Sunday Random Album Pile-Up 3

Alright, so technically this isn’t Sunday, but late is better than never right?

1. Enemy of the Sun – Shadows (2007)

Pray tell, what is this? Enemy of Sun and their 2007 effort is really something that I have trouble categorizing but can’t help think that it sounds like a modern, less progressive version of Faith No More combined with a generic taste of Strapping Young Lad. These guys are trying to be fresh and inspiring like Faith No More was with their quirky avant garde style that made them legends in the rock scene, unfortunately, instead of following their own identity, they sound TOO much like Faith No More along with, as I said before, an attempt at enfusing modern metal ala a watered down Strapping Young Lad. With that said, Shadows isn’t terrible, it just suffers from an identity crisis. (Similar Artists: Faith No More, Strapping Young Lad, The Devin Townsend Band) EH…

2. Protest the Hero – Fortess (2008)

Here it is folks, a metalcore record with more clean vocals than harsh vocals….and it works, very very well. Ignoring the stupid label of mathcore and replacing with the good old progressive sticker, Protest the Hero have quickly garnered the utmost respect from me with a stunning 2008 output that almost touches Between the Buried and Me’s Colors in its greatness. Fortress represents everything that is amazing and forward thinking about heavy metal in North America today. Treading new territory along with the aformentioned BTBAM as well as Genghis Tron and Mastodon, Protest the Hero have absolutely shattered every boundary imaginable by producing a record that is incredibly mainstream while maintaining its “street cred” in the metal community simply because there is little to nothing bad that can be said about this beast. Vocal wise, Rody Walker promotes the So-Cal screamo approach to harsh vocals that beckons similarities to SikTh and even post-hardcore newcomers Saosin, however, where he really shines is his clean vocals which intertwines surprisingly well with the heavy riffs and amazing drumwork of Moe Carlson. (Similar Artists: Between the Buried and Me, Mastodon, SikTh, Dead to Fall) MANDATORY OWNAGE

3. 8 Foot Sativa – Poison of Ages (2007)

Nowhere near being original, New Zealand melodic death metallers 8 Foot Sativa and their 2007 offering is quite good amidst a landscape that beckons for this genre to just shut the hell up for a year or two. Perhaps 8 Foot Sativa’s biggest advantage is their ability to just play balls out death metal with some melodic hooks with little to no worry for progressive interludes and rehashed film quotes in the introductions of tracks. Bottom line, Poison of Ages is simply a good album, no more, no less. Fans of the genre will immediately take a liking from the first track and will stay entertained for the duration of the album. The only downside is that this disk might pick up some dust once the listener finally takes it out of his/her CD player in favor of something new. Still, this is definitely a worthy listen for most fans of death metal, especially those who are fans of Grimfist. (Heaven Shall Burn, Light This City, Grimfist) GOOD

4. Archaic Torse – Sneak Attack (1994)

I can say without hesitation that thrash is my favorite metal genre of all time, and I pride myself on going out of my way to discover bands that never were, so to say. Germany’s Archaic Torse is one of those bands who really never made it in the scene, but still maintains a legit following in the underground with some newer fans. 1994’s Sneak Attack, as any fan of metal knows, came out during grunge’s heyday and really had no room for growth within a scene that, internationally speaking, wasn’t what it once was. Still, on musical merits alone, Sneak Attack is a respectable album combining heavier thrash and death metal. Fans of Demolition Hammer will immediately notice a similarity, but quality wise, Archaic Torse comes up short. Sneak Attack strikes me as an album that would sound much, much better live than in the confines of a living room armchair on a Sunday afternoon. Each song on Sneak Attack starts off relatively strong, with an in your face presence, but each song then fails to really capture the listener’s attention for more than 30 seconds. Perhaps the most striking thing about this album is the vocals of Claus, who sounds at times, remarkably like Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. This is recommended for hardcore thrash enthusiasts only. (Similar Artists: Demolition Hammer, Kreator, Vader) NOT BAD

5. Detonation – Emission Phase (2007)

While listening to Emission Phase from Holland’s Detonation, I looked down at my computer and quickly realized that three songs had gone by without me realizing it. I was staring off into space while listening to this record! Ladies and gentlemen, that is never a good sign. And realizing my folly, I went back and re-listened to the songs I “missed” along with the rest of the album, and quickly made up my mind after it was over that Detonation represents a watered down version of modern In Flames without the catchy hooks and melodic keyboards. For those who are not big fans of latter day In Flames, please, do yourself a favor and steer clear of this album, it will do you no good. For fans of the latest In Flames releases, you might find some redeeming qualities in Emission Phase, but don’t set your standards too high. This isn’t the first Detonation album, but after listening to this, I really have no interest in perusing the rest of their discography. (Similar Artists: In Flames, Soilwork, Blood Stain Child) NOT BAD

Reviews by CODY