
    dream looking out and seeing all those people. Really cool,  man!
    Overwhelming in a really great way. The  most  organized  concert
    event that I have ever been a part of. It was  so  professionally
    done and it was just killer. I thought it was a breakthrough  for
    us to be a part of something like that.

CoC: I noticed there is a lot of groups touring  right  now.  Do  you
     think that will, in any way, discourage some bands from  touring
     now that a juggernaut like Death is going to be on the road?

CS: Some people have mentioned that there are a lot of bands on  tour
    and they are kinda worried  that  people  aren't  going  to  have
    enough money to come out to our show. Basically, I think that  it
    is up to the fans to balance their money wisely. <Laughs>

CoC: I've noticed in the music industry things seem to  be  extremely
     hectic and chaotic. Death, however, never seemed to get swept up
     into that. Did the name of the new record come from the struggle
     a band like Death must endure to keep on keepin' on?

CS: That is exactly where the whole name was spawned from.  For  this
    record, I felt like it definitely is the most impressionable  and
    important record that this band has ever done. That  is  why  the
    title really had to say something and that it had to make  people
    realize that it -was- saying something.

CoC: Thank you, Mr. Schuldiner, for all of your time and for the very
     impressive _The Sound of Perseverance_ release. Please, end  the
     interview anyway you would like.

CS: God! I appreciate everyone's support  and  patience.  REAL  METAL
    DOES LIVE!

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

      S L O W E D   D O W N ,   B U T   N O T   F O R   L O N G
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC chats with Igor Cavalera of Sepultura
                           by: Paul Schwarz
     From their beginnings as what can  be  vaguely  described  as  a
black metal band, at least in as much as Venom were/are a black metal
band, to their rise through the ranks  of  death  metal  and  finally
their elevation to the very pinnacle of the metal genre's popularity,
alongside such bands as Pantera and  Slayer,  Sepultura  have  always
strived.
     Early on they strived to simply become one of the many,  but  by
the time _Beneath the Remains_ was  released,  their  battle  was  to
become alone, something special. Though some fans left them in  their
transition from _Arise_'s  death/thrash  to  _Chaos  A.D._'s  catchy,
powerful and less technical style, overall it was _Chaos A.D._  which
brought to Sepultura a mass  metal  audience.  1996  saw  the  band's
popularity soar with a Top 20 UK single and eventual gold status  for
that year's album, _Roots_. For that year it was almost impossible to
escape the band, as they grabbed magazine covers and metal club  play
left and right. Though gaining many fans at the  end  of  this  year,
Sepultura lost founding member, vocalist and  (at  that  time)  media
focal-point Max Cavalera, in what was at the time widely viewed as  a
split, over the contract renewal of Gloria  Cavalera  (who  was  then
their manager), which would finish the band. As this interview's mere
presence indicates, Sepultura were not finished. Though Max (who went
on to form Soulfly) has bemoaned the band's retention of the name, it
was their right to keep it both legally and, at least in my  opinion,
musically speaking. Sepultura recruited Derrick Green  as  their  new
vocalist and continued striving. With new album _Against_ set  to  be
unleashed on the world on October 6th, I had  a  very  pleasant  talk
with Igor about the new record and the  band's  current  line-up  and
situation past and present. I start with the new album.

CoC: I feel there is a strong hardcore  and  punk  influence  running
     through the new album, _Against_; would you agree?

Igor Cavalera: Yeah, at the end I do, you know. When we were doing it
               we didn't really feel that way; we were  just  writing
               and writing, putting shit down without  even  noticing
               those kinds of details. Today, when  I  sit  down  and
               listen to the CD, I can totally see that. That is very
               clear; the  whole  hardcore  [thing]  influenced  this
               album a lot and the way I really see it, it is a  very
               strong album, very passionate. That's how we wrote  it
               and somehow  it  was  very  influenced  by  a  lot  of
               hardcore bands, which makes me very proud.

CoC: I also feel that it  is,  in  a  strange  way,  darker  or  more
     brooding than _Roots_. I personally think it has a deeper  sound
     -- I don't know why, it is just my impression it seems  to  have
     more struggle in it. Would you agree,  and,  if  so,  could  you
     explain how that change came about?

IC: Yeah, to a certain point I agree, the whole struggling point [the
    way] that you put it. We really felt a lot of pressure  from  Max
    departing the band and for us to continue [with] this there is  a
    lot of struggle there. At the same time, I just think that a  lot
    of feelings are really transparent, very clear when I  listen  to
    the CD, and that's [made it] become a little darker than _Roots_.
    I think _Roots_ was a very  conceptual  album  where  every  song
    really had something to do with the  other  and  with  the  whole
    Brazilian roots and a lot of percussive things in the  middle  of
    it; this album is a little more open. It is not really conceptual
    or anything like that; it's just a bunch of songs that we felt it
    was right to write at that time, we wrote it and  it  felt  good,
    and that is what is on the CD.

CoC: With the songs written by single people, did people come in with
     full songs, or were they more sort of jammed out by the band?

IC: That's one thing that we tried to keep very  straight.  Sepultura
    has always been about jammed out. It is always about four  people
    really thinking or four people really fighting for a riff or  for
    a lyric or for anything, so that is something we  all  felt  [is]
    really strong today, that band feeling, where before, on _Roots_,
    we really felt that Max was really getting  all  the  credit  for
    something that we really wrote together. We didn't feel that  was
    right, we didn't  feel  that  was  fair,  because  it  was  never
    different with Sepultura. It was always about four people  locked
    up in a room, pouring their sweat together.

CoC: Were the lyrics written in a group  or  were  they  more  of  an
     independent thing for the bandmembers?

IC: They're very different in the context of Andreas and  me  writing
    most of the lyrics on this album and them always being  a  little
    different from Max's way of writing; Andreas leaves it  a  little
    more open to different opinions and, you know,  different  people
    can have a different idea of what he is singing. Max's were a lot
    more straightforward; though I like it both ways, I can't  really
    pick and say I like one [approach] better than the other.  It  is
    just different in a way that one is a little darker.

CoC: You used Howard Benson as a producer for the album, which was  a
     difference, it was a change because I haven't known you  to  use
     him before. What influenced you to use him as opposed to  either
     Ross Robinson, Scott Burns or Andy Wallace?

IC: Well, the whole thing with Howard Benson was [that] we did like a
    pre-production tape with him with a lot of new songs and  he  was
    actually the one that approached us really  wanting  to  do  this
    project. So it was different from the start  already  --  it  was
    like "alright, let's see what he's got". From what we'd heard  of
    his earlier stuff with  Motorhead  and  Body  Count  we  wouldn't
    really have picked him, because we  thought  [what  he  did  with
    those bands] was really average. But he proved us wrong  when  we
    did the tape. It was totally  different  for  us,  it  was  like,
    "damn, he's really got something to put together",  and  plus  we
    didn't want to repeat ourselves by working with  Ross.  It  is  a
    different case [with Andy  Wallace],  because  Andy  Wallace  has
    always been a very good mixer, so we might  even  have  ended  up
    working with Andy -- that's something we put [to  the  side]:  at
    the end we always need someone to put all  the  madness  together
    and Andy is very good at that.

CoC: How was it working with the Kodo drummers from Japan  which  you
     did on "Kamaitachi"?

IC: That was something very special, especially for me as a  drummer,
    man. That was almost like a dream coming true. I have always been
    a very strong fan of Kodo; the style they put on their drums, the
    energy. I [have] always been  a  drummer  very  involved  on  the
    energy factor, a lot more than the technical and all  that  stuff
    that goes around the drumming. If I can hear  that  a  person  is
    really putting energy into every single hit, that for me is  what
    it takes to be a great drummer. So, for me to work with them,  to
    be right in front of those drums and feel the energy, it was very
    special.

CoC: You've covered a song called "F.O.E.",  by  James  L.  Bowen;  I
     don't know the artist, I am curious...

IC: We didn't know [him] either!

CoC: So what is it exactly, the song, or the cover, or whatever?

IC: Yeah, it is just like... it was a TV show in Brazil that has been
    going on for like over ten years and the opening song for this TV
    show is exactly that "F.O.E." song, and  we  always  listened  to
    that and we always thought like  "man,  this  is  such  a  killer
    song", but we never knew who wrote it or anything  about  it;  we
    just knew it was from that TV show. But then I was in  Sao  Paulo
    and I found an old vinyl with that song on it, which was  like  a
    soundtrack for an old 70s movie called "Vanishing Point",  and  I
    was like "fuck, this is the song". So it was like, "let's go over
    that". And we just said "alright,  fuck  it,  let's  do  it".  We
    didn't even know the band, or that person, or anything about it.

CoC: That's really cool.

IC: Yeah.

CoC: There's also the question of the last track on the  album  which
     is, I think, pretty different from any other way you've ended an
     album before. It's got  some  similarities  to  some  of  things
     you've done in the past, like "Kaiowas", maybe, or the  acoustic
     parts on _Roots_. What were the ideas behind  all  this  strange
     noise, and the much quieter, not  angry,  ending.  In  the  past
     you've ended with "Primitive Future", "Clenched Fist", so...

IC: Yeah, I know it is weird. We felt  that  that  song  just  really
    fitted at the end of the album. Then again, this  album  we  also
    started with a song which was very different from  _Chaos  A.D._,
    where we started with a catchier, more  mid-tempo  kind  of  song
    with "Refuse/Resist",  and  _Roots_.  Then  with  this  album  we
    started with a song that was a lot faster  than  the  usual  that
    we've been doing, so why not finish also in a different way?  And
    it is a very interesting song, because we recorded  actually  the
    first half of it in my home in San Diego just with a  little  DAT
    machine. Me, Andreas and  Paulo,  we  were  fucking  around  with
    acoustic instruments, actually, as we were  watching  a  football
    game on TV, and we were just jamming around like looking  at  the
    TV. And later on, Andreas listened to it and he was like  "man!".
    'Cause at the time we thought that it was cool,  but  that  there
    was really nothing to it, and then Andreas was like "you  got  to
    listen to this shit we recorded the other night, I  think  it  is
    really cool". So I listened to it and I was like  "wow,  this  is
    really fun!" and then we're like  "let's  finish  it  up  in  the
    studio". So the first half, it was done all very crappy, and then
    right after that it goes into something a lot more  professional;
    I don't know what you wanna call it, we just felt  it  was  cool.
    Also with the cello, which is an instrument which we really  love
    and it can fit pretty good with something like that.

CoC: What I found was good about it was that  it  surprised  me,  the
     cello part really surprised me, which I think was a  good  thing
     for it; good way to end the album, in my view anyway. You've had
     two people to do lead vocals and guitars and  stuff  on  various
     tracks,  Jason  Newsted  and   Joao   Gordo.   How   did   these
     collaborations come about and was there a reason for it, or  did
     it just happen?

IC: Pretty much the same way Jello Biafra worked with us.  It  always
    takes this crazy idea of one of us and one phone call: "you wanna
    do it?", and that person going like "fuck yeah!" or "Oh, I  don't
    know if I have the time if I am on tour"... you know. It  is  not
    like contacting any managers or going through any bullshit. it is
    just like really friendship and [when] you have  that  person  on
    the album it means a lot more to us having a really  good  friend
    working with us rather than someone music-wise that  we  respect.
    Especially with Gordo, he comes from a very different background,
    the whole like hardcore scene of Brazil, they [RDP]  started  way
    before Sepultura and it feels very good to have someone like  him
    on the album and also have Jason [Newsted, Metallica] who is also
    a very good friend, and a very big Sepultura fan, which  is  very
    inspiring for us, when he talks a lot about Sepultura on most  of
    the interviews he does. A lot of mutual respect, that's the  main
    thing for us.

CoC: How do you feel about _Roots_, looking  back  on  it  two  years
     after it came out? Because it brought you, success-wise,  a  lot
     further than you'd come before. How do you feel about the  album
     now and what it did for you?

IC: I don't know, man. The more I listen to _Roots_, the harder it is
    for me to understand what we were doing. Like, at first I thought
    the same way I think about [_Against_] right now: we just throw a
    bunch of ideas and put it out and then we'll  see  what  happens.
    And now, when I listen back to _Roots_, it is hard to  understand
    how people really got into that album. To a certain point, it was
    like, "damn", 'cause I don't think it is that  easy,  it  is  not
    that catchy, you know what I mean, for me it was like, "fuck". It
    is very  weird,  there  is  like  a  noisy  factor  to  it,  like
    everything is very noisy and the whole vibe on the album was very
    different from anything we'd done before and the whole concept of
    how we recorded and everything. It just surprised me that  a  lot
    of people got into it.

CoC: It is not like Metallica's black album, where you could kind  of
     see how it was more accessible than _... And Justice for All_.

IC: Yeah, you can totally pick out all the catchy stuff on  different
    albums, but on _Roots_ it's like "fuck".

CoC: Yeah, it's interesting, it seems a  mystery  and  it  remains  a
     mystery. [Though maybe it is  explained  by  the  trend-oriented
     popularity of the "Korn sound" and _Roots_' similarity  to  that
     sound, which saw Korn's _Follow the Leader_ debut at number 1 in
     the States. -- Paul]

IC: It will always be the same mystery as to why some bands work  and
    some bands don't, and sometimes they have very similar sounds. It
    is the same thing behind anything you do involving music,  it  is
    always very good timing with different factors.

CoC: Down to a lot of things other than music, I think. The band, you
     personally perhaps, have been very adamant over  the  last  year
     and a half, since Sepultura split, not to use  the  press  as  a
     weapon against Max; you've more or less kept quiet. I  do  feel,
     though, that "Rumours", along, possibly, with other songs, has a
     sort of similarity to some of the songs on the Soulfly record --
     "Rumours" sounds like it was about the split and a  lot  of  the
     songs on the Soulfly record are about the split. Are these songs
     about the split and, if so, did you -have- to get some  of  your
     feelings out about that?

IC: In a way, they deal with a  lot  of  things  that  went  on,  not
    actually about the split; but a song  like  "Rumours"  is  really
    something about being pissed off with a lot of  things  you  read
    that sometimes are not true, including the  whole  thing  between
    Max and the band. So it is hard for me to really  compare  it  to
    any of the songs on the Soulfly album like you put it, but at the
    same time there is definitely a lot to  do  with  it,  with  this
    whole year and a half that we have been through and "Rumours"  is
    one of the songs that really deals with that. But not  only  that
    but something that could also be in the past of the band.

CoC: This is a  hypothetical  question.  If  Max  disbanded  Soulfly,
     agreed that he was wrong or whatever  and  having  Gloria  as  a
     manager was wrong... and he wanted to rejoin Sepultura...  would
     Sepultura take him back at this point?

IC: I would. I would have him and Derrick.

CoC: You'd have both of them?

IC: Yeah, I think it would be... For me, I am not talking  about  the
    band or the other guys in the band, but for me, I would.  I  know
    they could work together, 'cause he is my blood. If those  terms,
    as you put it, if they were actually true, for me, as a  brother,
    I would take him in a minute.

CoC: Do you think that Max's departure and Derrick's addition to  the
     band will be the last change in Sepultura's line-up?

IC: Oh, that's impossible to answer... I would  never  have  imagined
    any change in Sepultura since our  first  guitar  player,  Jairo,
    left the band, and I never imagined that  -he-  would  leave  the
    band. So I don't know. There is too much going on in each mind to
    try to figure out.

CoC: But you don't -expect- another change,  you  feel  the  band  is
     particularly united at present?

IC: Yeah, I don't really expect anything like that. I just feel  very
    strong as a band today. After we've been  fighting  a  few  years
    with our management that we wanted to be portrayed as a band, and
    today I have that band feeling. That feels really, really good.

CoC: Do you think your fans will accept this album and the band as it
     is now?

IC: It's hard to tell. But one thing that it's really easy for me  to
    see is how when you do something that you really put 100% of your
    feelings into and you really [are] very comfortable with, it is a
    lot easier to accept success or even failure. When you  know  you
    gave it everything you've got,  whatever  happens  next  is  much
    easier to accept rather than if you try to please anyone.

CoC: Do you feel that  you  have  almost  gone  back,  to  a  certain
     [extent], via Max's leaving, or do you feel that you  can  carry
     on musically and success-wise from where _Roots_ left off?

IC: I don't know, man. It has always been really about breaking a lot
    of barriers and that is  the  feeling  I  have  always  had  with
    Sepultura, from day one. Men that came out of Brazil  and  really
    break  that  circle  of  European  and  American  bands.   That's
    something that I am so proud of. That itself  is  something  that
    keeps me going; when I see the fans from Indonesia, from  Brazil,
    from South Africa. They talk to us and say  "you  guys  represent
    something that is very important for us, not only musically,  but
    [for] showing people in those circles that  it  can  be  done  by
    people like us from other places in the world."

CoC: On live performances, how is  Derrick  Green  and  what  is  the
     difference with doing old songs by Sepultura? Does he attempt to
     mimic the old vocal style or does he do it in a different style?

IC: Yeah, it is a different approach. We did a couple of  shows  with
    Derrick and we totally felt that the approach he put on  the  old
    songs was really not about trying to copy Max in  any  way.  That
    was something that he always [made]  very  clear  to  us  and  we
    always respected that -- that he's got his own ideas.  He  really
    respects Max for what he has done with Sepultura, but at the same
    time he doesn't have the intention of copying him in any way,  so
    when he [sings] the old songs he puts a lot of his  own  feelings
    and also a lot of his own interpretation of  things  that  he  is
    screaming out. So I really see it as a very positive thing.

CoC: You were talking about being very proud that the band  was  from
     Brazil and that was your particular  point  of  origin.  Do  you
     think it made any difference to the  band  that  Derrick  wasn't
     Brazilian, originally?

IC: No, that's what I was talking about. We're such a band that it is
    very universal, in a way. So when we opened our doors  we  really
    felt like "it doesn't matter where  this  person  is  from,  this
    person has got to be the right person to be with  us",  and  that
    could mean a  Brazilian,  an  American,  Japanese:  anything.  We
    totally felt that we had to have a really open mind for this  and
    a lot of people pressured us, like "man, how are you  guys  going
    to continue with someone who is not Brazilian?". Sepultura is not
    about being Brazilian; it is about being what we are.

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

                  N E V E R   T O   B E   F R E E D
                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                       CoC interviews Sentenced
                          by: Adrian Bromley

     It's said that through time, we work things out.  That  is  true
when many think of the  career  of  Sentenced,  Finland's  depression
ambassadors. It has been a career of working things out.
     Like the darkened tales they tell, the  music  of  Sentenced  is
intriguing and effective for the most part. It has always  been  that
way, brooding emotions  within  its  vocal  arrangements,  detonating
powerful riffs and rhythms that deliver a stellar drive  of  emotions
for us all to digest. Their current music, though a far cry from  the
early death  metal  days  of  the  band's  beginnings,  is  extremely
effective, with its memorable  choruses  and  well-orchestrated  song
structures. The band's latest effort, _Frozen_, continues  where  the
band left off with the last great recording, _Down_. With new  singer
Ville Laihiala, Sentenced  steams  forward,  digging  deep  into  the
blackened sorrows of depression as they did with earlier efforts like
_North From Here_ (1992)  or  _Amok_  (1994),  yet  yielding  to  the
creative energy that allows the band to change over time.
     On the phone is  singer  Ville  Laihiala,  calling  to  talk  to
Chronicles  of  Chaos  about  the  band's  new  effort:  "Right  now,
Sentenced is more of a band than it has been in  years,"  he  starts.
"Everything seems to be working out great right now. We tried  a  lot
of different song ideas and material to work on this record. It was a
great learning experience for us all. Like most of the past Sentenced
work and _Down_, the most important aspect of Sentenced was  for  the
music and the lyrics to go hand in hand. To be able to work together.
This time we really wanted  to  concentrate  on  working  the  sound,
aiming to make the sound of the music sound a lot stronger. There was
a lot of effort from all band members to make this record come out  a
success sonically."
     He adds, "This record feels very current for the band. Right  up
to speed with where we are headed as a band.  You  can  hear  on  the
record that we had a fun time working the songs. Everybody gave  200%
while making this record and it shows up  in  a  big  way.  There  is
nothing I would change with the end result of _Frozen_."
     And  how  have  things  been  with  Laihiala  as  lead   singer?
Everything all right in the Sentenced camp? "There was  never  really
any doubt for the guys in the band [who are guitarists Miika  Tenkula
and Sami Lopakka, bassist Sami Kukkohovi and drummer Vesa Ranta] that
I couldn't do the job. They believed in me and what I would  be  able
to do as singer for the band. With me joining the band, Sentenced has
lost some stuff, but also gained some new ideas for what the band  is
about. The reactions from the  fans  have  been  great.  I  was  very
surprised on how I was received when I joined the band. I  thought  I
was in for some kind of trouble, but it's worked out great."
     He adds, "It was a great time doing this record, this  being  my
second time around with the band. When I  started  out  with  working
with the band on _Down_ I had only been in the band for three  weeks.
For me, I was just in the phase of getting to know them and sing  the
songs. I was worried about just doing my job. Now I have been in  the
band for a while and going into album number two for me I  felt  very
at home, 'cause I had known everyone and had become a  definite  part
of the band."
     Building upon their sound from years back, Sentenced has managed
to strengthen their  musicianship  over  the  years.  It  only  seems
fitting that a band that has worked as hard as they have to  be  able
to do stuff like the material found on _Frozen_ in their sleep.  It's
built on character and a willingness to exceed at what you do.  Where
does Laihiala and the rest of the band believe  Sentenced  fits  into
the fold as a metal band nowadays? "We never really aim to try to fit
into a certain category when we were making  this  record,  the  last
record or their older stuff. Sentenced has always  been  about  doing
what you believe in and being creative. I think  we  fall  under  the
category of gothic/rock or maybe suicide rock. It's hard to say where
Sentenced has fit in over  the  years,  seeing  how  much  they  have
changed. I think with the next record, the follow-up to this,  you'll
see a definite change in  where  Sentenced  goes.  It  doesn't  sound
anything like you have heard from Sentenced before."
     Does Laihiala see  Sentenced  as  a  successful  band?  What  is
success for him? "I think album by album it has been increasing,  but
realistically it's not about putting  out  records  that  sell.  It's
about putting out records and being happy with them. That's  success.
Ask any musician, putting out a record is  great  accomplishment.  It
feels good. The reaction of the fans also adds to how we  feel.  It's
hard to judge the ways of success, but being able to do this  for  so
long does mean the band has been successful to some degree."
     Labelled by many as suicide rock, the  music  of  Sentenced  has
been known to be very dark, damaging and downright blunt. It holds no
punches. This is the dark depths  of  depression  for  people  to  be
witness to. Why would Ville want  to  be  a  part  of  this  band  of
musicians  who  mask  their  metal  music  with  terrible  doses   of
depression? "I dunno, man. It's a tough issue, what we  do.  I  think
this is a definite form of therapy for myself or the  other  guys  in
the band. We deal with serious issues and instead  of  carrying  them
out, we write them down and work them into songs. It's very  personal
and allows us to get off a lot of steam."
     Doing press before a  tour  starts  up,  I  ask  Laihiala  about
touring. He responds. "Touring is very fun for us. Tiring but a great
time for us to get out and expose the band to  many  people.  Playing
live is what it is all about. It has always  been.  But  we  do  have
problems on  tour.  Drinking  problems  always  seem  to  arise.  Not
drinking problems for us in the band, just the fact that people  take
our liquor. <Laughs> We put our foot down and really come  down  hard
on people taking our stuff. Sure we make enemies, but we earned  that
liquor. It's ours. We're not assholes. We're musicians  and  in  this
business you take what you can get  as  your  career  goes  along..."
<Laughs again>

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

               B R U C E   D O N ' T   B U L L S H I T
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                    CoC interviews Bruce Dickinson
                          by: Adrian Bromley

     "Going into this record, we wanted to make it heavier  than  the
last few records. It had to be heavy both lyrically  and  musically,"
starts heavy metal icon/screamer Bruce Dickinson over the phone about
his latest metal masterpiece, _The Chemical Wedding_.
     "This is a brilliant  record,"  continues  Dickinson  about  his
sixth solo effort, one of a long list of releases  the  ex-singer  of
Iron Maiden has delivered since leaving  that  band  in  1993.  "This
album is a mixture of all the styles of music I have done up to  this
point. It has elements of Maiden and the solo stuff that I have done,
but I also think it takes what I have done a bit further in terms  of
the sound. It is a much deeper record than  [anything]  I  have  done
before. For me, this record really digs down deep."
     "This record turned out better than I had  imagined  or  planned
it, too. I think the reason for that is that when  I  went  into  the
studio I was a little apprehensive about making the record sound this
heavy. I didn't think I could do it. It just got heavier and  heavier
and I was a bit worried that it was too heavy. Then I decided  to  go
with it and it all turned out for the better."
     For Dickinson, leaving Iron Maiden after many years seemed  like
the kiss of death. Why would he leave such a pioneering metal outfit?
Many solo artists fail after leaving a prominent band.  It  has  been
the complete opposite for Dickinson. While Iron Maiden has  recruited
new singer Blayze Bailey to do  the  singing  for  them,  their  ship
slowly sinks in mediocrity; Dickinson's ship is sailing strong, masts
out and with no end in sight. While  his  past  solo  records  (i.e.,
1994's _Balls to Picasso_ and 1996's _Skunkworks_)  haven't  done  as
well as 1997's _Accident of Birth_, he kept his momentum strong early
on, which allowed him to get to this point. What creative  energy  or
ambition within him keeps things going after all these years?
     "I think I have come to the conclusion  that  this  metal  thing
within me runs deep. It is a true and sincere part of me. That's  why
I keep doing this, rather than go off and do a jazz band or something
like that. The challenge for me is  to  approach  the  music  I  play
differently each time out. Being a solo artist and doing  that  is  a
lot easier than it is to do when you are part of a band.  When  bands
get an identity or style  all  their  own,  you  sometimes  become  a
prisoner of that style and it's hard to break away from that."
     Once again, as with  the  brilliant  last  outing  _Accident  of
Birth_, ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith once again collaborates
and plays on the record. What was it like to work with  Adrian  Smith
again? "Working with Adrian again was brilliant. Working with him has
been such a great pleasure. Stuff really works when we get  together.
We write three songs together for the last record, and two  for  this
one. All the rest was written with the other guitarist, Roy Z."
     What about the success of working with Roy? "Most  of  the  work
for where each album is headed is done in my head. But  working  with
Roy is great. It's very easy to work together with him. We  basically
work on our own with the music and lyrics and then bring it together.
It works out better that way 'cause I don't have to dictate to him  I
want things this way or that  way.  We  both  have  just  that  added
initiative to please each other with stuff we work on.  Like  I  said
before, a lot of the ideas go on in my head and all I am trying to do
is make sense of it all and make it work well for the  band's  sake."
[Note: Bassist Eddie Casillas and drummer Dave Ingraham round out the
five-piece band. -- Adrian]
     To many who have heard this effort, _The  Chemical  Wedding_  is
Dickinson's masterpiece. He has not gone  wrong  here.  It  seems  as
though as the years have gone on, Dickinson's banging and clanging of
musical ideas has shaped his music  into  a  sound  to  behold.  With
vintage storytelling (heavily based on  the  works  of  poet  William
Blake), heavy riffs and a flare for old Iron Maiden sensibility, _The
Chemical Wedding_ is  a  masterful  array  of  Dickinson's  good  old
fashion know-how and his brilliance rolled into one. "This is one  of
those really heavy records. It's very dark and a  definite  evolution
of what we did in the last effort. It also has a strong poetic  theme
to it. Very heavy poetry and that runs very deep within the music. We
worked hard with adding flavors and odd guitar sounds to this effort.
We tweaked things around in the studio. Out  of  all  the  things  we
focused on with this record, the guitars were a priority. This record
has a lot of guitar work on it. We went to town with this  record  to
make sure the production and the guitar work showed up predominantly.
There are a lot of things going on with this  record  like  distorted
vocals, noises, keyboards, but in all it's shaped into a  good  piece
of work."
     While Dickinson is  no  stranger  to  putting  out  records  and
touring, he admits he is always worried when a new record  is  to  be
released to the masses. "I dunno. I just get worried  about  all  the
records I do. But when records come  out,  or  leading  up  to  their
release, hearing what people say about them  is  very  inspiring  and
keeps me calm. Especially if they really are into  it.  Every  artist
faces the worries of what people will think when their  record  comes
out, but it's something you have to ignore. If  not,  it'll  get  the
better of you and the creativity of what you are doing will be lost."
     "When we hit hard with  _Accident  of  Birth_  and  people  were
talking about it, it was a great time for us to be out  on  the  road
and doing press. It was a very instant record for  us,  in  terms  of
putting it together and the feedback we got. This record,  after  two
or three listens you really can see and hear the depth of what we did
here.  I'm  hoping  for  some  great  feedback  with  this  one.  I'm
tremendously proud of this record."
     In closing, I ask Dickinson about his  ex-band's  current  work.
Two albums with new lead singer Blayze Bailey and the  metal  machine
of Iron Maiden seems to be running  on  empty,  especially  with  the
absolutely horrific new LP _Virtual XI_ (1994's _The X-Factor_  being
the debut of Bailey on vocals). Not prying too deep on  his  feelings
about the band, I ask, "What do you think about the current direction
of the band?"
     "I don't know where it's going with them. While I am not part of
them anymore, I still have an attachment to them. I still talk to the
band. I always seem to put it  this  way:  'We  may  be  divorced  or
separated, but we still share the same bathroom.' I don't want to see
them disappear down the tubes or anything like that. It would just be
a shame to see all the past work be washed aside if people don't like
the new stuff."

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

                          W H O   K N E W ?
                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                CoC interrogates Canada's Lesser Known
                          by: Adrian Bromley

     It's always a great feeling when you discover a great  new  band
to be into. Such was the  case  with  a  couple  of  listens  of  the
sophomore effort  _Inner  Beast_  from  Lesser  Known.  The  Windsor,
Ontario quartet (comprised of  singer  Spaz,  drummer  Paul  Turgeon,
guitarist Cory Chauvin and bassist Roger Beaudry) play  some  of  the
coolest (as they call it) "border-city-groove-core" out  there  right
now in the independent circle. While influences of many metal /  hard
rock acts run through the make-up of Lesser Known,  it's  the  band's
undying love of abstract weirdness and gritty rock 'n roll punch that
makes this an enjoyable listen. Not to  mention  the  band  are  hard
workers at promoting themselves, putting blood, sweat and tears  into
making this band a success. Chronicles of Chaos caught up  with  lead
singer Mike "Spaz" Davidson via e-mail to shoot the  shit  about  the
band, song writing and the Canadian metal music scene. Here goes:

CoC: Most bands nowadays feel that they have to play a certain  style
     of hard rock / metal music to fit  into  the  music  scene.  The
     music of Lesser Known, while spirited with hard rockin'  grooves
     and heaviness, is different from most bands out  there.  Do  you
     hear or see that?

Spaz: Definitely, I see that. That's what we are trying  to  do.  Our
      biggest thing is not being pigeon holed into  being  a  certain
      type of band. Like certain styles are right cool, death  metal,
      cross-over, thrash -- whatever, but the thing is  they've  been
      done to death! Only the very first  bands  playing  that  stuff
      were cool in my books, because they were  leaders.  That's  the
      path Lesser Known is taking, to create our own image, style and
      career. You don't have  to  play  blast  beats  and  tune  your
      guitars so the strings are hanging like spaghetti to be  heavy.
      Songs on our records are all over the place and our  fans  just
      say, "Lesser Known is heavy, man".

CoC: What in your mind is the hardest aspect of being an  independent
     band?

Spaz: Time and money. To be a manager, agent, publicist,  accountant,
      record company, work 40 hours a week to  pay  the  bills,  plus
      having to show up at every gig and perform to the utmost of our
      ability. And sure, we make good money playing and  selling  our
      merchandise, but the total  volume  of  our  overhead  is  just
      barely getting covered by our  earnings.  On  the  other  hand,
      being in an indie band is great, because we have total  control
      over our careers in every aspect. At this stage  in  the  game,
      we've been in this band seven years now, we have  developed  to
      the point where we are seeking to assemble a professional  team
      to maximize our collective careers and our net  worth.  So  any
      industry big wigs out there reading this, call  our  office  if
      you want to cash in.

CoC: Going into the sophomore record, was there concern  to  top  the
     first  record?  What  production/writing  changes  occurred  the
     second time out?

Spaz: In my eyes, _Inner Beast_ smokes  _Bring  an  Open  Mind_.  Two
      major changes happened  along  the  road  to  releasing  _Inner
      Beast_. The first was our second guitar player was excused from
      the band. After over five years of being with the guy, we  came
      to a point where  we  realized  that  he  wasn't  on  the  same
      wavelength as us, he didn't have the same goals and objectives.
      Lesser Known has always been a  family  thing,  with  the  same
      original members. People were dying to get their shot at  being
      in the band, but we decided against it because we couldn't  see
      having someone new in our inner circle. We call it "the  gang",
      it's like if you're not in the gang you don't know what's going
      on in here. So right there, the sound and writing was  stripped
      down to a more single guitar driven in-your-face approach.  The
      second major thing was the recording. _Bring an Open Mind_  was
      recorded at Metal Works  Studios  in  Toronto  in  about  three
      weeks. It  was  way  too  anal  and  uptight,  for  me  anyway.
      Excellent production, and a professional  environment,  but  it
      seemed constricted. On _Inner Beast_, our veteran producer  Ron
      Skinner ("The Man, The Myth, The Legend")  again  came  to  our
      rescue by getting the best gear and setting up  sessions  in  a
      farm house in rural southern Ontario. It was a  way  more  laid
      back, relaxed atmosphere to lay the beds down in. All  in  all,
      from  my  view  point,  _Inner  Beast_,  from  its  production,
      songwriting and packaging, is what  a  second  full  length  is
      supposed to be.

CoC: What do you think about the Canadian hard rock / metal scene  in
     general? How is the scene there in Southern Ontario?

Spaz: For some reason, from the public  up  to  the  music  industry,
      people have this impression of Canadian bands  as  being  these
      melodic, tree-hugging, acoustic guitar  strumming  flakes.  The
      Canadian scene is rocking! From London, to Toronto, to  Ottawa,
      to the killer Quebec scene, all the way to the far East  coast,
      then back across to Thunder Bay,  Regina,  Saskatoon,  Edmonton
      and right into Vancouver. Canadian metal is alive and shredding
      just like everywhere else in the world. Metal mutates,  but  it
      does not die. Hell, Lesser Known draws from 300 up to  750  all
      ages fans to our hall shows down here in southern  Ontario,  so
      no one can tell me that there's no metal scene in Canada!

CoC: In regards to the many influences running through the  music  of
     Lesser Known, what  band  or  bands  have  been  an  inspiration
     (influence) for the band?

Spaz: I'll start with the biggest thing that binds Lesser Known,  the
      influence that Metallica has had on us. For all these fools out
      there trying to diss them, go lie down. They were the ones that
      brought metal to the world on a  large  scale  and  opened  the
      doors for countless bands to follow. Show  some  respect  here;
      even if you don't like their new stuff, there's no way that you
      can cut down _Kill 'Em All_, _Ride the Lightning_ or _Master of
      Puppets_! For our band, we don't scam them or want to be  them,
      we just really respect what they've done, what  they've  become
      and the whole mystique with them. As for other stuff, I'll just
      throw a bunch of band names together that I know the guys and I
      listen to or have been inspired by. Bands  like  Rush,  Slayer,
      Death, Faith No  More,  The  Cure,  RHCP,  Discharge,  Misfits,
      Anthrax/SOD, The Accused, GBH,  Minor  Threat,  Ice  T,  Public
      Enemy,  NWA,  Sepultura/Soulfly,  Alice  In  Chains   /   Jerry
      Cantrell, Primus... the list goes on and  on  and  on.  We  are
      music lovers who create music for music lovers. As long as  you
      bring an open mind, there's gonna  be  something  on  a  Lesser
      Known album that grabs you by the balls.

CoC: Having not seen the band live yet, how does the band differ from
     record and live?

Spaz: Lesser Known -is- a live band. There  is  no  comparison.  Sure
      it's great to sit back and throw in our disc and  be  enveloped
      in good production and textured songwriting, but the live  show
      is where Lesser Known dominates. I grew  up  being  in  Detroit
      almost every weekend to see gigs at all the small scummy  clubs
      there. The guys and I have seen  countless  concerts  and  that
      carries over into our live  show.  If  you  are  a  fan  of  an
      aggressive,  non-stop,  pounding,  sweating,  thrashing,   head
      banging, stage diving, head walking show, then come to a Lesser
      Known gig the next time we are in town. Personally, I get right
      off being on stage. Sometimes when we walk off after the set, I
      look at someone and say, "Fuck me, that was better than sex".

CoC: How often does the band write material? Is the band eager to put
     new material out soon, or will you work this material  into  the
     ground before recording again?

Spaz: We worked really hard to put _Inner Beast_ together, so we want
      to push it to the limits before laying it into  the  catalogue.
      It came out this spring, so we will push it until  the  end  of
      next year. I want to have ample time between writing so that we
      can come up with a totally different third LP. That's the great
      thing about Lesser Known. Fans are always wondering, "What  the
      Hell are they gonna do next?", instead of "Yeah, great, another
      LK record". Sure, the guys are dying to bang some new stuff out
      in the rehearsal room, but I keep them back and want to hold in
      all the creative juices until  we  just  explode  on  the  next
      album. Actually, we already have the name for it, I have a  few
      sets of lyrics I am working on, and Cory, our guitar  player  /
      partner in slime, has some riffs laid down on the Fostex. Sorry
      I can't tell you any more, but I'd have to kill you if I told
      you!

CoC: People out there assume musicians are in their own little world
     for the most part? Do you think it takes a certain person to  be
     a musician, to tour, write music, etc.?

Spaz: You have to be certifiably insane to the core to be a musician.
      <Laughs> No, but seriously, there are two  ways  that  you  can
      look at it. Sure, it takes a certain type of person to  do  it,
      just like a brain surgeon, or a cop or a teacher, whatever. But
      in the same respect, it is a job like any other.  You  have  to
      work hard at it to ensure that you are successful and it  takes
      determination,  skills  and  persistence.  That's  one  of  the
      biggest  mistakes  that  bands  just  starting  out  make,  not
      separating and understanding the words  in  the  phrase  "music
      business". Sure, it's great to get out there with your  buddies
      and jam, and say, "Ya, we're  gonna  be  famous",  but  it's  a
      totally different  story  to  actually  become  a  professional
      musician. A blurb of lyrics from the opening  track  on  _Inner
      Beast_, "Hate List", totally sums up this struggle:  "It  ain't
      hard to say, but it's hard to see, this doesn't bother me".

CoC: Most bands have a great tour or show story... any good ones?

Spaz: Oh, man, Lesser Known is like a walking comedy show. We  create
      new skits every time we get together. Probably about  the  best
      time we've ever had on-stage was when we drew  750  fans  to  a
      headlining gig in Chatham, Ontario, a while back. We  were  all
      having stomach ulcers thinking we were gonna lose our shirts on
      the gig, but then just streams and streams  of  kids  came.  We
      nearly lost our  minds!  So  we  had  to  oblige  the  mass  of
      screaming Lesser Known fans by ripping into a devastating  set.
      We had kids singing along to the lyrics, stage diving, and  the
      pit was like a whirling cauldron of death! Remember that  thing
      I said about performing being better than sex? I think  I  shot
      my wad in my shorts that night on stage.

CoC: What does success mean to you? Having an LP out?  Playing  live?
     How does Lesser Known determine success?

Spaz: Well, we've been down in the  trenches  for  seven  years  now.
      Lesser Known is not taking "no" for an answer.  We've  been  to
      Hell and back five times, even stopped for a couple  cold  ones
      with the Devil! It's all made up of minor successes every  day,
      you know, like this album release, our  last  show  in  Ottawa,
      THIS INTERVIEW. Our big thing is having masses of people  enjoy
      our music as much as we enjoy creating it. The way  we  measure
      success is the day that I get to shake these  guys'  hands  and
      walk on stage at something like the Castle  Donnington  or  the
      Dynamo Festival and begin the decimation. We are determined  to
      do everything in our power to get there as a unit and we're not
      going to stop 'til we have it in our hands. Oh, and by the way,
      the fans in the front row that day had better have  rain  coats
      on 'cause I'm gonna explode.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                   _____  .__ ___.
                  /  _  \ |  |\_ |__  __ __  _____
                 /  /_\  \|  | | __ \|  |  \/     \
                /    |    \  |_| \_\ \  |  /  Y Y  \
                \____|__  /____/___  /____/|__|_|  /
                        \/         \/            \/
              _____                 .__
             /  _  \   _________.__.|  |  __ __  _____
            /  /_\  \ /  ___<   |  ||  | |  |  \/     \
           /    |    \\___ \ \___  ||  |_|  |  /  Y Y  \
           \____|__  /____  >/ ____||____/____/|__|_|  /
                   \/     \/ \/                      \/

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!


Adnauseum - _Desire, Aspire, Inspire, Expire_
by: Paul Schwarz   (2 out of 10)  (Sickness/Horror Shop, August 1998)

Desire: to play brutal death metal.
Aspire: to be Cannibal Corpse.
Inspire: listeners with ears to turn off their stereos.
Expire: soon, please...


Various - _Amduscias_  (Zenflesh, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (8 out of 10)

If you don't follow  the  procedure  I  am  about  to  describe  when
listening to this bizarre compilation, then you can halve the mark  I
have given this CD. Trying to listen to this 74 minute compilation in
isolation (musically speaking) is painful and, for myself  at  least,
unrewarding. What I find makes this collection  of  abstract,  absurd
and  downright  bizarre  tracks  really  cool,  and  eminently   more
listenable, is to allow the sounds  of  the  modern  urban  world  to
invade your listening of it and thereby create a new experience  each
time you play it. Sit on a high rise balcony or walk through  a  busy
city street and you'll find, I think, that the strange constructions,
which are about as far from "real songs" as you can  get,  meld  well
with random sounds of the modern urban world. I must confess  that  I
can't see myself dumping this into my  walkman  to  indulge  in  this
experience too often, but all the  same  it  is  an  interesting  and
rather original way in which this compilation, in isolation from most
others, can be experienced to the end of  making  it  more  enjoyable
rather than less so.

Contact: Zenflesh Records, PO Box 252065 Los Angeles, CA, 90025, USA
         WWW: www.zenflesh.com/
         mailto:panic@zenflesh.com


Arkh'aam - _The Blue Beyond the Black_  (<Independent>, August 1998)
by: David Rocher  (7 out of 10)

Hailing from the Celtic lands of Brittany, this  duo  demonstrates  a
sharp  sense  for  unconventionally  approaching  "the  black   metal
question". Cleverly mixing conventional  black  metal  elements  with
further metal, gothic, or somewhat  "folksy"  influences,  they  have
succeeded in creating a single half-hour track which is  interesting,
unusual and, to some extent, rather compelling.  The  music  and  the
atmospheres Arkh'aam generate are completely different from  what  is
usually hulled in the black metal concept, and  this  is  partly  the
strength, and partly also the weakness of this CD. Why the  weakness?
Simply because not all elements always combine as well as they could,
and the atmospheres Arkh'aam seem to wish  to  produce  don't  always
come out to be as evil, mystical or occult as what they seem intended
to be -- as far as I  can  tell,  anyway.  This  said,  however,  the
Bretons pull it off thanks to their nearly  progressive  approach  --
not meaning hysterical guitar solos all over the place, but literally
-stunning- breaks set in at regular, frequent intervals -- as well as
some genuinely great ideas, such as the inverted speech in the middle
of the track, or the alternating scheme of chanting/screaming vocals.
The sound is clear, though not revealing as much guitar  as  I  would
have liked (the guitar tone is very similar to that  of  early  works
from Norwegian acts such as Satyricon, Emperor, Dodheimsgard,  etc.),
but all instruments are very audible; so, on the whole, _TBBtB_ is an
intriguing and interesting experience to witness, in terms  of  black
metal.

Contact: ARKH'AAM, Residence des Cotiais, Ave.
         De la Bouvardiere, 35650, Le Rheu, FRANCE


Ataraxia - _Historiae_  (Cold Meat Industry, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (6 out of 10)

As seems to be their trade, and I presume  joy,  Cold  Meat  Industry
bestow upon the world another band who are anything but just  another
(insert music style of latest trend  here)  band.  Ataraxia,  who  --
according to my press release -- churned out  no  less  than  4  full
length albums and one 10" between 1994 and 1996. Now they present us,
after a two year break, with a full CD worth of tracks in  the  style
of "ballads from the Middle Ages". Recorded 2/3s in  the  studio  (in
the "Autumn Equinox") and 1/3  live  at  a  Medieval  Court  (in  the
"Spring Equinox"), _Historiae_ clocks in at  nearly  40  minutes  and
contains 7 out of 9 tracks which  are  'original'  compositions  (the
remaining  two  being  "covers"  taken  from   Carl   Orff's   choral
masterpiece  _Carmina   Burana_).   "'Original'",   as   opposed   to
"original", because these tracks are, fully  admittedly,  "based"  on
"ballads from the Middle Ages", meaning there is no way for a  person
as uninformed about the music of the Middle Ages as I am to know  how
much originality the band  have  injected  into  these  compositions.
Suffice  to  say  it  is  all  new  to  me,  and  lyrically   totally
unintelligible being sung in a language (or  languages)  I  am  quite
unfamiliar with. _Historiae_ has been well composed and produced, and
also performed by musicians who are  obviously  talented.  Where  the
band fail is not in their instrumental skill, but in their  inability
to break the barrier of my personal taste. Put simply, _Historiae_ is
not something I would put on at home out of choice.


Barrit - _Smiles Upon the Stroke That Murders Me_
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)  (Ellington, September 1998)

This band gets thumbs up first and foremost  for  collaborating  with
Steve Austin (of Today Is the Day fame) for the production work here.
Austin, to  me,  is  one  of  the  finest  new  entries  into  wicked
innovators of the extreme / metal music  scene.  Enough  praising  of
Austin, let's get down to the matter here: Barrit. Barrit  fluctuates
between eerie black metal sounding riffage (though they are not  even
black metal) and  abstract  noise  ensembles.  Severe  hardcore/noise
elements bring forth  a  powerful  groove  here  (i.e.,  "Transient",
"Mouthman" and "A Planet Wide") as the band disbands any  regard  for
proper song writing and rages on in a fist of fury from the  get  go,
stomping on those who get in their way. This is some  pretty  bizarre
shit and comes highly recommended, should you want a  little  bid  of
oddness in your hard music / metal diet.

Contact: BARRIT, P.O. Box 173 North Hampton, MA USA 01060


Blood Ritual - _At the Mountains of Madness_ (Moribund Records, 1997)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

Some pretty incredible music  has  come  across  my  path  in  recent
months, and Blood Ritual's  _At  the  Mountains  of  Madness_  is  no
exception. I was pretty taken with the title of the album. It  wasn't
mindless  and  it  immediately  created  an  image  of   strife   and
disturbance. In a nutshell, it communicated to me what was in  store.
The next to catch my attention was the  disc  cover;  smooth-featured
ladies   fronting   an   unnervingly   deprave    background;    more
foreshadowing, methinks. Upon my first spin, I was  duly  invigorated
by the potent viciousness of the music, as it chunks along in  places
then systematically rips straight through to  your  core  in  others.
Musically, this bad boy would easily have been a 9 maybe, even a 9.5,
but here comes my sticking point: lyrical content. It  gets  a  touch
repetitive and obtuse. Now that this has  been  aired,  I  -honestly-
don't mind the way Blood  Ritual  incorporates  their  ideology  into
_AtMoM_. As a matter of personal opinion, I think that BR  accomplish
fusing their chosen philosophy with  the  raw  power  of  this  music
better than anyone, including Deicide,  Morbid  Angel,  (insert  band
here). Because I give them this much credit, I only had heart  enough
to appropriate a half to a full point from  the  rating  of  _AtMoM_.
Please do not let this detract you from this  purchase,  because  any
negatives are more than compensated for by the dynamism of the music.
Highlights on _AtMoM_ come immediately at  the  disc's  genesis  with
"Invocation". A morbidly crushing juggernaut  of  a  song,  beginning
with an excerpt from one of  the  "Hellraiser"  movies  (I  believe).
Clocking in at seven plus minutes, a complex tune and,  as  it  turns
out, my favorite on _AtMoM_. "Ancient Rites" is  another  beautifully
worked piece. Choppier and crunchier  than  "Invocation",  this  song
slides into a rush of guitar power  showing  BR's  mastery  of  their
domain. To a large extent, track seven,  "Sweet  Suffering",  is  the
true powerhouse of this release; very weighty in the vocals, but  the
slow pummelling of the riffs are punctuated so perfectly with a  solo
about half way through the song that it is simply  mind-blowing!  The
release ends with my second favorite track,  "Cruciform  Antithesis".
The beginning and ending  tracks  are,  candidly,  completely  equal,
acting as bookends for a complete library of well-executed mayhem  in
between. My only justification for liking one better than  the  other
is the fact that I was exposed to "Invocation" first.  See  what  you
think!


Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_  (Metal Blade / Attic, November 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)

Having been big a fan of the band's earlier  years  (i.e,  _Realm  of
Chaos_ and _War Master_ LPs), I was eagerly  awaiting  this  release,
hoping that somehow or some way the band would manage to  shift  into
gear and put a strong LP, something the band hadn't done in some time
(since 1994's great _... For Victory_). Did they do it? The answer is
yes and no. While the latest LP by England's Bolt Thrower is somewhat
"safe sounding", meaning the band didn't really venture out too  much
in the material, the band still manages to concoct some killer  riffs
and intense playing scattered throughout the LP. Most notable numbers
include opener "Zeroed" and  the  heavy-laden  "Return  From  Chaos".
While I am giving this a mediocre rating by Bolt  Thrower  standards,
it's good to see this band back in the spotlight after a  long  three
year gap. Karl Willetts' vocals sound pretty strong here, coating the
material with angst and anger and  allowing  it  to  enhance  into  a
full-armored machine when needed be. Some good stuff here.  So,  Bolt
Thrower has returned, my friends; grab some ale and mead and  make  a
toast and enjoy the heavy assault.


Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_  (CMC/BMG, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (9.5 out of 10)

Every one and  their  mother  was  talking  about  Bruce  Dickinson's
_Accident at Birth_ LP when it came out last  year.  Bruce  had  once
again joined up with ex-Iron  Maiden  guitarist  Adrian  Smith,  and,
combined with an excellent band (including guitar whiz Roy  Z.),  had
put out one of the year's best LPs. Well, the time has come again for
Bruce Dickinson to return to the fold with new material, and  my,  is
it good. _Chemical Wedding_ is a  ballsy,  thick  n'  heavy  LP  that
shines with unbelievable aggression and triumphant song writing. Look
no further than the title track, "The Tower" or "Gates of Urizen"  to
see the detailed work that Dickinson and Co. have put into  this  LP.
It's a truly masterful record and once again one of the year's  best.
Dickinson has put out a lot of solo LPs this  decade  and  still  his
music sounds fresh, though some will say he failed with  _Skunkworks_
in 1995 -- I disagree, though. Anyway, kids, this  LP  is  definitely
worth a few hundred listens. Dickinson is the man once again.


Cage - _Unveiled_  (Chainsaw, August 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (7 out of 10)

Well, Cage are definitely heavy metal: of that there can be no doubt.
Cage owe most to Birmingham's second great gift to metal (after Black
Sabbath), Judas Priest. They don't push themselves into the corner of
becoming a rip-off  band,  but  I  think  it  is  fair  to  say  that
_Unveiled_ could easily have been the new Judas Priest album in place
of last year's _Jugulator_. It ain't as good,  though.  This  doesn't
mean Cage are bad: nice guitar riffs, decent solos, nicely  performed
Halford-esque vocals and a  tight  rhythm  section  combine  to  make
_Unveiled_  a  good  album  for  the  band  to  be   debuting   with.
Additionally, the respect they've garnered from the Priest  camp  and
their prestigious live appearances with both the  aforementioned  and
other metal legends such as Dio assures Cage a  good  base  to  begin
building  from.  The  solid  and  distinctively  metal  album   which
_Unveiled_ is provides ample raw materials for this task.


Castrum - _Black Silhouette Enfolded in Sunrise_
by: Paul Schwarz  (8 out of 10)  (Folter/Warfare, August 1998)

Oh my God -- or is that Lord Satan? Well, since I am an atheist,  the
expression  has  no  personal  significance  either  way,   but   the
linguistic  implication  of  either  is  significant   and   requires
explanation. Castrum are a true surprise. Though not  a  black  metal
revolution, the quality of the eight tracks, spanning nearly an hour,
which  comprise  _BSEiS_  is  exceptional.  Yes,  you  can  hear  the
influence of black metal's finest, but what's important is  that  you
can hear the -influence- instead of the band just ripping  off  their
"heroes".  Production  is   astounding   and   instrumentation   very
impressive, altogether not for the weak,  faint  at  heart  or  those
obsessed with brutality alone. That the band claim to be "a  clan  of
Croatian vampires" and have a press release  challenging  Holland  in
the  cheese  stakes  is  excusable  only  because  their   music   is
exceptional, and therefore I haven't let it affect my mark.


Cemetary - _Sweetest Tragedies_  (Black Mark, June 1998)
by: Adam Wasylyk  (8 out of 10)

Very rarely do I care if a band breaks up,  although  in  some  cases
it's truly a loss to the metal community. I cared when At  the  Gates
broke up. I cared when Suffocation broke up.  I  cared  when  Pungent
Stench broke  up.  I  even  cared  when  the  relatively  small  band
(although highly underrated) Human Remains broke  up.  In  Cemetary's
case, the band didn't actually break up (at least not the last time I
heard). But honestly, they might as well have broken up when longtime
vocalist Mathias Lodmalm left to form his own  band  called  Sundown.
Speaking of Lodmalm's band, Sundown was also the name  of  Cemetary's
fourth album, an album I consider to be one of the best in my  record
collection. Balls-out rock melodies meets  prog  metal  qualities  --
it's just a fucking amazing  album.  Getting  back  to  what's  being
reviewed, _Sweetest Tragedies_ is a retrospective of sorts, featuring
material from prior records up to the band's last one,  the  somewhat
disappointing   _Last   Confessions_.   Starting   off   with   "Last
Transmission" (the BEST  Cemetary  song  ever  recorded),  additional
highlights include "Scarecrow", "Ophidian", "Sweet Tragedy", "Elysia"
and "Sundown". The theory rings true, you don't miss something  until
it's gone. Bands come and go (or just  turn  to  shit),  but  it's  a
tragedy when it's a band you care about.


Various - _Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4_
by: Paul Schwarz  (7 out of 10)  (Pessimiser, August 1998)

This is two of the double 7" comps in the _Cry Now, Cry Later_ series
from Pessimiser. 30 tracks in all, put onto one CD for your ease  and
listening pleasure. Over 50 minutes of grindcore  from  some  of  the
underground's nastiest acts (mostly  relatively  new,  but  also  the
occasional old soldier). Tracks from Relapse  signees  Soilent  Green
and Agoraphobic Nosebleed feature  along  with  talented  and  little
known acts such as Spazz, Crom (extensively), Man Is the Bastard  and
Carol. I would split  bands  on  this  compilation  into  two  types:
obscure grind (e.g. Crom, Man Is the Bastard) and all-out grind (e.g.
Excruciating  Terror,  Agathocles).  Either  breed  of  grindcore  is
generally suited for a pretty select  audience,  although  really  no
more select than the audience for last year's amazing _Sounds of  the
Animal Kingdom_ record which Brutal Truth chose to  expel,  and  only
those with open minds and a taste for the truly twisted  need  apply.
The selection can be patchy, and having so many  bands  in  the  same
style on one CD does hurt some of the bands who appear  late  on  the
compilation, but overall this is a good taster of what  is  there  in
the "real" or "true" underground for those without  a  record  player
and a lot of patience for both finding and playing their music.

Contact: PESSIMISER, POB 1070, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, USA


Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_  (Century Media, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (10 out of 10)

If you are content to know this CD is amazing and  want  to  hear  it
without prior intrusion, stop reading -- now! Virtual  silence,  some
few, low notes usher forth from a bass guitar,  a  tinny  clatter  of
drums and a virtually inaudible shout which is suddenly reduced to  a
loud whisper. Then:  total  armageddon.  Such  is  the  beginning  of
Cryptopsy's third album _Whisper Supremacy_. Though this first  track
"Emaciate" is a brutal barrage of truly frightening proportions,  its
interesting and lightning fast time changes are far from the  heights
of _WS_'s greatness. Second track "Cold Hate, Warm Blood" immediately
picks up the thread with an underlying  bass  riff  and  some  gentle
acoustic guitar, then  a  thunderous  barrage  of  DiSalvo's  vocals,
Mounier's ever-insane drumming  and  the  full  Levasseur/Roy  guitar
assault backed by Langlois' bass. The acoustic theme is returned to a
number of times to amazing dynamic effect within this one  track.  As
_Whisper  Supremacy_  continues,  touches  like  the   aforementioned
acoustic one crop up all over the place, be they complex,  syncopated
timings, sudden stops and starts, maniacally  twisted  guitar  riffs,
catchy percussive passages, sudden  string  bends  throwing  off  the
harmony lines or any other manner of different touch; the thick layer
of icing on the cake. Cryptopsy's brutal backbone is  as  strong  and
prominent as their inventive streak.  Pierre  Remillard's  production
once  again  does  them  proud  bringing  out  thick  guitar   tones,
multi-faceted vocals,  a  subtle  bass  sound  and  of  course  those
incredible drums. Each member's individual technical prowess  is,  as
ever, flawless  and  virtually  unchallengeable.  "White  Worms"  and
"Flame to the Surface" do stand out as being, in parts, a shade  less
technical than the rest of  the  album  and,  though  I  don't  think
intentionally,  may  more  easily  grasp  an  audience  not  used  to
Cryptopsy's usual super-technical assault. The solos, which this time
are all-but-one by Jon  Levasseur,  have  always  been  important  in
rounding  out  a  Cryptopsy  album  and  _Whisper  Supremacy_  is  no
exception.  Though  in  general  a  little  shorter  and  with   more
pronounced backing guitars, the solos are excellent and fit  as  well
or better into the songs this time around. Mike DiSalvo  deserves  an
individual mention here, mostly because  there  has  been  a  lot  of
speculation among Cryptopsy fans as  to  whether  he  was  the  right
choice for a replacement in terms of both image  and  singing  style.
Whatever  the  speculation  over  his  somewhat   hardcore-influenced
background, I will go on record as saying  that  he  is  one  of  the
things which allows _WS_ to get its full 10 out of 10. Much  as  Lord
Worm's vocals made _None So Vile_ an amazing record  to  behold,  the
same guttural style on this new album would  have  brought  it  down.
Some of DiSalvo's stylings remind one distinctly of  Brett  Hoffman's
finest moments with Malevolent Creation, but this  is  only  a  small
facet of his vocal character, which has a number of other faces (more
than Lord Worm, I think) and certainly a different overall  delivery,
which makes the record no less brutal  but  does  make  it  eminently
different. Some bands just can't seem to get it right;  Cryptopsy  is
one of the select few whose "problem" seems to be getting it -wrong-.
A top 3 contender for this year's number 1 album.


Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)  (Upheaval Records, September 1998)

From the ashes of the hard working hard core outfit Dirge  comes  the
blistering, head-down, grindcore/hardcore outfit  Days  of  Mourning.
Intense is putting  this  mildly.  From  the  get  go,  these  psycho
mutha-fuckers kick out  the  grooves  with  a  killer  assortment  of
brutally potent numbers that could easily decapitate an  unsuspecting
listener. While the production is mediocre (I had  the  same  problem
with Dirge's debut disc _Hazing Ritual_), the band forges forward and
picks up steam and momentum with such hard-hitters as opener "Breathe
Life Into a Dying Day", "Purity of Life" and "Submission 786".  Great
live band, too. If you can handle the vicious grooves  and  downright
lethal vocals, then Days of Mourning  needs  to  be  in  your  record
collection. Ace job here.

Contact: DAYS OF MOURNING, 2-558 Upper Gage Ave. Suite 110
         Hamilton, Ont. CANADA L8V-4J6


Death List - _Severed_  (Cross Rhythms Music, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (8 out of 10)

This is a release which does not require a  long  review.  I  believe
that I can sum up this CD with simplicity and conciseness, that  will
provide you, the reader, with a clear image of the music. It might be
irresponsible and unprofessional (which, of course, I am)  of  me  to
write such  a  short  review  and  then  simply  compare  Death  List
(formerly known as Obliteration) to other bands,  assuming  it  would
suffice to explain to you what  this  sounds  like.  However,  if  my
saying that _Severed_  sounds  like  equal  parts  of  Fear  Factory,
Sepultura, and Napalm Death, and you don't get a clear image, then  a
clear image you shall never obtain (sounds like a Yoda proverb, eh?).
Let me add that a real photo of a girl being severed at the  neck  is
in extremely bad taste, although not without a message (martyrdom).

Contact: DEATH LIST, P.O. Box 01248, Choctaw, OK 73020, USA
         mailto:deathlist@theshop.net


Deuteronomium - _Street Corner Queen_ (Little Rose Productions, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (6 out of 10)

Spine-chilling black metal, rock, rap, reggae, all on one CD? Is this
a Relapse sampler? No, it's  the  first  full-length  from  Finland's
Cornucopia of Musical Styles, Deuteronomium. At first listen, this is
an extremely unfocused effort combining  all  of  the  aforementioned
styles, sometimes in the context of one  song,  which  proves  to  be
messy and undesirable. Let me state loud and clear  that  these  guys
are unashamedly metal, but in an effort to be (overly) original  goop
everything up. The clean vocals, both male and female,  have  got  to
go, as well as all of the cover artwork. And the  title?!?!  Not  the
best, despite the implication/storyline behind it. Overall, there  is
a  prevalent  mix  of  black  metal,  Detritus-like  vocals,  and   a
Xysma-like rock attitude. Let me also  say  that  this  is  original,
creative, and all the rest of it, but man, if I want to hear rap  and
reggae, I sure don't want to hear it from some white guy in  Finland,
know what I'm sayin'? Very mixed emotions  from  this  one.  If  they
could put out a focused  black  metal  release  it  would  be  godly,
because they do it exceedingly well. Congratulations are in order  to
Manu Lehtinen for finally assembling a full band.

Contact: Little Rose Productions Ky, PO Box 533
         40101 Jyvaskyla, FINLAND
         mailto:manule@hotmail.com


Dying Fetus - _Killing on Adrenaline_  (Morbid Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay  (9 out of 10)

To borrow a phrase from  Devin  Townsend,  the  new  Dying  Fetus  is
unquestionably heavy  as  a  really  (fuckin')  heavy  thing.  I  had
_Killing on Adrenaline_ wedged in my Chevy S-10's  disc  spinner  for
the first time not  long  ago.  For  the  entire  thirty-four  minute
running time of the album, I honestly fought down  an  uncontrollable
urge  to  stop  the  damn  truck  and  THRASH  about  it.  Completely
compulsive and utterly crushing is this release. If  DF's  sound  was
any more weighty, I'm -sure- the sound couldn't be  conveyed  through
normal  speaker  equipment.  This  four  piece  outfit  delivers  its
ferocity from the Atlantic region of Maryland.  An  excellent  locale
for DF, due to the close proximity to the New York and Washington  DC
underground. Both of which DF prosper heavily in. _KoA_ is the  third
release for this uncompromising  foursome.  The  first,  _Infatuation
With Malevolence_, was a brutal combination  of  both  demos  of  the
original/founding members, John Gallagher (guitar/vocals)  and  Jason
Netherton (bass/vocals), released on Wild Rags. The next  DF  effort,
_Purification  Through  Violence_,  saw   a   impressively   dramatic
maturation in style, presence and  musicianship.  This  feat  in  the
band's development was second only to DF's growth into  the  powerful
slash/groove force of _Killing on Adrenaline_. _KoA_  will  no  doubt
separate this group even further for the ever increasing fold of  the
death metal genre. The style of this music you have no  doubt  heard,
but not done like this in DF style. -Not- typical DF style, mind you,
because I maintain that the  band  has  gone  out  of  their  way  to
innovate themselves and overhaul the sound into a creation that  begs
to be experienced truly only in a live concert setting.  In  addition
to the highlight of the album for this reviewer, "Absolute  Defiance"
(a  fuckin'  killer  cut,  gentlemen),  _KoA_  includes  a  cover  of
Integrity's "Judgement Day", placed well as track seven before ending
with "Intentional Manslaughter". I encourage any listener yearning to
experience a death metal outfit that stops at nothing to dip into the
fist-wielding whirlpool of _Killing on Adrenaline_. Kudos, gentlemen!


Excruciating Terror - _Divided We Fall_  (Pessimiser, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (8 out of 10)

This is speedy grindcore with the traditional mixture of raw guitars,
plenty of blasting and lyrically inaudible  vocal  screams.  In  some
ways this reminds me of the  Hateplow  CD  [CoC  #33],  in  that  its
greatest asset is its virtually unrelenting  speed  and  viciousness.
Musically,  though,  Excruciating  Terror  definitely  lean   towards
grindcore's tendency to emanate punk rather than to be  indiscernible
from some death metal. Some great drum rhythms  and  simply  crushing
speed assure that Excruciating Terror's first strike is  devastating;
it is the aftermath  which  they  need  to  work  on.  What  so  many
grindcore albums lack is longevity, and Excruciating  Terror  doesn't
break the mold in this respect. Where an album like  _Sounds  of  the
Animal Kingdom_ throws in plenty to  mix  things  up  and  keep  them
interesting and an  album  like  _World  Downfall_  is  quite  simply
classic, _Divided We Fall_ is impressively hard-hitting, but leaves a
far-from-deep impression in the mind.

Contact: EXCRUCIATING TERROR, c/o Jerry
         4323 Griffin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031, USA


Exumer - _Possessed by Fire_ / _Rising From the Sea_
by: Matthias Noll  (9 out of 10 / 6 out of 10)  (Rock Machine, 1998)

The German trash metal attack of the mid eighties was spearheaded  by
legendary bands like Destruction, Kreator  and  Sodom.  Hard  on  the
heels of these highly influential bands came a second wave  of  bands
like Assassin, Darkness, Deathrow  and  Exumer.  While  from  today's
perspective most of these later bands failed  to  create  any  worthy
output and usually suffered from a poor singer  and  uninspired  song
material, that's not the case with the first Exumer album, _Possessed
by Fire_. Produced by Harris Johns (Kreator, Pestilence, Sodom, etc.)
and originally released in 1986, this album still is  an  outstanding
example of 80's quality thrash metal. Exumer's style is mostly  fast,
aggressive and hard  hitting,  with  memorable  choruses,  impressive
breaks and supported by another  great  production  from  Mr.  Johns.
Vocalist Mem also manages to set this album apart  from  others  with
his intense vocal style, which sometimes reminds me of Paul  Bailoff,
and fortunately doesn't sound too "German". While being not  as  over
the top and raw as Kreator's _Pleasure to Kill_, this album is one of
Germany's finest moments. Featured on the same CD is Exumer's  second
output _Rising From the Sea_, which saw the  band  returning  without
vocalist Mem, who had been kicked out of the band  in  the  meantime.
Unfortunately, the band seems to have listened too much  to  Slayer's
_Reign in Blood_ between the two records (not that it's a  bad  thing
listening to the best record ever).  New  vocalist,  native  Hawaiian
Paul Arakaki, who was  now  fronting  the  band,  just  sounded  like
another Araya clone and also gone was part  of  the  originality  and
quality of their song material with only the opener "Winds of  Death"
and the title track coming close to the standards  the  first  record
had set. Still, this is enjoyable stuff, but also leaves me wondering
what Exumer could have achieved with the original line up. If  you're
into 80's thrash metal, check this out!


Extol -_ Burial_  (Endtime Productions, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (10 out of 10)

The place to which this music takes me cannot  be  described  in  any
English words that I know of. If only I knew  Norwegian!  Within  the
context of the metal world, this CD, to me, embodies the fullness  of
musical brilliance, a mastery of the given instruments, and a  highly
satisfactory listening experience. Everything that you could possibly
want from a metal album is contained here. In following  Extol  since
their  initial  recordings  (four  songs  on  the_  Northern  Lights_
compilation), and loving them immediately, I could  never  have  been
prepared for the giant step into the level of excellence such as they
are currently performing. Their 1996 _Embraced_ demo flattened  their
previous  efforts,  replacing  groove  laden  song  structures   with
ultra-creative riffs that  intertwined  with  a  complexity  akin  to
Carcass and other technical wizards. Luckily,  two  songs  from  that
demo also appear on _Burial_, only now they are crowned with awesome,
authoritative production. A big part of  Extol's  increased  learning
curve must be attributed to the joining of Ole Borud to  their  ranks
on guitar. Ole was the creative force  behind  the  now  out-of-print
_Schaliach_ album, and his mark is very noticeable amongst the  Extol
compositions -- especially on "Superior", which would not  have  been
out of place  on  the  aforementioned  _Schaliach_  album.  Ole  also
contributes his trained voice in the way of clean vocals  on  several
tracks, bringing about another  change  for  this  band.  The  groove
structures from their  early  days  are  not  entirely  gone  either,
surfacing in monstrous  fashion  on  "Innbydelse".  Peter  Espevoll's
vocals are totally shrill and  raspy,  only  making  deep  growls  to
properly accentuate the music, or sometimes to  boldly  proclaim  his
point amongst the abstractness of the lyrics. Without writing a  book
here, let me say that I have not been so moved  by  music  since  the
very first time I heard _Master of Puppets_, and that is how big of a
mark _Burial_ has left on me. Forever changed.

Contact: EXTOL, Bjerkelundsveien 99, 1340 Beckestua, NORWAY
         mailto:endtime@durling.com


Godkiller - _The End of the World_  (Wounded Love, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (6 out of 10)

If any of you reading this are hoping for  a  sequel  to  Godkiller's
1996 _Rebirth of the Middle Ages_, then you're all out of luck.  Near
enough nothing of the Burzum/Emperor-esque sound of _RotMA_ makes its
way onto _TEotW_. Not that, at least in my view, this is a bad thing:
that CD was not greatly to my liking. However,  the  band  who  keeps
cropping up when I try to liken _tEotW_ to  something  I  have  heard
before is Samael. Godkiller's  likeness  is  not  as  great  as  some
others' (who shall remain nameless), but it is still a likeness which
is damaging to what is actually a good album and enhancing change  of
sound for the band. Simple power chord riffs combined  with  thumping
drums, interspersed with such things  as  chants  and  keyboards  and
topped off by rasping and harsh vocals evoke visions of _Ceremony  of
Opposites_ immediately, and even though "Down Under Ground"  features
some interesting use of breakbeat drumming, it does not go far enough
to escape Samael's wide berth. The  fact  that  Godkiller  previously
sounded almost nothing like this increases the  likelihood  that  the
band decided to cash in on a sound which has  brought  certain  Swiss
persons a lot of commercial success and critical acclaim,  and  hence
decreases the aesthetic worth of this otherwise  positive  change  of
sound.

Contact: WOUNDED LOVE, Voice: +39 2 89408677; Fax: +39 2 89408688


HammerFall - _Legacy of Kings_  (Nuclear Blast, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (9 out of 10)

I'd be lying to you if I said this record was  amazing.  It's  better
than  amazing.  It's  fuckin'  awesome.  The  sophomore   effort   by
retro/speed metal meisters HammerFall called  _Legacy  of  Kings_  (a
follow-up to 1997's hugely successful _Glory  to  the  Brave_)  is  a
non-stop rockin' machine. From  opener  "Heeding  the  Call"  to  the
mindblowing melodic dose of "Stronger Than All" or  "Dreamland"  (the
LPs best track), HammerFall  continue  providing  the  listener  with
crafty guitar work,  memorable  choruses  and  total  fun.  The  band
follows the same groundwork as they did with their  debut,  but  this
record showcases a definite growth in their  songwriting.  Much  more
creative and fuller in sound, _Legacy of Kings_ needs to be heard  by
all that fancy powerful melodic metal and good retro guitar work.  In
closing, this may be cheesy to some,  but  the  point  is  with  each
listen HammerFall have you pumping your fists and chanting for  more.
What more do you want?


The Haunted - _The Haunted_  (Earache, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (9 out of 10)

Hands down, this  has  to  be  one  of  the  most  violent  and  most
anticipated releases (up there with Sepultura,  Bruce  Dickinson  and
Death) that has surfaced in 1998. From the  ashes  of  At  the  Gates
comes The Haunted, made up of ex-AtG members, guitarist  Jensen  from
Seance and screamer Peter Dolving (ex-Mary Beats Jane).  The  result?
To quote ex-CoC writer Steve Hoeltzel: "Sick and brutal music."  This
is the shit, kids. A non-stop rush of momentum and hatred within  the
band spurs forward some  totally  out  of  control  musical  moments,
blistering us with an onslaught  of  brash  vocals  and  rip'  roarin
speed/thrash metal guitar work. Having had  this  record  for  a  few
months (the release date had been pushed back several times), I  have
grown very attached to what The Haunted do. I'm just  blown  away  by
the precision of the guitar  work  and  just  the  overall  craziness
spewing forth from each track. This IS that good. Whether it be "Hate
Song", "In Vein", the much loved "Undead" or "Shattered", The Haunted
deliver the goods in such a big way. It's gonna be hard for any  band
for the remainder of 1998 to top the intensity of  this  LP.  I  just
hope they tour North America now.


H-Bomb - _Coup de Metal_ / _Attaque_  (Axe Killers, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll  (8 out of 10 / 7 out of 10)

Europe, 1984. Not only the German metal scene was  flourishing  these
days. France also had its share of fine bands, even if only four come
to mind: Trust, Warning, Sortilege and finally H-Bomb. While  Warning
and and Sortilege featured a  more  traditional  heavy  metal  style,
H-Bomb took the full speed double bass attack of Motorhead and  mixed
it with clean, high vocals. Songs  like  "H-Bomb"  and  "Chasseur  de
Frime" from _Coup de Metal_, the debut six song mini  LP,  prove  how
effective this can be. Singer Didier Izard is something of a "love it
or hate it" affair, while the music always stays simple but  powerful
-- and most of the time fast.  Don't  expect  anything  extraordinary
from this band in a technical sense -- just  power,  speed  and  some
good melodies. Unfortunately, instead of releasing both albums  on  a
single CD, _Coup de Metal_ got some shitty bonus tracks from a period
after singer Didier had left and  the  band  had  completely  changed
their style -- it's better to ignore these tracks. Despite  the  band
sounding a bit tamer in comparison to _Coup  de  Metal_,  the  second
album _Attaque_ is also a decent metal album.  Songs  like  the  fast
paced "Exterminateurs" or "Double Bang" don't  sound  different  from
their great first effort and, even if I was  a  bit  disappointed  at
first, I have played this record quite a lot in the last 13 years.


HIM - _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_  (Supersonic, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll  (7 out of 10)

Need a shower that unfortunately will wash  away  the  corpse  paint?
Tired of wearing 50 kg chains, spikes  and  leather?  Looking  for  a
record your girlfriend might be able to enjoy? Well, if you can stand
a vocalist that sounds more like U2's Bono than like Fenriz and songs
that mostly are just  a  bit  heavier  than  Paradise  Lost  on  _One
Second_, then _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_ by HIM from Finland might
be something for you.  Now  for  the  minority  that  hasn't  already
stopped reading this review: There are a couple of mellow songs,  but
this record definitely has its heavy moments too. Like the  slow  and
doomy "Our Diabolical Rapture", with brutal, downtuned  but  original
sounding guitar riffing. There are also some heavy uptempo songs with
great melancholic melody lines. The guitars dominate the  sound  most
of the time, while keyboards stay  in  the  background,  with  female
vocals supporting  singer  Valo  on  two  songs.  This  album  mostly
features  verse/chorus/verse/chorus  standard  song  structures,  but
still  doesn't  get  repetitive  due  to  the  diversity  of   songs.
Surprisingly, a cover version like  BOC's  "Don't  Fear  the  Reaper"
sounds pretty good and is hard to identify as not being original  HIM
material. This is a decent album if you ever have the desire to chill
out -- don't worry, sometimes it's OK to be a wimp.


Impending Doom - _Signum of Hate_  (<Independent>, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (8.5 out of 10)

What first  caught  my  attention  about  Impending  Doom  was  their
astounding ability (or luck) in managing to give their  debut  (I  am
pretty sure it is their debut) a production which  is  as  clear  and
deadly as a glacier in the  face.  It  then  dawned  upon  me,  after
repeated listens to _Signum of Hate_, that the band are also talented
musicians and writers. What astounds  me  is  their  ability  to  mix
different metal influences  within  single  tracks  to  produce  good
music, a skill such masters as Celtic Frost were noted for, and their
daring in placing upon _SoH_ a selection of tracks with real variety.
Though "Armageddon Tales" and "Hellhammer" could easily pass for lost
compositions of the latter's band namesake or the early period of the
metal phenomenon which grew out it,  "Metal  to  the  Metals"  evokes
classic Sodom and owes nothing in feel or sound to  Celtic  Frost  or
Hellhammer.  "Land  of  Burning   Coffins"   instead   nods   towards
Destruction. Then, just when you thought all they were  going  to  do
was sound like the classic thrash  bands  who  pre-empted  90s  black
metal, you hear "Demon-(Mon)archy" or "Forward to  Golgotha".  Though
utilizing technical twin guitar work which can be found elsewhere  on
the album, the significant difference is that  these  two  tracks  in
particular capitalize on melody -- not just  guitar  melody;  tuneful
vocal melody and decent keyboards. The range on  offer  on  _SoH_  is
great, greater than I have seen for a long time.  As  writing  single
tracks go, the band is talented, both in imitating their  elders  and
composing material, with some originality, which very listenable.  As
writing and constructing an album goes, the  band  needs  some  help.
_SoH_ doesn't, to my mind, fit together  well  at  all.  Instead,  it
sounds like a  compilation  of  the  cobbled-together-without-thought
sort. Unlike most compilations, there is little itch to skip  tracks,
but like most there is no real benefit or enjoyment in  listening  to
the CD chronologically. As  a  result,  _SoH_  is  a  disappointingly
disjointed album, but one which showcases a  band  with  serious  raw
potential.

Contact: IMPENDING DOOM, c/o Andy Kaufmann
         Dorffelstrasse 1, 07570 Weida, GERMANY


In Ruins - _For Seasons of Grey_  (Metal Blade/Attic, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)

The thing that works for me with this record is the harsh vocals  and
the violent overtones emitted from the rampaging music. Very much old
school metal sounding (i.e., Venom) at times, In Ruins manage to also
break away from a stereotypical (and sometimes boring) metal mood and
break out, capturing a very solid metal sound, placing high  interest
in flamboyant guitar riffs and  a  heart-pounding  groove.  Throw  in
medieval times' ideals and this is  a  powerhouse  to  contend  with.
While many metal fans out there might give this LP a listen  for  the
sake of it, only fans  that  appreciate  hard  work  and  sweat  will
understand what kind of effort has  been  put  into  this  LP.  Great
songs, including "Nocturne" and "Black Thorns". Another solid release
from Metal Blade this year, along with  Beseech,  King  Diamond,  God
Dethroned and Amon Amarth.


Kataklysm - _Victims of This Fallen World_  (Hypnotic, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (6.5 out of 10)

I am really stuck with how to rate this release. I actually  like  it
more than other Kataklysm releases I have checked out,  but  in  many
cases for the wrong reasons. An older release like _The Mystical Gate
of  Reincarnation_  is  an  expression  of  hyper-brutal   and   fast
death-grind which I just happen not to  be  into.  _VoTFW_,  however,
actually has quite a number of riffs, sections and even  whole  songs
which I like. The problem is that when I analyze carefully what it is
I like about these songs, it is their  similarity  to  certain  other
artists which I find appealing, and not their own  individual  sound.
This applies to "As the World Burns" and "Imminent  Downfall",  which
are -very- Extreme Noise Terror (a  la  _Damage  381_);  "(God)Head",
"Embracing Europa" and "I Remember", all of  which  contain  sections
which bare -more- than a passing resemblance to (mostly old)  At  the
Gates; "Courage Through Hope" which could -be-  on  Hypocrisy's  _The
Fourth Dimension_; and other bits and bobs throughout the album's  52
minutes. The twist which Kataklysm seem to have newly introduced is a
groove-metal / Biohazard-type attitude with riffs and lyrics to boot.
"Feared Resistance" and "Caged In" suffer most from this invasion  of
what is oft referred to as  bro-metal  within  the  CoC  camp.  These
stylings lead the lyric "ain't nobody gonna save your ass" to  appear
on "Caged In" and, as a result, their presence is quite  inexcusable,
though sometimes providing amusement. Overall  patchy  and  certainly
not for the _TMGoR_ fans.

Contact: Hypnotic Records, 86 Main Street Suite 401, Town Centre Plaza
         Dundas, Ontario, Canada, L9H 2R1


Lycanthropic - _Obey the Moon_  (September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (7 out of 10)

"Christian, I have no choice but to kill you." It sounds like a  line
from a Marduk or Deicide album, doesn't it? It in fact  issues  forth
from the collective lyrical mouth of  Milwaukee's  own  Lycanthropic,
who  are  the  subject  of  this  review.  Though  Christian-bashing,
seemingly in both senses of the word, appears to be on Lycanthropic's
agenda, their attack is neither in the style of the  American  brutal
death trappings of Deicide or the blast-snare black metal of  Marduk.
Instead, Lycanthropic have chosen a sound similar to Centinex or Amon
Amarth: melodic-yet-brutal Swedish death.  Their  greatest  asset  at
present in  preaching  their  word  lies  in  their  vocalist,  whose
powerful throat assures that _Obey  the  Moon_  has  a  well  rounded
attack as opposed to an over emphasis on  non-vocal  instruments,  as
some other albums of this kind tend towards. Overall, the  band  play
their chosen style pretty well on this demo-to-CD,  with  nice  leads
and riffs (the most interesting being the irregular and unpredictable
strumming of a single chord). It's let down in points by a production
with a small range, but hey, it's a demo recording.

NOTE: I don't have a  label  or  address  for  this  band  because  I
misplaced the press release and the tape I was sent was unmarked.  If
the band, or someone close to them, could contact CoC with an address
and label, we will feature them next issue.


Lycia - _Estrella_  (Projekt/Mazur, June 1998)
by: Adam Wasylyk  (8 out of 10)

The duo that comprise this darkwave/gothic/ambient  act  have  really
done something special here. Although having created some cool  music
in the past, Lycia have released an album that should  serve  as  its
apex. Estrella contains swirling emotions which delicately interweave
with graceful keyboards that with each passing get  better  and  more
pronounced. High praise, you say? Damn right! Tracks like  the  intro
"Clouds in the Southern Sky",  "Tainted",  "Tongues"  and  the  title
track don't come off in any way as  pretentious  or  egocentric,  but
rather emotionally-heartfelt and genuine.  The  first  half  of  this
album could go toe to toe with any of the better albums of this year,
especially the new  Katatonia  album,  where  some  parallels  exist.
Estrella isn't for everyone -- if you crave an adrenaline  rush  then
Lycia are simply not for you. But for  those  who  seek  a  different
experience, to be rendered into a state of awe from overwhelming dark
ambiance, then this comes highly recommended.


Manegarm - _Nordstjarnans Tildsalder_  (Displeased Records, 1997)
by: Aaron McKay  (10 out of 10)

I fuckin' love this! I, as a rule, play the particular disc that I am
reviewing as I write to  keep  the  release  fresh  in  my  mind  and
maintain the thoughts that I want to convey as close to the forefront
of my memory as possible. On the second time  through  _Nordstjarnans
Tildsalder_, I decided that I should begin to tell  the  CoC  readers
about what I am hearing. -Certainly- Swedish black metal, one  cannot
deny that, but much beyond  that,  everything  becomes  elusive.  The
music becomes as hard to define as the lyrics (in a foreign language,
mind you) are for me to understand. I can't help but  get  personally
charged in spirit by Manegarm. Whoever at Displeased signed this  act
had a stroke of sheer genius that day. Flawless  --  and  I  do  mean
flawless -- black metal  with  a  miraculous  female  vocalist,  Vmer
Mossige-Norheim (only used sparingly) and then, only  in  appropriate
passages, affecting strong folk direction. These points are evidenced
in the track "Vmer", of which I have trouble articulating its beauty.
I could not be more satisfied with _NT_ if Manegarm came  to  me  for
advice on the release. I could talk Manegarm, and particularly  _NT_,
to death, but I could not give you even a fair working  knowledge  of
what is going on even now, as I bathe in the acumen of such a  gifted
band. Truly taking the  scene  as  their  own;  no  holds  barred.  A
spiritual union of souls comprise Manegarm's ranks: two guttural male
vocalists, in addition to Vmer (one of the gentlemen also doubles  as
the drummer), two guitar scholars,  and  a  bassist  with  "jewsharp"
responsibilities. All this  superiority  manifesting  itself  as  the
album known as _NT_ -- plus it is a computer CD extra,  too.  If  you
are not familiar  with  Displeased  Records  ranks  --  Sadist  (hell
yeah!), Cryptopsy, Infernal  Majesty,  etc.  --,  this  CD  extra  by
Displeased could be just what the doctor ordered. God knows  Manegarm
is the shot in the arm black  metal  needed!  Needless  to  say,  I'm
impressed, Manegarm!


Mental Home - _Black Art_  (The End, September 1998)
by: Brian Meloon  (8.5 out of 10)

This  is  an  excellent  doom  album.  The   band   dubs   themselves
"atmospheric dark doom metal", and  that's  pretty  accurate,  though
they're not really that "dark". This is their fourth album,  and  the
second released by The End records. This time around, the  Muscovites
have left behind the  Tiamat-styled  doom  of  their  previous  album
_Vale_ [CoC #29] and have developed their own sound,  which  is  more
varied and innovative. It's heavily orchestrated, with a good use  of
keyboards to enhance guitar-driven sections, and to drive  the  music
at others. The music is generally slow-to-mid paced, but  the  tones,
textures, and styles that the band employs vary quite a bit,  keeping
the music interesting. A few parts have a gothic tinge (a  la  Cradle
of Filth, complete with scream), but these aren't the majority of the
album. The vocals are grunted some of  the  time  and  half-clean  at
other times. The playing is very good on all counts,  and  the  parts
are  pretty  complex  for  the  type  of  music.  The  production  is
excellent: everything  is  clear  and  sharp.  Overall,  this  is  an
excellent album, and fans of melodic, atmospheric doom  should  enjoy
it. As a bonus, the CD also includes a claymation video for the  song
"Pagan Freedom".


Mercury Rising - _Building Rome_  (Dominion Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay  (9 out of 10)

This isn't really my forte, musically speaking, but I cannot help but
be blown away by this work of art from Mercury Rising. A magnum opus.
I strongly dislike to draw  comparisons  between  groups  (unless  it
cries out to be done; does anyone  remember  Kingdom  Come?)  because
each, for the most part, struggle for their own individuality in  and
of their own right. So, with the  utmost  reverence  and  respect  to
Mercury Rising, I would  argue  that  there  are  evident  traces  of
Queensryche and Fates Warning here, with a warm nod  toward  Rush  in
the vocal department, and a diplomatic power-riff  interpretation,  a
la Iron Maiden. The  instrument  separation  is  fantastic.  Each  is
clear, distinct and uniform so that, it would  appear,  the  listener
has no occasion to miss a note of this album.  The  formation  of  MR
took place in 1991, followed by a five song demo  released  1993.  In
1994, MR's first full length was unleashed, _Upon  Deaf  Ears_.  Four
years passed until _Building Rome_ made its way to  the  public,  but
-damn- was the wait definitely worth it. _BR_'s track four, "A Narrow
Door",  is  astounding.  The  beginning  lulls  you  into  a   golden
dreamscape with multi-textured imagination,  then  drops  the  hammer
into some of the most intense metal riffing. It  truly  needs  to  be
heard to be believed. Lyrically, this band is a breath of late Autumn
air. Maybe it is my constant exposure to dark,  black,  or  otherwise
macabre  material,  but  MR  has  a  stark  intellectual   feel   and
intelligent manor to their writing. A welcome change, I  admit.  _BR_
is truly a journey that, I think, can be viewed in many lights and on
many levels to be interpreted by the listener;  each  person  hearing
what is relevant to them individually. Only a handful of  groups  can
pull this off with Chuck  and  Death  (FUCKING  AWESOME!)  being  the
undisputed trailblazers of the musical adventure. Chris Brush (bass),
Mike Evans (guitar), Jeff Moos (drums), Clarence  Osbourne  (vocals),
and Judd Rizzo (guitar) pull together on the truly  astonishing  _BR_
to release a power metal effort that I  can  only  say  I  will  have
trouble waiting to see performed live.


Necromanicide - _Hate Regime_  (Pony Canyon Music, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (6 out of 10)

This is my first exposure to Malaysian metal, and, from  what  I  can
tell, this CD is the product of many different styles  of  metal  and
hardcore from around the world falling upon the ears  of  five  young
men in Malaysia. Every song  has  a  slightly  different  sound,  the
common thread through them being a modern  thrash/metalcore  kind  of
style. Whichever guitarist plays the leads  seems  to  have  quite  a
handle on soloing, which serves as a definite plus for the band.  The
riffs are interesting enough, and the production is great. The vocals
are a strained shout, with the occasional low-end and high-end growl.
The exception is the title track, which  is  sung  by  the  spawn  of
Ernie, Kermit, and Cookie Monster, obviously the love  child  of  the
three (and a female donor?) resulting from a frisky night  at  Sesame
Street. Think I'm joking? Try to listen to it  and  keep  a  straight
face.

Contact: Pony Canyon Music, Lot 1.1 and 1.2, 7th Floor
         Kompleks Pernas Soqo, 190, Jalan Abdul Rahman
         50100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
         mailto:necro@usa.net


Nembryonic - _Incomplete_  (Displeased, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz  (7.5 out of 10)

Here is  a  recipe  for  mayhem.  Begin  with  some  of  the  intense
Slayer-esque stylings of  The  Haunted,  combine  with  the  kind  of
precise blast snares that would  almost  make  the  likes  of  Benumb
proud, then season with  a  liberal  dose  of  _Wolverine  Blues_-era
Entombed. You've pretty much made Nembryonic's  _Incomplete_  --  for
their Dutch fans there is also 14 minutes of their drunk antics which
has within it a two minute "bonus" track. Though not as great as  the
sum of the above parts, _Incomplete_  is  a  fine  representation  of
Nembryonic's talents. Nembryonic have that all-out feel  which  makes
Entombed and The Haunted  a  wake  up  a  call  comparable  to  being
injected with caffeine. Not up there with the best, but  certainly  a
cut above the rest.


Nox Intempesta - _Damnanus Dominus_  (Folter Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay  (8 out of 10)

The four members of Germany's Nox Intempesta --  Coldstone  (guitar),
Thrann (guitar/vocals), Monastiir (bass), and  Holocaust  (drums)  --
call their particular brand of musical  conundrum  "pure  black/death
metal adoration". I can go along with that. Blended well are the  two
styles that it (dare I say it?) creates,  more-or-less,  a  sub-genre
tailored to NI particularly. Original? Yes, in a  lot  of  ways,  but
with regards to aggression and NI's brutal conveyance of their music,
I would say it was typical. Typical with regard to the expectations a
metal fan would come to have from a group hailing from the black  and
death metal realms. Integrated  with  a  purposeful  touch,  NI  also
exhibits a  fine  understanding  of  layered  sound  and  appropriate
interludes. This is evidenced in a lot of ways on the song "Coldstone
Sacrificial". Enthralling vocals  that  pour  into  the  diverse  and
engrossing musical accompaniment like so much wet cement. I also find
much more than a little enjoyment in the title, as well as  the  last
track,  "Speculum  Spaghria  Satana".   Both   are   uncompromisingly
relentless and crafted well as  to  make  it  difficult  to  decipher
whether or not you have purchased a death or black metal album. If  I
had to cite a criticism of NI, it would  have  to  be  the  style  of
writing on _DD_'s excellent packaging job. The font is hard  to  read
and unclear to the eye not trained  in  forms  of  calligraphy.  That
said, what an infinitely small grip to mention  in  conjunction  with
such a fantastic release. I am  thusly  mighty  impressed  with  NI's
newest effort and with Folter Records  for  maintaining  their  ranks
with a great band like Nox Intempesta.


Oathean - _The Eyes of Tremendous Sorrow_
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)  (<Independent>, September 1998)

While I  am  not  the  biggest  black  metal  fan  out  there,  I  do
occasionally enjoy trudging through  this  genre's  music  style  and
listening to blackened wails of  anguish,  crushed  beneath  sinister
black metal riffs and detonating blast  beats.  This  Korean  quartet
outfit manage to hold their own here, playing some really  top  notch
stuff,  while  still  bringing  some  interesting  ideas   into   the
traditional black metal sound (i.e., superb guitar work  throughout),
which makes it all the more enjoyable to  listen  to.  While  a  good
portion of the record works off of the guitar's emotions,  the  wails
of anger  surely  light  things  up  around  here,  pushing  forth  a
tremendous dose of aggression as the record goes along.  This  record
has a definite momentum working behind it. Something  different  here
is the tranquil sounds / guitars worked into such  a  harsh  sounding
record, allowing diversity for certain areas of the record. It's  not
all heads down, rippin' black metal, and that makes this all the more
enjoyable. Choice cuts from these black metal  lads:  "In  Fear  With
Shiver" and "Frigid Space".

Contact: OATHEAN, http://www.shinbiro.com/~oathean
         mailto:oathean@sinbiro.com


Poetry - _Catharsis_  (Arise Records, 1998)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

Autumn has arrived, and these next  few  months  of  sorrowful  bleak
beauty are indeed most adequate for doom metal.  _Catharsis_  is  the
first doom release to reach my ears in this year's grey  Autumn,  and
the  work  it  displays  from  this  simplistically   named   Spanish
doom/death  band  Poetry  is  overall  quite  acceptable.  The   word
"overall" is important here, because a few of  the  album's  passages
are below average. Apart  from  those  exceptions,  the  instrumental
component is good enough, whereas the vocals  could  be  better:  the
vocalist's English skills are low, which can become annoying, but  at
least his vocal delivery is generally reasonable. The  production  is
acceptable,  although  irregular  and  occasionally  rather   patchy,
suggesting a low budget that highlights the band's effort to  produce
quality doom/death. _Catharsis_ is definitely not a hymn to technical
perfection, and it isn't as good as a lot of the doom/death I've been
reviewing lately (Sculpture, Desire, Novembers  Doom,  Long  Winters'
Stare), but it can  still  be  an  enjoyable  doom/death  album  with
several good moments.


Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_  (Pulverized, 1998)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

Not to be confused with Setherial [CoC #12 and  #28],  Satariel  play
post-At the Gates melodic Swedish death metal, similar in style to  A
Canorous Quintet [CoC #20 and #33], Arch Enemy [CoC #32], et al.  For
the most part, the album  is  straightforward  melodic  death  metal:
potent, but not terribly original. Unfortunately, therein lies  their
greatest weakness; there's not  a  lot  to  differentiate  this  from
others doing the same style. They do add the  occasional  atmospheric
touch, some subtle keyboards, and a few melodic sections which remind
me of Borknagar's _The Olden Domain_, but most of the album is pretty
standard. The vocals mostly vary between grunted  and  half-screamed.
There are a few sections with clean vocals, but they're a weak point,
as the vocals are a little flat, and they're sung  over-dramatically.
Luckily, they aren't overused, so they don't detract  too  much  from
the overall sound of the band. Other than those parts, it's very well
done: the playing is great, with some very  good  drumming,  and  the
production (done at Sunlight) is excellent. One final note to make is
that they include a  cover  of  Eucharist's  "Greeting  Immortality".
Overall, this is a very good album,  and  fans  of  this  style  will
surely enjoy it, but these guys are definitely not breaking  any  new
ground with this album.


Skepticism - _Lead and Aether_  (Red Stream, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (6 out of 10)

I try not to believe too much of the hype and descriptive  adjectives
that labels often use to describe their  bands.  Thankfully,  in  the
metal world, they are actually relevant from time  to  time.  When  I
read the ad  for  _Lead  and  Aether_,  it  was  described  as  being
"primitive funeral doom", and I'm thinking "well, what  the  heck  is
that?" Then I put the CD in and understood completely -- this is  not
metal, it's  musical  accompaniment  to  a  funeral  for  a  czar  or
something. Every track  is  total  funeral  dirge,  but  not  without
emotion ("The March and the Stream"). The lyrics are poetic  and  are
actually kind of "nice", but often expounding upon  loneliness  as  a
theme. The whole CD seems to be dominated by a pipe organ, but yes, a
guitar is in the mix too, sometimes. Layers  of  keyboards  create  a
stirring presence, and it's immediately obvious that the  drums  were
not played on a  rock  kit,  opting  instead  for  kettle  drums  and
crashing symbols. This is my first exposure to Skepticism,  and  from
reading a review of _Stormcrow Fleet_ I was under the impression that
they were  doom  metal,  which  this  is  definitely  not,  with  the
exception of hints of doom on a few tracks.  Although  it  is  doomy,
it's appeal will be to those who are into dark/ambient.


Soilwork - _Steel Bath Suicide_  (Listenable, August 1998)
by: David Rocher  (9 out of 10)

Unleashed from the  distant  shores  of  Sweden,  a  mighty,  raging,
melodic thrash assault is  about  to  wash  over  unsuspecting  metal
audiences -- ladies and gentlemen, Soilwork!  Kicking  off  in  sheer
style  with  the   brilliant   instrumental   "Entering   the   Angel
Diabolique", _SBS_ proves its creators to be  an  act  apart  --  and
above -- the writhing, hairy mass of Swedish deathsters. Laying their
songs down on thrash (rather than death) metal structures, relying on
the high number of  lightning-speed  breaks,  razor-sharp  riffs  and
mouth-dropping guitar leads in each of their tunes to keel you  over,
Soilwork can hardly be forced to  fit  in  the  usual  Swedish  metal
frames. Imagine  a  very  mean  hybrid  of  At  the  Gates  (for  the
hysterical vocals and the heavier-than-thou riffing), Judas Priest or
Accept (heavy guitar solos rule!)  and  late  Death  (for  astounding
technicality and a sharp sense of aggression made music), and  you're
nearly half-way there! Soilwork are fast, intense  and  melodic,  and
show an unusually acute sense of complexity,  power  and  catchiness,
thus making _SBS_ a refreshing, vindictive response to the  now  worn
out           satanic-death           /            black            /
doom-thing-with-female-vocals-from-Norway. Classy stuff!


Various - _Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2_
by: Alex Cantwell  (7 out of 10)  (Tooth and Nail Records, 1998)

If you thought Ghoti Hook was stupid before, wait till you hear their
version of "I Love Rock and Roll". This track from their  new  covers
LP is the first track on this latest edition  of  T&N's  finest.  The
bulk  of  the  material  is  hardcore,  in   all   of   its   various
manifestations, ranging from metalcore  (Zao,  Training  for  Utopia,
Living Sacrifice), to indie-rock-core  (Frodus,  Roadside  Monument).
Punk is present in Slick Shoes, Craig's Brother,  Outer  Circle,  and
The Cootees. Rounded off by many bands who are hard to  define,  such
as Stavesacre and 90 Lb Wuss, this serves as your basic yearly  Tooth
and Nail compilation.  Tedious  because  of  the  lack  of  non-album
material to loyal devotees, but very much worth the $6 to  the  newly
initiated, and if that is you, and you've never heard  any  of  these
bands before, this could be mindblowing.

Contact: Tooth and Nail Records, P O Box 12698, Seattle WA 98111-4698


Sortilege - _Sortilege_ / _Metamorphose_  (Axe Killers, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll  (both 9 out of 10)

Even a greater delight than the release of the H-Bomb albums  is  the
two CD  re-release  edition  of  the  first  two  Sortilege  records.
Featuring an  exciting,  original  sounding  lead  guitarist  plus  a
brilliant lead singer with the talents equal to Rob Halford's  finest
moments, Sortilege were capable of writing great  heavy  metal  hymns
like "Sortilege", as well as up  tempo,  heavy  riffing  material  or
classic semi ballads in the vein of Priest's "Beyond  the  Realms  of
Death". Be assured, music-wise this is no lightweight stuff!  On  the
other hand, French lyrics might definitely not be  everybody's  piece
of cake, but in this case they really work and make Sortilege's style
even more unique. English song versions that are used to  bolster  up
the length of both re-releases also sound good, but melodies  written
for French lyrics sometimes don't seem to sound right  when  sung  in
English. The production on both albums is good and  guitar  oriented,
and everybody that enjoys bands like Iced Earth  or  retro  metallers
HammerFall or Pegazus should definitely think about buying  something
from one of the originators.


Spineshank - _Strictly Diesel_  (Roadrunner, 1998)
by: Jody Webb  (7 out of 10)

Roadrunner is betting on Spineshank to be  their  next  big  act,  to
follow in the footsteps of Coal Chamber and  Vision  of  Disorder.  I
don't expect to see it happen, but hey; I would  never  have  guessed
the success that Coal Chamber has seen  --  I  just  don't  like  it!
Anyways, I think the best way to summarize _Strictly Diesel_ would be
to mix a glass of Deftones with a shot of Fear Factory.  It  has  all
the trademarks of the Deftones, like aggressive  verses  and  melodic
chorus; just throw in some sparing use of electronic effects  on  the
guitars and a bit of Fear Factory style shouting. I  like  more  than
half of the thirteen cuts, but I don't feel there is anything  killer
on here. Burton Bell from Fear Factory does some throat on "Start the
Machine". Dino Cazares is a big fan, too, as a sticker  on  the  case
says, so expect to see Spineshank open for FF when  they  headline  a
tour later this year.


Sutcliffe Jugend - _When Pornography Is No Longer Enough _
by: Adrian Bromley  (6 out of 10)  (Death Factory, September 1998)

Real fucked up shit that involves a lot of screaming and  just  sonic
mayhem all around. This'll really send you to the loonie  bin  if  it
comes too addictive. Anyone know Merzbow or Blunt Force Trauma?  This
is for you, then. Truly venom for the mind. 'Nuff said.

Contact: SUTCLIFFE JUGEND, Box 1881 -- 581 Linkoping, Sweden
         FAX: +46 13 10 39 06
         WWW: http://www.coldmeat.se


System of a Down - _System of a Down_  (Columbia-American, 1998)
by: Jody Webb  (8 out of 10)

Most of my friends in the metal industry would choose  this  for  the
debut act of 1998, but I'd reserve that enthusiasm for Ultraspank.  I
am willing to grant System a #2 in my book, though, primarily due  to
the original writing, non-formulaic structures, and effective vocals.
Overall, I suppose one could describe this as thrash, but the  tracks
on this disc hit most of the tempos seen  in  modern  music,  from  a
crawl to a high-speed chug, although there is no blast beat  here.  A
few cuts are written in a verse/pre-chorus/chorus  arrangement,  but,
in general, the band  does  some  innovative  things  with  different
parts. They manage to touch a bit of folk and polka too, but not  for
more than a moment. Serge, the vocalist, likes to change  up  from  a
spoken word to a throaty death voice to breaking into  song,  and  he
does this in most of the right  places.  The  net  effect  is  twelve
quality tracks. I can put this disc on a random spin and enjoy it the
whole way through. My only qualms here are the political agenda  that
serves as lyrical content, because I just wanna rock, but  the  music
makes up in a big way. This debut  shows  more  quality  tracks  than
Ultraspank, but lacks the killer singles.


Theatre of Tragedy - _Aegis_  (Century Media, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (5 out of 10)

I dunno about this band. I have never really been a big fan  of  what
Theatre of Tragedy has been about. I mean, I can get into  the  whole
gothic/metal overtone and the soft, beautiful vocals accompanying the
sounds of the band, but something within the  band's  musical  agenda
doesn't sit well with me. I know the band has a  large  fan  base,  I
just don't get it. With _Aegis_, the band has managed  to  capture  a
pretty  tranquil  environment,   melding   passionate   displays   of
songwriting with soft-spoken vocals and  gothic  guitar  work.  While
some of the work here is pretty memorable as the record  goes  along,
it just doesn't sit in your head  too  long  afterwards.  It's  kinda
boring, if you ask me; all the  fancy  coated  song  structures  seem
uninspired at times. The only salvageable material in my mind on this
eight-song effort is the ultra-cool "Siren". Never really been my cup
of tea, and I can see much more why now.


Transport League - _Superevil_  (The Music Cartel, August 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

Mix the ways of Danzig, Entombed, Meshuggah and even Finland's  Xysma
and you've got  the  fucked  up,  hard-hitting  groove  of  Transport
League. While similar to  their  debut  disc,  the  sophomore  effort
manages to travel down the road of variety a bit more.  Lots  of  the
material here, while in a hard-groovin' state, seems to stand out all
their own. And while heavy as fuck at times, they're catchy to  boot.
The elements of Transport League that shine are the use of samples  /
sound effects and the tuned down guitar approach. Throw in the  harsh
vocals of Tony Julien Jelencovich and it's a  winner  from  start  to
finish. Transport League aren't afraid to  mesh  rock  n'  roll  with
heavy rock either, a feature that comes up quite often here as well.


Turkknifes Pope - _Performance Crippling Data Restriction_
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)  (Zenflesh Records, September 1998)

This odd and eccentric outfit seems to come across as  very  sedated,
standing still, but still pushing outwards to us riddled compositions
of noise and abstract ideas. At times  the  musical  ideas  here  are
slowly rumbling towards a dreamlike soundscape to rest  within.  Most
of this seems drawn out, but that's the idea. A lot  happens  and  it
takes time  to  build  up  to  it.  Powerful  ideas  and  great  song
structures based on noises and chaotic paranoia make this  quite  the
experience to hear. Not much else to say other than get your hands on
this and see how you feel after a few long listens. Powerful stuff.

Contact: Zenflesh Records, P.O. Box 25205 Los Angeles, CA USA 90025
         WWW: http://www.zenflesh.com/
         mailto:panic@zenflesh.com


Ultraspank - _Ultraspank_  (Epic / Immortal, 1998)
by: Jody Webb  (8 out of 10)

This disc is my vote for debut of 1998,  and  though  we  have  three
months to go, I don't expect to be swayed. This stuff can get my head
nodding even five months after its release. Ultraspank mixes  guitars
and a drumkit with some synthesized sounds and programmed drums. They
focus on making tracks you can dance to,  and  we're  talking  either
moshing or breakdancing,  though  it's  not  so  hip  hop  or  groove
oriented as the new Korn disc or Limp Bizkit, nor is it so brutal  as
Napalm Death or Slayer. The vocalist can croon a haunting note, which
he does to good effect in some places, and this can sound similar  to
Tool's Maynard James Keenan. Yet there is no shortage of the  barking
that heavy music fans have come to expect. For some head bobbing fun,
try "5" or "Butter"; to fire up the pit, try "Slip" or  "Fired";  and
for simple listening pleasure, try "Suck".


Zao - _Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest_  (Solid State, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell  (9 out of 10)

This is the most brutal hardcore ever. Period. Yes, I know about Acme
and Coalesce, and still my statement stands. But let's  forget  about
the term "hardcore" for a minute, and set your brains to the  "metal"
mode, because although the song structures of this CD are hardcore in
nature, metal influences prevail  in  a  big  way.  The  music  is  a
sweeping experience of aggressiveness, downtuned and mean; absolutely
brilliant in form and execution. Along with the metal influence is an
extremely energized and chaotic post-modern slant, of  which  all  of
this  is  probably  due  to  an   entire   line-up   change   barring
founder/drummer Jesse Smith. This record should set  a  new  standard
for new-skool hardcore,  but  for  now  the  shrill  vocals  and  the
pummelling rhythms that make up the structure of the new Zao will  be
the soundtrack for many a worship session. Although their last outing
infused quite a bit of death-metal influences as  well,  their  debut
being straight-ahead Midwest hardcore, no one could have  expected  a
masterpiece like this.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                 __                    __      _
              /\ \ \_____      __   /\ \ \___ (_)___  ___
             /  \/ / _ \ \ /\ / /  /  \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
            / /\  /  __/\ V  V /  / /\  / (_) | \__ \  __/
            \_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/   \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|

If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo with a  bio  if
you want to be reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header.

Scoring:   ***** -- A flawless demo
            **** -- Great piece of work
             *** -- Good effort
              ** -- A major overhaul is in order
               * -- A career change is advisable


Bihor Massif - _Gateway to the Fifth Dimension_  (4-track demo)
by: Paul Schwarz  (***--)

Listening to this demo of very raw self-confessed "black metal",  one
can see how much the style owes to Hellhammer, Destruction, Sodom and
countless other 80s thrash bands  who  trod  the  thin  line  between
extreme and extremely sloppy every time they sat down to lay  down  a
guitar riff. What is so great about all these early thrash  releases,
though, is that the  sloppiness  only  adds  to  the  "raw"  feel  of
recordings, like  "Obsessed  by  Cruelty",  "Sentence  of  Death"  or
"Apocalyptic Raids", and  somehow  makes  them  more  extreme.  Bihor
Massif sounds "raw" like these early releases  and  it  doesn't  even
just sound downright bad like so many ultra-raw-black-metal releases,
especially on demo, have the  tendency  to.  What  is  funny  is  the
opening, and main, riff to first track "Spectres of  Souls"  actually
sounds like Cathedral, and good Cathedral. Overall, this  release  is
nothing special, but uses that time-honored  rawness  to  pinpoint  a
dark atmosphere which so many black  metal  bands  overlook,  however
good their production is. At present, that  atmosphere  is  the  best
thing going for Bihor Massif, but atmosphere is more  than  half  the
battle when you are trying to create great black metal.

Contact: TYR, 4121 Dayton Ave. N. #201, Seattle,
         Washington 98103, USA
         mailto: bilug@u.washington.edu
         $3/demo or trade


Cephalectomy - _Dark Waters Rise_  (5-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (***--)

While the music comes across brutal for all to hear,  the  production
of this band's material (now on CD  format)  still  lacks  something.
Much like the weak production on their  three-song  _Gateway  to  the
Gods, _Dark Waters  Rise_  loses  a  bit  of  appeal  with  the  weak
production, though the music  and  its  wickedly  violent  pace  soon
dissolves that dilemma. From the get-go, the  music  of  Cephalectomy
flows with intensity and anger, lashing  out  at  us  with  a  wicked
sneer, crushing us beneath the  weight  of  the  band's  multi-styled
playing. Influenced heavily by bands like Brutal Truth  and  Internal
Bleeding, Cephalectomy rarely slows the pace down, shoving heavy riff
and growls into our face as much as they can. It's intense and  quite
good. Snag yourselves a copy by  contacting  the  band  (see  contact
below) and support the Canadian metal scene.

Contact: Corey Andrews, RR#1 Brookfield, Col. Co N.S.,
         B0N-1C0, CANADA
         mailto:cephalectomy@hotmail.com


Ghoulunatics - _Carving Into You_  (10-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (***--)

ARGHH!!!!! The production on this 10-song record sucks. It is so poor
sounding, the fuckin' drums sound like they're hitting trash cans and
the guitars sound like muffled metal pipes  being  clanked  together.
But why is this so good? I'll tell you why: attitude. This four-piece
from Quebec kick out the jams, and it's no holds barred  where  their
playing is concerned. Kind of like a Boy Scout in the woods  with  no
food. You make with what you got in your surroundings and you get by.
I dunno why the band has such little help  getting  solid  production
here, 'cause they  play  their  instruments  like  trained  veterans,
pounding away at the music with sincere dedication. This is what it's
all about, people. Making music sound good, no matter what  obstacles
(in this case the production) are in your way. Vicious and definitely
grinding  through  numbers  with  slight  grind   meets   hard   core
tendencies, Ghoulunatics are crazy mofos and you know that after each
and every listen.

Contact: GHOULUNATICS, P.O. Box 47574 Montreal, Quebec, CANADA, H2H
2S8
         Ghoul Hotline: (514) 990-3553


Graven Image - _Black Lung Cathedral_  (12-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (**---)

Residing in a techno-tinged gothic world, Graven Image do their thing
just many other acts of the gothic genre have done. It's  chalk  full
of atmosphere, saddened sounds of darkened imagery and eerily  pushed
forth by a repetitious electronic beat for the most  part.  Sounds  a
tad bit like Nine Inch Nails at times, too. Like  I've  said  before,
and I'll say it again, it's all been done  before.  While  I  enjoyed
this for the most part, after several listens  my  interest  for  the
band wandered off. Primarily for goth fans only.

Contact: GRAVEN IMAGE, P.O. Box 771269 Lakewood, OH USA 44107
         WWW: http://www.bge.net/gravenimage
         mailto:lassen@ameritech.net


Immortal Souls -_ Reflections of Doom_  (8-track demo)
by: Alex Cantwell  (**---)

Half good, half not-so-good, I don't know. I think the  overall  demo
would be rated  as  less  than  average  by  most  folks.  The  vocal
performance is very weak throughout,  with  the  exception  of  "Hate
Sender", which is surprisingly  aggressive.  The  music  is  slow  to
mid-paced death (rock) with some doom elements, but all too often the
guitars are seemingly not tuned to each other.  Interestingly,  there
is quite a bit of acoustic guitar, sometimes playing right along with
the main riff. All that said, methinks  these  guys  have  tremendous
potential, and there is an obvious Einherjer influence in  the  title
track and in "I Am Me", that could definitely be developed further.

Contact: Aki Sarkioja, Jalustinkatu 2 D 50, 20880 Turku, Finland


Manifestium -_ The Dawn of Domination_  (8-track demo)
by: Alex Cantwell  (***--)

A vast improvement has been made since their previous  demo,  on  all
counts, but there is a brilliance in this band that  remains  so  far
untapped. The cheesy elements of the first demo have  been  abolished
by this work, making way for good song structures and  good  playing.
Not great; good. The Amorphis influence  is  great  throughout,  and,
after all, what better  musical  footsteps  to  follow  for  a  young
Finnish band than the champions of Finnish metal themselves? Also  of
note is the use of a wah-wah which serves to really draw you into the
songs -- it's too bad that the guitars are not always  quite  in-tune
with  each  other.  Oversight,  I  guess,  because  I  believe   that
Manifestium has gone to great lengths to improve,  and  improve  they
shall.

Contact: Juha Luomala, Lillvisinkuja 4, 62100 Lapua, Finland
         mailto:ossi@finlink.net

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
        ____     __                       __
       /\  _`\  /\ \                     /\ \__  __
       \ \ \/\_\\ \ \___      __      ___\ \ ,_\/\_\    ___
        \ \ \/_/_\ \  _ `\  /'__`\   / __`\ \ \/\/\ \  /'___\
         \ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
          \ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\
           \/___/   \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/  \/__/ \/_/\/____/
     ____                                          __
    /\  _`\                                       /\ \__
    \ \ \/\_\    ___     ___     ___     __   _ __\ \ ,_\   ____
     \ \ \/_/_  / __`\ /' _ `\  /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/  /',__\
      \ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\  __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
       \ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\  \ \__\/\____/
        \/___/  \/___/  \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/   \/__/\/___/



                OBSCURE AND VIOLENT CANADIAN SUPREMACY
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                   CoC reviews Death Across America
      Featuring Gorguts, Oppressor, Cryptopsy, Days of Mourning
                             and Endless
      At the El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario, September 10, 1998
                           by: Paul Schwarz

     Well, yeah. There is bad news to this story: Nile were  supposed
to be on this bill. But, thanks to criminal records,  cash  shortages
and borders, Canada was deprived, just as the CoC crew who made it to
Metalfest was, of seeing Nile. Fuck. Maybe some other  time  in  some
other country; we'll see.
     Tonight began with two Toronto  acts.  Endless  were  first  and
their mix of death and doom wasn't bad. They  interestingly  switched
lead vocals and showcased some decent live presentation and  playing.
The sound, which  I  though  was  exceptionally  good  this  evening,
showcased competently written,  though  not  particularly  stand-out,
songs. They filled time, although, to  be  honest,  with  the  stereo
blaring such classics as  Terrorizer  and  Nocturnus,  I'm  not  sure
whether it would have been more pleasantly filled without them.  Days
of Mourning showcased a more interesting sound composed, as  I  heard
it, of hardcore, grind and death metal. Not leaning -too- far to  any
one sound proved to be to the band's advantage  and  kept  their  set
more interesting than the previous one. A band whose music  on  CD  I
would be curious to hear.
     Cryptopsy time. Whatever dick stuck these home grown and,  quite
honestly,   supreme   death   band   on   -before-   Oppressor    (an
average-as-hell Morbid Angel-esque death four-piece) deserves  to  be
tied down, have his balls cut off (or,  be  it  a  woman...  you  can
imagine) by a rusty knife wielded by Grandpa from The Texas  Chainsaw
Massacre. Cryptopsy were Cryptopsy: amazing. The sound allowed me  to
hear every note of every solo and the playing  was  phenomenal.  Mike
DiSalvo looked like he'd been possessed by some of  the  demons  that
also evidently got into the band's  new  album,  _Whisper  Supremacy_
(see review this issue). Classics like  "Defenstration",  "Slit  Your
Guts" and "Crown of Horns" were aired along with brilliant new tracks
"White Worms" and "Flame to the Surface". Though there was  a  little
crowd derision to Mike -- one person saying "Lord Worm is the  king",
to which Mike, in true Cryptopsy style  and  humor,  responded  "Lord
Worm is dead" --, it was unwarranted and  the  performance  obviously
made someone's mind up with "Nah, you're better than Lord Worm" being
a comment that came near the end. There was one  problem:  30  minute
set. Oppressor got 40 minutes. Well, I could do with a rest from  the
crowd and standing, so I went and talked to fellow CoC-ers and  other
friends. Oppressors were competent but boring: it is shameful that  a
two-album boring band can be placed after a three-album amazing band,
but I guess that's the advantage of touring with Cannibal Corpse.
     So it was time for the actual and rightful headliners,  Gorguts,
to  take  the  stage.  Hailing  from  the  same  city  as   Cryptopsy
(Montreal), Gorguts are yet more proof, if any were  needed,  of  the
quality of music Canada has to offer. They were first, though -- when
Cryptopsy were still making demos, Gorguts were making  albums  which
would later fall into the tomes  of  death  metal  history.  However,
virtually none of Gorguts' hour long set was  drawn  from  either  of
their first two releases and was therefore composed  nearly  entirely
from their new _Obscura_ album. No problem, musically, here,  though;
as you may be aware, I was astounded by how original and how  amazing
that album is, and I also  am  not  too  familiar  with  their  older
material. After a number of excellent songs from _Obscura_ and a  few
old songs, including the title track, Gorguts closed their  set  with
"Illuminatum", the album's excruciating closer. A truly gripping  end
to a night  filled  with  almost  total  perfection  and  near  total
disappointment -- the contrasts were as brutal as the music.

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

     D O O M   D E S C E N D S   U P O N   D E U T S C H L A N D
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Einherjer, Old Man's Child, Gorgoroth, Cradle of Filth
            At Zeche Carl in Essen, Germany on May 7, 1998
                          by: Matthias Noll

     The Zeche Carl is a former coal mine in the German "Ruhrgebiet".
Its towers and brick wall buildings provide a very special atmosphere
that completely fitted that night's  unholy  musical  onslaught.  The
place was packed with about 800 people eagerly waiting for  the  show
to begin.
     First up on stage were Einherjer, a band which  is  supposed  to
portray some kind of Viking image. On stage,  the  four-piece  looked
more like devotees of the alcoholic  metal  style  of  Tankard  fame.
Compared to their frontman, not wearing a sword, horned skull cap and
leather armor as one might expect, but  a  green  bomber  jacket  and
ultra tight grey jeans, my mother seemed to  look  like  mighty  Thor
himself. The band's  rather  traditional,  medium  paced  metal  with
vocals in a clear and midranged, but poor and limited, style  left  a
lot to be desired as well. Most of the awkward choruses, during which
the singer was constantly trying to conduct the crowd with  a  bottle
of beer, seemed to come straight from a "Best of Drunken Soccer Fans"
compilation. Furthermore, they suffered from a miserable  sound.  The
fact that their only guitar player missed several  breaks  and  riffs
towards the end of their set because of a fit  in  his  left  arm  (I
would understand if that happens to Yngwie Malmsteen once in a while)
made the group's amateurish approach even more obvious. This gig left
me wondering why  the  hell  Odin  (he  owns  us  all,  according  to
Einherjer) didn't send some undead viking hordes to take revenge.
     Next band  was  Old  Man's  Child,  promoting  their  new  album
_Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion_  on  this  tour.  In  comparison  to
Einherjer, at least their  outfit  was  quite  impressive,  with  all
members wearing corpsepaint, spikes and more of the usual black metal
stage gear. I had hoped that drum god Gene Hoglan would play on  this
tour as on the album, but, to my disappointment, he was nowhere to be
seen. This band also suffered from an extremely poor sound and I  had
a hard time figuring out what they were playing. Nevertheless,  their
complex (compared to Einherjer) song  material  was  delivered  in  a
tight fashion. OMC's songs feature a lot of trash riffing that  would
have been a lot more effective if only their sound had  been  better.
On the other hand, frontman Balder was doing  his  best  to  win  the
"black metal poser of the day" contest by displaying his capabilities
in evil grimacing only when a certain photographer in the  front  row
was ready to take a picture. The  bass  player  also  tried  hard  to
entertain the crowd. The guy was definitely fighting his way  through
the Forest of Equilibrium, being so drunk that he constantly  was  in
danger of falling into the drumkit. To my disappointment,  he  always
managed to avoid collapsing  and  continued  to  stumble  across  the
stage. Despite my criticism, OMC's performance achieved a rather good
response from the crowd,  but,  in  my  opinion,  totally  failed  to
deliver heaviness and aggression.
     Gorgoroth, with the new album  _Destroyer_  under  their  belts,
entered the stage cloaked, spiked and painted. Again, the  sound  was
horrible, but reached new peaks in volume. Gorgoroth  hammered  their
way through various (on that day) indistinguishable  songs,  creating
the  most  violent  aural  assault  I  have  ever   witnessed.   Song
structures, guitar melody lines, rhythm and choruses just didn't seem
to matter and they kept on blasting through their simplistic and  raw
material. After about 30 infernal minutes,  technical  problems  with
one of their guitars became serious and they had to leave the  stage.
If you were in the mood (which I was that night) to enjoy  the  sound
of bypassing high speed trains, Gorgoroth kicked ass that  night  and
were the first band to deliver the goods.
     Finally, Cradle of Filth entered the stage. The first  thing  to
mention was the now brilliant sound. Starting the set with "Dusk  and
Her Embrace", drummer Nicholas had some timing problems  through  the
first fast parts, but immediately recovered from that and played  the
rest of the material in ultra tight and faster than on  record  style
(unbelievable but true in the case of song material like "Beneath the
Howling Stars"). The whole band's appearance was highly  professional
and tight, and especially screamer Dani energetically ruled the stage
and delivered an unbelievable vocal onslaught. I  always  wonder  how
much blood this guy spits after each gig. As they  didn't  bring  any
female singers on this tour, he had to do his own  interpretation  of
the female vocal parts, which wasn't as awkward as you  might  expect
(nevertheless, I would have preferred samples). The set list was  the
expected mix of old and new material: "To Eve the Art of  Witchcraft"
and "The Black Goddess  Rises",  the  fantastic  and  brutally  heavy
sounding "The Forest Whispers My Name", three songs from _Cruelty and
the Beast_ and some material from _Dusk... and Her Embrace_. Briefly:
A great show by a great band that doesn't need any hype to prove that
they are unique and groundbreaking.

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

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

Gino's Top 5

1. Various - _The World Domination II_
2. Pungent Stench - _Praise the Names of the Musical Assassins_
3. Dark Funeral - _The Secrets of the Black Arts_
4. Proscriptor - _The Venus Bellona_
5. Biohazard - _Urban Discipline_

Adrian's Top 5

1. Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_
2. Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
3. Sepultura - _Against_
4. Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_
5. Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_

Brian's Top 5

1. Spaceboy - _Getting Warm on the Trail of Heat_
2. Mental Home - _Black Art_
3. Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_
4. Labyrinth - _Return to Heaven Denied_
5. Michael Harris - _Ego Decimation Profile_

Alain's Top 5

1. Today Is the Day - _Temple of the Morning Star_
2. Suffocation - _Despise the Sun_
3. A Canorous Quintet - _The Only Pure Hate_
4. Death - _The Sound of Perseverance_
5. In Ruins - _Four Seasons of Grey_

Adam's Top 5

1. Cemetary - _Sundown_
2. Lycia - _Estrella_
3. Fear Factory - _Obsolete_
4. Flesh Parade - _Kill Whitey_
5. Type O Negative - _The Origin of the Feces_

Pedro's Top 5

1. Sculpture - _Like a Dead Flower_
2. Dawn - _Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)_
3. Carcass - _Heartwork_
4. Unholy - _Rapture_
5. My Dying Bride - _Trinity_

Paul's Top 5

1. Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
2. Manowar - _Battle Hymns_
3. Rush - _2112_
4. The Haunted - _The Haunted_
5. Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                _____         __          __ __
               |     \.-----.|  |_.---.-.|__|  |.-----.
               |  --  |  -__||   _|  _  ||  |  ||__ --|
               |_____/|_____||____|___._||__|__||_____|


Homepage: http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html
FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos

--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to:
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                         CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
                           57 Lexfield Ave
                            Downsview Ont.
                           M3M-1M6, Canada
             Fax: (416) 693-5240   Voice: (416) 693-9517
                     e-mail: ginof@interlog.com
                                 ----
                Our European Office can be reached at:
                     CHRONICLES OF CHAOS (Europe)
                         Urb. Souto n.20 Anta
                        4500 Espinho, PORTUGAL
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically  distributed
worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all  forms
of chaotic music including black, death and doom metal, dark/ambient,
industrial and electronic/noise as well as  classic  and  progressive
metal. Each issue will feature a plethora of  album  reviews  from  a
wide range  of  bands,  as  well  as  interviews  with  some  of  the
underground's best acts. Also included in each issue are demo reviews
and indie band interviews.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any  time  by  sending  a
message with "coc subscribe <your_name_here>" in the SUBJECT of  your
message to <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>. Please note that this command
must NOT be sent to the list address <coc-ezine@lists.colorado.edu>.

AUTOMATIC FILESERVER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for
automatic retrieval through our e-mail fileserver. All you have to do
is  send  a  message  to  us  at   <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>.   The
'Subject:' field of your message must read: "send file X"  where  'X'
is the name of the requested file (do not include the  quotes).  Back
issues are named 'coc-n', where  'n'  is  the  issue  number.  For  a
description of all files available through this  fileserver,  request
'list'. Remember to use lowercase letters for all file names.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #34

All contents copyright 1998 by individual creators of included work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.

