Written in Blood: June 1998

Boiler
The New Professionals
Mayhem

No flowery imagery will be used in describing the band Boiler or their new album The New Professionals: Rules For Industrial Slammitude & Groovination. Right from the three-member foundation that makes up the band, Boiler keeps their approach simple and to the point. No elaborate effects were used in creating this music or in the recording or production of it. The band employed the production expertise of Alex Perialas and Jason Arnold when it was time to catch Boiler on tape. The production of The New Professionals highlights the thick low-end provided by the guitars and drumming. Sound-wise, parts of this album remind me of Prong’s, Beg To Differ. One of my favorite songs (minus the title) is track four, “Frontin’.” Although I can never imagine a time that I would add the word “frontin’” to my vocabulary, it is a cool song. If these guys have a song on their next album called “Keepn’ It Real” I won’t be able to like them anymore. Hopefully that will not happen, because this is a good band.

Covenant
Nexus Polaris
Nuclear Blast

Out of the hundred or so black metal/goth bands I’ve heard in the last few years, I’ve liked about one percent of them. It just seems to me the bulk of the bands that drone on in that style can’t play or even get a decent recording of the one song they all seem to do over and over. Well increase the original figure to two percent because I do like Covenant’s Nexus Polaris. As a matter of fact, I like it a lot. All of the members of Covenant spent time in other well known acts such as Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, Mayhem and Arcturus. Nexus Polaris is a combination of vast musical know-how captured by a great production. All of the musical components of this band keep the intensity and mood of this album racing forward and no “weak links” can be detected — even the piano/synth playing is good.

(Hed) P.E.
Serpent Boy E.P.
Jive

If you have any interest in the mixing of rap and metal, then I would suggest you check out the new E.P. by (Hed) P.E.: Serpent Boy. This band has coined their style as G-Punk and has rhythmic vocals with a mixture of hip-hop and metal. This EP includes three versions of the song “Serpent Boy,” with remixes by Tom Lord-Alge and Junkie XL. A previously unreleased cut “Epilogue” and a remix of the song “Darky” by Machine also appear on the release. Look and listen for PUMA sneakers TV commercials featuring (Hed) P.E. song “T.O.S.” (Tired Of Sleep”).

In Cold Blood
Hell On Earth
Victory

It was officially Hell On Earth on February 24, 1998. I guess I’ve just been too horrified to face the terrible end as the band In Cold Blood describes on this release. In Cold Blood features Aaron and Leon from the band Integrity, and the two joined by three other Cleveland musicians play some pretty intensely angry hardcore. Some will say this band is along the same lines as Integrity, which would explain my description of the band in the previous sentence. In Cold Blood explores the many possibilities of a heavy, hardcore album. Throw in some extended musical sections, guitar solos and lyrics written while looking deep inside society’s hollow soul and you’ll have In Cold Blood’s Hell On Earth.

Machinery
Reconstruction
6-Cylinder (self-released)

I’m starting to get more releases from unsigned bands. I guess word is out that I go pretty easy on the unsigned and strive to find something positive to say even when it’s not readily obvious. It’s always interesting to see what lengths these bands will go to to get noticed. I’d have to say the bright yellow ribbon for press packages goes to Stratford, Connecticut’s Machinery. Press packages for bands usually contain loads of info on the band, but when they also include batches, well that’s just something else. Machinery’s press kit was a stack of press clippings, a full-size poster, a list of over 130 magazines from around the world that would be receiving their CD and Machinery matches — all in a full-color, band folder. These guys didn’t leave anything out. Machinery’s style of metal has an 80s metal influenced feel to it. Their sound should have an 80s feel — this band was actually together in the 80s. This is melodic, guitar driven metal that benefits from the band’s long history together.

Mercury Rising
Building Rome
Dominion

Building Rome is Mercury Rising’s follow-up to their ‘94 release Upon Deaf Ears. While I wouldn’t say I turned a “deaf” ear to their first release, it just didn’t do much for me. The release offered impressive performances from the band’s vocalist (Clarence Osborne), bass player (Chris Brush) and drummer (Jeff Moos), but the guitarist lacked… well, they just lacked. Just as if the band was reading my mind (unlikely) or reading my lukewarm review of their first effort (even more unlikely), Mercury Rising dumped their guitarist and enlisted the talents of Mike Evans and Judd Rizzo. The guitar work of the new recruits coupled with the added experience of the rest of the band shows that Mercury Rising definitely has what it takes to make its mark in the world of progressive metal. So if you can drag yourself out from under the dark cloud that Fates Warning’s last album inflicted upon us, or think four years is too long to wait for another album from Dream Theater, then check out this band Mercury Rising. Also, don’t forget about another band on the Dominion label, The Quiet Room. Their album Introspect was one of my favorite albums of ‘97.

Nile
Amongst The Catacombs Of Nephren-Ka
Relapse

Greenville, South Carolina — thousands of miles from the Fertile Crescent, far from the sacred ground that the Pharaohs once walked upon… dammit, I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. The Great Pyramids could be in New Jersey for all I know. I remember taking “Ancient Civilizations” in college, but you know a person only retains about eight percent of what they learn. I’m guessing the amount of knowledge that I retain is a far cry from that lofty eight percent (Actually, I made the eight percent figure up because I’ve forgotten what it really is.) Anyway, Egypt’s rich history is the inspiration for the band Nile’s, Amongst The Catacombs of Nephren-Ka. A crushingly precise guitar and drumming attack will have you beheaded in no time, like the poor saps on the front cover of Amongst The Catacombs of Nephren-Ka. Death vocals were provided by all the members of Nile. The band also used choir chants, Tibetan monks, Damaru human skull drums, thigh bone flutes, Turkish gongs and dumbecks throughout the record.

Obituary
Dead
Roadrunner

The band Obituary recorded 16 songs on their Back From The Dead North American and European tour of ‘97. Looking over the band’s itinerary for the tour, I see they were way too “cool” to play here in Salt Lake. Sure, two shows in Phoenix and even one in Schaumberg, Illinois but no Salt Lake anywhere to be found. If you’re an Obituary fan, then Dead is probably for you. If nothing else, Dead is more proof that lead guitarist Allen West knows and uses a grand total of ONE chord in both of the bands that he is in. It also supports my long standing belief that if you can’t do a decent guitar solo — then stop trying!

Paul Gilbert
King Of Clubs
Mayhem

What is the easiest way to ruin a good guitar player’s album? Put a microphone in the guitarist’s hand. It’s o.k. with this album though, because the guitar playing on Paul Gilbert’s King of Clubs isn’t the only focus of the release. It seems Paul’s main goal was to create a well-rounded album that would showcase his songwriting as well as his guitar playing capabilities. Most of the songs fall in one of the two groups — the humorous but sensitive 90s guy or “I’m a member of the band Mr. Big.” According to the bio, some of the songs on King of Clubs were originally written with the idea that they would be used in Mr. Big. So if you were thinking to yourself how much you wish Mr. Big would release a new album (God help you), then some of these songs will be an extra special treat for you. Though most of the album is pretty lighthearted, tracks like “I’m Just In Love” and “Bumblebee” are mixed in to shake things up. Tracks of interest to guitar players will be Paul’s interpretation of Bach’s “The Jig” and also the last song on the album “The Jam” features Paul with the members of his former band Racer X. The song is 19 minutes of Paul trading off solos with guitarist Bruce Bouillet and shows that these boys can solo until the cows come home, go back out to pasture, then come back home again.

Pissing Razors
F.A.D.

The band Pissing Razors is from Texas and is on F.A.D. Records. I have no bio for this band so that’s all I can tell you about them. Earlier today I was flipping through a music industry related magazine and saw this release headed up the metal chart, so the buzz about this band is out there. The lyrics read like a person on the edge, busy lining up as many people in cross-hairs as possible. Song titles such as “Dodging Bullets,” “Tortured,” “Life Of A Lunatic” and “Silent Hatred” are just a few from the release that give me the idea that this band isn’t exactly happy with what goes on in their world. Musically, I can hear why this band will have a certain level of popularity in the metal world. Pissing Razors isn’t exactly breaking new ground musically, but the rapid-fire, double bass drumming and the hypertight crunch of the guitars are sure to please. Fans of Pantera and Fear Factory will eat this stuff up and come back for seconds. —John Forgach

Read more Written in Blood by John Forgach:
Written in Blood: May 1998
Written in Blood: April 1998

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