Pale Creation - Twilight Haunt

This record sounds a lot like listening to an Integrity record backwards.  Does that mean anything to you?  What Pale Creation did was take the "Holy Terror" formula, slowed it down, added some atmostphere, and made it much more interesting from a technical standpoint.  While Cleveland pioneers Integrity and Ringworm are about as straightforward-heavy as it gets, Pale Creation added challenging mathematics to the equation, resulting in a very different experience indeed.  The feel is more trance-like than cathartic.  This record doesn't kick your ass, it fucks with you.

I'm going against my normal rule of only high bit rate dowloads today.  You can take the shitty quality one for free, or pay $5 for the HQ one from the label.  Also, I just watched Tron: Legacy and it's pretty fuckin great!

cleveland rocks

Believer - Sanity Obscure

Believer really are like the "Atheist" of the christian Metal world.  Ok, so maybe they're not quite the legends that Atheist are, but they're not far from it either.  While Dimensions was Believer's "Elements", Sanity Obscure is their "Piece of Time".  This particular outing is a true Thrash record, not the genre-smashing abitiousness of "Dimensions".  As far as quality, though, the two albums are pretty much neck-and-neck.  Sanity Obscure is much less challenging (for the typical Metal pallette), but with ample technicality.  What Sanity Obscure lacks in variety and originality, it makes up for in consistency and listenability.  Honestly, it's really hard to find fault with this record.  You got great production, memorable riffs, and actually thought-provoking lyrics... all of which would make Chuck Schuldiner (R.I.P.) jealous.  Give this band a shot, you won't be sorry.

jesus christ looks like me

Sadus - Illusions

If you've been following triple B for a while, you'll remember me gushing about Sadus' famous second album "Swallowed in Black".  So high was my opinion of that album that when I first heard this (their first), I immediately dismissed it as "inferior".  What a fool I was then (only a year and a half ago).  Damnit if this isn't still a stellar Thrash and Proto-Death Metal album.  The outrageous speed?  Check.  The uncompromising technicality?  Check.  Steve DiGiorgio's legendary bass playing?  Check.  Plus, singer Darren Travis' shriek is even more incindiary at this young age. Everything I loved about "...Black" is still there, minus some production value and refinement.  It may not be "perfect", but it beats any Kreator album.  Yeah, I said it.  Whassup now?

  mildly retarted album art made even more famous by metalinquisition

hella hard 

Sinister - Aggressive Measures

It's surprising that I haven't posted about this band sooner, as they're the most underrated Dutch Death Metal band ever.  Sure Asphyx and Pestilence may have created seminal albums that get more "scene cred", but throughout the 90's Sinister was releasing quality, blistering albums consistently.  You can think of them as a Dutch Malevolent Creation (minus the overt racism).  Even though released in '98, the band's old-school roots are evident.  The thrashy, tight riffs and 80's-style blast-beats are there in spades.  This album is somewhat condemned by fans as being too "commercial".  I don't get that at all.  It may have kind of a dumb cover and be too "bright" and clean sounding, but those flaws are trivial (at most).  At least you're not trying to decipher whether that "rumble" you're hearing is the vocals or a bass-drum.  The arrogant, "kvlt" nerds can listen to Deceased cassettes all they want...  I'll listen to Death Metal that actually sounds like something.

flaming mohawks

Heartless - Hell is Other People

Alright, since I got such a good response from all of you coming out of the woodwork, I'm gonna keep this rollin'.  But you guys have to engage me more.  Comments, recommendations, make fun of me, whatever.  It makes reading blogs more fun, I promise.

I first heard of this band through this big fancy website's "year's best" list.  I wonder how this release passed me by, because it's totally up my alley.  A modern Powerviolence/Hardcore hybrid that I almost always love.    And on Southern Lord?  Man, they're really shining these days, instead of releasing unoriginal Drone and Doom like they used to.  Stylistically, it's pretty similar to PV contemporaries Weekend Nachos and Mind Eraser.  Like those bands, you can also tell that their roots are in Metallic Hardcore from the "muscular" attack and vocal delivery.  Ironically, I wish they would actually slow down a bit and keep the blast-beats to a minimum, as it's during the traditional Hardcore or "d-beat" parts that they sound best.  Whatever direction they choose, I'm looking forward to hearing more.

closer to the heart

Last post ever?

I'm kinda wondering if I should keep this blog going, as interest seems to be waning.  Chime in if you don't want that to happen.  But because I'm such a nice guy, I'll still put an album up on this post instead of just an outright "cry for help".  

Hexis is a charming young band from Denmark.  After just an EP and a split, they've finally released their first proper album with XI.  They've put forth some impressive Post-Hardcore influenced Black Metal here.  This particular style has gotten pretty popular recently, and I'm liking it.  Hexis pull this off very well without sounding too watered-down or bastardized.  Both influences are represented legitimately and finished with a raw, but clear production. 

2 legit

Ion Dissonance - Cursed

This is Deathcore in the good sense of the word (if you believe that's possible, anyway).  This isn't about single-note breakdowns, juvenile misogyny, and pretty boys with neck tattoos.  It's about creating challenging, technical, and brutal music.  Probably what Dillinger Escape Plan would sound like if they were actually good.

violent cursing

Dim Mak - The Emergence of Reptilian Altars

Truth be told, I never liked this band until now.  Although they've always had great drumming and riffs, Scott Ruth's predictable vocal cadence and "core-ish" voice were always too much for me.  Thankfully, they found a new singer, whose middle-of-the-road style isn't exactly "good", but definitely tolerable.  I often find myself wishing for something more guttural sounding, but hey, at least they're not clean vocals.  This record also has the bonus improvements of more dynamic playing and warm production too.  In just five years they've gone from the riff salad of Deeds of Flesh, to the cerebral maturity of Atheist.  After 20+ years in the scene, the boys from Ripping Corpse have finally grown up.  And I'm liking it.

please don't name any more songs after cthulu

Resurrecting Judas - Vast Realms of Chaos Incarnate

This record pretty much has it all, except for the length.  What I mean is that there are few American Death Metal bands that you won't be reminded of when listening to this.  Malignancy, Cannibal Corpse, Origin...  They're all here.  While their influences might be splattered for miles like a crashed airplane, their attack is tighter than your girlfriend's stretchy pants.  It better be too, because the technicality bar has never been higher.

still in love with judas, baby

Cenotaph - Pseudo Verminal Cadaverium

Do you think Suffocation are the best Death Metal band and Pierced From Within is the best Death Metal album ever made?  Yeah, me too.  I would bet that the members of Cenotaph have a pretty similar view based on this forgotten classic.  As you would expect, similarities to Suffocation are plentiful, but there are still many features that set this band apart from the exhalted gods of death.  One aspect is the vocals; the main vocal style is even throatier than Mullen's and there's the added benefit of occasional Yattering-like dry-heaving.  The riffs and guitar tone are slightly less-chunky and bottom-heavy as well.  The most obvious difference, though, is the obvious "English as a second language"  lyrics.  Oh well, at least they make an effort.  All being said, this is still pretty spectacular Death Metal done in the fine New York tradition.

flowery bed stench

Earth Ship - Exit Eden

Tasty and legitimately heavy Post-Metal or "Beard Metal" (as the kids like to call it) from Germany.  But this isn't the slow, atmospheric, droney stuff that people have been gushing over for the past 15 years.  This is solidly mid-paced pounding that you can actually bang your head to most of the time.  True, this is more on the Kylesa side of things than the Isis side, and I like it that way.

facial hair will drive you mad