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Revisiting “Metal Edge” Magazine: The CD Reviews – Part 10

These album overviews were originally written for Metal Edge Magazine when I was a contributor to their “Hear Us Out” CD reviews section back in 2006-2007. With the magazine wrapping up publication a few months ago, I decided to add them to the context of our PiercingMetal presentation. I felt that by doing this I would not only be raising the horns in remembrance of the magazine but would also be able to showcase just how different writing for a major publication was when it all came down to it. Since “Hear Us Out” notations were usually “100” words in length, these posts will feature several reviews each until we run out of them. The freelance writing tenure at Metal Edge Magazine was discussed on THIS LINK so please check that out when done. Here are the reviews, so “Hear Us Out”.

Staind: ”The Singles: 1996-2006” (Atlantic Records)

With Staind, Aaron Lewis and company most certainly dished out the Melancholy with their major label debut “Break The Cycle”. It was an album whose lead single actually owed some level of popularity based on Fred Durst’s (Limp Bizkit) initial interest in them. Durst had performed the song “Outside” with Lewis on the Family Values tour before the albums release in 2001. The performance built an interest and buzz that kept until the album hit. As a band Staind laid down the radio friendly Alt-Metal with apparent ease and this hits collection is a great way to remember their finest moments from the span of their releases. “BTC” has four presentations on the album, and sadly the studio version is omitted to include the acoustic pairing with Durst. While it’s a good version I am sure that many fans would prefer to have had the darker and heavier studio cut included. Other highlights include the hits from “14 Shades Of Grey”, an album that found the group a little more mainstream as they sang tributes to fallen friends and their family as well. A touching track is “Zoe Jane”, Lewis’ daughter. It was an album that showed there was also light inside the once dark and brooding band. In addition to the main hits there are several acoustic numbers and among them are covers of both Pink Floyd and Tool. The songs show that there is added passion to this group and it’s an interesting manner to hear a Tool song in the first place. Floyd generally translates well acoustically and on this I found the classic track “Comfortably Numb” to be just a little more ominous. I enjoyed Staind as a band, and felt that they strived to be different from the crop of Seattle Sound bands that the decade had just closed us out from. They used elements of this melancholy and angst to a great effect with a dose of Hard Rock that worked out very well in the end. As a result this band has far more memorable tracks than many others would from this same time in music history. Don’t believe me? Name three Limp Bizkit hits……see, I told you so.

Static X: “Cannibal” (Reprise Records)

There are not many bands that sound like Static X nor are there many who are able to infuse the level of Techno-Industrial vibe into Heavy Metal music as good as they do. For over 13 years, they have been continually impressing and surprising their fan base with what they can do and with their fifth recording “Cannibal” – they show that they stand poised to repeat the process once again. Led by Wayne Static, Cannibal finds the group also with their fifth different lineup in terms of the recording of the new music. The changes however, mark the return of their original guitarist Koichi Fukuda who now joins Oshiro (drums) and Campos (bass) to complete the four-piece Industrial Metal Masters. Despite the lineup shifts the listener will still find the aggressive and powerful sound that makes Static-X such a special band to the world of music and truly second to none against those who use this style. The assault begins right away with the title track “Cannibal” – a song that is a not so subtle hint at the overall assault that is looming on the other tracks. This is a heavier release than I every remember them delivering and they use their unique elements to success and make songs like “Chemical Logic” a form of “Techno-Thrash”. When it gets to “Forty Ways” they use the feel of Disco meets Rave music and give a number that you just know is going to have the audience on the feet jumping as they perform it. Static himself seems to be in top form once again as he screams in rage repeatedly and delivers his point with determination and intent. The listeners will find a very “live” sounding record instead of an over-processed piece and the reasoning was for it to maintain the level of an “in your face” album as opposed to sounding too bland and over-produced. They succeeded here as you feel the need to make this a louder and louder listen on your stereo and I continually felt my head bopping and foot tapping in time with the songs as I played it the first time around. This album welcomes new friends while at the same time embraces the old ones. If you like Metal coupled with a solid groove then this is for you, there will be “No Submission” this time. While never truly away, Static-X has returned.
Continue reading Revisiting “Metal Edge” Magazine: The CD Reviews – Part 10

PiercingMetal’s “Best Of 2006”: The Music

Another exciting year in Metal music has gone by and as a member of the music press, I’m tasked with not only doing reviews here on the website but also in lining out what releases that I felt were the years very best. Initially, this post was going to feature the whole gamut of the years in terms of the music, the videos and the concerts but when my album list went on and on and on I decided to give it a post of its own to go easier on you. Let’s go.

The Best Albums Of 2006

Mercenary “The Hours That Remain” (Century Media Records): A great follow up to “11 Dreams”, this band shows that they are taking chances in Metal.

Mastodon “Blood Mountain” (Warner Brothers): Jazz Fusion Metal? I dunno, but the new Mastodon sure kicks your ass around the block.

Amorphis “Eclipse” (Nuclear Blast Records): Finnish boys return and do more good. Lots of feels on this one.

Scar Symmetry “Pitch Black Effects” (Nuclear Blast Records): Raging guitar solos, soaring clean vocals, brutal death metal growls-brilliant!

Lamb of God “Sacrament” (Epic Records): Their best yet. Future legends. The first four songs are instant classics and if you don’t find your fist in the air for this release you don’t have one. Go watch American Idol

Iron Maiden “A Matter of Life and Death” (EMI Music): Up the Irons, pure and simple. Some bad press from some people who don’t see the return to form. They are idiots.

I “Between Two Worlds” (Nuclear Blast Records): Great project from members of Immortal, Enslaved, and Gorgoroth.

Enslaved “RUUN” (Candlelight Records): The Black Metal titans get even more progressive and this is an incredible listen from start to finish

Satyricon “Now, Diabolical” (Century Media Records): More Metal needs to be like this. A resounding effort that lays waste to that which tries to come close.

Vanden Plas “Christ O” (InsideOut Music): Stunning operatic progressive metal. Their best yet! Especially the bonus track
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“Transcendental” by To-Mera

Artist: To-Mera
Title: “Transcendental”
Label: Candlelight Records
Release Date: 10/17/2006
Genre: Progressive Gothic Metal
Rating: 4/5

The band To-Mera is an incredible find based on their unique blend of both Progressive Metal nd Gothic Metal styles. After your first run of the CD you will sit back and say that this was one of the best bands you have heard all year and it would be justifiable. The group is fronted by the beautiful Julie Kiss (ex Without Face) who along with Lee Barrett, Tom MacLean, and Hugo Sheppard form this mixed English/Hungarian sensation. To-Mera takes a collection of elements that are most often found in bands such as Opeth, Yes and Nightwish and after mixing it up a little bit will deliver you a result that is a truly magical musical discovery. Kiss is a powerful, but yet haunting lead singer whose voice will at times remind the listener of Simone Simons (Epica) and perhaps even just a bit of Annie Haslam (who fronted the Art-Progressive Rock band Renaissance). Vocally she glides over the intricate webs created by the band with ease and make songs like “Phantoms” and “Born Of Ashes” absolutely incredible and repeat listens. There is a level of technical proficiency that the band demonstrates that is not often associated to the Gothic sound and this display of prowess in songs such as “Dreaded Angel” and “Parfum” could very well change the way that this genre is accepted and perhaps even the way this music gets created by other bands in the future. I have to say that this is surely a refreshing change from the often too-brooding and melancholy displays into sorrow that standard Gothic has best become known for. The Progressive angle is wisely used and makes the Goth turn upward a notch. There is a chance that this release will even find favor in the hearts of the often stoic Prog-head. There are jazz flirtations in some parts and casual piano that leads into blistering polyrhythmic drumming patterns when all the while the guitars are shredding and Julie is doing her thing. They are a group that can play their instruments and on every song they reinforce this talent in the ears of the listener showing you just what they can do. It seems quite clear that a bright future awaits the band and in a scene where there are a lot of female fronted groups – To-Mera shows that they stand in a category of their own instead of being a “cookie-cutter” version of another popular act. Julie Kiss stands ready to become a force of influence for those females who are drawn to this type of music and seek their own greatness and inspirations. She has an Operatic style that is probably going to draw some Tarja Turunen comparisons as well, but I think she merits her own kudos.
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