Review by Tobias on March 2, 2001.

Let me get something out of the way here, can all you up and coming musicians do me a favor and stop giving your bands names that are the metal equivalent of after-school specials? If I keep hearing names like Dead Silent Slumber or Eternal Tears of Sorrow… or Dismal Euphony (heretofore known as DE)… I swear people, I’m going to raise a giant army of monkeys and I will hunt your ass down and you will be butt-romp-(Godly Editor’s Voice to Atomic: Shut theeee hell up!)
Fine then. I liked when they were called The Headless Children (THC) much better. What the hell happened to that? What, too many W.A.S.P. similarities?

Let me tell you that I listened to this thrice before reviewing it. The first time I didn’t think much of it. Then I went to a party and returned to listen to it twice more. I’m still not sure if this band is meant to be taken seriously. Again, like W.A.S.P. , particularly the album The Headless Children (when they dropped the super gore fiesta showmanship), you’re not quite sure if the musicians are taking themselves seriously. In fact, I can sum this up in one sentence: Imagine what Green Jelly would be like if they took themselves seriously.

Perhaps DE founder Ole Hegesen and Blackie Lawless should play golf together.

I know that’s a fairly apathetic statement, so let me get to the highs and lows of this album.

The Highs: I think Magma is by far, the most successful song on the album. Though it’s one of the slower tempo songs, I think it really gives the listener a pretty good idea of what DE is about. There are times during this album that this band is so dead on that the proverbial “grandma’s cooking” couldn’t hold a candle to their musicianship.
(Godly Editor’s Voice to The Reader: Don’t worry, I’m not sure he knows what he’s talking about either.)
My personal favorite of the album is Fly In Eye. An unusual and twangy tune, with an enormous flavor for a surreal and upbeat old west with chorusing female vocals that sound like a drugged out hybrid of Missing Persons and Fleetwood Mac.

Another track worth mentioning is the well crafted and unusually well executed (for this album), Needles. While this track seems to be one of the more serious tracks on the album, some of the lyrical content on the rest of the album is very amusing in a campy way (hopefully intentionally). I also want to give a REALLY BIG “Hell Yeah!” for the inventiveness shown on this album.

The Lows: There are some concepts and some composing here that are just plain rough around the edges. Though lyrically entertaining, Plasma Pool seemed very sloppy. On that same card are the tracks Birth In Reverse and Python Zero. The energy is there, the desire is there… but it just doesn’t feel like the conviction or perhaps the required time was there.

I think the piece that really struck me as lame was the last 45 seconds of track numero uno, Critical Mass. What started out as one of the mid-to-lower points in DE’s song composition, quickly turned into a speed power-chord jam of little talent that reminded me of my 13 yr. old garage days.

The In-Betweens: The in-betweens are all over the place, like a suburban field of Chicago littered with goose shit in the spring. You’re not quite sure to make of where the band wants to go and what they’re really doing.

The Bottom Line: One word – GreenJellyTakingThemselvesSeriously! … and some really clever and evil monkeys that ar- (Godly Editor’s Voice to Atomic: Quiet, you!)

Rating: 6 of 10. Despite the sore spots, the ingenuity shown is pretty fabulous. I would love to see these guys grow, and I’d like to see a live show.

Review by Jack on May 6, 2002.

Valley’s Eye walk a very fine line between extremely high tempo, aggressive power metal and flat out traditional heavy metal ala Iron Maiden and Iced Earth. Pure speed drumming and heavy riff after fucking heavy riff is what Valley’s Eye are all about and it shows on their second album in “Deception of Pain”.

The two new additions to Valley’s Eye this time around after their past two albums are Frank Huber on drums and Frank Pane on guitar. These two guys add heaps of great things to “Deception of Pain” and they have obviously taken a step up from their debut and sophomore albums. Intense technical and precise rhythmic drumming from Huber add a huge plus to the already solid sound Valley’s Eye had going with original founding members, vocalist R.D Liapakis and bass/keyboard man in Martin Albrecht. New guitarist Frank Pane impresses greatly with tight guitar solos and precise melody (see ‘The Sun’ and ‘Falling’). With the abundance of talent these 4 lads it would probably come as a surprise if I say that singer R.D Liapakis outdoes his rhythmic section delivering outstanding vocal performances time and time again. ‘Point of No Return’ is probably one of “Deception of Pain’s” weaker songs, yet it becomes awesome because of the brilliant chorus of Liapakis.

While many metal enthusiasts are often skeptical about the ‘heaviness and hardness’ of power metal, they may certainly feel at ease here. If you consider this stuff power metal, then I reckon the bar can not get lifted any higher. This is as heavy and as hard as it is going to get. Valley’s Eye are a testosterone born and bred manly band. No need to hide in shame for liking power metal! Closet power metal fans rejoice you may finally come out of hiding!

Bottom Line: Tough, tough and it keeps getting tougher. Power metal/heavy metal soft compared to death/black? I think not! “Deception of Pain” is as hard hitting as it gets.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 7
Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 7
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Adam M on February 15, 2026.

This was an important album for thrash metal because of its progression of the groove metal genre and it was instrumental in the success of the band. There were few albums like this when it was released and it remains a classic of the genre that has had a huge impact on bands like Machine Head and Fear Factory amongst others. The groove laden feel of the album is vintage and makes all worthwhile.

In terms of musicianship, we have groovy guitars and very tough guy vocals that highlight this aspect of the album and make the album very authentic and brutal. The music is groovy and features a good amount of chunky riffs and heavy power attacks in terms of guitarwork. The drumming is also spiffy and makes the album more rounded into form. The production is pretty good, but the album isn’t really anything remarkable musically either.

In terms of flaws, this album has a strong feeling of being overtaken by the likes of Burn My Eyes by Machine Head and is perhaps not as strong as some of the other albums in the genre like Chaos A.D. by Sepultura. This is seen through the riffing which is somewhat generic and not as exciting as Machine Head’s work on their seminal album. Still, this is a genre-defining album that is well worth hearing.

 All in all, I found this album to be somewhat great and a good example of groove-oriented metal. It is not as exciting as Burn My Eyes, but contains enough stellar moments and excellent musicianship that one will adore it for what it is and really like the vocal work of Phil Anselmo on top of that. This is a shining beacon for groove-oriented releases.

Rating:  7.2 out of 10

Review by Tobias on January 25, 2001.

I know this one is soon to be an oldie, but I had to review it anyway. Since anyone who knows metal knows this album, here is what I have to say:

Review by Allan on December 10, 2002.

It looks like Hellhammer has his hands in just about everything today. Bands like Arcturus, Mayhem, Winds, The Kovenant, and now Shining are all something he is a part of. Those bands are all good, if not great, except for Shining. It looks like after two albums of distasteful black metal, even Hellhammer can’t save Shining from mediocrity on “III Angst - Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie”.

I might as well get the good things out of the way. Due to Hellhammer joining forces with the other two members of Shining after their drummer Wedebrand was “violently kicked from the band” the drumming has improved drastically. He has a unique style and some of the things he comes up with on “III Angst” are absolutely fantastic. The music does have its moments as far as the riffs and atmosphere go. Some of the riffs are very well written, and at times the atmosphere can be very haunting.

Otherwise, you better prepare yourself for one dull, dreary, and repetitious ride. “Angst III” has six songs, which range between 7 to 10 minutes. What it comes down to is that Shining’s riffs just don’t have the quality in them to be repeated so many times. That repetition is what makes the songs so long, quite like being stuck in a waiting room. You simply can’t wait to get it over with and get out. There is nothing on “Angst III” that stands out as being particularly engulfing. If you’ve heard one song on “Angst III,” you’ve pretty much heard them all.

Shining is what I call a half-decent band, where just about everything is half-assed. The riffs are half-assed, the atmosphere is half-assed, the musicianship is half-assed, and just about everything else is too. Unless you crave all and everything that Hellhammer has put his talent into, I can’t give you a good reason to look into Shining.

Bottom Line: Mediocre black metal is all you’ll find in “Angst III”. Nothing revitalizing, original, or even well done can be found.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 4
Musicianship: 6
Atmosphere: 5
Production: 6
Overall: 5

Rating: 5.2 out of 10

Review by Adam M on February 15, 2026.

This was an important album for thrash metal because of its progression of the groove metal genre and it was instrumental in the success of the band. There were few albums like this when it was released and it remains a classic of the genre that has had a huge impact on bands like Machine Head and Fear Factory amongst others. The groove laden feel of the album is vintage and makes all worthwhile.

In terms of musicianship, we have groovy guitars and very tough guy vocals that highlight this aspect of the album and make the album very authentic and brutal. The music is groovy and features a good amount of chunky riffs and heavy power attacks in terms of guitarwork. The drumming is also spiffy and makes the album more rounded into form. The production is pretty good, but the album isn’t really anything remarkable musically either.

In terms of flaws, this album has a strong feeling of being overtaken by the likes of Burn My Eyes by Machine Head and is perhaps not as strong as some of the other albums in the genre like Chaos A.D. by Sepultura. This is seen through the riffing which is somewhat generic and not as exciting as Machine Head’s work on their seminal album. Still, this is a genre-defining album that is well worth hearing.

 All in all, I found this album to be somewhat great and a good example of groove-oriented metal. It is not as exciting as Burn My Eyes, but contains enough stellar moments and excellent musicianship that one will adore it for what it is and really like the vocal work of Phil Anselmo on top of that. This is a shining beacon for groove-oriented releases.

Rating:  7.2 out of 10

Review by Tobias on January 25, 2001.

I know this one is soon to be an oldie, but I had to review it anyway. Since anyone who knows metal knows this album, here is what I have to say:

Review by Jack on May 6, 2002.

Valley’s Eye walk a very fine line between extremely high tempo, aggressive power metal and flat out traditional heavy metal ala Iron Maiden and Iced Earth. Pure speed drumming and heavy riff after fucking heavy riff is what Valley’s Eye are all about and it shows on their second album in “Deception of Pain”.

The two new additions to Valley’s Eye this time around after their past two albums are Frank Huber on drums and Frank Pane on guitar. These two guys add heaps of great things to “Deception of Pain” and they have obviously taken a step up from their debut and sophomore albums. Intense technical and precise rhythmic drumming from Huber add a huge plus to the already solid sound Valley’s Eye had going with original founding members, vocalist R.D Liapakis and bass/keyboard man in Martin Albrecht. New guitarist Frank Pane impresses greatly with tight guitar solos and precise melody (see ‘The Sun’ and ‘Falling’). With the abundance of talent these 4 lads it would probably come as a surprise if I say that singer R.D Liapakis outdoes his rhythmic section delivering outstanding vocal performances time and time again. ‘Point of No Return’ is probably one of “Deception of Pain’s” weaker songs, yet it becomes awesome because of the brilliant chorus of Liapakis.

While many metal enthusiasts are often skeptical about the ‘heaviness and hardness’ of power metal, they may certainly feel at ease here. If you consider this stuff power metal, then I reckon the bar can not get lifted any higher. This is as heavy and as hard as it is going to get. Valley’s Eye are a testosterone born and bred manly band. No need to hide in shame for liking power metal! Closet power metal fans rejoice you may finally come out of hiding!

Bottom Line: Tough, tough and it keeps getting tougher. Power metal/heavy metal soft compared to death/black? I think not! “Deception of Pain” is as hard hitting as it gets.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 7
Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 7
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Adam M on February 15, 2026.

This was an important album for thrash metal because of its progression of the groove metal genre and it was instrumental in the success of the band. There were few albums like this when it was released and it remains a classic of the genre that has had a huge impact on bands like Machine Head and Fear Factory amongst others. The groove laden feel of the album is vintage and makes all worthwhile.

In terms of musicianship, we have groovy guitars and very tough guy vocals that highlight this aspect of the album and make the album very authentic and brutal. The music is groovy and features a good amount of chunky riffs and heavy power attacks in terms of guitarwork. The drumming is also spiffy and makes the album more rounded into form. The production is pretty good, but the album isn’t really anything remarkable musically either.

In terms of flaws, this album has a strong feeling of being overtaken by the likes of Burn My Eyes by Machine Head and is perhaps not as strong as some of the other albums in the genre like Chaos A.D. by Sepultura. This is seen through the riffing which is somewhat generic and not as exciting as Machine Head’s work on their seminal album. Still, this is a genre-defining album that is well worth hearing.

 All in all, I found this album to be somewhat great and a good example of groove-oriented metal. It is not as exciting as Burn My Eyes, but contains enough stellar moments and excellent musicianship that one will adore it for what it is and really like the vocal work of Phil Anselmo on top of that. This is a shining beacon for groove-oriented releases.

Rating:  7.2 out of 10

Review by Tobias on January 25, 2001.

I know this one is soon to be an oldie, but I had to review it anyway. Since anyone who knows metal knows this album, here is what I have to say:

Review by Krys on January 25, 2001.

Does anyone in Sweden have a regular job or all the guys just sit around, play their instruments and form new bands? It seems like there are 10 bands on one street block! What amazes me is that most of them are damn good ones. If you thought that melodic-death-trash bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy or Dark Tranquillity are safe on the top of this genre then think again. Here comes Soilwork.

These 6 young thrashers are ready to take over. After their impressive 1998 debut album "Steel Bath Suicide" which brought a lot of attention to this band, they come back with their sophomore installation "The Chainheart Machine."

And… I’m speechless. It’s a jaw-dropping, adrenaline-pumping masterpiece that will blow your mind with a force compared to a close range blast from the shotgun. What they did on this album is just un-frickin'-believable. Sharp and precise guitar harmonies, unbelievable dynamics and great sense of melody combined with force and harshness of Death metal will satisfy everyone who ever listened to anything harder than George Michael. They just showed that the Gothenburg Sound can be played with even more excitement and at higher level than the rest of their peers do.

The masterful production by Fredric Nordstrom and Studio Fredman cooks up an intelligent and intense potion that will put these guys in a spotlight of their own.

Are you still reading this review? It’s a masterpiece! Go get it, now!!! At the pace they are progressing, I’m beginning to fear the intensity and musical genius of a third release!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Krys on January 25, 2001.

Does anyone in Sweden have a regular job or all the guys just sit around, play their instruments and form new bands? It seems like there are 10 bands on one street block! What amazes me is that most of them are damn good ones. If you thought that melodic-death-trash bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy or Dark Tranquillity are safe on the top of this genre then think again. Here comes Soilwork.

These 6 young thrashers are ready to take over. After their impressive 1998 debut album "Steel Bath Suicide" which brought a lot of attention to this band, they come back with their sophomore installation "The Chainheart Machine."

And… I’m speechless. It’s a jaw-dropping, adrenaline-pumping masterpiece that will blow your mind with a force compared to a close range blast from the shotgun. What they did on this album is just un-frickin'-believable. Sharp and precise guitar harmonies, unbelievable dynamics and great sense of melody combined with force and harshness of Death metal will satisfy everyone who ever listened to anything harder than George Michael. They just showed that the Gothenburg Sound can be played with even more excitement and at higher level than the rest of their peers do.

The masterful production by Fredric Nordstrom and Studio Fredman cooks up an intelligent and intense potion that will put these guys in a spotlight of their own.

Are you still reading this review? It’s a masterpiece! Go get it, now!!! At the pace they are progressing, I’m beginning to fear the intensity and musical genius of a third release!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Krys on March 10, 2001.

Another band from Finland? Can I finally get some CDs from other parts of the world? Please. Actually I’m happy with it, so far all the bands I’ve covered are doing really fine job and their latest releases are happily spinning in my CD player. That’s also going to be the case with …And Oceans third opus "Allotropic/Metamorphic Genesis Of Dimorphism".

So what do we have here? It’s a combination of black metal and electro-industrial sound. I have to say that it sounds quite interesting. No dark, atmospheric keyboards, as is found in most black metal bands, but rather very melodic, happy lines that could very easily be used in alternative wave-clubs. Take "Tears Have No Name", give it to any DJ and I can see people going nuts on the floor. OK, maybe after a few re-mixes.

Except keyboards the rest of the music is just aggressive, brutal pounding with Killstar’s shrieking vocals. Tracks like "Odious & Devious" or "Postfuturistika" are blasting black metal with futuristic keyboard parts. All those elements create a very distinctive and unforgettable sound that makes this CD a unique piece out of the plethora of black metal releases. Unfortunately, the last song, "New Model World", is just pure fuckin disco and I have no idea what they were thinking while recording this crap. (That song just cost them a one full grade!)

Bottom Line: As always, the excellent work in famous Abyss Studio and outstanding chop-work by Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin make this CD well worth your money.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Krys on March 16, 2001.

After their third great album "Bloody Blasphemy", God Dethroned comes back with an even better killer, "Ravenous. This is not just another death metal album, it’s music created by people with the goal of making you shit your pants. Those guys are ready to fuck everything that walks, sleeps, smells, pukes and drools.

"Ravenous" is a wild fury delivered in 11 superb mixed shots of acid. Although Slayer’s influence hits us a little too often, the combination of melody and outstanding riffs leaves a very satisfying feeling. Actually it’s more than satisfying. The combined guitar skills of Jens van der Valk and Henri Sattler works seamlessly throughout the whole album. They know exactly how to play death metal and they do it with such a commitment and passion that all tracks sound like Beethoven’s symphonies in that each note means something and builds the perfect background for another. Just listen to the title track or "Swallow the Spikes", "Villa Vampiria" or "The Crown for the Morbid" and you’ll understand what drooling means.

Another thing that can’t go unnoticed is work of their session drummer Tony Laureano (Angel Corpse, Nile). I got this strange feeling that he’s the main reason for the much more aggressive and furious sounds of God Dethroned. His unlimited drum-molesting skills push this band into another level of greatness. Two slower tracks, Macabre End’s cover "Consumed By Darkness" and "The Iconoclast Deathride" give us a much-deserved break from the high-intensity speed that dominates on "Ravenous". Masterfully played Death’s "Evil Dead" not only remind us of the roots of this genre but also show how much fervor and intensity emanates from these guys.

Bottom Line: Definitely a Death Metal highlight of the year! No excuses, buy it or die in disgrace.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Krys on January 18, 2001.

I don’t see to many changes from the previous album, but I don’t think fans of this band where expecting it anyway. It seems like there is less keyboards or they just moved them back a little and toned. Although there are more acoustic parts in this effort, guitars are still very brutal and heavy and Felixes’ deep growls are nicely enhanced by clean and melodic vocals of Matthias.

Overall, Believe is another heavy melodic piece of music and a must buy for any gothic fan. I just hope they try a little experimentation on their next album.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Krys on March 16, 2001.

After their third great album "Bloody Blasphemy", God Dethroned comes back with an even better killer, "Ravenous. This is not just another death metal album, it’s music created by people with the goal of making you shit your pants. Those guys are ready to fuck everything that walks, sleeps, smells, pukes and drools.

"Ravenous" is a wild fury delivered in 11 superb mixed shots of acid. Although Slayer’s influence hits us a little too often, the combination of melody and outstanding riffs leaves a very satisfying feeling. Actually it’s more than satisfying. The combined guitar skills of Jens van der Valk and Henri Sattler works seamlessly throughout the whole album. They know exactly how to play death metal and they do it with such a commitment and passion that all tracks sound like Beethoven’s symphonies in that each note means something and builds the perfect background for another. Just listen to the title track or "Swallow the Spikes", "Villa Vampiria" or "The Crown for the Morbid" and you’ll understand what drooling means.

Another thing that can’t go unnoticed is work of their session drummer Tony Laureano (Angel Corpse, Nile). I got this strange feeling that he’s the main reason for the much more aggressive and furious sounds of God Dethroned. His unlimited drum-molesting skills push this band into another level of greatness. Two slower tracks, Macabre End’s cover "Consumed By Darkness" and "The Iconoclast Deathride" give us a much-deserved break from the high-intensity speed that dominates on "Ravenous". Masterfully played Death’s "Evil Dead" not only remind us of the roots of this genre but also show how much fervor and intensity emanates from these guys.

Bottom Line: Definitely a Death Metal highlight of the year! No excuses, buy it or die in disgrace.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Luka on August 16, 2002.

Yes, I am aware the opening sentence is just a different wording for the band name, all I can say is that the group is very aptly named. Now let’s see what these boys have to offer... energy? Check! Great solos? Check! Aggression... unchecked! Sound cheesy? You bet that’s the vibe of this album. No hate, blood, gore or any of that nonsense, just ass-kicking old-school metal that makes for a damn good time or an even better live show. The comical intro will put you in the right mood as you witness the birth of this relatively unknown and unsigned band that thrashes like the best of them. Definitely one you’ll hear more about in the near future.

Unchecked Aggression are a breed of the classic Slayer or Overkill thrash metal style, laced on one end with some Maiden-esque melody and on the other with angry punk. While proudly waving the flag of metal’s past glory days, they throw in enough kicks to rock the world of any young metal fan of today. I am proof of that. For older fans the album will bring back rich memories of a metal era perhaps forever gone. Eleven songs, consistent throughout and varied, that manage get your body thrashing and your soul screaming for more. The musicianship of each member can hardly improve; all that is left for these guys to work on is tighter playing. Basically this is a band that has very little to improve on, and while this is fantastic at the moment, it may later come as hindrance in future days as their sound might waver.

For a self-released album I am amazed at the high quality production. Bass lines are exceptionally good and propel rhythms that get your head bobbing like mad. It is the guitars that drive the songs with most thrash metal bands, but here the situation is often times the opposite: it is the drums and bass that form the framework for the songs while the guitars add in clever licks and hard riffs. I think this is what makes Unchecked Aggression a more interesting outfit than many old-school bands. If these guys played in the 80’s they’d get attention for doing something different. Overall, it is hard to find a fault in this album, one reason I didn’t give it a higher score is because old-school thrash is not quite my cup of tea, with more albums like this, though, that may well change soon. Good stuff!

Bottom Line: Fast, mean, ass-spanking 80’s thrash from a modern band. One of this year’s better debuts.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 6.5
Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.7 out of 10