Rigor Mortis - “Slaves To The Grave” CD/DVD

Fitting epitaph for fallen thrash warrior

As a final statement after the untimely passing of founder and guitarist extraordinaire Mike Scaccia, this posthumous Rigor Mortis album, their first since 1991, shows a band who might have planned on so much more. The album’s opener, “Poltergeist”, even hints at a more spacious sound. But “Rain Of Ruin” dives into what Rigor Mortis were always known for — lightning speed thrash metal. Scaccia’s guitars are, if anything else, both swifter and cleaner, and vocalist Bruce Corbitt’s voice has gotten gruffer and thicker, if that makes any sense. The band themselves are tighter and more potent than ever before, making “Slaves To The Grave” a fitting return slash epitaph for this underrated Texas act.

Recorded at Ministry’s 13th Planet Studios (the home to many of Scaccia’s works with that band), the album is a clean and killer mix of fiery speed and scalding songwriting. “Flesh For Flies” is a blur, approaching grindcore, even, while “Fragrance Of Corpse” is a fun and bouncy tale of dead bodies, re-animating corpses, and everything gore-fixated that the band was known for. “Curse Of The Draugr” showcases Scaccia’s mighty riffs well, and this album serves as a final tribute to the man who was loved by many, and in some ways was the heart of Rigor Mortis. 

The bonus DVD, attached to the first pressing of this album, is a 20+ minute look into the studio recording of the album, with all four of the band present. It’s mostly in-studio discussion with some playing, and a couple of live cuts thrown on toward the end. Nothing essential, but a great collectors’ piece for fans. 

R.I.P. Mike, and thanks to the rest of the band for realizing this final release in his honor. Thrash on!

Rigor Mortis Records

Rigor Mortis - “Rigor Mortis” CD

Classic thrash

The legendary debut album from Texas’ infamous thrash metal innovators has been at last reissued, with an added bonus track for fans (the punk-tinged “Spivey”). Originally released way back in 1988, Rigor Mortis (whose members would later go on to further notoriety with bands like Gwar and Ministry) dared to fuse ultra-speedy thrash metal with their gore movie fascination. Tracks like “Wizard Of Gore” or “Re-Animator” hold their inspirations proudly on their sleeves, and they obviously had a lot of fun doing it. Kudos for not taking themselves too seriously.

Coming around at roughly the same time as Slayer, Rigor Mortis mined much the same territory, never receiving quite the acclaim as their Bay Area brothers, but producing at least as heavy a din. Production on “Rigor Mortis” is clean, thanks to Skinny Puppy producer Dave Ogilvie’s mix, but the real treat here is the band’s skill at lightning-fast, yet clean instrumentation. Vocalist Bruce Corbitt has a raspy growl, but it never gets to the point of going all “Cookie Monster”, and guitarist Mike Scaccia had some of the speediest guitar riffs I have ever heard. This is old-school thrash metal, pure and unadulterated, and one of the genre’s most beloved templates.

Unequivocally a big influence on many a death metal act, Rigor Mortis’ debut is a recording that may not get it’s full due, but certainly has a place in many a metalhead’s heart. 

official Rigor Mortisbook

Corrosive Carcass - "Composition Of Flesh" CD

The debut from a Swedish death/gore metal band, "Composition Of Flesh" is a thick and sludgy attack, with the requisite gurgled vocals. Is this some kind of tribute to early Carcass? Not necessarily, as Corrosive Carcass seem more structured and, dare I say, almost tuneful as compared to Steer and Walker's legendary English gore/grind act. There remains some quality, if somewhat derivative, work here, nonetheless.

"Self Mutilation" is a solid slab of fuzzy, downtuned guitars and a breakneck pace. "Born In A Casket" would be perfect for a frenzied mosh pit (if those exist anymore), with multi-tempoed attacks that divebomb into blurry thrash madness. Other cuts are dynamic and well-produced berzerkers, as well. Corrosive Carcass aren't doing anything too unique, but they do a wonderful job creating ugly, sludgy metal monsters that mosh with the best of them. I liked.

(Abyss Records)

Corrosive Carcasspace

Desultor - "Masters Of Hate" CD

The debut album from Swedish duo Desultor is what the band themselves call "Murder Metal". I dunno about that description, but "Masters Of Hate" opens well with the big thrashy "Black Monday", which is like classic British metal, albeit with blastbeats! Production is clear and crunchy, so this smokes, right out of the gate.

From there, this 11-song, 33-minute album combines the melodic and cacophonous. "Another World" combines slower, melodic, classic falsetto vocal stylings with fearsome blast-thrash riffs and rhythms. There are guitar solos here, too, so Desultor aren't afraid to go "old school". Solid, solid stuff for fans of metal as it once was.

(Abyss Records)

Desultorbook

Maax - "Six Pack Witchcraft" CDEP

5 songs and 14 minutes of rolling black thrash metal thunder from an Indiana group. This EP was originally released in 2010, and the band have since realized a full-length LP, which I've not heard. Regardless, this is a solid piece of evil metal madness.

The opening cut, "Die By The Ax" is a beast of unbridled mayhem, with witchy vocals and a tough thrash exterior. Imagine if Motorhead careened headfirst into Darkthrone, and you'd be close to Maax's ferocious sound. The other cuts, including the blurry and subtle "Go Fuck Yourself", echo this sentiment. The title track is a pure drunken punk/black metal crossover that is as dirty and smelly as can be, which is a good thing. The only thing holding up this brief EP is the muddied mix, in which the lower end seems bottomed out. Nonetheless, these guys bring it in an authentic way.

(Abyss Records)

Maaxspace

Huinca -"Sic Semper Tyrannis" CD

Huinca is a Chilean metal band that embraces their ancient Latin American heritage, and "Sic Semper Tyrannis" is their debut. Opening with the anthemic "Revuelta" (with words in their native Spanish), the band moves to English with the tight and crunchy "Trepador". "Rapa Nui" is a fierce and rolling thrash assault with a hint of tribalism that reminds of classic Sepultura, somehow. "Guerrero" is another standout, with a complex arrangement that bounces from groove-heavy thrashiness to odd textures and playful interspersed interludes. "Tirano" steamrolls, as does the closer, "Who Is Next", which somehow recalls the heavier moments of Voivod. This is a fine album that shows some extraordinary vision and maturity, and I see Huinca as a great metal hope for 2013. (Digmetalworld)

Huinca site

Huincaspace

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder - "Ghostmaker" album

The third album from this Pennsylvania band consists of 12 tracks and 45 minutes that instantly rage with an assault of death/grind riff and pummel. But these guys have a sense of humor about things, which is always refreshing. That's not to say that tracks like "Get Out Of My Grave/Gigantic Graveyard" or "Nightworms" are light listening, though. Quite the contrary. 

The dual guitar pyrotechnics of Ryan Moll and Matt Moore are thick and tight, and the rhythm section follows suit. Moore's vocals are of the throat-throttling death metal variety, and Moll's solos (as in "Run Through The Bastards") are impeccable. Production is deep, making "Ghostmaker" a superb album in every respect. Thumbs up here. (Candlelight Records)

RG website

Rumpelstiltskin Grinderspace

Philm - "Harmonic" CD

Featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (of Slayer and Fantomas fame), this new power trio is, as expected, pretty heavy-duty stuff. Philm, which pairs Lombardo with friends from the bands War and Civil Defiance, is a raw, stripped-down, and organic beast, with tracks pulling from metal, punk, and even a small amount of jazz (however slight). "Area" combines a melodic side with fairly brutal and tight metal/punk, whereas "Way Down" even gets bluesy near the end. Other cuts, like "Sex Amp", remind me of a punchier Prong, namely due to Gerry Nestler's vocals. "Mezzanine" jams it out for a spaced-out psychedelic vibe, while "Meditation", the closer, is anything but. "Harmonic", all told, is a lengthy set of playful and taut heavy rockers that showcase Lombardo and company's diverse tastes and talents. (Ipecac)

Crucifuge - "Vestri Animus est Mei" CD

This debut from Evansville, Indiana metal act Crucifuge opens with the propulsive "Souls Of Darkness" and continues with the raging thrash/death metal of "The Noose" (which is only sullied by a dry production). Musically, the band brings (chiefly) classic thrash elements to the table, with a dual assault of gurgling death vocals and shrill screams. "Insanity Overdose" shows off Jesse Izsak's more melodic vocal style (reminding me a bit of Burton Bell of Fear Factory). Other tracks showcase elements of power metal, gothic metal, and even grindcore. In fact, these guys change it up so much that I'm left a bit confused as to their true identity. It's a strong first showing, but Crucifuge aren't fully there yet. (self-released)

Crucifuge site

Evil United - "Evil United" CD

Texan metal maniacs Evil United summon the ghosts of classic thrash with their self-titled debut. "Dawn Of Armageddon" reminds of Iron Maiden or Megadeth, as vocalist Jason McMaster's fearsome falsetto is pure NWOBHM. All the while, the band lay out a rumbling assault that isn't so much innovative or brutal as it is disciplined and unflinchingly adept at classic metal affectations. I get some Slayer in there somewhere, too, which isn't a bad thing, necessarily. "Speak" is another standout, bringing out some more atonal assaults ala Pantera or Treponem Pal. Well-defined and reverent, Evil United have the chops and the sound. (MVD Audio)

Evil United site

Evilspace

Untimely Demise - "City Of Steel" CD

This Saskawawan metal band has all the classic thrash elements down well, and "City Of Steel" is their full-length debut. Produced by former King Diamond/Megadeth axeman Glen Drover, "City Of Steel" is a driving set of energetic and evil tunes that recall both the excesses and economy of Megadeth as well as the Accused (with the shrill, bilious vocals). Not a bad mix, if you ask me! "Hunting Evil" is ripe with wild guitar solos, whereas the title track is a potent and speedy assault of riff and rhythm. "Unmaker" begins as a melodic ballad at first, before erupting into a fury of anthemic metal mayhem. Superb work, and at only 32 minutes, a concise trip into a mad metal world. (Sonic Unyon Metal)

Untimely Demisespace

Voivod - "Warriors Of Ice" CD

A well-recorded live album from these Canadian tech-prog-metal futurists, "Warriors" reunites the 3 surviving original Voivod members for a set of classics and favorites, including "Voivod", "Nothingface", and "Nuclear War".

It's good to hear these legends going back to their thrashy roots, with songs like "Overreaction" being blurs of primal metal fueled by visions of a post-Bladerunner cyberpunk world. "Brain Scan" is prog-metal with clarity and guts, and sans pretense or wankiness. It all closes with the band's notorious and wonderfully faithful cover of Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett-era psychedelic masterpiece, "Astronomy Domine". The recordings here are crisp and punchy, with plenty of bottom-end crunch. Superb work from some legends who keep motoring on. (Sonic Unyon Metal)

official Voivod site

Spudmonsters - "Stand Up For What You Believe" album

This takes me way back. Cleveland's Spudmonsters were a staple of the Midwestern hardcore/punk scene back in the late 80s and early 90s. Their sound combined speedy hardcore with elements of punk and thrash metal. "Stand Up" is their first new material in 5 years, and luckily, they've held their ground well. This is classic, old-school hardcore, with no apologies and no concessions.

"One Family" opens it all with a blur of bulldog shouts and thrash metal riffage. I'm reminded of Suicidal Tendencies a little. "Loyalty" also expresses the band's H/C philosophy well, as does the speedy "Tolerance". "It Follows" is positively anthemic, reminding me of Minor Threat with a simple melodic chorus. "Nothing Remains" is a tightly-wound attack that closes it all out. "Stand Up" proves that Spudmonsters still shred after more than 20 years. For anyone into classic hardcore, this is a must-hear. (Fast Break! Entertainment)

Spudmonsterspace

Malevolent Creation - "Death From Down Under" DVD

American death metal recorded live with 4 cameras in Sydney, Australia. It's a raw, unadorned production, capturing the band at their blurry, riffy, grunty best. Highlights include the fearsome speed/death of "Blood Brothers" and the well-oiled machine that is "Man's Demise". "Fine Art Of Murder" is another churning, gutteral assault.

Over the course of 60 minutes, you get tons of hair-tossing, guitar-thrashing, speed/death metal madness from a band that's been around for almost 25 years. Definitely a treat for converted fans, but this band knows their craft well enough to convince me, too. Bravo, boys! (Arctic Music Group)

Malevolentspace

Soil Of Ignorance / Wadge - "Split 7""

This split 7" features a pair of underground Canadian metal/grind bands who can shred well, thank you very much. Soil Of Ignorance's side is a series of bursting, gutteral grindcore blasts that remind me of classic, early Napalm Death. Cool retro noise for metalheads. Wadge, on the other side, are more crusty speed/thrash metal. Their "Maim To Please" starts things out right, with lightning-speed guitars and spastic drumming. "Sir Gimply Biscuits Of Gibletshire III" shows the group's sillier side. "Topsy's Curse" is a violent minute or so. A lot of fun, for the 10 minutes you get. (Give Praise)

Soil Of Ignorancespace

Rage - "Strings To A Web" album

Well, this little-known (at least on these shores) veteran German metal act has been around for 24 years now, and that likely explains their predilection for classic thrash and melodic metal. Sure, it's a total stereotype, but these guys bring a really strong production, excellent musicianship, and some tight guitar solos and buzzsaw riffs to the table. It's a shame they've yet to "break" America, as they're every bit as good as big names like Megadeth or (cough cough) Metallica. Granted, there are some sappy, silly tracks here, too, that mar the experience. Witness the well-played "Into The Light", which comes far too close to bad mainstream metal, with downright awful lyrics. Maybe there's something lost in the translation from German to English? On a whole different level, "Fatal Grace" is a brief interlude worthy of a schmaltzy adult contemporary recording -- Kenny G, anyone? Nah, me neither.

Nonetheless, "Strings To A Web" is a fun album to listen to -- not too heavy, and just melodic enough to catch the ear. Just don't listen to the lyrics, and you'll be in for a treat of (mostly) old-school heavy metal, clean and clear with a well-developed sense of melody. Rock on, dudes. (Sonic Unyon Metal)

Ragespace

Rage official website

Suicidal Tendencies - "No Mercy Fool! / The Suicidal Family" CD

Not sure of the reasoning behind this one, but it's essentially remakes of tracks from Suicidal's 1987 skate-punk classic second album, "Join The Army", appended with remakes of Suicidal speed metal project No Mercy's second album. The retooling of "Possessed To Skate" is smooth, fast, and packed with all the punk-funk-metal you'd expect from these hooligans.

I'll admit it's fun to hear these old favorites again, even if they seem smoother and cleaner to these ears. In fact, that's my only complaint here -- the production makes this all seem too tame. "Come Alive" is a fireball of reckless thrash, but it's smoothed out by the production. Likewise, "We're F'n Evil" is another retro-smasher that sounds canned by it's production. Suicidal are a raging band with their hearts in the right place, but this one isn't among their better works. Here's to them letting loose next time. (Suicidal Records)

Lair Of The Minotaur - "Evil Power" CD

Chicago's LOTM are a monstrously heavy and thick clot of brutish metal aggression, tailormade for fans bands like Slayer or Mastodon. I'm particularly impressed by this trio's unrelenting bludgeon, which ranges from amped-up classic Viking-style metal to thrashy speed to almost stoner-death metal. And it's all played with a reckless and intimidating precision that pummels the head and churns the guts. The opener, "Attack The Gods", is a piledriver of intense riffage and gutteral vocals. The formidably-titled "Let's Kill These Motherfuckers" is a freight-train of raging wartime testosterone and a bold anthem indeed. Ditto for the mighty "Evil Power", and "We Are Hades", which would make an ideal soundtrack for the entrance of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Now that would make a killer video for these guys. One can only hope. But I digress.
Despite the fact that there are 11 tracks here of bowel-loosening aggro-metal, the attack never ceases to be mesmerizing or adrenaline-soaked. Perhaps because it's a short blast at only 30 minutes? Regardless, Lair Of The Minotaur are among modern metal's finest hopes, remaining faithful to classic metal themes and content, yet synthesizing them into a unique hybrid of ultra-heavy styles. Classic. (The Grind-House Records/Southern Lord)

Be sure to check the amazing new video for "Evil Power" on their own site (it's been banned by youtube and myspace):
Lair Of The Minotaur site

LOTMspace

Black Breath - "Razor To Oblivion" CDEP

From Seattle comes this new band's debut 4-song EP. It may be short (there's little more than 13 minutes here), but Black Breath don't need any more to prove they are the real thing. This is intense, raw and potent hardcore/metal mayhem with nods to classic British crust punk as well as American death/thrash. The title track features a galloping tempo alongside thick, downtuned guitar riffage and dense, scratchy-throated vocal assaults. "Beneath The Crust" shows more of an immediate, in-your-face mentality, with searing vocals and guitars that slash-and-burn like Slayer meets the Melvins. It's a sick and lovely sound, indeed, with equal doses of out-of-control punk/noise mayhem and tight metallic aggression. "Murder", the final track, lets up a bit on the speed, but remains a 2+ minute lethal injection of evil metal mania. Absolutely smoking stuff. Looking forwards to that full-lengther, boys! (Hot Mass/Southern Lord)

Black Breathspace

Walken - "Walken" CD

Yes, as in Christopher Walken, these not-necessarily-serious Bay Area madmen readily admit. But that doesn't mean they aren't serious about making a supremely heavy and sometimes schizophrenic metal racket on this, their self-released debut album. This monster comes out of the box screaming and punching, with a hybrid metal/thrash/hardcore attack that, by the third track ("Running Out Of Time") manages to rattles the house's foundation nicely. The bass is immensely thick, metallic, and grinding, while the drums are all over the place, pummeling at every chance. The dual guitarists exhibit elements of classic metal as well as other metallic subgenres that often differ from track to track. They clearly know their stuff, and it shows. "Thunder Paws" is earth-plowing Sabbath-meets-thrash with a little bit of bluesy vibe seeping in. Effective and monolithic. "Bitter Red" is a weird amalgamation of punk with weird almost jazz affectations. "The Bridge" approaches a solemn doom metal motif, and does so most convincingly. Pretty rad stuff, with a nicely odd and schizophrenic genre-mashing that's refreshing and always surprising. These guys kick massively, and have something to offer for fans of any heavy and metallic style. (Walken)