VÖ: 2008

Genre: Death Metal

Label: Sevared Records

Herkunftsland: USA

Für Fans von: Dying Fetus, Misery Index ein MUST HAVE

Line-Up:
Vince Matthews: Vocals (Mucus Membrane, Sadistic Torment, Covenance, Dying Fetus, Autumn Dawn)
Derek Boyer: Bass (Suffocation (US), Decrepit Birth, Deprecated,Vital Remains, Dying Fetus)
Darin Moris: Guitar
Mark Kloeppel: Guitar (Misery Index)
Adam Jarvis: Drums (Misery Index)


Tracklist:

01. Blood Money
02. Shots Fired
03. Snitch Bitch Homicide
04. Smash And Grab
05. Unjust Incarceration
06. Murder One
07. Guilty As Charged
08. Future Felon
09. Habitual Offender
10. Suicide By Cop
11. Pounding Metal (Exciter Cover)
12. Angry Neurotic Catholic (Carnivore Cover)

Spielzeit: 36:57

Zitat:Supergroups in metal are tough to judge. On one hand, you have a bunch of musicians coming together to make music that they like a lot, presumably, and said musicians are usually among the best in the business...in their respective bands. And then they are horrible when put together, presumably because of the Law of Geniuses In One Place At One Time (which I just made up, probably) stating that lots of brilliant musicians together does not necessarily correlate to great music. Criminal Element would like to have a word with you, if you subscribe to this belief. They'd like to arrange this meeting in an alleyway. Bring friends and you're even more dead.

Such is the pounding, ferocious and EXTREMELY American sounding Criminal Element on this album. Boasting a really, really ridiculously cool lineup and past-lineup including Suffocation and Dying Fetus members, I always kind of looked over this band due to subscribing to the above viewpoint. Then Vince Matthews took me behind an abandoned building and shot me in the head. I have since learned not to judge books by their covers...this is great! It almost sounds like death-thrash for the discerning East Coast-US-slam-wigger (non-pejorative in this case, don't think I'm hating because wigger slam can often kick ass) who won't listen to thrash unless it sounds like this; big, meaty, full of breakdowns, low vocals and gang-like vocal-tradeoff choruses. This really is the epitome of East Coast modern brutal death metal. Vince's voice cuts through the riffs with a mid-range precision, sometimes opting for absurd lows with the help of Gallagher of current-Dying Fetus fame. Speaking of riffs, this is good stuff...it combines thrash riffing/pacing with old-school stuff and melodic/slam tradeoffs almost too well. But it never sounds like they're going through the motions; it's subtly challenging music with excellent flair. And check out that booklet; mugshots of every band member with an "offense" they've "committed" right undernearth (ranging from tax avasion [sic] to sexual assault!) with case file graphics and just an overall VERY well-developed aesthetic.

Let's talk about drums. The drums fucking rule. Adam Jarvis (also in Misery Index) weaponizes his drum set. Right from the first 20 seconds of "Blood Money" we have some great cymbal use, effectively capturing the intesnity of the lyrics on display, which range, in that song, from misanthropy to murder to capture and imprisonment. Derek Boyer of Suffocation plays a competent role as bassist, though I would like to see the production lean more towards the heavy as it is a bit biased towards the trebly thrash style. If you're a slam fan, though, and you're looking to explore thrash, traditional death metal or just other good music in general that isn't pure slam but contains enough of the moshing elements you need to get through the day, you'll probably like this. It isn't for everyone, but Vince and co. wouldn't let you know that; they just kill the detractors with extreme prejudice. Stay sharp.

Persönlicher Nachtrag:
Line-Up
Mucke
Fazit:

VÖ: 2008

Genre: Hardcore

Label: Halo Of Flies Records

Herkunftsland: USA


Tracklist:

01. Disbelief
02. The Hate The Hollow
03. Disgrace
04. Neglect
05. Obituary
06. A Smaller World
07. Free Us From...
08. Disowned
09. Asleep

Zitat:As I first heard Milwaukee”™s Protestant on their As Dead As We Look release and now their latest full length, I”™m more confident in anointing this group as the heir to the mantle left by Cursed; crumbling, antagonistic and sludgy but intelligent hardcore with a few segments of well placed and thoughtful ambience, all wrapped up in a nasty, gritty production and a merciless vocal assault.

With plenty of splits, 7”³ and other such DIY releases under their belt, its good to hear an actual collection of songs designed for a the bands second full LP/CD release as it comes together more coherently and delivers a complete and more fluid set of songs.

Look no further than openers “Disbelief” and “The Hate, The Hollow” for a six and a half minute look into Protestant”™s sound: earthy, caustic power chords broken up by a back breaking lurches and pain fueled vocals. “Disgrace” initially slows things down with a somber chug before unleashed a bitter torrent and an eventual, song ending calamitous groove. “Neglect” goes straight for the jugular while “Obituary” shows the band again slowing down to a creepy, somber ooze before again exploding in fury. “Free Us From”¦” just rips with savagery and “Disowned” is the albums ”˜catchiest” track while 6 minute closer “Asleep” has a rangy, hazy ending few minutes that serves as a modicum of respite.

Folks, this is no nonsense, no frills, no trends hardcore from a hardworking, DIY ethic band that has no desire to be rock stars and an equally DIY hard working label-check ”˜em out

VÖ: Sept. 2008

Genre: Folk / Country / Blues

Tracklist:
1. The Fabled City
2. Whatever It Takes
3. The King Of Hell
4. Night Falls
5. The Lights Are On In Spidertown
6. Midnight In The City Of Destruction
7. Saint Isabelle
8. Lazarus On Down (mit Serj Tankian)
9. Gone Like Rain
10. The Iron Wheel (mit Shooter Jennings)
11. Rise To Power

Zitat:On One Man Revolution, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello debuted his alter ego, the Nightwatchman, with a well-intentioned set of lefty-folksinger blues. But with not much more than his voice and acoustic guitar, he had little to offset ham-fisted lines like "I crossed the frozen wasteland/And in the bitter cold did freeze." On The Fabled City, Morello augments his acoustic guitar with stirring arrangements on piano, mandolin, cello and drums, as well as backup vocals from System of a Down's Serj Tankian and outlaw spawn Shooter Jennings. The new dynamics complement Morello's voice, which is more nuanced here, moving from the melodrama of Nick Cave ("The Lights Are On in Spidertown") to the minimalist purr of Leonard Cohen ("Rise to Power"). Lyrically, Morello still goes over the top, piling on biblical references and Dylanesque nonsense like "one-eyed crow, tappin' on the windowpane." But with a solid band behind him, he seems much more confident in his new role as a modern protest troubadour.
Quelle: rollingstone.com

VÖ: 2008

Genre: Instrumental Rock

Label: Penguinmarket Records

Herkunftsland: Japan


Tracklist:

01. Subarashiki Hikari
02. Jyujintachi No Dilemma Game
03. Byakuya
04. Koe O Dashite Kangaeru Houhou
05. Saisei To Misshitsu
06. Kioku No Shima No Tsuki
07. Ginga O Kowashite Hatsudensho O Tsukure
08. Munoyuragi

Zitat:sgt. brings fans some of the best post rock to come out of Japan in the past few years. The chaos-infused elegance that ripples through this album is profound and a major step up from their Freshman release. The sheer sound quality in this album is so beautiful that it is hard to forget that this is a recording. There is a wide spectrum of instruments used on this album. Of course sgt.'s signature piano and violin style reverberates throughout the album. Stylus Fantasticus is dosed in extreme experimentation. Each sound has it's own unique feel and texture. For example, Subarashiki Hikari's soothing piano and cross fading guitar creates the dramatic feeling of being trapped in fog. Meanwhile, the next track has a never ending frantic bass line with guitar effects creating a chaotic feeding frenzy. With Byakuya's wonderful violin lead topped with a drum beat so tight there is no way you won't be in ecstasy.