“Brock’s 2 cents” – quick metal reviews!
Three months in and new releases are coming out left & right along with partially self isolating myself due to the Covid19 virus I got a bunch of time to offer my reviews of recently released albums that I think you should know about. Forget about these in depth reviews, I’m bringing you quick reviews on multiple releases to help guide your way through the METAL world today!
BASICALLY THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, LIKE IT OR NOT…
Rating: [0 (sucks) to 5 (awesome)]
{Format: Band – album title = rating |label |genre of metal. review}
DEMONS & WIZARDS – III = 3.5/5 |Century Media |Power Metal
I love BLIND GUARDIAN & ICED EARTH, but when it comes to DEMONS & WIZARDS, they’ve always been just OK to me. 15 years later, a third album is delivered and it’s the best one yet! Seems like they had more time or put more effort into writing this album. It similar to the first 2 albums but the song writing over the entire album is way better. My only complaint is a few tracks are a little too long but it’s been forever since a new album… Fans will love this album, basically any power metal fan should love this album! 11 tracks, 4 are killer and 4 are OK.
ffo: BLIND GUARDIAN, ICED EARTH, SONS OF LIBERTY, ANGRA, JUDAS PRIEST
IHSAHN – Telemark = 3.5/5 |Candlelight |Extreme Progressive Metal
This new EP from IHSAHN is incredible, the album is still progressive but more accessible, basically more EMPEROR-ish playing progressive metal. Its still has saxophone on it but it fits better compared to previous efforts (in my opinion). I think it sounds like a mix of all albums. Its everything you’d expect from IHSAHN! This is a must, check it out! 5 tracks, 2 good covers, 2 killer tracks and 1 good!
ffo: EMPEROR, OPETH, LEPROUS, ARCTURUS
TESTAMENT – Titans of Creation = 3/5 |Nuclear Blast |Thrash Metal
The last killer album from TESTAMENT was The Gathering and with the first 2 tracks of this new album Titans of Creation I thought this album could be too. The last few albums from TESTAMENT since The Gathering were OK, a few killer, a few good, rest blah. Titans of Creation starts off killer then immediately hits a wall of mediocrity for the middle of this album then picks back up at the back end. TESTAMENT fans will love this album, I think its the best since The Gathering but in the vein of the last few. 12 tracks, 4 are killer and 5 are good.
ffo: EXODUS, OVERKILL, MEGADETH, KREATOR, SLAYER
BENEATH THE MASSACRE – Fearmonger = 3.5/5 |Century Media| Deathcore
I was hosting a College metal radio show during the Metalcore and Deathcore beginnings and was not a fan of most of it, but I did like BENEATH THE MASSACRE and DESPISED ICON when it came to Deathcore. 6 years after their last album Incongruous, BENEATH THE MASSACRE delivers a well written damn good album! This is a culmination of all their albums into this new one. It’s everything you’d expect from them and it’s crushing. It’s relentless and then smacks you in the face with some breakdowns. If I wasn’t so partial to their debut EP, I’d call this their best album! 10 tracks, 5 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: DESPISED ICON, BRAIN DRILL, VIRAEMIA, ION DISSONANCE
BODY COUNT – Carnivore = 2/5 |Cenutry Media |Metal/Hip Hop Fusion
I’ve always been a fan of BODY COUNT and I loved the self titled release back in the day, then they delivered a few so-so albums after that but since their resurrection with the Manslaughter album in 2014, BODY COUNT has been delivering damn good albums. This new album doesn’t match the standard of their recent albums but some tracks like “Bum Rush” and “Thee Critical Breakdown” brings that normal recognition you’d expect from BODY COUNT and they’ll become classic tracks! It’s least favorite since the reforming in 2014. Also offering awesome covers of MOTORHEAD & and two ICE T songs converted into metal. 11 tracks, 2 are killer and 5 are OK.
ffo: ICE T, HATEBREED, BIOHAZARD, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
PSYCHOTIC WALTZ – The God-Shaped Void = 3.25/5 |Inside Out |Progressive Metal
WOW! 24 years later PSYCHOTIC WALTZ delivers a new album and it’s good! This new album is not as technical as previous albums, its more melodic. This new album has well written melodies and some remember-able riffs that will stick in your in head for days later. I’m glad this band came back but I did want some more technical aspects of their earlier albums to be on this which is my only fault of The God-Shaped Void. Fans will love this and new comers should check out all their material! 10 tracks, 4 are killer and 4 are good.
ffo: FATES WARNING, SPIRAL ARCHITECT, DREAM THEATER, MEKONG DELTA
NIGHT CROWNED – Impius Viam = 4.25/5 |Noble Demon |Melodic Black Metal
A new band from Sweden featuring members from ex-melodic DM bands that formed a BM band with the DARK FUNERAL drummer and it’s absolute killer melodic BM! This is top notch production of fast blasting BM with melodies and head-banging riffs that stick in your head. This is a culmination of everything melodic BM into an album, its definitely a must for fans of the genre! Seriously any metal head should at least check this album out for a song or two! 12 tracks, 7 are killer and 2 are good!
ffo: DISSECTION, [newer] EMPEROR, VINTERLAND, SACRAMENTUM, COR SCORPII
DARK FORTRESS – Spectres from the Old World = 1.5/5 |Century Media |Progressive Black Metal
Finally a new album, 6 years after Venereal Dawn, comes Spectres From the Old World, a mix of BM and experimentation aka what’s called “progressive” now. About a third of the album is blasting BM similar to their earlier albums then the rest is them evolving their sound which I’m not a fan of. I loved 4 out of their first 7 albums and this, the 8th is OK, it had the potential to be great but didn’t end up that way. 12 tracks, 2 are killer and 3 are OK.
ffo: NAGLFAR, KEEP OF KALESSIN, DISSECTION, HYPOCRISY
OZZY OSBOURNE – Ordinary Man = 2/5 |Sony Music |Heavy Metal
Right off the back, I’m disappointed he didn’t work with Zakk Wylde for (probably) his last album for whatever reason. Basically it sounds like this was made for corporate radio, but if you take it for face value its good but nothing special. Then again if you put this up against older albums it doesn’t stand up. The songs musically wise is very average but Ozzy’s lyrics are very emotionally heavy on this album. If your a big Ozzy fan, you’ll dig it… others, give it a listen at least. For face value, I dig it, but maybe I was just hungry for some new Ozzy music in general… 11 tracks, 3 are good and 6 are OK.
ffo: BLACK SABBATH
WOMBBATH – Choirs of the Fallen = 2.5/5 |Soulseller |Old School Death Metal
WOMBBATH‘s last album The Great Desolation was the best thing they’ve done since the incredible debut album Internal Caustic Torments, so I was ready to see where this new one stacks up at! With a new guitarist and drummer there’s a little bit difference in the songs but still offering up that OSDM you’d love! Its not as good as the two aforementioned albums but its still a good release! When it comes to OSDM, WOMBBATH is one of the best. 10 tracks, 3 are killer and 4 are OK.
ffo: GOD MACABRE, BENEDICTION, JUNGLE ROT, DISMEMBER, [early] ENTOMBED
SVART CROWN – Wolves Among The Ashes = 2/5 |Century Media |Blackened Death Metal
With their 5th album, SVART CROWN continues their evolution with more clean singing, slower tracks and grooves similar to GOJIRA. Personally I enjoy their earlier albums, but this one is not bad. I understand a band needs to grow but I’d wish they’d work in more of their earlier style in the direction they are going. If you liked the last album, you’ll definitely like this one! 8 tracks 2 are good and 3 are OK.
ffo: BEHEMOTH, HATE, GOJIRA, ULCERATE
TRAUMA – Omnious Black = 3/5 |Selfmadegod |Death Metal
TRAUMA from Poland is from the second wave of DM coming out of the 90’s that has delivering solid after solid album since their existence and somehow never got the full respect they deserve! 7 years later, finally a new album and its damn good! TRAUMA delivered again like usual, just a solid DM album! If your a DM head, you should know this band, this is a must to check out! 9 tracks, 4 are killer and 3 are good!
ffo: VADER, MASACHIST, LOST SOUL, DECAPITATED
TRIBE OF PAZUZU – King of All Demons = 2.5/5 |Vic |Death Metal
The second EP offering a year after the debut, a super-group of sorts featuring John McEntee(INCANTATION), Flo Mounier(CRYPTOPSY), and Nick Sagias(ex-PESTILENCE). King of All Demons sounds a bit different from the debut. Seems like the band is developing a sound more of their own adding more of an OSDM sound, than the debut which sounded a lot like PESTILENCE. Overall, not bad, better than the debut. 5 tracks, 2 are killer and 2 are OK.
ffo: KRABATHOR, PESTILENCE, JUNGLE ROT, BENEDICTION
FRACTURED INSANITY – Massive Human Failure = 2/5 |Massacre |Death Metal
FRACTURED INSANITY continues their Florida style brand of semi-tech blasting DM with this new album. Its an OK release but it’s not better than the last 2 albums. The first half of the album is blasting and the second half is more mid-paced DM. There seems to be a theme about the atom bomb on the lyrical side. If you know the band you’ll definitely dig it, if not, check out their earlier albums. 9 tracks, 2 are killer and 5 are OK.
ffo: BRUTALITY, MALEVOLENT CREATION, VADER, BELPHEGOR
BERZERKER LEGION – Obliterate The Weak = 0.5/5 |Listenable | Death Metal
An underground super-group featuring members from ASPHYX, DARK FUNERAL, HYPOCRISY, WOMBBATH and VADER, with that being stated I was pumped to hear this. I hit play and was thrown back with what I heard, not saying its a rip off but its sounds like leftover AMON AMARTH songs. Next track, same thing, next track, same thing, around track 5 things start to sound different but very much like HYPOCRISY and remains that way til the end of the album. Very surprised this is what they offered. For who is in this band and the talent, this album should be way, way, way, way better. I’m very disappointed and let down. 10 tracks, 1 is good and 2 are OK.
ffo: AMON AMARTH, HYPOCRISY, KATAKLYSM, GOD DETHRONED
