Free Download: Fierce Band!'s "Blue Liquid Lips (Pts 1-2)"

Currently, I'm giving Fierce Band!'s new track "Blue Liquid Lips (Pts 1-2)" my first listen through. A friend on Last.fm who happens to be a big advocator of the local music scene in Texas passed the track off to me, and without him, I likely would have never heard of a group as small as Fierce Band!, let alone a band provincial to the area. I'm not quite sure I understand their name, but there must be some sort of inside joke behind it, though that's the least of my worries when checking out new tunes. The music matters, not the name.

Fierce Band! meshes progressive metal with death metal, the death metal emphasis in the vocals, and I'd say it works out pretty well. Like anything of the progressive nature, it takes repeated listens to truly understand. Jammy and loose, the track reminds me of one of those practice sessions I had with my buddies back in high school. Those were the days - shooting the breeze, talking with your instruments without a worry in the world.

Download the track here and enjoy. It's a bit lengthy, but what did you expect from something labeled as progressive?

-TMA

Nodding Sky - "For Those Left Behind"

Mark my words, these guys have the potential to get big. Nodding Sky recently struck gold on my radar, and I'm really enjoying what I'm hearing. Give 'em a listen - you might be surprised.

-TMA

One Weird Video: Skeletonwitch's "Bringers of Death"

Okay, I remember when blackened thrashers Skeletonwitch had no music videos whatsoever, but when I took a look a few months ago, they magically had a few. Eh? One of them happened to be an unreleased track, so I eagerly checked it out, only to find it's a bit lackluster. I guess that's fine though because it's been tagged as unreleased. Even more dissatisfying is how crude the music video is. Zombies fighting enlarged stuffed animals with a hint of raunchiness thrown in? No thanks. That's just tasteless.

See it for yourself,
The Metal Advisor

Iron Maiden - Dance of Death (2003)

It's not an easy task to review an Iron Maiden album, especially when I find myself heavily biased toward their work made in the "Golden Years," rather than their recent releases like the lackluster A Matter of Life and Death and The Final Frontier. From the albums released post 2000, the first two, Brave New World and Dance of Death, are modern Maiden at their best, creativity seemingly peaking, compositions generally tidy and filled with inspiration. My pick for best album of the post 2000 is, without question, Dance of Death because it shapes itself upon what Brave New World did right, yet adds more to the melting pot, causing an explosion of glorious ideas. The record has it all; short, fun rockers like "Wildest Dreams," melancholic and terrifying pieces like "Paschendale," the abrasive "Montségur," and the somehow calming "Journeyman" with its smooth and serene acoustic lines. It undoubtedly helps too that the musicianship is top notch Maiden, guitar solos not overly technical, but relatively hard to play and some of the last great guitar riffs from the band in the 21st century. Want proof? "Montségur" is an absolute monster and possibly the heaviest riff the band has ever put to recording.

One of the reasons I adore Dance of Death are the lyrics. While it's no secret I favor "Montségur," the lyrics on the track are nothing short of perfection, aural bliss to my ears because they flow so well with the music.

The book of Old Testament crippled and black
Satan - his weapon is lust
Leaving this evil damnation of flesh
Back to the torture of lies

The perfect ones willingly died at the stake
And all of their followers slain
As for the knowledge of God they had claimed
Religion's still burning inside

Not wanting "Montségur" to hog all the spotlight, "Paschendale" is lyrically-accomplished too.

In a foreign field he lay
Lonely soldier, unknown grave
On his dying words he prays
Tell the world of Paschendale

Relive all that he's been through
Last communion of his soul
Rust your bullets with his tears
Let me tell you 'bout his years

Every single time I hear Bruce snarl "the book of Old Testament crippled and black, Satan his weapon is lust" chills run down my spine because it's integrated into the music so seamlessly. If that isn't lyrical perfection, I'm not sure what is. And, to be honest, I'm surprised a chunk of the lyrics on Dance of Death are as good as they are because Maiden has slipped lyrically in recent years, most notably on their last two releases, especially The Final Frontier. But this isn't either of those albums, so let's rejoice.

(Be sure to follow along with the lyrics as you play this.)

Dance of Death ushered in a few new concepts for Iron Maiden, particularly Nicko's use of double bass on "Face in the Sand," a soaring, synth-laden track that has a hook as big as, well, desert. Synths and keyboards, especially those of the orchestral variety, come out of the woodwork on the album's compositions, too. It's not that Maiden never used keyboards before, but with the release of this record, they became much more prevalent, providing a myriad of backing chords and various melodies. The orchestrated parts are either a "love it" or "hate it" type-of-thing according to many Iron Maiden and heavy metal fans.

For this album, listening is far more efficient than putting words to a slice of the internet. Stylistically, it bridges the gap between what Iron Maiden would become with A Matter of Life and Death and the previous Brave New World. It's a natural progression from the album that predated it--think of it as fine wine aged to perfection.

-TMA

The Metal Advisor Now has its Own Domain Name

Exciting, isn't it? Now you'll be able to find The Metal Advisor more quickly and efficiently - and you can easily share it with your friends and family too.

www.themetaladvisor.com

See? It just rolls of the keyboard! Just click it. You know you want to.

Thanks for the continued support,
The Metal Advisor

Review: Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

Interesting cover art, to say the least.

The modern death metal scene is filled with wannabes and cookie-cutter bands alike, but with the release of their newest record, Fleshgod Apocalypse manages to distance themselves from the so called "standard." Their previous release, an EP called Mafia, a fantastic blend of classically-tinged technical death metal, really spoke to the majority of the metal community, largely appealing to everyone who had a chance to hear it. Agony bases itself on Mafia's formula, yet introduces a number of new elements, in turn alienating or gaining new fans. And trust me, I've seen a fair few fans completely turned off by the new album. We'll delve deeper to see exactly what the problems are.

While the record builds upon familiar ideas and themes, Agony still manages to sound fundamentally different from its predecessor due to an emphasis on symphonic elements and classically-influenced melodies. Taking a page from classical's book should be no surprise because the force was strong on Mafia, but the unexpected comes in the form of an orchestra (likely played by a keyboard) and clean vocals which pop up in nearly every chorus, an idea used only sparingly on the previous EP. Due to the complex layered nature of an orchestra (yes, even on a keyboard), the guitar riffs regularly find themselves pushed to the back of the mix, and under a wall of sound. They aren't actually inaudible, but instead just buried in the mix, completely unmemorable when compared with Mafia's. I suppose this is strike one.

Irritatingly enough, Agony possess little to no variation in song writing or instrumentation, with most songs pacing along at a homely 2,000 miles per hour, causing you to doze off into a nice little slumber. Depending on your preferred method of listening to music, this is either very good or very bad. I suggest you get cozy in your favorite chair, curl up, and get ready for the snoozefest of your life. Sure, this would have been swell on a couple of songs, but when more or less every track on the album sounds similar to whatever degree, the aggravation begins. Overabundance of blast beats, analogous tremolo picked riffage, and an overdose of orchestral symphonics - rinse, lather, and repeat. We're lucky enough "The Forsaking" manages to bypass the plague all together, though it's the only song that slows down for a minute to take a look in the mirror and analyze what's going on around it. And, of course, the relentless "attack" begins again immediately after it. The closing track, "Agony," is a neat piano piece, but feels tacked on, almost like an afterthought. Placement is clearly not the band's forté. What a mess.

 

 (Musically, this is what you can expect from the majority of the record. At least the video is sort of nifty, though the song isn't too bad itself.)

Even the production can't escape some nitpicking. As previously mentioned, the guitars lack the savage bite death metal fans hanker for thanks to placement in the mix. Priority is often given to the orchestra, an odd choice because Agony is death metal, not a suite the Chicago Symphony Orchestra might play. At this rate, I feel like I'm sitting in the actual orchestra concert hall itself with a metal band playing a venue two or three blocks away. All humor aside, the drums are the only thing that attempt to regulate the mix, but, sadly, they're much too loud. To sum things up, the production constantly fights with itself to gain sound preference in the mix, the symphonics and drums being the main combatants.

As much as I like Fleshgod Apocalypse, the band undoubtedly ran into a lull with this record. The fanbase seems to be split down the middle, those loving and raving about the album, some even going as far as to say it's the best thing ever; others are struggling to think about what the Italian death metallers will do next. I unquestionably fall into the latter group. Although I've given Agony more than enough time to grow on me, I'm going to stick it back on the shelf and hope it clicks with me a few months from now. For the time being, I'm going to act like this record doesn't exist, and go back to enjoying Mafia.

-TMA

Various Maildays Combined

Immolation's Providence isn't easiest EP to get a hold of because the band intended for it to be given out to show-goers only. If you didn't have time to see Immolation live, you were probably out of luck if you really wanted a copy - or so I thought. Thanks to the generosity of gogmagogical, I now have a copy of Providence sitting right beside me, and the feeling is oh-so-sweet. I'm still jealous Mr. gogmagog saw Immolation live, but the EP is a sweet little souvenir (for something I didn't even attend!). Oh well, I suppose there's always next time.

The majority of these maildays were an effort to fill in gaps in my collection, often albums I should have picked up a very long time ago. There are a few records that aren't metal too (maybe a curveball or two if you aren't familiar with my musical taste), but you can always expect that when I decide to purchase music. Shoot, I need to do a "Recent Hauls" post to gather brief thoughts on these records.

Later,
The Metal Advisor

The Apple iPhone is clearly a wonderful device for taking photos (sarcasm intended). All albums left to right, top to bottom.

Photo #1: Immolation's Providence complete with mini tour flyer (Thanks again gogmagogical!)

Photo #2: Demolition Hammer's Tortured Existence, Morbid Angel's Blessed are the Sick  

 A gap filler. Both excellent records based around brutality, speed, and gritty sense of evilness. Wanna bang your head, and wanna thrash out? These records are for you.

Photo #3: Helloween's Gambling with the Devil, Mercyful Fate's Melissa, Judas Priest's Sin After Sin, Bruce Dickinson's Accident of Birth

 Now, clearly this group was a gap filler. I highly recommend each album. These are heavy metal gems you don't want to miss out on.

Photo #4: Melechesh's Emissaries, Immolation's Close to a World Below, Xentrix's Kin 

Melechesh and Immolation's records are recmmended. Xentrix's not so much, but it does have a few good tracks.

Photo #5: deadmau5's Random Album Title and For Lack of a Better Name 

After a friend found out I was extremely into house and electro house artists like capsule, he recommended I look into deadmau5. Everyone and their mom knows who deadmau5 is, so I decided to grab these two albums. Apart from select tracks, he's over-hyped and overrated. Not recommended unless you like needless repetition and a general lack of creativity.

- Photo #6 and #7: Rainbow's SO 女 

 I know what you're thinking. These girls stole the legendary Rainbow name! They may have, but the correct tag for their music is 레인보우, which is Rainbow in Korean, so there's little confusion between the artists. For roughly $10, I'm impressed with packaging and that I bought an import for so little. Recommended if you like good, fun electropop.

Photo #8: Emmy the Great's Virtue 

 A friend actually introduced me to Emmy's music. I'm glad she did, to say the least. While I'm not usually into folk-type music, something about Emmy's voice and knack for interesting melodies grabs me. Normally her music is described as "anti-folk," but I couldn't tell you what that is, so you'll have to look it up yourself.

Two Great Black Metal Tracks

Black metal certainly isn't for everyone, but the two tracks I came across last night while messing around on YouTube are too phenomenal not to mention. The first track, courtesy of Kult, is a nice homage to the old school with its rawness and punk-inspired attitude archetypal of many older black metal bands. "Winds of War" might not be the best example Kult has to offer concerning punkish attitude, but it's a devastatingly grim track that only comes around once in a blue moon.

Kult - "Winds of War"

The second track I came across is definitely a headbanger, and I think the drummer has as many arms as an octopus. The musicianship is remarkable and the atmosphere is insane - Asmodeus has my money. I'm buying the record as soon as I can. As always, I'll let the music do the talking because I can't put into words the amount of havoc it could potentially cause.

-TMA

Asmodeus - "Decretum Executionis"

Review: Heathen - The Evolution of Chaos

Indicative of man's downfall?

Heathen has returned with a stalwart thrash metal release.

I may not have been introduced to Heathen with their "classic" records, but The Evolution of Chaos does a darn good job of capturing the thrash attitude, both in spirit and aggressiveness. Eras be damned; this record is fine example to any band's discography, easily standing up to material representative of Heathen to long time followers. The fans agree too because the album essentially has the seal of approval from nearly every metalhead who gave it a listen around and at its release date. Every purchase of The Evolution of Chaos holds that very sticker, the one that tells you it won't be some shoddy blind buy.

All joking aside, The Evolution of Chaos is what both modern and veteran thrash metal bands should aspire to be. Sadly, many of the thrash bands releasing music in this day and age won't ever touch this record, let alone top it. But that's all fine and dandy because we have this record to lose ourselves in, immersing ourselves in the world of a reunited and rekindled Heathen. The guitars are vicious, thanks to an absolutely massive production, which, in turn, pushes the drums to the forefront, creating a wall of heavy, relentless sound. While the production certainly achieves its objective, it is not without the usual consequences typical of this day and age like compression, clipping, and similar quandaries. The verdict comes down to a like and dislike of production, if that makes any sense.

As cliché as it may seem, Heathen has created a convincing formula for modern and veteran thrash metal acts to follow. The band obviously falls into the veteran camp as they formed in 1984, but music should not be limited by the age of its members or year of creation, meaning both newer and older groups are capable of making great tunes. Regrettably, among the newer thrash bands, many fans of the subgenre seem to think they lack the creativity to create music of equal quality to those of old...but I'm getting off topic here. Musically, the record is no small feat because any band would be proud to have it to their name, my favorite part being the exceptionally heavy, staccato, and blazing guitar riffs which drive the songs at full force like stampeding bull. The drumming is akin to that extra scoop of ice cream you get with a slice of cake that you know you shouldn't eat, but you decide to gobble down anyway. As before, it accents the guitar riffs fabulously, creating an explosive wall of sound. Of course, the bass can't be left out either, and it does get its chance to shine, but it's largely left to the backburner, taking second tier to the guitar and drums. In the vocal department, The Evolution of Chaos is a strong effort, White's pipes being exceptionally smooth most of the time, although he has a rougher, harsher side when getting nasty is required. Given the usual slow down and aging of older metal bands, I'm especially surprised how robust and rugged the album sounds. When you think about it though, quite a few bands have came back with energetic albums, examples being Accept and Helloween.

Countless thrash albums are burrowing their way out of the woodwork these days, the majority mediocre and occasionally rehash of something you just know you've heard somewhere before. The Evolution of Chaos manages to evade the issue all together, breathing fresh air into the subgenre with its unadulterated creativity, energy, and ingenuity, and it manages to avoid sounding tired, proving Heathen is still relevant to the metal scene. The record has absolutely no filler, but a few of the tracks are noticeably weaker than the others, which I'm fine with because every song is perfectly listenable, the highlight being "Arrows of Agony." I can seriously recommend it to any metalhead, regardless of subgenre preference. Basically, if you have your head screwed on correctly and you like guitar riffs, you'll love The Evolution of Chaos.

Peace out,
The Metal Advisor

Review: Anthrax - Worship Music

Unfortunately, I've seen a fair amount of complaining and grumbling, as well as a perplexing amount of self proclaimed critics come out of the woodwork concerning Anthrax's new record Worship Music. This is disappointing because the band put in a decent effort, despite the album not quite matching up to cherished works like Among the Living. On the plus side, Joey Belladonna finally returned to the band--undeterred by the guys being crappy with him in the past--but, sadly, Dan Spitz is still off in wonderland somewhere, banished from Anthrax. I miss Spitz in the band. But seriously, who knows how long Joey's fling with the band will last because we all know he "returned" times before only to be booted again and again.

It's surprising enough that I'm able to praise Joey's vocals so highly because, to be completely honest, I had zero expectations for his return as frontman. I expected him to sound tired with no range whatsoever. Instead, Belladonna sounds rather controlled on Worship Music when compared to past material, and while he doesn't have all the range he used to have, his voice sounds more mature with plenty of intensity to drive Anthrax's guitar-dominated brand of metal. His voice frequents a lower register than long time listeners of classic Anthrax will be used to, making for a fresh, possibly rekindled listening experience. Although the record certainly has some thrashy moments, it's impossible to label it as a thrash release because the majority of the guitar riffs are of the groovy and chuggy variety. Luckily, they're catchy and fun as opposed to the relatively bland and generic sound typical of these type of riffs. I don't think anyone forecasted Anthrax returning with a thrash masterpiece anyway, especially when their history as a band is taken into consideration.

 (One of my favorite tracks on the record!)

Most compositions on the record are simple enough for the casual listener to digest, emphasizing the basis of accessibility. Gone are the days of hyper speed riffage excluding select parts in certain tracks like "Earth on Hell" and "Fight 'em 'til You Can't;" Scott Ian's focus seems to be on slower, harder hitting riffs instead of the typical "let's go 200 mph" guitar frenzy. Worship Music is not without filler, however, and intros "Hymn 1" and "Hymn 2" are easily skippable, not quite a stain on the tracklisting, but questionable as to why Anthrax decided to include them on the roster. "Crawl" is flat out plodding and not up to the standard of the rest of the songs. 

Unlike other Anthrax records with Belladonna, Worship Music is almost instantly accessible to the radio crowd because of the memorable and hooky melodies plastered all over the album's choruses. That's not to say Anthrax was particularly unappealing before, but, with the release of this record, they've taken the concept of hooks an additional step forward and into the realm of radio friendly music. And they're a better band for it, at least as they make their proposed "comeback" into the world of metal. After nearly 20 years of material without Belladonna, they need any bone they can get. I don't hate Anthrax for slightly mixing up their song writing because they haven't exactly been off putting on previous albums, but the new level of accessibility comes as bit of a surprise. On the whole, though, I largely adore Worship Music, and it might be the most relistenable album the band has ever released. Highly recommended for a boisterous listening experience because you'll want to crank it louder and louder. It's just plain fun.

-TMA

News This Week: Immolation's Providence

So begins further forays into Immolation's discography, this time with their latest EP called Providence. Available physically (CD or vinyl) free of charge at shows, this extended play is a bit of a let down to hardcore fans who can't make it out to the events; I'm sure hoarders will have multiples copies up on eBay once it has been released, resulting in a wild goose chase to the prize as devotees of Immolation rush to snap it up. Luckily, if you're a more casual fan as I am at the moment, you won't mind having it digitally (for free too, might I add). I'm ahead of the pack on this one as well because I've had a chance to hear it despite its release date being two days from now.

Since I've had time to let their latest album Majesty and Decay grow on me, I found it easy to jump right into Providence because of a seemingly natural progression from the album predating it. It wouldn't be absurd to assume most of the songs on the EP could have made it on to the last album. Extremely similar in style, the dissonant blend of guitar riffs and punishing drumming is standard Immolation fare, which might come as a sigh of relief for hardcore fans of the band. As per those fans, I understand the band hasn't really changed in their core sound in their 20+ year existence, so maybe, just maybe, this wasn't an issue at all. Because I've only heard Majesty and Decay, I walked into this EP not knowing what to expect, but I'm very satisfied Immolation is consistent and maintains their core sound record to record as any good band should. And, of course, they mixed it up somewhat with constant use of pinch harmonics, essentially anything to keep their signature sound fresh.

 (Give the title track a listen!)

The first few listens indicate Providence a success, at least in my eyes, and I like nearly everything about it besides the exceedingly plastic sounding production. The last record was on the verge of plastic destruction for me, but there was something about it I enjoyed. Unfortunately, Providence takes the polishing to the extreme and it sounds totally fake. Not my cup of tea. However, if you like Immolation, if you like dissonant sounding music, if you like death metal, I can recommend this EP to you without thinking twice. It's an engaging and interesting listen, and I think it will be on my listening list for quite some time.

Now let's see if I can make it out to a show to nab a free copy.
The Metal Advisor

Review: Kvelertak - Kvelertak

Artsy album cover is artsy.

You've already seen it mentioned in a "Recent Hauls" post, but Kvelertak's self-titled debut is one of the most fun albums I've come across this year, even in the past few years. Some might call it party metal/hardcore/whatever, but there's no denying how entertaining the band's blend of rock 'n' roll is and how addicting it can become after the first listen. People who dislike fun music are generally buzzkills anyway.

Kvelertak's approach to making music isn't shrouded in mystery, so you won't be calling Scooby Doo to help you out with this one. The formula is simple: take a few power chords, some harmonized lead parts, a big dosage of "rawk," a bit of black metal, punk, and hardcore influence, and you've got these nice Norwegian chaps called Kvelertak. Staying true to their Norse roots, Kvelertak's lyrics are solely (with the rare exception for English) Norwegian, which reflects strongly on their value of cultural heritage, and it makes the music all the more compelling. The black metal influence is typically limited to a few passages here and there, so it's much easier to call Kvelertak a melodic hardcore band or, more simply put, a rock 'n' roll band. There's just a remarkable amount of rockin' music on this record, making it nearly impossible for you to put it down in favor of other albums. Prepare to say goodbye to your music collection for a while because you'll be taking a nice little vacation with this record. And that's a good thing because you'll want to devote your undivided attention to something as good as this.

As groovy as Kvelertak is, there is one initial downfall a listener may or may not be able to get over, the offender being the vocals, which are procured from hardcore. In my case, I found myself able to sidestep that minor offense and appreciate the music for what it is: good, fun rock. Of course, hardcore-style vocals won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I strongly advise you to keep listening (If you disapprove, that is...) and accustom yourself to them because you'll be missing out on a heck of a record if you refuse to do so. Nevertheless, you may interpret them as a hardcore/black metal vocal hybrid, but you'll just have to make that decision for yourself once you finally give this fine collection of music a listen. Musically, Kvelertak emphasizes what one can do with so little, managing to keep it interesting for the duration of the record. Contrary to a somewhat popular opinion, music doesn't have to be technical to be of merit, and Kvelertak is an excellent example of this. Big hooks and meaty riffs are characteristic of the band's simple sound, so if you like those, you'll likely love the debut.

Aside from the completely wonderful melodic riffage emanating from this record, quite possibly my favorite aspect involves the harmonized lead parts which pop up in many of the tracks. They add a nice classic flavor to the music, one that will have your brain harkening back to the good ol' days of heavy metal and rock. Just because this record largely isn't metal, doesn't mean it lacks metal moments. Metal Archives didn't accept the band's submission for reason. Perhaps another plus to this record are the occasional acoustic passages which offer a nice contrast to the heavy wail of the guitars and the gritty, raw vocals important to the band's sound.

Well, the jury is still out. What exactly is this album? Is it metal, hardcore, punk, or rock 'n' roll? Whatever it is, it flat out rocks and should immediately be part of your music collection. Do what you gotta do to get this album. Kvelertak will thank you for buying it, you'll thank yourself for buying it, and, most importantly, you'll be in pure aural bliss when giving it the first test drive. In that case, I suppose your ears will thank you too because this is the rock 'n' roll release of 2010.

-TMA

Review: Chthonic - Takasago Army

From my first listen through Takasago Army, I pondered how it could be categorized as straight black metal because, in the general sense of the label, most of the music on the record has little, if any, resemblance to the grim subgenre of metal. A good portion of the music would fit well under the melodic metal umbrella, if not the melodic death metal subgenre. I suppose some of the tracks could be filed under melodic black metal due to symphonic bits and the occasional melodious tremolo picking, but I typically find the music too chuggy and polished to be included there. As I've seen the band say before, they cannot be categorized, and I wholeheartedly agree because Takasago Army is essentially whatever it wants to be, unhindered by boundaries created by subgenres. Further forays into Chthonic's earlier work should prove to be interesting beacuse I'll get to see if there is a pure black metal side to the band.

The most compelling thing about Chthonic is that their home base is in Taiwan. Not too many artists from Taiwan can claim to have gotten international attention, but after 10 years of hard work, the band certainly deserves it. At the beginning of this year, I saw blabbering and interest across various metal websites, but it was only a month or so ago that I decided to give them a look. They're touring with one of my favorite bands (Skeletonwitch), so they have to be good, right? And they are very good. Despite apparently being a step back from earlier works, I've been enjoying Takasago Army immensely, even though it offers little variation from song to song. The first full track, "Legacy of the Seediq," gives you a nice little tip off of what to expect with its culturally invigorating melodies and musical passages. I'm happy the band is consistent though. Some bands can't even make a good album. 

Lyrically, Takasago Army is quite interesting because it forages into the deep unknown histories of World War II from the perspective of Taiwanese citizens who were forced to fight on the side of the Axis due to Japanese control. After WWII ended, Taiwan was handed off to the United Nations, which resulted in the Chinese arriving in the country, once again subjecting Taiwan to total oppression. As a result, the small Takasago Army formed with aspirations to defend the country from further take overs. Where the heck was this shit in my history books? Wherever it's been hiding, I'm glad I finally found it because the history nerd in me is fascinated.

As always, Chthonic offers their newest album in two varieties, each a different flavor to tickle your fancy. For those looking to play it safe, the band recorded the album in English, likely to appeal to a bigger audience. But if you're looking for something a little more exotic, a Taiwanese version of the album also exists, one I'm particularly eager to try out when I get the chance. I'm guessing the two will be the same musically, merely with a change in dialects.

Chthonic is certainly a motley crew.

Majestic would be the proper tag to give Takasago Army with its free flowing and soaring melodies that embed themselves into a listener's head with heavy backing from the guitars and rhythm section. I can't recall the last time I enjoyed symphonic elements in metal this much. In a sense, the record is multifaceted because it combines traditional Taiwanese musical melodies and the occasional vocal line or chant with the heaviest of metal, thanks to a tip top modern production. Possibly the worst thing about the album is the production, however. It accomplishes its job of giving the music oomph and a kick in the teeth, but in doing so, it lacks dexterity and transparency because nearly everything is pushed to the brink of audio peaking, offering little dynamic range. But in this day and age, that's the norm, and I'm not surprised it found its way to these Taiwanese metallers.

Takasago Army doesn't push any boundaries or bring anything new to the metal round table, but it is a very good slab of modern metal in its own right, one that should stay enjoyable for a very long time; yet, it is relatively unique because it combines Asian cultural melodies with metal, which is relatively unknown to the popular metal scene. I can only hope Chthonic continue on their upward climb to success, and we see more metal bands come across the pond from Asia with their wonderful music.

Listen to this album and support Chthonic,
The Metal Advisor