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Soulfly – Conquer (Roadrunner Records)

David E. Gehlke
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Soulfly – Conquer (Roadrunner Records)

As a former card-carrying member of the Sepultura Fan Club, this scribe’s affinity for Soulfly lasted about a week in 1998, as Fred Durst’s impotent raps on “Bleed” wore thin about as quickly as the tattooed buffoon’s hairline. The self-titled debut wasn’t really all that; same goes for the dismalPrimitive and Prophecy, and Max (and Sepultura) were left in the dust. Fast-forward a couple of years and it seems like Max has turned things around, starting with 2005’s Dark Ages and now the combo of Cavalera Conspiracy’sInflickted along with Conquer prove that Max has some gas left in his dreadlock-powered tank.

Conquer is surprisingly heavy in spots, devoid of the oft-hokey instrumentation that bogged down Soulfly’s early material. Thankfully, there are no extended jam sessions – the bulk of Conquer is no-frills, down-tuned and driving metal, vaguely reminiscent of Cavalera’s work on the Sep’s Chaos A.D. album.

While numbers like “Unleash” and “Enemy Ghost” are simple potent pit-movers, it is the guitar work of Marc Rizzo that really stands out. Rizzo’s fluid and melodic solos add some spice to “Paranoia,” where he rattles off a very Andreas Kisser circa 1989 lead run. Rizzo also proves his worth with some killer shredding on “Warmageddon” and some cool flamenco jamming on the otherwise brutal “Doom.”

Cavalera still cannot perform a song and/or chorus without mentioning the song title, which is fine if you’re trying to decipher exactly what song you’re listening to, but one would think after over two decades of songwriting, Max would try some new tricks in the vocal department.

Far and away the best Soulfly album, Conquer and CC’s Inflickted prove that Max may not need the Seps after all. Conquer is pure, classic Max, without the pretentious Brazilian instrumentation and pointless guest spots (there are only two here – Morbid Angel’s David Vincent and Throwdown’s Dave Peters). Had this been the first Soulfly out of the gate, the never-ending talk of a Sepultura reunion would probably be reduced to a whimper. Perhaps that will happen now.

Soulfly official site

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Hammerfall – Rebels With A Cause DVD (Nuclear Blast Records)

David E. Gehlke
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Hammerfall – Rebels With A Cause DVD (Nuclear Blast Records)

Hearing a lot from the Hammerfall camp these days, which is both a good and bad thing. Good, in the sense Rebels With A Cause is a pretty fun watch; bad because the band must, must be taken in small doses and the twin attack of this DVD and their recently released Masterpieces covers album doesn’t exactly keep the band out of the public eye.

Featuring footage, videos and a full band interview, Rebels With A Causecharters Hammerfall from 2002 to 2007 in support of the Crimson Thunderalbum and beyond. At this stage in their career, the buzz has already worn off, as the band was in full damage-control mode with the aforementioned Crimson Thunder platter after the bust that was Renegade. A candid interview with all five members present (which tends to drag at times) chronicles this, along with some tour and studio debauchery.

Moments of note include the never-ending backstage antics of drummer Anders Johannson, who has a habit of streaking and destroying property, much to the chagrin of the band’s tour manager. Slightly more comical is the video shoot along with the Swedish National Curling for “Hearts On Fire” which presumably did nothing for the band’s street cred. Singer Joachim Cains’ barroom brawl back in 2002 is also documented, where the singer received a right hook to the face just for being in Hammerfall.

Extras include six promos videos, footage from the Ice Breaker Festival, some TV clips (which are also funny) and some random behind-the-scenes action as well.

Entertaining to watch, Rebels With A Cause is one of the finer DVD’s to emerge of late and is both comprehensive and easily digestible. Hammerfall are total pros and you could do a lot worse than this DVD, Swedish Curling team and all.

 www.myspace.com/hammerfall

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Therion – Live Gothic (Nuclear Blast Records)

David E. Gehlke
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Therion – Live Gothic (Nuclear Blast Records)

Not on the scale of 2006’s massive Celebrators of Becoming 4-DVD, 2-CD set, Live Gothic is scaled down to two discs and a DVD of the live show. Shot during the band’s Gothic Kaballah tour in early 2007 in Warsaw, Poland,Live Gothic serves as a fitting reminder of how well-stocked the band’s repertoire is, but also is the last salvo from what is arguably Therion’s finest lineup in their 20 year-plus history.

If anything, this could serve as a veritable Greatest Hits package, as the tracklisting is nearly flawless. Shot in front of a sold-out crowd and culling largely from the beyond-godly Lemuria/Sirius B albums, there is nary a bump in the song selection. Highlighted by “The Blood of Kingu,” “Wine of Aluqah,” “Ginnungagap,” and perpetual staple “To Mega Therion,” Live Gothic reveals a band at the very top of the symphonic metal heap.

Intrinsic to Therion’s sound are the backing singers, who on this particularshow/tour were Snowy Shaw (ex King Diamond, Dream Evil), Mats Levin (Yngwie), and the two female sopranos, Katrina Lilja and Lori Lewis. All four handle the vast Therion catalog with ease, especially Lilja and Lewis who have the daunting task of replicating what is usually a vast female choir. Levin is the preferred male singer, as his biting classic metal rasp is welcome on “Son of the Slaves of Time.”

Visually, the nine-member ensemble makes good use of the stage with Lilja and Lewis portraying seductive, yet stoic songstresses, while Shaw and Levin hit the stage like madmen. Some minor effects like candles and medieval-themed fences were also inserted to add to the aura.

As noted earlier, this set is bittersweet, for mainman Christofer Johnsson recently let go of guitarist Kristian Niemann and his brother Johan, two cogs in what is perhaps Therion’s most successful decade. It will be interesting to see how Johnsson forges ahead without the Niemann’s, as they were top-notchmusicians and vital contributors.

Therion are without argument, symphonic metal touchstones with a catalog ofsongs that is nearly insurmountable. In the live arena, the band is even better and Live Gothic is a joy for old fans and the perfect gateway into one of metal’s most creative and expansive acts.

 www.myspace.com/therion

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Gorgoroth – Live in Grieghallen (Regain Records)

David E. Gehlke
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Gorgoroth – Live in Grieghallen (Regain Records)

The legal troubles continue to pile up for Gorgoroth, which only serves to further distract its audience from releases like this. Most recently, it was decided in Swedish courts that all distribution and promotion of Live in Grieghallen be ceased due to the legal grappling over the band’s trademark, which now currently belongs to bassist King ov Hell and singer Gaahl, not founding member guitarist Infernus. The band’s label (Regain Records) hasn’t quite obliged, so we might as well move forward with the proceedings.

Grieghallen, the place where Norwegian black metal was born, brought to life (er…darkness) seminal albums from Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor, and our good buddies Gorgoroth. Sensing a bit nostalgia, Infernus, along with Gaahl and two session members recording a would-be Best-of over the span of several recording sessions in 2007.

Fittingly, no songs from the largely King ov Hell-penned Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam were aired, instead the bulk coming from 1997’s Under the Sign of Helland 1999’s Incipit Satan. Songs of note include the always fun “Possessed (By Satan),” the thrashy “Unchain My Heart!,” and primitive chug of “Destroyer” and “Revelations of Doom.”

Again, the side-show that is Gorgoroth’s legal proceedings will no doubt overshadow this otherwise solid studio live recording. Come to think of it, this is a novel idea – getting back to where your classic albums were made and just banging ‘em out. Hopefully more bands will follow suit, but for now, it is Gorgoroth leading the pack, traveling circus tailing close behind. How black metal!

 www.myspace.com/gorgoroth

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

The Gates of Slumber – Conqueror (Profound Lore Records)

David E. Gehlke
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The Gates of Slumber – Conqueror (Profound Lore Records)

Like most bands of the classic stoner doom ilk, Chicago’s The Gates of Slumber suffer their fair share of indignities throughout this 60 minute-plus marathon. There are no surprises, the riffs have been recycled time and time again, and at various points, the album just loses steam. Yet, Conqueror is a winner, oddly enough. For all of its negative aspects (which no one playing stoner doom seems willing to rectify), Conqueror emerges as one of those albums that pique curiosity around the bend. And for any album to accomplish that in this age of total clusterfuckness, is a minor miracle.

Blessed with one of the better albums covers in recent memory, Conqueror’sproduction job is handled by the emerging Sanford Parker (Nachtmystium, Gigan, Mouth of the Architect), who captures a very real and raw band that is just hitting its stride. Case in point, the stirring “Children of Satan,” a jam that is a total doom-dozer. Or how about the graceful opener “Trapped in the Web,” where singer Karl Simon trots his modern Wino vocals to great effect.

Once into the teeth of the album, things tend to slow down to a crawl, as “To Kill and Be King” and “The Machine” tread some unnecessary ground. However, the closing “Dark Valley Suite” is truly mammoth, seeing the trio touch upon a myriad of emotions, only to let it all unravel is haze of guitar fuzz and mile-high riffage.

The minor classic metal touches give Conqueror some much-needed weight and hopefully provides a glimpse as to where the band is headed. For now, The Gates of Slumber find themselves in the enviable position of not only having a killer album to back, but a restless and needy scene that needs a classic stoner doom band who is willing to take a peek outside of the box, slow-footedness be damned.

 www.myspace.com/thegatesofslumber

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Venom – Hell (Sanctuary Records)

David E. Gehlke
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Venom – Hell (Sanctuary Records)

Hell sounds like a mess, naturally. It’s Venom we’re talking about and if the band were to ever take a second to compose themselves on a musical level, it wouldn’t be Venom, right? The follow-up to 2006’s hardly impressiveAntechrist, Hell is surprisingly good in spots, with the band’s legendary overt, totally unpolished approach still holding strong after all of these years.

Singer/bassist Cronos remains the only original member, with drummer Antton and new guitarist Rage rounding out what is probably the 83rd version of Venom. There is some palpable sense of chemistry to be found, as strong cuts like “The Power and the Glory” and “Fall From Grace” are total throwbacks to the band’s glory days of Welcome to Hell and Black Metal.

The standout song Hell is far and away “Hand of God,” an unintentional anthem that is so simple, it’s stupid, kinda like Prong’s “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck.” The execution of the song, where Antton is made the guide via a basic kickdrum beat has got to be either a stroke of songwriting genius or Venom once again stumbling upon a really good idea and turning it into satanic gold. Either way, the song is a monster and is the hallmark of the album.

There are some steps in the wrong direction, most notably the childish (on all fronts) opener “Straight to Hell,” the clumsy “Evil Perfection,” and the out-of-synch “Armageddon,” all of which are mild reminders that when pointed in the wrong direction, Venom can go toe-to-toe with your average high school garage band and probably lose.

We don’t need to reiterate Venom’s influence on metal, ‘cause it’s been done to death, but at the same time, it’s important to note this is the first Venom album of quality in quite some time. Hell won’t make anyone forget about those seminal early albums, but it will keep Venom out of the pure nostalgia ranks. Let us pray they never discover the metronome and Pro-Tools. What a terrible world it would be.

 www.myspace.com/venomlegions

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Children of Bodom – Hatecrew Deathroll Reissue (Spinefarm)

David E. Gehlke
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Children of Bodom – Hatecrew Deathroll Reissue (Spinefarm)

Originally released in 2003 and now getting a fresh lease of life through Spinefarm UK’s series of reissues comes Children Of Bodom’s Hate Crew Deathroll The album which took them to number one in their native Finland and brought them to the attention of the world at large. Hate Crew Deathroll was the record which started the Bodom boys (although in some photos you could find yourself questioning whether they’re all male) on the road to where they are today, but looking back on it, is it actually any use?

Of course it is. Although, if you’ve yet to jump on board by the Bodom rollercoaster then it’s doubtful that listening back to this nine-tracker is going to change your mind, but you never know. Bodom in a live setting can win people over who might never invest in an album of there’s, but if you do decide to indulge Hate Crew. is the one to go with.

Starting as it does with the one-two punch of “Needled 24/7” and “Sixpounder,” this is Bodom in fine form, all big riffs and hooks, Alexi Laiho’s vocals are delivered in that accented English, which gives the songs an extra shine. Yes, Bodom do tend to like things polished and clean and it shows throughout, even the bonus tracks (Slayer’s “Silent Scream” and The Ramones’ “Somebody Put Something In My Drink”) have been given the treatment and come out gleaming. The Ramones’ cover in particular is excellent, metal-tinged punk but as always with an infectious nature.

“Sixpounder” packs in a vicious Black Label Society style riff that rocks along nicely, heavily distorted and slightly different to their usual fare, while “Angels Don’t Kill” remains a brilliant almost pop song. “Triple Corpse Hammerblow” is a little bit like In Flames running riot inside Alexi’s mind and through the speakers. Of course they do at times threaten to become a little cheesy, but manage to always skirt around it, but the cornering is always tight.

The songwriting is solid, if at times a little bit all over the place in terms of influences but it’s because they draw styles from across the board, which is why you do get dangerously close to big pop choruses, such as in ‘Angels Don’t Kill’. This is of course the band who would go on to cover Britney Spears after all. Then again alongside this you’ve got the likes of “Bodom Beach Terror” and “Chokehold (Cocked And Loaded)” which do retaliate against this.

Bodom were never ones to shy away from mixing up styles and still aren’t for that matter. On Death Crew… they managed to rope in a bit of power metal (some of the guitar work throughout is very like an edited Dragonforce), melodic death metal and thrash while still keeping their own stamp clear on things, even with the keyboards toned down.

A great album, the final version will apparently feature expanded artwork (which didn’t come with the promo) and a video for “Sixpounder” alongside the aforementioned covers (they’re on the Japanese release already, so some of you may already have them) and a live cut of “Needled 24/7.” What does this mean? If you already own this it’s going to be a waste of money picking it up again, otherwise for you newcomers, it’s extremely solid, if a little on the short side.

 www.cobhc.com

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Kalmah – For the Revolution (Spikefarm)

David E. Gehlke
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0
Kalmah – For the Revolution (Spikefarm)

One of the true underrated gems of this decade has to be Kalmah’s 2002 effort, They Will Return, a delicious slab of hyper-Bodom melodic death metal, amplified with seismic hooks, scorching leads, and gorgeous guitar melodies that simply would not quit. For a brief time, the Finns were backed by Century Media domestically, only to have the union cease after 2003’s above-average Swampsong album. 2006’s The Black Waltz was slightly worse for wear, as the band abandoned the vast portion of those blinding melodies in favor of a more straightforward approach.

Fast-forward to 2008 and the band appears to have righted the ship with For the Revolution. Wisely returning to their forte of melodically capable, classically-inspired Finnish death metal, Kalmah have created an album that outshines the recent Bodom and Norther full-lengths by leaps and bounds.

Led by flashy lead guitarist Antti Kokko, Kalmah’s sound is rooted heavily in Kokko’s laser-sharp lead runs on opener “For the Revolution.” “Dead Man’s Shadow” and “Holy Symphony of War” dole out some vicous Bodom-esque shout-alongs during two savory, carefully crafted choruses, while the band’s thrashy side gets a workout during “Wings of Blackening.”

It is not until the back end of the album when Kalmah starts putting the listener through the melodic wringer. The sullen “Ready For Salvation” serves as impressive change-of-pace number for the band, with a graceful atmosphere carrying this track to levels not yet seen in the Kalmah pantheon. Then, more domineering, memorable melodies take form in the soaring “Towards the Sky” and perfectly executed closer, “Like A Slave.”

An album that has yet to wear out its welcome, For the Revolution has emerged as a rare find for 2008 in the sense that with every listen, a new nugget of ear candy is mined. With Spinefarm reportedly gearing up to open a North American office at some point this year, For the Revolution should receive a stateside release during the calendar year, of which, anyone who fancies melodic death metal in its truest, yet most breathtaking form would be advised to pick this up. Highly, highly recommended stuff.

 www.kalmah.com

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

Motorhead – Motorizer (SPV Records)

David E. Gehlke
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0
Motorhead – Motorizer (SPV Records)

Christ, album #24 for Lemmy and co. Pretty impressive on all fronts, especially in terms of quality, as there really isn’t a dud Motorhead album that everyone dislikes ala Turbo or Load. Their first proper release for SPV, Motorizer is a slab of purely enjoyable hard-rocking tunes that totally support the idea that Motorhead is showing no signs of slowing down with age.

The band’s formula of quick, punchy numbers is once again in top form, as numbers like the fun “Runaround Man,” the biting “When the Eagle Screams” and tongue-in-cheek “Rock Out” (check out the chorus) are classic Motorhead jams. Lemmy (who is 62 years of age, mind you) sounds as good as he did two decades ago, while near-legendary drummer Mikkey Dee still has plenty of pop in his kit, especially on “Buried Alive.”

The bluesy “English Rose” and grooving “Back on the Chain” are an homage to the band’s roots, while the surprisingly brooding “Heroes” emerges as the clear-cut album highlight, with a sordid tale about the battlefield set to the tune of guitarist Phi Campbell’s simple, yet haunting chord work.

A hard rock institution since the 70’s, Motorhead can (and probably will) last until Lemmy kicks the bucket, which at this rate won’t occur for another 30 some-odd years. Motorizer is top-notch all the way through, with nary a bum song on the album. Should be fun to see how these new tunes stack up this summer on the Metal Masters tour in between the obligatory “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill.”

 www.imotorhead.com

(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)

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