Füneral Rain Press Cörps

Genre: Metalcore, Rock
Label: The End Records

This album came out of nowhere, almost literally. I got it from the post office after it was sent to the old E-MetalSpace address. My guess is they (or the PR person from The End Records) saw my old blog on MySpace and thought that the attached address was still good. But whatever, right? It worked out for everyone.

Anyhow, Amoral is a five piece band from Helsinki, Finland that has put out four full-length albums that have been met with moderate success. Well, their earlier stuff anyway. According to Metal-Archives.com, Amoral’s earlier work was technical death metal… shit. I wish I received one of those album instead of this thirteen track hiccup in common sense. How can a band go from technical death metal to watered down metalcore-ish-ness? Mind you, this is all assuming that the information I received is accurate since M-A.com refers to these guys currently as power metal. Waaaay off whoever slapped that label on.

Amoral’s style is definitely more in the realm of rock than that of metalcore though. Think of a far less progy Psyke Project with a weaker vocalist. It’s a bit difficult to critique this album any further since Beneath is just so mediocre or just plain simple. However, the one thing that really stands out do to it’s lack of mediocrity and simplicity: about twenty percent of the guitar structure. Occasionally you’ll hear a masterfully placed and as nifty as you can get flourish. No good solos. No memorable riffs. Just an occasional guitar squeal that can make you smile.

And no, this album isn’t terrible. I’ve heard FAR worse than this by bands once thought to be infallible. But I can’t help but feel that I missed out on something awesome if I would of discovered these guys a few years earlier in their TDM days.

Overall: I’d advise anyone who likes their metalcore more laid back and ethereal to pick up this album. If that doesn’t sound even remotely appealing, then you’ll do well pretending that his album doesn’t exist.

5/10

Amoral Official 

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Genre: Industrial Metal
Label: AFM/13th Planet Records
Format: Digital Stream (Earsplit PR)

I’ve gone through this digital promo a couple times now, and one thing is really sticking out for me: it kicks ass! Grinding industrial slammed into grinding metal with lyrics that range from Al’s troubles in the industry (“Ghouldiggers”), voter apathy (“Get Up, Get Out and Vote”), the Occupy Movement (“99 Percenters”) the end of the world (“Relapse”), and more. The album is a veritable gold mine for topical discussion, and many of it will not be dated for years from now.
Riff-wise, it’s pretty much standard Ministry style, somewhat simplistic and repetitive, but not to the point of boring. Perfect stuff to bang the noggin to. If you’ve never experienced the Ministry sound, you’re missing out. There’s nothing like them. Old fans will love this album, and in some instances they may even think it’s the best so far. Al has never sounded so good vocally, and with Tony Campos running the bass this time around, there’s a definite more industrial touch to it, but with an organic feel behind the scenes.
When this hits the streets, you need to grab a copy of it.
8.5 out of 10.

Relapse Tracklisting:
1. Ghouldiggers
2. Double Tap
3. Freefall
4. Kleptocracy
5. United Forces
6. 99 Percenters
7. Relapse
8. Weekend Warrior
9. Get Up Get Out n Vote
10. Bloodlust
11. Relapse Defibrillator Mix

Relapse Personnel:
Al Jourgensen
Mike Scaccia
Tommy Victor
John Bechdel
Tony Campos
Aaron Rossi

Artwork, Track Listing And First Single Unveiled

America’s reigning kings of brutality, Cannibal Corpse, will unleash their twelfth studio offering this March via Metal Blade Records. Aptly titled Torture, the follow-up to 2009′s Evisceration Plague offers up 12 tracks of maniacally precise, soul-searing death metal. Torture was again produced by Hate Eternal‘s Erik Rutan at his own Mana Recording Studio in St. Petersburg, Florida as well as Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas, and features the maniacal cover art by longtime Cannibal Corpse artist, Vincent Locke.

While Torture marks the latest progression in the band’s sound, it also witnesses a return to what drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz accurately terms “the frenzied attack of Butchered At Birth (1991) or Tomb Of The Mutilated (1992),” infusing the band’s advanced musicianship with the raw savagery that haunted their earlier releases, and in the process conceiving the definitive Cannibal Corpse record. Adds bassist Alex Webster on the outcome of the record: “We’re extremely happy with how Torture turned out. Erik Rutan did an amazing job with the production, and the songwriting and performances may be our strongest yet. We can’t wait until our fans get to hear the whole thing!”

Witness the gutting sounds of “Demented Aggression,” the band’s first single, as well as studio footage, at the official Cannibal Corpse landing page, at THIS LOCATION.

Torture Tracklisting:
01. Demented Aggression
02. Sarcophagic Frenzy
03. Scourge of Iron
04. Encased in Concrete
05. As Deep As the Knife Will Go
06. Intestinal Crank
07. Followed Home Then Killed
08. The Strangulation Chair
09. Caged…Contorted
10. Crucifier Avenged
11. Rabid
12. Torn Through

As a precursor to the release, Cannibal Corpse will perform a special one-off show at the Culture Room in West Palm Beach, Florida on January 22nd then head to the seas to take part in this year’s edition of the 70,000 Tons Of Metal Cruise. The band will get a short break before a near month-long march through Europe on the Full Of Hate 2012 tour with labelmates Behemoth.

Torture will be released in North America on March 13, 2012.

Cannibal Corpse:
Alex Webster – Bass
Paul Mazurkiewicz – Drums
Rob Barrett – Guitar
Patrick O’Brien – Guitar
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – Vocals

A long overdue split release, Sri Lanka’s psychotic auditory terrorists and the legionaries of the 666th battalion of the Raavan cult have congregated to create, manifest and aid world spiritual warfare. Released on limited edition vinyl by Dunkelheit Produktionen in December 2011, the seven deranged and trance inducing hymns of tantric mantras – collectively known as Astral Mantras of Dyslexia – are now being released by Dunkelheit on Digipak CD on February 25th with different artwork and a huge booklet!

Included are not only the infamous Stoned Guru Ramblings by Plecto Aliquem Capite and “Buddhang Saranang” by Funeral In Heaven recorded as a tribute to an ancient Sri Lankan cult, the album also contains the byproduct bastard progeny “Crestfallen: Immolating Shakthi” purged into existence by fusing ancestral possessions inherited by both projects. Astral Mantras of Dyslexia is 50 minutes of ominous Sri Lankan ritualistic auditory therapy for mentally deranged ancient worshipers of astral energy. Limited edition hooded sweatshirts featuring the album’s artwork are currently available at Dunkelheit Produktionen’s webstore.

Genre: Doom
Label: Napalm Records

Coming out next month, Lacrima Mortis (translates to Tear of Death) is the second offering from the Dutch doom mastermind Ed Warby, who is showing not only songwriting growth, but also a penchant for crushing the life out of the listener in a blissful, cathartic way.
Slow, plodding riffs that are heavier than death itself are, naturally, the main course in this feast for the ears. Piano, however, comes to play quite a bit in The 11th Hour’s sound, as does the occasional sample. Ed’s singing is even more exceptional on Lacrima Mortis, with a greater range than what was found on the debut album Burden of Grief.
The “newcomer” to the band is Pim Blankenstein, who has been the death growler for the live band since the release of Burden of Grief. He is replacing Rogga Johansson, who was only present on the debut. Pim’s work on Lacrima Mortis is great, his style of growls complimenting Ed’s clean singing even more so than Rogga (who did a fucking killer job himself). He sounds like he would be a monster on the live stage.
At the end of it all, after the headbanging and the fist pumping and the beer swilling, Lacrima Mortis stands as an album that can also be listened to with headphones and introspection; it an album that will stand monolithic, for me, for years to come. If you like your doom metal to be heavy, melodic, and just plain beautiful, get your hands on Lacrima Mortis, and if you haven’t yet, Burden of Grief as well. Both discs are the beginnings of what I feel could be a doom band that stands on the same ground as Saint Vitus, Trouble, Cathedral, and the mighty Black Sabbath. All they need is the fans to truly pay attention and support.
10 out of 10.

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