Artist: Various Artists
Title: “Nuclear Blast Records Sampler”
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: 3/4/2011
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5
I just love when a good idea keeps repeating the process and delivering the goods again and again and this is my immediate view of samplers like this when they bear the Nuclear Blast Records label imprint. Since starting my website back in 2005 I have seen a lot of changes in how music is being delivered and many of the record companies are having a tough time which makes items like this a smart business move. Thanks to the means of digital delivery of sampler issues that focus on the latest and greatest from their artist roster, they are putting those bands into our music players and mobile phone devices and giving us an immediate means to purchase a full on album of work. The latest sampler from Nuclear Blast starts off strong with a dose of Meshuggah and throttles us a little more with the Lords of Symphonic Black Metal Dimmu Borgir and this is only the beginning of the aural adventure. There was a lot that I didn’t have much background on in terms of the bands being offered this time around and I admit that while Hell was new to my Metal ears that I really loved its traditional and almost Old School Merciful Fate kind of vibe while the newest from Before The Dawn was a welcome sound as I have not heard them in many years. The new listener is fortunate and can safely climb aboard with this latest offering from the band and pick up on them with little incident. I felt that Sylosis were interesting and a band I want to hear more from as this seemed to be a cross between Technical display and Metalcore at first listen. I like that stuff when it is done properly.
Lace up those combat boots for the Agnostic Front offering which is sung in Spanish and learn continued lessons about true German Thrash Metal with Schmier and the band Destruction who remind us why they remain so popular in today’s scene. There is a classic sound with Graveyard that reminded me a little bit Wolfmother and The Answer at the same sitting. Never a bad thing. Gothic Metal and Folk Metal fanatics get tasty offerings from Sirenia and Korpiklaani who always manage to keep their vibe going strong again and again. The serene feeling is ended quickly when Belphegor’s tune comes up and there is nothing pastoral about them as they tear you from limb to limb before the glorious Film Score vibe of Rhapsody Of Fire comes into play. There is some more to enjoy but I will let you learn about them for yourself to make a better judgment. You cannot go wrong with fifteen tunes for free as it only takes you a click to give it a shot and lets you legally upgrade your music collection which is never a bad thing. I think you will be pleasantly surprised and I cannot wait until their next installment.
Track Listing:
1. Bleed – Meshuggah
2. Gateways – Dimmu Borgir
3. Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us – Hell
4. Deathstar – Before The Dawn
5. Empyreal – Sylosis
6. A Mi Manera – Agnostic Front
7. Hisingen Blues – Graveyard
8. The Price – Destruction
9. Big Time Game Hunting – Condemned?
10. Ukon Wacka – Korpiklaani
11. The End Of It All – Sirenia
12. Impaled Upon The Tongue Of Sathan – Belphegor
13. Sea Of Fate – Rhapsody Of Fire
14. Dying For An Angel – Forbidden
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