Album Review: Annihilator - Ballistic, Sadistic

I’m not sure how they pulled it off but there isn’t a single outlier track on Annihilator’s seventeenth album. No joke songs, out of genre experiments, groove metal slowdowns, or even a power ballad to be found anywhere on Ballistic, Sadistic. What you will find are ten songs of nonstop high-octane thrash metal from start to finish. This setup seems poised to expand upon the technical attitude that returned with 2017’s For the Demented and just might be the most punishing, straightforward effort they’ve ever released.

Alas, the Annihilator flavor seems to always be vanilla no matter how consistently it’s portrayed.

Somehow the disconnects between the band’s musicianship and songwriting skills are even more apparent without all the weird shit on display. The drums are executed with mechanical precision and the guitar work is as intensely intricate as ever, but the structures generally opt for energetic sweeps and drive-by melodicism in lieu of memorable riffs. The vocals even manage to show noticeable improvement and greater confidence yet are stuck delivering the same predictably stilted verses and flatly barked choruses.

Their tendency to recycle song concepts is also more blatant than usual. The “Stonewall” flashbacks on lead single “Psycho Ward” are manageable thanks to it having a memorable chorus in its own right, but the “Knight Jumps Queen” miming on “Lip Service” is far too close for comfort. It’s especially egregious when you consider that “The Demon You Know” off the previous album had already retread this ground with a much more enjoyable spin.

Ballistic, Sadistic is hardly the worst Annihilator album out there but it certainly highlights their one step forward, two steps back trajectory. The prospect of an effort completely free of any bizarre experiments is ultimately hindered by the unmemorable results. Fans of the band are sure to get something out of the relentless playing but even the more solid thrashers come out generic as what should be a savage barrage just lapses into soundalike speed. There must be a way to channel the varying moods of Annihilator records past without getting saddled with their awkwardness. As much as I'd love to see it happen, I’m rather skeptical.

Highlights:

“Psycho Ward”
“I Am Warfare”

“Riot”

Final Grade: C-

Album Review: Quayde LaHue - Love Out of Darkness

As with the two EPs they released in 2016 and 2017, Quayde LaHue’s first full-length album skirts the line between hard rock and classic metal. The overall mood has a metallic coldness similar to that of Sanhedrin, but the songs themselves generally opt for breezy tempos at an often-easygoing pace. There’s a heavy emphasis on melody executed with a certain sass that sometimes feels like Thin Lizzy as fronted by Heart’s Ann Wilson.

The musicianship also has a certain conviction that sets Love Out of Darkness apart from the band’s EPs. You won’t find too much double bass work or overtly aggressive gallops, but the drums hit hard, and the guitars put in plenty of active chugs and twin harmonies. I can also appreciate the slight snarl behind the vocal delivery, especially considering the woman scorned narrative that flows throughout. It might’ve benefitted from even more oomph, but the execution is tasteful as is.

There’s also some considerable variety in the songwriting. The upbeat “Give Me Your Love (Don’t Take Mine)” makes a solid first impression, but the fuzzy wash over “Heart of Stone” and the mid-tempo “Warrior” are even more effective contrast. I also appreciate how the last three songs form a semi-suite as “Fallout” sets up an ominous attitude that is played up even further on “It Still Burns” and reaches a speedy climax on “Right to Rock.” The light, grungy tinges of “Before the Storm” make for an odd outlier at the album’s halfway point, but it’s serviceable.

Overall, Quayde LaHue’s first full-length makes for some enjoyable hard rock swagger. It has old school elements without feeling too much like a throwback and the songwriting is fun without being too mindless. One gets the sense that these songs sound even better live but there’s enough weight to keep things from sounding toothless. The band likely has stronger efforts in their future but is clearly taking charge to see them through.

Highlights:
“Heart of Stone”

“Warrior”

“Widowmaker”

“It Still Burns”

Final Grade: B+

Album Review: Terminus - A Single Point of Light

Most bands tend to start with a couple core members and expand their lineup over time, but the opposite seems to have occurred with Terminus. What started as a quintet on 2015’s The Reaper’s Spiral has come down to a duo on their second album with drummer David Gillespie handling all the instrumentation and James Beattie providing vocals. Terminus remains not only undeterred in delivering their epic metal vision but might’ve actually improved on A Single Point of Light.

Thankfully the lineup shift never feels like a downgrade as the musicianship is sufficiently competent. The guitar tone has a grainy edge and the drums have an odd echo, but the actual performances are very natural. You wouldn’t guess one man is performing all the instruments as the harmonies are smoothly integrated and the rhythms have plenty of power behind them. It also helps that the vocals are in the sweet spot where they’re blunt without being one-dimensional and varied without showboating.

The songwriting is also pretty solid with songs consisting mostly of up-tempo gallopers. I find myself wishing some of these tracks had more breathing room but “As Through a Child’s Eyes” and “Cry Havoc” get in some memorable vocal lines. The album is at its best when opting for more mid-tempo pacing; “Harvest” is an early highlight thanks to its fluctuating march and the closing “Spinning Webs, Catching Dreams” puts in the sort of sprawling stride that would make Solstice proud.

When considering the circumstances of its conception, Terminus has a strong showing on their second full-length album. As much as I would like the hard-hitting riffs and rhythms to translate to more impactful hooks, the musicianship is undeniably powerful. The group isn’t quite at the top of the epic metal food chain but they’re definitely keeping up and could offer something even better. Fans of groups like Gatekeeper and Atlantean Kodex will find a lot to enjoy here.

Highlights:
“Harvest”

“Cry Havoc”

“Spinning Webs, Catching Dreams”

Final Grade: B+

Album Review: Lord Dying – Mysterium Tremendum

After two albums of solid but frankly one note sludge metal, Lord Dying’s third full-length dramatically broadens their sonic palette. The Portland group’s gruffer tendencies are still present but have been intercepted by progressive influences that seem to be taking more cues from Nevermore than High on Fire. There’s a massive influx of clean vocals and melodic guitar segments that allow the structures to work through a more dynamic spectrum.

This prog takeover may not lead to any elaborate shred-fests or unorthodox time signatures, but the band members have certainly upped their skills. The guitar work is easily the album’s most standout feature as the leads are gorgeously fluid, and the rhythms manage to keep their gritty weight despite the polish. The vocal shift is also quite welcome; guitarist/vocalist Erik Olson isn’t a powerhouse by any means, but his delivery mixes the clean and harsh elements with plenty of pathos. The rhythm section isn’t quite as flashy in comparison, but their presence makes for solid but flexible structuring.

While “Envy the End” starts things off on a driving note, the album’s songwriting takes a rather loose approach. There is a wandering character felt throughout as a majority of songs are driven by extended instrumental segments and meditative buildups. This could potentially make for a bunch of pointless navel gazing, but tracks flow smoothly into one another and the overarching themes of existentialism and death contemplations ensure a sense of direction.

And with that, there are plenty of distinct tracks on display.  The seamless transition from “Nearing the End of the Curling Worm” to “The End of Experience” is an early highlight. The two-minute tracks manage to put in some great variety as “Exploring Inward” builds into the Mastodon-esque “Severed Forever” while “Even the Darkness Went Away” has an almost campfire folk presence. But nothing tops “Saying Goodbye to Physical Form,” an emotional instrument that closes things out in gorgeously uplifting fashion.

Mysterium Tremendum is a fantastic sludge-prog album in its own right and a massive step up in Lord Dying’s trajectory. The band is near unrecognizable compared to their straightforward style on albums past, injecting a slew of new melodic elements but possessing the talent to use them tastefully. There is certainly room for fine-tuning the vocals and the free-flow songwriting method may take some getting used to, but Lord Dying is living up to their potential and then some.

Highlights:

“Envy the End”

“Severed Forever”

“Even the Darkness Went Away”

“Lacerated Psyche”

“Saying Goodbye to Physical Form”

Final Grade: A-

Album Review: Mayhem - Daemon

It would be disingenuous to expect Mayhem’s sixth full-length to achieve the classic sound of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, but the band also hasn’t sounded this natural in a long time. The production is very well balanced, sidestepping the industrial precision of 2014’s Esoteric Warfare but avoiding the lo-fi claustrophobia of 2007’s Ordo Ad Chao. The guitars are earthy, the drumming sounds organic, and the bass maintains a sturdy presence throughout with the occasional shining segment.

Even with a more orthodox style at work, any project with Attila Csihar on vocals is bound to make the most of his predictable unpredictability. The bulk of his delivery consists of his signature growling bellow but there’s plenty of room for throat singing, distant operatic warbling, and contorted roars. The instrumental layers may be rather straightforward in comparison, but the guitars do a great job of serving up theatrical buildups and intricate riffs.

Said riffs aren’t quite on the ear catching level of the classics, but the songwriting serves up plenty of memorable numbers. “The Dying False King” wastes no time in setting up the blasting onslaughts to follow but “Falsified and Hated” makes for the best example thanks to its off-kilter sound effects. A more atmospheric direction is set up with “Malum” and “Aeon Daemonium” that reaches its full height with the symphonic swells of “Daemon Spawn” and “Invoke the Oath.”

Overall, Daemon isn’t quite the second coming of classic Mayhem but it’s their best album since at least 2004’s Chimera. The album would’ve benefitted from a shorter runtime and the ingredients are all pretty much meat and potatoes, but the performances are lively, and the songwriting is dynamic enough to keep from feeling stale. The black metal world has more revolutionary things going on elsewhere but it’s nice to stop by and see the band still holding up nicely.

Highlights:

“Malum”

“Falsified and Hated”

“Aeon Daemonium”
“Daemon Spawn”
“Invoke the Oath”

Final Grade: B+

Album Review: Coffin Rot - A Monument for the Dead

Coffin Rot’s debut album is right in line with the sort of death metal that’s been picking up traction in the last couple years. Their overall style is somewhere between Entombed and Autopsy with ultra-deep gurgles and grimy guitars that alternate between eviscerating blasts and groovier excursions. But while the Portlanders aren’t the most unique group in the scene at large, they’ve already set themselves apart as one of the most enjoyable.

As befitting the aesthetic, the album is presented with just the right amount of filth. The raw production job swiftly dissuades any notions of polish but there’s enough balance for the savagery to still have some semblance of coherency. The musicianship conveys this mindset even further as the drums put forth some intricate patterns that avoid sounding too mechanical or sloppy while the guitar tone is grainy yet beefy. The growls can be one-note and the bass can sometimes be lost to the grime, but it all works well together.

But what ultimately works in Coffin Rot’s favor is their ability to write songs that are actually memorable. These tracks aren’t exactly dynamic and feature the constant tempo shifts that can quickly lead to interchangeability, but the band is really good about providing ear catching riffs that better prepare the listener for the onslaughts to come. “Forced Self-Consumption” is a strong standout in this regard due to its downright swinging riff set while “Miasma of Barbarity” and “Incubation of Madness” make the most of those grooves. Elsewhere, “Saw Blade Suicide” and “Necrotized” make for some short but sweet rollercoasters.

The album’s coup de grace comes with the band’s self-titled song. The seven-minute runtime casts a menacing shadow over the largely two to four-minute bashings before it and its crawling pace fully embraces the doom that was merely hinted at. It’s enough to make you wonder why they didn’t self-title the album itself, but A Monument for The Dead is a pretty sweet moniker.

Overall, Coffin Rot’s debut album is an incredibly strong first impression. While this filthy brand of death metal could hardly be called accessible in the traditional sense, the band’s penchant for catchy riffs in combination with a compact half hour runtime makes it easier to get into compared to many of their peers. They may not bring much to the table in terms of originality but they’re quite endearing.

Highlights:
“Saw Blade Suicide”

“Forced Self-Consumption”

“Incubation of Madness”
“Coffin Rot”

Final Grade: A-

Album Review: Opeth – In Cauda Venenum

Even if Opeth’s thirteenth full-length album hadn’t been recorded in both English and Swedish, it would still be among their most ambitious efforts to date. Coming off the playful heavy psych stylings of 2016’s Sorceress, In Cauda Venenum takes the band’s signature prog in a decidedly more theatrical direction. The hour-plus runtime is the lengthiest since their death metal days and the music is some of their heaviest in about as long, though you’ll have to keep looking if you’re still holding out for any death growls.

Opeth are no strangers to grandiosity and have a couple concept albums to their name, but they’ve never sounded as cinematic as they do on here. This is established right away with the extended ambiance of the opening “Garden of Earthly Delights” and fleshed out with the spoken segments placed throughout. These elements can seem a little superfluous at times, especially as a non-Swedish speaker, but they reinforce a sense of direction and throw in shades of mystery.

It's also hard to remember a time when their musicianship and overall dynamic sounded this bombastic. Much of this has to do with Dave Stewart's swelling orchestrations emboldening the atmospheric organs and pianos, but the guitars also throw in some of their heaviest riffs in over a decade along with the usual acoustics and proggy leads. The drums also continue to show off the jazzy flair that has become synonymous with this era and the vocal performance is quite dramatic regardless of your lingual preference.

Seeing how my personal appreciation of Opeth’s recent works depends heavily on the songwriting quality, it’s great to see this album deliver some great tracks. The structures are as haphazard as ever, but a sense of purpose and engaging melodies keep the songs from reaching that 'cobbled together' feeling that I often associate with Mikael Akerfeldt's songwriting method. This is perhaps best demonstrated by “Lovelorn Crime” and “Charlatan” as the former’s Watershed-era balladry transitions into the latter’s crunchy swagger quite nicely. “Heart in Hand” and “Universal Truth” also make for exhilarating highlights and I like the slinky jazz character of “The Garroter.”

That said, an hour runtime can make for a bloated experience overall even if the songs themselves are efficient. The opening segment does a good job of setting up the album’s atmosphere, but the instrumental introduction on “Dignity” can make it seem rather redundant. The last two tracks could've also been cut though neither is bad by any means.

Overall, In Cauda Venenum is the most focused that Opeth has sounded since 2005’s Ghost Reveries. It’s easy to dismiss the framework as superficial and I do find myself wondering if I’d appreciate this album as much if the English version was all we had to work with, but there is no denying how much these elements strengthen the band’s songwriting.  Some listeners will never be convinced by Opeth’s prog rock era but the songs here are engaging enough for me to take notice. At the very least, it’s nice to know that Pale Communion wasn’t a fluke.

Highlights:
“Hjartat Vet Va Handen Gor/Heart in Hand”

“MInnets Yta/Lovelorn Crime”

“Charlatan”

“Ingen Sanning Ar Allas/Universal Truth”

“Banemannen/The Garroter”

Final Grade: A-