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This is Nifelheim’s second offering. Having never heard the band previously, aside from their appearance on the recent “GUMMO” soundtrack, I didn’t have much to go on except their reputation, which I completely put aside in reviewing. I wouldn’t quite call Nifelheim retro; more like an early, more controlled-rawness form of black metal. Each instrument […]

Neat Metal Records Unlike most bands rooted in the N.W.O.B.H.M., Sweet Savage are still genuinely relevant to these modern metal times. This fact is made immediately apparent with more than the occasional techno-metal leanings on this their latest offering, the cryptically-entitled “Rune.” A big part of the ‘new’-sounding Sweet Savage is whizz-kid guitarist Simon McBride. […]

Dhammapada Records I didn’t get any info on this band other than the fact that they’re from Seattle. I like their style–heavy, groove-laden blues rock with elements of funk and soul. Excellent guitar techniques! The only complaint I have about this 8-song CD is the fact that a few of them are a bit too […]

“What the hell is that your listening to?” asked the cable repairman after spending about fifteen seconds in my apartment. The volume was down on “Powdered Fish”, but its techno-beated death still managed to puncture through the hissing fuzz of a snowy non-channel. “Avulsed,” I said to his freaked-out face, then added, “from Spain.” as […]

Perris Records While listening to this entire album, I kept wondering, “What were these guys THINKING?” Roxx Gang used to crank out some pretty decent blues-rock, but not this time. Most of these songs are about boozing, drugging and sleazing, and since I’ve personally known way too many casualties of those vices–friends and family, this […]

Reproductive Records Throttle are a two-piece comprising of John Overstreet on guitar and Daniel Coughlin on drums. To try to give an insight into what this duo sounds like is quite difficult as at times the guys lay down heavy as Sabbath ever did, then go off the wall like Zappa tried to. In parts […]

Heavy metal means different things to lots of people. This is because, I believe, metal has the widest contrast in its sound spectrum. As far as I know, country is country. Easy listening is pretty much Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, and Air Supply. Top 40 is Phil Collins, Madonna, and Mariah Carey. Classical is basically […]

Without a doubt Slayer were once prime movers on the extreme metal scene of which they virtually created back in the mid-eighties. “Diabolus In Musica” is the band’s first album in nearly four years and their seventh full length studio release to date – so how do Slayer measure up in the late ’90s? I […]

Ripchord Records The appeal of this one is going to depend upon where the listerner’s musical tastes lie. I don’t care for horn-driven music that leans toward alternative, but those who do will probably like this. This 14-song collection contains alternative music influenced by slow jazz to pop to punk to reggae/ska to rock. “Girl […]