REVIEWS 2009

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2009-10-25 12:41:51
FORGERY: Harbouring Hate - CD
Look's like there's way too many thrash metal bands out there today, 'cus here's another one! And what shall I compare this with then? It's nothing new, I've heared it before, and so have you I guess.. It's a mixture of SLAYER, early METALLICA etc. I guess you got the picture now and know if you like it or not..
Music for men on steroids and angry women....nothing I fit in to, but I listen anyway..
myspace.com/forgeryhq
2009-10-25 12:44:16
FU MANCHU: Signs Of Infinite Power - CD
This band released their first single, "Kept Between Trees", in 1990, so I guess we can call them veterans by now. The only thing I got with this band (not sure if I still got it actually) is (was?) a live recording from Swedish national radio, which is probebly 8-10 years old. I haven't been listening to it in years, so maybe I should search among my good old cassettes, 'cus stoner rock/desert rock (whatever you prefer to call it) is actually pretty cool stuff. Perfect for beer drinking, pizza eating, car driving and hot babes, but for some reason it reminds me a bit of the heavier stuff with TURBONEGRO after the reunion, hm..
A pretty good album anyway, and I guess that if you're a fan you will probebly not be dissapointed.
fu-manchu.com
2009-10-25 16:04:12
SWITCH OPENS:   - CD
This Swedish band was formerly known as FINGERSPITZENGEFÜHL, but decided to change the name as nobody seemed to understand it.
Their music is heavy but raw and pretty progressive, and I really like their sound. I guess some people want to make it simple and call it stoner, but it's not really stoner, it's just some kind of heavy and progressive metal.
There is a couple of really good songs, but unfortunately it's probably too weird for the masses. But if they at least get a break through in the underground scene, I will gratulate them. They're definetely worth it! So in other words, get this album!
myspace.com/theswitchopens
2009-11-04 19:40:52
VEIL: Blinkers Define The Spasm - MCD
This must be the first time I get death metal from Greece.
This band has been around since 2003. And well, it's nothing new under the grey sky, but it's pretty o.k. stuff anyway. It's a bit too chaotic/not that tight sometimes, but that's just small shit, so why bother? Track 1 and 2 sounds almost the same, and the drums sounds like they're digital.
5 tracks is what you get on this EP, and it's over in 20.34 minutes. Good enough for me..
myspace.com/veiltheband
2009-11-04 19:44:08
RNRT:   - MCD
ROCK N ROLL THEATER is a band from Paris, France who describe their style as "heavy, dirty rock inspired by the 70s, 80s and 90s glam, grunge, metal and punk." That's a pretty good description of what the first song sounds like, but in the second song it's suddenly some stupid rap metal, and that's not cool at all! If you wanna be cool (as they sing that they want to), keep yourself to what the first song sound like instead, 'cus that's much cooler.
The third track is a slow one. Pretty o.k., but not much else. And when it's time for the fourth song it's time for some heavy, dirty rock again. This song is unfortunately not as good as the first track, 'cus they just have to destroy it with some raping.
In the fifth melody they try to be RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, which is a pretty good band in small portions, but this song wasen't so good. The sixth song is a rocker though, and it's a pretty good one too.
Unfortunately the second last song is another slow one. Hey!, you can't have 2 slow songs on a EP! 1 is enough.
The last tune is another dirty rocker, which is o.k. but not much else.
Well, I sometimes complain about too little variation, but I think this band has a little too much variation. If they want to please me they better keep on rocking and cut the (c)rap.
myspace.com/rocknrolltheater
2009-11-04 19:46:59
BORNHOLM: March For Glory And Revenge - CD
It's not too often that you get something from Hungary for review. It's probebly the first time for me, but anyway.. This is the second album from this black metal band, who was formed in 2000.
It's not the fastest or heaviest kind of black metal. I would actually say that it's melodic, but that's not a bad thing at all, 'cus this is actually really good! And it's the music that's melodic, the vocals is true black metal crow screaming (or whatever you should call it).
Worth checking out to my surprise, but why the sound of horses here and there?
bornholm.hu
2009-11-07 12:19:28
ELDORADO:   - CD
This band was born in Madrid, Spain in the beginning of 2007, and this is their second full-lenght, which is available both in Spanish and English (I got the English version).
They're a rocking band, but that's kind of all there is. I would be very surprised if they succeed outside of Spain at all. That dosen't really mean that they're total crap though.. I've been listening to this album a couple of times now, and the songs are good, but it just dosen't grab me by the balls and shake me all night long. But good is always better than bad at least, so good luck!
eldoradorockband.com
2009-11-22 13:10:46
DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH at Puls in Borås, Sweden on November 20, 2009
DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH is a local tribute band to JUDAS PRIEST, and they delivered all the classics you can ask for, and did it really good. Unfortunately I haven't got the chance to see JUDAS PRIEST live, so I can't compare, but it was good enough for me anyway. But you can always ask for more.. Most of the members diden't really look like the person they was supposed to be for exemple. And they only played the songs you expected them to play. But on the other hand they diden't have 2 hours like JUDAS PRIEST.
Unfortunately I missed the first 2 bands, which I don't even remember the name of.
myspace.com/defenderssweden
2009-11-22 13:21:35
ARMAGEDDON: Embrace The Mystery & Three - 2-CD
Some kind of melodic heavy metal, like early DEF LEPPARD, early VAN HALEN, TYGERS OF PAN TANG and BLACK SABBATH during the 1990s....but maybe a little heavier/more metal. And these dudes can really play, that's for sure. I would almost like to call it progressive sometimes, 'cus they dosen't always take the easiest way.
This is actually a project of ARCH ENEMY guitarist Chris Amott, and these 2 albums was originally just released in Japan back in 2000 and 2002. But now they're reissued as a 2-CD set for Europe (already released) and North America (January 26).
I can't really figure out why they had to include instrumental demo tracks though.. It's pretty boring without vocals. There's also a cover of IRON MAIDEN's "Die With Your Boots On" and MERCYFUL FATE's "Desecration Of Souls".
Definetely worth checking out!
myspace.com/armageddonsweden
2009-11-22 13:37:23
HAZY HAMLET: Forging Metal - CD
A band from Brazil into bands like RUNNING WILD and HAMMERFALL = melodic heavy metal. And just as when I listen to the mentioned bands, I get a little bored after a couple of songs. And isen't the singer's voice a little too dark? It dosen't sound like his natural voice, but what do I know? To me it sounds like IRON MAIDEN with Blaze Bayley - pretty o.k., but not quite right.
HAZY HAMLET seems to do everything to sound like their heroes, but it just makes me think that some of their songs are too long. That dosen't necisserly mean that they're no good though, these guys know their heavy metal and how to deliver the goods.
hazyhamlet.com
2009-11-29 16:08:09
FREEDOOM, PROJECT HOPELESS, MOTORBREATH and TORTYR at Underjorden in Göteborg on November 28, 2009
I saw TORTYR and PROJECT HOPELESS at least - really good crust core just the way it use to be, and shall be. After that I actually fell asleep for a while, but I succeeded to see the last songs with a band at least, that most likely must have been FREEDOOM. So I guess I missed MOTORBREATH then? Damned!
spatt.info
2009-12-06 13:49:49
CHEMISTRY ROOM: Butterfly Effect - CD
Sounds like modern, melodic metal with 1 foot in the '80s. Really good stuff indeed!
It's pretty useless to pick any favorites, 'cus the whole album is great, even the ballad, "A Dream Without Sleep" is good. So it's definetely worth checking out! I don't really know what else to say about them..
I'm sorry, but unfortunately I don't remember where they come from (I think it was Italy), and I don't have any website or e-mail information.. (I guess I accidentley deleted their e-mail).
2009-12-06 13:51:31
DARK ILLUSION: Where The Eagles Fly - CD
Melodic hard rock on the border to power metal.
This reminds me of the more melodic stuff I listned to when I was a kid, so people into Swedish '80s bands like EUROPE, TREAT and ALIEN should love this album! I like it a lot anyway.
This band have actually been around since 1982 already, and vocalist is no less than Thomas Vikström (THERION, COVERED CALL, ex-CANDLEMASS etc.). They diden't release their debut album until 2005 though, so I don't really know how active this band is.
Definetely worth listening to over and over again!
2009-12-06 13:57:49
ORPHANED LAND: The Never Ending Way Of OrwarrioR - CD
This was really something different to what I use to listen to. As this band is from Israel, there's a lot of middle eastern inspiration, which they mix up with metal. If you think a band like SYSTEM OF A DOWN was strange, think again! They're pretty normal compared to ORPHANED LAND, but you will probebly like this band too if you like SYSTEM OF A DOWN.
Progressive metal when it's best! I really like it! But please let the woman sing more!
European release date is January 25.
orphaned-land.com
All other reviews from 2009 are unfortunately gone..

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