Blut Aus Nord "Memoria Vetusta I - Fathers Of The Icy Age" (1996)

Having tuned into Blut Aus Nord in recent years, my exploratory return into Black Metal origins had me picking out this first installment of the Memoria Vetusta trilogy. I'm some what astonished to find their unique character fully expressed this early on. The subtle touches of Psychedelia and Shoegaze had played like matured fine wine.

 

Yet here we are in 96, these fantastical, mysterious inflections, on a then fresh Black Metal sound, dominate a devilish spectacle. Roaring out from limited, fuzzy production, yet to figure out its aesthetic needs, we have trippy lead melodies, ungodly choral vocals and dexterous baselines converging on swells of sequestered darkly magic. Powered along by a barrage of animated drums, the duo sound unlike any other. Lengthy songs run ambitious, holding ones attention in its tension, as ripping guitars shell out dissonance that meanders into gratifying melodies.

 

Its a familiar expression but in this infancy feels daring and exciting. The band carry the hallmarks of northern darkness with their own flair, curious, majestic and sinister, feeling like a journey through an arcane societal order of the seven layers of hell. Memoria Vetusta is a mighty fine craft, I'm glad to have found it among the rubble.

 

Rating: 7/10

Burzum "Filosofem" (1996)

 

With a stroke of genius, Hvis Lyset Tar Oss broke ground on what Black Metal could be. Its popular predecessor Filosofem, further explores this atmospheric angle. Shifting tone and temperament in slight degrees, Varg returns with the usual sentiments of mother natures harsh realities, lonesome, esoteric and fantastical. Consciously lowering fidelity somewhat, loose distant drums, simmering fuzzy guitars and half spoken distortions of English lyrics embark on lengthy marches. Another flavor of his crude yet deeply effective atmospheres.

Exploring potent chemistries Dunkelheit and Erbicket pace through mid tempo storms of gnarly fuzz, illuminated by soft synth tones. The latter's eclipsing keyboard melody simply unforgettable. They breed an usual tension accepting inner peace and mortal death. Between them, Jesus' Tod runs rampant into the darkness, cycling mean, sinister riffs through hurtling blast beats. Completely unrelenting, only its catchy melody offers relief to its ceaseless nature.

In my opinion the record should have concluded with Rundgang, a twenty five minute minimalist piece evoking transient spiritual sentiments. Often erroneously compared to Tomhet, its soothing tone and curiously introspective mood plays like a headspace alteration, more so than a song. It won me over decades ago, a perfect companion for lonely night walks through forest and fields lit by moonlight. It holds a mesmerizing magic I only hope others can encounter too.

Either side of this track lay the two halves of Gebrechlichkeit, a destitute experience built on sullen guitar riffs and sluggish, melancholic synth melodies. Lacking drums and its second instance simply pulling the groaning vocals of despair, it seems as if an unfinished track has been used to pad out the records duration, leaving its later half primed for skipping over. This is where it loses merit. This could have been another classic, given how undeniable its opening trilogy of song are.

Rating: 9/10

Type O Negative "October Rust" (1996)

 

Smoothing out the oddities of torturous experimental sound design and crass, filthy humor, Type O Negative deliver a cohesive, lengthy album experience fit for a classic. Breezing past two brief humor driven tracks, Love You To Death embarks on chilly December moors. Cold winds groan as merciful  melancholic melodies descend upon on a cursed gothic romance. Stripped is the architecture of cinematic cheesy horror tones they previously yielded to sincerity. With a dreamy yet dreary aesthetic, imbued by fuzzed, hazy guitars and murky bass distortions, the record croons with affection.

October Rust's metallic foundations plays second fiddle to the manly sobs of Steele's engrossed voice. Soaring with emotive words, punctuated by cunning lyrics, he lands songs gracefully with infectious moods to latch onto. In duet with Josh Silver's keys, together they reign in a 90s spirit, yielding it to their own confessions in a glory of tuneful delights. Touches of the Alternative and Grunge sound lurk, even a smidge of Britpop akin sensibilities are heard on brighter numbers like Green Man.

Embracing warmth on brighter outings, so to do swings into dramatic sorrows and pains adorn this venture. Glorified by a passionate love of Gothic veneer, Type O Negative revel in the anguish of heartbreaks and loves lost. Thus its songs swerve the terrain of frosty landscapes in remarkably acute degrees. Both light and dark find unusual unions under brooding church organs, shimmering Shoegaze guitar tones and even a glistening Christmas bells on a mournful, gloomy Red Water.

Despite brilliance throughout, October Rust's second half steadies pace. After My Girlfriend's Girlfriend, a tongue in cheek romp, a string of excellence expires. The cover of Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl a further highlight and the concluding ten minute Haunting. Their absurdist humor is not lost, as the song abruptly ends during its Doom Metal parade upon lunging tempo and choral harmonies. I do wonder if it was brought about by medium constraints. After the sudden close, its final spoken remarks, "I hope it wasn't to disappointing" a crude one, given the wonderful seventy minute machination of Gothic majesty and 90s moods that proceeded it. A classic? Almost!

Rating: 9/10

Old Man's Child "Born Of The Flickering" (1996)

 

Embarking on what will be an emotionally nostalgic musical journey, this first full length record from Old Man's Child is a rather fractured memory. Over the years I seemed to have formed the impression that Born Of The Flickering was a failed debut running counter to the magic of the In The Shades Of Life demo EP before it. Half of this record I remember fond and vividly. The other half brings a rush of excitement as new songs from a classic era enter the consciousness. My suspicion is I heard some of these songs in the piracy days of Napster and individual song sharing.

Born Of The Flickering is charming in its rawness and appetite. The production is rough around the edges with the vision emanating from within. Being mostly guitar led, the album kicks off with old earth castly songs of medieval kings, crusades and combat. Ancient magics are suggested by its garish purple record cover surrounding a vampiric bat and song themes fit for a nostalgic tone not far from Dungeon Synth.

The guitar dominance is bold early on, its mostly power chord slaying riffs not consistently accompanied by symphonic keys and heathen choral vocal chants, however their arrival is always timely. Along the way Galder picks up a knack for groove and bounce, subtly working in moving riffs between the drone of shadowy candle lit menace. Its abrasive for the time but doesn't lean to heavily on blast beats.

Along the way, Galder experiments with deep pitch shifted guttural groans in a beastly fashion with choral uplifts alongside his throaty howls. Its a welcome variety embellishing his vision. The productions rawness bolsters punctuating bass lines that sound amateurish and overpowering in their loose rumble yet seem only to aid the experience. Again, his Spanish acoustic guitar licks cropping up periodically are smooth and slick. The music outshines its mishmash of tones so often, leaving one to ask is fidelity really an issue? Although its obvious low budget, it seems nothing is lost!

Christian Death sticks out a thorn with its rehashing of Burzum's classic Stemmen Fra Tårnet riff, something a lot of early Black Metal bands rehash with their own inspiration. The following songs converge on some of the albums best moments, the ones I remember vividly. Old Man's Child stand impressively on its own at this point in time. Released the same year as Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, its the following releases that start to walk in the Dimmu Borgir vein. In this moment however, Galder forged a mood of his own.

Rating: 8/10

Dimmu Borgir "Devil's Path" (1996)

 

If you are unaware of this little gem, then oh boy are you in for a treat. Recorded and released between Stormblast and Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, it serves as an insight into the radical transition Dimmu Borgir undertook in that period. Its opener Master Of Disharmony made it onto EDT and the title track would be later re-recorded in their modernized aesthetic. Also included are two versions of Nocturnal Fear, a Celtic Frost cover that sends a nod to one of their key influences. The songs pivot a minute in from a pacey evil assault to a stomping heavy metal groove feels akin to the new style of songwriting Dimmu showcased with this release of this four track EP.

Before the metallic song kicks in, Master Of Disharmony opens up with a short and entrancing, ritualistic instrumental. Foreshadowing conspiracy and collusion with the devil, its opening line, now using English lyrics, commands "sons of Satan, gather for attack!". Tjodalv's competency as a drummer is drastically improved as his rattling blast beats unleash a new darkness for the band. The synth tones bring a sinister edge and the fast guitar blister in grimace under that loose snare rattle. Shagrath too seems far more intentional, embodying the persona of this soul shrouded in darkness, seeking possession. Understand the words goes lengths to embellishing the theme.

In this new direction Dimmu counterbalance their satanic persona with bursts of big Heavy Metal groove, theme enriching malevolent synths and flushes of melody through guitar leads and lively, animated solos. Devil's Path also works within this new song writing style but whats special here is the albums production. Rough and raw around the edges, its lower fidelity aesthetic doesn't exactly hold the music back but showcases the transition out of one era and into another. Its ninety percent musical and makes me dream of hearing ETD in this style. This is nothing like the Stormblast MMV re-recording as their musical maturity had truly turned a leaf. Ultimately you'd have to conclude the modernization of their aesthetic was a genius call, however you know the songs would hold up well in a different context thanks to Devil's Path.

Rating: 6/10

Arcturus "Aspera Hiems Symfonia" (1996)

 

 The unhinged rattle of a rapturous drumming, A lone distortion guitar with a dark breeze of melody, the aura of nightly synths glistening. Its a muddy mess we are initially thrown into, which then swiftly plunges into blast beats and throaty howling screams before opening up its triumphant gleam as astral organ synths and warm patrolling baselines bear its melodic majesty with might. As the music sways, the darkness is doubled down on, driving rapid chugs on the low end of the guitar and nose diving with the snare led blast. As it rears towards the darkness, so does it expand the crevasses of starlit light. They are birthed into progressive passageways of rhythmic creativity and instrumental craft imbued by subtle violin strokes and blossomed with a stunning guitar solo before the wretched howls of Garm and a bleak melodic lead reels in the song to a festive, carnival conclusion of mischief.

This is To Thou Who Dwellest In The Night, the opening track too one of my most deified Symphonic Black Metal records. Its the niche of a genre that really spoke to me in my youth. This being that one weird and sloppily produced record that I couldn't resist. It lured me in with its spellbound tone over and over again before I gave into its persuasion. Its flaws are beauty and the musical craft is a wondrous moment of genius somewhat confined to the initial cliches of this emerging sound. Arcturus would go on to fully explore their unique identity unchained but at this moments, its true birth, the grasp of Black Metal is simply a blessing to steer it to a fantastical darkness of unending imagination inspired by the mysterious night sky above.

The brilliance of drummer and living legend Hellhammer is all over this record. Although a toned down performance by his technical prowess, the rattle and roar of his thunderous drumming houses the strong expression through melody in aggression mainly backed up by the reverberated cries into the night by Garm. He also has a stunning clean voice which enters the fray timely to bring enchantment to its sways into the more expansive side of their music with deep belows and high notes alike. Its the guitar leads and synths that embellish the identity, offering up matured arrangements with melodic sways and subtle grooves more so than its occasional power chord thrashings. This is thoughtful music, reaching at the harder to express ideas with a range of fantastical synth aesthetics to back it up.

Aspera Hiems Symfonia's texture is often cold, harsh and bleak with the keys injecting this linage of majesty through its often clanky involvement. The production is a mess! Instruments bleed and clash but through this, the keyboard's classic Casio and Korg tones are blemished, shining through cracks in the seams to make themselves known. It has just enough presence to be known in subtlety and with each listen one can revere in the clarity that comes of repetition. To this day I feel like I always learn a little more of its nature with each listen. As the album art intends, they often remind me of the Northen Lights illuminating the vast endless forests of Norwegian darkness the genre's counterparts are so inspired by. These musicians noticed the stars above.

Interestingly, this record is preceded by Constellation, an EP with four of these eight songs. It gets unbalanced by its overuse of synth however with this outing they nailed a concept you could of completely missed given its initial execution. Its the newer songs that tend to be the finer affairs with a more dynamic sense of where the songs should travel. The older songs have some stiffly stitched together sections with dramatic shifts in tone and dynamics, often repetitious in structure. The attempted sound design with thunder strikes and other rumblings at the end of Wintry Grey is a fumble but the music is too glorious for it to tarnish the spell.

Arcturus have been a deeply wondrous band I've adored for so long and have been blessed to see them live. Its hard to pick a favorite, each of their albums so different and interesting. They would go on to be better known for their Avant-Guard styling but even here at the cast mold of new ideas they were a force of their own, standing alongside the cold bitter darkness of their counterparts, yet being an entirely different beast fueled by the wonder of the cosmos, both in name and spirit. My recent brush with My Angel was a keen reminder as to how special this debut album of theirs really is. Twenty five years on and it still holds up.

Rating: 10/10

Bathory "Blood On Ice" (1996)

 

Relinquishing the failed detours of Requiem and Octagon, this ninth installment, supposedly compromised of mostly unreleased material from the era post Blood Fire Death, it marks a return to the much adored Viking Metal sound Quorthon pioneered. Although similar in overall length, its eleven tracks feel clunky, alternating in temperament that breaks up its flow. This falls inline with a statement that forty percent of material was was reworked for this release. The swan songs Man Of Iron and The Ravens, One Eyed Old Mans Motorhead energy, the galloping pace of Gods Of Thunder And Of Rain and the Progressive riffing of The Stallion stick out with a keen shift away from the established sound of heathen cultural inspiration.

The rest of the record however carries over much of what was heard on Twilight Of The Gods with far more gusto in its meaty distortion guitars and epic drums lavished in reverb, with exception to the tom drums which are claustrophobic on some tracks, as if recorded in a cupboard. Choirs of human voices with a rural burden return and Quorthon mostly delivers his cleaner style blemished in authenticity as he tangles with notes just beyond his grasp. Its mostly charming, at least I've heard him do worse with this unfiltered approach.

After many spins Blood On Ice still plays like a fractured record with a shared vision. The Lake takes merit as a stand out track, its dragging discordant guitar chords provide an epic drone for gloomy voice to be counteracted by frays of glossy acoustic chords plucked slowly. Its an epic with a guitar solo to match, which bring me to another point, his lead guitar work on this one isn't as sharp. The record was shelved unfinished in 1989 and its resurrection doesn't make it feel anymore complete.

Rating: 6/10

House Of Pain "Truth Crushed To Earth Shall Rise Again" (1996)

 

Concluding our brief dive into the House Of Pain trio of records, Truth Crushed To Earth Shall Rise Again marks a significant shift in tone. Swiftly followed by the announcement of the groups split, it is possible the creative issues apparent on this album may have had something to do with it. Its opening track Fed Up is the only song I remember from years ago. I'm unsure if I ever gave this one much of a try back in the day but one things for sure, its lacks any kind of spark to mark it memorable.

No longer working with DJ Muggs, DJ Leathal's production is lackluster in comparison, missing the distinct flavor that defined their earlier output. These beats are middle of the road for a 90s sound. If anything, I find myself picking up some clear Pete Rock & CL Smooth vibes here. To be fair, little is negative but the temperament is so mild and easy going that when dipping its toes into shadowy, rugged or bombastic leanings, it doesn't manifest to anything substantial. It lacks teeth for the bite.

Bringing on a whole host of guests including the legendary Guru and Brand Nubian, the sound feels better catered for them than Everlast's rough, lived-in voice. He has a bit of friction with a lot of these instrumentals. On Earthquake though, the elements align for one decent track. Writing this now, it seems like a common theme, Everlast's hooks don't play of the beats all that well, yet his guests do excel with their verses.

Among the lack of cohesion and shifted tone there is a reasonable bunch of clever, crafty, witty rhymes to enjoy and brief bursts of fun, potent flows with powerful wordings, mostly from the features. The stars just don't align on this time around. Its left me feeling as if they had a great record in them that never came to be. Either way, its been fun to dig back into these albums with a 90s flair I adore.

Favorite Track: Earthquake

Rating: 4/10

Xzibit "At The Speed Of Life" (1996)

Seemingly always in the mood for 90s Hip Hop, It occurred to me Xzibit would be a great artist to dive into. I've always been fond of the famed MTV Pimp My Ride rapper, his features with Dr. Dre and Eminem were fantastic back in the day. At The Speed Of Life is the West Coast artists debut and one I actually got into a decade or so ago when really binging into the scene. The single hit Paparazzi holds up well over time but its not much of a surprise that the rest of the record doesn't have the same stick.

Xzibit has a very firm grip on the mic. Aggressive, coherent and articulate, he stands boldly. His vocal tone has a little flavor similar to the looseness of East Coast rappers Redman and Eric Sermon but he stays firmly on track with his rhymes. A steady flow with plenty of sensible word play he almost lacks a spark or flair of sorts. In the wake of weaker lyrics he can be unremarkable but for the most part the story telling and train of through is powerful enough to affirm himself with some serious credibility.

All these years later his more personal oriented rhymes really stuck in the mind but where the record falls short is production. Often gloomy and urban toned beats, swaying between some more rugged bouncy tracks, are all a tough thin and stiff. Somewhere in its composition a little oomph is missing. The ideas are great, the atmospheres forged make much sense but it can't help but feel sparse. The into and interludes also bloat the records pace with a lack of purpose or conception.

This debut record is a good platform to get moving as an artist, he shows his promise, puts together plenty of solid story telling as his explains his life journey to this point. The features are a little varied, he lets a handful of compadres on the mic and they often make for duller moments in the albums flow. Hurricane G on the other hand brings a lot of excitable energy that compliments X well. Its enjoyable, a fun handful of listens can be had but lacks a spark to make it memorable.

Favorite Tracks: At The Speed Of Life, Paparazzi, Carry The Weight

Rating: 5/10

Tool "Ænima" (1996)

Three years on from their burly debut Undertow, American outfit Tool make dynamic strides forward. In scale, atmosphere and dynamism Ænima goes further inwards and beyond their horizons, helping us to all seventy eight minutes available to CD format of that time. These lengthy songs takes their time, meandering in a madness that lays beyond. After its first three songs, each track is broken up with some form of interlude, a few of which are rather fascinating. So far I have found Tool to be a strange band to decipher, its a slow process but that strangeness is now starting to seem like whats to be embraced. Its all so obvious now, as the analytic mind turn on, the signs light up.

More so than before do these songs unfold like abstract emotional journeys. Playing with loud-quiet dynamics, the group craft songs with a keen ear for atmospheres which can stir the mood and dip toes into psychedelic realms before they so often erupt with groove and aggression. Once again its Keenan's shouts and groans that seem to resonate most with these outbursts as his words reach their pinnacle at the crux of the musical momentum. It is perhaps the brittle and stale, buzzing guitar tone that withdraws what should be obvious. Riffs crafted with precision and cohesion that's just unlike other bands of the time... or anything Ive heard. They just have an edge in that department that feels blunted by a grisly and chromatic production style.

 When the temperament is calmer, with an often unsettling demeanor, these guitar bends do resonate sweetly but that is just a personal preference. The drums play straight in heavy sections but conjure its share of atmosphere, guiding the direction exquisitely. Keenan gives a lot of emotional clout to the music, his frustrations and musings delineates much of the upheaval and unrest the compositions hold in their peering to the darkness that lurks in the shadows of every song. Even in its boldest of scenic passings does the mood not feel far from a strange madness, even the unleashing of roaring intensity does not go all the way in to that which stirs beyond.

This darkly bizarre side of this record lays itself bare on a handful of its many interlude tracks. Experiments in noise from the electric zaps and interstellar storms of Ions, to a babies needing cries, drowned out by alien buzzing and flickering voices on Cesaro Summability. Die Eier Von Satan stands stark apart from anything else at work as a commanding, domineering German voice recites a recipe for baking cookies as if at a Nuremberg rally. Its a fine piece of paranoid Martial Industial but feels more like a cheap trick more so than any true insight into historical prejudices, the song is of course fantastically string, as well as a haunting reminder of the perils of man.

The record comes to a close with a snippet of the then recently deceased Bill Hicks to tie noisy synth experiments into a lengthy epic closer of psychedelic exploration that ends with the alarming cries of "prying open my third eye" over and over. The bands ability to hold and progress a moment really shines and ends the record on one hell of a bang. I still feel like there is deeper to go with this record but I can firmly see the excellence and praise music fans heap on this band is showing. It will take longer for me but I am enjoying the process and eagerly awaiting Lateralus.

Favorite Tracks: Stinkfist, H, Forty Six & 2, Jimmy, Die Eier Von Satan, Third Eye
Rating: 8/10

Cardiacs "Sing To God" (1996)

These English rockers second to last record, Sing To God, is a wild ride of a double album! The mistress of its own madness, this eclectically eccentric display of intensified ideals pummels the listener with its dense wall of sound. An unending sprawl of musical mania unfolds as the four piece sound arm themselves to the teeth with attitude and energy to sound like a orchestra on an adrenaline rush. Every note, melody and sung lyric is reinforced by this cacophony of instruments turned to eleven and itching to blast their sound in unison.

These compositions will have one lost in a madhouse as songs leap, lunge and erupt with every shift in structure. Opportunities to jump ship on tempo, pace, time signature and mood are taken, throwing one of the scent frequently. Through this apparent absurdity some very English and Classic Rock musicianship can be heard, echos of Progressive Rock and especially Queen disguise themselves as all the instruments line up like a band of red faced lunatics trying to out play each other, blowing themselves out in the processs.

Its a wonderful experience for those who seek it. A wall of sound that undoubtedly had an influence on Devin Townsend. It was one of the first things I picked up on and subsequent research revealed this is one of his favorite records! The production lends itself kindly to instruments who's aesthetics are charged, frothing and ready to synchronize with anything that steps near. Its a continual treat, whenever a melody is played or sung, before it can finish making itself known an arsenal of competing sounds rush in to make that dizzying wall of sound come to life with a touch of hysteria.

At ninety minutes it tests its listeners endurance, the psychedelic lunacy ceases to let up for a rest and its length may be unnecessary in getting a point across. At times its nutty tone slips into aesthetics where simpler themes emerge but that is just a response to the expectant complexity displayed, its only disappointment is a reliance on fade outs which usual land on a new section of music that's cursed to shadows. Many of my favorite moments are on the first half, by the time the second comes around its worn me down, which I love. Its filled to the brim with creativity and a nutty sense of radical fun that's a race to the finish line only the band will ever win. A very notable record worthy of any acclaim.

Rating: 8/10

Depressive Silence "Depressive Silence" (1996)

My recent return to Dungeon Synth music via Örnatorpet had me on a curiosity binge, another plunge into the depths of Internet search results, aiming to learn more about the genre. I stumbled upon a treasure trove, a list of over three hundred records leading me to discover this classic cassette released by a German duo in the genres infancy. With retroactive ears the influence is obvious and astonishing, however my enjoyment of such a gem may have been tarnished by hearing the trail of successors to this sound beforehand.

Despite the name, Depressive Silence is a rather mellow and peaceful music project that has a distant haunting of darkness beyond the realm of its ethereal, fantasy driven atmospheres. They may have first steered the genre into more adventurous territory than its gloomy, dark, dungeon alike origins. With big and vivid synths and organs the music brings on a hypnotic persuasion as its think back bone of ethereal fog is graced by luscious, serine melodies that echo Medieval ideals similar to Fief.

 The music transpires in a meditative state, undoubtedly helped along by its low fidelity recording that muddies and muffles the clarity of instruments, allowing the reverb and textures to inspire an allusiveness that feels grandiose, heavenly and deeply mysterious. I find myself often envisioning clouds and pearl white sky cities peaking out between the layers of cloud. Its minimal, and powerful, this low-fi approach lets simple compositions of two to four layers come to life in the ambiguity of their chemistry.

This self titled record is a wonderful, calming and hypnotic listening experience, soothing, mystic with a natural vibe. For its time, a very much unique, visionary take on the scarce Dungeon Synth sound. Its first two songs are utterly fantastic however the following tracks tend to blaze the same trail with a little less magic. They may pale in comparison but it is still magic none the less. Really impressive record, no doubt it would of had a bigger impact on me if I didn't know this sound so well already.

Favorite Tracks: Forests Of Eternity, Depths Of The Oceans, Dreams

Rating: 7/10

D12 "The Underground EP" (1996)

The Dirty Dozen, better know as D12 are a Detroit based rap collective formed in 1996. They are best known for their association with founding member Eminem, who created his Slim Shady persona for the group, each of the six members had alter egos to make up a dozen. My recent foray into some of Marshall's early records and Soul Intent demos led me too this record I completely forgotten about. Its no surprise because its a poor demo release, perhaps hindered by the poor fidelity of some tracks which border inaudible as the bass rumbles and overpowers the rappers.

I was never big on D12, Purple Pills and the like where fun back in the MTV days but only one track, Fight Music, still sounds reasonable today. The rest of their material sounds immature and intentionally shocking upon reflection. Lyrically this EP has more substance in flashes but also some indulgences in intentionally provocative lyrics. Its a high pitched, Beastie Boys alike, Eminem and filthy Bizzare that lead the front on the shock lyrics. Proof on the other hand comes with far better verses than anyone else around him and gives the record a couple of credible track.

The production style dominates my lack of enjoyment. The beats are stripped back and dull. Popping snares groove of light, brief bass kicks and thin hi-hats while melodies are reduced to a minimal amount of notes. The sub bass rumbles with a lack of coherence, just punching in the space around the kick drum adding next to no value. Cock And Squeeze ads some thickness and color to the sound with an indulgent, hypnotic sample but the the choice to cut the volume dead in time with the beat is a firm reminder this style is just not my cup of tea. Its all to stiff and monotone, I can't groove with it. One track, Derelict Theme, manages to overcast this style with some powerful, moody strings that bring a rich and gnarly atmosphere to the track but one reasonable song in a stint of drab duds couldn't save this record.

In their inception there is little other than Proof that stands out and shows promise. You can however hear some obvious influences on Eminem's career, especially when he gets into production in the mid 00s, his hard cut style has some similarities to whats attempted here. The Underground EP is unfortunately a dull record and given the fidelity of Art Of War it could be argued that the quality of this lost, out of print record may play a big hand in its lifeless feel but since this is all we have, it is what it is, somewhat of a stinker.

Rating: 2/10

Danzig "V Blackacidevil" (1996)

Given the streak of four solid, successive records I was expecting a downturn at some point along the line in the Danzig legacy, however this drastic shift in style was not anticipated. With vague echos of their former identity lurking in the shadows, the group choose to reinvent their sound in a different vein. Released the same year as Antichrist Superstar, they move into the currently exploding Industrial Metal scene. Vocally this performance sounds very akin to Nine Inch Nails on one track, Danzig himself ditching the voice that made the project dazzle in favor softly sung, half spoken verses in the same fashion as Trent Reznor. Mostly though he adopts another familiar approach, the distant yet channeled shout, that of Ministry's Al Jourgensen.

Initially all of this was a bit much to stomach, a harsh and rigid tone fronts the listener as its chiseling, roaring guitars drone under a dense layers of sampled drum loops and the drummer churning out steady grooves to keep the tempo. An unsurprising compliment of machine like synths whirl and buzz out half melodies on Industrial sounding noises to thicken a lifeless texture. It all forms into a clatter of noise which mostly has little charm. A lack of groove, energy or purpose dominates the dull vibes as the songs mull through simple song structures with the odd mustering of unusual sounds within breaks. It really comes off like an imitation game of sorts, with Danzig missing the mark.

With familiarity a couple of better songs emerge but mostly for being more tolerable in a string of unexciting, tedious Industrial drones. Although the production style initially seemed a stiff and harsh it turned out the lack of melody and texture to the songwriting gave it a rough entry point. As my ears adjusted across several listens it become apparent the music itself was the real problem. Their racket of a cover of Black Sabbath's "Hand Of Doom" another low point on a record that only produced two good songs at best, their attempt to follow in the footsteps of others a disappointing one. They threw away a golden sound, I can only hope the sixth chapter gets back to what they are great at doing.

Favorite Track: Sacrifice

Rating: 3/10

Eminem "Infinite" (1996)

Back at the turn of the millennium during the infancy of the Internet, Eminem's debut LP "Infinite" was somewhat of an urban myth, listed on underground websites yet not acknowledged by the rapper himself. Thanks to the emergence of peer to peer sharing, this record could reach many curious fans, surpassing the reach of its limited print. With only a thousand vinyl copies produced it has become a collectors relic, with many bootlegs appearing for sale on auction websites. Of course today you can probably just jump onto youtube and hear it within seconds compared to the days of MP3 sharing on Napster I had endured to hear this gem of a record.

There's a novelty factor to hearing the prolific rapper at a younger age, noticeable in the higher pitch of his voice. At twenty four his talent was already a bright star shining and so swiftly does that novelty wear off as his flows and rhyme schemes lock you in for a smooth ride along his effortless raps that can change pace and switch rhythm mid sentence. At this stage in his career Em had yet to birth the Slim Shady character and so the rhymes drop with a lack of swearing, violence and vile energy. Its endearing of his natural ability as he spits clever, witty instances of rhyme and wordplay with an expansive vocabulary. It may require a dictionary to keep up with the word meanings he swiftly stacks on top of one another. Its almost a crutch at times, frequently using this double rhyming in practically every verse. Otherwise its an impressive performance with Em infrequently cursing.

 

Infinite is an intentionally friendly, accessible record and that may ultimately seem as its downfall but the reality is its final stretch of songs from, "Never 2 Far" to "Jelousy Woes II" tend to drop off from the strong opening tracks. The albums production also falls a couple years behind the trend curb, aiming for those warm fuzzy Hip Hop vibes the likes of Nas's Illmatic peaked with in the early nineties. Em even samples and references rhymes from Illamtic and sounds a fair bit like rapper AZ who backed up Nas on that classic record. Its a clear inspiration for Infinite and the first few songs get the vibe just right with Jazzy samples and tight grooves however the quality is sub par. Instrumentally everything is a little muddy and gloomy despite having an uplifting mood. It doesn't hold back Em, or the songs themselves but by the time the last four tracks roll around its outstayed its welcome.

Its obvious now why this record didn't launch Eminem's career, for all the technical prowess and undeniable talent, he had yet to carve a character, a niche that would stand him apart in a crowd. Attempting to get radio play on a flawed production it ultimately ended up in this being a complete flop but now its an absolutely treat for Eminem fans to enjoy the world over. If your a fan, give it a listen, Ems rhymes are dynamite and carry it far, there arn't many rappers that could make a flawed concept sound so good.

Favorite Tracks: Infinite, Its Ok, Tonite, Open Mic

Rating: 6/10

Killing Joke "Democracy" (1996)

Having spent time routing through old posts, writing up my favorite records of 2017, I am reminded of a few artists who discographies Ive been getting through on this blog but yet to make It over the finish line. Killing Joke's 10th record Democracy is the next in sequence and their final release before a temporary split leading to a lasting reunion seven years later. With the bands identity so ingrained in my mind its been hard to get into this record, simply because its not as unexpected or challenging as those classic early records. That being said Democracy is a solid record with firm theme and consistent tone that fully realizes its own vision.

Moving on from the metallic Pandemonium, Killing Joke trade in the tight and cleaner production for a denser, noisy affair more in turn with Extremites... Its loud, muddy and flavored by the smothering dissonance of layered guitars. Commanded by singer Jaz's dominant personality, he affronts the establishment, crying out at the facade of democracy and its influencers, criticizing the dull reality that a working class dream is of a paid mortgage. Its bleak and moody perspective on the follies of modern man are parallel to its foggy tone as big, mammoth wailing guitars plunder through the marching, pounding Industrial drive of drummer Dugmore.

Light electronics and occasional use of flange and phasers add some texture to the fold but it mostly goes through the motions with unchanging pace. The intensity varies from track to track but as the record stretches on it becomes somewhat monotone given its singular direction and droning nature. A lack of event or evolution holds it back but then that's never been the Killing Joke way, they once again home in on a feeling and grind it down in their Post-Punk alike noise guitars and churning Industrial pace. It ends up being a rather average album with a couple of more favorable songs.

Favorite Tracks: Prozac People, Aeon, Pilgrimage

Rating: 5/10

Pantera "The Great Southern Trendkill" (1996)

The legendary Pantera, vanguard of Metal in the nineties, continued their succession of records with the ambitiously aggressive and vicious "The Great Southern Trendkill", the bands fourth if you ignore the early Glam Metal albums. It arrives just before the storm as Phil Anselmo's erratic behavior and back pain issues would tear the band apart. He recorded his vocals separate from his bandmates, something I did not know before returning to this record. Its actually been over a decade since I last listened to it in full, my memory of it rather absent too. Diving into the trendkill again I remember every second and am genuinely mystified as to how I never saw it as a contender for the bands best record.

Where most bands often find a path to more commercially acceptable sounds over time, Pantera seem hell bent on tightening the screws and gritting their teeth with a meaner, tougher sound each album cycle, which may even fringe on Extreme Metal in moments throughout. With the production as lean as ever the Dimebag tone hits full pelt with a stunning capture of his howling guitar stance. The swell of chugging, textural crunching grooves and shrill screeching of harmonious leads resonate with a selection of tight moshable riffs, unforgettable solos and a fair helping of experimentation that births genius like the title track, a dual guitar solo leading into riptide of duality as the groove and lead meld with a flourish of harmonic scattering.

The creativity flows through his brother Vinnie, rattling out those mechanical grooves on his slick drum kit. The measured gated reverb is sublime, giving his hits a slick clean tone with a sharp punch and spacious feeling. As always the duo's chemistry plays off one another with Dime's grooves finding a perfect fit. "13 Steps To Nowhere" stands out as a particularly strong track for Vinnie where he comes to the forefront with his double bass pedal rumbling and tom rolls when the guitars cut out. The song has a dark atmosphere which is let loose as Phil iconicly screams "Thirteen Steps" over and over, leading into a demonic break down as unearthly sounds flutter by and Vinnie unleashes a deep, booming drum strike of evil and menace.

As mentioned earlier Phil recorded his vocals separate from band, something I would have never guessed and now with a closer ear I do pickup on some sections where the lyrical lines read straight from the 4/4 however his vocal input sounds as creative and involved as his band mates. Coming with a sharp, harsh, constrained scream Anselmo oozes with inspired delivery as the pain in his lyrics leap from the songs with sincerity and intensity. His struggle felt so vividly on the impacting "Suicide Note Pt.I" where the guitars drop to acoustic for a sombre moment of reality before erupting into the chaos of guitar screeching and rumbling grooves of Dimebag in part two of the song.

The brilliance of a band on the same wavelength shines strong, Phil always pushing his band mates to go harder and hard they went however It is remarkable they pulled this off given obvious tensions within the camp. Without a second of filler Pantera offer up their hardest thrashing of brutal metal to date and its all laden with southern groove, dazzling guitar work and a sprinkle of magic the culminates with one of the greatest guitar solo to grace this planet, Floods. At the thirty five minute mark this seven minute marvel carries the record to its finial phase with Dime shredding the most emotional and surreal expressions from his guitar and throwing it down to the abyssal, sludge of his whammy bar dropping riff that has Anselmo drying "die! die! die!".

The album continues on strong with another blaring riot of mean gritty riffage on "The Underground In America" and goes out with a bang on "Sandblasted Skin" which includes a fade out, minutes of silence and a brief fade in I never quite understood. All in all its Pantera finest moment, their push for a harder sound yields a lot of creativity and experimentation that comes off a charm and keeps the whole album rocking without a weak point. Sadly so their final record couldn't quite keep up with the continuous improvement in form, one can only dream what could of been, lets be thankful for the wonderful music Dime and his cronies left us!

Favorite Tracks: The Great Southern Trendkill, 10s, 13 Steps To Nowhere, Suicide Note, Floods, The Underground In America
Rating: 10/10

Metallica "Load" (1996)

 After the monumental success of the self titled "Black Album", the legendary Metallica took five years to find an artistic stride to new territory. Despite them selling multi-platinum copies and bringing hordes of new fans to the Heavy Metal culture, their back to back Load and Reload records have been the mockery of metalhead snobs from then till now. The sad reality is I was once one of them. Thankfully my journey of music discovery has led me to a place where I want to hear what the artist is about and not just what I think will satisfy my taste buds.

Metallica were right there at the formation of my passion for music, my first and still favorite record of theirs, Ride The Lightning, carved my passion for this music and being a young teen with Christmas on the horizon I had a chance to scoop up more. Visiting the local record shop I was captivated by the covers of Load & Reload and picked them as my next Metallica records, so imagine my disappointment not to hear more of that fast, dark and sleek Thrash Metal! Unfortunately that sour first experience and the rarity of encountering fans that liked these records solidified my opinion that they were garbage... I owe a big thanks to the "That's Not Metal" podcast for prodding back to these records, their epic ten hour talk covering every inch of history in detail and heaped praise on this period of the bands history. With the fire stoked again for this band Load has been on heavy rotation and with mature ears I can join them in their praise of a truly excellent musical period for the band.

Where the old guard may moan that the Thrash roots are gone, Metallica have moved on, evolving into a mature beast that channels the energy of old into hefty, momentous grooves and power throttling drives of weighty riffage that erupts among a band expanding their horizons. Broadening their pallet, the four horseman let the sounds of Blues, Country and Hard Rock accent the guitar tones, steady the pace to a strut and shift the "heavy" to the grooving backbone as their new expressions become a focal point. Songs like "Ain't My Bitch", "2X4" and "Wasting My Hate" stick to their guns but the rest of the record flourishes with the new pallet.

Hetfield has to be given major props for his performance on this record. If the riffs weren't hard, thick and jiving enough, his vocal performance soars on many moments of the record with fantastic harmonious deliveries that will have you singing along. His mannerisms, the "ooh"s and "yeah"s reach a new level of infectious attitude and enthusiasm for his art which just pours out on this record, most likely due to turning inwards for inspiration. The social, political commentaries of past are void, with practically every track carrying an introspective edge in his words. Like with the range of energy these songs carry, James matches it with endearing performances, like the emotional, ranged, Country power ballad "Mama Said" to the grit and gusto of the grisly "Poor Twisted Me".

At nearly eighty minutes the album is loaded, mind the pun, by a band producing gold that might of needed some refinement, one or two less favorable songs trimmed, some unnecessary length on tracks too but the reality is the atmosphere and drive Load has keeps its excitement from start to end. Maybe this lost treasure trove from one of my favorite bands is just too much for me at the moment as I haven't wanted to skip by a second of this yet. I think the variety the record offers has much to say, flexing chunky heavy grooves between diversions into Blues and Country let the songs wind into different territories all while maintaining the grit of the biker gang persona that resonates. Free spirit on the road man.

Production wise, we have an authentic aesthetic. You can feel the heat, sweat and sand of dusty winds and hot climates. Lars's drum kit is snappy, sharp and piercing, every strike is heard and his patterns are as always a strong fitting for Hetfield. Kirk and Jason sound somewhat underutilized, his fifteen years in the band leading to a criminal lack of creative input that finds most of the baselines backing the guitar with a warm, thick mirroring in the base that provides a meaty thud when James gets into the heavier riffs. Kirk's solo's haven't left much of a mark on me, his roll is heard emphasizing the accent and tone Metallica are coming from but his leads never overtook the expressions of Hetfield who drives everything forward with his riffs and singing.

If I were to be critical of anything it could never be the artwork, the change in image the band undertook. Metallica aimed to reinvent themselves and that's exactly what musicians should do when it calls for it. Retrospectively I can see how turning the axis on whats of expected of Metal music is so important for the genre to evolve and perhaps their choices here have had unfounded influences on the shape of modern Metal. Its quite the shame that none of these songs grace the live show anymore. This is a fantastic period for the band, evolving their artistic expression and hitting the mark in the process. Now to binge on Reload!

Favorite Tracks: Until It Sleeps, Bleeding Me, Cure, Mama Said

Rating: 9/10

Busta Rhymes "The Coming" (1996)

Brooklyn rapper Busta Rhymes is one one Hip Hop's most recognizable names but personally Ive associated him with the popular, mainstream side of the music due to his presences on MTV back in the day. With my journey through the 90s era Ive heard him appearing on many records, The Low End Theory, Project Funk Da World, Warriorz etc... changing my mind on where he stands. Looking over is list of features its clear he runs in some of the circles I'm yet to get around to but the point is hes a classic 90s era rapper and his debut record as a solo artist seemed like a great place to start.

Departing from Leaders Of The New School, Busta shows his strengths as a lone force, being the records biggest flavor, his hard hitting, energetic, charismatic flow has the rhymes spitting in an ever changing variety of styles. His words drop with texture and hype as he constantly shifts the persona and delivery. Its slightly manic, schizophrenic, his snap "ha" and crooked laughs in the backup track reinforce the mania that his flow creates. He has pace and emphasizes the mid point of longer words, bringing them into the rhyme flow, doubling up the on sentence endings. He also jumps on and off the tempo of the beat, regularly ramping up extra rhymes into the end of bars and shifting his pitch for various words and laughs. His distinct and clearly gifted style gives a lot of oomph to the record. Not many of rhymes stuck in my mind but with exception to one or two tracks Busta's flow was engaging and fun to follow for the runtime.

The albums production was handled by Busta himself and a couple other producers like DJ Scratch and Easy Mo Bee contributed tracks. The result is a rather mediocre collection of beats that don't have much of an over bearing theme or style to hold it together. Generally the beats steer to a more bombastic and darker leaning. Dub and Reggae influences emerge on some tracks but nothing defining. The album has one R&B, radio friendly song "It's A Party", which just so happened to be a single. Its a reasonable record, Busta's ability to rhyme really carries it but without him it would of been quite the lull despite quite a few big names in the features.

Favorite Tracks: Do My Thing, Everything Remains Raw, Woo Hah!

Rating: 5/10

Ulver "Kveldsjanger" (1996)

I've always been aware of Ulver, never quite found my way into his eclectic collection of records however the recent release of "The Assassination Of Julies Caesar" has cracked open the door. "Kveldsjanger" caught my ear as I was skimming through albums. Its part of the "Black Metal Trilogy" yet has not a drip of anything Metal in sight. Ulver's first record had both Black Metal and Norwegian Folk music woven into one, the following two records would split the styles and so this release is thirty five minutes of enchanting, mythic, Norse Folk to sink into.

Serine acoustic guitars, enchanting flutes, a deep brooding cello and absorbing vocals paint a wonderfully primitive and spiritual experience, capturing the spell bounding beauty of the cold natural terrain. Its wooden acoustics have a natural chill about them, very earthly. They strum out layered arrangements that sway their linage, ever changing, there twang a touch Spanish in moments but rarely that temperate. Garm's voice has a few intensities, sometimes loud and burly at the forefront, performing a folk tale, other times hes heard holding notes and words in the distance like a hymn behind the guitars. It always brings a spiritual humanistic level to the music and puts a soul within the landscape.

The nuances of detail are almost irrelevant in how vividly the vision of times gone by come across. The vast Nordic countryside is brought to life with a rural honesty, the mood doesn't steer into paganism, darkness or some exaggeration. It has a grounded authenticity that lets your imagination set the scene. A slight streak of sorrow runs through some tracks but nothing ever feels obvious, Its mood and tone command the setting with compositions that feel like old Folk songs have been fleshed out and expanded upon. "Hiertets Vee" steps of the path with the sound of vicious whirling winds and the end of the song, lonely flutes are heard through it, painting visions of travelers hunkering down to see out a storm. Its just a single moment that's a little more cinematic than musical and it fits right in. This record is a wonderful piece of folk art, a go to record for that atmosphere of the ancient past.

Rating: 8/10