Review by Nathan on March 19, 2021.

I’ve always kind of felt that the Abbath/Immortal split ended up being beneficial for both sides. It was clear that the hook-laden arena rock stuff was mostly the doing of the former, whereas the remaining members wanted a bit more of a serious and intense thing. Now that they’re separated, they can focus on their respective strengths, and it shows: Abbath’s self-titled debut and "Northern Chaos Gods" are both stronger albums than "All Shall Fall". If you asked me to pick a favorite between those two, though, with a gun to my head I’d probably side with Immortal. I do appreciate the overt accessibility of Abbath and it’s got some killer songs, but overall it does feel a bit more rushed and uneven than "Northern Chaos Gods", which was a purposeful and carefully thought-out torrential downpour of frosty riffs n’ blasts. Immortal may have won the first battle, but the war is far from over, and with Outstrider Abbath sounds pissed and determined to come out of the gate swinging.

That’s the main thing you notice at first listen - Outstrider is harsh, thin and aggressive compared to the rich rumble and easygoing double-bass of the debut. Abbath has squeezed most of the croakiness out of his trademark croak in order to give this some extra bite, and sounds more like a conventional black metal vocalist than he ever has. That might be a turnoff for longtime fans, but don’t worry, you can still tell it’s him, there’s just a bit more prickle in them than usual (could just be a production thing). The riffs feel like they’re attacking you a bit more and tie into one another while doing so, whereas the self-titled debut had more of this “hey here’s some cool riffs I’ve been sitting on for a while” vibe. Outstrider is an album written with focus, direction, and some attention given to the space in between the tracks. Even with the extra dollop of anger and determination here, though, this still retains most, if not all of the inherent catchiness of the riffing. Abbath has a damn good ear for hooks, always has, and it’s basically impossible for him to write unmemorable riffs. The title track, 'Harvest Pyre' and a couple of others have some signature moments that will appease any Abbath/Immortal fan, or anyone who likes catchy melodic black metal.

While it’s pretty clear who the brains and the driving force behind this band is, it would be unfair to downplay the contributions of the other musicians, particularly the drummer. Ukri Suvilehto is a young gun playing with some pretty big dogs for a 24-year-old, but god DAMN this dude has groove. He does this thing where he plays a catchy rock beat for the first verse, and then the second time that it comes in he plays the same beat with double-kick underneath it and oh my god it sounds absolutely delicious. The composition of the drumming in 'Harvest Pyre' seriously gives me chills. It’s not showoffy or anything, it’s just exactly what it needs to be and has equal parts swagger and clinical precision. In short: this guy is good. Better than the last guy by far, and I sincerely hope he’s made the lineup permanently. This dude was drumming live for Before the Dawn when he was fucking 18! The extra hits and fills he can fit into a riff that the last guy couldn’t play a major role in Abbath stepping up the intensity on this album.

It’s incredibly ironic, but it looks like Abbath improved by changing their sound to be more like Immortal. Going back to more conventional black metal as opposed to wiffly pop-black serves the weaker, less memorable tracks on the album much better. The standout singles are still the standout singles, and there’s a couple of tracks that are clearly better than the others on Outstrider, in all fairness, but I prefer a backdrop of aggression to a backdrop of catchiness that’s slightly less catchy than the catchiness you just heard. As far as the heavyweights are concerned, Abbath is leading the pack in 2019. Hopefully the dude makes good progress in his recovery so he can get back on the road soon.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Rosh on April 1, 2021.

As an oddity in the heavy metal world that never got the respect they deserved, Saint Vitus ended up being taken under the wing of the punk scene, releasing their first four classic albums on Henry Rollins' SST Records. While many do not realize this, the disenfranchisement of an early doom metal band like Saint Vitus in the metal scene was a huge inspiration for their musical mood and lyrical content, as evidenced best by the title track of 'Born Too Late'. It's much like I always say about hard times in real life, they make you who you are ultimately, so the ridicule and dismissal Vitus were met with had an incalculable impact on how they defined common themes in doom metal. It feels so applicable to real life and relatable in every sense.

Considering what was already well established on their first four albums, it should come as no surprise that by time Saint Vitus was signed to Hellhound Records and recorded V, (their fifth album, if you can believe that) they were playing doom in such an unadulterated form that over 30 years later, it still holds up as one of the most draining and despondent pieces of music ever. The music is consistently slow to mid-paced in typical Saint Vitus fashion, but V saw Dave Chandler introduce an even grittier, crunchier, and lower guitar tone than ever before, which shines the most in the oppressive opening moments of 'I Bleed Black' and throughout the entire duration of the lovelorn 'Patra (Petra)'. You combine this with some of original bass player Mark Adam's best low-end work and it's not at all hard to see why the low, lumbering tone of the music has become a staple of doom metal.

Furthermore, riff-wise, Dave never runs out of power-chord bludgeoners that work every time, and this is evident from the very first notes of grooving despair heard in 'Living Backwards'. The late Armando Acosta also deserves more credit, because I would say that more than anyone else behind the kit, his drumming defined the stoicism and fortitude of doom metal. It can be low-keyed and eerie and some times, or balls-out and driving at others. You combine that with Mark's bass and now you're basically rivaling the original lineup of Black Sabbath, which Vitus definitely do for my money.

Wino's vocals are another superb aspect of this 1990 slab of doom. The man is versatile, as he's able to channel pure longing and despair throughout most of the album, but on 'Jack Frost' he does far better than most could at delivering an eerie and suspenseful performance, filling the shoes of original Vitus vocalist Scott Reagers exceptionally well, just sounding more detached compared to Reager's nutcase wails. He also conjures unadulterated frustration on 'Angry Man', which shows off the ballsier, more aggressive side of true doom for those who don't really get the way in which it expresses rage.

V foretells doom's second wave, which would foster many classic releases throughout the 90's, since it builds off of the forlorn doominess of the band's previous four classics. The writing is as involved and heartfelt as ever, which by their fifth album, many bands fall flat on. Saint Vitus have never played anything they didn't feel.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by criscool623 on March 20, 2021.

Tankard is one of my favourite bands in general. I think that they have a great level as performers, composers, and in my humble opinion, they are way better than Sodom and Destruction; however, several factors impeded that they could reach the fame and appreciation that they deserved to have.

After their debut with Zombie Attack (an album that I did not want to review due to its more punk-oriented sound, as I am not a punk fan and it would have been unfair to judge it as a thrash metal release), the band started to work in a more aggressive sound, and the result was glorious; in fact, this was their first album with a genuine thrash metal sound.

First of all, I have to eulogize the composition of the songs; Tankard abandoned their tendency of writing simple songs with repetitive structures, riffs, and the same drum rhythm throughout the whole song. Here, the songs are more varied in this aspect, as they are more dynamic. We can find changing drums rhythms that make that the songs do not become something monotonous, bridges and interludes that make that every song have something different to offer and a vast variety of riffs, which has a remarkable influence of blues sound; thrash metal is that kind of gender that should overcome because of the originality of their riffs.

The music is savage, raw, it's pure anger, an ode to insanity; Gerre's voice is rougher than in its previous album, marking a clear evolution in his vocal style towards something more aggressive; Frank Thorwarth stands out improvising some bass lines in the album, giving more riches to the music; Oliver Werner is pretty standard playing the drums, but he's consistent and a good support for the band; Andy and Axel are good guitar players and they show off their (kind of limited) skills, offering short, but solid solos (although some licks are very memorable, like the first solos of 'For A Thousand Beers').

As I said before, every song has something different to offer, as the progressive parts of 'Don't Panic', the magic and epicity of 'For A Thousand Beers' (one of the best instrumental metal pieces of all), the aggressiveness of 'Total Addiction' or 'Traitor' and the funny and danceable introduction of the album's title track, you choose your favourite moment of the album.

I have not too much to say about the lyrics, as most of them are hilarious, obscene and beer-related, excepting 'Don't Panic', which is a little more serious, satirizing the war and other evils of the world.

Nonetheless, unfortunately, the album is not perfect, as it sins in something very important: the production. It is true that the music is powerful and full of adrenaline, but sometimes the sound is kind of dirty, and that makes that you don't know what notes the guitar players are playing, and thus, some riffs are unintelligible, as in 'Total Addiction' and 'For A Thousand Beers', but if you just want to listen to some raw music, this won't be a great problem for you.

This is the second strike of a band that is full of personality and style, and I totally recommend it if you want to listen to Tankard in some of the best moments of their career. It is a real shame that the band does not perform more songs from this album live apart from 'Chemical Invasion', but this album will stay in the history as one of the best (and most underrated) german thrash metal albums.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 20, 2021.

Twelve months after their minimally punk affected debut, Tankard returned with Chemical Invasion, a detonation of pure thrash metal. The compositions showed a higher degree of variety and complexity. In terms of musicianship, the dudes had reached the next tier. The fact that four of the musicians contributed at least one own composition underlined this development.

The excellent artwork presented a vile chemist who manipulated his beer in order to create a strange brew unscrupulously. This utterly unacceptable form of poisoning was too much for the defenders of the German purity law. Tankard raged against this kind of beer pollution and their title track was able to blow up the entire laboratory of the criminal scientist. The beginning of the song picked up the mood of "(Empty) Tankard", but this piece was evolving into a very intense and furious thrash metal grenade. Of course, a pinch of humour was not missing. Nevertheless, the song connected melody, density and speed in a very imposing way. Brutality and refinement were also expertly balanced. In my humble opinion, this ingenious number still belongs to their absolute classics.

Generally speaking, sheer fury characterized the majority of the songs. Straightforward outbursts like 'Farewell To A Slut' or 'Total Addiction' proved that Tankard had nothing lost of the juvenile spontaneity of their debut. Gerre's charismatic shouting as well as the powerful guitars and the thunderous rhythm section displayed an enormous joy of making music. As if that wasn't enough, Tankard also impressed with an almost progressive tendency. The monumental instrumental at the end of the A side surprised with a very unusual approach without appearing lightweight or inappropriate. 'Traitor', a further overlong song, proved their ability to write a thrilling piece of eight minutes length one more time. The song killed any kind of weariness in a matter of seconds because of its intensive and unstoppable riffing. Well accentuated background shouts increased the dynamism and the pressure of the song, while the high speed guitars performed rabid yet slightly technical solos one by one. The exact opposite of these bombastic songs was called 'Puke', an unswervingly hammering miniature track. As short as its title, it passed by in less than a minute while destroying everything that stood in its way. Fortunately, the mind-blowing mix of the album set all songs in the right light, irrespective of their individual configurations.

The lyrics expressed Tankard's weakness for beer and alcohol in general in several ways. But apart from that nonsensical poetry, the band also showed its political awareness ('Don't Panic'). Despite first appearances, this text did not come as a surprise, because 'Maniac Forces', already released on their debut, had also been slightly political. Well, we all know the omniscient eloquence of drunken people... Anyway, the lunatic chemist, probably a distant relative of Destruction's mad butcher, was grinning insidiously and I remember that I had pinned a poster with this artwork to the wall during the time of my military service. I cannot say that the motif pleased my first sergeant. But I guess my inoffensive action was better than starting another world war.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Michael on December 22, 2020.

The Chilean Demoniac will release their now second album but I must say that I have not heard anything from them before. Also I must state that this is quite a flaw on my part, which is now fortunately fixed.

The cover shows a tarot card, on which the reaper can be seen in a swamp illuminated by the moon. A quite successful and also quite original artwork, I think. Musically Demoniac beats the inclined listener directly with a merciless pinch of old-school thrash in the style of old Merciless or Kreator around the ears. Pretty strong. However, in the course of the first track 'RSV - Fools Coincidence - Testigo' (but also in the other tracks of the CD) you will be quite surprised, because the band often switches from English to their native language Spanish, which sounds pretty cool. In addition, they incorporate passages in the middle of their songs that are already very reminiscent of classical compositions. Not bad, it doesn't always have to be in your face. The band uses not only the usual thrash metal instruments, but also piano or saxophone and what they really manage to do convincingly almost consistently is to mix aggressive parts with quieter, more classical interludes, so that it has become a very independent album. However, and this is my subjective opinion, at least the piece 'Extraviado' as well as the saxophone sounds in 'So it Goes', the 20-minute title track, which comes along compositionally very multifaceted, could have been saved by not using the sax. But this is probably due to my dislike for Lisa Simpson and the associated hatred of saxophones, in my eyes the worst instrument in the world.

The guys succeeded with So it Goes a pretty strong album that I will probably listen to more often, because it is much more varied than a lot of other thrash albums. If only there would not be the saxophone.....

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Nathan on March 19, 2021.

I’ve always kind of felt that the Abbath/Immortal split ended up being beneficial for both sides. It was clear that the hook-laden arena rock stuff was mostly the doing of the former, whereas the remaining members wanted a bit more of a serious and intense thing. Now that they’re separated, they can focus on their respective strengths, and it shows: Abbath’s self-titled debut and "Northern Chaos Gods" are both stronger albums than "All Shall Fall". If you asked me to pick a favorite between those two, though, with a gun to my head I’d probably side with Immortal. I do appreciate the overt accessibility of Abbath and it’s got some killer songs, but overall it does feel a bit more rushed and uneven than "Northern Chaos Gods", which was a purposeful and carefully thought-out torrential downpour of frosty riffs n’ blasts. Immortal may have won the first battle, but the war is far from over, and with Outstrider Abbath sounds pissed and determined to come out of the gate swinging.

That’s the main thing you notice at first listen - Outstrider is harsh, thin and aggressive compared to the rich rumble and easygoing double-bass of the debut. Abbath has squeezed most of the croakiness out of his trademark croak in order to give this some extra bite, and sounds more like a conventional black metal vocalist than he ever has. That might be a turnoff for longtime fans, but don’t worry, you can still tell it’s him, there’s just a bit more prickle in them than usual (could just be a production thing). The riffs feel like they’re attacking you a bit more and tie into one another while doing so, whereas the self-titled debut had more of this “hey here’s some cool riffs I’ve been sitting on for a while” vibe. Outstrider is an album written with focus, direction, and some attention given to the space in between the tracks. Even with the extra dollop of anger and determination here, though, this still retains most, if not all of the inherent catchiness of the riffing. Abbath has a damn good ear for hooks, always has, and it’s basically impossible for him to write unmemorable riffs. The title track, 'Harvest Pyre' and a couple of others have some signature moments that will appease any Abbath/Immortal fan, or anyone who likes catchy melodic black metal.

While it’s pretty clear who the brains and the driving force behind this band is, it would be unfair to downplay the contributions of the other musicians, particularly the drummer. Ukri Suvilehto is a young gun playing with some pretty big dogs for a 24-year-old, but god DAMN this dude has groove. He does this thing where he plays a catchy rock beat for the first verse, and then the second time that it comes in he plays the same beat with double-kick underneath it and oh my god it sounds absolutely delicious. The composition of the drumming in 'Harvest Pyre' seriously gives me chills. It’s not showoffy or anything, it’s just exactly what it needs to be and has equal parts swagger and clinical precision. In short: this guy is good. Better than the last guy by far, and I sincerely hope he’s made the lineup permanently. This dude was drumming live for Before the Dawn when he was fucking 18! The extra hits and fills he can fit into a riff that the last guy couldn’t play a major role in Abbath stepping up the intensity on this album.

It’s incredibly ironic, but it looks like Abbath improved by changing their sound to be more like Immortal. Going back to more conventional black metal as opposed to wiffly pop-black serves the weaker, less memorable tracks on the album much better. The standout singles are still the standout singles, and there’s a couple of tracks that are clearly better than the others on Outstrider, in all fairness, but I prefer a backdrop of aggression to a backdrop of catchiness that’s slightly less catchy than the catchiness you just heard. As far as the heavyweights are concerned, Abbath is leading the pack in 2019. Hopefully the dude makes good progress in his recovery so he can get back on the road soon.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Rosh on April 1, 2021.

As an oddity in the heavy metal world that never got the respect they deserved, Saint Vitus ended up being taken under the wing of the punk scene, releasing their first four classic albums on Henry Rollins' SST Records. While many do not realize this, the disenfranchisement of an early doom metal band like Saint Vitus in the metal scene was a huge inspiration for their musical mood and lyrical content, as evidenced best by the title track of 'Born Too Late'. It's much like I always say about hard times in real life, they make you who you are ultimately, so the ridicule and dismissal Vitus were met with had an incalculable impact on how they defined common themes in doom metal. It feels so applicable to real life and relatable in every sense.

Considering what was already well established on their first four albums, it should come as no surprise that by time Saint Vitus was signed to Hellhound Records and recorded V, (their fifth album, if you can believe that) they were playing doom in such an unadulterated form that over 30 years later, it still holds up as one of the most draining and despondent pieces of music ever. The music is consistently slow to mid-paced in typical Saint Vitus fashion, but V saw Dave Chandler introduce an even grittier, crunchier, and lower guitar tone than ever before, which shines the most in the oppressive opening moments of 'I Bleed Black' and throughout the entire duration of the lovelorn 'Patra (Petra)'. You combine this with some of original bass player Mark Adam's best low-end work and it's not at all hard to see why the low, lumbering tone of the music has become a staple of doom metal.

Furthermore, riff-wise, Dave never runs out of power-chord bludgeoners that work every time, and this is evident from the very first notes of grooving despair heard in 'Living Backwards'. The late Armando Acosta also deserves more credit, because I would say that more than anyone else behind the kit, his drumming defined the stoicism and fortitude of doom metal. It can be low-keyed and eerie and some times, or balls-out and driving at others. You combine that with Mark's bass and now you're basically rivaling the original lineup of Black Sabbath, which Vitus definitely do for my money.

Wino's vocals are another superb aspect of this 1990 slab of doom. The man is versatile, as he's able to channel pure longing and despair throughout most of the album, but on 'Jack Frost' he does far better than most could at delivering an eerie and suspenseful performance, filling the shoes of original Vitus vocalist Scott Reagers exceptionally well, just sounding more detached compared to Reager's nutcase wails. He also conjures unadulterated frustration on 'Angry Man', which shows off the ballsier, more aggressive side of true doom for those who don't really get the way in which it expresses rage.

V foretells doom's second wave, which would foster many classic releases throughout the 90's, since it builds off of the forlorn doominess of the band's previous four classics. The writing is as involved and heartfelt as ever, which by their fifth album, many bands fall flat on. Saint Vitus have never played anything they didn't feel.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Nathan on March 19, 2021.

I’ve always kind of felt that the Abbath/Immortal split ended up being beneficial for both sides. It was clear that the hook-laden arena rock stuff was mostly the doing of the former, whereas the remaining members wanted a bit more of a serious and intense thing. Now that they’re separated, they can focus on their respective strengths, and it shows: Abbath’s self-titled debut and "Northern Chaos Gods" are both stronger albums than "All Shall Fall". If you asked me to pick a favorite between those two, though, with a gun to my head I’d probably side with Immortal. I do appreciate the overt accessibility of Abbath and it’s got some killer songs, but overall it does feel a bit more rushed and uneven than "Northern Chaos Gods", which was a purposeful and carefully thought-out torrential downpour of frosty riffs n’ blasts. Immortal may have won the first battle, but the war is far from over, and with Outstrider Abbath sounds pissed and determined to come out of the gate swinging.

That’s the main thing you notice at first listen - Outstrider is harsh, thin and aggressive compared to the rich rumble and easygoing double-bass of the debut. Abbath has squeezed most of the croakiness out of his trademark croak in order to give this some extra bite, and sounds more like a conventional black metal vocalist than he ever has. That might be a turnoff for longtime fans, but don’t worry, you can still tell it’s him, there’s just a bit more prickle in them than usual (could just be a production thing). The riffs feel like they’re attacking you a bit more and tie into one another while doing so, whereas the self-titled debut had more of this “hey here’s some cool riffs I’ve been sitting on for a while” vibe. Outstrider is an album written with focus, direction, and some attention given to the space in between the tracks. Even with the extra dollop of anger and determination here, though, this still retains most, if not all of the inherent catchiness of the riffing. Abbath has a damn good ear for hooks, always has, and it’s basically impossible for him to write unmemorable riffs. The title track, 'Harvest Pyre' and a couple of others have some signature moments that will appease any Abbath/Immortal fan, or anyone who likes catchy melodic black metal.

While it’s pretty clear who the brains and the driving force behind this band is, it would be unfair to downplay the contributions of the other musicians, particularly the drummer. Ukri Suvilehto is a young gun playing with some pretty big dogs for a 24-year-old, but god DAMN this dude has groove. He does this thing where he plays a catchy rock beat for the first verse, and then the second time that it comes in he plays the same beat with double-kick underneath it and oh my god it sounds absolutely delicious. The composition of the drumming in 'Harvest Pyre' seriously gives me chills. It’s not showoffy or anything, it’s just exactly what it needs to be and has equal parts swagger and clinical precision. In short: this guy is good. Better than the last guy by far, and I sincerely hope he’s made the lineup permanently. This dude was drumming live for Before the Dawn when he was fucking 18! The extra hits and fills he can fit into a riff that the last guy couldn’t play a major role in Abbath stepping up the intensity on this album.

It’s incredibly ironic, but it looks like Abbath improved by changing their sound to be more like Immortal. Going back to more conventional black metal as opposed to wiffly pop-black serves the weaker, less memorable tracks on the album much better. The standout singles are still the standout singles, and there’s a couple of tracks that are clearly better than the others on Outstrider, in all fairness, but I prefer a backdrop of aggression to a backdrop of catchiness that’s slightly less catchy than the catchiness you just heard. As far as the heavyweights are concerned, Abbath is leading the pack in 2019. Hopefully the dude makes good progress in his recovery so he can get back on the road soon.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Nathan on March 19, 2021.

I’ve always kind of felt that the Abbath/Immortal split ended up being beneficial for both sides. It was clear that the hook-laden arena rock stuff was mostly the doing of the former, whereas the remaining members wanted a bit more of a serious and intense thing. Now that they’re separated, they can focus on their respective strengths, and it shows: Abbath’s self-titled debut and "Northern Chaos Gods" are both stronger albums than "All Shall Fall". If you asked me to pick a favorite between those two, though, with a gun to my head I’d probably side with Immortal. I do appreciate the overt accessibility of Abbath and it’s got some killer songs, but overall it does feel a bit more rushed and uneven than "Northern Chaos Gods", which was a purposeful and carefully thought-out torrential downpour of frosty riffs n’ blasts. Immortal may have won the first battle, but the war is far from over, and with Outstrider Abbath sounds pissed and determined to come out of the gate swinging.

That’s the main thing you notice at first listen - Outstrider is harsh, thin and aggressive compared to the rich rumble and easygoing double-bass of the debut. Abbath has squeezed most of the croakiness out of his trademark croak in order to give this some extra bite, and sounds more like a conventional black metal vocalist than he ever has. That might be a turnoff for longtime fans, but don’t worry, you can still tell it’s him, there’s just a bit more prickle in them than usual (could just be a production thing). The riffs feel like they’re attacking you a bit more and tie into one another while doing so, whereas the self-titled debut had more of this “hey here’s some cool riffs I’ve been sitting on for a while” vibe. Outstrider is an album written with focus, direction, and some attention given to the space in between the tracks. Even with the extra dollop of anger and determination here, though, this still retains most, if not all of the inherent catchiness of the riffing. Abbath has a damn good ear for hooks, always has, and it’s basically impossible for him to write unmemorable riffs. The title track, 'Harvest Pyre' and a couple of others have some signature moments that will appease any Abbath/Immortal fan, or anyone who likes catchy melodic black metal.

While it’s pretty clear who the brains and the driving force behind this band is, it would be unfair to downplay the contributions of the other musicians, particularly the drummer. Ukri Suvilehto is a young gun playing with some pretty big dogs for a 24-year-old, but god DAMN this dude has groove. He does this thing where he plays a catchy rock beat for the first verse, and then the second time that it comes in he plays the same beat with double-kick underneath it and oh my god it sounds absolutely delicious. The composition of the drumming in 'Harvest Pyre' seriously gives me chills. It’s not showoffy or anything, it’s just exactly what it needs to be and has equal parts swagger and clinical precision. In short: this guy is good. Better than the last guy by far, and I sincerely hope he’s made the lineup permanently. This dude was drumming live for Before the Dawn when he was fucking 18! The extra hits and fills he can fit into a riff that the last guy couldn’t play a major role in Abbath stepping up the intensity on this album.

It’s incredibly ironic, but it looks like Abbath improved by changing their sound to be more like Immortal. Going back to more conventional black metal as opposed to wiffly pop-black serves the weaker, less memorable tracks on the album much better. The standout singles are still the standout singles, and there’s a couple of tracks that are clearly better than the others on Outstrider, in all fairness, but I prefer a backdrop of aggression to a backdrop of catchiness that’s slightly less catchy than the catchiness you just heard. As far as the heavyweights are concerned, Abbath is leading the pack in 2019. Hopefully the dude makes good progress in his recovery so he can get back on the road soon.

Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Review by Rosh on April 1, 2021.

As an oddity in the heavy metal world that never got the respect they deserved, Saint Vitus ended up being taken under the wing of the punk scene, releasing their first four classic albums on Henry Rollins' SST Records. While many do not realize this, the disenfranchisement of an early doom metal band like Saint Vitus in the metal scene was a huge inspiration for their musical mood and lyrical content, as evidenced best by the title track of 'Born Too Late'. It's much like I always say about hard times in real life, they make you who you are ultimately, so the ridicule and dismissal Vitus were met with had an incalculable impact on how they defined common themes in doom metal. It feels so applicable to real life and relatable in every sense.

Considering what was already well established on their first four albums, it should come as no surprise that by time Saint Vitus was signed to Hellhound Records and recorded V, (their fifth album, if you can believe that) they were playing doom in such an unadulterated form that over 30 years later, it still holds up as one of the most draining and despondent pieces of music ever. The music is consistently slow to mid-paced in typical Saint Vitus fashion, but V saw Dave Chandler introduce an even grittier, crunchier, and lower guitar tone than ever before, which shines the most in the oppressive opening moments of 'I Bleed Black' and throughout the entire duration of the lovelorn 'Patra (Petra)'. You combine this with some of original bass player Mark Adam's best low-end work and it's not at all hard to see why the low, lumbering tone of the music has become a staple of doom metal.

Furthermore, riff-wise, Dave never runs out of power-chord bludgeoners that work every time, and this is evident from the very first notes of grooving despair heard in 'Living Backwards'. The late Armando Acosta also deserves more credit, because I would say that more than anyone else behind the kit, his drumming defined the stoicism and fortitude of doom metal. It can be low-keyed and eerie and some times, or balls-out and driving at others. You combine that with Mark's bass and now you're basically rivaling the original lineup of Black Sabbath, which Vitus definitely do for my money.

Wino's vocals are another superb aspect of this 1990 slab of doom. The man is versatile, as he's able to channel pure longing and despair throughout most of the album, but on 'Jack Frost' he does far better than most could at delivering an eerie and suspenseful performance, filling the shoes of original Vitus vocalist Scott Reagers exceptionally well, just sounding more detached compared to Reager's nutcase wails. He also conjures unadulterated frustration on 'Angry Man', which shows off the ballsier, more aggressive side of true doom for those who don't really get the way in which it expresses rage.

V foretells doom's second wave, which would foster many classic releases throughout the 90's, since it builds off of the forlorn doominess of the band's previous four classics. The writing is as involved and heartfelt as ever, which by their fifth album, many bands fall flat on. Saint Vitus have never played anything they didn't feel.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on December 20, 2020.

Real thrash has become a rarity in times when black metal rules the extreme underground. Given this fact and generally speaking, I appreciate that Razgate from Italy fought back (although I cannot get enough of good black metal as well). While using modern record technologies that gave the album its powerful yet somewhat oversized sound, they swing the axe of (mostly) pure thrash.

Okay, 'To the Rope!' bows down to the punk-influenced songs of Slayer and sometimes the screaming of the lead vocalist borders on hardcore shouting. Aggravating the situation, his voice is not blessed with an overdose of expressiveness. However, he does a solid job – and his comrades on guitar, bass and behind the drums do the same. Metal is riffs, thrash metal is even more riffs and Razgate, who love to perform a pretty aggressive, non-melodic and belligerent kind of thrash, have some aces up their sleeves. Discrete mid-paced mosh parts like the one in the title track complete the picture.

Nevertheless, usually Razgate’s sound sets the focus on velocity, which is staged by a proper number of tempo shifts. Too bad that not each and every song part blends seamlessly with the next one. It’s already the third full-length of the quintet, but there is still room for improvement in terms of song-writing. A higher degree of individuality would also be fine. Maybe they should learn to channel their energy in a more focused way. Well, nobody’s perfect… and there is still a sufficient number of good (yet not overwhelming) songs.

'Behind the Walls of Terror', for example, explodes after 83 seconds very excitingly - and further explosions follow. 'Broken by Fire' marks the most coherent track and its thrilling bridge boasts with a surprising level of catchiness. Doubtlessly, the band is able to perform the material in a tight and precise manner and the songs benefit from this. In other words: it’s a typical Punishment 18 album. Thrash metal maniacs know exactly what they will get and it lies in the eye of the beholder whether (s)he appreciates the reliability of the label or (s)he hates it's boring predictability. From my point of view, P18 offers a stage for pretty competent bands whose evolution process is not finished yet. Usually these formations deserve to get a positive but not excellent rating. Razgate are no exception.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Alex on December 18, 2020.

Returning with their 6th full length album the Portuguese sect known as Satanize have crossed many an ocean, lit many a black flame and performed many a ritual under the sigil of darkness since 2006. In the here and now, at a time of already existing chaos, the mist lurkers set forth to apply their forsaken taint to the world. From down under, to the exalted skies, Satanize respond to this age of wickedness and vilinity with 29 minutes of their own condemnation. On Baphomet Altar Worship you get nothing but blistering, steel swinging, skin slicing black metal. The kind of black metal that keeps the core philosophy close at heart and does not compromise its integrity to please or appease any fuck. You know, the kind of stuff you'd hear from Revenge or Archgoat, a formidable form of black metal that has not a word of kindness or gratitude or remorse to utter. 9 hideous tracks from head to toe, the musicianship is straight fucked, ugly and brutal from the very first thrust of the dagger to the final. Enter at your own risk.

Just look at the artwork, what did you think you'd be getting; Christmas hymns? fuck no, only chaos and obliteration starting out with the self titled ritual opener 'Baphomet Altar Worship', then proceeding down to 'Council of Nuclear Holocaust' (kick ass title by the way) you begin to feel the hammer-style philosophy Satanize inact on their craft of carelessness. All the while, there is meaning and established order to the sounds of vitriol you hear. Beneath all this, there is technical ability and a watchful eye on the compatibility of each riff, drum stroke, and vocal belched and hawked. They've been under the mark of the beast for 14 years with regards to black metal hence, do not dare lump Satanize in with those that only make noise. Purpose is one requirement to meet the conditions of integrity in black metal and Satanize showcases that with evocations such as 'Shrines of Antichrist' and 'Luciferian Thrones of Devastation'. Two monstrous tracks proving to be testament to the band's existence and continued dedication to the formula and path.

Rosaries set aflame, temples reduced to rubble, Satanize carve out a domain of peril on Baphomet Altar Worship that you just can't pass up if you are a revenge or Archgoat supporter, or if you were looking for something that just sounded pissed off to the maximum. Great apocalyptic tunes, great musicianship, the blackness and barbarity exalted thoroughly. Fittingly to be released through Helter Skelter Productions, January 20th 2021 to kick start the new year with sonic terror.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by criscool623 on March 20, 2021.

Tankard is one of my favourite bands in general. I think that they have a great level as performers, composers, and in my humble opinion, they are way better than Sodom and Destruction; however, several factors impeded that they could reach the fame and appreciation that they deserved to have.

After their debut with Zombie Attack (an album that I did not want to review due to its more punk-oriented sound, as I am not a punk fan and it would have been unfair to judge it as a thrash metal release), the band started to work in a more aggressive sound, and the result was glorious; in fact, this was their first album with a genuine thrash metal sound.

First of all, I have to eulogize the composition of the songs; Tankard abandoned their tendency of writing simple songs with repetitive structures, riffs, and the same drum rhythm throughout the whole song. Here, the songs are more varied in this aspect, as they are more dynamic. We can find changing drums rhythms that make that the songs do not become something monotonous, bridges and interludes that make that every song have something different to offer and a vast variety of riffs, which has a remarkable influence of blues sound; thrash metal is that kind of gender that should overcome because of the originality of their riffs.

The music is savage, raw, it's pure anger, an ode to insanity; Gerre's voice is rougher than in its previous album, marking a clear evolution in his vocal style towards something more aggressive; Frank Thorwarth stands out improvising some bass lines in the album, giving more riches to the music; Oliver Werner is pretty standard playing the drums, but he's consistent and a good support for the band; Andy and Axel are good guitar players and they show off their (kind of limited) skills, offering short, but solid solos (although some licks are very memorable, like the first solos of 'For A Thousand Beers').

As I said before, every song has something different to offer, as the progressive parts of 'Don't Panic', the magic and epicity of 'For A Thousand Beers' (one of the best instrumental metal pieces of all), the aggressiveness of 'Total Addiction' or 'Traitor' and the funny and danceable introduction of the album's title track, you choose your favourite moment of the album.

I have not too much to say about the lyrics, as most of them are hilarious, obscene and beer-related, excepting 'Don't Panic', which is a little more serious, satirizing the war and other evils of the world.

Nonetheless, unfortunately, the album is not perfect, as it sins in something very important: the production. It is true that the music is powerful and full of adrenaline, but sometimes the sound is kind of dirty, and that makes that you don't know what notes the guitar players are playing, and thus, some riffs are unintelligible, as in 'Total Addiction' and 'For A Thousand Beers', but if you just want to listen to some raw music, this won't be a great problem for you.

This is the second strike of a band that is full of personality and style, and I totally recommend it if you want to listen to Tankard in some of the best moments of their career. It is a real shame that the band does not perform more songs from this album live apart from 'Chemical Invasion', but this album will stay in the history as one of the best (and most underrated) german thrash metal albums.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on March 20, 2021.

Twelve months after their minimally punk affected debut, Tankard returned with Chemical Invasion, a detonation of pure thrash metal. The compositions showed a higher degree of variety and complexity. In terms of musicianship, the dudes had reached the next tier. The fact that four of the musicians contributed at least one own composition underlined this development.

The excellent artwork presented a vile chemist who manipulated his beer in order to create a strange brew unscrupulously. This utterly unacceptable form of poisoning was too much for the defenders of the German purity law. Tankard raged against this kind of beer pollution and their title track was able to blow up the entire laboratory of the criminal scientist. The beginning of the song picked up the mood of "(Empty) Tankard", but this piece was evolving into a very intense and furious thrash metal grenade. Of course, a pinch of humour was not missing. Nevertheless, the song connected melody, density and speed in a very imposing way. Brutality and refinement were also expertly balanced. In my humble opinion, this ingenious number still belongs to their absolute classics.

Generally speaking, sheer fury characterized the majority of the songs. Straightforward outbursts like 'Farewell To A Slut' or 'Total Addiction' proved that Tankard had nothing lost of the juvenile spontaneity of their debut. Gerre's charismatic shouting as well as the powerful guitars and the thunderous rhythm section displayed an enormous joy of making music. As if that wasn't enough, Tankard also impressed with an almost progressive tendency. The monumental instrumental at the end of the A side surprised with a very unusual approach without appearing lightweight or inappropriate. 'Traitor', a further overlong song, proved their ability to write a thrilling piece of eight minutes length one more time. The song killed any kind of weariness in a matter of seconds because of its intensive and unstoppable riffing. Well accentuated background shouts increased the dynamism and the pressure of the song, while the high speed guitars performed rabid yet slightly technical solos one by one. The exact opposite of these bombastic songs was called 'Puke', an unswervingly hammering miniature track. As short as its title, it passed by in less than a minute while destroying everything that stood in its way. Fortunately, the mind-blowing mix of the album set all songs in the right light, irrespective of their individual configurations.

The lyrics expressed Tankard's weakness for beer and alcohol in general in several ways. But apart from that nonsensical poetry, the band also showed its political awareness ('Don't Panic'). Despite first appearances, this text did not come as a surprise, because 'Maniac Forces', already released on their debut, had also been slightly political. Well, we all know the omniscient eloquence of drunken people... Anyway, the lunatic chemist, probably a distant relative of Destruction's mad butcher, was grinning insidiously and I remember that I had pinned a poster with this artwork to the wall during the time of my military service. I cannot say that the motif pleased my first sergeant. But I guess my inoffensive action was better than starting another world war.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Alex on December 22, 2020.

Something special happens when traditional death metal and grindcore merge; can't put it into words but for brevity let's say the results and final outcome are just incredible. Finland are no newcomers to death metal, heck they pretty much are the head honchos for old school death/doom so I would have expected no less in quality from the band in discussion today and more so the album they just shat-out from the bowels of the region. Anthropophagy is Sadistic Drive's first full length album following a compilation put out in 2019. 'Nasty shit' as someone I know had described the material when asked their thoughts after referencing Anthropophagy. Spot on description of the music waiting to blemish your white shirt and matching pants; Anthropophagy sounds like human waste running through and pouring out of your local underground sewer-system. Sick, ugly, just yuck........

I'll keep this one as short as I can to avoid puking on myself. Anthropophagy offers 10 grotesque pieces stinking with the canker of years old decay and from the time the first stick is thrown unto the drum kit and the first riff pours and the first vocal note is belched, the message arrives with sound clarity that Sadistic Drive have every intention of not just living up to their band name but offering music that is reminiscent of the death/grind scene around 89-91. First menacing piece comes in the form of a track called 'Serial Cleaner' following its opening spoken sample; and indeed 'one by one' it got us all. Falling over like a nerd for the hottest looking (disease riddled) chick in the class that has been fucked more than the american taxpayer by every guy and his granddad, this tune has got the curves, the tits, ass and hole death/grind possessed at the dawning of its era. Guitar licks that smear the slush, vocals that sound as though someone is regurgitating soup spoilt for a week and drumming that sounds like some sicco is splashing around jovially in liquefied defecation. This track brings the ugliness of the era and it only gets better as time progresses.

'Internal Putrefaction' and 'Acid Vomit', two more twisted yet delicious death/grind tracks, short and to the point as they should be. No filler, just serious, hitman-style work conducted on the listener. Lots of groovy transitions, mid-paced to high-octane, uptempo blast beats and riffing both memorable and craze inducing. The vocals are dynamic to a degree whereby a sort of snarl would be used in connection with a deep guttural and mid-ranged yell. Some parts on the album are also very sporadic mainly in the faster grindcore moments such as on 'Worm Eaten Abomination' (in which you also get a bit of death/doom) and 'Disease Ridden Pervert' that features my favorite drum section on the album nearing its end after that sinister bit of laughter.

Because the tracks are so short you're kept at the height of interest provided there's always something there happening that is different. Heading down to 'Ferox (Victim of Anthropophagous Tribe)' and 'Body Part Puzzle' it becomes hard to not want to play Anthropophagy again due to so much being tossed at you within this short 27 minute span. Plus those two songs exploit the momentum of previous highlights that in turn manage to bring the album to a worthy conclusion. Probably heard Anthropophagy more than 10 times in a single stretch and still finding new stuff there every time. One of 2020's hidden gems; or in this case, hidden germs.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10