Rammstein - S/T (2019)

I could not believe it myself when I saw it, but it really has been ten full years since we saw any new music from Rammstein. Sure, it was not exactly yesterday since we last heard news from our favourite industrial group from Germany, but time has just flown by in an extra ordinary pace. The gap between albums does show one thing, that this is a band that is more than willing to take their time, only making a record when the time is right. It is a band that clearly defines the meaning of harmony, as they have not made a single member change in their 25 years of existence, and can also go off to different projects without losing touch, something that definitely shows here.

Before we go into the album itself, let us talk about the fact that despite the band having ten years to think of a future album title and a possible cool album cover, THIS is what they come up with! I really dislike when bands just slap on a self titled release far into their career, because there is no real reason to do so, except maybe when the band is starting from scratch again with a completely new sound, or they just had made a major line up change, and even then it is not appreciated. Then we have the cover, which is just a match. Just... a god damn... match. Come on guys, put at least 5% of effort into the look of the record, you will get far if you do.

Fortunately, most of the focus has seemingly gone towards the music, which is all that matters. Opening track and single "Deutschland" might be one of the most brilliant songs Rammstein has ever put together, talking about the mixed feelings Germans have for their country and its history. It is also just as catchy and heavy as you would expect, with some excellent work in the riffs and back up vocals. It does not get better from here, but the quality throughout "Rammstein" is just astonishing, especially since the band is not doing anything to much different from what they usually do. Ten years may have gone, but the band is still true to their sound.

The thing that makes "Rammstein" so excellent is that it is a very dynamic record, blending everything that makes the band so great. We have the heavy and fast track "Zeig Dich" that takes you for quite a spin, while "Ausländer" is leaning more on the keyboard, creating a whole different heavy mood. There is also a much softer part of the record in the second half with the trio "Was Ich Liebe", "Diamant", and "Weit Weg", allowing the band to show their more gentle side. Of course, it would not be a Rammstein record of there was no filth in it, and while the band is surprisingly restraint in that part of their image, they do let lose in the subtle song "Sex", showing once again that they have not lost their immature side. Also, it does not surprise me one bit that the most chaotic song of the record is named "Puppe", going away from all expectations.

Ultimately, we have to ask this final question, was this album worth the ten year wait? I would say it definitely was, because while their last couple of albums were not exactly bad, they did not live up to what the band was capable of. "Rammstein" however does so, displaying a band that is loving life and each other, a band that can step away from the scene in several years and come back just as good, if not better. It is great to hear these crazy Germans back in action, and even greater to see that the album itself did not represent its cover. Rammstein über alles!

Songs worthy of recognition: Deutschland, Zeig Dich, Ausländer, Sex

Rating: 8,5/10 Tattoos

truck.rammstein.de/de/
twitter.com/RSprachrohr

Mechina - As Embers Turn To Dust (2017)

Another year, another Mechina album on the 1st of January, a tradition that has gone on for 5 straight years now. Usually, when a band spits out albums in such a frenetic pace, it starts to wear out after a while, sounding sloppy for every oncoming release. Somehow, Mechina has not fallen into this trap yet, because even if all of their albums are fairly similar in sound and style, they still hold an incredibly high quality to their music, with no visible cracks so far in its foundation.

I think the main reason for the band's continued success is their drive and focus, basically ignoring any tours or shows to make every new release as good as possible. The concept helps a lot too, a concept that has been ongoing since 2011 and has only reached the halfway point with the release of "As Embers Turn To Dust". It is hard to take the whole concept in, but it seems like it tells us about the colonization process for one of their previous albums... I mean one planet, probably "Acheron" since this album has a lot of similar features. Some Vanguards leads these humans to a new planet, where the cyborg Vanguards ultimately starts eliminating all organic life on the planet, creating a fully mechanized era on the new planet. Granted, I could be awfully wrong here, so it might be better if you check out their Wiki page to get some more sense into all of this.

The music is clear cut at least, and it is as epic and heavy as ever. The band thunders on with their unique mix of industrial, death, melodic, and sci-fi metal, carrying the album through time and space. It should come as no surprise that not much has changed in the sound itself, but I notice that we have more songs that sticks with you instantly. The opener "Godspeed, Vanguards" is a good proof of that, containing an epic aura that is created by a grand arrangement and David Holch's apocalyptic voice. That voice of his is awesome at creating the right emotions, like the despair he has in "The Tellurian Pathos" is a hair riser of the highest level, and his harsher vocals in "Creation Level Event" has that frantic madness that simply works in this kind of song. It has been a main concern in the past that the songs does not stand out, so I am glad to see that is not the case with this album.

The performances on this album is great as usual, and we once again get a healthy dose of Mel Rose here, bringing some extra beauty to the music. I especially love her performance in "The Synesthesia Signal", where her fragile voice is in the middle of this chaotic madness, creating an incredibly tense song. I still wish though that the guitar could step forward more often, since it is very rare that I find riffs that grabs a hold of me. Oh well, it is how the band has always done it, and it is just a minor complaint for me (and probably a more major complaint for someone else).

Even with this impressive song catalog, "As Embers Turn To Dust" has one thing that is kind of off putting, and it is that this album has several long instrumental parts that builds atmosphere, nothing new to the band in any way, but they are bigger than before. Still, I do not think they take away an awful lot from the experience, but it does make it harder for me to give a complete opinion of the album, because while it works as beautiful transitions, the momentum suffers from it.

So, halfway into this epic multi album saga, where do I put "As Embers Turn To Dust"? The band keeps on evolving in several ways, especially in both song writing and production, but is it enough to make it last through the rest of this fresh year? Probably not, but it is still a great achievement to put out new music every year, without losing too much of the quality in both music and story. Mechina never ceases to amaze, and while it will be hard to acquire any new fans from this record, it is still a welcome new year's tradition that I hope will continue on for at least one more year. Godspeed, Mechina.

Songs worthy of recognition: The Synesthesia Signal, "Godspeed, Vanguards", The Tellurian Pathos

Rating: 8/10 Impact Proxies

www.mechinamusic.com/
mechinamusic.bandcamp.com/

More reviews of Mechina
Progenitor
Acheron
Xenon
Empyrean

Pain - Coming Home (2016)

Peter Tägtgren is a very busy man, so busy that he has not had the time to record a new Pain album in over 5 years. That is quite a long time for a man that is so productive. During that period, he has released one Hypocrisy album called "End of Disclosure", he has started a new project with Rammstein singer Till Lindemann and released its debut, "Skills In Pills", he has toured with his two bands, and Peter has also helped out in producing the two latest Sabaton albums, "Heroes" and "The Last Stand".

Despite the five years since the last album, Pain is more or less the same, both in personell and in music. "Coming Home" is album number 8 for the "band", and it contains very few surprises. It is simple industrial metal that puts most of its focus on being catchy, while still maintaining the heavy aspect. It is definitely what you would expect from Peter and co., so if you like their style, you are surely in for a treat

Most of the good stuff is up at front, especially the second song that was released, "Call Me". Peter unleashes his classy side with this song that is about prostitution, and he does so with a super catchy chorus, some amazing, yet simple, riffs, and some unexpected help by Joakim Brodén, singer of Sabaton. Seriously, it is extremely weird to hear Joakim sing about something other than war and destruction, but it works just as well, giving the song another edge. I will give it some time, but this might be my favourite Pain song of all time, and it gets only sweeter when you get to watch that ridiculous music video that accompanies it.

"Call Me" is definitely a fun song, and the album is filled with humour in it, which must mean that Peter really loved doing that collab with Till Lindemann, since he kept the quirky comedy with him to his main project. Sure, it is not as vulgar here, but it is still silly, singing about being designed to piss you off, idiots, and even puns(!) in "Pain In The Ass". They do work, and the songs are neat (except "Natural Born Idiot", needs more imagination there).

What does impress me the most is that Peter is using a lot of orchestral elements in this album. Songs like "Starseed", "Black Knight Satellite", and the title track gets another epic flair with the orchestra in the background, ultimately helping the whole album to stand out in the discography. And while I do wanted to hear more of this in the album, it is probably a good idea to restrain it a bit, just so the original Pain sound does not get too disoriented.

While I do think "Coming Home" is a good record, it still holds some short comings here and there. The overall quality is kind of uneven, the weakest songs being really weak, and the mere play time of 41 minutes is not what I hoped for after five years of absence. Nonetheless, "Coming Home" is a good, catchy record with several fantastic songs that I think will stand the test of time. Peter delivers a nice load of music that may not blow you away or win any awards, but it does its job, and it does it really well. So, all I have to do now is to wait for the next Hypocrisy album, hope it is not too far away.

Songs worthy of recognition: Call Me, Black Knight Satellite, Coming Home

Rating: 7/10 Absinthe Phoenixes

Subliminal Fear - Escape From Leviathan (2016)

In my search for a substitute for the now disbanded Sybreed, I stumbled upon Subliminal Fear, a melodic death metal band from Italy that have gone through some changes during their 15 year long career. Their first two albums, "Uncoloured World Dying" from 2007 and "One More Breath" from 2012, could almost be classified as thrash metal, relying on fast paces, frenetic riffing, and a lot of elements that are close to cliche in the genre, ultimately ending in mediocre outings.

Fast forward to 2016, and not only had half of the band changed, but the sound was completely transformed as well. Their third album "Escape From Leviathan" is more of a cyber metal album, relying a lot on futuristic sounds and ideas. If you listened to the band's first two albums first, you would have a really hard time figuring out that this was Subliminal Fear, and it is a change that is, at least to me, welcome.

While I should state that the sound on "Escape From Leviathan" is far from original, it is still a good step forward for the band, revived as something that certainly will raise more eyes around the globe. The production helps in this process as well, sounding much cleaner and stronger than on its two predecessors. It definitely feels like the band has taken all of their routine into this record, and diminished every flaw available. The flow is extremely smooth, and the two vocalists Carmine Cristallo and Matteo De Bellis are doing a tremendous job in the classic "good cop, bad cop" approach, creating a intriguing dynamic.

Even with this luxurious exterior, the band still needs killer songs to further widen their fan base, and to my disappointment, they fail here. Not saying that the songs out right suck, most of them are just bland and hard to remember. The whole album holds a similar tempo throughout its 50 minute run time, so the choruses must do extra work to make the songs stick out, but they cannot handle the pressure. It is a bad sign that the catchiest song of them all is a cover of Talk Talk's "Living In Another World", and while it is a good cover, you would not want this as the album's highlight.

Fortunately, a couple of songs does raise the standard of the album, even if they do it in a more anonymous manor. "Nexus" has a great flow to it and an intriguing build up that may not have the epic climax you were searching for, but it still works. "Dark Star Renaissance" was the song that certainly tied together my comparison of this band and Sybreed, because this is pure cyber metal. A great futuristic and epic sound that gives you a sneak peak of the potential that this band has. But my favourite is "Evilution", not only because it is the heaviest of the bunch, but because it has a drive that is really awesome, giving you the feeling that you are in some apocalyptic world in the future were everything is coming down. Jesus, that is both terrifying and accelerating.

While "Escape From Leviathan" could be seen as a complete revolution, maybe even a sign of a band that is not sure of where they are heading, it is still a cool album that could be a fresh start for Subliminal Fear. Sure, it is unpolished and rough around the edges, in the need of better song writing here and there, but the Italians are on the right path, and if they just take their sweet time to perfect their sound, they might get the result that they want. I will look back at "Escape From Leviathan" as a neat little record, and I hope that in 10 years, I will also see it as the album that truly launched the career of Subliminal Fear. Only time will tell.

Songs worthy of recognition: Evilution, Nexus, Dark Star Renaissance

Rating: 7/10 Self-Proclaimed Gods

2wo - Voyeurs (1998)

After the break up of Fight, Rob Halford went on to even stranger territories, maybe because he was inspired of the 90's culture in general, I really do not know. 2wo is not a new band though, it is instead a collaboration project between Rob and John Lowery, a man that you all know more as John 5, Rob Zombie's current guitarist. It is certainly a odd match up when you look at it in theory, but one could always hope that it would be a Ozzy Osbourne kind of thing. A veteran musician takes in a unknown guitarist for the start of his solo career, creating amazing music together.

As it turned out, it did not end that way. "Voyeurs" is the only album that 2wo ever did, and the two guys went on to other projects separately. Halford went on to create Halford, and John became the guitarist for both David Lee Roth and Marilyn Manson (what a combo!). Listening to the music in "Voyeurs", I can see why. It mostly consists of some grungy industrial metal that just does not suit The Metal God very well. His voice is, as always, stunning, but it just does not fit. Hell, even his overall image looks out of place in this project, Rob looks more like Geoff Tate than Rob Halford on that album cover, which is a clear sign that he was a little lost.

Now, if you ever wanted to know how weird the 90's were, just look up the video for the album's only single, "I Am A Pig". This is hands down as close to a professional porn video as you will come, without actually watching a porn video. It was produced by porn director Chi Chi Larue, and included several porn stars doing blurry S&M scenes in some sort of a sex dungeon. Now, by this time, Rob had come out as a homosexual, so I am not surprised at all to why he made this happen, but still... weird, even by 90's standard. The song? Definitely fitting as a single, and one of the better songs on the record, but not overly impressive.

Most of the appeal of this album comes from the heavy riffs of John 5, he makes these slimy songs a little harder, giving them a much better edge. I honestly think he has kind of a niche playing style that certainly suits the right artists, and it does hit this particular project that he has with Halford, but it would not work with either Fight or Halford. He is an accomplished guitar player and song writer, and while he does not get out the most of his skills on "Voyeurs", he still does a stellar job with cool riffs and nice solos. Overall, nice solid work from John.

Even with a good performance from both Rob and John, I still feel like the song writing on the album is pretty sub par. The closest band I can compare this to might be Nine Inch Nails, but without the catchy aggressiveness, replaced by a more sludgy type of... stuff. Honestly, it sounds like kind of a mess some times. Some songs are quite cool, like "Stutter Kiss", "Water's Leaking", "My Ceiling's Low", and "Bed of Rust", but some of the other ones do not make a lot of sense, or what do you guys say about the song title "Hey, Sha La La"? Complete nonsense. The lyrics especially are ridiculous, just a bunch of gibberish that is hard to comprehend. This is certainly not the album for those who wants poetry in motion.

2wo is ultimately a weird phase of Rob Halford's career, the high point of a time when he tried to find his footing again in the music industry after his departure from Judas Priest. "Voyeurs" is far from a great album, and while it does fit in the time period in which it was released, it still feels out of place. This is not the type of music Rob was meant to sing, and I wonder if he even knew that while making this album. It is an odd album that has some kind of charm to it, but is it any good? It is not bad, but it is safe to say that there are tons of albums that feature The Metal God that are a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

Songs worthy of recognition: Stutter Kiss, I Am A Pig, Water's Leaking

Rating: 5,5/10 Beds of Rust

Rob Zombie - The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (2016)

Okay Rob Zombie, I understand that you like to be different, to come up with crazy stuff that no one would ever think of, but this is getting ridiculous. I thought that his last album, "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", had a long ass title, and it was fun as a little gimmick, but Rob has taken it to a whole new level. I mean, how in the hell are you gonna remember the name of this album? I can be okay with long title, as long as they are memorable, but this title is not. And like that was not enough, almost all of the songs in the album also have long ass titles. Dear god, tongue twister literally everywhere.

"The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser", or as I am gonna call it in the future, "TEWAWSOCD", goes in the same style as "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor", in other words, groovy shock rock with quirky subject matters. It is really obvious that Rob has given all of the titles and lyrics a lot of love and thought, almost more so than to the music itself. Seriously, how the hell does one come up with titles such as "In The Age of The Consecrated Vampire We All Get High" and "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O."? It is completely bonkers.

And when you get deeper into the music, you will quickly realize that it is not only the titles that are crazy. Rob is singing about getting some ass, how all the freaks worship him, honey pies, and all sort of crazy shit. The fun never seems to stop with this man, and that is essentially necessary because the music is nothing to write home about. "TEWAWSOCD" tries to capture the groove and magic that "Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" had, but it ends up sounding like a cheap copy. For example, the main riff of "Medication For The Melancholy" is a straight rip off from "Behold, The Pretty Filthy Creatures!". It is absolutely a great and groovy riff, but that does not mean that you just can recycle it for the new album, that's just lazy man.

Another negative thing about this album is the length of both the songs and the album itself. All but one of the twelve  songs are under 3 minutes (three of those being just 1 and a half minute useless instrumentals), giving the album a mere play time of 33 minutes. So when you reach one of the great songs, like "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.", and get into a good mood, the song is over before you had a chance to truly enjoy it. Short ass songs are for punk and hardcore bands, not for groovy shock rockers. On the other hand though, if you dislike the album, it could be kind of a good thing that the album is so short, minimizing the torture, but as a guy who likes Rob Zombie, I want more music for my money.

One thing I do like about the album is that it is Rob Zombie to the bone. It is his signature style, and he knows how to get the most out of it. The production is spot on, Rob's performance is scary and cool, so it is mostly good there. I still cannot get over the fact that the song writing is fairly weak, that very little is sticking after the album is done.

I get the feeling like Rob Zombie is focusing more on his movies this time around than on his music, because unlike its title, "TEWOWSOCD" is a really short, sloppy album. It tries to be groovy and fun, but it ends up being a complete mess that just does not cut it. I am really disappointed over this effort, especially since the predecessor was such an awesome album that just spitted out great song after great song. Oh well, I do at least know that Rob will do a hell of a show with these songs, because these particular songs desperately need it.

Songs worthy of recognition: "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O.", Medication For The Melancholy, Get Your Boots On! That's The End of Rock And Roll

Rating: 5/10 Wurdalaks

Surgical Meth Machine - S/T (2016)

My relationship with Al Jourgensen is... kind of a odd one. His work in Ministry is extremely uneven, ranging from amazing, head banging industrial metal, to pure nonsense, and the last two albums the band did after their comeback ("Relapse" and "From Beer To Eternity") made it obvious that Al should probably just go into rehab and calm down. Did he do that? Obviously not, since he is presenting us with a new project that produces methamphetamine with surgical precision. I am not saying that I am surprised over this, but it feels like a disappointment that he disbands Ministry to create Ministry 2.0.

This self titled album is Al Jourgensen to the bone, it is fast, heavy, industrial, and absolute bonkers. It is 35 minutes of complete insanity, and 5 minutes of the exact opposite in the ending track "I'm Invisible". At first, it is really hard to take it all in because you are busy trying to comprehend it all, understanding what is really going on, and unfortunately, once you do get the hang of it all, it still makes very little sense. To me, it seems like Al was more focused on being high than creating actual music.

Throughout this album, Al is complaining about whiners on Facebook, the problems of being rich, and how he is allergic to tap water. It does give me a good laugh or two when hearing these lyrics, but that is really all. I remember Ministry as a force by nature that points out all the corruption and wrongs of this world, Surgical Meth Machine just whines and cries here and there. And it does not get any better on "Unlistenable", a song that has the perfect title, because it literally is unlistenable, having no structure at all and focuses more on calling bands like Iron Maiden, Lamb of God and Ministry (!?) pussies.

Not surprisingly, it is the songs that are closest to the glory days of Ministry that works the best on "Surgical Meth Machine". "Tragic Alert" has a crazy beat to it, and a simple sing along part that should make everyone scream execution in no time, and the following song "I Want More" contains a speed that is insane, and the riff work here are not to bad either. But these two (and the calm "I'm Invisible") are the only good songs in this album, the rest are pure gibberish.

To put this simply, Surgical Meth Machine deliver what it is promised, because when you are listening to this band's self titled debut album, it literally feels like you are on drugs. I am glad that this album is only 40 minutes long, because it is hard enough to last through it as it is. Most of the album is just cut outs from various speeches, movies, or Al Jourgensen speaking. The actual music part is a hit and miss, but mostly miss. If you like Ministry, you might want to give this a try, but beware, this is more of 10's Ministry than it is 00's Ministry.

Songs worthy of recognition: Tragic Alert, I Want More

Rating: 4/10 Smash And Grabs

Raubtier - Bärsärkagång (2016)

It is that time again for me to give you some good lessons on Swedish, or more accurately, it is time once again to indulge ourselves in the Northern predator known as Raubtier. The Haparanda trio is once again back to rage against the urbanization of our society, and to bring some northern attitude into our dull lives. A mission that never seems to end.

So what is Sweden's answer to Rammstein bringing to us this time? Yes, you guessed it, more of the same thing that we have heard in the previous 4 albums. "Bärsärkagång" (berserk) is filled with adrenaline-fueled, fist pumping industrial metal that is angry, heavy, and reeking of moonshine. While this is the thing that the band is known for, it could also be considered as their weakness, because they have not really evolved their music enough to make it feel relevant or exciting. While I do enjoy such speed freaks as "Tropaion" and "Hymn" (anthem) from time to time, I will still turn to the older material if I want a song like that.

But it is not the fast songs that makes "Bärsärkagång", it is instead the slower songs that are shining. It is still not like the band has changed, it is still the same structures and themes as we are used to, but these songs have a tendency to be more impressive since there is a nerve to them. Take "Genom Allt" (through everything) for example, a slow, almost ballad like song that is beautiful, and the band still maintains the toughness that they are known for. It really shows that the band can make other songs, just that they are not fully willing to.

And it is for that reason why I consider Raubtier to be suffering from a disease I would like to call the "Motörhead syndrome". In other words, they make the same album over and over again, just with tiny differences. However, the difference between Motörhead and Raubtier is that Raubtier rarely changes their song structures nor their lyrical themes. It has gone so far that you get a deja-vú moment at every other song, something you definitely do not want to experience while listening to new music.

Individually, I find every song to be quite decent, but together in a album, they make a thick swamp that is not only tough to go through, but also gives you the feeling like you are going nowhere, crossing the same spot over and over again. The things that makes me endure this are few, one being the rugged voice of Pär Hulkoff, who ones again leads his band with his overly manly voice. What would this band be without him?

When I listen to "Bärsärkagång", I feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger, because I do not care for this Predator guy anymore. Raubtier has its niche, and it is nice in small doses, but it can easily be boring when you consume it in big quantities. There is not a single song in this album that cannot be found in a better version in any of the band's previous 4 albums, which of course makes this my least favourite Raubtier album up to date. It still tingles a little bit, but it is obvious that the bite of the predator is not as strong as it used to be.

Songs worthy of recognition: Genom Allt, Bothniablod, Tropaion

Rating: 5,5/10 Praetorians

Mechina - Progenitor (2016)

So we have now breached into 2016, and you all know what that means right? Yes, another release by the industrial death metal band, and Forsaken At The Gates favourites, Mechina. Their new year's tradition stays intact for the 4th consecutive year with the release of "Progenitor", and just as you know that the new album will hit at the 1st of January, you know what you will expect from the album itself.

Just like its previous outings, Mechina spoils us with crushing blast beats, epic arrangements, and a flow that goes through the entire album. It is a album that should not surprise anyone that have heard of the band before, and many has seen this as a down side to Mechina, that they do the same thing over and over again. However, I do feel that every new album does contain something that makes it stand out, either it be the Earthly tone of "Acheron" or the heavy onslaught of "Xenon". While I do feel that "Progenitor" might not have a distinctive feature that sets it apart from the crowd, it has something that still makes it really enjoyable, and that is consistent quality.

The vocals leads the charge once more, performed by David Holch (whom to my excitement uses his clean vocals again) and Mel Rose. This broad range of vocals really helps to make "Progenitor" really diverse in its sound, and it works really well with all these blasting beats that the band spits out like a machine gun.

Another thing that is typical for Mechina is their flow from song to song. "Progenitor" is a album that is best experienced in its entirety, because the band does not simply create songs that stacks upon one another to fill out the space, they create songs that has a purpose, a common destiny to create a stunning album that will be enjoyed by many.

Individually though, most of the songs have some sort of a amnesiatic (is it even a word?) effect, you forget them as soon as they are over. Unfortunately, it has been a flaw that has followed the band throughout their career, but it could be because they want to create a complete picture instead. With that said, there are still some songs that are really good and memorable, like the mesmerising "Cryoshock", the grand "Ashes of Old Earth", and the apocalyptic "Planetfall". But the one that strikes me the most is "Starscape", not only for its heavy impact and powerful deliverance, but also its great lyrics, like the following lines.

When given the chance
To evolve or advance
We retreat to the past 
Praying for ghosts to guide our hand
Our lives far too short
Our minds far too cold
Our past buried in stone 
Our world absent of hope

So yes, I do realize that this is just another Mechina release, but to be honest, I did not really expect anything less from the band. "Progenitor" holds the exact same standard that its predecessors does, which is a really good standard. It is another high octane journey through their universe, a travel that intrigues and excites. I am a little disappointed that the 18 minute single from last summer, "The World We Lost", is not in here, but then again, it would probably kill the flow of the album, disturbing its balance, and making it worse than what it deserves to be. A fantastic album that will be hard for the band to match when they give out their next release, which I assume will be ready for the beginning of 2017. No matter what, I will definitely be waiting for it.

Songs worthy of recognition: Starscape, Ashes of Old Earth, Planetfall

Rating: 8/10 Cryoshocks

Fear Factory - Genexus (2015)

As a reviewer, I sometimes find albums that I initially did not intend to write about, but after giving it some time and listens, I find it so god damn good that I could not resist the urge to let the world know of what I feel. This is without a shadow of doubt one of these rare moments. While I do know about Fear Factory's existence, I have not really gotten into the band, getting the feeling that they are more machines than humans that control the music. I did listen to the band's previous effort, the 2012 "The Industrialist", but did not really care for it, so I thought when going into "Genexus" that it would be around the same thing, and same experience. I was dead wrong.

"Genexus" shows up the band and all of its strength in an impressive way, and in a production filter that just pounds you like a jack hammer. Mixing the ultra heavy groove of Strapping Young Lad with dark industrialism, Fear Factory comes out way more focused and passionate than when I heard them 3 years ago. It is almost like I am hearing a completely different band. And the quality the members put out is just stunning. Burton C. Bell's perfect blend between clean and harsh vocals, Mike Heller's powerful drum beats, and most importantly, the bone crushing, face melting riffs of Dino Cazares all help out to make this album a stronger mechanical force than Terminator.

Even with the amazing delivery, it is the songs that define "Genexus", making it the force it has become. Almost all of the songs balance perfectly between being both heavy and almost commercially attractive, mostly thanks to the melodic and catchy choruses. But the thing that impress me the most is the extremely high consistency. No song suck, all of them is worthy of a good, long notice, and in addition to that, we have a couple of tunes that makes the peak of the album as high as it almost possibly can go. "Genexus" is just pure quality from start to finish.

All of the songs are clearly related to each other, but they still got their own personalities that makes them stand out. From the über epic "Protomech" to the super groovy "Regenerate", "Genexus" is flexing all of its different muscles, showing all details in perfect lighting. And even the weirder parts of the albums sounds like they fit perfectly (a perfect example of that, the chorus to "Anodized", which somehow reminds me more of Morrisey than anything metal related). Everything just feels so well thought of, nothing placed haphazardly.

I also have to give the band credit for their lyrics. Because even if almost all of the songs speak about humans turning into machines or something similar to that, they still manage to not make it too stale or boring. Choosing their words wisely, emphasizing the darkest and heaviest part with harsh vocals. It is also this song writing that even makes a sleeping pill like "Expiration Date" a interesting listen. Just watch for yourself in this small outtake from said song.

You're blind to what's in front of you
What do you know about the truth
Devalued as soon as we're cast
We were never made to last
Just bodies made and fabricated
We're fighting towards our life extension
We're living for expiration

Simply amazing.

This really makes me wonder, was "The Industrialist" not a true showing of Fear Factory? My first full experience of the band almost hindered me from giving "Genexus" a chance, but fortunately, I had the sense to give the band a second chance, and it paid off big time. "Genexus" is a industrial metal fan's wet dream, a heavy, groovy, and mechanized mayhem that runs like clockwork, never wasting a second of ones life. I never thought a single album would completely turn my view of a band, but this one did. It had made me curious over what the band has done in the past and I want to know if they have made anything else that has the same amount of quality to it. So thank you "Genexus" for reinstating my respect for Fear Factory, and for making 2015 a lot more interesting.

Songs worthy of recognition: Regenerate, Autonomous Combat System, Anodized, Dielectric, Protomech

Rating: 9,5/10 Soul Hackers

Lindemann - Skills In Pills (2015)

Time for a math lesson, metal style. What do you get if you add a German singer with a Swedish super producer? The answer is the new super duo Lindemann, a industrial force consisting of Till Lindemann, singer of Rammstein, and Peter Tägtgren, front man to Pain and Hypocrisy and producer to countless metal albums. Two very well experienced and respected guys in the industry forming a brand new musical project, what could possibly go wrong? Well, judging from all of the other countless super groups out there, nothing is safe before some actual material shows itself.

The guys have made the work load as simple as possible for Lindemann, Till takes care of the singing and the lyrics, while Peter handles the music and production, a fair and logical choice to get the best out of the experiment. But knowing what Rammstein has sung about in the past, I did not expect any fancy poetry from the German, and sure enough, "Skills In Pills" is more or less one sex joke after another. Everything from fatty desires, transgenders, to golden showers and love of abortions, yes, Till sings his heart out of what he writes best, filthy potty humour. It does not work quite as well in English as in the German language, mostly because German is a heavier, more aggressive language, which really helps out to forget that the lyrics are juvenile and immature.

The music however, is just the thing that saves the album from being a giant turd. Peter has more or less created another Pain album here, a powerful industrial record with lots of electronic elements to it. And I do not think it comes to anyone's surprise that Till was more or less made for singing to this music. Would be interesting to see him as the new lead singer of Pain, or maybe him and Peter sharing the load, but that will probably never happen. So if you are a fan of Pain, you will instantly love the music in "Skills In Pills".

Several pieces in this puzzle catches my attention, either for the lyrics, the impeccable musicality, or both. The first song that was presented, "Praise Abort", came with a incredibly weird music video, but I liked it, just like I liked the super catchy and simple chorus. Also, that song really nails the humour, something few songs in this album does. We also have the title track, that is the ultimate Pain song that just speeds through with an impressive determination, and the same can be said about "Fish On" and the heavy "Fat" (no pun intended).

The surprise comes in that the slow songs are really vibrant, and gives the album another dimension to it. "Home Sweet Home", "Yukon" and "Children of The Sun" all contains some impeccable songwriting, both when it comes to the music and the lyrics. They float around like they are their own style, not necessarily taken from a Pain album, but still having a small influence from it. I always encourage musicians that is in side projects to really broaden their horizon, do something we have not already have heard from them, and these three songs does exactly that with both Till and Peter. Not saying that I would a full album with only these types of songs, but I really enjoyed them and would like to have more of them in the future.

Compared to both Rammstein, Pain and Hypocrisy, Lindemann does not really reach the same heights, but Till and Peter's little side project is still a fairly interesting bromance that does contain a spark in its eyes. "Skills In Pills" does its job well and entertains the fans of both gentlemen, while also showing off some new stuff that should keep the interest levels high. It really shows that this is the works of two full blood professionals, joining forces to create a new little musical child. If this bromance would continue in the future, I would definitely look forward to the next album, and if it would not, then I will not shed a tear, since it makes me pumped up to see what the guys can do with their main projects in the near future.

Songs worthy of recognition: Yukon, Skills In Pills, Home Sweet Home

Rating: 7/10 Ladyboys

Mechina - Acheron (2015)

The industrial death metal band Mechina continues their new year's tradition of releasing new music, and the trend has been that they have increased the quality of their craft with each year. This year, the new material is called "Acheron" and is the band's 5th full length album. A album that I have looked forward too, but also dreaded that it would be too much alike its predecessors.

Those fears were gone almost instantly after hearing "Acheron" for the first time. This album is a further development of the typical Mechina sound, which means a grand sound picture, heavy drum beats, smooth flow from song to song and a overall space like, apocalyptic mood. But what separates "Acheron" from albums like "Empyrean" and "Xenon" is mainly two things. the first is that the orchestral musicality gets much more room in this album, making it less heavy, but more beautiful. The second thing is the acquisition of female vocalist Mel Rose, whom increases the beauty factor even more with her soft vocals. Speaking of vocals, David Holch uses very little of his clean vocals, which is a shame since I like it more than his harsh vocals. He still does a good job though in this album, just like the rest of the band.

Even if the band has worked with this release for only a year, the craftsmanship in the songs is still at a high level, making it seem like they have worked with these songs for quite some time. Although it is still pretty obvious that the band has some sort of template to work with, which is fine as long as one does not follow it completely throughout the album.

Most of the heavy music is put on the start of the albums, in the songs "Earth-Born Axiom" and "Vanquisher", two steam rollers that shows most of Mechina's repertoire. However, the most impressing song is actually the song that defines the new style that the band has embraced. "On The Wings of Nefeli" is a beautiful track with a delicate vocal structure and a catchy groove. really wished that more songs in "Acheron" was like this. Also take notice of the ballad "Ode To The Forgotten Few" were Mel Rose takes the spotlight and shines with her perfect suiting voice.

Even if this album is an enjoyable one, it still has some flaws that I find hard to ignore. Some of the spots where they cut off the tracks are not fully optimized, a problem the band has had before. It does not bother me when I am listening to the full album, but it makes a difference when you are listening to a single song. I also feel like the amount of soft intros/instrumentals are at least one too many, but that is maybe because I do not like those kind of songs, especially when they almost take half of the track slots.

I do appreciate that Mechina keeps on evolving with their music and not make the same thing over and over again, but I feel like "Acheron" is just missing some key things to really make it a fantastic record. This more melodic approach does have something to it and could make the band even more versatile than what they already are. "Acheron" is without a doubt another strong, solid effort from the Chicago band, but they still have some way to go before hitting the jackpot.

Songs worthy of recognition: On The Wings of Nefeli, Earth-Born Axiom, Ode To The Forgotten Few

Rating: 8/10 Lethean Waves

Engel - Raven Kings (2014)

Since In Flames flopped royally with their latest release, I was hoping that the guitarist Niclas Engelin would do a better job with his other band, the industrial metal band Engel. This band has gone step by step up the ladder of success with their heavy, and accessible style. There have been some slight turbulence in the band since they have gone through two member changes since the last album, so I was not fully convinced that "Raven Kings" would keep the progress going.

So how are the new guys stacking up? The new singer, Mikael Sehlin, does have a tougher voice than what Magnus Klavborn have, but he does not add anything new to  the band. He just does most of the work that Klavborn did, which includes both growling and clean vocals, and the band is fine with it. And the new drummer, Oscar Nilsson, does a fine job with the beats. The main factor with the music is still the guitars were Engelin and Sunesson attacks with both melodic and energetic riffs, bringing a lot of dynamics to the music.

However, most of this dynamic impact is lost throughout the album since the band puts out around the same kind of force in almost every song in "Raven Kings". I do like it that the band has this grand, powerful sound, but they are over doing it in this album, creating a blob of an album where the only real stand out is the spiritual "I Am The Answer".

Another strength with Engel is that the band knows how to write a good chorus. And together with some great musicianship, the band can really create some highly memorable tunes. In "Raven Kings", one should check out "Broken Pieces" that impresses with its pain and heaviness. One should also listen to the epic "End of Days" where Sehlin does a great job with his voice. Other notable tracks are the fast paced "Fading Light" and the well constructed "My Dark Path".

"Raven Kings" is definitely a fine metal album where Engel show off their muscles, but we have already seen them, and they are not getting any better with age. Compared to its predecessors, "Raven Kings" could probably be considered as the weakest Engel album up to date thanks to its monotonous sound, but also thanks to the fact that the rest of the Engel catalog holds a high standard. If you are a fan of the band, I am sure you will enjoy the hell out of the album, but will not be surprised at all over what the record offers.

Songs worthy of recognition: End of Days, My Dark Path, Broken Pieces

Rating: 6,5/10 Sanctuaries

Raubtier - Pansargryning (2014)

From the northern wilderness comes the heavy industrial trio Raubtier (German for predator), a band that has been compared as Swedens answer to Rammstein. Just like the legendary Germans, Raubtier sings in its native language and brings a heavy and unique sound to the table. With their love for singing about war and death, this trio from Haparanda has conquered Sweden very quickly. "Pansargryning" (armor dawn) is the band's fourth album in just five years (and that does not include the two albums they have released in their country band Bourbon Boys), just one of the evidences that this band does not sit quietly in their boat and waits for the fame to come to them.

For those of you who have heard this band before, you will instantly recognize their sound in "Pansargryning". It is heavy and determined industrial metal with catchy choruses and lyrics about war and misery. It is definitely comfortable to know what you will get from Raubtier, but of course, there is a thin line between being reliable and being boring. I feel that they have shown us what they got in all their albums, but not how much they have evolved. Maybe I am speaking too soon about that since this band has only been around 6 years, but you cannot just simply put that fact away.

The most impressive tracks are the ones that are most memorable. It could be one distinctive thing, like the brutal power in the opener "Dieselrök" (diesel smoke) and the extreme speed in "Raptor", or just a good chorus, like in "Qaqortoq" or "Innan Löven Faller" (before the leaves fall), that makes a Raubtier song stand out. But the most impressive thing is that Raubtier has a ability of making the most out of every track. Even the worst track "Skjut, Gräv, Tig" (shoot, dig, shut up) sounds decent thanks to the band's passion and dedication.

Then there is also some songs that actually makes this album a little more versatile than its predecessors. "Opus Magni" (grand opus) is one of their most epic songs while "Bränder" (fires) and "Innan Löven Faller" is probably the closest to a ballad we will see from this band. This makes me hopeful that this band can progress and develop their sound further in the future, but they still have to show that they can write different types of lyrics. But as said, I am hopeful.

I would not rate "Pansargryning" as Raubtier's finest album to date, but it is definitely coequal with its predecessors. The catchy and heavy songs makes sure that Raubtier's rank as one of the most popular acts in Sweden does not decrease. They still have some way to go to reach their full potential, but these guys are determined, so I am certain that they in the end will win the war.

Songs worthy of recognition: Innan Löven Faller, Dieselrök, Qaqortoq

Rating: 7/10 Bränder

Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction (2011)

So after going progressive in the first record and going pop metal in the second, what awaited us on the third album by Devin Townsend Project? This time, the crazy Canadian gives us a comedic concept album named "Deconstruction". The album follows a man that wants to find out the true nature of reality. He ends up in hell where he meets the Devil and finds out that the secrets of the universe lies within a cheeseburger. But since our protagonist is vegetarian, he refuses the cheeseburger and admits that his journey was completely pointless.

So yeah, it is another great and hilarious concept made by Devin. But the comedy is not as much apparent as it was on "Punky Brüster - Cooked On Phonics" and "Ziltoid The Omniscient". There are no dialogues between the tracks that explains the story, so you have to go deeper into the lyrics to find the humour and the plot. It is the little things that makes you laugh, like hearing that all bands rip off Meshuggah, Oderus Urungus shouting shit a brick, or even the mentioning of Ziltoid the omniscient. I also get a laugh of the fact that when Devin screams sorrow man in "Planet of The Apes" it sounds like he is screaming Saruman (the evil wizard in The Lord of The Rings for those of you who do not get the joke).

This album is packed with a lot of personnel and guest artists from more or lesser known bands. For instance, we have Oderus Urungus (Gwar), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), Floor Jansen (ReVamp, Nightwish), Tommy Giles Rogers (Between The Buried And Me), and many more. Hell, we even have an entire orchestra that has helped out with this album. So it comes as no surprise that even with this many guest artists, the quality of the music is at its top. It sounds chaotic from start to finish, but it is still holding up well thanks to the concept and the well constructed structure.

The complete chaos that this album brings makes it the heaviest album Devin has done outside of Strapping Young Lad. Just listen to the chugging blast beats in "Juular" or the incredible speed in "Pandemic". If that does not remind you of SYL, then I do not know what will. But this album also impress us with the big and epic songs. From the slow and technical "Stand", to the diverse "Planet of The Apes", this album brings some of the best epics Devin has ever created. Even "The Mighty Masturbator" sounds good despite the carnival scene around the end of this 16 minute epic. I also have to mention the title track, since it is the main track for the overall concept (and also for its goofiness).

"Deconstruction" is just another proof of why I like to call Devin the Jim Carrey of metal. This is a weird and funny concept, and together with some heavy and progressive music, this album goes down as one of Devin's finest albums. This is the perfect album for those of you who wants to take out your aggressions on, oh I do not know, an ignorant vegetarian hipster who refuses to eat a cheeseburger. I do not know about you guys, but this album gives me a big boner and it is making me hungry. I WANT A CHEESEBURGER!!!

Songs worthy of recognition: Planet of The Apes, Stand, Juular, Pandemic

Rating: 9/10 Poltergeists

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid The Omniscient (2007)

After the birth of his first son, Devin took some time off of the touring with Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band to take a break from music. I guess that break was not very long at all since he released this album in the spring of 2007 (a half year after the release of "The Hummer"). "Ziltoid The Omniscient" is one of the most legendary and well appreciated albums in the Devin Townsend discography, mostly thanks to the crazy concept about a 4th dimensional alien that travels to Earth in search for the ultimate cup of coffee.

This is the solo album with a capital S. Devin made the album all by himself (even the drums thanks to the Drumkit From Hell expansion on EZdrummer). This makes it even more impressing since the production is very good and the drums are sounding pretty real (although some parts are just a little too ridiculous). But his best work is not the production nor the work he put into this album. It is the amazingly hilarious concept. Everything with this concept is so well thought of into the finest details. From the dialogues in and between the tracks to the voice acting made by Devin, Dave Young and Brian Waddell.

After a short introduction to this green, lizard like alien who has the same hair style as Devin, the invasion begins with "By Your Command" and "Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!", two heavy songs that shows how Ziltoid got the title as the ultimate 4th dimensional guitar hero, but also two songs that shows the diversity of the album. "By Your Command" is a heavy and progressive piece with an ending that instantly brings out goose bumps and some frenetic headbanging, while "Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!" is more of a faster paced song that could easily have been in the "Mars Attacks" sound track (btw, that movie is so bad that it is sometimes good).

After that, we get to follow Captain Spectacular and his ride towards Nebulon 9, in search for Ziltoids true identity (how that will stop the invasion is beyond my knowledge). This part of the story is explained in "Solar Winds" and "Hyperdrive", two songs that are slower, but are still very much alike the two songs that was before them. "Solar Winds" have a great epic ending and "Hyperdrive" is a shorter song, more fast paced song. I also think "Hyperdrive" is the song on this album that defines the space theme best with its dark feel and laid back vocals. It is without a doubt one of my favourite tracks on this album.

So Ziltoid gets exposed as the nerd he is and the story skips forward to what seems like a crucial thinking process where he decides to attack Earth once again, but this time with the devastating 6th dimensional Planet Smasher. This is without a doubt the heaviest track on the album, and probably the closest we get to being a Strapping Young Lad song (the verse reminds me of the track "Hope" from "The New Black"). I only miss a smashing solo, but other than that, this is a fantastic song with great drum beats, awesome growling, and probably the grandest chorus that Devin has ever created. Makes me wonder why the Planet Smasher rejects Ziltoid after this magnificent effort.

The album ends with Ziltoid visiting the Omnidimensional Creator (or some pot head) to find out his true identity and a plot twist (which I will not reveal. Listen to the album yourself you lazy hippie). This leads us into the most progressive part of the album with the amazingly diverse "Color Your World" as the epic master piece. If it was not for "Color Your World", then I think that "Ziltoid The Omniscient" would be a slightly less awesome album. The technicality and the flow of the song lifts the album from being great to being a master piece. The last two songs of the album are fine pieces as well, but they are clearly behind quality wise against the other songs.

So is this the end of this coffee drinking alien? Devin never intended to continue the story of Ziltoid, but since this album was such a huge success, Ziltoid has been seen in many other medias, such as merchandise, having and own radio show and a coming web series. And yes, there is a follow up album called "Z²" coming hopefully around late 2014/early 2015. A decision I am not surprised of, since this is such a magnificent album with one of the funniest characters the metal community has ever seen. So when Ziltoid will once gain show up in the future, I will certainly give him my finest coffee bean that I have to offer. Hail Ziltoid.

Songs worthy of recognition: Color Your World, By Your Command, Solar Winds, Hyperdrive, Planet Smasher

Rating: 9/10 Tall Lattes

https://www.hevydevy.com/
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More reviews of Devin Townsend (solo work)
Punky Brüster - Cooked On Phonics
Ocean Machine: Biomech
Infinity
Physicist
Terria
Devlab
The Hummer

Empath

Mechina - Xenon (2014)

It seems like the industrial death metal band Mechina is trying to create a new years tradition. On the 1st of January in 2011, they released their second record "Conqueror". Last year, they released their third full length album "Empyrean" on the 1st of January. And now, they have released their fourth album "Xenon" on, you guessed it, the 1st of January. A tradition I hope more bands embrace. Cause what would be better than starting the new year with some fresh metal.

"Xenon" is at first glance very similar to its predecessor. It mixes heavy death metal beats with more spaced out melodies, and they also show a decent mix of harsh and clean vocals. But one thing that delights me very much is the huge improvement in the production area, which was my main complaint with "Empyrean". It is still not a perfect production, but it is as good as a self released title can make it.

There is no filler on "Xenon", but there are neither any songs on the album that really stands out from the others. Simply put, there are 10 high quality songs that makes an impressive piece of an album. But if I had a gun pointed at my head, then I would probably put "Xenon", "Zoticus", "Terrea" and "Thales" as the high points of this album. But it should also be pointed out that I think the overall music quality was slightly better in "Empyrean", even though the quality difference between these albums is more or less non existent.

So are there any negative sides with "Xenon"? Well, besides from the fact that there is no song that really stands out, I do not see any real forward progress from the band. The music is the same as it was on "Empyrean", which brings up this question. Is the band out of new ideas or are they just over confident with their existing sound? No matter what, let me see some progress in the fifth album guys, okay?

Musically speaking, there is almost no difference from the last album to this, the difference is instead most noticeable in the production, which feels more well polished and professional this time around, thereby making "Xenon" the best album so far by Mechina. Their unique death metal style is very exciting and I think that this Chicago group has all the tools to make it in this business. Just a matter of screwing together the IKEA furniture for them.

Songs worthy of recognition: Thales, Xenon, Terrea

Rating: 8,5/10 Phedras

Strapping Young Lad - The New Black (2006)

Even before this release, Devin Townsend stated that "The New Black" would be the last album made by Strapping Young Lad, mostly because Devin felt that he had to change his way of living and leave his past life behind him, which of course included Strapping Young Lad. A sad statement for all SYL fans indeed, but I am not fully surprised over this announcement since Devin have put in more effort in his solo project than on SYL. Besides, I rather enjoy a band that quits on a high note than a band that keeps going way past their expiration date.

So since this was going to be the band's last record, you probably thought that the band would unleash the craziest shit that mankind has ever witnessed. If you did, then you would be completely wrong. "The New Black" is instead the most melodic record in the career of Strapping Young Lad. It still has some hard punches and the band has brought back their humorous side that they showed in "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" and "City". Another notable thing is that Devin is using his clear vocals more often here than on any other SYL record. So it is a very confusing record for me because it sounds like SYL, but at the same time it does not feel like SYL. Devin has instead of making a super heavy record that would definitely be SYL's grand finale made a more commercially attractive record. I am not sure how good of an idea it was to make that decision, but it is the quality of the songs that ultimately counts.

So how high is the quality then? I would definitely say that most of the material in this album is really high, while some other tracks, like the boring "Fucker" and the sluggish "Hope", just drags the album down in the dirt. Luckily for us, there are also songs here that raises up the album towards the sky, like the steam roller "You Suck" (which includes a guest appearance by Cam Kroetsch from The Almighty Punchdrunk), the nice rocking and jazzy "Anti Product", the groovy and addicting "Monument" and the epic "Wrong Side".

But there are two songs that are marking them self out a little extra more than the others. The first one is "Almost Again" that at first sight almost seems like an interesting ballad from the band, but then it develops into a heavy hitting chorus with Devin's harshest of vocals and a drum playing that is going faster than the speed of sound. A surprisingly effective song. The other difference maker is actually an old song. "Far Beyond Metal" has only been played at live shows and it has shown up in the live albums "No Sleep Till Bedtime" and "For Those Aboot To Rock". It is certainly a heavy song that punches you with blow after blow in a four and a half minute period, and even if some of the brutality is lost in the studio version, it is made up for with funny lyrics and some great instrumental work. We also get a guest appearance here from "the maggot master" Oderus Urungus, who we all know from Gwar. These two songs may be my favourite songs from Strapping Young Lad together with "S.Y.L", "Force Fed" and "All Hail The New Flesh".

I am not sure how I should feel about this album. One side of me likes it for the catchy tunes and that the silliness from "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" was back, while the other half of me hates this album because of the exact same things. If this album was labeled as a solo record by Devin, then I would probably love it even more and give it an even higher rating, but at the end of the day, this is a Strapping Young Lad record without the Strapping Young Lad feeling. It feels like they sold out for their big final act. But in the end, I still cannot stop headbanging to some of the tracks, which ultimately means that I like the record.

So farewell Strapping Young Lad. I will fucking miss you, you fucker.

Songs worthy of recognition: Almost Again, Far Beyond Metal, You Suck, Wrong Side

Rating: 8,5/10 Monuments

Strapping Young Lad - Alien (2005)

When I saw that the fourth album by Strapping Young Lad was entitled "Alien", I hoped for music that was out of this world (or at least that it would have more personality than its self-titled predecessor), especially after the amount of pain I had to suffer for listening at "Devlab". But I already knew what this album was going to present before me, a heavy death/thrash/industrial assault that would blow my brain out.

And not surprisingly, "Alien" delivered just what I was expecting. It delivered typical Strapping Young Lad metal that had enough power to run over me with a steamroller. You would think that the pure energy in the song (with the fitting name) "Shitstorm" would be enough to power up the album, but the band did not think so. Instead, they packed almost every song in this album with a lot of determination, hard hitting force, and, of course, comedy. There is so much of it that there is plenty to spare for the next album.

And the chaos continues in several other tracks, like "Skeksis", "We Ride" and "Possessions". Actually, the only song on the album that seem to have a stable and clear musical structure is "Love?". With an infectious riff, a epic chorus and surprisingly interesting lyrics, "Love?" impresses me a lot. It is the most well controlled song in this album that is filled with chaotic craziness. A clear leader that will lead its equals towards victory.

But then came the shocker at the end of the album. The band ended "Alien" with three calm songs. Okay, I know that "Zen" and "Thalamus" are not technically calm, but compared to some of the other songs in "Alien", they sound like something out of a Lionel Richie album. But the third song, "Two Weeks", is a slower song that probably would have been more fitting in one of Devin's solo projects, but I will allow it this time since it give "Alien" some much needed variation. Besides, it is a nice song that is easily likable, and I guess that even the biggest of Strapping Young Lad fans needs a break from the angry assaults sometimes.

I have heard that "Alien" is considered as a very different Strapping Young Lad album, but I do not see much difference between this record and any other SYL album. It has all the elements that defines SYL, and together with some important variation, I would consider this to be one of the better albums by the band. But even if "Two Weeks" is a good song, I would like Devin to keep these kinds of songs in his solo project and not in SYL. That is the only baggage that this album is carrying with.

Songs worthy of recognition: Love?, Shitstorm, We Ride

Rating: 8,5/10 Possessions

Strapping Young Lad - S/T (2003)

It is pretty strange to believe it, but the follow up to Strapping Young Lad's critically acclaimed "City" came six years after "City"'s release. The band was placed on hiatus by Devin between 1999 and 2002 so that he could focus on his solo career, and one of the few reasons that made him get back to SYL was because he had "creative anger" as his motivation after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. So SYL was back in action and "Strapping Young Lad" would become the first album by the band where all the members was active in the song writing process.

So has the years changed SYL any significantly? Actually no, the heaviness and anger is still a big part of SYL's music, but it is more of a controlled anger instead of this bat shit crazy anger where Devin says fuck every three words. Now that I think of it, Devin only says fucking 5 times throughout this album. Anyway, the music may be more down to earth (or mature), but I miss that extra level of craziness that "City" had. Sure, some parts in this albums are pure WTF moments (like in the end of "Dirt Pride" where Devin screams "Wash my fucking balls"), but it is not enough to make this album stand out. Not so good when the album is only 39 minutes long.

There are not many songs that catches my attention in "Strapping Young Lad", but two songs are definitely interesting enough for me to notice. The first one is the bone crushing "Relentless". It is the only song on "Strapping Young Lad" that would fit nicely in "City" with its heaviness, speed, and epic chorus. The other song is "Force Fed", that impresses with an excellent mix of epic musical quality and doom-like groove. But I think it would have been better if it was slightly shorter. We also have songs like "Rape Song", "Aftermath", and "Dirt Pride" that may not impress me completely, but still satisfies my urge of great SYL metal.

Despite the fact that the quality is decently high, I still feel that "Strapping Young Lad" needs a personality. It is overall a slightly bland album for a SYL album. I mean, "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" had its silliness and "City" had speed and heaviness. What does "Strapping Young Lad" have? The answer is nothing in particular. The band does what they are good at, but nothing more.

It is without a doubt that I say that "Strapping Young Lad" is a great album, but it could have been even better with something that personified the album. There is a good couple of songs in the album, but nothing overly impressive. However, it is still a good album with the fact that the band was inactive for three years. But it is not enough to make me wash the band's fucking balls.

Songs worthy of recognition: Force Fed, Relentless, Aftermath

Rating: 7/10 Consequences