PANTERA:

• Cowboys From Hell (1990) The sound is razor sharp, the riffs are fresh and brutal, the leads are spectacular. The production is great, but still a little soft (wait till their next album). Pretty much every song on the album is the best song.
• Cowboys From Hell The Videos (1991, Video) 3 music videos, 2 live songs (which are well produced), and tons of home videos of the band on tour, destroying things and drinking. Not much else to say really. About 40 minutes long.
• Vulgar Display Of Power (1992) They knocked the brutality up a notch with this album. The sound is harsher, Phil's vocals are harsher, the guitar tone is enough to crush a group of things that don't crush too well (how's that for a metaphor <G>) A must buy.
• Vulgar Videos (1993, Video) 3 music videos, 2 live songs, and an extra 40 minutes (extra compared to their last video) of breaking things and drinking. I don't know, fun to watch, but do we really need to see people breaking things when we could be spending the time breaking things on our own?
• Far Beyond Driven (1994) Another must buy. I didn't think the sound could get more brutal, but it did. Phil's vocals now border on death, the sound is more industrial. The production isn't as polished as the last album, but the raw sound is so powerfully mixed you won't care. Some of the strangest sounds I've ever heard on an album (thanks to Diamond Darrell's whammy pedal)
• Planet Caravan EP (1994) 4 song EP, 'Planet Caravan', followed by 'The Badge' (previously only available on the Crow soundtrack) and then 'A New Level' and 'Becoming' live. The live tracks have excellent production, and since these are my two favorite Pantera songs, it makes this a must have EP.
• The Great Southern Trendkill (1996) Not as good as their last two albums, but this album still proves Pantera can't release a bad album (unless you count their glam days prior to "Cowboys From Hell") The songs are a bit slower and a bit more experimental, but brutality is still high on their agenda.
• Official Live: 101 Proof (1997) First, you have to keep in mind that it's physically impossible to actually replicate a Pantera concert on a CD, simply because there is no house out there with a speaker system large enough to compare with the brutal sonic onslaught you'll get hearing the band live. But this comes pretty close. The production is excellent, lots of in between song banter, the album clocks in with almost 76 minutes and 14 tracks of brutal music. Most of the classic songs are here, although I wish it had been a double CD so they could have included a few more tracks. There is no such thing as too much Pantera in my opinion. The 2 studio tracks on the album are ok, nothing special.
• Pantera 3: Watch It Go (1997, Video) Two hours of home video footage of the band on tour. There are crazy fans, sex, drugs, beer, breasts, people destroying things, people blowing things up...interestingly enough, there's very little music on the video. Four music videos and some live clips. It's entertaining to watch, but I wish they would have included some live songs. A feast for those of you with a really short attention span.
• 3 Vulgar Videos From Hell (1999, DVD) Their 3 previous videos now on one single DVD + 10 minutes of live footage from the monsters of rock tour, 3 minutes of which was already on Vulgar Videos. Good for the collector so you can have all three of their videos for one low price in a digital format, otherwise, not much point.
• Reinventing the Steel (2000) It's been a 4 year wait, and finally a new Pantera album. What has the band been doing for 4 years? Well, certainly not reinventing themselves, this cd is similar to their last cd in lots of ways, riffs, style, production, even the booklet looks the same. Not a bad thing necessarily, they were good then, and this cd goes to show the band is still doing fine, still abrasive and angry, although I do feel it's missing something. It's still a good album, I think the problem is this cd in relation to the current metal scene. It's just Pantera was unbelievably heavy, and in the last 4 years, other bands have learned how to sound even heavier, and so by standing still, Pantera now is just part of the pack instead of a leader. But all fans should still pick this up, the riffs and hooks pantera are famous for, grabbing your ears and not letting go, they're all here.

• ...A Plague Called Addiction (2007, EP) Sort of a cross between Meshuggah and Despised Icon. Or, if you know the Australian metal scene, very similar to Devolved or Synthetic Breed. The riffs are in the math metal style, lots of odd rhythms with straight 4/4 drumming overtop (the kick stays with the guitars). A super tight guitar tone gives it that computerized feel. A few of the riffs go for that death-core style that Despised Icon is known for. Vocals are low growled and then shrieked. The music also used keyboards, samples, and spacy synth guitar to give a certain degree of melody to the music, their second track 'Afflicted Days' uses it particularly well. I really dig this EP, and if you love any of the bands mentioned, you'll dig this too, my only concern is the lack of originality. The group obviously can write good riffs, they have a nice sense of melody and are they are tight as fuck, but they'll need something just a tiny bit different to stand out from their influences. Can't wait for the debut album.
  

• Incisions Of Perverse Debauchery (2008) While Disgorge was never my favorite band, I have to admit I kinda miss them ever since they went on hiatus, and Pathology has just enough of that same style to remind me of how much I enjoy good low gargling death metal. These songs are generally a little more easy to follow than Disgorge, and many of the riffs are a bit catchier, but overall it's the same general idea, super low vocals, lots of blasting and tremolo picking mixed with a few chunkier bits. Productionwise, this album was recorded during a 6 month period, and sadly it shows, you can really hear the sound waver between songs, a few have a tiny bit too much treble, and a few have a tiny bit too much bass, but overall it's good quality. My favorite song is 'Lycantropy Of Dead Flesh', it starts with a nice start / stop riff (with doublebass underneath), reminds me of old Broken Hope, and in the middle there's some nice breakdowns sorta reminiscent of Dying Fetus in it's heyday. This band may not be anything revolutionary, but it's good quality death metal and worth checking out.
• Age Of Onset (2009) After a decent but uneven first album, this album shows a lot of improvement. The production quality is even throughout all the songs (this album was only recorded in a 2 month period instead of 6). The riffs are a touch more memorable than last time, and the songs feel even more like songs, and less like a random collection of riffs. That said, the band's core style certainly hasn't changed. The biggest negative is that the album is really short, like 25min or so. Overall though I enjoyed this album for what it is, some decent songs well performed. Worth picking up.
  

• Cult Of The Initiated (1997) Good straight ahead death metal. Don't expect anything too original, but this release managed to keep my attention with some nice riffs and some good songs. Vocal styles range from growling to black metal screams. The production is good with lots of bass and a thick sound. The band isn't quite as tight as I like, but it does give it a more live feeling. Anyways, so not much innovation, but better than a lot of the stuff out there.
• Blood For The Gods (1999) A surprisingly vicious second album. While in a similar vein to their last album, the band turns up the intensity a notch, and still manages to write memorable songs. The production is great, plenty of bass and treble. The drums are strong in the mix, but it doesn't detract. The band really has a good balance of intensity vs memorable riffs, not just blasting for blastings sake, but to push the songs where they need to be. Plenty of tremolo picking, squawks and lower chugging. A very solid release, worth the cash.
• Slaughtering the Faithful (2002) Similar to their last album, but I don't like the production as much. Seems kinda muffled on the top end. Drum wise, lots of blasting and double bass, in fact it's mostly double bass through the entire album like that guy in Krisiun. Definitely a brutal over the top album, fast fast playing with some angry vocals, and good songs. If you liked their previous album, you'll probably like this one.

• Malleus Maleficarum (1988)
• Consuming Impulse (1989)
• Testimony of the Ancients (1991)
• Spheres (1993)
• Resurrection Macabre (2009) While the band's heyday was in the early 90s, I never really got into them, so the review of this their comeback CD will have to be given without the context of their original work. The band overall sounds a lot like Exmortem, straight forward death metal that's medium fast in spots, some slower chunkier parts, and a few odd sounding chord progressions that remind me a little bit of Immolation. The vocalist is midranged and sound a lot like the guy from Morta Skuld if you remember that band (or just a tiny touch of Obituary would be another good comparison). Overall, the album is very solid, nice riffs, nice production (the guitar sound is especially nice when palm muting), my only real issue is that the songs are too simple. They tend to repeat riffs a lot, over and over again, so at the end of the song you may have only heard 3-4 different riffs. So while the songs are a little simple for my taste, at least the riffs they do play are great riffs. Nothing out of the ordinary or revolutionary here, but really well played death metal, I found the CD very enjoyable.
  

• Terrifyer (2004) Some of the most intense grindcore you're likely to find. After a short intro, expect an instant ear shattering scream, a scream so piercing you're likely to lose control of your vehicle if you foolishly decided to take your first listen in the car like I did, so be-warned, may cause car wrecks. Style wise, this is less Nasum and more Cephalic Carnage, however, unlike CC they retain a pretty consistent style all the way through, no strange diversions into freeform jazz, just screaming and blasting. Productionwise, it's all about treble, the nails on the chalkboard effect, whether it be the guitars, the apparent complete lack of bass guitar or the vocals. That's usually a bad thing in my book since I'm a bass fan, but considering how integral the treble motif is to their style and how effective it is, I feel comfortable putting it into the category of style and not bad engineering. The vocalist is especially harsh, whether yelling or screaming, is he using a megaphone? Because his voice has that same tin-y quality you get from shouting into one. 21 tracks, most less than a minute, expect a lot of super speed craziness with a few rockin bits here and there. Like a tornado that's just blown down your house, Pig Destroyer is fast, furious, extremely vicious, and you may need a little peace and quiet afterwards to recover from the experience.
• Phantom Limb (2007) All you've come to expect from the band, just done even better. The mix is vastly improved (with more bass, even though the sound still favors the treble). Plenty of vicious screams through that megaphone, super fast guitars, ridiculous drumming. The songs on this CD really shine compared to Terrifyer, with quite a number of cool and memorable riffs. Not that their last album had bad songs, these are just a little catchier overall. The drumming could be a little tighter, but considering the focus of the band on being super crazy, it's not that much of a detraction. This music really makes you want to move, whether you're at home, in the office, on the bus, you just wanna grab something and smash it. Grindcore fans, this is a must purchase.

• Universe (2000) Reviewed by The Wolf: Debut album by the 'band' Planet X (not to be confused with Derek Sherinian's first solo album by the same name), which by Sherinian's account will "[play] their instruments so fiercely, that they would strike fear in the hearts of all musicians". This is a solid collection of music, and definitely sets the tone for what to expect from this band, but it's not their strongest. The production is a bit flat, and some tracks seem to drag replaying the same themes over and over. It feels like they are holding back somewhere. When leads and solos do come, they are great and complement the main groove of the song. Must hear: "Clonus", "Dog Boots", "Warfinger".
• Moonbabies (2002)  Reviewed by The Wolf: <>This is the album blows their debut out of the water. I'm not sure what changed, the line-up is fairly the same. Maybe Donati wrote a few more songs? Regardless, we're presented with more up-tempo songs with much more interesting themes. Leads and solos appear sooner, and more frequently. The production is slightly more lively. These songs contain much more interaction between the guitar and keyboards. The drumming is also amazing, Donati sounds like a completely different animal. Must hear: "Moonbabies", "The Noble Savage", "Interlude in Milan".
• Quantum (2007) Reviewed by The Wolf: After a long break, the band returns with probably its the best effort by far, eventhough most all songs are credited to Donati. The songs are slower paced, with less technical acrobats, but all the themes are strong and memorable. (I think each musicians performance within these themes are the technical acrobats.) This time we've got excellent production, which each instrument sitting perfect in the mix. Donati reinvents himself again, and also includes his 1999 song 'Alien Hip Hop'. This guy is like 50, still slammin' away with surgical prescion. We also have a few more special guests, and songs which seem to have been written specifically for them. Must hear: "Alien Hip Hop", "The Thinking Stone", "Quantum Factor".
  

• Afterlife (1991, Demo)
• Ecoside (1992) The songs are very catchy, well written, and their speed is unparalleled in virtually all respects (they have lots of nice slow riffs as well.) The guitars sound like an angry hive of hornets, and the double kicks are the fastest in the business.
• Demo '94 (1994, Demo)
• Betrayed (1996) I was disappointed with this CD. The double kicks are very low in the mix, you can barely hear them (the whole production needs more bass and a thicker sound). Definitely one of the most technically proficient bands I've heard, but the songs have so many changes and are in such weird time signatures that it's difficult to find any decent groove in them. Probably too technical for it's own good.
• Promo CD '98 (1998, Demo) Similar in vein to their last CD, but the song writing has vastly improved. I still miss the incredibly brutal speedy style of their first CD, but this promo is a great example of what I'd have to call "musicians metal". The rhythms are complex with a capitol "C", the band remains tight but still has this loose, improvised quality to the performance. The production is quite good, especially for a demo, with only minimal noise, and decent bass. And, as mentioned before, good song writing, which is needed to hold such complex riffs together and to keep listener interest. Probably not of interest to people who just want to mosh, but good listening music, especially for other musicians.
• Into Darkness (2001) While still not as intense as their "Ecoside" cd, this is a lot closer to those roots than "Betrayed" was. Good song writing and plenty of interesting hooks makes for good listening. This is not the "go for the throat" style of cd, rather it's a strong collection of complex rhythms, alternate picking and offbeat fills. As I said of their last demo, "Musicians music", but not so complex as to go over the head of the casual listener. Fans of thrash or technical death would do well to take a listen.
  

• A Beautiful Sickness (2003) Rooted strongly in the tech metal sector (or math metal, depending on your preference), Project: Failing Flesh incorporates some of the vibe of a simpler Meshuggah with the symphonic elements of Anacrusis' "Screams And Whispers" album. Basically, it's thrash with a few blast beats thrown in now and again, and some keyboard and string elements. Overall, the combination proves to be quite effective. It was actually a nice surprise, putting the CD into my player I wasn't really expecting something this good. Production is excellent, it's self produced but better than most bigname studio recordings out there. Riff wise, some complex time signature stuff with some more chugging riffs, very tight, complex drums but nothing unnecessarily technical, vocals are screamed throughout. If I had one knit it would be at a few of the songs tend to meander a bit too much, the songwriting could be just a tad tighter, but that's something that comes with age and experience. Ok, two knits, the name of the band is a bit long, you want something snappier so you can chant it at concerts with ease, that ain't gonna happen here :) Anyways, I'll be very interested hearing more from this band in the future, this cd is well worth grabbing. Watch out for this band in the future.
• The Conjoined (2007) There's gotta be nothing worse than having a completed album who's release date just keeps getting pushed back. With an originally intended release date of Spring 2006, "The Conjoined" is finally available for mass consumption over a year later, and the results are pretty darn cool. First off, the production on this CD is bigger than their last. Perhaps its a few extra overdubs, or just a touch of reverb, but the guitar sound on this cd isn't as dry as on "A Beautiful Sickness" (not that the old production was bad, it's just if you're gonna change things, this was a cool way to change 'em). Otherwise, it's pretty similar to their debut. This band has a solid math metal / thrash foundation, and on top they experiment with strings, horns, keyboards, and various synth sounds. But the thing I really like about this CD is they rarely let the experimentation get out of hand. The weirdness tends to complement the songs, instead of hijacking them. My current favorite track is 'Surface Noise', which has this awesome sludgy riff which is doubled on horns. The speedy album opener 'Final Act Of Treachery' is a nice one as well. Perhaps another fast song in the middle would have helped the pacing a bit, but optherwise things flow pretty well. If you enjoy thrash or math metal, and enjoy a band that's trying something a little different, check this cd out, it's impressive stuff.

• Primitive Origins (1987)
• Force Fed (1988)
• Beg To Differ (1990) The drums are simple and to the point, and keep a strong pounding rhythm. The riffs over top are nice and crunchy, and the tunes, while almost commercial in their simplicity, are catchy and well thought out. A good, strong album.
• Prove You Wrong (1991) This is the transition album between the metal "Beg To Differ" and the Dance-metal "Cleansing", and as with any transition, they're not always smooth, and sometimes it takes 2 albums to get it right. Tracks 1, 2 and 3 are great songs that show off the band's ability to make an unusual sounding song with riffs that are actually quite ordinary (thanks to one hell of a good groove and inventive phrasing). Track 4, the title track, is just bad, some sort of jazzy rock thing that is totally out of place. Track 5 is better, but Track 7 is this slow plodding things that lacks energy. Basically it's hit or miss for the rest of the album, when the band is good, they're good, but when they're bad, my finger reaches for that track skip button. Productionwise, the sound is sort of far away, slightly muffled, similar to the production off "Beg To Differ". I can still recommend getting this album because it does have some good tracks, but if you have an ipod or cd burner, you may wish to remove a few songs for optimum listening enjoyment.
• Whose Fist Is This Anyway? (1992, EP)
• Cleansing (1993) While the singer sounds like a hoarse Brian Adams, and the drummer is just this side of dance, the incredibly powerful and brutal guitar sound reminds the listener that this is still metal. And I don't think there's anyone on this earth who can say that "Snap your fingers, snap your neck" isn't a great song.
• Rude Awakening (1996) Continuing where the last album left off. Razor sharp guitar riffs ontop of  simplistic dance oriented drum beats (acoustic and programmed). As always the songs are real catchy, the production is great. Their last album I tend to find myself only listening to the first 4 songs over and over again, this album is a little more solid all the way through, later songs holding their own against the songs that begin the album. Only other differences is the drums seem even more dance oriented this time, and the chunky riffs have even more squawks, provided by everyone's friend the whammy pedal. No surprises here, if you liked their last album, more of the same.
• 100% Live (2002) Well, Prong has returned, or at least, Tommy Victor has returned with a new band playing Prong tunes. This is sort of a "Hey, we're back" kinda live recording, a precursor to a new studio album early next year, and as far as that goal is concerned, it's quite successful. As for whether this is a must have cd, well, the tunes are say 85% to 95% as good as their studio album equivalents, with very little crowd interaction, studio quality production and no extended songs, so really there's nothing sensationally different here (although there is one new song performed which is pretty decent). If you already have all their albums, this live cd is probably not 100% necessary. But it does get me excited about a new album, so hey, take it for what it's worth, a reintroduction to a good band, and a promise for some good shit to come.
• Scorpio Rising (2004) First off, this album has a lot of things going against it. Number 1, while Tommy Victor is and has always been the main force behind the band, he's the only remaining member in the group from their last album. Number 2, there's been a 8 year gap between albums. And 3, the whole reunion thing usually goes badly with respect to new music, a band that was popular gets back together to relive some glory from the past, and really they have nothing left to say musically. Well, I am happy to report that this absolutely NOT the case. The result in fact is probably one of my favorite Prong albums to date. The sound is similar to what we know, but with a few enhancements. First, the drumming is slightly more rock oriented, rather than the very simple drumming on "Rude Awakening" or "Cleansing". Second, Tommy experiments with his vocals a bit more, doing a little more singing, etc, some work better than others, but overall the variety is nice. But primary to keeping my interest of course are the songs, and there's some really good stuff here. Quite a variety of sounds and moods, and riffs that stick in your head. In fact, it's almost annoying how hard it is to get these songs out of your brain, ahhhhh!!!. I keep trying to listen to other cds, but half way through the cd I realize I'm humming a tune from the new Prong. Make the voices go away! One funny song note is there's a tune on the cd that is almost 100% identical to "Snap Your Fingers", just with different riffs. The song structure is almost identical, and the feel of the riffs are identical, even though the actual notes being played are different. Kinda strange, a tip of the hat I guess, since it's obvious from the rest of the songs the band isn't hurting for ideas. Anyways, if you like the band, you MUST get this album as soon as you can.
• The Vault (2005, DVD) 2 DVD set with 3 shows (after their return in 2002) and behind the scenes stuff. The first show is 20 songs from 2002 in the Netherlands. The camerawork has a nice and even pace to it, and plenty of different vantage points. Performance wise, they play a lot of material from all their albums, and they play most of their best songs (including 'Snap Your Fingers', 'Whose Fist Is This Anyways', 'Beg To Differ', 'Controller', and ends with 'Cure Rate', even though the DVD labels it as 'Unconditional'). The sound is excellent with a thunderous bass, and the guitartone is very percussive with very little tone going on, which makes for an abrasive sound that I really dig. And the band is certainly tight, when they cut a not off, it's just gone. The second is a short 6 song set at the outdoors "With Full Force" festival, 5 song of which are repeated songs from the last concert. Again, excellent production, just a little less highend treble, so the sound is more low and rumbling than razorblade sharp. The third show is 13 songs from The Hultsfred Festival in 2003. Again, fantastic production (a little more reverb this time), and a rendition of 'Inner Truth' and 'Avoid Promises' off the new record, as well as again several repeats (All 3 shows include copies of 'Snap Your Fingers', 'Whose Fist Is This Anyways' and 'Another Worldy Device'). The behind the scenes stuff has a few super short interviews and a few bootleg quality show clips, nothing vital. By putting 3 excellent concerts together (even with the repeated songs), this DVD manages to get my recommendation. If they decide to do a new DVD in the future, I'd like to see some more in-depth interviews and maybe a show or two with the original lineup, but otherwise this is good stuff and I really enjoyed watching it.
• Power Of The Damager (2007) Not quite as good as their last album, but still pretty damn awesome. Style wise, this album is a little more metal, and a little less dance. So while the band doesn't totally abandon the style that made albums like "Cleansing" or "Rude Awakening" so popular, they have made the songs a little harder and heavier, with way less dance beats, and more double bass. The songs are more in the vein of their "Beg To Differ" album (but with modern day production, of course). The only reason I am not totally in love with this cd is there's a little too much filler material for my taste. But when the band has it, they really have it, from the chorus on "Power Of The Damager" to the catchiness of "The Banishment". I'd say at least a dozen new Prong classics debut on this cd, and for that reason, it's a must buy, even if some of the later tracks are a little unmemorable.
  

• It Shall Come To Pass (1996, EP)
• Foretold...Foreseen (1998) Pretty standard death metal in the early Skinless / Broken Hope / slow parts of Dying Fetus style. Generally midpaced to slow, low gargly vocals. Production is good, although possibly a little too much low end without enough highend. Not much here to differentiate this cd from all the other stuff out there, but the riffs are pretty memorable, and that's enough to make me happy I bought it. If you still dig Dying Fetus' "Bathe In Entrails" demo and wouldn't mind something similar, check it out.
  
• Contagion (1999)
  
• Our Domain (2002) A much better release in pretty much every respect. The production has much more treble in it without losing the low end. The songs are even more memorable. And while if you really analyze the songs they do still sound like Dying Fetus (from a song structure and riff perspective anyways), upon a casual listen, the similarity is not glaring and as such they don't come off as a me-too band. One of the really cool bits about this cd is how the band uses harmonics in their riffs. You know those Cannibal Corpse songs like 'Pulverized' and 'Orgasm Through Torture' where the band breaks down to this slow riff with great squawks? Well, these guys incorporate that stuff into almost every song, pinch harmonics, natural harmonics, sweep harmonics, you name it. Lots of very moshable bits. A little faster than their previous release as well. Only bad thing, the cover artwork is just plain bad. I mean, I'm sure a lot of people passed this up on the shelf just because the artwork is so atrocious. Music wise however, very, very impressive stuff, I'd say this is a must have for fans of the genre.
  

• Protector of Death (1987, Demo)
• Misanthropy (1987, EP)
• Golem (1988)
• Urm the Mad (1989) Pretty standard thrash/death metal. Think old Megadeth of the "Peace Sells" or the "So Far...So Good" era or old Slayer with death metal midrange vocals. The drumming is 100% Slayer style, as well as the wild whammy bar driven solos. The riffs are good and catchy (a lot of slow plodding riffs, with a few faster parts), the production is clean (although the guitars are a little muffled and with a touch too much reverb), but there's nothing really here to set the album apart from stuff I've already heard. The version I have contains 9 tracks and then 4 live bonus tracks, which have almost an identical production to their studio tracks! (maybe the studio tracks were actually recorded live without an audience.)
• Going Place (1990, EP)
• Leviathan's Desire (1990)
• A Shedding of Skin (1991)
• The Heritage (1993)

• Crushing The Individual (1999) Caught somewhere between NIN, Fear Factory, Ministry and videogame music stands the french band Psycho Industry. Well, not really a band, it's pretty much one guy, Marc Dumont. Music like this lives and dies by one thing, and that's the groove it creates, and, well, this album does just fine in that department. It contains 9 tracks of heavily processed, not quite commercial techno-industrial music with distorted guitars, thick beats thanks to a drum machine, and lots of keyboards and samples. The only thing I think needs some work is the vocals, they work most of the time, but other times they seem a little incidental and not well worked into the music. But the riffs are very original and stick in your brain, it's hard to have originality in music that's repetitive in nature, but it's managed here. Really good songs. If you're a NIN fan or you really like the Fear Factory techno remix albums, this is high quality shit and should be checked out immediately.
• Psycho Industry (2003) Whereas their last album was more NIN, this album (16 tracks for over an hour of music) is far more Rammstein, mainly due to those lowish sung vocals that make Rammstein so easily identifiable (and a foreign language, in this case french instead of german). And that really is my only nit with this album. Otherwise, things got a little less industrial, a little more guitar driven, the production has gone up a notch, very mechanical of course with drum machines and samples. A little less experimental, a little more straight forward, but the songs are all really catchy, even after just a single listen I found myself singing along to some of the lyrics. So as I said, the only thing that bugs me is how many of the vocals sound way too much like the far more famous german industrial band, which makes this cd feel a little me-too. I much prefer the yelled vocals of say 'Man Without Soul', that stuff is intense and original. A step forward and a bit of a step sideways for the band, fans of NIN and Rammstein will find plenty to like.

• The Isle Of Disenchantment (2000) Listening to a band's first cd after listening to their second gives you a certain degree of perspective. For example, if their first cd is just ok and their second cd is killer, you can say stuff like "well, this cd older cd is still worth having just so you can see the band's style in its infancy". In this case, while certainly not as amazing as "Scepters", "The Isle Of Disenchantment" in its own right is pretty kick ass and worth owning based on its own merits. While you can hear some of the style that is later perfected on their second album, this album is somewhat more straight forward, something more akin to say the groovy parts of Dying Fetus. Nice production although a little too bass heavy for my taste (imagine a good mix and then someone takes a big sword and lops the head off of the soundwave produced by the music). The songs are catchy and the band is still plenty tight. In general, I'd still recommend picking up "Scepters" first, but get this one quickly afterwards.
  
• The Scepter Of The Ancients (2003) Listening to this cd brought me a moment of simultaneous sadness and joy. The sadness was that it finally hit me, Sinister has broken up and I'll never hear their razor sharp ultra tight music ever again (except in reruns). Then the moment of joy, this band seems to have picked up where the good Sinister cds stopped. Not that this band sounds exactly like Sinister, they actually sound a little closer to Decapitated's "Winds Of Creation" album, but it has the same "holy fuck how can they play those notes so perfectly in unison" tight vibe going on. Did I mention these guys are tight? I mean, holy geez, absolutely perfect picking, and this shit is fast (there are some slower chunky parts as well to keep things balanced song wise). The drumming is equally impressive, very fast blasts and double bass. There's plenty of songs here with a really chunky quick riff and super insane speedy double bass below while the drummer does midpaced quarter notes on top. Vocals are varied from low gargles to crazy high-pitched screams. This is sort of the direction that I had hoped Decapitated would go in their newest record. Instead they went towards slightly simpler songs, which is cool, but this cd fills in that void with very complex riffs that still manage to remain groovy and catchy, not to mention brutal, heavy, and yes, tight as fuck. And to top it off, this cd is one of the best mixes I've heard in awhile with a nice scooped sound and razor sharp guitar tone. Very impressive stuff, a must buy.
• Symbols Of Failure (2006) Very similar to their last album, and I think that's part of the problem really. Yes, you get the super tight picking, the crazy fast and intricate drums, the complex songs, and fantastic production, but there's nothing here to distinguish it from their last album, and the clincher is the songs just aren't as catchy. I've listened to the album 4 times now, and I still can't remember a single specific riff. In my last review I said this is the direction I wish Decapitated had gone, well, in the meantime, Decapitated released their "Organic Hallucinosis" album, which is not only as precise and complex as this cd, but also has some really memorable riffs. So comparing the two, I have to go with Decapitated on this one. That being said, this really is a good cd, the musicianship is stupendous, and I'll keep listening and maybe the songs will grow on me. Still worth looking into, but I preferred "Scepter", and hope the band spends a little more time in the future on the song writing.
• Ob(Servant) (2008) So so at best. This CD generally doesn't cover any new ground, and the riffs just sound kind of bland, sparkle with no substance. And a lot of the songs seem to lack energy, the album is still fast, but for some reason it doesn't strike me as having that spark of inspiration, it just feels like the band is going through the motions. It's not all bad, I do really like the album closer, 'Initiate', not only does it start with a good spooky clean guitar bit, but a few of the faster riffs in the heavier portion of the song sound quite original. But the rest of the album just doesn't grab me. Their last album got better with age, so I hold out hope that after a year of listening to this one it may get better, but currently I'm just not super impressed.
  

• Music For Them Asses (1999) Debut for the band (appearing previously on the Grrrr! compilation on HDR), the band has three things going for them. One, they have Devin Townsend as producer. Second, they have the drum god Gene Hoglan perform on the cd, and three, oh ya, the band is actually talented :) Almost a spoof cd, they play metal ranging from death metal, to classic metal (like exodus) to these crazy country tunes that quickly degenerate into speed metal. The concept of the album is that the band is a bunch of hicks from Vancouver who just like heavy music. As such, songs are filled with strange sound clips and samples, and all kinds of wackiness that stops the band from becoming ever truly evil, sort of diet evil. But the wackiness is really just the theme, the music itself is really thick and angry, with excellent production, lots of layered guitars and gene's trademark quick spurts on the kicks. Quite a variety of styles and moods here, but solid song writing holds everything together, a good buy.

• Cooked On Phonics (1995???) A silly concept album, revolving around the story of a fictitious death metal band from poland who become a punk band in order to make money. Sound clips of the band's exploits show up during and in between songs. As far as the music goes, assuming you don't mind punk, the songs are actually really good, especially considering you have Devin Townsend singing, he's always a maniac on vocals. Overall, a nice album with some good tunes, satire and plenty of energy. Not to be taken seriously.

• Cranial Blowout (1998, EP)
• Cerebral Cereal (2000) Another Unique Leader release, which is probably more than enough description to give you a good idea what these guys sound like. Ok, I'll give more details anyways, Pyaemia is somewhere between Disavowed, Dying Fetus, Vomit Remnants and Disgorge. Pretty standard death metal with lots of blasting, squawks, fast double bass, low gargly vocals. The drums, despite appearing to be a real kit in the booklet, sound very mechanical, at least a few of his cymbals are sampled for sure in the Vomit Remnants style. Good production, the songs are interesting and catchy, I guess my only real problem is that you'd have a hard time telling this band from many of the other bands on the label. There are a few different bits, like this one warbling riff at the beginning of 'Impaled on Stakes' that is very cool. For overall innovation look elsewhere, but if you're digging the other stuff on Unique Leader, and want to hear more in the same style, these guys do deliver high quality stuff.

• Liturgy Of Impurity (1990, Demo)
• Sermon Of Mockery (1993)
• Hatredangeranddisgust (1995, Demo)
• System Of The Animal (1997) Merging elements of death metal and hardcore, the result is something pummeling, groovy and really pissed off. Fans of Scar Culture or Chimaira will get the general drift, vocals remain more death metal like (think Frank from Suffocation), but the band tends to remain a little more on the groove side of things, moshable riffs that then jump to something faster and heavier, then back again. The drumming is pretty awesome, lots of fast double bass underneath midpaced snare drum, followed by occasional blast beats. The guitar sound is very thick, wall of sound type stuff. There's plenty of memorable riffs in here, although the songs themselves tend to bleed together slightly due to a slight lack of variety. An extra intro or two or something a little lighter that then moves into something heavy may have been good as landmarks in the never-ending sea of anger. Also, at 8 songs and 23 minutes, this is a pretty short album, I want more! More I say! Hard to find but well worth getting.
  
• Cruelty Beyond Submission (2003, Rare)
• Age of the Wicked (2007) Totally different from their last album in '97. First off, the band only has founding member Chris Basile (guitars) left. Second, much of the groove and hardcore influences are gone from the first part of the album, leaving something sorta similar to Morbid Angel, and something a little more rockin in the last 3 songs (which were recorded a year earlier). In fact, much of the cd sounds pretty similar to Morbid Angel's "Covenant" album (especially the drum sound and patterns in their first song are quite reminiscent of 'Rapture'). As far as production goes, I guess the word is muffled, but it's not the normal muffled. The guitar sound lacks attack, lacks definition. It's big and bassy, but you can't hear the pick hitting the strings. Imagine taking the guitar sound and placing it in a blender until you get something too smooth. Maybe they suffered from too many overdubs? It's also very obvious that tracks 8-10 were recorded at a different time with a shift in production style. A few of the songs are cool, but many others are a little repetitive. I don't know, I guess a lot of the spark of their older material just seems gone to me. The band has the right attitude, and right level of anger (some of the screamed vocals are particularly good). But they need a few unique riffs, better production, and more variety to the songs. The whole thing just seems sorta rushed to me, like the cd is slapped together. "Hey, we have several different sessions of music, lets stick them together and get something out there so we can start touring." I'd much prefer if they'd recorded everything in a single studio session, fine tuned the sound and performance, and came to the fans with a single unified and powerful vision. Not a bad album, but a step backwards from "System Of The Animal".