Review by JD on December 27, 2011.

Side projects are a musician’s lifeline at various times in their career. They may be totally behind their main band and willing to die for them, but sometimes needing a diversion into a different direction musically so they can refresh artistically. Sometimes the musician’s side project is actually better.

Musician Danny Lilker (Nuclear Assault, SOD, Brutal Truth, etc..) has been a force for years in the metal scene. The newest project he is involved with now is one of my favorite CDs right now. He may be one of the best thrash musicians around and one of my all time favorite people as well. The man has stepped to the plate, ups the ante ten fold and, delivers some great and expressivly dark and evil Black Metal with joining up with Norway based darkness merchants Nunfuckritual.

More blasphemous, more blood soaked music has not been created in a very long time. Tracks like 'Cursed Virgin Pregnant Whore' and the title track show a Black Metal band that is a cut above everyone. With sacrilegious lyrics that match perfectly with the grinding dark vial power of the music, Nunfuckritual is the prime example of Satanic metal and how intense yet great it is.

Hail to the goat, bloody the virgin awaiting on the alter.... Danny Lilker and company have created some of the best Black Metal I have ever heard. I am still a big Venom fan from my teens, but these guys are giving the Satanic Brits a big run for their money. Light that black candle and begin the chants, Nunfuckritual is in the coven.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 8.5
Originality:8.5
Overall: 9

Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Review by Mario on April 12, 2009.

Not enough of old school metal? Here's one more for you. The Batallion marches from Bergen, Norway. Drumbells signal the battle will be very quick. Retaliation. The group is new but not these four metal soldiers, mercenaries who already executed their skills in many notorious Scandinavian bands, bands like Old Funeral, Taake, Bomber.

No word can convey the energy outflowing from this material.
It is typical of an enthiusiasm of a newcomer.
It's like listening to Slayer' very beginnings.
It's like screaming out along with Millie Petroza :)
It's like starring at Lemmy behind the buzzzing sound of speakers.
It's like listening to Celtic Frost' "Tragic Serenades" EP for the very first time.

This is 100% ferocious thrash black speed attack, punk-quick and effective [hails to Amebix, and Discharge as well]. These tracks are anthems to the past gone. Adding to vocalist Stud Bronson raunchy, snarling, vehemently whiskey roar are killer sing-along reffrains, morbidious riffage and mayhemic soloes. The weapons' usefull handling is obviously above average. I like this band cause they don't take the shit too seriously; they enjoy themselves. It prooves itself for example in a track like 'The Spirit Of Masculinity' where lines like “It's an explosion / Of Testosterone” can be heard :)
Pump up the volume, grab a bottle of beer and be metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 8.5
Originality: 7
Production: 9
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Mario on April 12, 2009.

Not enough of old school metal? Here's one more for you. The Batallion marches from Bergen, Norway. Drumbells signal the battle will be very quick. Retaliation. The group is new but not these four metal soldiers, mercenaries who already executed their skills in many notorious Scandinavian bands, bands like Old Funeral, Taake, Bomber.

No word can convey the energy outflowing from this material.
It is typical of an enthiusiasm of a newcomer.
It's like listening to Slayer' very beginnings.
It's like screaming out along with Millie Petroza :)
It's like starring at Lemmy behind the buzzzing sound of speakers.
It's like listening to Celtic Frost' "Tragic Serenades" EP for the very first time.

This is 100% ferocious thrash black speed attack, punk-quick and effective [hails to Amebix, and Discharge as well]. These tracks are anthems to the past gone. Adding to vocalist Stud Bronson raunchy, snarling, vehemently whiskey roar are killer sing-along reffrains, morbidious riffage and mayhemic soloes. The weapons' usefull handling is obviously above average. I like this band cause they don't take the shit too seriously; they enjoy themselves. It prooves itself for example in a track like 'The Spirit Of Masculinity' where lines like “It's an explosion / Of Testosterone” can be heard :)
Pump up the volume, grab a bottle of beer and be metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 8.5
Originality: 7
Production: 9
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Mario on April 12, 2009.

Not enough of old school metal? Here's one more for you. The Batallion marches from Bergen, Norway. Drumbells signal the battle will be very quick. Retaliation. The group is new but not these four metal soldiers, mercenaries who already executed their skills in many notorious Scandinavian bands, bands like Old Funeral, Taake, Bomber.

No word can convey the energy outflowing from this material.
It is typical of an enthiusiasm of a newcomer.
It's like listening to Slayer' very beginnings.
It's like screaming out along with Millie Petroza :)
It's like starring at Lemmy behind the buzzzing sound of speakers.
It's like listening to Celtic Frost' "Tragic Serenades" EP for the very first time.

This is 100% ferocious thrash black speed attack, punk-quick and effective [hails to Amebix, and Discharge as well]. These tracks are anthems to the past gone. Adding to vocalist Stud Bronson raunchy, snarling, vehemently whiskey roar are killer sing-along reffrains, morbidious riffage and mayhemic soloes. The weapons' usefull handling is obviously above average. I like this band cause they don't take the shit too seriously; they enjoy themselves. It prooves itself for example in a track like 'The Spirit Of Masculinity' where lines like “It's an explosion / Of Testosterone” can be heard :)
Pump up the volume, grab a bottle of beer and be metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 8.5
Originality: 7
Production: 9
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Mario on April 12, 2009.

Not enough of old school metal? Here's one more for you. The Batallion marches from Bergen, Norway. Drumbells signal the battle will be very quick. Retaliation. The group is new but not these four metal soldiers, mercenaries who already executed their skills in many notorious Scandinavian bands, bands like Old Funeral, Taake, Bomber.

No word can convey the energy outflowing from this material.
It is typical of an enthiusiasm of a newcomer.
It's like listening to Slayer' very beginnings.
It's like screaming out along with Millie Petroza :)
It's like starring at Lemmy behind the buzzzing sound of speakers.
It's like listening to Celtic Frost' "Tragic Serenades" EP for the very first time.

This is 100% ferocious thrash black speed attack, punk-quick and effective [hails to Amebix, and Discharge as well]. These tracks are anthems to the past gone. Adding to vocalist Stud Bronson raunchy, snarling, vehemently whiskey roar are killer sing-along reffrains, morbidious riffage and mayhemic soloes. The weapons' usefull handling is obviously above average. I like this band cause they don't take the shit too seriously; they enjoy themselves. It prooves itself for example in a track like 'The Spirit Of Masculinity' where lines like “It's an explosion / Of Testosterone” can be heard :)
Pump up the volume, grab a bottle of beer and be metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 8.5
Originality: 7
Production: 9
Overall: 8.5

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by JD on June 24, 2009.

Coming across as this really interesting musical bridge between Hard Rock, Classic Rock, some Progressive elements that all are beefed up with straight ahead party time metal... Toronto, Canada’s Ape stands as this rather set aside oddity on the music landscape. This quirky yet talented band seems to really set themselves up in the roll of different.

Seriously they come across as this odd cross-bred sort of animal that has parts of System Of A Down, April Wine and Nickleback sandwiched with metallized versions of The Tragically Hip and the classic Rush thrown in there for good measures. They take it all of their influences, put it in a blender and what comes out is originality with listenability.

One listen to the brilliantly penned ‘Messin’ Around With Love’ seems like it could possibly be a radio hit on any modern rock station anywhere while ‘Beyond The Depths Of Reality’ is a melodic metallic styled romp that is so hard to ignore because the melody sticks in your head and refuses to leave. With so many musical weapons in their arsenal... it is hard to dismiss this remarkable band.

Some rather bad production decisions in some places takes away a little from the bands performance, but the album is one that I found to be interesting every time I played it. Ape seems to be shooting on all cylinders as they make their own way through the mass changes of musical ideas. They are clearly some of the strongest musicians and are also as equally strong as songwriters as well. It just seems to pay off to being different... in the rock scene in Canada, they are..

Ape’s "Survival Of The Fittest" album seems to grow on you like a fine wine or a really well brewed beer. I have to say that I do want them to explore a little bit more on their heavier (metal) side of the band. A tad bit more than what they do... but as it stands now I won’t complain very much with what this is either. It is good... but it could be a touch better.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 8

Rating: 8 out of 10