Rebel Extravaganza

Heavy Metal And Other Occasional Musics And Cultures

Dr. Abner Mality

Album Reviews

Album Review: Heart Attack – Negative Sun

The hype machine goes into overdrive for this French band on their press sheet, practically proclaiming them the new saviors of heavy metal. Well, while I wouldn’t go quite that far, HEART ATTACK created a surprisingly engaging and energetic record in Negative Sun that touches on several styles of metal. First off, this sounds as good as any major league release you’ll find. Everything pops, including bass and drums. That ticks an important box right there. In no way would I describe HEART ATTACK as a very original band, but they are very clever in how they weave different influences […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Sadistic Ritual – The Enigma, Boundless

This has got to be one of the quirkiest and most entertaining thrash records I have laid ears on in a while. The band is from Atlanta, Georgia and their moniker had me thinking they would be a POSSESSED or KREATOR type band. Thankfully, they are more original than that and not easy to describe. The PR calls them “psychedelic” thrash, but the most psychedelic thing about the album is its cover art. I think fans expecting real hardcore psych influence might be disappointed. SADISTIC RITUAL does not fit into a neat little box. They aren’t a knock-off of either […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Static Abyss – Labyrinth Of Veins

AUTOPSY fans, if you’re getting anxious waiting for the next slab of rotten death from your heroes, relief is headed your way. For all intents and purposes, STATIC ABYSS is AUTOPSY, Not all the members of AUTOPSY are here, but Chris Reifert and Greg Wilkinson sure are and if there’s any noticeable difference in style between STATIC ABYSS and AUTOPSY, it escapes me. This is repulsive death-doom laced with insane hammering in classic AUTOPSY/ABSCESS style. I would say the production here is slightly cleaner than what we usually get with AUTOPSY, but the same dedication to depraved sonic destruction is […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: VIMUR – Transcendental Violence

Once again showing conclusively that the best black metal doesn’t have to come from a frosty fjord or frozen tundra, VIMUR from Atlanta, Georgia unleash a beast of an album with Transcendental Violence. I enjoyed their previous work, Triumphant Master Of Fates, but this trumps it in just about every way. That is immediately apparent with ‘Aeonic Upheaval’ and man, oh man, does this SOB slam into your head like a sledgehammer. Combining the speed and majesty of “old” IMMORTAL with the ferocity of a MARDUK or GORGOROTH in full flow, this is a monster of power riffing that has […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: ABBATH – Dread Reaver

Black metal’s Uncle Buck returns to action and I’m not quite sure what to make of Dread Reaver. Yes, a lot of the ABBATH (and by way of osmosis, IMMORTAL) trademarks are here, but this has a different sound and approach than the man’s last two solo efforts. For one thing, the sound is rawer…a lot rawer. That’s not always a bad thing, to be sure, but the precision of previous ABBATH and also the last few IMMORTAL records is not here. Everything sounds a lot looser, almost like jamming in the rehearsal room, and the riffs don’t stick in […]

Album Reviews

Album Review: Mirror – The Day Bastard Leaders Die

Look deep into this MIRROR and you’ll see the spirit of true heavy metal staring back at you. I thought the debut from this Greek band was fantastic and The Day Bastard Leaders Die is a more than worthy follow-up. The creation of SATAN’S WRATH bassist Taz, this band is 100% dedicated to the sounds of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and the darkest ’70s hard rock. MIRROR play a rather elegant, almost baroque style of true metal that has a strong flavor of ANGELWITCH, CANDLEMASS and MERCYFUL FATE. Singer Jimmy Mavrommatis has a great clear voice that’s […]

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 […]

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