Artist: Napalm Death Title: “Punishment In Capitals” Label: Armoury Records Release Date: July 12, 2005 Genre: Death Metal Rating: 0/5
Here are twenty-eight totally undistinguishable live tracks that feature — you guessed it! — Cookie Monster vox and what sounds like a drum kit dropped down thirty flights of stairs while being fired at by automatic weapons on full auto. There’s even a cover of the Dead Kennedys’ “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” that even the most diehard of D.K.s fans would be hard pressed to recognize, blending in as it does with the cacophonous goulash found here. I’ve listened to hard and heavy music since I was in the single digits, loving much of it, but this shit just gives me a headache. Continue reading “Punishment In Capitals” by Napalm Death→
Artist: Devil Driver Venue: B.B. King Blues Club (New York, NY) Opener: Napalm Death, 36 Crazyfists, In Vitro, Straight Line Stitch Date: 3/24/2008 Label: Roadrunner Records
The power of their music and the overall response that they are finding from Metal fans seems to be growing at an exponential level and the proof of this found the guys in Devil Driver looking at a headlining appearance at New York’s B.B. King Blues Club with direct support from the legendary Napalm Death. 36 Crazyfists would also be along for the ride along with semi-newcomers InVitro and Straight Line Stitch to make this a five band bill to remember for a long time. This was going to be one of those nights where you left the place sore in every part of the body that you could imagine feeling pain, but still finding yourself ready to go one more round in the mosh pit. Here is how the evening went down for the event that you missed it. Continue reading Devildriver @ B.B. King Blues Club (3/24/2008)→
Artist: Various Artists Title: “Earache 1986-2000: Immortalised” Label: Earache Records Release Date: 6/10/2008 Genre: Extreme Metal Rating: 2.5/5
Well, if you have enjoyed your copy of “Earache My Eye” over the last few months and were hoping that another one of their earlier releases would see the light of day have I got some news for you. Earache Records has returned with “Earache 1986-2000: Immortalised”, a film that was originally released in 2000 and one that featured the labels powerful roster from those years. This DVD has a few more tracks than the last one we examined and leaves the viewer hurting from the head banging as it delivers some Napalm Death, Vader, Carcass and Bolt Thrower but wait a minute…..there are several tracks or films that also appeared on “Earache My Eye” and this rather troubled me, since I would have enjoyed entirely new content. It doesn’t feature all of those tracks but does repeat on Cathedral, At The Gates, Sleep and Entombed among a choice few others. While I know that this is a direct VHS to DVD version with some additional features, I am still not sure why they didn’t put all of them together in a massive boxed set with a decent booklet that covers the bands years on the label. There is no booklet in this release, but the bonus features do include liner notes and band discography and biographies for you to read on the screen. Hopefully you have a decent sized screen to do it on because I hate having to read screens on a smaller television. Continue reading “Earache 1986-2000: Immortalised” by Various Artists→
Artist: Various Artists Title: “Earache My Eye” Label: Earache Records Release Date: 5/13/2008 Genre: Heavy Metal Rating: 2.5/5
Originally released on VHS in 1989, “Earache My Eye” is finally available on DVD and should appease those who have longed for this to be the case. It allows them the chance to upgrade and put up the original on auction so they can sit back and enjoy the molten hot material that is loaded on this release with better audio and video clarity. In 1989 I wasn’t listening to this level of heavy music yet so I enjoyed getting the chance to see some of the earliest videos made by bands like At The Gates, Carcass and Godflesh, especially since these are groups that have come to influence many of the bands that formed after them. You also can’t go wrong with the clever Doom riffs of old Cathedral and their Old School video blends in with some Vincent Price horror movie footage from the film “Witchfinder General”. The guys in Sleep offer up almost a garage band setting for their killer tune “Dragonaut” but I fear I was at a loss about any further information on them which was a shame since I really enjoyed this tune. The intrinsic basic feel in this video made me feel that any band can make a video that works to bring their material to life. Continue reading “Earache My Eye” by Various Artists→
Artist: Kreator Venue: B.B. King Blues Club (New York, NY) Opener: Napalm Death Date: 2/26/2006 Label: SPV Records
Kreator! The legendary thrashers led by Mille Petrozza are back and continuing their support of 2005’s amazing and powerful release on SPV Records “Enemy Of God”. The appeal of this band to their following is impressive for when they passed through mid-last year one can understand a sold out venue; yet a return that finds the same result is excellent some 8 months later especially since there was no new release or DVD to promote. In the roster of German Thrash Metal bands of the world, there is a “Big Three” and this is comprised of Kreator, Destruction and Sodom. To me, Kreator is the best of the lot with Destruction holding a close second to Sodom’s third. You might disagree and that’s okay. Tonight they would be returning to NYC to decimate the Metal populace and do this with the one and only Napalm Death as their direct support. The growing in popularity venue for Metal was a ravenous monster to be inside tonight that is for sure. Opening the show or sharing the headlining bill Century Media Records own Napalm Death. The music of Napalm Death is a brutal mix of Hard Core Punk and Thrash Metal and despite my limited background on them they certainly proved that the mosh pit would be in full force during their performance. The group also rocketed through 24 songs and while that seems long it was not the case with many of their tunes having a short length. The band has been around since 1987 and are considered legendary in the genre. It’s high-speed and brutally in your face music and tonight a large amount of material would be from their latest release “The Code Is Red”. If hard core punk influenced metal is what gets you stomping then you should be paying attention to Napalm Death and what they offer you as a fan. They did go over well this evening and I am sure impressed others like myself who are not on top of them. Continue reading Kreator @ B.B. King Blues Club (2/26/2006)→
