Burton C. Bell
“Demanufacture”, the second Fear Factory album, is one that introduced a number of significant changes to the band’s formula. The rough edges that defined “Soul Of A New Machine” have been traded in for a pristine sound in both writing and production. Along with a new vocal style also
Brian Slagel
If “Maximum Violence” was the point where Six Feet Under jumped the shark creatively then “True Carnage” is the point where they stopped caring altogether. Two years after their last recording embarrassment these Tampa, Florida natives return for another round of the most primitive, unassuming and lunk-headed death metal. “True
Brazil
In 1991-1994 Sepultura was at the height of their power and popularity. It is therefore not very surprising that their then-label Roadrunner Records sought to capitalize on their success after years of heavy touring and recording. In the wake of DVDs in the early 2000s the label re-issued the band’
Alf Børjesson
Everybody’s favorite circus metal act returns for another round of the most overblown, symphonic metal this side of latter-day Nightwish. Like that Finnish band they also rely on superficial trivialities to hide the fact that they play pop music. At least Nightwish had Tarja Turunen to front the band,
Bob Rock
After having set the world afire with its brash NWOBHM inspired debut, two records of cleverly written thrash metal, and a brief exercise into more technical realms San Francisco metal act Metallica decided to go into the exact opposite direction. It’s one of the most about face turns in
groove metal
Somewhere in the four years in between “Seasons In the Abyss” and “Divine Intervention” something was lost within Slayer. For the first time the band had spent actual time on pre-production. Where Slayer once sounded irrevocably evil here they sound… mundane and ordinary. It is an unexpected and jarring change
Brian Slagel
‘In the dark of the night I search for the mindless wretches of society’ Barnes imparts solemnly in the ominous opening of “Maximum Violence”, ‘to drink of their blood and feast upon their flesh.’ Maybe third time is the charm for these Tampa, Florida knuckle-draggers? Maybe, just maybe they lifted
Allen West
In the two years of touring and writing that Six Feet Under busied themselves with after the release of “Haunted”, you’d imagine that somewhere down the road they would assess their strengths and weaknesses. The second album, like a third recording, is the time when a band needs to
Boudewijn Bonebakker
Gorefest was a totally different band, in both style and mindset, by the time they cut their third record “Erase”. Boudewijn Bonebakker (lead guitar) and Ed Warby (drums) had been in the unit for a couple of years by now, and both seemed to bring out more of lead guitarist
Allen West
In the early ‘90s things started brewing in the Sunshine State of Florida. Cannibal Corpse had released the critically acclaimed “The Bleeding” and Obituary had just put “The End Complete” on the market, the logical culmination of their earlier sound, on the once-relevant Roadrunner Records. Massacre had already released their
Belo Horizonte
Supposedly after the mammoth tour in support of “Arise” Brazilian quartet Sepultura ran out of steam and, well, ideas, really. Lord knows what happened to them on that trek all over the world. Not only did it knock the air of what was formerly the most violent and cutthroat death/