Dimension F3H – This Mechanical World (2016) – After nearly nine years of silence, these Norwegian industrial/electronic metallers have returned. There’s a chance that several of you might have missed out on this album, so that’s one reason I’m reviewing it. Even though the disc sounds (as expected) heavily computerized, mastermind Mr. Morfeus is not the sole musician here, just as was on prior albums. Guitarist Mr. Mortvind and bassist Mr. Moe join him, in what comes off as a relatively decent experience. Problem is, this record is slightly off-kilter for me and I feel that in some places that vocals might be almost completely out of sync with the rest of the band. Also, the vocal tracks are a bit louder than they should be, which comes off as unnecessarily obnoxious. The band obviously went with a lot of chug this time around, and few tracks seem to pull off a heavy thrash vibe in favor of several slow-kills. It isn’t that there aren’t good songs, it just feels as if this one barely scoots by on the skin of it’s teeth. I won’t say that it’s boring, but it feels often lumbering which is a shame – because Dimension F3H were capable of some rather strong numbers just a few years ago. Perhaps my biggest issue with the disc is it’s pacing, even though some notable keyboard/synth melodies and guitar solo sections make the disc standout aside from subtle nodes of texture, which seem to remain intact from previous efforts. Dimension F3H can still make solid music, but this one seems a bit undercooked for me and I’d recommend just giving it a few listens before expecting to fully soak it in. At the very least, “Those Who Make Things Worse” is a pretty strong number and shows that these guys aren’t ready to throw in the towel just yet.
(10 Tracks, 44:00)
7/10
Omnizide – NekroRegime (2016) – If you like the sound of a violent rampage sprinkled with some progressive black metal theatrics, than Sweden’s Omnizide might be what you’re looking for. The first two cuts on the disc blazed with a mixture of death and black, but things all of a sudden changed into a much slower and more refined texture with “Walls Of Flesh.” No offense, but if the entire record came off like the first two tracks, it wouldn’t even be considered worth a write-up, because frankly there are just too many bands doing that same formula in the black/death genre to the point where it has become silly. “Deathwomb” also changes things up a bit, almost melding together the sound of classic black metal with a slight eighties Goth influence in some of the melody nodes. Omnizide have three guitarists, so you can sort of expect this kind of performance and from what I’ve heard on the album, it seems like everyone got a chance to implement at least some sort of unique style into what could have been just another boring slab of basic black/thrash. You’re still getting plenty of moments where the disc will fill with drum blasts, but it has come to the point where the band has realized that one should probably do a bit more than tremolos and blasts in the year 2016. I absolutely love the leads on “Nekromantik” and the Sabbath vibe that “Shockwaves” embodies, making this a killer disc in my opinion. Perhaps closer “Devil In Me” is a bit longer than it should be, but it adds in atmosphere where it wasn’t to be found prior and is yet another interesting experiment for frontman Mikael Nox and crew. If for some odd reason you slept on this one, go pick it up.
(9 Tracks, 41:00)
8/10
IC Rex – Tulen Jumalat (2017) – This Finnish project helmed entirely by a man calling himself Artifex IC (Tunrida) we have what I’d consider to be a notable blend of melodic black metal and synths with a decidedly raw feel that should sit at home with some of the kvltists (but not all). IC Rex actually has the right idea as far as the genre is concerned, and despite the pomp and heroic shouts on some of these (“Heimdall” for example) the approach seems to come off rather believable and features what I would consider to be waves of artistic fury. IC’s vocals come off absolutely scathing, as triumphant melodies seem to break through from the cold surface of his frostbitten efforts. The record seems very prominent in the world of Finnish folk, especially when “Prometheus” comes into play, so maybe I will hold my tongue on the “kvltist friendly” statement that I made earlier. While there are definitely more than few tracks that embody this image, I see that further in the listen things have changed quite a bit.
Even bombastic and unexpected guitar solos have their moments, which might not be black metal (though I could never see why not) but are most certainly a major part of heavy metal as a whole. IC Rex has more or less balanced the raw fury of melodic black metal with Valhallic grandeur, creating a record that not only brings off a bitter chill, but the warmth of Odin’s great halls. Even throughout his frantic and rather horrendous scowls, the record doesn’t seem to come off all that bleak, which I find rather pleasant. This definitely seems to play along the lines of Burzum, but can also be compared to acts like Cosmic Church, Arvet and Saturnian Mist who are all other Finnish metal acts. Considering all of this information, I can only say that IC Rex has created a black metal record quite like many that you would find in Finland and despite the fact that this “folk/black with synths and hefty guitar solo” style might be fairly common there, it is not here and that is why it feels so unique. It’s not just metal, it’s world music – the very sound of Finland heard through a black metal lens.
(8 Tracks, 47:00)
8/10
Astronoid – Air (2016) – Whew, despite these Massachusetts based post-metal/rock/shoegazers making their mark among some of my peers, Metal Archives seems to have torn them to shreds. I think the point is made clear that those guys just don’t like heavily melodic shit and do not feel that it should be part of the metal genre. Well, this is indeed “heavily melodic shit” and of course they’ll be compared to acts like Deafheaven, Ghost Bath (especially now) and The Devin Townsend Band/Project. I guess the very minute that frontman Brett Boland opens his mouth and a horrendous roar doesn’t erupt from it, there are about a million black leather vest wearing metalheads ready to ask themselves, “what is this pansy shit?” So I guess that makes your Grim Lord one of the few that actually kind of appreciates the music and the melodies for what they are, and hell – I even like Boland’s voice. Not everything has to rip my throat out, and that may be a problem with our scene as a whole. It’s definitely a more modern kind of millennial metal as it were, which would appeal to people that don’t really like “dad rock” or more extreme types of the genre, and it’s more than likely hipster friendly. As a matter of fact, I don’t even have to look at the four reviews and the 66% that the record has been given to know that the word hipster is probably mentioned several times. I guess they could even call it non-GMO and gluten-free metal for vegans. But in all honesty, it makes for a very good soundtrack. I’ll admit that maybe there are some slight comparisons to the emo genre in Boland’s approach, which makes me surprised as to why this band isn’t more popular. I work at Walmart and would actually consider this whole approach Walmart friendly. Seriously, let’s break it down. There are actually heavier bands being sold there now, like the very first Five Finger Death Punch album, which is leagues away from this. I’m not the biggest fan of those guys, but at least this wouldn’t have to get an “edited” sticker, and it has just as much firepower as some of the Metallica records that my store has for some odd reason been fucking stockpiling. And amidst all of the country, pop and golden oldies, my store still ahs a few copies of Deftones “Gore” album which is actually a bit heftier than this one – and that record isn’t edited either. To be honest, Astronoid is even radio friendly. Most people wouldn’t even know that this a metal album, because it’s just so light and carefree. There are even pop fans who might find themselves caught up in it. These guys could end up getting a metal Grammy or even a rock one, since the style here is literally so close to either genre that it’s almost silly. They’re on Blood Music, which is a good thing because if they ever got on a major, they would probably be destroyed. The record literally sounds like whiny emo pop mixed in with light and melodic heavy metal bits that will appeal to more people than these guys even realize. If Astronoid came out twenty years ago, they would be all over the radio especially during that whole hard rock scene. Yes, it’s proggy – but it has that whole “cute” vibe going for it, and many women eat that kind of shit up. No sexism here, just what I’ve noticed from being alive for thirty years and exposed to rocker chicks. Why in the hell do you think so many women love Maynard James Keenan? Because the man has vocals like glass and Boland seems to follow that. I mean, and if you look at these guys – they’re probably going to appeal to several chicks on Tumblr who are in the middle of writing short fiction erotica detailing their affairs with the frontman. This guy might even be the new Chester Bennington if he plays his cards right. I absolutely don’t hate it, but it’s definitely like an evolutionary step for Dashboard Confessional and Plain White T’s, maybe even Owl City. I sat through that entire Ocean Eyes album and don’t feel any better about it. By now, you probably get the idea. We have a band here that is artsy, hipster and vegan friendly as well as suitable for carrying in the local Walmart. I mean, you could probably pick this one up right next to the new Avenged Sevenfold album and call it a day. I will say that after awhile, even the vocal approach can become a little overbearing, so there is only so much of this I can take. People have been saying “pop-punk” as far as the vocals are considered, and I’m hearing that as well. This is very much a mixture of pop-punk/emo music with metal and maybe it’s the embodiment of Metallica’s “The Thing That Should Not Be?” or was that “St. Anger?” in any case, it is what it is – and we are stuck with it. So, pick it up if you’re interested, I guess.
(9 Tracks, 50:00)
7/10
Circle Of Dust – Machines Of Our Disgrace (2017) – The re-emergence of an ancient project from Celldweller and Fixt label mastermind Klayton, Circle Of Dust is the heavier, punchier version of Celldweller that you’ve been looking for. Mixing in elements from eighties thrash acts like Slayer and Testament along with militaristic nodes from acts like Ministry, I am quite surprised that such a project like this ever existed. When Celldweller first came onto the scene, they had more of an alternative hard rock sound and I more or less figured that was pretty much all there was to Klayton’s work, even though I enjoyed it heavily having bought a copy of the album he made with Criss Angel. Why this record is not readily available on the artist’s Bandcamp page, I’ll never know. (If I’m not mistaken, he made several albums with Criss which are worth tracking down.) In any case, this is the first record from Circle Of Dust in twenty years, coming along with a fully remastered and expanded back catalogue of the first few albums. For fans of the previous work, this disc sounds kind of like a mixture of the heavy pounding metal of Brainchild mixed in with more of the modernisms apparent in Celldweller. Even so, it hits hard right from the very start with the opener and title cut, “Contagion”, “Humanarchy” and “alt_Human” among others, as a hugely Ministry influence seems to breathe through most of the album, whether that be thrash or chug. Again, this is far different from the Celldweller work and even features some harsh vocals in lieu of Celldweller’s mild shouts. When we get to “Hive Mind” it’s a bit different and seems to follow the Celldweller formula, which we also get with the electro-ballad “Outside In.” Soon enough, we’re back to the heavier material with “Neurochem” as an instrumental titled “k_OS” breaks in, though it isn’t too bad in all honesty. “Neophyte” feels more Celldweller than Circle Of Dust, and closer “Malacandra” gives us an atmosphere. So you’re not really getting a great deal of crunch for your buck, unless you are a bigger fan of Celldweller or Klayton’s instrumental pieces in general. I’d say that there are about six or seven metal influenced tracks, which might sound to some like Ministry light, but even so – it’s still a definite step in the right direction for an act that has been dormant for a very long time. I would definitely recommend picking up a copy of Brainchild over this one, if you haven’t heard it yet – or alongside this one if you have the money. These discs can range from ten to fifteen USD a piece, especially if you want the deluxe editions of the albums. At the end of the day, I can say that I’m glad Klayton decided to show a much heavier side of himself that I didn’t even know existed and hopefully this won’t be the only record to showcase that. I would certainly like to hear more, heavier and faster.
(13 Tracks, 63:00)
7/10