Written In Blood: April 1996

Sepultura
Roots
Roadrunner

Our Brazilian friends Sepultura are back with their latest full-length release, Roots. This release, being the band’s sixth, establishes them as one of the leaders in the current thrash/metal movement. It also shows Sepultura has what it takes to deal with the ever-changing metal scene. Roots, as the title suggests, incorporates many Brazilian influences. The band used chants, singers, and instruments which are indigenous to their homeland. It sounds like Sepultura was able to spend months in the studio. The album is very full. There’s always something different going on. Overall, the release is a bit more on the noisy side. The distorted vocal style used at times makes me think Max has been spending a little time with the likes of Trent Reznor. Actually, I’d bet Max picked up that nasty noise habit hanging out with his now defunct side band — Nailbomb. The band featured Max and the noise king himself, Alex Newport from Fudge Tunnel.

Anathema
Pentecost III 

My Dying Bride
The Angel And The Dark River
Fierce Recordings

My girlfriend and I just broke up, then a day later I get a couple of doom-metal CDs in the mail. Oh God, I’m sooo depressed. Yes, I know Anathema and My Dying Bride are two different bands, both probably deserving of separate reviews, but I just couldn’t do it. I’m not much into the doom scene. I don’t really know a lot about it either. I guess I could’ve done a proper review of one of them, and then just put down “Ditto” for the other one. I guess that wouldn’t be right either. These two bands have certainly been around for a while. Pentecost III is Anathema’s fourth, while The Angel And The Dark River is number eight for My Dying Bride. So in conclusion, if you’re in the market for a good sedative, check these releases out. Anathema’s release was available on February 6, while My Dying Bride’s had a release date of February 20. And don’t you be worrying about my love life. We got back together.

Hypocrisy
Abducted
Relapse Records

What is it with bands from Sweden? Must every one of them be good? There’s the Gods of metal — Coroner, the God of guitar — Yngwie Malmsteen (that’s right, and don’t forget it! Have some respect already.). Well, I’m pretty sure Celtic Frost was from Sweden. That kind of blows my point. Not that they weren’t good in the beginning, but everything they did later cancels that out. Now there’s Hypocrisy. The now three-man band has revolved mainly around the band’s originator — Peter Tägtgren. The band has incorporated speed heaviness and pure musical talent in the recording of Abducted. The layering of many of the instruments on the disc give it a multidimensional sound. Many different facets of Abducted make it a damn fine metal album.

Iron Maiden/Fear Factory — Saltair

Saltair was chosen as the stop for the Iron Maiden/Fear Factory show, which took place on March 21. I went mainly to see Fear Factory, but it was good to see Maiden still at it after all these years. I had a chance to talk with Fear Factory’s Dino Cazares and Raymond Herrera after their set. The boys of F.F. were happy to return to Salt Lake after last year’s appearance with Sepultura. Dino said the band would be on tour with Iron Maiden for about two months, and then would be headlining a tour of Australia, New Zealand and Europe. He also said that they planned to come back to Salt Lake sometime around September. There was nothing confirmed, but names like the Deftones, Prong and/or Rage Against the Machine were being kicked around as possible bands they would be returning with. The band plans to release a remix album called Remanufacture in the months ahead. A single and video will precede the release of the album. —Forgach

Read more from the SLUG archives:
Van Gogh’s Daughter
The Stiff Sheet: April 1996