Overkill - Feel The Fire (1985)

Overkill's debut album is nothing short of genius. Primitive, raw, agressive and youthful thrash metal album that turned this small club band from New Jersey into an internationally respected thrash band (that is still around by the way). The shrieky vocals of Bobby Blitz combined with the galloping bass of DD Verni, adequate leads by Gustafson and skin pounding of Overkill founder Rat Skates gives this album a unique character, slightly different and more punk influenced than their bay area peers (testament, metallica). The songwriting is well thought out and at times a bit more complex than their later albums, yet it still retains the balls out anthems such as Rotten to the Core and Raise The Dead. I think the thing I like about this album is that Overkill seems so innocent and I'm not talking about the lyrics (alcohol, evil, destruction etc...) but about belonging to a certain scene - I can't explain it but Feel the Fire seems detached from everyone else, definitley drawing influences from Maiden, priest as well as various punk bands. While the production belongs in the early 80's before a bunch of thrash bands started the high end thin production, which sadly ruined a lot of albums. Overkill has gone on to produce several albums, but this is the first, purest and one of the best examples of Overkill as a band and thrash metal in general.

Dead Can Dance - Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (1987)

Now considered a classic in the gothic genre, Dead Can Dance's "within the Realm of A Dying Sun" catapulted DCD from their gothic/post punk roots into something entirely unique and different. Medieveal atmosphere and an overwhelming layer of melancholy blankets the album. For those unfamiliar with the band, they hail from Australia and play a unique style of music. This album is dark and gloomy. This album, Dead Can Dance's third offering doesn't feature many influences from the gothic rock genre yet has more in common with their later albums where traditional/world music had been explored. The trademark vocals of both Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard carry the album to new heights with Lisa's powerful voice (she is actually not singing a foreign language, it's gibberish)on tracks like the tribal-esque Cantara and Brendan's gloomy croon (in my opinion one of the best male voices ever). The music weaves it's way through a peaceful and desolate journey, mostly comprised of layers of synths with lots o reverb - see "summoning of the muse" for a very minimal medieval chant later to be a direct influence the whole darkwave/dark ambient scene. The lyrics on Brendan's song are as mysterious as the music, "Xavier" has a fantasy like quility to it where as Lisa's songs provide vocals/lyrics that mean nothing. Never has the band sounded so dark and yet so Beautiful - and this is why this is my favorite by the band.

a fan made video

Wolves in the Throne Room - Black Cascade (2009)

Wolves in The Throne room - quite a ominous name methinks and a reflection of the musical intensity. Black Metal that sounds that it was created in Norway, or sweden but no...WiTTR are from the good ol united states. Oregon to be specific, and if you think of it what better placd to make grim music then the rainy, pacific coast. The problem to is that the band are of quite the environmental friendly crowed, which I've heard referred as Eco-terrorists and not quite the traditional misanthropic image of their european counterparts, but misanthropy all the same (when you really think about it)the music is icy cold - this is wolves third full length and perhaps their most ambitious record, although not varying stylistically from the previous albums. Hypnotic like Drudkh, but faster and more intense - still spurring very catchy melodies inside their stormful music that make them accessible for people into and not into black metal. The production is also welcoming, which is quite a relief for many. I can't say enough good things about wolves in the throne room.

Amorphis - Eclipse (2005)

I've already reviewed a magnificent album from Amorphis, but that album is ancient now - a masterpiece, but not what the band represents today. This is what I consider the third stage of Amorphis in which the band aquired their thrid vocalist. Stylistically there's not too drastic of a change between their previous album, Far From the Sun, but although that was a decent (if somewhat bland) album Eclipse is totally destroys it with it's classic songs. I'm not going to deny these songs aren't very accessable but they are just so good. Tomi (new vocalist) really breathes fresh life into a band that was seen at the time to be going by the wayside. Musically this is heavy rock - sure it's heavy metal, but Amorphis jams are obviously influenced by classic sabbath and 70's prog bands. But the sound is melodic with good synths (not overdone this time around) and a really inspired attitude. Although death growling is present (and at time seem out of place) they are merely an example of the many surprises that this album gives you. Tight smooth, well written songs is what you'll get with eclipse - this is one of Amorphis's best.

www.myspace.com/amorphis

Blackmore's Night - Ghost of a Rose (2003)

Quick lesson on Blackmore’s Night – Richie Blackmore, known for his work in classic bands Deep Purple and Rainbow, met a very beautiful woman known as Candice Night. They both had a love of medieval and Renaissance music – they married and formed a band called Blackmore’s Night. As I mentioned, this is Renaissance music but fused with a good sense of folk rock and also a bit of pop for commercial appeal. I would be lying if I said that a lot of this is not cheesy but you really have to feel the music to appreciate it – it’s all really fun. Songs such as Lorelei (after the German Siren) and Way to Mandalay will have you stamping your foot and calling for some good Ale. But for the slower ballad people, the mesmerizing vocals of Candice spellbinds on the beautiful Queen for a day and the awesome title track. Many old folk instruments along with modern guitars and synths are utilized on this release, giving it a very diverse and genuine feel yet with a modern twist. This is a gem of an album – I would suggest anyone into folk rock find this album and all albums from this band ASAP.

Paradise Lost - Icon (1993)

A classic album by one of the best doom metal bands, Icon sees Paradise Lost forging ahead with a new sound – leaving all traces of their death metal past at the door and adopting a subtle underlying gothic rock approach, most notably Sisters of Mercy. However, Icon is an album at a crossroads and the heavy crunch and sludgy doom are still dominant and still 100% metal. Gregor’s leads are nothing short of impressive – dynamic and memorable, utilizing the wah-wah pedal in ways that other doom bands never have attempted. As for Nick Holmes’ voice – it sounds a lot like James Hetfield from Metallica, but Nick has more pain in his vocals – a vocal style that has been dismissed not long after this release. The overall sound is just fucking heavy, unlike their British peers, the guitars override their music and in ways they have more in common with the traditional Black Sabbath form of doom then the gothic doom of My Dying Bride and such. The production is gritty and the flow of the album is smooth – every song has some distinct melody that gets stuck in the head. In my opinion Icon might be Paradise Lost at their most creative and definitely most catchy. The following album “Draconian Times” was amazing, but the clean gothic rock took too much precedence and the preceding album “Shades of God” was too complex for what the band would turn into. The band has since experimented with non metal stuff and the recent albums have been sort of a return to a heavier form, but they just will never get the magical “Icon” sound back.

Slayer - Show no Mercy

I don't review enough classic metal, one of the reasons is that everyone knows that stuff already, but man when I listened to Show No Mercy for the first time in a couple years I just had to review it. This is where it all began for Slayer - starting out as a Judas Priest cover band, they decided to join the thrash scene and write some good really good songs - I'm talking thrash classics. One friend once told me that this album sounds like it was recorded in hell and he would have been right - the sort of early eighties hollow classic metal sound is presented here fittingly alongside lyrics dealing with satanism, black magic and general occult themes. Music wise the album sounds surprisngly fresh - not as fast as Slayers next couple of albums (Hell Awaits and the ungodly hyper Reign In Blood)it's still partially a product of the NWOBHM bands that they were probably listening to at the time (Venom, Priest, Etc...)but this album is way darker than priest and less cheesy than Venom. The Hanneman/King dual guitar solos just shred the life out of you and to think these dudes were so young. Songwriting is another A+ creating classics such as Die by the Sword and Black Magic - riffs that get stuck in your head long after the album stops. Not every song is a classic though, but for all intent there's never a dull moment on Show No Mercy. Unfortunatly Slayer is a tired band nowadays, not very interesting but no worries cause they created some classics and it all started with this phenomenal album.