Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Dr. Abner Mality

Album Reviews

Album Review: Buňuel – Killers Like Us

Luis Buňuel was a film-maker who liked to shock and surprise. This is the guy we have to thank for images of eyeballs being slashed by razor blades and dead donkeys lying on top of pianos. It seems fitting that he lend his name to this noise rock project full of uneasy screams, mutters and groans, both human and instrumental. Noise rock is something I’ve found myself gradually getting into in recent years, but boy, BUÑUEL push things to limits even I find hard to take. It’s an international combo featuring Eugene Robinson of OXBOW fame on lead vocals. Never […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Lost Tribes Of The Moon – Chapter II: Tales Of Strife, Destiny, And Despair

The title is quite a mouthful, isn’t it? Well, that sets the table pretty well for the second album by this Milwaukee band, because the whole damn thing just drags on and on and on… I thought the first effort from these guys was pretty promising. Pick that up if you can find it. Skip this one. If it was a book, it would desperately need an editor. It’s the musical equivalent of a 900 page book about the romance of a mailman. LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON certainly have talent…there are several passages scattered throughout that prove it. But […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Immolation – Acts Of God

Where does IMMOLATION rank in the list of American death metal bands? Right up at the top, I would say. They passed the likes of MORBID ANGEL and DEICIDE a long time ago…way more consistent. Compared to CANNIBAL CORPSE? Hmmm, that’s a tough one, because the CANNIBALS are masters of consistency themselves. But I give the nod to IMMOLATION because the music seems to have a bit more depth to it, and a special kind of darkness that IMMOLATION alone has mastered. Acts Of God continues in the style of the most recent albums, Atonement and Kingdom Of Conspiracy. The […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Running Wild – Blood On Blood

With Cap’n Rock ‘n’ Rolf at the helm, RUNNING WILD seems to have learned how to stay in their proper sea lane. Stick to what you know, experiment just a little bit and you can stay the course and avoid any mutiny with the crew. Blood On Blood is another pure RUNNING WILD record that generally sticks with the trademark style of MAIDEN-like gallops, LIZZY-style twin guitar harmonies, big choruses and that kind of Celtic/folkish feel that typifies pirate metal. The title track has a cheerful sound to the guitar melodies, which is another RUNNING WILD characteristic. In contrast, ‘Wings […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Inerth – Void

Hitting the Earth with the impact of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs comes INERTH from Spain. Void has come out of nowhere to ambush unsuspecting metal fans. I’ve learned that most of these guys once played in the excellent grindcore band LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER. While there are still some traces of that sound here, especially in ‘Isolate’ and ‘Brave New Cold War’, INERTH is a much different beast, drawing influence from sludgy and industrial acts like GODFLESH and NAILBOMB. There are even some traces of post-punk ala KILLING JOKE here. But better believe me, this sucker is heavy! […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Death SS – Ten

Italy’s DEATH SS have been haunting the European metal scene for 40 years and have always had a cult following, but somehow I’ve never investigated them very deeply, which is strange considering my usual love any mix of horror and metal, which these guys embody. Maybe 2021 is the time for me to venture into their crypt. I think some sort of sixth sense kept me out of DEATH SS’ path all these years. Not only do they look like they should be working at the local cut-rate Jaycees haunted house, but their music is about as sinister and underground […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Ofermod – Mysterium Iniquitatis

OFERMOD are one of the OGs of the Swedish black metal scene, dating all the way back to 1996. Despite that, this new album, their fifth, is the first one I’ve really listened to. Guess I’ll have to look up the back catalog, because Mysterium Iniquitatis is about as pure and classic a Nordic black metal album as I’ve heard this year. These guys hit all the right notes here…everything just sounds pure. It’s not the most extreme sound, but it’s far from commercial – there’s melody, but also brutality – there’s variety, with each song having its own identity. […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Worm – Foreverglade

From the Florida swamps comes WORM. I’m kinda partial to all things wormy. These guys have a logo that looks like an explosive diarrhea incident, but their sound is extremely cool and unique. It’s very icky sounding death/doom, but mixed with curious touches like psychedelic guitar freakouts, cavernous organ and synth detours…even some Gregorian chants. A name that comes to mind in comparison is Australia’s DISEMBOWELMENT, but these guys are more purely sick. Six tracks here, ranging from three and a half minutes to an 11 minute plus Magnum Opus. The title track starts with the twangy minor key guitar […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: KK’S Priest – Sermons Of The Sinner

I probably don’t need to go over K.K. Downing’s history for anybody reading this review. Chances are you know just as much as I do, although it’s worth noting that K.K.’s history with JUDAS PRIEST goes all the way back to 1969. I’m sure you also know that, with Glenn Tipton, he was part of the guitar duo that revolutionized the concept of heavy metal and set the bar for just about every other band in the genre. It’s already been 10 years since Ken left PRIEST. I’d imagine the metal fire has been smoldering in him for most of […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Moon Oracle – Muse Of The Nightside

Well, what have we here? Something original and different, instead of another retread of ’80s or ’90s black metal? Yes indeed, and it’s about time. MOON ORACLE is from the “freaked out” branch of the black metal tree. In the end, my interest in Muse Of The Nightside kind of fades away, but I sure give the band credit for trying to rock the boat here. You know the typical complaint where bass guitar seems to get short-changed in black metal? Well, MOON ORACLE comes pretty close to overcompensating for this. The bass is the overwhelming be-all and end-all of […]

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