Review by Jack on August 8, 2001.

This is the best introduction I can possibly think of to the world of black metal, compilation wise. “Firestarter” is fifteen tracks of various black metal bands scattered around the world. Included are: Arcturus, Borknagar, Einherjer, Emperor, Katatonia, Old Man’s Child, Mayhem, Opeth, Ophthalamia, Rotting Christ, Sacramentum, Samael, Satryicon, Tiamat and Ulver. Whilst some of these names in present day sense do not immediately conjure up thoughts of traditional black outfits, they (for the most part) fit the black label quite well. Over 74 minutes of playing time we are treated to a huge plethora and diversity in the black world circa 1998.

Lots of medieval weapons and armor adorn the compilation’s booklet, as well as the normal corpse-paint that these bands once utilised, the glory days of black metal! It is really quite hard to delve into what are the best and not so best parts of “Firestarter” as the variety is so extreme between the bands. I’ll endeavor to cover some of the less well-known bands throughout black metal circles, and describe their music, as most of you are familiar with big names like Opeth and Emperor.

Ophthalamia are a band that really came out and probably fired all their big guns at once...once comprised of Legion (Marduk) on vocals, guitarist It (Abruptum), bassist Night (Swordmaster) and drummer Winter from Edge of Sanity, Ophthalamia played an interesting brand of medieval tinged black metal with intriguing guitar riffs and really quite different cleanly sung vocals.

Sacramentum earned comparisons to big death metal acts such as Dissection with their founding work, they play a technical brand of typical Swedish melodic death metal. Not at all bad.

Tiamat should invoke the most interest of the more “unknown” bands, in that they started out playing black metal eons and eons ago. 11 years ago. Today Tiamat should not even be considered metal but are still quite awesome, falling into a genre that requires a dreamy sort of conscience to fully appreciate.

Aside from the “unknown” bands, the best songs on “Firestarter” are Opeth’s ‘Nectar’, Borknagar’s ‘The Dawn of the End’, Einherjer’s ‘Naar Hammerem Heves’ and Tiamat’s ‘Ancient Entity’.

Bottom Line: “Firestarter” is an absolute homicidal maniac of a compilation CD. It retails here (Australia) for around $7 or about 4 of American dollars. You can’t get a cheaper price for an introduction to black metal.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Jack on August 8, 2001.

This is the best introduction I can possibly think of to the world of black metal, compilation wise. “Firestarter” is fifteen tracks of various black metal bands scattered around the world. Included are: Arcturus, Borknagar, Einherjer, Emperor, Katatonia, Old Man’s Child, Mayhem, Opeth, Ophthalamia, Rotting Christ, Sacramentum, Samael, Satryicon, Tiamat and Ulver. Whilst some of these names in present day sense do not immediately conjure up thoughts of traditional black outfits, they (for the most part) fit the black label quite well. Over 74 minutes of playing time we are treated to a huge plethora and diversity in the black world circa 1998.

Lots of medieval weapons and armor adorn the compilation’s booklet, as well as the normal corpse-paint that these bands once utilised, the glory days of black metal! It is really quite hard to delve into what are the best and not so best parts of “Firestarter” as the variety is so extreme between the bands. I’ll endeavor to cover some of the less well-known bands throughout black metal circles, and describe their music, as most of you are familiar with big names like Opeth and Emperor.

Ophthalamia are a band that really came out and probably fired all their big guns at once...once comprised of Legion (Marduk) on vocals, guitarist It (Abruptum), bassist Night (Swordmaster) and drummer Winter from Edge of Sanity, Ophthalamia played an interesting brand of medieval tinged black metal with intriguing guitar riffs and really quite different cleanly sung vocals.

Sacramentum earned comparisons to big death metal acts such as Dissection with their founding work, they play a technical brand of typical Swedish melodic death metal. Not at all bad.

Tiamat should invoke the most interest of the more “unknown” bands, in that they started out playing black metal eons and eons ago. 11 years ago. Today Tiamat should not even be considered metal but are still quite awesome, falling into a genre that requires a dreamy sort of conscience to fully appreciate.

Aside from the “unknown” bands, the best songs on “Firestarter” are Opeth’s ‘Nectar’, Borknagar’s ‘The Dawn of the End’, Einherjer’s ‘Naar Hammerem Heves’ and Tiamat’s ‘Ancient Entity’.

Bottom Line: “Firestarter” is an absolute homicidal maniac of a compilation CD. It retails here (Australia) for around $7 or about 4 of American dollars. You can’t get a cheaper price for an introduction to black metal.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Krys on February 28, 2004.

After 15 years of blood, gore and metal, Cannibal Corpse return with "The Wretched Spawn" and without showing any signs of slowing down, deliver a hefty dose of technical death metal, carnage and every disgusting object that their fans were drooling for.

Crisp, clear production, brutally heavy and with enormous energy "The Wretched Spawn" is bound to slit throats, desecrate bodies and crush testicles. What else did you expect? With their most powerful sound yet, Cannibal Corpse exploits their songwriting talents and climbs the new heights of their technical abilities. Musically, "The Wretched Spawn" is the most diverse and multi-layered album in their discography. From finger breaking technical parts to the muscular pit inviting riffs, Cannibals rip through 13 tracks like a merciless killer slaughtering the masses. All songs are sick, filthy and soaked in the blood of their victims but not all of them are just full speed gore raids. Between speed demons like 'Psychotic Precision,' 'Frantic Disembowelment,' 'Cyanide Assassin' or 'Blunt Force Castration' there are few tracks that are taken a step down and serve as a perfect equilibrium to my bleeding ears and create the feeling of a well structured, thought-through release. Those tracks are not only taken a few steps down but they are so varied stylistically that I can't wait to see a pit going crazy to 'Decency Defied' or hear live version of Pantera's style title track, 'The Wretched Spawn,' before it kicks into a higher gear and takes on a more Cannibal Corpse shape. Did I mention doomy 'Festering In The Crypt'? Complex but not overdone and well-balanced "The Wretched Spawn" delivers Cannibal Corpse at its best. Death metal doesn't get much better than this.

On the side of things that didn't change at all, are lyrics and style of the cover, but after 15 years of coming up with fresh ideas on killing people you have to appreciate the effort and enjoy 'Severed Head Stoning' or 'Rotted Body Landslide.' Cannibal Corpse is not about being original or setting trends, they have already done this. "The Wretched Spawn" is about a continuation and mastering of their own visceral style and that's where this album shines.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 6
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by Krys on February 28, 2004.

After 15 years of blood, gore and metal, Cannibal Corpse return with "The Wretched Spawn" and without showing any signs of slowing down, deliver a hefty dose of technical death metal, carnage and every disgusting object that their fans were drooling for.

Crisp, clear production, brutally heavy and with enormous energy "The Wretched Spawn" is bound to slit throats, desecrate bodies and crush testicles. What else did you expect? With their most powerful sound yet, Cannibal Corpse exploits their songwriting talents and climbs the new heights of their technical abilities. Musically, "The Wretched Spawn" is the most diverse and multi-layered album in their discography. From finger breaking technical parts to the muscular pit inviting riffs, Cannibals rip through 13 tracks like a merciless killer slaughtering the masses. All songs are sick, filthy and soaked in the blood of their victims but not all of them are just full speed gore raids. Between speed demons like 'Psychotic Precision,' 'Frantic Disembowelment,' 'Cyanide Assassin' or 'Blunt Force Castration' there are few tracks that are taken a step down and serve as a perfect equilibrium to my bleeding ears and create the feeling of a well structured, thought-through release. Those tracks are not only taken a few steps down but they are so varied stylistically that I can't wait to see a pit going crazy to 'Decency Defied' or hear live version of Pantera's style title track, 'The Wretched Spawn,' before it kicks into a higher gear and takes on a more Cannibal Corpse shape. Did I mention doomy 'Festering In The Crypt'? Complex but not overdone and well-balanced "The Wretched Spawn" delivers Cannibal Corpse at its best. Death metal doesn't get much better than this.

On the side of things that didn't change at all, are lyrics and style of the cover, but after 15 years of coming up with fresh ideas on killing people you have to appreciate the effort and enjoy 'Severed Head Stoning' or 'Rotted Body Landslide.' Cannibal Corpse is not about being original or setting trends, they have already done this. "The Wretched Spawn" is about a continuation and mastering of their own visceral style and that's where this album shines.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 9
Originality: 6
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.4 out of 10