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Anyone who’s paid a wit’s worth of attention to popular music in the last decade can’t fail to have noticed the resurgence of purportedly heavy music, under a shifting series of monikers like Nu Metal, rapcore, and so forth. Despite the fact that some good acts manage to stumble their way into the limelight, the casual observer these days would probably associate things heavy and/or metal with the likes of Korn, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, or even Marilyn Manson hisself. But of course, this would be like thinking that cutting edge jazz began and ended with the current roster on Blue Note, Verve, or Impulse. We all know, of course, that while the majors can occasionally stumble into something good it’s the indie labels across genres which have been documenting the real deal. And key to the support and health of serious metal is the fine Century Media label out of California. These four new releases from CM testify to the label’s uncompromising aesthetic.
The latest brutal dispatch from Seattle’s Nevermore is an angst-filled 40 minute howl which combines the relentless drive of that city’s mathcore bands (Botch or Playing Enemy, for example) with the classic thrash-metal influences of Sanctuary, in which vocalist Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard worked. Joined by guitarist Jeff Loomis (whose acrobatic classical runs pack the same amount of power as his bottom-heavy riffing) and drummer Van Williams, the band has spent the better part of a decade honing their sound. Enemies of Reality is a bit more stripped down than its predecessors The Politics of Ecstasy and Dreaming Neon Black; but it’s an even brighter spotlight in which the gifted, versatile Dane shines alongside his intense bandmates. On this record, the band actually displays a growing affinity for hooks and memorably lyrical turnarounds – notable here is the opening track, but the otherwise vicious “Ambivalent” is similarly glossed (this may be because of Dane’s excellent Halford- and Dickinson-influenced flights). Sweetest of all – relatively speaking, of course – is the Queensryche-flavored “Tomorrow Turned Into Yesterday” (your mileage will vary considerably and, while it’s not to my taste in particular, it’s well executed stuff with enough edge to carry it). Most of the tunes feature a fierce, inexorable forward momentum, where a steady pulse belies constantly shifting accents and inflections (both harmonic and rhythmic); it gives the overall impression of something oscillating or glowing – not so much with menace as with a kind of protean potential for continual morphing. Growing out of this sensibility is a renewed attention to texture and drama, evident clearly in the wondrous overdubbed guitar fantasy on “Noumenon” where – set to the words “there is no stronger drug than reality” – the music slowly leaks and flows apart from the center. This kind of textural experimentalism is one of the things distinguishing this band and their peers from the generic schlock metal out there. But despite the admirable craft on such songs, this record wins most of all in punishing thrash songs like “I, Voyager,” where the industrial sounding bass coils through rapidfire guitar riffs (fans of recent Meshuggah will freak for this one). Good stuff.
Watch Them Die might come from the Bay Area scene, but these Oakland punishers are about pretty different than geographical colleagues Neurosis and Oxbow. Dedicated to documenting – though not condoning – the brutality of late capitalism, they very nearly earn the hype that defines their promotional materials: “Their goal is to make the most abrasive, in-your-face and dynamic music possible.” Bold stuff, but let’s just say that if I ever find myself in a fight, these are the cats I’d want to get my back. Rapid-fire riffs, agonized screams, and precision tempo shifts might be more or less the norm in metal, but these guys – veterans of powerhouse bands like Buzzov-en and World Salad – know how to do it with a fury that few can match. I mean, they have a song called “Sadist Ways” and lines that call for “your brains on a plate.” Certainly one of the main influences is Slayer, both in terms of the tight-as-a-fist harmonic clusters and their rhythmic attack (note “Unleashed”). But in vocalist Pat Vigil’s lyrics – from Phil Anselmo-style growling to Death Metal-like squeals, all the way to Steve Albini-esque mewling, believe it or not – there’s a paranoia and violence that, though discomforting, distinguishes this band. Though there is the occasional, fuzz-off breather from guitarists Jase Freakly and Greg Valencia (and these guys rule, able to play twin guitar melodies that lace through the wall of crunch just as surely as they can crank out the riffage alongside bassist Pat Mello and drummer Ira Harris), this is a mostly punishing record, ranging from sheer thrash to soundscape-y disorientation to the anguished worldview of Eyehategod. In some ways, Vigil’s spoken-word asides about guns, decaying health, and hopelessness are the most chilling parts of the album. In like fashion, there are recordings of other voices – “I just stabbed the shit out of him, until he didn’t move anymore,” for example – that exemplify the brutal worldview of these guys. The music’s just tight as hell, filled with energy (not weighed down by its precision, though you better believe these guys can play), and will get you going in a single adrenalized measure.
Formed from the ashes of important bands like Carnage (guitarist Michael Amott and former vocalist Johan Liiva), Arch Enemy’s new record is preoccupied with notions of rebellion and resistance, and indeed the martial drums and crowd sounds which open the disc convey the image of masses assembling for combat (though it’s unclear whether the setting is Helms Deep or somewhere more local). The vicious thrash they specialize in is an amalgam of styles from across Black Metal and Death Metal, from Slayer on out to the fringes (though vocalist Angela Gossow is considerably more scary than most of the fellas out there, and her ominous mewl gets under your skin a lot more than the typical barks or howls). How many women are there in this genre anyway? And I like the way her lyrics tend to steer away from the fairly predictable realms of fantasy and mythology, focusing in on the all-too-real oppressions and evils of the everyday world. The occasional passages of military drumming suggest the kind of homogenous lockstep that McWorld demands, whereas the band hopes to use its protean tunes to compel listeners to be individuals. Therein lay the true rebellion and resistance, presumably. The music features a familiar mix of slow mosh sections, twin guitar harmonies from the burning Amott brothers (Michael and Christopher), and wicked, piston-firing rhythm from former Mercyful Fate bassist Sharlee D’Angelo and double-kick drum wizard Daniel Erlandson. Arch Enemy prove themselves to be one of the better bands out there working the combination of pile-driving precision riffs, maddening technical proficiency, and complex harmony. The extreme instrumentalism won’t sound too radical for fans of Swedish metal (particularly for Opeth freaks), but others will be wowed by how this band combines real lyricism with punishing noise. The combination of hooks, atmosphere, and rage is pretty winning.
Dimension Zero also hails from Sweden, coming out of the thrash and death scenes to form a vicious synthesis of styles. Formed in the mid-1990s when guitarists Jesper Stromblad and Glenn Ljungstrom moonlighted from In Flames to put together a side project that was, believe it or not, more aggressive, they’ve honed their approach over successive albums since then. Joined by drummer Hans Nilsson, guitarist Daniel Antonsson (Stromblad plays bass here), and vocalist Jocke Gothberg, they’ve fulfilled that goal quite fearfully. “It’s like falling without hitting the ground,” intones a prerecorded voice during the intro to the opening frenzy. Well, even if DZ doesn’t quite generate that vertiginous effect, they still will leave listeners reeling. Their attention to feedback and atmosphere is appreciated, and there’s a ritualistic quality to some of this music which may bespeak a Neurosis influence. But the overall impression comes from the group’s propensity to simply slam into your earholes. Lest you think this stuff is about brute force alone, I should note that there’s a good deal of subtlety here too. The precision and intensity of the playing might cause you to miss a nifty shift in time signature, a clandestine harmonic shading, or a rogue counterline. This band has smarts as well as savagery. “Blood on the Streets” is a great example of this intelligence: Gothburg wails atop a shape-shifting rhythmic base (with crisp but deceptive accents from drummer Nilsson). It’s both intriguing and bludgeoning.
Come to think of it, that’s not a bad gloss on these four releases taken together. Building on the strengths of genre, the syntheses concocted by each band – and sponsored by the label – aim to avoid that same genre’s pitfalls.
~Jason Bivins
Posted by bivins on December 11, 2003 11:57 AMGreat review, JB. I wasn't as impressed by Nevermore as you (I think it was mostly the vocals that threw me off), but all three of the others are definitely solid efforts. I've been playing Arch Enemy quite a bit, and even got to meet the Arnotts and Angela awhile back. (She's very nice, and not at all scary in person.) Underground metal is the most exciting (and challenging - particularly the mathcore outfits) rock genre right now, and has been for several years. It definitely deserves a place at the Bagatellen table.
Posted by: Phil Freeman at December 12, 2003 6:38 AMHere’s a genre I still know virtually nothing about. Gotta give Jason props for uncovering a window with which to peer down into the Stygian depths. On a related subject what are the defining characteristics of a various breeds of metal? Is there even a consensus? Phil? Jason? Anyone? Care to educate an admitted Philistine on the subject?
And does anyone else find the name Century Media strangely straight-laced and corporate-sounding for a death/thrash metal label? Maybe it's for the benefit of their clean-cut shareholders?
I can give it a shot...here are a few subgenres, with actual recommendations attached.
Nu-metal: inspired equally by death metal and hip-hop (usually of the gangsta variety). Sometimes features turntables and samples; other times, just features detuned, ridiculously low bass guitar sounds, semi-funky rhythms and repetitive guitar figures, and pseudo-rapped vocals. Best bands in the genre: Slipknot, Deftones. Worst: Limp Bizkit, Korn.
Death metal: lots of low end, growly Cookie Monster-esque vocals, repetitive riffing punctuated by wheedly-deedly solos. Best bands: Mortician, Cannibal Corpse. Worst: there's a zillion of 'em - I'll go with Impaled.
Thrash metal: like death metal, only more melodic. Not practiced as much in the US anymore, but still big in Europe (the thrashiest band in the above review is Arch Enemy, who have choruses you can actually sing along to). Best bands: Arch Enemy, In Flames. Worst: again, there's a zillion, and I don't even know most of their names, cause they don't have U.S. record deals. Hint: if the band is from Italy, they suck.
Grindcore: incredibly fast (songs between 30 and 90 seconds long). Focused on precise yet chaotic-seeming drumming and vocals that sound like the guy is splattering the front rows with blood and vocal-chord chunks with each line. Best bands: Discordance Axis, early Napalm Death. Worst: Anal Cunt.
Doom: like early Black Sabbath, only slower and more lugubrious. Plodding rhythms, ultra-heavy riffage, lyrics about drugs and/or fantasy. Best bands: Spirit Caravan, High On Fire, Sleep. Worst: Cathedral (though they're worshipped by many of the doom faithful).
Posted by: Phil Freeman at December 12, 2003 1:38 PMI enjoyed my one loud listen through Dopesmoker, Phil, and thanks for prompting me to upgrade from Jerusalem, although I can't imagine wanting to play it again for the foreseeable future.
I used to really love Monster Magnet, they combined musicality and humor brilliantly at their peak, which I believe was Superjudge. anyone ever follow successfully in their footsteps?
Posted by: Jon Abbey at December 12, 2003 2:10 PM"I used to really love Monster Magnet, they combined musicality and humor brilliantly at their peak, which I believe was Superjudge. anyone ever follow successfully in their footsteps?"
--> i wouldn't call it "their footsteps", since the band i'm talking about sadly doesn't exist anymore... but in the realms of slow dirty rock for me there's never gonna be anyone capable to step up to KYUSS - these guys really knew how to rock (forget about qotsa)... "and the circus leaves town" is still one of my favorite rock albums ever .
jason/phil: what is mathcore ?
Posted by: tomas at December 12, 2003 3:28 PMyeah, I've tried kyuss and queens of the stone age both a bit, not my thing, I don't think. maybe I'll check out the one you like, tomas...
Posted by: Jon Abbey at December 12, 2003 4:22 PMjon, i agree on queens otsa - they're kind of to 'pop' for my taste. but you should definetely try kyuss' "...and the circus leaves town". i can send you a burn, if you want.
Posted by: tomas at December 12, 2003 4:48 PMjon, i agree on queens otsa - they're kind of too 'pop' for my taste. but you should definetely try kyuss' "...and the circus leaves town". i can send you a burn, if you want.
Posted by: tomas at December 12, 2003 4:48 PMoops... sorry for the double post...
Posted by: tomas at December 12, 2003 4:49 PMthanks, I can buy it, only $10.99 at Amazon. I'm all about supporting record labels. :)
fans there seem to prefer Welcome to Sky Valley, how's that one compare?
Posted by: Jon Abbey at December 12, 2003 5:03 PMsky valley is cool, too. it was their 'breaktrough' album. however i prefer 'circus' because it's a less polished, rawer album. well anyway, just a matter of taste. i'll send you my latest cd anyway, so i could as well burn you both 'circus' and 'sky valley' for you to compare - then you decide which one to buy. like this you support the label AND make sure not to buy some crap you don't like... ;) think about it.
Posted by: tomas at December 12, 2003 5:16 PMsure, I like that plan. thanks!
Posted by: Jon Abbey at December 12, 2003 5:28 PM"jason/phil: what is mathcore ?"
Tomas, I may be able to answer, but I might be completely wrong.
The name suggests that it is a hardcore metal strain of math rock, a genre that extends back through Rush and to bands like Yes. It's often identified by odd, complicated time signatures and a "tightness" not normally found in other areas of rock or metal.
There are a lot of indie bands performing this type of music and it strangely seems to come in and out of vogue every year or so.
Jason or Phil are welcome to set me completely straight on this.
As an aside, I remember seeing Helmet live in the early 90's and got a kick out of all the young headbangers trying to get a grip on the pulse.
Posted by: al at December 13, 2003 12:30 AMPhil, thanks for the handy-dandy primer. I’m going on a disc-hunting excursion today & hope to find one or two of your recs in the bins of the local brick & mortars. Especially like the phrase “wheedly-deedly.”
Doesn’t Page Hamilton of Helmet have an advanced degree in classical composition or something? I remember digging their 3rd album MEANTIME quite a bit in college. It’s only an educated guesss, but I’m surmising “mathcore” is a blending of classical/jazz (ie. academic) musicial principles with the visceral aesthetics of hardcore (speed riffing, the jagged time signatures Al mentioned, etc.)
Al's definition of mathcore is a very good one. It's basically a post-hardcore version of math-rock, so you get bands that can really play and mix heavy riffs with odd time signatures and often quite dissonant guitar solos (the guitar player in Botch, for example, quite often sounds like a video game gone berserk). My favorite mathcore records are Botch's We Are The Romans, Cave In's Until Your Heart Stops and the Dillinger Escape Plan's Calculating Infinity. Also, there's a band called Dysrhythmia doing instrumental mathcore stuff - they've got two good albums, No Interference and Pretest.
Also, I wholly recommend checking out Yakuza. I reviewed them for The Wire awhile back; they combine post-hardcore thrash with out-jazz saxophone (Ken Vandermark guests on their album, but the vocalist plays sax in the band full-time, too), and the last track on their CD is a 43-minute instrumental that sounds like a metalhead's take on Miles' "He Loved Him Madly." The record's called Way Of The Dead and it, too, is on Century Media.
Posted by: Phil Freeman at December 13, 2003 7:28 AMAlso, if anybody's in New York next week and wants to check out a truly weird fringe metal show, come down to Tonic on Monday night. Khanate are a doom metal band who play so incredibly slowly that even Michael Gira of the Swans, had he heard them in 1985, would have been yelling, "Get on with it already!" They're paired with Orthrelm, who are a guitar-drums duo who sound like they're improvising, but are in fact playing totally composed, incredibly compressed nuggets of post-metal...something. I reviewed both these acts for The Wire, and I'm still disappointed that Chris Bohn chopped out the best line of my Orthrelm review:
"If Derek Bailey was Yngwie Malmsteen, he'd be Orthrelm's guitarist, Mick Barr."
Posted by: Phil Freeman at December 13, 2003 7:31 AMHmmm, have to check out Orthrelm - that sounds pretty hot. I usually tend more towards the mathcore in my own listening, and don't listen to a whole lot of the darker stuff (though I certainly dig bands like Opeth). The Botch album is one of the true great ones of the genre, and the title track is unreal.
Steve Smith is swearing by a new Tzadik release by Kayodot. Anyone heard it yet?
Posted by: Jason at December 13, 2003 10:00 AMspeaking of page hamilton: does he have a new band? any new albums? ...
Posted by: tomas at December 13, 2003 3:46 PMFor awhile, he had a band called Gandhi. I downloaded their 5-song demo; it might still be on my hard drive at work. It was not as good as Helmet. More indie-rock, less guitar grrr. The rumor is, though, that Helmet might be back - they're putting out a best-of in early 04, and there are supposed to be a couple of shows.
Posted by: Phil at December 13, 2003 5:50 PMthanks for the info, phil. i liked helmet (specially the meantime album - not so much the last one, aftertaste). would be cool to see them back.
Posted by: tomas at December 13, 2003 8:34 PMThis past week I got a CD from Century Media that would make an excellent (no, superb) starting point for anybody here looking to get a handle on current metal. It's called Metal For The Masses, Vol. II, and it's a 2-disc set. Disc 1 is about 20 songs from various Century Media and Nuclear Blast 2003 releases - Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, lots of others. Disc 2 is what you're really paying for, though. One hundred and sixty MP3s by pretty much the whole roster, past and present, of Century Media, Nuclear Blast and Olympic. Back catalog stuff, 2003 stuff, no more than two tracks per band. Even I found this to be incredibly generous and well-nigh indispensible. I've loaded up my office iTunes with all 160 tracks - it's about 11 1/2 hours of music. I think this is actually a budget-priced sampler disc, too. No excuse for not picking it up. Even if you buy nothing else in '04, this one purchase will keep you in metal for the year, no problem.
Posted by: Phil Freeman at December 29, 2003 2:09 PMHey phil freeman Metal for the masses is one of the best cd's ive come to find at a great price, in fact I just picked up volume three, two was so good I had to get 3. Though Im haveing a difficult time finding volume one, you know where I can pick a copy up?
Posted by: Jay42k at January 9, 2005 10:39 PM.................................................. © 2003 - 2006 bagatellen ..................................................
