Well, seems we got frozen for our host for vidcult… so vidcult got killed, sorry about that everyone, but well now its back up online, a bit diferent… now it will only host live video ^_^ also sorry about the lack of updates, other priorities hehehe
GALLERY OF MITES belong to the ‘supergroup’ category, as it is made up of members of other big names of the stoner scene. The ten-member line-up includes: John Kleiman, Tim Cronin, Phil Caivano, Joe Calandra and Ed Mundell (MONSTER MAGNET members), Stugollin (HALFWAY TO GONE), Tommy Southard (SOLACE), Jim Baligno and Mike Schweigert (LORD STERLING) – now how is this for an all-star gathering of stoner souls?
Musically, GALLERY OF MITES is an homage to the band members’ references, as Bugs on the Bluefish is a powertrip to 70’s hard rock and some of the 60’s (lack of) charisma. Bands that immediately come to mind: STOOGES, early ROLLING STONES and a truckload of other well-known acts the traditional stoner will undoubtedly recognise. Speaking of which, there is yet a track with MONSTER MAGNET members backing former KYUSS/ current HERMANO vocalist John Garcia, probably a cocktail-molotov of orgasmic nature for thousands of stoners around the world (100 Days).
Despite the good technicality and the obvious quality of the musicians, Bugs on the Bluefish did not really sound that magnificent, but it should please very man die-hard revivalists anyway. This is probably ideal as a soundtrack to a crazy Summer.
All hell breaks loose – especially since DAMNATION saw Resurrection of Azarath released, a compilation and celebration of the good old DAMNATION times. There are no new tracks here, only a selection of past hymns, as well as some rare and previously unreleased songs. The sources vary from previous demos to full-lengths, including two bonus cover versions of KING DIAMOND’s Mansion in Darkness and MORBID ANGEL’s Bleed for the Devil.
Highlights of the album are without the shadow of a doubt Rebel Souls and Coronation. Resurrection of Azarath is thus an excellent means to revive glorious moments of the DAMNATION era, as well as grasp the very rare tracks of Promo 1998. Ogverall, I found the compilation CD rather attractive and musically worthwhile, were DAMNATION not one of the milestones of the Polish scene. Now it is off to a new album!
Once breathing under the moniker DE PROFUNDIS (I still wonder why it is that Symphonic BM and Goth bands seem to choose this name), AD INFERNA play a not very innovative variant of symphonic BM. Generally speaking, there are a number of obvious (DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH, EMPEROR) and other not so obvious influences. The first time I heard the CD, I even thought there were some LIMBONIC ART touches to it, but fortunately or not, AD INFERNA never come close to what the Norwegian duo create.
Magistralec Ouverture is a quite long intro to L’Émpire des Sens. Some might consider it way too long. Others might praise it for the interesting arrangements. My personal opinion lies somewhere in between ~ I quite like the arrangements, but agree to it being interesting only at first listening sessions.
Votre Déchéance is not quite as aggressive as I had imagined ~ there seems to be at least one instrument (be it the guitar or keyboards) that cuts all the aggressiveness.
By the third minute of Mon Âme Noire I had already surrendered to the calmer part of the song ~ though I would gladly do without the female vocals.
In To Enter the Tragic Symphony, keyboards tend to become interesting every now and then.however, there is the problem of the too obvious COF influences, also in vocals.
The album features two guest musicians: Marco B. of OBSIDIAN GATE, who performs the orchestral introduction of L’Émpire des Sens and Robynne of DAEONIA, who performs the female vocals. Furthermore, a cover version of FALKENBACH’s Balturs Tod has been included and is sung by ex~SETH’s Vicomte Vampyr. Definitely one of the highlights of the album (or is it because I adore the original version?), alongside the title track.
Not generalising to the band as a whole, I would say the biggest problem with L’Empire des Sens is that this debut album sounds too much like DIMMU BORGIR and CRADLE OF FILTH, which comes as a result of keyboards and female vocals being close to the above mentioned bands’. AD INFERNA could definitely be more original. After a while, I get the impression I have to listen to the CD to the end for reviewing purposes only, that is to say: the album has a tendency to become boring ~ which is not a very healthy feeling.
Musicians are good, but somehow somewhat ‘artificial’. Although the album is above the average, I would not consider it that striking. There seems to be something lacking. Future albums might help overcome the absence of this vital element.
Well who are Straighthate, well they come from Greece, uhhh nice place for a vacation, but who cares who they are, we are here to talk about their latest album, that they gave me a copy, how nice of them heheh, called “Indigenous”, the music fits into a kinda “Death Grindcore Hardcore Metal” thing, just like they say on their website, again, how nice, lets check to see if the music is nice as well, shall we.
I guess Indigenous is plagued by some of the same shit that plagues this kind of music, after a while it all seems the same, it doesn’t feel like its really a band problem as much as a musical genre problem, there are only so much ways you can blast away, well anyways it all starts off from “Middle Class Kidds” with the all too smoothing blasting and growling, its kinda quick and simple grindcorish track, not too bad, “Cannibalistic Society” is more a hardcore grind with nuances at the end, “Higher” starts up with … i don’t know some kind of movie sound sample with people struggling while Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane Starship sing “White Rabbit” on the background… what? higher? hey not all hippies were high hahaha, well anyways it then goes into blast hardcore and kinda keeps like that till the end, still with a nice pace to back it up, “You’ll Never see Heaven” starts off slower more verging on the hardcore side, still with intermittent blasting and then back to the full on blasting grind, till halfway were it kinda goes to more a death mood, humm a bit spliced together but still nice riffs and interesting listening, “Ethnocide” is a bit of a 2min throwaway track blasting half way to more growling and more blasting.
“Curse the Unholy Corpse of Jesus” is another kinda mess of track, and not in a good way, the vocalist seems to be everywhere on this one… txaaa you don’t need to growl all the way through, sometimes not talking makes a bigger impact, let the music speak for you, “Stench of Immortality” is back on the hardcore side of things, and a much better listen, kinda reminds me a bit of hardcore punk, well with the added screaming howls, finishes on a more moody groove, solid track, “Company Car” moves us back into the griding and blasting, kinda standard stuff, “Procreate” is a bit groovier hardcore grind track that finishes with a guitar lead, cool, now “Isolator” kinds starts a bit techie but grows back into full blast grind, “Kollapse” is a bit of more groovier kind of death hardcore metal, i liked it, mostly cause it has a bit of everything and still sounds pretty distinct from the rest of the the album, “Which One of Us is Gonna Die First” again starts off with more hardcore metal and kinda goes on… but well you all know what i feel about 15min tracks, unless they are going to do some groundbreaking stuff, then they mostly suck, this one is ok with some not that good parts… still about half way it stops for the “ethereal” sounds and the low guitar number finishing with some talk that gets lost on someone like me that grabs a cd to listen to music not to someones thought agendas… boring, especially for re-playability… skip skip.
From production values, lets say its ok, a bit muddy at times, still even though most tracks aren’t awesome, there are some interesting ones, also cause most tracks keep it short it listens well as a whole even when they start a lot of tracks with interesting and groovy intros and then blast away until the end, not following through, uhhh also i found the track names quite charming heheh, so what can i say of “Indigenous” humm like i said above this genres are a bit difficult to move beyond what is expected, even if you fuse and mash them together like Straigthate intended, i would say that this album is a solid album for those genres, these guys know theirs chops, this isn’t some garage shit, so if you are into hardcore or grind, be sure to check them out its a pretty sweet listening, but if you are looking for enlightenment, fish elsewhere ^_^
GALLERY OF MITES belong to the ‘supergroup’ category, as it is made up of members of other big names of the stoner scene. The ten-member line-up includes: John Kleiman, Tim Cronin, Phil Caivano, Joe Calandra and Ed Mundell (MONSTER MAGNET members), Stugollin (HALFWAY TO GONE), Tommy Southard (SOLACE), Jim Baligno and Mike Schweigert (LORD STERLING) – now how is this for an all-star gathering of stoner souls?
