RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR - "THE LEGACY OF SHI" (2018)

RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR - "THE LEGACY OF SHI"
(Running time: 43:31 minutes; 11 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2018; CD):

And here's now already the next load incoming for you, or so to say, trust your eyes, and here and now you get my record review on the new RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR album "THE LEGACY OF SHI" released for all what I would call still pretty recently via the omnipresent "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" in this days and age of 2018. So, yes, the french Crossover Hardcore/Metal roughnecks are damn fucking back four years after their outstanding precursor album "WELCAME" (my review on it you do also find up here) and I can only say that it was really by far about time that the RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR finally again lightened up the sky and this time even brighter than four years ago and also already back then the sky was set on fire, yes, but this time today in 2018 the whole sky is burning completly and totally and "THE LEGACY OF SHI" is written in bright and fiery burning letters across the whole horizon and beyond from the far east to the far west and back again. This is a hard crushing, a harsh ripping, and a sharp slaying, furiously grinning Crossover bastard out of massive and groove orientated Hardcore and everything down hammering Thrash Metal cultivated with huge doses of high skilled and damn 'uniquely' done Rap (Metal) influences and huge amounts of fantastic done very strong and amazing tight/dense and very fresh atmospheric markings in it and all done on the highest levels of skills and quality and with a very huge and massively conquering very own, characteristic, and unique identity to it all and carrying an overwhelming and nearly insane dose of intensity in it all the time, oh hell yeahr, being born and bred on a grooving, ripping, and shredding valuable diet consisting especially out of RHYTHM TRIP, MADBALL, SUB ZERO, BIOHAZARD, ALL OUT WAR, SLAYER, MACHINE HEAD, and ANTHRAX and melting this all together with stand-alone and very fresh and totally up-to-date ideas and some damn phenomenal and creative and above all unbelievable intense and damn diverse and multi-layered songwriting full of exciting arrangements, brilliant done silence-loudness-playings, huge dynamics, rousing energy, some of the most crushing and also most fresh groove and rhythm work I've heard in and probably also for years, yes, and the crown is given to it all by some damn unique, creative, intense, and simply grapping and exciting, goosepimples-for-free-giving atmospheric and very, very melodic and catchy playings and parts that mark, enrich, and cultivate RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR's "THE LEGACY OF SHI" incredible strong and turning it into an amazing and awesome full charge everything with supreme might and force conquering masterpiece of the most supreme kind. Fantastic, highly rich and diverse guitar work, forceful hammering and beating bass playing, thundering and massively charging drumming, brilliant multi-facetted stunning hard and very charismatic lead vokillz, and incredible broad and fat loud'n'proud gang backings, this are the ingredients of RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR's "THE LEGACY OF SHI" and all is delivered highly unique and damn fresh and alive/lively and this all by high skilled and also damn creative musicians, yes, and to/for me that's sort of a perfect combination. Any listening tipps I will here and now in this very case spare me, definitely, because the whole damn album is nothing but all killers and hell no fillers, again: definitely. A drop-dead-gorgeous artwork, very strong and thoughtful as well as thought-provoking and also nicely (self-)ironic lyrics, and a demolishing production sound then finally round this all in a damn fucking perfect way up. This is one of the very best albums of 2018 and I definitely would say also for the next years to come and so by any means you should definitely get your hands on it, yes, and this definitely best instantly right now. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!

(10 of 10 points)

http://www.riseofthenorthstar.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR - "HERE COMES THE BOOM" (2018, "THE LEGACY OF SHI")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - AUGUST 2018: LUNGBRUSH - "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - AUGUST 2018:

LUNGBRUSH- "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL" (1999)
(Running time: 38:55 minutes, 14 songs)
("Pavement Music Inc."; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "URBAN TRIBES"
(02.) "LOST"
(03.) "SOMETIMES"
(04.) "EXIT"
(05.) "BOUND"
(06.) "FOR A MINUTE"
(07.) "HEROIN SUICIDE"
(08.) "HINDSIGHT"
(09.) "CORPORATE BULLSH#T"
(10.) "CLOZARIL"
(11.) "JANIE"
(12.) "SYNTHETIC"
(13.) "I QUIT"
(14.) "SOILED"

Oh boy, it seems like freaky fuckin' ages and like I've totally forgot about this very article here which is in fact the next and newest "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" article in its AUGUST 2018 edition, yes, and you know what, it's true, I sort of forgot about it so that it now nearly a full month too late comes up... and so here and now without any further ramblings, yes, let's go… Here we have a for all what I know today very much unknown and truly heavily forgotten album and that's the "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL" slasher of/by LUNGBRUSH that used to hail from Chicago, Illinois/U.S.A. and it was released in 1999 via "PAVEMENT MUSIC INC." (on CD) and for all what I know it was and still is the only proper release of/by them and it is an album that heavily breathes the spirit of the late 1990's but this like fresh air still today. This is metallic Hardcore or early Metalcore with a huge curious and searchingly mind(set) and a special tone or vibe to it all like you only got it back then in the late 1990's on but this all so strong and grapping, exciting and energizing so that it is even also today nothing but incredible fresh, strong, and alive/lively so that it still today stands its ground and this tall, brave, strong, and proud. Unfortunately I haven't found that much more informations on/to LUNGBRUSH beside the fact that they toured together with the likes of FEAR FACTORY, SLAYER, and MACHINE HEAD back in the days, yes, and so now onwards to the next chapter of this article and this is a closer look on LUNGBRUSH's "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL".

Especially FEAR FACTORY and MACHINE HEAD are good cornerstones to describe LUNGBRUSH and what they are doing here on "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL". Imagine a devastating and highly dynamic full throttle and full force mixture out of mid to late 1990's metallic Hardcore like for example STRIFE, TURMOIL, DISRESPECT, and SURFACE, throw some good portioned healthy doses of SICK OF IT ALL for some more raging Old School Hardcore vibes into the mix, and combine this all with 1990's Neo Thrash Metal like especially MACHINE HEAD, SEPULTURA/SOULFLY, KILLINGCULTURE, and also some FEAR FACTORY and then add a damn strong and big own identity to it all and you pretty much have the greatness that LUNGBRUSH had delivered in 1999 with their "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL" masterpiece and I really have no clue why the band didn't become bigger back then. Anyhow, we have this great asskicker here marked by fantastic songwriting with a tricky and imaginative approach to it all, with strong exciting moments and full of grapping and rousing elements and truckloads of energy and dynamics, and with a lot of especially great and nicely diverse and multi-facetted rhythm arrangements. All is delivered by pissed off raging and throaty delivered very hard shouted vokillz, crushing and devastating guitars, and a pure thunder rhythm section. Add it to all 1990's MACHINE HEAD like screaming guitars and 1990's SEPULTURA/SOULFLY like percussive tribalistic drumming and some sort of "proggy" compositorial 'playthings' like especially KILLINGCULTURE also did them back then, yes, and you should know the deal. Strong and outspoken lyrics, a very sinister artwork, and a smashing production-sound round it all finally up. To anyone into metallic Hardcore and (early) Metalcore I can only and nothing but highly recommend LUNGBRUSH's "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL" so do yourself the damn huge favour and make sure to finally (and desperately) get your hands on a copy of it. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

Check them out on ''Bandmine'': http://www.bandmine.com/lungbrush

LUNGBRUSH - "SOMETIMES" (1999, "OLD SCHOOL, NEW SCHOOL")

SUICIDE SILENCE - "SUICIDE SILENCE" (2017)

SUICIDE SILENCE  "SUICIDE SILENCE"
(Running time: 44:17 minutes; 10 songs)
("Nuclear Blast Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, next load is in-coming for you and this time it is a or better my record-review on a now slightly already a bit older release namely the so far still current self-titled SUICIDE SILENCE full-length-album released via "NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS" some time last year in 2017. I was never the biggest SUICIDE SILENCE fan even their damn strong "THE BLACK CROWN" from 2011 really ruled and still rules but other than that particular album all in all SUICIDE SILENCE never really were that far up high on my personal-faves-list, so to say, and this combined with the very mixed reactions this very one here, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE" received more or less everywhere last year I never felt that much of the need to get my hands on it. This changed just recently this year when I saw it for less than 5,00 Euros and then so finally took it with me because, to be honest, what could go wrong for a that low price. And now I have it here and am listening to it for… far too often… to get this record-review here finally done and... where to start and this all with keeping it short… Okay, SUICIDE SILENCE as one of the by any means biggest Deathcore acts outta there really wanted to change their game quite a bit, so to say, and this they anyhow anyway did. But... and I'll really try to keep it truly short this time… if this 'changing of the game' and this 'reinventing of your own identity' means nothing else and even less but that you deliver nothing but miserable and pitifull lukewarm together boiled infusions of what bands like (the fantastic) DEFTONES and (the in their glory days absolutely overwhelming) KORN did when they were sixteen and smoked up high and tight on weed in their daddy's garage and this all then rewarmed sort of over two decades later in 2017 in a lousy and dirty cooking pot that was used before to sizzle some garbage crystal meth together then, yes, then you surely missed the point of anything and everything what 'changing the game' and 'reinventing your own identity' could and should mean. Throw some late 1990's and early 2000's Nu Metal of the more (wanna-be) psychotic and dark, (also wanna-be) depressiv and sinister kind like imagine a mixture out of the DEFTONES, KORN, and SLIPKNOT (minus all identity, quality, and/or rousing ideas) together with some 201X's Deathcore and also Metalcore and pull off any focus or any related ideas or any real grapping or exciting songwriting and you have, yes, SUICIDE SILENCE's "SUICIDE SILENCE", an album marked by an unbelievable huge artificially inflated nothingness of all and everything and delivered via pseudo-proggy gadgetry wrapped in a terrible sterile and dull cardboard production-sound and with not much to, in all honesty, nothing else. Deathcore breakdowns and Nu Metal grooves in combination with a lot of pseudo-desperate and in self-pity bathing downpaced and pseudo-atmospheric parts, a truckload of dull struming guitars, terrible vocals that are by all the effects packed on them only even made far worse, and a lachrymatory uninspired scrubing rhythm-section then are the tools via which the… hm... ''songwriting-ideas'' are carried out. And self-pity is a good keyword beside some others that I have already used to describe the lyrics in a proper way, too. Anything positive to end this review on? Not really and not that much but "DYING IN A RED ROOM", "CONFORMITY", and "DON'T BE CAREFUL YOU MIGHT HURT YOURSELF" (minus the crappy outro) are pretty decent, okay to maybe good songs even maybe only or at least especially in the context of this total ass birth of an album and minus the lame bandphoto cover I like the whole artwok of the album quite a bit, yes, and then that's it. Incredible less that this album delivers despise the high-skilled musicians that gave birth to it. And so, yes, we finally got reminded one more time and this also in a pretty impressive way that sometimes even less than 5,00 Euros can be by far too much for an album…

(3 of 10 points)

http://www.suicidesilence.net/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

SUICIDE SILENCE - "DORIS" (2017, "SUICIDE SILENCE")

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2018: ALL OUT WAR - "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - JUNE 2018:

ALL OUT WAR - "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" (1998)
(Running time: 49:08 minutes; 13 songs)
("Victory Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "SOAKED IN TORMENT"
(02.) "BURNING SEASON"
(03.) "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED"
(04.) "RESIST"
(05.) "CLAIM YOUR INNOCENCE"
(06.) "FALSE SALVATION"
(07.) "REDEMPTION FOR THE INNOCENT"
(08.) "WITNESS THE END"
(09.) "INTO THE FLAMES OF PROGRESSION"
(10.) "AFTER AUTUMN"
(11.) "ENEMIES OF CREATION"
(12.) "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES"
(13.) "APOCALYPTIC TERROR"

Oh boy, is this very one here and now long, long overdue, god damn it, I sort of honestly nearly forgot about the still pending "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" post in its "JUNE 2018" edition, yes, no other "story" behind it or what the hell else ever and so today there's no need for any further-going secundary smalltalk as an introduction here and now, yes, and so just let's go - better late than never, I guess.

This month I have something… okay... I have again something damn great for you. We will stay like the last past three months before this very one here also in the world of (1990's) Hardcore musick and this time we will take a trip to New York and to be more precise to Newburgh, New York and I or we or how-ever will pay and give respect and honour via this tribute to a back then and of course still today to/for me very special and important band  and this band is none other than the almighty ALL OUT WAR and here and now it will be all about their outstanding chunk of pure hatred titled "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" from back then in 1998, yes, released via the then damn mighty "VICTORY RECORDS" on CD as well as on LP. (I have the CD version and so all here and now will be about this very one.) Back then in the glorious 1990's 'things' were getting heavier and harder and simply more and more devastating in Hardcore with a lot of bands back then starting massively to incorporate more and more and/or maybe (just) more prominent than before more or less 'style-foreign elements' from for example Crust and Grind but also Rap/Hip Hop and also especially Metal into their style'n'sound with for example 'stuff' like Holy Terror Hardcore, Metallic Hardcore, more and more metalized NYHC, new School Straight Edge Hardcore and then some day also first real proper Metalcore like we know it today all too well appearing stronger and stronger and time after time more often and again  even more often on the scene and latest from the middle of the 1990's this all happened far more frequently again and again, especially (or at least) in my 'retrospective-percepetion' with sort of experiencing this development first-hand and discovering a huge load of great bands and records back then that should have and still have a pretty lifechanging as well as, so it seems, a lifelong-lasting impact on me, yes, and ALL OUT WAR surely were one of this bands and to me also one of the most prominent and most important ones, too. I discovered them in 1997 via their mighty full-length-debut-album "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES" that was back then released via the (then active, don't know right now if they are still around) german label "GAIN GROUND RECORDS" and they conquered me heavily and "TRUTH IN THE AGE OF LIES" is (also) still today pretty frequently put on heavy rotation here in the Manslaughter Headquarters. Then in 1998 ALL OUT WAR released their second full-length-album "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" and this time then they conquered me in an absolutely overwhelming way and personally for/to me it is definitely the most important release of all by ALL OUT WAR and this without a single doubt. It was even more heavy, hate-filled, harsh, forceful, devastating, and simply even more compelling and conquering and in total even more greater than the already damn great debut. Some songs of the debut they also rerecorded and reused on "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" and this 'newly-done-versions' add only further proof to what I've said right before. What is really fantastic is the fact that ALL OUT WAR's "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" is still today as strong, as harsh, as fresh, as alive-lively, and as relevant as back then in 1998. And this should tell you already a lot if not even more. ALL OUT WAR are still around and still active, formed in 1991 and still going strong today. Now in and with the next chapter of this article let us have a look a bit more precise on their musick.

ALL OUT WAR played harsh Metallic Hardcore or Metalcore and developed especially already with their first proper full-lengths they should become sort of godfathers of Metalcore that should be continously on the rise latest from the late-middle/late 1990's on with more and more Hardcore bands discovering and incorporating especially Thrash Metal, the then current New School Thrash Metal, and Death Metal into their musick forming a strong own scene with bands like for example EARTH CRISIS, TURMOIL, DAMNATION A.D., DISRESPECT, SWORN ENEMY, HATEBREED, and DAY OF SUFFERING beside ALL OUT WAR leading the pack back then. Each of this bands or more or less each of this bands had back then a pretty distinguishable style'n'sound and this also was (and still is) valid also and especially for ALL OUT WAR and their "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED" is only (further) proof of/for this. Melting a lot of different Hardcore and Metal elements incredibel liquid'n'fluent(ly) together and creating one hell of a devastating thunderstorm of prime Metalcore that also not shies away from some Sludge influences. The Metal on here was and is even more prominent than on a lot of current Metalcore releases and also often more present on here than the Hardcore parts - even the Hardcore roots run anyhow very deep. Especially the guitar work is filled with very fresh Metal riffs throughout the whole album and also the drumming showcases a lot of brilliant done Metal styled moments full of a quick snare drum work directly from the Metal department around the block. In general expect devastating guitars, razor spitting harsh and highly aggressive vokillz, and a every and any opposition into the dust crushing rhythm section as well as loud gang back-ups and all melted together by very intense and grapping, rousing and exciting everything killing songwriting and all done'n'delivered by very (high) skilled musicians and all in an excellent way. This was and still is and probably will always be and remain a very rich and intense masterpiece of a groundbreaking and lifechanging album that anyone into really heavy (and metallic) Hardcore, Metalcore, and surely also a lot to everyone into Thrash Metal and probably also some into Death Metal should desperately and definitely call their very own and it was and still is a damn characteristic and pretty unique album in sound'n'style and a true legendary masterpiece of an album and if you really don't own or even know it you should by any means change this as soon as finally possible. Very outspoken and damn strong lyrics, a fantastic artwork, and a heavy bombing production-sound round it all finally up, yes, and the final song is a damn great medley of cover-tunes that also wait to be finally discovered by you. Enough said, get it and then play it loud!!! ALL OUT WAR's "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED", truly a real timeless classick. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!

Okay, that's it for now, yes, expect the next "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" article, the "JULY 2018" edition, to come up here early next month in August of 2018, yes, because for today this will be all and tomorrow on Tuesday and also on Wednesday I will be in Munich, yes, visiting a good friend and hailing the almighty JUDAS PRIEST tomorrow live on stage and so from Wednesday or Thursday this week on you can or you should expect new stuff up here. And now, yes, a have a nice summer-evening.

ALL OUT WAR - "APOCALYPTIC TERROR" (1998, "FOR THOSE WHO WERE CRUCIFIED")

https://www.facebook.com/Alloutwar666/ (-the link to the facebook site of the band)

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2018: DEVIATE - "STATE OF GRACE"

CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2018:

DEVIATE - "STATE OF GRACE" (1999)
(Running time: 39:00 minutes; 12 songs)
("I Scream Records"; CD):

Tracklist:
(01.) "WOUNDS OF TIME"
(02.) "STATE OF GRACE"
(03.) "STEPPED OFF"
(04.) "EMPTY WORLD"
(05.) "AFTERTIME"
(06.) "CIRCLE OF FRIENDS"
(07.) "DAWN OF MANKIND"
(08.) "BURNED OUT"
(09.) "ONE BY ONE"
(10.) "BROKEN ANGEL"
(11.) "LOW-DOWN"
(12.) "WALK WITH DEATH"

Hey guys, yes, I know, I'm a bit too late with or for this very post here, the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH" post in the "APRIL 2018" edition, and I'm sorry for or because of that but I just did not get it done at the 30th of April 2018 and yesterday... damn it... yesterday I was by far to 'hung-over' to say it that way and if you get what I mean... and so, yes, but anyhow now finally today it will come up for you. A little bit inspired by the "CLASSICK OF THE MONTH - MARCH 2018" post this very one here and now is, because right after my post about HARD RESISTANCE and their "ENGINE OF HATE" it was absolutely clear to me that this very one here will be the next entry in this little posting series up here and what I am talking about is the almighty 1999 full-length-release of/by no one else than the almighty DEVIATE titled "STATE OF GRACE" released back then via the legendary "I SCREAM RECORDS" label (correct me if I am now completly wrong but I think it was sort of just also due to DEVIATE that "I SCREAM RECORDS" were originally founded due to the fact that the bandmembers themselves founded this later-to-become-a-legend label back then in the first place) and DEVIATE, that like also HARD RESISTANCE hailed from Belgium (out of Brussels, to be more precise) and their "STATE OF GRACE" masterpiece album seem to me also like HARD RESISTANCE with their "ENGINE OF HATE" last month a today by far too often forgotten amazing jewel that far too many today just don't have on their radar screens anymore and this is something... god-damn it... this is something incredible unjust, unfair(ly), and undeserved in epic extent(s), yes, and so I will do my very best to pay tribute and give honour where it is more than justified and deserved, hell yeahr, and so now here we go.

DEVIATE's "STATE OF GRACE" was and is personally for me one of those albums that sort of made me who I am today, such a huge impact it had (and still has on me) and such a lifechanging and groundbreaking album it was and is to me and such a big influence it had and continues to has on me and this not only sort of ''in a musickal way''. I think (or hope) you get what I mean, yes, because I guess we all have albums like this that sort of added massively their immense weight'n'influence to making us to or turning us into who we are today and DEVIATE's "STATE OF GRACE" is one of those albums to/for me. And also personally for me there are so immense many great memories connected to/with this album that it also really always brings a really large, huge sort of  'emotional-smile' to my face when I listen to it and this again and again and time after time. But also (and especially also) all this maybe personal emotional'n'nostalgic feelings that may pop up here and there aside DEVIATE's "STATE OF GRACE" was and is and continues to be a true and real through'n'through manifest of the purest glory Hardcore can be and can have. DEVIATE were founded back then in 1991 and their first releases ("SMALL TRACES OF LIFE"/1993 EP; "CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE"/1994; "WRECK STYLE"/1995; "COLD PREJUDICE"/1996 EP) went back then completly under my radar (again, back then) and my first encounter with DEVIATE was in 1997 with their already third full-length-album "THRON OF THE LIVING" and it conquered me right from the start and together with bands like HARD RESISTANCE, BACKFIRE!, RIGHT DIRECTION, and the RYKER'S DEVIATE quickly turned to almighty champs to/for me and when then two years later "STATE OF GRACE" hit DEVIATE turned to one of my absolute favourite bands and this within the blink of an eye. When and where "THORN OF THE LIVING" was (and is) fucking great, there was (and is) "STATE OF GRACE" nothing but overwhelming and amazing and just outstanding and simply fucking lifechanging to me. The massive amounts of energy, the honest and heartfelt battle-scarred attitiude, the on fiery wings flying and golden through the smoke and ash shining intensity, the unbroken spirit, the highly compacted very sinister and dark but yet all the time unbowed and militant and gladiatorial atmosphere, the massive'n'intense songwriting, the high levels of skills on all fronts, and the very unique identity and character of DEVIATE and especially their "STATE OF GRACE" was (and still damn is) mindblowing and heavily conquering and how they created their very own style'n'sound out of Holy Terror Hardcore like INTEGRITY and IN COLD BLOOD on the one side, traditional NYHC like MADBALL mixed with Metallic Hardcore of the New York breed'n'kind like SUBZERO and 'early' New York raised Metalcore like MERAUDER on the other side(s) was and still is and damn sure continues to be nothing but damn majestic, glorious and fucking unique - and high skilled all the time, too.

DEVIATE deliver on "STATE OF GRACE" absolutely crushing and devastating, sinister, dark, and nihilistic but at the same time ongoingly and through'n'through gladiatorial, militant, and battle-scarred by 1990's Thrash Metal and also Death Metal inspired hard as nails Metallic (Euro Core) Hardcore with a very big Holy Terror spirit breathing life into it all and this all filled with like a tank assault cannon firing and destroying shredding and smashing guitars that deliver everything atomizing riffs, thunderous grooves, forceful rhythm arrangements and just sheer tons of heavy weight power without end leaving only burned and scorched earth behind, and all done high skilled and incredible intense and also with a very special own and unique tone to it all and also there are worked an ass-load full of twists'n'turns into it all to shake it all up always at the right time(s) - and this is to say in general to/about the full force songwriting and not only to/about the guitar work, just that you know that. The drythroated, harsh, and angry shouted lead vocals, backed up by loud'n'proud backing chants, only add up to it all, while the crunchy bass work and the bonecracking and faceslashing, highly dynamic and precise drumming add truckloads of weight, punch, and power to it all. The songwriting is incrdible intense and yet 'beneath the surface' highly (to highest) dynamic and also nicely and refreshingly diverse and the songs are studded with nice little to big fresh ideas and surprising elements and moments and plenty of with full force delivered twists'n'turns all along the ride so that if you are into DEVIATE's "STATE OF GRACE" you are in for a grapping, rousing, exciting, and overwhelming ride from start to finish and this still today and time after time again and again and this after now being nearly already twenty years old and that alone says a lot (if not all). Inspirational, intersting, thought-provoking and thoughtful lyrics, a fantastic artwork, and a sort of dark and raw and also smashing production-sound rounded and still round it all perfectly up, turned and still turning it all into the complete package and the real deal - and this for all the damn right reasons. No matter if you take "WOUNDS OF TIME", "STATE OF GRACE" itself, "EMPTY WORLD", "DAWN OF MANKIND", "ONE BY ONE", "LOW-DOWN", "WALK WITH DEATH", the absolute über-anthem "CIRCLE OF FRIENDS" or what-ever song else here you only find purest and most precious platinum and this still after now already nearly twenty years. And it all sounds as fresh and as relevant as back then in the good old glory days of 1999.

Exactly like last months HARD RESISTANCE's "ENGINE OF HATE" also DEVIATE's "STATE OF GRACE" is in my book and personally for me and my very own biography a through'n'through lifechanging and also groundbreaking damn masterpiece and also it is today for all what I get, see, hear, and read by much too far too often overlooked and/or even forgotten and this is (again) something I will never understand or will ever be just only able to sort of understand or what-ever and so I hope I could do my little 'to-do' up here to hopefully change this at least a very bit. I hope that if you don't or didn't know DEVIATE and especially their "STATE OF GRACE" so far you got a bit curious about them and that you will finally change this and make yourself familiar with DEVIATE and their "STATE OF GRACE" and if you should already knew them but should maybe sort of forgot them a bit over the last sort of nearly two decades then this little article here brought them maybe back to your mind and memory again and so that you can start to sort of re-discover them finally again. In my book and personally for me DEVIATE were one of the greatest and their "STATE OF GRACE" was and still is and continues to be one of the greatest moments in Hardcore and I can only highly recommend them'n'it to you right here and right now. DEVIATE called it a day back then in 2003 with their also damn great "RED ASUNDER" from 2002 being their final release and for all what I know so far there was and is no 'proper' comeback or reunion to talk of and so... yes... at least their lifechanging musick remains and so just in case maybe some former DEVIATE member reads this one day just let me say in all honesty thanks for it all guys. Much love and respect. Hardcore!!! Fist!!!

DEVIATE - "STATE OF GRACE" (1999) ///the complete album\\\

INTEGRITY - "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" (2017)

INTEGRITY - "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME"
(Running time: 57:37 minutes; 14 songs)
("Relapse Records"; 2017; CD):

I think I've already mentioned one or two times before that 2017 was a very, very strong year music-wise, at least so in my book, and that it also saw the return of the almighty INTEGRITY is only one more further proof for/of my statement. 'Today' for the first time (ever) via the legendary "RELAPSE RECORDS" the outstanding INTEGRITY released their newest gem "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" at the 14th of July of 2017 and it is (so I think) the successor album to/of "SUICIDE BLACK SNAKE" from 2013 (don't ask, I still don't know it so far... shame on me) but in my case it is finally my first 'meeting' with them again since their (al)mighty "THE BLACKEST CURSE" killer (from 2010) that I seven years... or so... ago also reviewed up here. Since then a lot of various records in different formats had been released by INTEGRITY but due to 'troublesome real life stuff'n'issues' most of them went under my radar (so far) and I know it (by) myself so you don't have to say it... shame on me... But anyhow, because finally in 2017 I managed to get my hands on INTEGRITY's newest offering "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" already last summer pretty soon when it was released back then and this totally mindblowing fantastic masterpiece absolutely 'consumed' me, it conquered me and it 'kept me conquered' up to this present day since then. To or for me INTEGRITY were always and still are one of the very best (if not sort of the best) and also one of the most unique and inspiring as well as influential Hardcore bands ever outta there and of an importance of a far wider (out)reaching kind than solely being just a Hardcore 'thing'. They were and still are sort of an absolutely lifechanging importance to/for me in a lot if not (nearly) all ways and meanings. My first experience with INTEGRITY was way, far way back in 1995 with their absolute groundbreakers and total lifechangers "SYSTEMS OVERLOAD" and "HUMANITY IS THE DEVIL", two albums that will forever rank up high on my larger than life albums list, and in 1997 with "SEASONS IN THE SIZE OF DAYS" they absolutely conquered their crown and throne and both they maintain unrivaled up to this day and age and present day. And in 2017 they are finally back again and serve us this outstanding piece of art that "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" totally is. I am absolutely blown away again and again by this masterpiece every time I put it on, again and again, and all the time. This is once in Cleveland born'n'based'n'raised metallic Hardcore fueled by blasphemic/satanic and nihilstic rage and energy without end and sheer 'atomizingly' harsh exploding dynamics and sheer 'ultra-violent' force that absolutely takes no prisoners, no, not a single bit, not a single one, and that simply conquers everything and anything by storm and that especially outshines all and everything with its tight, dense, very sinister and diabolic and nihilstic atmosphere and its massively mindblowing and worldshattering and definitely larger than life overwhelming intensity that marks it all in a very, very immense and stunning way. All is done and delivered by highest skilled musicians via phenomenal outstanding songwriting that is not only larger than life 'overwhelmigly' intense and mercylessly heavy and tough as nails harsh but also incredible diverse and highly varying and all is also massively 'rich' in every meaning(s) and so on "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" the almighty INTEGRITY work (and this in an impressive smooth flowing way without any sort of breaks or holes or any blank space/-s in the song-architecture/-s) not only massive(ly) Metal elements and influences and impressions into their absolutely unique metallic Hardcore musick, first and foremost especially Thrash Metal but also Black Metal and Death Metal marks are clearly to be found and also sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller Doom (Metal) inspirations crush right out of the speakers and overwhelm you instantly and totally, but also traditional Heavy Metal and classic Hard Rock elements (especially in the guitar leads and the harmony and melody lines in general this influences very or pretty often shine bright but also in the rhythm structures this impressions can be found) and even Blues and Country just wait to be discovered here on INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME", oh bloody hell yeahr, and also the more or less for INTEGRITY typical 'classical/traditional' (slightly) Industrial marks rage one more time again beneath the surface of it all, yes, and also every resistance down hammering Hardcore Punk roots that are still very alive and well you will find en masse on and in it all here. The foundation clearly is very unique and sinister, evil, harsh, heavy, intense, crushing, and fast raging, very fresh and totally alive/lively done metallic Hardcore (some may call it Metalcore, okay, but personally I wouldn't do so, but okay...) but or and from this foundation on so incredible more is happening and going on on here, hell yes, INTEGRITY will leave your mind absouletyl blown (out) and your eyes and mouth wide open while your ears ring in constant excitement and hellish pleasure. All is without regrets and without mercy pushed forward by the intense and absolutely unique and charismatic hellish screamed and throaty'n'harsh shouted 'all-out-war-blasted' lead vocals of/by the legendary Dwid Hellion himself, the devastating crushing guitars, and the smashing and thunderous/thundering rhythm section, yes, and all done on one hell of an impressive level of skills and identity. To name any bands to compare INTEGRITY with makes no real sense after all because INTEGRITY pretty much were the first and still are the best and the greatest of'n'in their style but for example a great band like the mighty RINGWORM (and so many others more) would not exist or would not be around the way they are around without INTEGRITY, point and fact. This is HOLY TERROR HARDCORE of and at its very, very, very best!!! The whole album is incredible rich and more than 'just' great and in all honesty it's (nearly) perfect, yes, from start to finish, yes, and so I spare me the mentioning of any sort of personal favorite tracks because you definitely need to experience INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" in all its larger than life glory. Fantastic lyrics, an outstanding gorgeous artwork, and a blasting'n'bombing production sound finally round it all up, yes, it's (at least nearly/almost) perfect, period. INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTNARE SHALL CONSUME" is an absolutely phenomenal and amazing album and one of the very, very best (and most unique) ones of 2017 and surely in years as well as for years to come, oh yes, and if I would have done a more sort of my 'traditional' year-retrospections on 2017 then you would find INTEGRITY's "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME" definitely in my personal top five (if not even in my personal top three) list. Okay, so I think now you should know all what you need to know so far and my last words here and now are that anyone and everybody only slightly into extreme (Hardcore) musick really have to know and own this absolutely mindblowing larger than life masterpiece. HARDCORE!!! FIST!!!
(10 of 10 points)
https://integrity.bandcamp.com/ (- the link to the Bandcamp site of the band)

INTEGRITY - "DIE WITH YOUR BOOTS ON" (2017, "HOWLING, FOR THE NIGHTMARE SHALL CONSUME")

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS" (2017)

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS"
(Running time: 49:18 minutes; 14 songs)
("Metal Blade Records"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, okay, time to give you some new stuff to read up here again and so here now comes the next dose for you which means the next record-review by me for you and this time it will be all about the (brand)new THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER full-length-album "NIGHTBRINGERS" released at the 6th of october of this very year of 2017 via the mighty "METAL BLADE RECORDS" label. THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER were always pretty to very much under my radar-screen because somehow they never really (sort of...) 'spoke to me' so far and so their newest release "NIGHTBRINGERS", which is their 'all-in-all' already 8th studio-full-length-album, is my real first 'meeting' with them. I have the limited edition that comes in an absoultely amazing artwork and that features five bonus tracks of which two are live recordings of (I would guess...) older songs of/by/from them ("ABYSMAL" and "WHEN THE LAST GRAVE HAS EMPTIED") and two cover versions, one of AT THE GATES' "THE SWARM" and one of CARCASS' "THIS MORTAL COIL" and these two cover-tunes point pretty much in the right direction of what THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER give us music-wise: Melodic Death Metal, hyper-aggressive and 'technically' truly high-skilled, and with a modern touch to it all that will surely make them more than only a little bit like-able for all you Metalcore and Deathcore fans outta there. (Btw, the 'normal' version crosses the finishing line in about 33 minutes or so.) This never was and still isn't that much 'my thing' and so... hm... so where or how to start... maybe here and so: Like already said this is truly and through and through hyper-aggressive and filled on and on with a forceful guitar work that delivers so damn sharp cutting, precise slaying, and mercylessly slashing, damn heavy guitar riffing and such headcracking rhythm work that you mostly instantly start to bang your head, yes, and where the guitars really shine is when it comes to the delivered highly melodic leads and the absoultely amazing solos, oh hell yeahr, and there's no need of any further mentioning of how strong and also of how heavily marking the guitars are for the songs and the music of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER. Pretty much the same (when it comes to being heavily marking for the songs of the music of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) is to say when we talk about the high pitched, hysterical, diabolical, and just also hyper-aggressive screamed lead vocals that sometimes change to deep and dark guttural grunts but mostly settle in the mentioned territory of the very harsh delivered screams and that are by any means also pure aggression set to music and that deliver an nearly if not sheer incredible amount of lyrics in/with/through the all-in-all anyhow anyway not that long songs; and that also mark the songs heavily. All is then backed up by a very tight and precise and stunningly heavy rhythm section. The songwriting is also pretty to very strong and definitely far above average and delivers truckloads of energetic rhythm work, dynamic pace changings, and a pretty intense atmosphere pretty much all the time; and that the guys in/of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER are really high skilled musicians should need no further explanation here and now anyhow anyway. All in all THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's "NIGHTBRINGERS" I would locate on a pretty self-contained position somewhere between AT THE GATES (think of their larger than life masterpiece "SLAUGHTER OF THE SOUL"), CARCASS (think of their groundbreaking "HEARTWORK" masterpiece), some modern Metalcore and Deathcore somewhere between acts like HEAVEN SHALL BURN and ABHORRENT DECIMATION, as well as some up-to-date pseudo Death Metal like ARCH ENEMY, yes, I think somewhere between this bands and styles and influences you should find THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and their "NIGHTBRINGERS" and you should find them pretty quick (and also surely pretty strong). The only problem that I have with this album or maybe sort of with this band and album and that certain style of music, hm, I miss a special flavour and really exciting moments because at the end it is all pretty equal to one another (song- and also band-wise in general) and that's also here the case; but maybe that's just me and it's anyhow surely a matter of personal preferences but just that you know mine and don't wonder why my final rating on it is or will be how it is/will be. But this a more general problem I have with this Modern Melodic Death Metal'n'Metalcore'n'Deathcore stuff and this out of the way a particular problem with "NIGHTBRINGERS" is definitely that the songs are too short and offer in that short space'n'time simply (but definitely) far too much lyrics so that the songs are far too damn often simply too 'overloaded' and the music itself is put too often in the background and sort of 'sinks down under/beneath the words' and also so-this-way it turns out to be that the songs simply  again'n'again are a overly hectic and stressful affair (and not the good way of being 'hectic'n'stressy' which means demanding and challenging... but instead of this from time to time quite annoying)... damn it, I mean: longer songs or less words - one of it would have been the golden way, definitely. Also I would wish, like already mentioned a few passages above, that the songs as single songs would have a stronger own identity because (also, at least if you ask me, due to being 'overflooded by the lyrics') for my personal taste the songs sound too often too equal... but maybe that's just and nothing but a matter of my personal taste, who knows. But anyhow, more or less, despite all this THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's "NIGHTBRINGERS" definitely is still a good to damn good album and if you are into the named style(s) of music and/or the named bands then you should definitely risk an ear and give it a fair try. A big bunch of sick, sinister, and pretty 'evil' lyrics, a (like already mentioned) absoultely beautiful artwork, and a heavy bombing (but maybe a little bit too 'trigger-happy') production sound finally round it all up. So, yes, I think now you know all what there's from my point of view to know about the "NIGHTBRINGERS" of/by THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, yes, and so why not give it a good round and a fair try and this best right now.

(7,5 of 10 points)

http://www.tbdmofficial.com/ (-the link to the homepage of the band)

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER - "NIGHTBRINGERS" (2017, "NIGHTBRINGERS")

ÜBERGANG - "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT" (2017)

ÜBERGANG - "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT"
(Running time: 33:20 minutes; 13 songs)
("Demons Run Amok Entertainment"; 2017; CD):

Hey guys, yes, already back on track again and here's now already coming the next record-review-post by me for you. Yesterday was pretty busy up here but today I don't think that that much more beside this very post here and now will be coming up here (due to real life, you know), hm, and after I still have sort of around 12 to 15 releases of 2017 waiting to be reviewed up here by me for you and to be honest, yes, then I don't think I will get it all done before 2018 will be here, even I'll try my best... more or less, and so expect the first days of 2018 still to be filled with record-reviews on 2017 releases, just that you know it. So, okay, enough of the 'introducing smalltalk' right now right here and so now finally into the proper action and this time it is all about the debut full-length-album of/by the new Thrash Metal/Hardcore-Crossover (Metal) band ÜBERGANG from the german city of Göttingen that features Sebi/STOMPER 98 at the mic (here carrying the name of Cliff Nastii - why the bloody hell ever) but music-wise ÜBERGANG and STOMPER 98 have nothing in common, definitely not, and so enough 'bout this. ÜBERGANG pretty much appeared from out of nowhere over the course of the last years from sort of 2014 on I guess and they knew how to (a)rouse a lot of curious tension surrounding them and also they managed that me, myself, and I had them right from the get-go on the radar screen, for sure, and not at least because I am a huge STOMPER 98 fan and also a huge Hardcore and Metal fan and I still can remember the "ROCK HARZ" festival back then in 2002 when I talked there a bit with Sebi about Metal and all and so I was really curious. Yes, and so with saying all this it should be clear that I simply needed to get my hands on ÜBERGANG's "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT" when it was finally (and still pretty recently) released via "DEMONS RUN AMOK ENTERTAINMENT", yes, and so I finally did; and it was a wise move to do so. It's amazing what a blasting and raging intense blizzard of incredible harsh and heavy forward raging and massively onwards rolling and 'moshingly' into battle stomping Thrash/Hardcore Metal bomb this is, oh yes, it's so damn 'stunningly' intense, breathing a twisted atmosphere out of every onwards raging second and still it's filled with eyes'n'ears-wide-opening melody lines, symphonic leads, and bright (yes, maybe sick and sinister but anyhow all the time very bright) shining solos to bring much flavour and colour into the harsh sawing thrashing Crossover Metal that's surely marked by bonesmashing heavyness and truckloads of sheer intensity and aggression and an un-bowed and battle-scarred 'militant' attitude set first class into musick, definitely, but that's at the same time due to the much skilled musicians and the first class songwriting that offers a lot of surprising rhythm and pace changes and 'tricky' twists'n'turns of and in the arrangements all the time a surprising and exciting, grapping highly intense ride over all the complete distance and that they managed to work out the sort of very often 'ever-changing' verses as strong as the very 'hooky'n'catchy' refrains also speaks only for ÜBERGANG and their "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT". This is a very unique and charismatic album and also surely an album not for everyone (and I would bet that ÜBERGANG are all more than fine with this/that) and also for sure an album that's pretty demanding and that you won't just listen to 'in the background', no, it demands and needs some time to really work and dig in it and trust me when I say that it will be all worth your time and effort because it really offers that much - and especially when ÜBERGANG work ice cold blasting Black Metal aggression into their musick you will be left banging and moshing yourself straight into Hades with a twisted satisfied grin on your face. The lead vokillz are hysteric and high pitched and pissed off and highly aggressive as well as nicely diverse with spoken word passages and surely a big trademark of the musick of ÜBERGANG and if you ask me then for all the right reasons. Same is to say for/about the incredible heavy and intense and yet pretty diverse and very melodic guitars that are absoultely first class stuff. The rhythm section then backs it all up with adding a lot of really beefy and truly bulky meat to the backbone of ÜBERGANG's "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT". Rousing and pretty (sort of) 'poetical' completly in german done lyrics (that are surely personal but also surely outspoken, socially aware and critical), a pretty cool artwork, and a hammering heavy production sound then round it all finally up. A lot of other reviews name you CRO-MAGS, AGNOSTIC FRONT, CARNIVORE, DRI, CRYPTIC SLAUGHTER, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, EXODUS, GBH, RAWSIDE, and VORKRIEGSJUGEND and all this named bands would be or are more or less all maybe pretty correct but with comparing ÜBERGANG to them you would do ÜBERGANG (and the named legends, too) no justice because 'here' it's all a very self-conatined affair and so maybe just take this names as loose starting points from where to go on and start your discovery of ÜBERGANG and their "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT". My personal highlights are first and foremost "KÄMPFERHERZ" as well as "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT", "NICHT ALLEIN" and "VAKUUM", "LEIDENSCHAFT (IM DUNKLEN GEWAND)", "LUCY FAR" and "VERÄNDERUNG" and so maybe start your discovery of ÜBERGANG's "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT" with this bestial slashers first. A few of the other songs aren't that strong or maybe simply just don't speak to me, myself, and I (who knows and who am I to judge), like for example "NICHTS ZU VERLIEREN" and "VON INNEN NACH AUßEN", and so (sort of...) 'block-out' an even higher rating here and now by/from me (but that's 'maybe-but-surely' isn't saying that much after all at the end of the day) but also so ÜBERGANG's "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT" is one hell of a damn strong to great album that I can only clearly and calmly recommend highly to fans of blackened metallic Hardcore, clichee-free Metalcore, and very self-contained and harsh sawing and shredding Thrash Metal a-like. So if you still don't have it but your anyhow into the named target-audience-group then make sure to finally change this and get your hands on a copy of ÜBERGANG's "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT" and make damn sure to support this strong going young Thrash Metal/Hardcore - Crossover Metal Roughnecks from Germany, point and fact.

(8,5 of 10 points)

https://www.facebook.com/uebergang.de/?fref=ts (- the link to the facebook site of the band)

ÜBERGANG - "VERÄNDERUNG" (2017, "ZEICHEN DER ZEIT")