Posts Tagged ‘death metal’
Arsis – Starve For The Devil (2010) – Pre-Release Review
As much as I hate to admit it, I illegally downloaded the new Arsis from a file sharing site today. I really don’t like 
doing that but this is one time that I couldn’t control myself. In my own defense (not that there is one), I pre-ordered both versions of the new one. OK, I’m a thief. Call Lars Ulrich!
Anyway…I am a fanboy of certain bands and Arsis is certainly one of them. Sucks that I haven’t seen them play since like 2005 or 2006. WTF? I don’t need to go back into my history with the band, it slathered through this site.
But you’re here to read my review. Let me start with welcoming back Mike Van Dyne on the drums. Nice work, man. We Are the Nightmare (WATN) was my #1 album of 2008 and this album is different, but not in a bad way. The production isn’t quite as thick as the last album meaning that the drum production isn’t over the top like on the last one. I didn’t mind it at all but I like how this sounds. And it has Van Dyne written all over it.
Overall the songs don’t seem as over the top as WATN but it’s kicking my ass. This is the album I expected. The solos and riffs are all there. I’m only through one and a half listens but this is great.
If you’ve liked any or all of the other Arsis albums, you will not be disappointed, I promise.
Voodoocult – Jesus Killing Machine (1994)
So here’s an odd one from my collection. To be honest I never liked this album that much. The only reason I bought it 
was because of who played on it…Dave Lombardo and Chuck Schuldiner (RIP). The music is pretty pedestrian thrash/death metal and even the drums are pretty boring. Some of Chuck’s solos are pretty good, but in general the album was boring.
That being said I kept this CD because I had both Dave and Chuck sign it on separate occasions. Both guys gave the exact same reaction…”This actually came out?” Chuck asked me to burn a copy for him and send it, which I of course did.
I was pretty sad when Chuck died. When we met him at Jaxx (Springfield, VA) on the Death/Hammerfall Tour, he came outside to meet everyone, soaking wet in a robe and flippy floppies and it was freezing outside. He was very cool. I met Dave at the same place when he was drumming for Testament on The Gathering Tour. Talk about a cool dude. I got to talk to him for a bit with his son. I handed him a stack of CD covers including the River’s Edge soundtrack. “We were on this?” I said, “Dude, it’s half the reason I wanted to see the movie in the first place!” Good times.
Tracks:
- Killer Patrol – 3:57
- Metallized Kids – 4:26
- Jesus Killing Machine – 4:32
- Born Bad and Sliced! – 3:58
- Albert is a Headbanger – 3:50
- Hellatio – 3:15
- Death Don’t Dance With Me – 4:08
- Art Groupie – 4:53
- Blood Surfer City – 5:03
- Voodoocult – 4:09
- Bitchery Bay – 5:32
Band:
- Phillip Boa – Vocals
- Chuck Schuldiner – Guitar
- Gabby Abularach – Guitar
- Waldemar Sorychta – Guitar
- Mille Petrozza – Guitar
- Dave Ball – Bass
- Dave Lombardo – Drums
Solstice – Solstice (1992)
This is one that I picked up around the time it debuted mainly because of the label it was on. Century Media Records 
was putting out some cool stuff like Iced Earth at the time so I thought I’d give this a shot. Glad I did. It’s a good cross between death and thrash metal without getting too over the top. I guess they featured members of Cannibal Corpse, Demolition Hammer, Disincarnate, Divine Empire, Hateplow, Hellwitch, Malevolent Creation, Resurrection; none of which I have ever cared about in the least.
I really liked the drummer on this release. Some really good footwork.
Overall this isn’t the greatest band to come from that Florida death/thrash scene but this album is certainly worth a listen. It’s been out of print for quite some time.
Arsis – Forced To Rock (new track from Starve For The Devil)
Arsis posted another song from their upcoming album Starve For the Devil called Forced To Rock.
Says frontman Jim Malone: “How can I better the world? This is the question that I asked myself when writing ‘Forced To Rock’. I eventually came to the conclusion that the death metal world needed an anthem. Sure, it may not be the cure for cancer, but it is fun and fun is something that I feel is lacking in a lot of the music out there today. It’s music, it’s not saving lives; there is no reason to be serious 100% of the time. Tongue in cheek or foot in mouth; I am probably not the proper authority to comment on the matter.”
Cool song and definitely on the lighter side lyrically. Can’t wait to hear the whole thing.
