Written in Blood: May 1998
Archived
Gardy-Loo feat. El Duce
Perverts On Parade
Off The Records
Gardy-Loo Featuring El Duce, Perverts On Parade is the last recording for El Duce because he is dead. According to the bio, El Duce was a member of the band The Mentors and somehow ended up living and jamming in Tampa with the band Gardy-Loo. I’m guessing you’re supposed to take this release about as seriously as you would the majority of M.O.D. albums and if that’s the case it’s pretty funny. If not, then this album is just bad.
Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Honky Reduction
Relapse
Agoraphobic Nosebleed’s 26 track, 18 minute release Honky Reduction is a blood-soaked, speed/grind festival of sickness. Their name alone, coupled with song titles such as “Filthy Murder Shack,” “Clawhammer And An Ether Rag,” “Torn Apart By Dingos” and “Hat Full Of Shit” are all the clues I need that lead me to the conclusion that these boys need counseling — and fast. Also, throw in 24 hour surveillance on their daily activities for public safety. Agoraphobic Nosebleed is Scott Hull (guitars, bass drum programming) and Jay Randall (vocals). Scott’s rhythm guitar playing is impressive for as extreme a release as Honky Reduction is, but the lightning speed of his drum programming is something that everyone should behold.
Blood Duster
STR8 Outta Northcote
Relapse
One of Australia’s hottest exports, Blood Duster is releasing their first “true” full-length album, STR8 Outta Northcote. The band put Yeest out in ’96 but that was actually a combination of two Australia-only released mini CDs. STR8 Outta Northcote is a little more subdued than the stuff on Yeest. The band has incorporated more of a southern rock vibe to their music and the songs are a little more structure oriented. Lyrically, I can’t compare the two albums because the lyrics weren’t printed in the cover of the new CD.
Sacred Steel
Reborn In Steel
Metal Blade
It was the best of CDs, it was the worst of CDs….It was the worst of CDs.
Dio
Inferno: Last In Live
Mayhem
DIO!! DIO!! DIO!! Inferno: Last In Live is a double live CD of Ronnie James Dio doing songs from his career that has spanned twenty-something years. It’s hard to believe that Dio’s first album, Holy Diver came out fifteen years ago. If my calculations are correct, that’s over half a lifetime — for me anyway. Besides having one of the coolest voices in the history of metal, Dio has been responsible for discovering some damn fine guitarists — Vivian Campbell, Craig Goldy, and as far as I’m concerned got some of the best work out of what Iommi had to offer. I’ll admit, to the horror of some, Black Sabbath was never better than when Dio was in the band. There, I’ve said it. It was Heaven And Hell, released in 1980, that made me realize there was a world of music beyond KISS. Good thing too, because KISS’s music pretty much went down the crapper soon after that.
Blood For Blood
Revenge On Society
Victory
Put the humanitarian awards away, this is Blood For Blood we are talking about. This is the MOST pissed off band you will ever hear. Revenge On Society will be a delight to any misanthropes we have out there, myself included. Blood For Blood’s lyrics are a kick to the face of society, and the harsh musical background they provide fits in perfectly. If you’re an outsider or one of the despised, hated, or feared, then this is for you. If I didn’t already have this CD, I’d be running to the nearest music store for it. “I wanna piss on the ashes of your twisted world. I wanna watch the whole fucking thing burn, burn, burn. Because all I have is hate for our twisted world and when it falls I’ll die laughing… Because an enemy of man is what I am and when the end comes you’ll hear me laughing.” (“Die Laughing”)
Primal Fear
Primal Fear
Nuclear Blast
This is the best Judas Priest cover band I’ve ever heard. The only thing is — They didn’t actually cover any Priest songs on their debut CD, Primal Fear. I don’t care how talented these guys are, and they are pretty damn good musicians, but this is the most blatant case of a band ripping off another band’s style that I’ve ever heard. Being that I haven’t heard the last couple of Priest albums (They lost me when they got into “Turbo” crap), if someone told me this was a Priest album I would have totally believed them. I wonder if singer Ralf Sheepers realizes that in about ten years he will have to quit Primal Fear, turn gay and start an industrial band?
Neurotica
Seed
NMG
This is one of the best hard rock CDs I’ve heard in a long time. I’m glad it’s good because I’ve been waiting a long time for it. A few years ago when one of my favorite bands, Atheist, broke up I heard that vocalist/guitarist Kelly Shaefer was forming this band. Seed was released on April 7th and was produced by AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson. Johnson even does guest backing vocals on the CD’s opener “Deadly Sin.” If you too were a fan of the band Atheist, don’t be expecting to hear that type of metal from Neurotica. About the only thing the two bands have in common is the fact that once again Shaefer has assembled a great group of musicians. Despite the very different natures of each band, Shaefer’s strong coal performance would make you think that he’s been making music like this throughout his entire career. Neurotica blends a classic, time-tested feel with the talent and unique musical vision offered by each member of the group.
Amon Amarth
Once Sent From The Golden Hall
Metal Blade
Formed in 1992, the band Amon Amarth has spent the last six years making a name for themselves and attracting the attention of the European metal scene. The band’s second demo The Arrival of the Fimbul Winter, recorded at Peter Tagtgren’s (Hypocrisy) Abyss Studios was released by Pulverized Records of Singapore. Amon Amarth takes a strong death metal approach and mixes in a taste of black metal. The band’s musical abilities don’t get lost in their quest of creating a very heavy album, which is a nice touch. —Forgach
Read more Written in Blood by John Forgach:
Written in Blood: April 1998
Written in Blood: March 1998
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