Zillah-Standing Next to Normal
(Promo Disc, 2004)

Zillah play an absolutely pummeling style of metal that could be somewhat likened to a more technical version of Coalesce. Lumping the band into the metalcore genre would definitely be cutting them short, but fans of said genre could definitely get into this. Zillah is much more metallic and short on the core. You’ll find dissonant riffs, more rhythm based riffs, and a sick vocal style that really brings to mind Sean Ingram of Coalesce.

These guys pretty much throw conventional songwriting right out the door. The guitar playing is one brutal riff right after another, and rarely will anything be memorable in the conventional sense of the word. You will remember being pummeled by these songs, but the band is more about the sum of their parts then individual parts. That said though, the more melodic opening of Standing Next to the Normal is definitely much more memorable then the usual chaotic approach of the band. Don’t expect any memorable choruses though, because for the most part this is one bulldozing riff after another.

For some reason the UK just keeps pumping out amazing bands. Zillah is one more band to add to an already very long list of amazing bands. With music this ferocious it is only a matter of time before this band is picked up by a label. Check them out and help spread the gospel. www.zillah666.co.uk

Godless Truth-Arrogance of Supreme Power
(Lacerated Enemy Records, 2004)

At first Godless Truth may seem to be a fairly typical death metal band, but with frequent listens little nuances start to shine through and the band really takes on a life all their own. Taking elements of Suffocation, and Dying Fetus mainly, the band plays fast death metal that is tight, rhythmic, and well written. They definitely fall into the category of what you’d call American death metal but rarely borrow from any particular bands.

I think this latest disc shows the band playing with a bit more diversity. There seems to be a bit more emphasis on technicality and this also features more guitar solos then I remember the last album having. The solos feature a lot of sweep picking as do some of the riffs, which gives the album a Killing on Adrenaline era Dying Fetus style from time to time. The riffing for the most part is very rhythmic and without being melodic uses quite a bit of harmonizing. The riffing really brings to mind vintage Suffocation, but it would be cutting them short to say that they were just copying Suffocation.

One element that really stands out is the bass playing. The bass player uses a much brighter then usual tone for a death metal bass player and because of this the bass really stands out. The crystal clear production allows room for both the bass and the guitar. This is actually one of the clearest guitar sounds I’ve ever heard on a death metal album. It isn’t overly heavy, but it allows everything to be heard, and is far from being lacking in heaviness. There is just the right amount of crunch to keep the rhythmic riffs bludgeoning but also enough clarity for the technicality to shine through.

They definitely aren’t rewriting the book on death metal, but this album is well written, energetic and in general, one hell of a listen. This is highly recommended for fans of Dying Fetus and Suffocation.

Instilled-Unfinished Business
(State of Mind Recordings, 2004)

Instilled have a style that could be described as a cross between Cro-Mags and the debut album of Give Up the Ghost, or American Nightmare as they were called at the time. It’s heavy, but not metal in the least. The riffing is heavy, but more in the traditional NYHC style.

The tempos run the gamut from slow to extremely fast. The slower side of the band is definitely where I hear the Cro-Mags influence come out with some incredibly bruising riffs and punishing vocals. The extremely fast stuff is, well, extremely fast. It’s almost to the point of being blast beats they are playing so fast. They have a few songs that are the more conventional tempo for hardcore punk, and that is when the Give Up the Ghost influence shows through the most. The riffs aren’t extremely similar, but the vocal patterns and vocal style itself definitely shows off the influence quite a bit at times

It’s too bad that this is only a MCD because I definitely would like to hear more. The band is definitely onto something and with just a bit more originality thrown in they will be a hardcore powerhouse.

Legs Up/My War-split CD
(State of Mind Recordings, 2004)

Legs Up start off this disc with 6 songs of noisy hardcore that definitely show off a bit of a rock influence from time to time. The music is semi-melodic with the use of octave chords, but also dissonant and rhythmic as well at times. They manage to cover a lot of ground without ever really stepping outside of their genre. If you need a comparison you could almost say that they sound like a faster Black Flag mixed with a bit of the current hardcore n’ roll sound. It’s energetic, rocking and doesn’t disappoint.

My War is even noisier, and at times they aren’t the tightest band ever. They do however have tons of energy and write some bulldozing hardcore that could be described as anything but typical. For a band called My War they really don’t sound as much like Black Flag as you might expect. This is more in line with noisy hardcore, with hints of dissonance and screamed vocals. The production leaves a little to be desired as the guitar tone ends up being a bit muddy in the end. These 6 songs are a good indication that the band definitely has a future though.

Split discs are definitely a good way to check out a couple of bands for a small price If you are into noisy hardcore punk with hints of rock or dissonance, this is definitely a split that you will be able to get into.

Hell-Horned Holocaust
(Invictus Productions, 2004)

Hell is from Gothenburg Sweden, but Horned Holocaust is about as far from being melodic as humanly possible. The band plays super fast lo-fi black metal with simple guitar riffs and blasting that never seems to stop. The main style of the band seems heavily influenced by Dark Throne, but when the band does slow down a Celtic Frost influence begins to show. The band does both styles equally well, and the second track Virgin Sacrificed is a perfect example of this combining both styles.

Hell is definitely one of the few bands that still do black metal the right way. You won’t find any hints of keyboards and melody is pretty much kept to a minimum. That’s not to say that this is completely noisy and washed out. There definitely is substance to the riffs the band plays, albeit, sometimes it does get a little bit lost during the more chaotic sections due to the somewhat noisy guitar tone.

The production is adequate, but also is a bit too noisy in the guitar department. Sometimes the guitar playing just turns to white noise with subtle hints of the notes being heard, but nothing clearly. Your ears do adjust after awhile, and the vocals and drums sound very good. So in the end it’s not a completely lost cause and there definitely are albums out there that sound a lot worse then this. The performance is tight and after a few listens, like I said, your ears do start to adjust.

For fans of lo-fi black metal this is a no-brainer. Fans of Dark Throne, Blasphemy, or even Celtic Frost will find that Hell has quite a bit to offer.

Wolf-Evil Star
(Prosthetic Records, 2004)

While Prosthetic may be mainly known for metal core and extremely heavy bands, Wolf definitely doesn’t fit into any of those categories. Wolf has more to do with Accept, Judas Priest and King Diamond then they do with breakdowns and Bleeding Through. The authenticity that they play the style with is quite surprising and makes for an album that pays tribute to the classics of the genre but also adds in a unique slant that makes for an album that is just plain metal in nature.

From time to time you can even hear subtle hints of Rush ringing through. There is a melodic break in the opening song with roaming bass and guitars that remind me of a cross between Rush and Iron Maiden. The main songwriting is very melodic with twin guitar leads, gallops and not really much in the way of speed. It really does sound like a cross between Accept, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden, with hints of Rush and King Diamond in the vocals, but nowhere near as dramatic.

Choruses are definitely a big part of this bands sound. The verses and riffing are quite memorable too, but it’s during the choruses that the band really starts to shine and creates something truly memorable and identifiable. Classic metal was always about that big chorus and this album is no different.

When I first read about Wolf I was expecting them to be one of those bands that takes classic heavy metal but still uses harsh vocals. But this is authentic down to even the vocal style. Add in well written songs, an amazing production and an awesome layout and you have a heavy metal album that demands to be heard.

Zombie Ritual-Night of the Zombie Party
(Razorback Records, 2004)

Zombie Ritual’s new album Night of the Zombie Party is an album that is almost impossible to not get into. The band plays with an incredible amount of energy and the simplistic nature of the bands music makes for a listen that will have your head banging in next to no time. The main style of the band you could say is a cross between death metal and thrashy Japanese style hardcore. They have simple yet heavy riffs coated with sick growls and harsh screams. They somewhat remind me of a much more death metal version of CSSO, but there is definitely a bit of goregrind that comes into play from time to time here though as well.

There is also a definite thrash influence that comes across in a lot of the riffs. In fact they actually aren’t an incredibly fast band, with most songs traveling at a thrash like tempo. The band does indeed use blasting but nowhere near as much as most Razorback bands. There are also a few surprising guitar solos that add yet another layer to the bands sound.

There really isn’t anything to complain about as far as the sound quality goes. It has a very organic sound that really sounds like a lot of Japanese albums. I think that the guitar sound could have been a bit fuller, but I’m definitely into the drum sound and the overall mix of the album is very balanced. You won’t have to struggle to hear the guitar underneath the vocals and drums.

Razorback has yet another winner on their hands here. Fans of everything from old school death metal to raging Japanese hardcore will find qualities in Zombie Ritual to enjoy. Raise your glasses because the zombie party has just begun!