This band is so good that it really pisses me off. I mean,
how many times can a band turn out a fantastic album that gets ignored in the
US? I thought ‘Souls Highway’ was a great album, and then last year's ‘Drama’
totally blew me away, making it to #2 on my top ten of last year. Well, the
Swedish goth fusion masters are back with ‘Sunless Days’, and it's so damn good
that I will go crazy if this is ignored by American listeners. In a year filled
with great music, this album stands out above the rest. This is the ultimate
blend of gothic atmosphere, progressive metal instrumentation, and sheer melodic
brilliance. The arrangement of crunching guitars, atmospheric keyboards, and
baritone and soprano vocals is absolutely entrancing, and the melodies are
absolutely infectious. These songs will stick in your head and haunt your
waking and sleeping hours, echoing through your dreams. I expected something
great out of this band, but they surpassed even my wildest dreams with ‘Sunless
Days’. Even the album's sole cover, a version of Danzig's "Devil's Plaything",
fits perfectly into the overall feel and vibe of the rest of the album, and
doesn't come off as being gimmicky or trite al all like some covers do.
Instead, it's just one more great song amongst many. Each song on this album
is better than the last, making ‘Sunless Days’ a stunning achievement. Ok
America...this is your last chance to show you've got any taste. Pick up a copy
of Sunless Days today! The Heathen Hippy gives this 5 platinum stars.
(Taliesin Govannon)
Chinaski – ‘Megaton Robotic Apple
Pie’ (Blame it on Mobeaky)
Somewhere along the way, some great alternative rock got
forgotten. Not that post-Seattle, B.S. "alt" corporate schtick, but real
alternative music. Once upon a time, bands like The Replacements, R.E.M., and
The Smithereens worked the underground touring circuit making great, memorable
progressive pop that could both stimulate the mind and motivate the dance
floor. But somewhere along the way, this scene faded, with only R.E.M. being an
arena shadow of their former selves. The guys in Chinaski haven't forgotten,
however, and their latest CD, ‘Megaton Robotic Apple Pie’, picks up where those
old bands left off, the Gods bless them! This album is a wonderful exercise in
progressive/alt songwriting, with memorable melodies and punchy rhythms. The
album kicks off in grand style with “Frontline”, a rollicking political rant
that will set your foot tapping. The rest of the album rocks as well, with “One
More Lie” providing a softer respite from the rest of the riff-fest on the
album. This album really grew on me, and I invite you to let it grow on you,
too. The Heathen Hippy gives it four vinyl LP's. You can order a
copy at
www.cdbaby.com/cd/chinaski2.
(Taliesin Govannon)
Enthroned – ‘Black Goat Ritual
(Live In Thy Flesh)’ (Napalm)
Most often, live metal albums are a waste of time anymore.
Poorly recorded, fuzzy re-hashes of studio tracks that sounded better in the
studio, I haven't heard a live metal album (especially a live extreme metal
album) in years that's come even close to capturing the live sonic fury of a
great metal band in action. Until now. ‘Black Goat Ritual’ is a recording of a
live concert in Brazil on Enthroned's latest world tour, and it's truly
impressive. Of course, springing for a genuine mobile recording studio probably
helped. The production on this is top-notch, with chunky guitars, thundering
drums, and howling vocals that spew forth from your speakers like harbingers of
the end. Not only do the instruments sound great, but the band is in top notch
form here. There isn't a hint of sloppiness as they barnstorm through 14 of
their best, spanning their entire career. The bonus studio track, “Eternal
Misery”, is also well worth hearing. Since we in the States haven't gotten to
hear Enthroned's legendary live assault yet, we'll just have to make due with
this live album. The fact that it kicks ass certainly helps. The Heathen Hippy
gives this four cloven hooves. (Taliesin Govannon)
This has gotten to be a record for Naglfar...in their first
ten years, they managed to release just three full length albums for three
different labels. Now, just a scant two years after their hellish masterpiece
‘Sheol’ (a hebrew word for “Hell”), they blast forth onto the scene again with
‘Pariah’, a blistering metal assault filled with fury, chilling malevolence, and
skull-pounding action. Holy mother of fuck, this is lethal! In a genre filled
with hyperbole and silly posing, Naglfar shows us how blackened death metal is
done. This is one menacing bloody album, filled with malice and ominous
intent...and I loved every minute of it! Century Media has really gotten
themselves a rare treat with this band...Naglfar has legend written all over
them. If you want to know what extreme metal done right sounds like, just take
a listen to ‘Pariah’ You WON'T be disappointed. The Heathen Hippy gives it
five hellhounds. (Taliesin Govannon)
This band is so good that it really pisses me off. I mean,
how many times can a band turn out a fantastic album that gets ignored in the
US? I thought ‘Souls Highway’ was a great album, and then last year's ‘Drama’
totally blew me away, making it to #2 on my top ten of last year. Well, the
Swedish goth fusion masters are back with ‘Sunless Days’, and it's so damn good
that I will go crazy if this is ignored by American listeners. In a year filled
with great music, this album stands out above the rest. This is the ultimate
blend of gothic atmosphere, progressive metal instrumentation, and sheer melodic
brilliance. The arrangement of crunching guitars, atmospheric keyboards, and
baritone and soprano vocals is absolutely entrancing, and the melodies are
absolutely infectious. These songs will stick in your head and haunt your
waking and sleeping hours, echoing through your dreams. I expected something
great out of this band, but they surpassed even my wildest dreams with ‘Sunless
Days’. Even the album's sole cover, a version of Danzig's "Devil's Plaything",
fits perfectly into the overall feel and vibe of the rest of the album, and
doesn't come off as being gimmicky or trite al all like some covers do.
Instead, it's just one more great song amongst many. Each song on this album
is better than the last, making ‘Sunless Days’ a stunning achievement. Ok
America...this is your last chance to show you've got any taste. Pick up a copy
of Sunless Days today! The Heathen Hippy gives this 5 platinum stars.
(Taliesin Govannon)
Somewhere along the way, some great alternative rock got
forgotten. Not that post-Seattle, B.S. "alt" corporate schtick, but real
alternative music. Once upon a time, bands like The Replacements, R.E.M., and
The Smithereens worked the underground touring circuit making great, memorable
progressive pop that could both stimulate the mind and motivate the dance
floor. But somewhere along the way, this scene faded, with only R.E.M. being an
arena shadow of their former selves. The guys in Chinaski haven't forgotten,
however, and their latest CD, ‘Megaton Robotic Apple Pie’, picks up where those
old bands left off, the Gods bless them! This album is a wonderful exercise in
progressive/alt songwriting, with memorable melodies and punchy rhythms. The
album kicks off in grand style with “Frontline”, a rollicking political rant
that will set your foot tapping. The rest of the album rocks as well, with “One
More Lie” providing a softer respite from the rest of the riff-fest on the
album. This album really grew on me, and I invite you to let it grow on you,
too. The Heathen Hippy gives it four vinyl LP's. You can order a
copy at
This has gotten to be a record for Naglfar...in their first
ten years, they managed to release just three full length albums for three
different labels. Now, just a scant two years after their hellish masterpiece
‘Sheol’ (a hebrew word for “Hell”), they blast forth onto the scene again with
‘Pariah’, a blistering metal assault filled with fury, chilling malevolence, and
skull-pounding action. Holy mother of fuck, this is lethal! In a genre filled
with hyperbole and silly posing, Naglfar shows us how blackened death metal is
done. This is one menacing bloody album, filled with malice and ominous
intent...and I loved every minute of it! Century Media has really gotten
themselves a rare treat with this band...Naglfar has legend written all over
them. If you want to know what extreme metal done right sounds like, just take
a listen to ‘Pariah’ You WON'T be disappointed. The Heathen Hippy gives it
five hellhounds. (Taliesin Govannon)