Arch/Matheos
Sympathetic Resonance
2011 Metal Blade Records
This year saw what could well be the biggest event in prog metal history ever. I'm not talking about Mike Portnoy's exit from Dream Theater. I'm of course referring to something much more important. That, of course, is this album. This collaboration between Jim Matheos and John Arch. It was big news when John put out that two track disk a few years ago. But let's face it. That was only two songs. What we've got here is a full album. There's a few ways to look at this album. On the one hand, it sounds virtually nothing like the first three Fates Warning albums. So it's not a straightforward metal album. But it's also nothing like what came after "No Exit" once Ray Alder took up the vocalist spot in FW. At least for me, FW became far too progressive, and were, well, ...boring. While still in the prog vein, the songs here manage to stay on the level and are fairly focused, or at least they have a decent flow to them. Given how long some of them are, this is no small feat. John doesn't sound like he lost anything vocal-wise and is still as powerful and instantly recognizable as ever. With any luck, this won't be a one-off release and we'll hear more from John Arch sooner rather than later.
Portrait
Crimen Laesae Majestatis Divinae
2011 Metal Blade Records
When Portrait virtually exploded onto the scene a few years ago, everyone was struck with two things about the band. First, singer Phillip Svennefelt's voice bore an uncanny resemblance to that of King Diamond. Second, Portrait's song structure was very similar to that of the original Mercyful Fate albums, and KD's "Fatal Portrait" release as well. Here on album number two, that structure is even more prevalent, but Phillip Svennefelt has been replaced by Per Lengstedt. The band is better for the change in frontmen. Phillip Svennefelt seemed to be locked in the pattern of singing one line in a high KD style voice, and singing the next line in a low, more sinister KD style voice. He would then repeat this style not only for the rest of the song, but for the rest of the album as well. As much as I like the debut, this really became grating after awhile. New frontman Per Lengstedt has a more subtle style, where he does not instantly sound like KD. Indeed, at first he doesn't really stand out from other power metal singers of this era. But as you listen more, the more you realize that he takes quite a few queues, not from King's exact sound, but from his phrasing, vocal flair, and the ability to create one hell of a macabre picture with his voice and lyrics. That said, on "Darkness Forever," he does use a specific phrasing that King used on "Into the Coven," and I promise you that you'll know it the first time you hear it. But that aside, his vocals combined with songs that have a strong similarity to old Mercyful Fate (but with far better production) makes for the kind of package that most other bands can't even conceive of, let alone compete with.
Hell
Human Remains
2011 Nuclear Blast Records
It's been a long road for Hell. Originally formed back in the glory days of the NWOBHM, they've been little more than a cult favorite for many years. And truth be told, the number of those who had even heard of the band was small indeed. Virtually everyone here was an original member except Andy Sneap, and sadly Dave Halliday, who committed suicide in 1987. As main songwriter and vocalist, the loss of Dave was a huge one, but as heard on this album, the rest of the pieces are in place, and the players are all in top form. For those lucky enough to buy the 2CD version, all of the songs are on the second disk, but in their original demo form, with Dave Halliday on vocals. Other than the album versions having David Bower on vocals instead, and better production, not much is different or has been changed in their occult metal sound. While this album holds its own against young newcomers like In Solitude, Enforcer or Portrait, it remains to be seen if Hell can maintain this level of greatness with another album, one containing new material.
Entrails
The Tomb Awaits
2011 Dark Descent Records
There's a reason why Entrails sound like they're straight out of 1990s Sweden. It's because they are. Things didn't go so well for them the first time around, but they're giving it another shot. And what a shot it is. The debut, "Tales from the Morgue" was awesome. But "The Tomb Awaits" blows it away in every conceivable way. I'm sure that to write music like this, Entrails had to follow the left hand path. The songs here will drag you down into the grave, where you'll have many indecent and obscene dark recollections. The songs here are a reflection of the band's darkside, and it's plain to these ears that for them, nothing but death remains. None of these tracks are unorthodox. They're all in a very traditional Stockholm-era styled sound that cuts through the nocturnal silence with ease. No one can call the music of Entrails soulless, and when it comes to old school Swedish death metal in 2011, you'll never see ... or hear anyone doing it better than this. As we Americans say, they knocked it out of the park with this album, and they did it on every level. Old school brutality, old school death metal... it just doesn't get much better than this.
Deceased
Surreal Overdose
2011 Patac Records
Five long years after "As the Weird Travel On" (and for those keeping score, 20 big ones since the release of "Luck of the Corpse"), Deceased are finally back with the long-promised "Surreal Overdose" album. There have been some big changes in the Deceased lineup over the last few years, so let's get caught up on those first. Gone is guitarist Mark Adams, who left the band and never looked back. Mike Smith is still in the band, but just for writing and recording. No touring. Shane Fuegel is the new guy on guitar, formerly of Biovore. Les Snyder is still on bass. As for the drums, here's the biggest news of all... Dave Castillo is out, and King Fowley himself is back in. At least for recording. Live, he's still out in front on vocals. So now that you've got your scorecard filled out, let's move on to what's on this new album. As the core writing team of Mike and King is still intact, things don't sound much different. The death metal days are still long behind them, and it's still next to impossible to slap a label on Deceased other than "metal." If you really do feel the need to push the issue, then you should be able to pick out all kinds of elements in their sound... from classic heavy metal to real 1980s thrash (not that retro-rehash stuff... and King will probably backhand me one for mentioning the resurgence, even though I'm trying to make a distinction for all the fans in the younger set out there), to maybe a little doom with gloom. There's fast parts, melodic parts, frantic as all hell parts, moody and dark pieces, and all of it with the horror background (think "Twilight Zone") that Deceased have become known for. Bottom line, this is "metal," plain and simple. No apologies asked for and none wanted. Has it been worth the wait? Of corpse it has. Any hipster who picks this one up is in for an asskicking, plain and simple. No, really. Deceased will come to wherever they live and kick their ass personally. Because while Manowar may proclaim "Death to false metal!" Deceased follow through on those words. Always have, always will. In music, there are few bands you can trust to never let you down. Deceased are one of those few.
Revolting
In Grisly Rapture
2011 F.D.A. Rekotz
Rotten Rogga really outdid himself with this one. Do I say that with every review of one of his bands? Probably. But is it the truth? I'd have to say so. So far, the man has not run out of killer guitar riffs, and I've got a feeling that his castoffs are better than a lot of other bands keepers. The distortion on both guitars and bass are cranked to 11, with the result that there's a thicker, heavier sound here than I remember hearing before. On top of all that, Revolting Rogga's vocals are up there with the best of the class of 1990 and 1991. As ever, the lyrics are tales of horror, gore, and the occult. Fans of the old school will find everything here to their liking. One thing about the old Swedish death metal sound, it never gets boring. The Gothenburg sound kind of came and went, with a lot of bands either experimenting too much or getting lighter in sound. But the Stockholm sound and those who follow it still chugs along the same as ever, much like the proverbial unstoppable force. Given that the style is now a good twenty or so years old, that's a testament to the untrendiness of it. Let's put it like this... as long as Repulsive Rogga is writing and recording it, I'm buying it.
Bones
Bones
2011 Planet Metal
The demise of Usurper was a blow that hit me heavily. I had been a fan since their demo days after all, and it led to a long-standing friendship. Almost immediately following the breakup, guitarist Rick Scythe formed Nightshade, and the rest of the guys disappeared from the scene. Other than Jon Necromancer's stint in Kommandant, things have been quiet. Until now. Jon has resurfaced along with drummer Apocalyptic Warlord and guitarist Chris in a new project called Bones. Lately, I've been getting my death metal riff fix from the crust punk scene, with bands like Wolfbrigade and Hellshock. Based on what I'm hearing on this album, I'd have to say that I'm not the only one. Bones comes across as what we might have gotten if Tom Warrior had moved to Sweden and joined Anti-Cimex after Hellhammer broke up. Bones is loud, rude, abrasive and above all else, metal to the fucking bone. I can honestly say that I'm finally OK with Usurper's end. With a new band like Bones coming out of the grave, how can one not be?
Arch/Matheos
