The various listens I had over the previous week, first staying up-to-date on current releases before going through the ages to listen to an older release.
First up is the newer releases:
Corpsegrinder (US: II)-Corpsegrinder (82/100)
The debut release from George's self-titled solo project. Tight, groovy riffing, steady drumming, and a nice variety between mid-tempo rhythms with frenzied brutal riffing focuses on a thick, scalding atmosphere. The steady, chopping drum-work, short riffs, and mix-tempo breakdowns feature a more prominent Hardcore attitude that adds a brutal counter to the sprawling mid-range energy of the more traditional arrangements thumping along at steady speeds which act as such due to the variation between these elements. Those more energetic aspects are much more engaging and lively compared to the steady chugging Hardcore aspects featured here which still generate some fun enough elements to make this a solid overall effort. He's the main selling point beyond the music anyway and carries himself well enough to be more of worth than the music on display.
Galdragon-Omnis Hypocrita (97/100)
The sixth full-length from the one-man Scottish Black Metal project. Tight rumbling rhythms, steady drumming patterns, and fiery brimstone accents keep this one firmly entrenched within second-wave territory throughout here. Featuring several dynamic riff-variations that propel this into frantic up-tempo sections with tight blasting drums and steady atmospheric rhythms that complete the raging old-school approach. The long-winded arrangements allow everything to settle into extended sessions of blistering, high-energy instrumental pieces of fiery Black Metal that are highly infectious and enjoyable. These long-winded sections can make some repetitive sections where it just seems to be running through the same rhythms and patterns without much in the way of deviation, but this is really the only issue with this stellar collection of slick, cleanly-produced offerings.
Dusk (Pak)-Imaginary Dead (81/100)
The fourth release for the Pakistani Doom/Death Metal masters. Majestic sprawling riffing, tight rhythms, and scores of exotic melodies offer a fantastic framework to focus on the thick atmosphere created throughout this one. Keeping things focused mainly on tremolo-accented riffs with those thick, plodding rhythms in sluggish Doom Metal patterns, this is enjoyable enough as a main structure that the various intersections of outside elements, whether it be thrashier up-tempo sections or instrumental interludes offering exotic local instruments with melodic harmonies, come together into a generally fun experience. That this goes more for those exotic rhythms and avant-garde arrangements in the second half does mean this one ends on a sour note after the enjoyable first half but it's not completely detrimental.
Chemical Annihilation-Resurrection (76/100)
The long-awaited full-length debut from the US thrashers. Choppy riffing, stuttering start/stop rhythms and hard-hitting drumming create a stylistically strong format that comes off somewhat weaker than it should. The main riffing comes off with plenty of fire and energy in their ravenous patterns yet never capitalize on that momentum by going for the stuttering start/stop style that halts the energy somewhat regardless of the riff-work or the tight drumming which gets quite fun when it's allowed to blast away with an extremity that touches on primitive Death Metal at times. Those unabridged sections that focus on unassuming but engaging old-school patterns and tight rhythms offer a lot to like with the longer running times making it possible to thrash away but the tendency to inject those start/stop arrangements keeps this one overall mediocre with some likable factors.
Endura-Between Earth and Sky (80/100)
The debut release from the Italian Heavy Metallers. Steady, classy rhythms, fiery melodic riffing filled with dexterous leads, and straightforward thumping arrangements offer a solid combination of melody-driven traditional metal with speedier, Thrash-like sections. These Thrash sections are mainly relegated to injections of energetic riffing with double-bass work in the background for select intervals in the arrangement before delving back into the steady mid-range territory that's far more prominent throughout this one. Offering a sprawling atmospheric backdrop to a majority of the tracks either as an elegant intro or building block for the rest of the music to feed on features some repetitive issues where its trick gets found out quite early on and to have the same thing crop up several times wears out its welcome with lethargic riffing for these tracks. It's the main thing holding this down.
Serious Black-Vengeance is Mine (82/100)
The sixth full-length from the International Power Metal supergroup. Hard rocking riffs, tough rhythms, and a fiery tremolo series of melodies interjected throughout offer the kind of straightforward approach typical of their last few releases. Featuring tight arrangements that switch nicely between sprawling hard-rock chugging or sprawling mid-tempo Speed Metal patterns that allow for sparkling guitar melodies as well as atmospheric keyboard washes regardless of the track being speedier or more laid-back, the general feel is quite enjoyable in this setup. That there are more energetic and driving tracks as this goes on, featuring the mid-range chugging upfront before gradually sprinkling more traditional Power Metal into the arrangements makes this stand out nicely with more enjoyable efforts as this one goes along for a stylistically enjoyable offering. There are a few too many tracks as well which can make this a challenge to get through but it's not overall detrimental.
Aquilla-Mankind's Odyssey (94/100)
The debut release from the Polish metallers. Blazing Speed Metal riffing, tight rumbling rhythms, and steady drum-work propel this one along frantic, high-energy sections with a bouncy, infectious attitude. The influx of tight, raging melodies alongside the driving riff-work and full-throttle drumming creates a solid backdrop that allows the diversions into mid-tempo thumping chug-riffs and steady rhythms that act as a melodic variation to counterbalance everything nicely. Fitting within the landscape with an enjoyable raucous high-pitched series of sailing screams to give the whole affair a rousing touch and the sparkling production that gives this an enthusiastic atmosphere, there's not much to dislike here beyond the whole product's cheesy attributes that have to be taken into consideration since that comes along with the approach.
Tyrant (UK: II)-Tales of Realms Forgotten (75/100)
The debut release from the two-man UK-based Black Metal act under the name Scorching melodic tremolo riffing, simplistic patterns and a fiery traditional atmosphere keeps this one firmly entrenched in second-wave territory throughout. Plodding along at a time galloping tempo with sprawling tremolo rhythms with plenty of focus on steady swirling patterns repeating throughout while taken alongside simple arrangements and the occasional blasting bits of drum-work, there's some enjoyable work here that captures the sound and energy quite nicely. With those simple-minded rhythms allowing the extended running times to focus prominently on the mid-tempo gallop or the plodding chugging for the pacing of the track, this can become repetitive quickly with the one-off trick causing this to be quite obvious what's going on but it's not an overall huge issue that holds it back.
Declination-The Executioner (69/100)
The debut release from the US Thrash act. Ultra-simplistic chugging riffs, plodding drums, and short, compact rhythms offer the kind of formulaic straightforward patterns that alternate between mid-tempo bruisers or compact whirlwind ragers. Given the overall brevity to run through the tracks as quickly as it does here, there's not much in the way of variation here which offers the kind of one-sided approach that takes a simplified riff and just runs it out as fast as possible. That creates a lot of immediate violence with the riff-work switching from those bruising rhythms to mid-tempo chugs but after that, the simplistic formula creates less opportunity to do more with these rhythms since there's so little time to do so. This can work fine for those wanting immediate bursts of simplistic Thrash violence but those wanting more will rather see this as akin to unfinished demos of tracks than anything else.
Overlord SR-Prepare for the King (54/100)
The second full-length from the US Heavy/Power Metal squad. Steady classic metal riffing, straightforward arrangements, and plodding rhythms surge throughout with few instances of variation present. Rumbling along with the churning riff-work focused on simplified patterns and plodding rhythms throughout, the general focus shifts to the wholly lackluster and underwhelming performances here as the two elements cancel each other out. The simple-minded patterns are fine in a vacuum but the lack of variation keeps this one straightforward and generally unassuming once it gets going, while the sluggish tempos and plodding rhythms sap the life from them had they been given a chance to go anywhere. The mid-tempo efforts and old-school style of the riffing keep the album going but just barely with the other aspects on display here.
Intestinal Engoregement-Putrefying Consumption of Dismemberment (68/100)
The full-length debut from the Panamanian slammers. Ferocious raw riffing, churning slam grooves, and violent drumming throw plenty of intense blasting rhythms throughout the series of tight arrangements featured here. Reliant on tight, buzzing slams and intense drum-blasts with a thick, murky production lets the arrangements focus on generating brutality and intensity with very little setup as the simplistic formula applied here with the brevity of the tracks worse heavily to that mindset. Given that's where this one remains almost exclusively here, the album not only feels very predictable but a generally sonic blur of burping vocals, blasting drums and incoherent riffs that are somewhat impossible to differentiate from each other gives itself away so quickly there's little need to venture beyond a few tracks to get a sense of this one.
And for our classic release:
Trashmachine-Breaking Through the Ranks (89/100)
The lone release from the Ukrainian thrashers. Loose crunchy riff-work, thumping drumming and a fantastic old-school approach to the technicality in their rhythms make for a solid and generally enjoyable effort. The generally mid-tempo approach here keeps things full of crunchy Bay Area grooves that move along at a steady pace with a rumbling rhythm section keeping it on-track while offering a series of rather enjoyable challenging technical theatrics in the arrangements. This is mostly present in the more engaging and lengthier tracks where it has the chance to wind through a select series of impressively-arranged setups that border on progressive at times but still keep themselves firmly entrenched in the typical crunch and approach of the Bay Area scene. This is toned down slightly in the shorter, speed-driven tracks but comes off quite nicely, for the most part, giving this a lot to like without too much to dislike beyond the adherence to the style making for a slightly formulaic approach.
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