Like Rats From A Sinking Ship blow out of blue and burst onto the Norwegian hardcore scene back in 2008 with their debut EP entitled “SXY SXY GSW”. The trio became soon one of the most popular underground act of Norway, so, the album “We Got Along Like A House On Fire” is highly expected and raise high expectations.
LRFASS spent the autumn of 2010 in the studio with producer Alex Newport who put his signature on the products of bands such At The Drive-in, Melvins, System Of A Down, Sepultura, The Mars Volta, Death Cab For Cutie, The Locust, Two Gallants, 65daysofstatic, etc, and the new album sounds as it should. This is a contorted blending of hardcore and experimental, post metal, technical, fast and noisy passages are twisted into gloomy and spacy turns or grinding, doom-like moments. The sound it’s raw, unpolished and crushing, it keeps an alive breathing, live approach. Read more Like Rats From A Sinking Ship – We Get Along Like A House On Fire (2011)
Metal
Centox – Centox (2011)
Reminds me mainly of Korn, Centox new album is build of quality and traditional nu metal songs. They are not actually re-invent anything, but this is a nice collection of cutting edge guitar riffs, twisted vocals, pumping rhythms, in few words, they put together that makes nu metal rocks. On the other hand, while Korn seems to lost their direction, “Centox” is a nice piece of traditional, full of energy and screamable choruses album.
Centox came together in the spring of 2006 when founding members Cesar “237” – guitars/vocals and Steve Hart began to write songs at a local studio in their hometown of San Pedro, CA. The two hired Daniel Gomez for guitar duties, and Glenn Ellis on bass, both of whom had been in bands with the founding members prior to the formation of Centox. Rene Araujo was put to the microphone and in 2006 the band recorded a 6 track EP followed by the debut album “”Above Them All”. Read more Centox – Centox (2011)
Skindred – Union Black (2011)
Skindred has sometimes been compared to Bad Brains, they got in their vain that hardcore explosion which made them one of the most exciting live acts in the UK, they reminds me of Asian Dub Foundation or the heaviest moments of Subsource, but as well they may be compared to Limp Bizkit. Alternative metal blended with dub and reggae it only can be intense, pumping, explosive. And this mixture formula, blending of metal/rock and punk elements with dub, reggae and electronica, since Apollo 440 and the beginning of the 90s, it’s not quite new, but it’s working efficiently when it’s made with nerve and taste. And Skindred for the past decade proof to have both. As usually, everybody reclaiming the paternity of the genre, but I think music it’s not exclusively about who was the first, but about writing good songs and express something, anything. And Benji Webbe since 1993 with Dub War and after their split in 98-99 and formed Skindred, done excellent works. Read more Skindred – Union Black (2011)
Absolution – The Other Side Of Nothing (2011)
On the other side of nothing there is Absolution. Stepping in the foot-prints of P.O.D., Godsmack, Drowning Pool and other acclaimed representatives of the post nu metal and alternative metal scene, this band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, delivering their second album. They heavily promoting themselves in support of their previous, critically-acclaimed EP “Theory Of Existence” sharing the stage with many great acts such as Ill Nino, Nonpoint, Drowning Pool, Tantric, Taproot, RED, Future Leaders Of The World, Ekotren, A New Revolution, Sick Puppies, Otep, CKY, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry and many more, they gained an impressive following.
Powerful and melodic, passionate and adrenaline pumping, Absolution gained experience and reach its maturity. Read more Absolution – The Other Side Of Nothing (2011)
Shining – VII Fodd Forlorare (2011)
It’s pity and annoying, there are a band named Shining from Norway formed at Oslo in 1999 and this band from Halmstad, Sweden formed in 1996 by Niklas Kvarforth, also involved in the bands Skitliv, Diabolicum, Den Saakaldte, Funeral Dirge and Bethlehem. I love them both, Jørgen Munkeby shake my world last year with the incredible album “Blackjazz” which forged jazz, industrial and black metal, while Niklas Kvarforth keep on surprising us with his intense blending of black metal and incorporated elements of doom metal and post/modern metal textures. Two creative Scandinavian bands sharing the same name still may be confusing for some…
“VII Fodd Forlorare” set to be released by Spinefarm Records on May 25, 2011 consist in six gloomy but beautiful and intense new songs and it’s obviously the band’s seventh album. Taking on a more experimental path, Shining remains an intense and extreme metal act, some acoustic and experimental/psychedelic passages bringing more color and excitement to this new material. Read more Shining – VII Fodd Forlorare (2011)
Septicflesh – The Great Mass (2011)
In very few words, “The Great Mass” is the intercourse of the fallen angel’s deadly howls with the angel’s enlighted chants, it’s another (master) piece in the creative development of this interesting band from Greece, their eighth studio album it’s a bridge between their early works and simultaneously a step into their future. Septicflesh fans knows for sure what I’m talking about and they won’t be disappointed. But I think those who are not actually familiar with the universe of Septicflesh can discover an intense and colorful world through this brand new release. Spiros “Seth” Antoniou and his band mates merged intense black/death metal massacres and melodious heavy constructions with sophisticated symphonic elements, Peter Togtgren proof once again his abilities in metal productions and Christos Antoniou write some inspired orchestration performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Read more Septicflesh – The Great Mass (2011)
Enslaved – The Sleeping Gods (2011)
This is “only” a 5 track EP from this innovator Norwegian band after the release of the exciting album “Axioma Ethica Odini” last year. Enslaved slowly grow out of their black metal roots into something which is on the border between modern (post) and progressive metal, but still keep in their sound the energy and weight of their origins. “Alu Misyrki”, the second track from this new material have a strong Celtic Frost feeling for example. Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson managed to navigate intelligently between rock and metal tones and textures, experimenting with different approaches, pushing the limits of sounds and tearing down the walls of conventions. “The Sleeping Gods” is another nice piece in this artistic development. The very next song, “Synthesis”, bring to the surface some obscure psychedelic layers, cinematic sounds, it’s made of shattered sounds and enigmatic noises. Read more Enslaved – The Sleeping Gods (2011)
Anaal Nathrakh – Passion (2011)
According to Michael Everson’s transcription, Anaal Nathrakh means “serpent’s breath” and the name comes from Merlin’s Charm of Making in John Boorman’s 1981 film “Excalibur”. The British extreme metal band was formed in 1999 and they fuse black metal, grindcore, death metal and industrial music. “Passion” is their eight studio album and the new collection of ten songs are lead us through the same dark, contorted world made of forged guitars, raw vocals, crushing tempos and extreme noises, but Anaal Nathrakh managed to bring into this extreme butchery interesting harmonies and melodies, inspired colors and shady sounds. Read more Anaal Nathrakh – Passion (2011)
Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction (2011)
I was fascinated by the talent of Devin back in 1993 when he appeared as the vocalist on Vai’s “Sex & Religion” – so far one of the best albums of this Zappa discovered eccentric guitar-hero. But Devin (born May 5, 1972 – Happy Birthday!!!) picked up the banjo when he was five and began playing guitar when he was 12, started his own extreme metal band called Strapping Young Lad, played with The Wildhearts, also in a project called IR8 where Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica) featured on vocals and bass, Devin on guitar and Tom Hunting of Exodus on drums, made many appearances as guest on different albums – Punky Broaster, Front Line Assembly, James Murphy, Stuck Mojo, Unit:187, Zimmers Hole, Skinny Puppy, Paradise Lost, Soilwork, Lamb of God, Gwar, etc, – and released several solo albums beside he’s one of the very appreciated producers now days. We may say, Devin is extremely creative and busy. Read more Devin Townsend Project – Deconstruction (2011)
Polkadot Cadaver – Sex Offender (2011)
This may be one of the best albums of 2011 already and I became fan instantly and unconditionally. If this Spanish/Portuguese sound like “Polkadot Cadaver” don’t sound familiar, Dog Fashion Disco should ring the bell. Actually, “Sex Offender” is their second album, their debut album, Purgatory Dance Party, was released in November, 2007. When Baltimore based Alt-Metal act Dog Fashion Disco came to an end in 2007, it wasn’t the end of front man Todd Smith, guitarist Jasan Stepp Guitar and drummer John Ensminger musical output, they just get sick of living the vagabond lifestyle that a touring metal band requires, so they decided to start a (more) studio band. And Polkadot Cadaver seems to be the perfect form to unleash their schizophrenic musical madness. “Sex Offender” is extremely colorful and intense, full of great songs. Read more Polkadot Cadaver – Sex Offender (2011)
