ARKHON INFAUSTUS „Perdition Insanabilis”
Having released one of the better extreme black/death albums of 2003 (Filth Catalyst) the French quartet known as Arkhon Infaustus return with their next installment of psychotic malevolence. Always the provocateurs, particularly with their previous album covers, AI have surprisingly gone with something a tad more ambiguous this time around, almost to the point of let down.
VARIOUS ARTISTS „FENRIZ Presents The Best of Old School Black Metal”
Everyone one of us has put together his or her own best-of compilation, whatever the genre. Based purely on individual taste, and put together to please no one but you, the D.I.Y Best-of compilation will never die.
FEINSTEIN „Third Wish”
With its rather dodgy name and an album cover that sets metal art work back about 20 years, the prospect of reviewing this disc didnt have me overly enthused. Most metal folk are rather adept at judging a book (or in this case, a CD) by its cover it is an extremely important selling point for any metal act.
DEAD TO FALL „Villany & Virtue”
Chicagos Dead to Fall pretty much floored me with their 2002 debut Everything I Touch Falls to Pieces. Certainly it was one of the finest melodic death/metalcore albums of that year.
CIPHER SYSTEM / BY NIGHT „Split Ep”
This release is somewhat of a departure for Germanys Lifeforce label. Predominately a Metalcore label (and one of the better ones), most of their roster is made up of local German, American or UK acts.
LAKE OF TEARS „Black Brick Road”
I must admit Ive never been a huge fan of Swedens Lake of Tears. Not that I dont think theyre any good, its just that Ive never gone out of my way to purchase any of their material.
PSYCHOTIC WALTZ „Box Set Remasters”
There have been a handful of metal acts that never received the recognition they were due. I still shake my head in disgust at the lack of exposure US Thrash act Holy Terror received in the late 80s Anacrusis, Solitude Aeturnus, Only Living Witness and even Armored Saint are members of the same club.
NECROPHAGIST „Epitaph”
Some five years ago, a guy by the name of Muhammad Suicmez released Onset of Putrefaction (Velvet records) working under the band name Necrophagist, the album was hailed as an underground classic, although it basically went unheard by 90% of the genres fan base. Now signed to the mighty Relapse roster, Necrophagist have returned with a full line up and with what is possibly the progressive death metal album of the year in album No.2, Epitaph.