The Fat Freddy Review Column

Quote :

POWND – CIRCLE OF POWER (B) Nightmare Records, 2007
11 Tracks, RT: 48:09

Let me get this out of the way first: What kind of band name is “Pownd?” Come on guys, intentional mis-spellings are SO 1987! (Upon my first glance at the CD cover, I thought the band’s name was “Pwnd,” as in the annoying chat-room catch phrase, “haha u got PWND!”) Anywhoo, I’ve spun CIRCLE OF POWER, the debut from this Detroit (by way of Kentucky) five piece, a few times now and found it to be an enjoyable, if not totally original, collection of traditional heavy/power metal. After a few spins I began to get the feeling that that in their home area, Pownd are most likely “that band”… i.e. the local metal band that gets to open for every national act that comes through their area, soaking up a bit of influence from each of the headliners and pouring it into their own original material. The band’s bio states that they’ve opened shows for Halford, Iced Earth, and Nevermore, just to name a few, and I can hear bits and pieces of each of these bands throughout the 11 tracks. The stars of this band are the brotherly duo of Michael and Ronnie Duncan (vocals and guitars, respectively). Michael has an impressive set of pipes (Though his Halford-esque higher-end screams, as witnessed in tunes like “Ellie” and “Slowly Drowning,” can be a bit grating) and his bro (in tandem with second guitarist Rick Sargent) can definitely shred on the six-string. The majority of the album is made up of catchy, mid-tempo pounders (sorry) like the impressive opener “Still I Bleed” and “Monster,” though the band mixes things up a bit with the album’s centerpiece, a seven minute-plus, acoustic-laced track called “Never Means Forever” (the opening of which, oddly enough, reminded me of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence,” though I’m sure I’m the only one who will make that connection…). This song ended up becoming a fast favorite of mine for its varied moods and changing tempos (plus a white-hot solo that is pure George Lynch-inspired goodness.) By the time I got to the album-closing speed burner “Swatting Flies,” I was reaching for the “repeat” button on my CD player and wondering how this band had managed to stay under my radar for so long, as this is the kind of stuff that is right up my alley. I’m even more pleased that they’re from the US, as the American scene can always use more bands like this. This one’s well worth seeking out. Shame about the silly name though.

Hey Freddy, good job on the review. I was browsing through the used section at the local FYE over the weekend and fownd Pownd. It probably would have gone overlooked if not for your review. The goofy name stuck out in my mind. I figured I'd give it a shot for $6 bucks. I'll be listening to it later today in work.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Hey Freddy, good job on the review. I was browsing through the used section at the local FYE over the weekend and fownd Pownd. It probably would have gone overlooked if not for your review. The goofy name stuck out in my mind. I figured I'd give it a shot for $6 bucks. I'll be listening to it later today in work.

Thanks man, glad you "fownd Pownd" (haha, good one!)... hope you like the album, as you can see from my review, I found it to be a decent, if not totally mind blowing CD... $6 seems like a fair price for it... let me know what you think!

I've given it a few spins today and I'd say your review was right on. Sure, they're not re-inventing the wheel, but they play decent traditional-style metal. I can see this getting repeated spins. It's definately worth what I paid for it.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

I've given it a few spins today and I'd say your review was right on. Sure, they're not re-inventing the wheel, but they play decent traditional-style metal. I can see this getting repeated spins. It's definately worth what I paid for it.

Glad you dug it man!

And another:


BLOOD TSUNAMI – THRASH METAL (B-) Candlelight Records, 2007

“Blood Tsunami” … what a hilariously awesome band name!! The album title THRASH METAL is a perfect example of truth in advertising too, because that’s exactly what you get when you pop this into your stereo – eight tracks of punishing, no-frills, homicidal THRASH f**kin’ METAL!!! The members of this Norwegian foursome (vocalist Pete, guitarist Dor, bassist Bosse, and former Emperor drummer Faust – these guys are in such a hurry that they only have time to give us their first names, haha!) are proudly carrying the torch for the vintage European and Bay Area bands, and THRASH METAL is a nod to the old school that honors such Teutonic thrash titans as Kreator (Pete’s screechy vox are a dead ringer for The Big K’s Mille Petrozza), Sodom, and Destruction, mixed with a healthy dollop of Slayer-esque guitar torture. Be prepared to get pinned to the wall as soon as you hit the “play” button on such ferocious tracks as “Evil Unleashed,” “Rampage of Revenge,” and (my vote for Best Song Title of 2007) “Infernal Final Carnage,” all of which sound as if the hounds of Hell are gathering on your doorstep! I’ll be honest, this is the sort of stuff I can only handle in small doses, as I was always more into the “refined” sounding thrash of the late 80s/early 90s (I preferred stuff like Metallica’s AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, Exodus’ FABULOUS DISASTER, Annihilator’s ALICE IN HELL, etc., to more savage-sounding offerings like Kreator’s PLEASURE TO KILL, Sodom’s IN THE SIGN OF EVIL, and so forth) but this disc still makes me smile and raise the horns due to its complete and total reverence for the sound of old and how convincingly it’s played. THRASH METAL would’ve easily been on the lips of every thrasher and on the front cover of every fanzine if it had been released back in 1985. If you were one of the infernal legions entranced by the leather-and-bullet-belted Euro-thrash brigade back in the 80s, then Blood Tsunami may well be your new saviors. Long live THRASH METAL!

Fat Freddy wrote:

RAT SKATES - BORN IN THE BASEMENT DVD (A) Kundrat Productions, 2007
RT: 60:06 (plus bonus features)
[ http://www.ratskates.com ]
[ http://www.kundrat.com ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/ratskates ]


I guess it’s pretty obvious by now that I loved this video, huh? If I haven’t made it abundantly clear by now, BORN IN THE BASEMENT is well worth checking out if you've ever been an Overkill fan or if you grew up in the New York/New Jersey area during the 80s...or both, like me. Thanks for the memories, Rat, and welcome back!!

I really wanted to buy this too but, I just didn't want to dish out so much money for it!!

Good thing you summed up the dvd for me but, I do want to see Verni with a FRO. Kinda funny how you said rat puts himself in the spotlight with other metal giants who still play and made names for themselves. Hail Jersey!!

KissinMaiden wrote:

Good thing you summed up the dvd for me but, I do want to see Verni with a FRO. Kinda funny how you said rat puts himself in the spotlight with other metal giants who still play and made names for themselves.

Yup, apparently in his own mind, Rat Skates belongs in the Thrash Metal Hall of Fame right up there next to James Hetfield, Kerry King, Scott Ian, Dave Mustaine, etc., etc.... hahahahaha!

Coupla new ones... been a while since I posted any reviews, it felt good to get back in the groove!

PRO-PAIN - AGE OF TYRANNY (B-) Candlelight USA, 2007
11 tracks, RT: 39:28
[ http://www.pro-pain.org/ ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecordsusa.com/ ]
[ http://www.candlelightrecords.co.uk/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/candlelightrecordsusa ]
Pro-Pain has been around forever, or so it seems. Their debut album, FOUL TASTE OF FREEDOM, was released in 1992, but AGE OF TYRANNY (their tenth album, I assume, due to the subtitle THE TENTH CRUSADE) is the first time I've ever heard the band. (What can I say, I've never been a huge hardcore aficionado.) My first impression was "WOW, these guys
are pissed!" Bassist/front man Gary Meskil (ex-Crumbsuckers) is foul- mouthed rage and anger personified, as he spits out rants like the impressive "All For King George" and "Company Jerk" while the rest of the band (guitarists Tom Klimchuck and Eric Klinger and drummer JC Dwyer) provide a crushing musical backdrop behind him. After several spins of AGE OF TYRANNY I can only imagine that a Pro-Pain show must
look like a night at the "Double Deuce" nightclub from the movie "Road House" ("the kinda place where you have to sweep up the eyeballs after closing," haha!) because this is definitely music to beat the crap out of someone to. I hear a female vocalist (unidentified on the press sheet) during "Beyond The Pale," which provides an odd counterpoint to
Meskil's guttural snarl, and I'm guessing that Pro-Pain are not crazy about the U.S. government's current policies, based on song titles like "Impeach, Indict, Imprison" and "Iraqnam." Overall AGE OF TYRANNY is not exactly my thing but I have to admire Pro-Pain's musical precision and the steamrolling, unrelenting brutality of the proceedings. If hardcore/thrash crossover is your bag, then AGE OF TYRANNY should be at the top of your shopping list.

VERISMO - CITY OF KINGS (C) Verismetal Music, 2006
10 tracks, RT: 43:02
[ http://www.verismetal.com/ ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/verismo ]
[ http://www.sonicbids.com/verismo ]
Brooklyn has always been the most "metal" borough of New York City in my book. In days gone by Brooklyn was the home base of Carnivore (later Type O Negative) and Biohazard, to name just a few, and the legendary rock/metal club L'Amour, where just about everybody who was anybody played their early gigs back in the '80s, was also Brooklyn based. Now this working class borough has produced CITY OF KINGS, the
self-released debut from Verismo (which means "realism" in Italian, don'cha know), a trio who describe their music as "Brooklyn Thrash." As I popped it into the player I wondered what exactly constituted "Brooklyn Thrash" -- songs about Ebbets Field and the Brooklyn Bridge, or perhaps an ode to the "N" subway line? Anyway, CITY OF KINGS is a nicely packaged little CD, with cool artwork and layout, but
unfortunately I wasn't as impressed with the music itself. Don't get me wrong, the three Verismo boys definitely have got chops, but the ten songs unfortunately blew past me without leaving much of an impression, even after numerous spins. CITY OF KINGS kinda sounds like a mish-mash of early Megadeth, Motorhead, and VoiVod, with vocals
reminiscent of Tommy Victor (Prong). CITY OF KINGS sounded fine while it was playing but once the disc ended I couldn't pick out a highlight other than the opening track "Enemy." They certainly sound like they could throw down in a live situation but it doesn't really come across very well on CD. Sorry fellas, I'll stick to my old Carnivore albums if I want to hear thrash Brooklyn style.

Ha! Fooled you, too! Believe it or not, that female on "Beyond The Pale" is actually Matthew Bizilia from Icarus Witch. A dude, more or less! Haha. I got that crappy Candlelight promo, too, at first, and he had me fooled like you! He has a different tone than he does on Icarus Witch's material, which makes him sounds like a chick. I mean, as you heard, he really sounds like a chick. Haha.

And yes, Pro-Pain have never been fond of the government. It's nothing new.

Eyesore wrote:

Ha! Fooled you, too! Believe it or not, that female on "Beyond The Pale" is actually Matthew Bizilia from Icarus Witch. A dude, more or less! Haha. I got that crappy Candlelight promo, too, at first, and he had me fooled like you! He has a different tone than he does on Icarus Witch's material, which makes him sounds like a chick. I mean, as you heard, he really sounds like a chick. Haha.

And yes, Pro-Pain have never been fond of the government. It's nothing new.

You're kidding... really? Dang, that's funny. They might have mentioned that on the bio sheet, so I wouldn't feel like as much of a tool.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

Ha! Fooled you, too! Believe it or not, that female on "Beyond The Pale" is actually Matthew Bizilia from Icarus Witch. A dude, more or less! Haha. I got that crappy Candlelight promo, too, at first, and he had me fooled like you! He has a different tone than he does on Icarus Witch's material, which makes him sounds like a chick. I mean, as you heard, he really sounds like a chick. Haha.

And yes, Pro-Pain have never been fond of the government. It's nothing new.

You're kidding... really? Dang, that's funny. They might have mentioned that on the bio sheet, so I wouldn't feel like as much of a tool.

You're not the only one. I've read other reviews that talk about the female vocals. They're all over the net.

Detritus has been on hiatus for a couple of weeks, but it's up and running again so I'll have some new reviews to post soon. Here's my first one in awhile:
LETHAL AGGRESSION – LIFE IS HARD… (B-) Xtreem Music, 2007
44 Tracks, RT: 76:44
[ http://www.xtreemmusic.com ]
[ http://www.myspace.com/lethalaggression ]
Remember the good ole days when hardcore was actually about having FUN (as opposed to nowadays, when it’s full of whiny, pretentious, vegetarian straight-edge motherf**kers telling you how you should live your life)? Then Xtreem Music’s reissue of 1989’s LIFE IS HARD disc by Lethal Aggression should bring back some fond memories. The New Jersey band dealt out a mix of hardcore punk and thrash metal that was commonly referred to as “thrashcore” or “speedcore” back in the day, and pretty much sounds like a mish-mosh of early Suicidal Tendencies, early C.O.C., Cryptic Slaughter, D.R.I., and Wehrmacht. (If you own albums by any of the aforementioned bands but have never heard Lethal Aggression, consider me astounded.) Even if you still have the original LIFE IS HARD LP from 1989, completists will still want to pick this reissue up because in addition to the original album, the CD also compiles just about every note that Lethal Aggression has ever recorded to date, including tracks from two different seven-inch singles (1987 and 1990), live tracks from the band’s first show (at a local roller rink!) in 1985, and the reactivated band’s 2006 demo tape, for a total of 44 tracks in just over 75 minutes. These guys pack a lot of wallop in a relatively short time with their quick, to the point, foul mouthed songs (most are in and out in under two minutes) about drinking (“Vodda Vodka,” “Ripple On Ice”), drugs (“Drugcore”) and hardcore unity (“No Scene,” “Circle Pit Of Life,”), along with some humorous pissed-off rants about life in general (“Dicked Again,” “Kill Death Die,” “Stuck F**k”, and the classic “Spooge”), but they’re always fun and never heavy handed or preachy. The performances, as you might expect, are lightning-fast and somewhat on the sloppy side (According to the liner notes in the booklet, much of this material was recorded in an drunken/drug-induced haze, and the LIFE IS HARD album was mixed by the band while under the influence of LSD, so it’s an impressive feat that the band sounds as good as it does!) and the production is cheap and fuzzy (bass and drums up front, vocals and guitars buried in the back), but that’s old-school hardcore for ya! The booklet is also great fun, packed with tons of photos of the band members and their friends acting goofy, pics of stage divers and slam dancers, lots of vintage concert flyers, and some entertaining commentary from the band members on each of the various recording sessions. Those liner notes sum this band up nicely: “Fast-catchy-angry-pissed-fun-moshable-thrashcore!” That pretty much says it all as far as I’m concerned. If you bring LIFE IS HARD into your home, I recommend that you move all of your fragile items to a safe location before pressing “play.”

My latest blah-blah-blah...
STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH (S.O.D.) – RISE OF THE INFIDELS (B) MegaForce Records, 2007
24 Tracks, RT: 55:20
[ http://www.sod-mod.com ]
[ http://www.megaforcerecords.com ]
Stormtroopers of Death have been officially disbanded for a few years now, and a reunion seems unlikely at this point since Scott Ian, Billy Milano, and Charlie Benante went through a very ugly public mud-slinging match in the metal press at the time of their breakup. Depending on which side of the fence you’re on, then, S.O.D.’s new RISE OF THE INFIDELS can be viewed as either a final gift to the fans of the mighty thrash/hardcore crossover kings, or as an example of their record label squeezing the last bit of juice out of the band’s name to make a few more bucks. (Since this disc hit stores only a month or so before Billy Milano’s new M.O.D. album, RED WHITE AND SCREWED, the argument can be made that they’re trying to steal Billy’s thunder with this release as well.) RISE is a compilation CD being billed as “The World’s Longest EP,” featuring four hard to find studio tracks (likely the last scraps of rare/unreleased stuff in the S.O.D. vaults) and a live set recorded at the Fenix in Seattle, WA (taped during the band’s 1999 BIGGER THAN THE DEVIL road trip, even though no songs from that album appear on this CD). Of the four studio tracks that start the disc, I got the most chuckles out of “Java Amigo” (a hilarious rant about the omnipresence of Starbucks and their fancy-pants gourmet yuppie coffee) and the cover of the Agnostic Front classic “United and Strong” (very similar to S.O.D.’s own “United Forces”), then the real fun begins when the Stormtroopers bring their live assault to Seattle. Kicking off their live set with “The Ballad of Nirvana” (band: several bars of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Milano: “YOU’RE DEAD!,” end of song) – nothing like getting on a crowd’s bad side right away by insulting their favorite native son! -- you get most of the S.O.D. classics from the SPEAK ENGLISH OR DIE album here, such as “Kill Yourself,” “Milano Mosh,” “Douche Crew,” “Milk,” and the aforementioned “United Forces.” ), The live tracks vary in quality throughout the set, but are still relatively listenable throughout, resembling a decent bootleg recording more than a “professional” live album. But then, S.O.D. never came off as the most “professional” crew to begin with, preferring instead to make fun of and piss off everything and everybody, so a crystal clear live recording from these guys probably wouldn’t’ have sounded right anyway. Unfortunately I never had the pleasure of seeing S.O.D. live but it seems like they must’ve put on one hell of a funny show. I cracked up when the band busted into a few bars of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” in the middle of “Speak English Or Die,” and in addition to the “Ballad” dedicated to Cobain (which they play a SECOND time in the middle of the set just to add insult to injury!), we also hear similar “tributes” to Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Michael Hutchence of INXS, Freddy Mercury, and Frank Sinatra. Billy Milano’s crowd patter, of course, is pure lowbrow comedic genius (he introduces “F**k The Middle East” as “a song of hope” – ha!), as is the “6 songs in 5 seconds” medley (which has been heard already a live bonus track on the “platinum reissue” of SPEAK ENGLISH OR DIE, but what the hell, it’s still funny). Now that S.O.D. is history, Billy really ought to consider going into standup comedy! RISE OF THE INFIDELS may not be an essential purchase for everyone, but S.O.D. diehards (and I know there are still a lot of you out there) should be pleased with this last (?) testament from “Sergeant D” and crew.

I've got a whole heap of backlogged CDs that I have to bang out reviews for, so expect this thread to be pretty busy for the foreseeable future.

My latest batch:

SUSPERIA - CUT FROM STONE (B) Candlelight USA, 2007
11 Tracks, RT: 47:15
Well, this was a surprise. When CUT FROM STONE arrived in my mailbox quite some time ago, it came in a plain cardboard sleeve with the record label’s logo on the front and a small sticker on the back telling me the band name and the album title. No artwork, no track listing, no bio/information sheet, no nothin’. Susperia was an unfamiliar name to me but a quick Net search revealed that they’re a Norwegian combo made up of former members of Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, and Old Man’s Child. My immediate, uninformed opinion was "Gack! Why are they sending me this black metal crap?" and it went straight to the bottom of my "to be reviewed" pile, where it remained unplayed for several months. When Detritus came back from its hiatus a short while ago and I reached for my stack of backlogged review CDs, there was the long ignored copy of CUT FROM STONE, whispering to me in a soft voice, "Oh, PLEASE play me, Mister Amateur Metal Critic, Sir. I’ve been waiting here all this time, and I’ve been oh so patient." Taking pity on the lonely CD, I gritted my teeth, popped it in my stereo, and pressed "play" on it for the first time… and when the first track "More" came blaring from my speakers, I immediately thought, "Wow, this is not at ALL what I expected to hear." Rather than screechy anthems about burnin’ churches and rapin’ angels, CUT FROM STONE turned out to be a pretty rockin’ disc that takes equal parts from the thrash of old and the current Scandi melodic death metal scene, with a slight hint of prog. The result is something akin to a combo of vintage Testament and CLAYMAN-era In Flames bumpin’ uglies with the likes of Evergrey. Vocalist Athera (yea, they’re one of those bands whose members each only have one name) has a hoarse but confident snarl to his voice (that thankfully doesn’t go over the line into WOOOOARRRGH territory very often) and the musicians (particularly guitar riffmeisters Elvorn and Cyrus) are as solid as a brick wall (and twice as heavy!). Instant highlights for me were the aforementioned "More," the CLAYMAN-ish "Clone," "Release," and the all out thrash fest "Between The Lines," but just about every track on this thing prompted a quick flash of the devil horns and some noddin’ of the head. The moral of this story is that I should probably pay more attention to the "runts" of the litter when I get a package of promos, because CUT FROM STONE turned out to be the best out of that batch of review CDs and it will definitely receive more spins from me in the near future. Consider me humbled.


Hurtlocker - EMBRACE THE FALL (C) Napalm Records, 2007
10 Tracks, RT: 36:11
Better Left Unsaid - THE SILENCING (C) Self Released, 2006
7 Tracks, RT: 24:47
OK, I’m probably going to come off like a total dick here, but I am now officially REALLY tired of this whole modern thrash/metalcore movement. At the risk of sounding like everybody’s Mom, these bands are all starting to sound the same to me. The two latest contenders to arrive in my mailbox – Chicago’s Hurtlocker and California’s Better Left Unsaid – are being stapled together here because to be honest, I didn’t find either one of them interesting enough to merit their own separate reviews. I'm probably not going out on a limb here by assuming that both of these bands really dig Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine, Shadows Fall, God Forbid, and the rest of the current thrash/core brigade a whole heckuva lot. I spun these CDs back to back about a half dozen times each in preparation for writing this review, (which was a Herculean feat of intestinal fortitude in and of itself for this jaded old-schooler) and I actually had to keep checking the CD covers to see which band was playing at the time because they both sounded more or less identical... plenty of hyperspeed mosh-it-up riffage that wouldn't be so bad by itself, but the constant "WOOOOAAAAARRRRGH" vocals made both of these discs all but unlistenable to me. If I were forced to choose which band I liked better of the two, I guess I’d give more props to Hurtlocker because their vocalist has more of a Euro-thrash delivery (think Mille Petrozza from Kreator) while the Better Left Unsaid guy relies on the even more annoying "BARK BARK BARK BARK" style of spitting lyrics. On the other hand, Better Left Unsaid’s disc was shorter so it was over quicker. I’ll give’em each a "C" based strictly on the crushing power of the music, but either way, neither of these bands are ever going to darken my CD player again. Sorry to be such a narrow minded prick but sometimes I just gotta call’em as I see’em.


IGNITOR – ROAD OF BONES (B+) Cruz Del Sur Music, 2007
11 Tracks, RT: 52:50
I first became aware of these female-fronted Texan true metallers a few years ago via some rave ‘zine reviews of their self released demo CD, TAKE TO THE SKY, and through their web site, from which I downloaded a pretty cool cover version of Judas Priest’s "Electric Eye," if memory serves. The band recently signed a deal with the Italian label Cruz Del Sur Music (home to fellow U.S. retro-metal revivalists Pharaoh and Crescent Shield, to name just a few) and has now released their first official album, ROAD OF BONES, an 11 track excursion into all things Priest, Maiden, Manowar, and Dio related. Fans of any of those bands (or their spiritual godchildren such as Iced Earth, Metal Church , Jag Panzer, Primal Fear, etc.) should have no problem giving Ignitor a hearty "horns up," as this disc is so old-school that it should’ve come with a "scratch and sniff" panel loaded with the scents of cheap beer and sweat-soaked leather. The album starts off with a somewhat pointless intro before kicking into the title track, a galloping number whose twin-guitar attack immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album…there will be no trendy "flavor of the month" metal tricks for the Ignitor crew, they’re here to party like it’s 1985, and it sounds absolutely flawless. The guitar team of Stuart "Bat Lord" Lawrence (who was last seen with cult Texas metallists Agony Column, for all you trivia hounds) and Annah Moore provide Ignitor’s shred while vocalist Erika (yes, just "Erika") has a mighty voice that immediately puts her right alongside metal’s premier warrior women like Doro Pesch or Veronica Freeman (Benedictum). If it weren’t an oxymoron, I’d say that this gal has got a serious set of balls! "March to the Guillotine" (my fave track), "Castle in the Clouds," and "God of Vengeance" should have crowds merrily headbangin’ in the front row, while the album’s closer, "Reinheitsgebot," is sung mostly in German, which should guarantee them getting some primo time slots on European metal festival stages in the coming years. The members of Ignitor may wear their influences on their leather-studded sleeves on ROAD OF BONES, and obviously nobody is even trying to re-invent the wheel, but everything is done with such power, conviction and reverence for the classic metal style that I can’t help but chant "metal is the law!" right along with’em. Take this ROAD to true metal glory!

Another new one

SODOM – THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL (C+) SPV, 2007
12 Tracks, RT: 49:48
Sodom’s IN THE SIGN OF EVIL debut (1984) was an early landmark in the annals of thrash/death metal. The band was initially dismissed as a Germanic rip-off of Venom, but the trio’s five song EP was immediately awarded iconic status worldwide by lovers of everything underground and abrasive and it kicked off a twenty-plus year career for the band that is still going strong today. However, it would appear that IN THE SIGN OF EVIL was never considered truly "finished" by Sodom main man Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), who had wanted the release to be a full album rather than a mini-LP. Tom is finally getting the chance to set things right with THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL, a newly re-recorded version of IN THE SIGN OF EVIL's five tracks, fleshed out by an additional seven songs that were apparently written during the same time period but never recorded or released. To sweeten the deal, these new recordings feature the same band lineup as the original mini-album, reuniting Angelripper with long-departed guitarist Josef Dominic and drummer Chris Dudek (a.k.a. "Grave Violator" and "Witchhunter," respectively – don’cha just love how quaint those "evil" "80s stage names sound nowadays?). I haven’t heard the original IN THE SIGN OF EVIL in quite a few years now (it was a favorite of my brother’s back in our high school days) but these new re-recordings don’t sound radically different from what I remember of their original incarnations. Even the cover art (by omnipresent Euro-metal artist Andreas Marschall) looks like it fell right out of 1984; the return of Sodom’s executioner character from the original EP’s cover will doubtlessly warm the cockles of many an oldschool thrasher’s heart. The album’s production has seemingly been kept lo-fi and evil sounding (lots of echo!) on purpose in order to preserve the material’s "retro" vibe, making the tracks "Blasphemer," "Witching Metal," "Sepulchral Voice" and especially "Outbreak of Evil" sound as crusty and threatening as they always did. Meanwhile the oddly titled "Burst Command Til War" still makes me smirk as I have never understood what the heck it means. (Sodom were never known for their command of the English language in the early days, witness the live album title "Expurse of Sodomy" – I still don’t know what an "Expurse" is either!) The "bonus" tracks fit right in with the older tunes, making them seem as if they’d been sitting there right alongside the original songs all along. I found myself muttering the chorus to "Bloody Corpse" long after the song was over, and I’d have to pick "Hatred of the Gods" as my fave of the new songs mainly because Angelripper’s thick Germanic accent makes it sound like "Hatred of Your Guts" to my ears (haha). I’m sure the Sodom faithful have already marked IN THE SIGN OF EVIL as a must-buy, but whether or not it will draw any new fans to the Sodom fold is debatable. Then again, that’s probably not this set’s intent anyway. It seems to me that THE FINAL SIGN OF EVIL was meant as a gift from the band to the hardest of their hardcore fans, and it does a nice job of updating this golden oldie for the 21st century.

the sodom one sounds good i wanted to pick it up if i see it

TheGooch wrote:

the sodom one sounds good i wanted to pick it up if i see it

Too bad you didn't read that one sooner... I would've passed my copy along to you, but I've already traded it away.

oh well i will live

although you could send me those metallica vinyls you have HINT HINT ah come on you will upset me if you say no

TheGooch wrote:

although you could send me those metallica vinyls you have HINT HINT ah come on you will upset me if you say no

Ummm, no sir. The Metallica vinyls are being buried with me when I die. Especially the CREEPING DEATH picture disc 45.

nooooooooooo will i ever be able to hear whiplash on vinyl. you can keep the picture disc i have the creeping death uk only twelve inch single with am i evil and blitzkrieg on the b side

TheGooch wrote:

nooooooooooo will i ever be able to hear whiplash on vinyl. you can keep the picture disc i have the creeping death uk only twelve inch single with am i evil and blitzkrieg on the b side

My KILL'EM ALL vinyl is an original MegaForce Records pressing, dude... I ain't givin' that up for NOBODY!!! It's not particularly rare or anything, but it's a precious piece of my youth!!

the last time i saw a copy of that for sale it was $40 and i aint paying that for no one

at least i have an original pressing of MOp with the free poster still inside