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A LA CARTE – Born to Entertain – REVIEW

 

I’m not a big turkey guy when it comes to Thanksgiving. Sure, I’ll savory some on the day but for me the real stars of the meal are the abundant offering of side dishes available. Among my favorites are mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce (but only if it retains its traditional dog food can shape.)

If A La Carte’s new album is any indication, I will be trying a few new sides this year. “Ashtray Souffle,” “Chamber Pot Pie,” and “Maxi Pad Thai,” are just a few of the scrumptious options available on their latest release, Born to Entertain. 

A La Carte out of Lima, Ohio accurately describes itself as “Brutal gruesome food porn with a beat.” Beyond the humorous gimmick is an incredible band that has already upped their game from their debut album, Soup Dejour. Opening with the title track, A La Carte waste no time with thunderous beats, devilish dual vocals, some killer riffs.

The sound bites are the perfect palate cleanser as you move on to the next dish (or track). While the song titles and lyrics are goofy and fun don’t let that cause you to sleep on the band’s incredible musicianship as the songs are incredibly technical and savage. The dual vocals really up the game from their previous release. “Chamber Pot Pie “is one of the best offerings from this meal.

There are also plenty of good ol’ monster and caveman riffs to keep even the most jaded Death Metal fans happy. These cannibalistic cooks certainly know their way around a recording studio just as well as they know their way around a kitchen. Born to Entertain does just that and you will find yourself going back for seconds (and thirds).

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MORGUE TERROR – Violent and Murderous Thoughts – Review

 

Fuck this holiday shit. Let’s get Nasty. Morgue Teror is back with again with their second EP of 2024, Violent and Murderous Thoughts. The band, fitting from Buffalo New York, with their down and dirty, murky as fuck old school Death Metal are here to chase away any of those pesky Xmas Carols or Karens.

From the moment the needle drops on this EP, you are punched square in the jaw and kicked in the bread basket for good measure. The addition of drummer Dustin Klimek (ex Full of Hell) Morgue Terror is already showing significant growth since their debut EP earlier this year. Klimek’s aggressive assault adds plenty of power to an already violent sound.

The vocals are super guttural and savage. I can’t understand a thing he’s going on about. He could be singing about his recent trip to the grocery store for all I care. The album tracks are mostly about murders committed by serial killers and other tales to tell your children before sending them off to bed.

While this EP is filled with plenty of break neck brutality there are plenty of groove elements as well. “Poisonous Prayer,” starts out with funky filling bass line before settling into some nice infectious and nasty grooves.

Morgue Terror has shown some impressive growth from their last EP which was just released earlier this year. With their uncompromising brutality of classic Death Metal that is raw and nasty with a touch of more modern production.

Turn this one up!

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RESTLESS DREAMS – Review

 

I freakin’ love Graveripper. Loud, fast and filthy they are totally my jam. Corey Park is the vocalist, guitarist and one of the main writers for Graveripper, and his latest offering, Restless Dreams is another banger but for completely different reasons.

Parks created an eerie soundscape with his Restless Dreams project that is heavily influenced by the survival horror video game series, Silent Hill. Having never played a game in the series, I can’t compare the album to the game but I can totally feel the uneasiness, wonder, and terror tensions in the music.

Unlike other ambient albums, Ward goes for more of an industrial approach, leaning into much more of a video game feel. The opening track sounds exactly like what one would hear as they load the title screen and begin their epic adventure.  Whereas, the closing track sounds like something that would play over the closing credits.

Again, I’m not sure how well the songs aline with the source material, I can confidently say even without any of that knowledge, I enjoy the hell out of this release.

Now I’m going to hunt down a cheap copy of Silent Hill.

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Slayer at Riot Fest

The last time I wrote a live show review it was for Slayer during their farewell tour. It seems only fitting that my next review would be Slayer’s return to stage a few years later.

When the Slayer reunion shows news broke I, like most of you, was a surprised to see some reunion shows pop up. I’m a big fan of Riot Fest and hearing that NOFX would play as part of their farewell tour, the ticket was an easy sell.

Slayer returned to Main stage on the last evening of the festival alongside acts NOFX (their 3rd and final performance of the weekend) and Sublime playing on the other stages. Rain had plagued the sets earlier in the day and seemed to return as Slayer was about to perform. Many fans were hoping for a downpour so that Slayer would truly “Reign in Blood.” Fortunate enough for us we didn’t get the downpour fans were hoping for and the rain remained light.

Before Slayer returned to the stage they showed a little video. It was fun at first as it really geared up people’s excitement. Then it continued.

And continued.

The wait for Slayer was intense as we were now watching what seemed like a VHI Behind The Music episode. After what seemed like an eternity, the curtain dropped and there was FUCKIN” SLAYER! Starting out with “South of Heaven,” they continued their much missed musical assault with, “Reborn,” and continued with hits from their entire catalog.

The set used plenty of pyro including two burning upside down crosses on each side of the stage. Upping their stagehow theatrics, the band had neon looking red “rain drops ” that fell on the stage during “Reign in Blood,”

Singer Tom Araya who’s never been known to take much time address the audience said after the first few songs,”So did you miss us?” As the crowd erupted in cheers and shouts of “SLAYER!” Tom smiled and said, “We missed you too,”

The performance was tight as hell. Kerry King and Gary Holt havent missed a thing. Seeing two of my favorite Slayer songs, “Jihad,” and “Seasons in the Abyss,” played back to back was nothing short of incredible. This along with a rare performance of “213” made an incredible show.

I’m not sure how many more shows Slayer has planned in their future but if you get the chance to see them again don’t miss it. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you miss something until it’s gone.

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VEXING HEX – Solve Et Coagula

 

They told me it would never happen. Hell. I was firmly convinced that they were correct.

But..

My blackened little thrasher heart loved this album. I smiled as I jammed to an album with no growls, no pig squeals or corpse painted frontmen spitting blood. (There could still be time for this one though.) Sure the music is softer than my normal listening but this album is just too damn fun.

While the album cover may not look out of place in the Death Metal section, Vexing Hex play an Occult/Stoner/Groove style that stays in the ear long after the album has finished. With some awesome harmonies, catchy riffs and just the right amount of darkness, this is the perfect record to listen to as summer winds down.

“One Thousand Eyes,” is super punchy and makes great use of some added synths to make the track a little more trippy. When “Vviccaphobia,” sounds like it could have come from Ghost or an undiscovered underground 70’s occult band.

With their fuzzy tones, warm vocals and occult worship, Solve Et Coagula is worth checking out even if every T-shirt you own is black, beer stained and bears an unreadable band logo. You want lost your Kvlt points.

Well, probably not.

 

 

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THE ABSENCE – Self Titled – REVIEW

In a world with a million bands releasing millions of records, I’m bound to miss a few bands here and there. Case in point, The Absence. Their newest self titled release is their 6th album to date and the first time I’ve heard them. Looks like I have some homework to do. With their American meets Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal  blend this is a killer listen from start to finish.

6 albums in, The Absence seem to have a clear cut idea on what does and dosen’t work. The tracks are tight and clear, generally ranging into the 3 to 4 minute range.  There is plenty of headbanging riffs, grooves and even some vocal hooks that keep the album moving

“The Silent Eye,” is a Melodic banger and the perfect track single track to attract new listeners. (Hell, it totally worked on me.) Plenty of killer riffs and grooves continue to melt your face with “Vagrant Death.” The Absence does give you a moment to pick your brain droppings off the floor with the mid album instrumental. ” Surface of a Dead World.”

After the brief calm, The Absence kick the heaviness up with “Grieving Winds,” including angrier riffs and vocals. It’s a less melodic more pounding approach and I am here for it.

With some incredible clear production, plenty of amazing riffs and grooves while still managing to keep the brutality, The Absence new album is a banger.

Now if you’ll excuse me while I’ll stage dive head first into their discography.

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MUTILATED BY ZOMBIES – Scenes From the Afterlife – REVIEW

 

This recent heatwave that has been going on for the last month leaves me not wanting to leave this house. Luckily Mutilation by Zombies’s new album melts my face without even having to step one foot out my door.

The dastardly trio pack an inhuman amount of tight riffs, crushing vocals and swirling tempos in one convenient little  package. These group from Iowa can get a lot more sound with less compared to another certain Iowain band with 37 members.

This is everything you ever loving black heart wants in a good ol’ Death Metal album. Disgusting album art on the outside, sick and twisted tales of horror inside. With tracks such as the neck snapping, “Headcount Rising,” to the spooky and hauntingly somber, “Reincarnate,” what’s not to love?

Scenes from the Aftterlife perfectly melds several types of Death Metal to keep from growing stale. There are plenty of grooves alongside some savage technical passages to keep your skull rattling. If you are looking for more breakdowns and beatdowns they got you covered too.

For my money, “Molten,” is a complete banger of a song. Awesome grooves, crunchy riffs and plenty of pissed of energy to share. Crank this one up to 11 and scorch the neighborhood.

 

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WYNDRIDER – Wyndrider – REVIEW

 

With the extra long holiday weekend, it’s a great time to take a moment, reflect and relax. And what better to do just that than to listen to the mellow and raw Doom tunes from Wyndrider’s debut album.

Fans of old school Doom such as Black Sabbath and Budgie are gonna love the thick and juicy Blues flavors that run the course of the album. The fuzzy tones and flowing solos will propel you into another reality while the soothing vocals guide you along the way. Vocalist Chloe Gould’s haunting melodies blend in perfectly with Wydryder’s classic Doon approach.

Sonically this is an incredible showcase of a debut album delivering killer grooves in spades. The fuzzy guitar work throughout the recording leave a haze in the air that dosen’t seem to go away even long after the record has finished playing. WyndRyder aims to take the listener on a sonic journey and succeeds throughout much of the album.

If you are looking for something new with your Doom, you may want to look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for that old school classic Doom with a nice dash of Southern Rock and the Blues, this one is for you. Gould’s soothing vocals and the guitar tones are worth the price of admission alone.

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GRAVEHUFFER – Mile High Live – REVIEW

Recorded live from the Mile High City, Denver Colorado on July 9th of 2023,Gravehuffer’s live album perfectly captures the mayhem of one of their live shows. It’s the next best thing to actually seeing the band in person. Plus you probably won’t get any bruises, broken bones or lost shoes jamming to this one at home.

For a live recording this album sounds fantastic. You can actually make out each instrument which is even a challenge for a grind/doom/punk/etc/etc band to achieve under studio conditions. But don’t let that frighten the grindheads out there. There is still plenty of carnage happening here. “Go Murder, Pray and Die,” still comes out savage as fuck. (Just try not to tip over the couch if you are listening at home. Or do. I don’t care. I’m not your Mom)

Vocalist Travis McKenzie even provides some amusing crowd between songs often involving some clever self deprecating humor. Who knew necrophilia could be so funny?

In addition to the live show, Gravehuffer included a few cover songs. “Like Rats,” (Godflesh) “Destroyer,” (Twisted Sister) “Inca Roads,” (Frank Zappa) and “Children of the Grave.” (Black Sabbath) The Frank Zappa cover is…..interesting. However, Gravehuffer some how transitions this into a killer doom crusted cover of “Children of the Grave.”  Don’t ask me how. It just works.

 

 

 

 

 

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MORGUE TERROR- Self Titled -REVIEW

At first glance the cover to Morgue Terror’s debut EP looks like a Dangerous Toys album or a Flea Market grade Art the Clown. The truth is Morgue Terror is an album about Horror’s newest Icon, Art the Clown from the Terrifer films. The band likely had to tweak the image enough to keep everyone’s lawyers happy.

Just like the films the songs are based off, Morgue Terror plays sick and brutal. There is a ton of groove behind the mayhem that gives off impressive early Cannibal Corpse vibes. “Salt the Wound,” is a neck snapper with some sick riffs and even nastier vocals. As the track goes on Morgue Terror turns up the heat and adds some pretty tasty solos.

“Night Stalker,” slows the pace but keeps the groove. The blast beat drums at the mid point pair perfectly with another impressive solo buy guest guitarist Brian Mason. “Broken, Beaten, Beheaded,” brings more intense riffage to the table that hammer the licks into your head. “Morbid Curiosities,” has a nice early thrash feel in the beginning that quickly quicks into high gear making it one of the more faster and brutal tracks on the EP.

“Chopped up Chum,” closes things out with a crawl that quickly amps up it into a wild frenzy of mayhem. Just as the song nears the end, everything slows down to an erries on easy crawl as the sound filters out.  Much like the films the music is based on Morgue Terror are a sick assault on the senses, with stabbing riffs, bludgeoning drums and sickening vocals.