Written in Blood: August 1997

Skinlab
Bound, Gagged, And Blindfolded
Century Media

The Bay Area’s latest creation, Skinlab, are blasting onto the scene with their debut, Bound, Gagged, And Blindfolded. These guys tune their instruments so low, it’s rumored only humpback whales are able to enjoy certain parts of the disc. Though the Machine Head, Neurosis and Sepultura comparisons have some merit, Skinlab have combined these influences with their own creative visions to come up with something supermarket, produce-aisle fresh. The incredible production values alone (courtesy of guitarist Andy Sneap of Sabbat) will take you in and send you away bloody.

Hanzal und Gretyl
Transmissions from Uranus
Energy

Hanzal und Gretyl’s Transmissions from Uranus is a bizarre, spacey look into the universe and beyond. The electronic and much-manipulated sounds of Hanzal und Gretyl are ultra rhythmic and heavy in that “dancebeat” sort of way. Lyrically, the songs read like the members of the band are all a bunch of NASA drop-outs. “Contact globulus. Orbit Incubus. Phaze out of phaze. Intergalactik.” Uh, I didn’t see anything about that on “Mr. Science.” Grab your photon lasers, your 3D glasses, a can of PIB, a yo-yo and three twinkies, then travel with Hanzal und Gretyl to a place far, far away.

Godflesh
Love And Hate In Dub
Earache

After being accused of recording an album (Songs Of Love And Hate) that sounded “human”, Godflesh will show on their latest release that the “human” sound will be short-lived. Justin Broadrick (vocals/guitar) has taken Songs Of Love And Hate and remixed it into Love And Hate In Dub. Broadrick’s objective for the new release was to make it “more mechanized and alien sounding.” The band’s obsessions with incorporating hip-hop into their music is a major theme of this album. The result being an industrial, danceable (if you must), romp into the extreme.

Exodus
Another Lesson In Violence
Century Media

I was in the tenth grade. I was with Bryan Bobel. We were on our way to a guitar store in Seaford, DE. That was the first time I heard Exodus’s Bonded in Blood. Some people remember where they were when they heard that Kennedy was shot, and I remember where I was the first time I heard Exodus’s Bonded in Blood. I guess that pretty much sums up my life. If you haven’t heard, or figured out from my rambling, Exodus has reformed (with original singer Paul Baloff). The band decided to give it one more go, in part, because of Exodus’s abrupt end in 1992. Reasons for the reformation really come across on Another Lesson In Violence. The recording was done live at San Francisco’s Tracadero, and it sounds like these guys wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. I must say this is one of the best live metal recordings I’ve ever heard. The dual guitar attack of Holt and Hunolt is just as razor sharp as ever. These guys take their guitars like synchronized swimmers to water. Though no studio release has been planned, the band is preparing for a tour of the U.S. and Europe. From what I can gather, a studio album will be up in the air until it’s recorded… or, not. It may not be the real thing, but Another Lesson In Violence is probably the closest Salt Lake is going to get to an Exodus show, so enjoy.

Deceased
Fearless Undead Machines
Embalmer
There Was Blood Everywhere
Relapse

Zombies! AAAAGGHHH! The band Deceased pays homage to George Romero’s movies Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead on their latest release, Fearless Undead Machines. In ways, Deceased is like the zombies they sing about — they just won’t die. This band has been around for twelve years, subsisting on gigs they get up and down the east coast. In listening to Fearless Undead Machines, I get the impression these guys are really serious about this stuff. Playing metal keeps these guys going, so more power to them. Trust me on this — when you get done listening to Fearless Undead Machines, you WILL feel like your brains have been sucked clean from your skull. Another nugget from Relapse is Embalmer’s There Was Blood Everywhere. This relatively low-tech piece of macabre is actually their ‘96 7” EP, There Was Blood Everywhere, and their ‘93 demo, Rotting Remains remasters onto disc. This raw piece of meat will have you thanking your lucky stars that the guys in Embalmer have music as an outlet.

Cast Iron Hike
Watch It Burn
Victory

Watch It Burn. With music like this, I could watch it burn all night. Cast Iron Hike, one of the latest additions to the Victory roster of talent, will be pleasing the ears of fans on both sides of the hardcore/metal fence. Big fat guitars, “in yo’ damn face” grooving rhythms, and cleverly varied song structures will have everyone praising the gods of heavy. The songs were written about oppressing factors the boys have run into in their lives. Watch It Burn seems to be Cast Iron Hike’s way of breaking out and saying nothing will stand in their way.

Amorphis
My Kantele
Relapse

Your favorite Finnish metal folk band, and mine, have recorded My Kantele as a finishing touch (…finishing touch… they’re Finnish… spooky!) to their last album, Elegy. The EP contains an acoustic version of “My Kantele”, which originally appeared on Elegy. Amorphis have once again tapped into their heritage, traditions, and philosophical beliefs for inspiration to write two net tunes for the EP. Additional highlights of My Kantele include covers of the songs “Levitation” by Hawkwind and “And I Hear You Call” by Kingston Wall. —John Forgach

Read more Written in Blood by John Forgach:
Written in Blood: July 1997
Written in Blood: June 1997

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