Big Business - Here Come The Waterworks (Hydra Head Industries)

I knew this shit was gonna blow my mind after about 2 seconds. Rarely does an artist knock you down with the sheer down-tuned immediacy that Big Business does with opening track Just As the Day Was Dawning from 2007's Here Come the Waterworks, their second for Hydra Head Industries. Let me be the first to tell you, kiddies, that it's a dire portent. The duo of Jared Warren and Coady Willis (who also moonlight as 50% of the Melvins) build an unhealthy, black steam until the plodding, eerie cadence of Another Fourth of July...Ruined, the militaristic bastard son of Big Black and The Sword. Truth be told, it's a rather anti-climatic monument in an album full of insane, over-the-top slabs of granite. That's the only negative point on this record; the sequencing is a touch off. One thing you WILL NOT hear me complain about is a lack of originality. The word "crossover" is bandied about so frivolously these days, it's lost any real sense of meaning as applied to a musical format. Not so with Here Come the Waterworks. It's an excellent illustration of what happens to a band that refuses to be constricted by genre tags. Is it metal, punk, industrial, grunge, noise rock, etc? Nope, it's just Big Business.


-C. Kolakowski

The Birthday Massacre - Violet (Metropolis)

Do you remember the first time you heard your favorite band? Chances are that it was an unforgettable experience, thus becoming your favorite artist for a reason. That was what happened to me when I first heard the almighty Alice In Chains in the summer of 1990. Such was the case for me a second time when I was introduced to the sweet, sweet nectar that is The Birthday Massacre. While I really liked the sound, I sort of dismissed them as a Deadsy ripoff; a heavily distorted, synthesizer-rich, retro industrial sound that really catches you with it's groove like a sonic fish hook. Although not their official debut release, Violet was their first on a formidable label and it really shows in the production. I'd even go so far as to say that it's almost over-produced. Almost, but not quite. Something about the feel of the record screams "80's" to me - a something not necessarily just in the sound. Frontwoman Chibi, aside from having the sweetest voice this side of the Heavenly Choir, has the schtick down pat: Catholic school uniform, pigtails, and patent-leather chunky shit-kickers. The rest of the band provide a boulder-solid foundation for her to give you chills with the enigmatic and spooky Blue, the robotic stomp of Horror Show, and every other track on this disc. There is absolutely NO filler at all. I mean, you COULD just sit there and listen to your old 80's records, or you could fall in love for the first time: again.


-C. Kolakowski

Conjure One - S/T (Nettwerk)

Canadian maestro Rhys Fulber is a busy man. Since the early 80's, he's firmly entrenched himself into the world of electronic/industrial acts like Frontline Assembly, Delerium, and Fear Factory, among others. And that's not even counting his production credits. I don't know how the man finds time to sleep!! It's a good thing he doesn't, though, or the world may never have been introduced to the sheer genius that is Conjure One. Fulber spawned the project some time in mid-1999 after traversing the world on a self-financed musical odyssey, intending to absorb as much world music as was possible. The debut album finds Fulber incorporating more of those world beat sounds, often foregoing the pulse rhythms of FLA for more lush meadows. As is often the case in Delerium, Rhys employs the use of Marie Claire D'Ubaldo, Sinead O'Connor, and Joanna Stevens to compliment his haunting aural dimensions, much to the benefit of the album. This album would makes an excellent romantic mood enhancement, driving music, or just settling in after a long day at the office. Every time is the right time for Conjure One.



-C. Kolakowski

Mr. Bungle - S/T (Warner Bros.)

Never in all my years as a fan and critic of rock music have I encountered an act as brazenly label defying, yet wickedly unique and destructive as California noise terrorists Mr. Bungle. Every track, genetically spliced from funk, jazz fusion, and death metal perfectly compliment lyrics about masturbation, diarrhea, and even the occasional tribute to a dead pet. Even with words this silly/sinister, rest assured that it couldn’t be more tongue-in-cheek. Although the omnipresent saxophones lend to a sense of camp, each song resides in a space somewhere between a nightmarish circus and the bowels of Hell itself. In no way could the conception of this record be feasible without the unholy trinity of Mike Patton, Trevor Dunn, and John Zorn. Imagine if you could all the previous bands these three have collaborated with, combined stylistically with Stolen Babies, Incantation, and Earth Wind & Fire – you’re starting to get the gist. Overall, this is a scorching aural experience that is the sonic equivalent of blotter acid, just nowhere near as clean. You’ve been fucking warned!


- C. Kolakowski

Carcass - Heartwork (Columbia/Earache)

How many acts, save Carcass, employ the use of medical encyclopedias as a means of lyrical inspiration? Well, there have been a few, to be sure. None of these cheap imitators have had the impact that Carcass had on their first 3 records. Even though they still retained remnants of this gory lyrical sensibility on their third full length Necroticism: Descanting the Insalubrious, one can clearly see the impending demise of this style of phrasing. Enter Heartwork, a sonic masterstroke steeped in technical prowess, and devoid of morgue terminology; abandoned in favor of other dark themes. Rife with triple picking madness, Msrs. Steer and Amott are definitely at the pinnacle of of their craft here. The whirlwind fury of the rhythm section of Ken Owen and Jeff Walker (drums and bass, respectively) is an attack of epic proportions unseen in previous efforts, with a clarity unmatched by their peers. This is arguably one of the greatest extreme metal releases of all time. Check out highlights like Buried Dreams, No Love Lost, Blind Bleeding the Blind, and the H.R. Giger inspired title track Heartwork for a glimpse of something truly unique and special.


- C. Kolakowski

Behind Enemy Lines - The Global Cannibal

The current administration has been the subject of tons of dissent in the music industry recently. George W. Bush has rallied against him everyone from Agathocles to Ministry to Stevie fucking Wonder. While music and politics seldom make decent allies, some genres and subgenres are of a mindset better suited to this kind of righteous anger. Most notably those of punk descent lend themselves well to this type of music, crust and d-beat particularly. Behind Enemy Lines is one of the new breed to take their cue from rageoholics like Discharge and Nausea. This disc is fueled by the pairing of Mary Bielich and Matt Garabedian, who lay down a rumbling foundation for Bill Chamberlain and Matt Tuite’s twin guitar shred, which altogether is the sum total of impending Armageddon. In fact, this is almost the perfect punk unit, with the exception of vocalist Dave Trenga. Don’t misunderstand me – the lyrics and delivery are virtually seamless. It’s the singing I take issue with. Hey Dave, Tom Araya called: he wants his voice back!
Guess I can’t give ‘em too much crap, because Slayer is the shizznit. I’d have to give Behind Enemy Lines a solid 12 (of a possible 10) on the Destruct-O-Meter for creating a pummeling anarcho beatdown. See you in November ’08!!!


- C. Kolakowski

24-7 Spyz - Gumbo Millenium (In-Effect)

Gumbo Millenium is a love it or hate it kind of affair. Likewise, 24-7 Spyz are also that type of band. These guys are a band that is known for being able to walk freely amongst different genre tribes – everything from funk, thrash and soul, and everything in between. Stylistically similar to the sound created and honed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, they exceed Anthony Kiedis and crew in their ability to harness a heavier, more primal appeal in the vein of the old Bay Area thrash masters. Songs like John Connelly’s Theory and Racism would feel at home on a record like Bonded By Blood or Kill ‘Em All, while a track like Dude U Knew could be an instant soul classic for someone like Al Green. Casual listeners will see the Spyz as somewhat of a novelty act (they’re black dudes) but would by far benefit more by consuming this record with an open mind and reserving judgment until the end. Alas, the original line-up of 24-7 Spyz didn’t stand the test of time and are now relegated to early 90’s obscurity. It’s sad, really, because Gumbo Millenium is an excellent example of a crossover classic.


- C. Kolakowski

Ministry - The Last Sucker (SPV)

Al Jourgensen is pretty pissed off for an older dude. In fact, the Ministry frontman might have more venom and angst to spew than the younger metal bands of today. Just one listen to new and final album The Last Sucker and it's pretty much confirmed. The album is the last part in the band's Bush trilogy (starting with Houses of the Mole and followed by the equally aggro Rio Grande Blood) Al is still taking aim at the administration, yet he seems to accept the inevitable fallout from the eight year debacle by getting his kicks in while he can. Look no further than the amped up cover of The Doors' Roadhouse Blues. Other highlights include the V.P. parody The Dick Song, the Megadeth-esque title track, the urgent riffing of No Glory, and End of Days Pts. I & II. The latter includes vocals courtesy of Burton C.Bell (of Fear Factory & Ascension of the Watcher fame) and a poignant speech from Dwight Eisenhower. While I hate to see such a classic band fade out, at least it's on such a high note. Perhaps the brightest of their long career. An absolute classic.


- A. Boyer

Tangerine Dream - Legend (Varese-Sarabande)

Anyone who is a discerning fan of 70’s progressive rock knows the name Tangerine Dream. To get a clear example of the band's technical prowess, one need look no further than the soundtrack to the 1985 Ridley Scott film Legend, starring a young, pre-Scientology Tom Cruise as unwitting hero Jack, and Tim Curry in the role of the sinister, malformed Darkness. Tangerine Dream are the REAL stars of this film. They have so expertly imbued and woven these tracks into the film, they become one more character, part and parcel. Sometimes claustrophobic and often erratic, this is a perfect example of peaceful co-existence of elements both joyful & bleak. The most perfect compliment to an excellent film anyone can expect is the strength of it’s soundtrack, and this film is well served. The only ill conception I can find anywhere here is the inclusion of the Bryan Ferry track Is Your Love (Strong Enough). Not a horrible track, in and of itself, and could probably almost be a lost Roxy Music gem. It just doesn’t seem to mesh well in the overall sequencing, as it’s the first track where it should conceivably be the last. This soundtrack otherwise will stand the test of time as a great collection. One you will likely revisit frequently, if you’re anything like me.


- C. Kolakowski

Misfits - Famous Monsters (Roadrunner)

I’m about to commit a cardinal sin…….. you ready? I enjoy Michale Graves every bit as much as I like Glenn Danzig fronted Misfits. Sure, I may not agree with his politics (he’s a devout Republican) but politics and entertainment make for strange bedfellows anyhow. Now, I can just imagine all you whiny purists out there shitting the bed after this admission. I suppose I can relate to the shock. It’s exactly how I felt when the Dead Kennedys opted for reforming without Jello, in favor of that stupid kid from The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. Notwithstanding, Famous Monsters (and to a lesser degree American Psycho) is another milestone in the lifespan of this hardcore juggernaught known as the Misfits. As we all know, new members sometimes bring with them a new sound; to which end the Misfits have all but forsaken any semblance with their former sound. Long gone are the days of thin, underproduced sing along anthems, upgraded in favor of thick skinned, well produced slabs of speed and aggression – making it something more akin to Earth A.D. than Static Age. Content and lyrical approach remain largely untouched and hold up very well to the classic tracks. Hell, the 'Fits even take a dip in the genre pool and give birth to monstrous bastards like the nouveau doo-wop Saturday Night and the enigmatic, twisted stalker/love song Helena. All that said, these songs are catchy as hell and stick to your brain like peanut butter. One cannot but sing along whilst banging their head. A true masterpiece!!!


- C. Kolakowski

Job For A Cowboy - Genesis (Metal Blade)

I can’t get a handle on the overnight celebrity of this band. This is formulaic brand of death metal is chock full of boring clichés like mid-paced twin guitar chug and squeal, blast beats and enough vomitous refrains to make Cookie Monster green with envy. All these things do little more than ensure them a seat among the rank and file of their second and third tier contemporaries. Be that as it may, apparently you can break through without breaking new ground. Perhaps their extreme youth, accessibility, and penchant for unrelenting brutal noise attacks are what serve the success of JFAC’s second effort, Genesis. Like any new deathcore act (read: death metal/metalcore hybrid) Job For A Cowboy pay tribute to the gods through worship at the altar of At the Gates – and like the bazillion other bands who do the same, they forge homogenized, uninspired crap. It’s unfortunate that these bands, like As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder, and JFAC all are seemingly championed in their total mediocrity, while outstanding acts of all genres go largely unheralded. If this is indeed the future of death metal, and extreme metal in general, let’s hope it meets a swift destiny in the used bins at your local record store.


- C. Kolakowski

Glenn Danzig - Black Aria (Evilive)

Introspection is a funny thing. Things you gave merit and meaning to fall short in time, replacing accolades with disappointment and disillusionment. Such is the case with former Misfits and Samhain frontman Glenn Danzig’s first solo outing Black Aria. His intent is simple: powerful symphonic passages written to sweep you away to a darker time and place. Unfortunate that the elder statesman of ghouldom missed the mark of his original premise. Don’t misconstrue: this is a great first effort, and it retains at least some semblance of it’s intended darkness. The problem he encounters here is blatant overuse of synthetic symphonic elements as an alternative to real instrumentation. C’mon Glenn!!! You’re telling me, with all those Misfits royalties coming in, you can’t afford the New York Philharmonic for at least one recording session? Oh well, it’s just the opinion of one man, I suppose. To each their own. The album highlights feature the use of lush operatic female vocals and a sinister demonic undertone – one which is pretty much omnipresent at every stage in his illustrious career. Black Aria is a worthwhile listen if you aren’t expecting Stravinsky.


- C. Kolakowski

Bad Brains - Build A Nation (Megaforce)

Washington D.C.’s prodigal sons have returned with their first new album since 1993’s commercial failure Rise. Boasting a reformed lineup of all original members, one would expect nothing less than the one/two punch of speed and pummel they wrote the book on. While the overall sound and production remain strong as ever, the content and delivery are sure to confound even the most diehard brainiacs. Rastafarian dub and roots reggae have always been an essential spoke in the Bad Brains wheel, and it remains so more than ever on Build A Nation. Tracks like Jah Love, Roll On, and Peace Be Unto Thee are rich with vibrant Caribbean rhythm and melody; and the execution of these cuts flow as naturally as anything from the Roir cassette up to and including I Against I. The harder, faster tracks prove to be a bit of a discrepancy here, though. These songs feel forced and the Brains appear to simply be going through the motions to cater to an older, more reliable fan base. B.B. need to step up to the plate and play and write what comes most naturally to them. Otherwise, they’re forever going to be little more than a novelty act, known to old fans as “the little band that thought they could”.



- C. Kolakowski

Sigh - Imaginary Sonicscape (Century Media)

Jesus Christ! This album is WEIRD!! Not creepy weird, but of the kooky variety. I always knew that Sigh blurred the line between genres, but having little experience with them, I had no idea what to expect. As I understood it, Sigh was firmly cradled by the the black metal community, indeed Mirai and crew were one of the first bands in negotiations with black metal godfather Euronymous' label, Deathlike Silence, but none of the usual UGBM rules apply here. These guys are an altogether different entity. Fresh from the Cacophanous label, these beasts from the Far East are a force to be reckoned with. From the eerily nostalgic feel of Scarlet Dream to the grainy, almost hip-hop inspired Nietzchean Conspiracy (co-penned from prison by ex-Emperor and current Blood Tsunami blastbeater Bard Eithun), this record has far surpassed their previous efforts by light years. A Sunset Song dishes up an almost Partridge Family vibe, with a dash of 70's elevator muzak to season, all the while maintaining it's black metal sentiments. It's refreshing to hear someone from the scene who understands more than ghastly, nightmarish realms of ice and torture, and are able to entwine disco/hip hop/pop/rock/black metal into a cauldron of pure blissful honey. Most likely the most creative band I've heard in the last 5 years, and thats saying something.



- C. Kolakowski

My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River (Peaceville)

My playlist during the cold season consists largely of doom oriented music and themes. As the ice is almost upon us, I've been listening to My Dying Bride more than usual. It just seems to fit the mood of these months better than in the summer. It seems to convey a certain mood unlike any other art form. It's hard to describe exactly the intense emotion that MDB evokes in me, but it is this mood that gets me through. Although stylistically removed from releases like As the Flower Withers and Turn Loose the Swans, this LP is much more foreboding than anything they have done previously. The cookie monster vocals have been completely forsaken for this release, and the music has become considerably more slow and emotional. Driven by chunky guitar and heady bass, one cannot help but let the depression gnaw, nor can they ignore it. Rarely are the tracks any less than 6 1/2 minutes in duration, and you are held in rapture for the extent of each. Beautiful aural landscapes are rounded out by ambient violins and various acoustic riffs, all the while retaining it's sinister overtones. Clocking in at 12+ minutes, the opening track The Cry of Mankind is a contusive retelling of the loss of hope for mankind in the vein of Milton's Paradise Lost, with an unnamed dark figure at it's universal center. Aaron Stainthorpe's lyrics are thick with implication, and there is no room for a waning moment between chugs and squeals, save the dolefulness of Two Winters Only, a sadly wrought epic tale of the eternal struggle for power and the absence of God. These tracks are all structured with the utmost integrity, and the production is exquisite, which is a rarity among the denizens of the Peaceville Records artist roster. Look no further than early releases by Darkthrone if you doubt me. MDB is a band that takes ownership of it's misery, and sells it well to the individual listener. Cherish every painful second.



- C. Kolakowski

Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade (Earache)

I'm not an expert or even a die hard fan of death metal, but I know what I like. And, as it happens, I like Bolt Thrower. I've been a HUUUUGE fan of theirs since the release of their eponymous In Battle There Is No Law. Although I respect all of their discs for what they are, which are brutal and grinding to the last, my unrequited love is reserved for The IVth Crusade. From the grim title track, to the apocalyptic and prophetic doomspeak of As the World Burns, this disc proves to be an enjoyable listen throughout. Masterfully produced by Colin Richardson (Napalm Death) , this opus is conclusive of the fact that Earache Records were the kings of the extreme for that era (see Godflesh and Carcass if you have any doubt). In 1996, death metal was little more than an unintelligible, blood and guts enterprise. Bolt Thrower write almost exclusively about war, not that war isn't bloody. The stunning cover and inner sleeve artwork is non-pretentious, and the lyrical content has no gory rantings, at least not in the conventional sense, but they WILL rape your eardrums and leave you bleeding from the asshole. That is the only horror show imagery I'll allow. So there you are. Short, sweet, and to the goddamned point. Get this album or forever wallow in the junior high school mentality of Cannibal Corpse and Deicide.



- C. Kolakowski

Warhorse - As Heaven Turns To Ash (Southern Lord)

Imagine, if you will, that the end of days has arrived. From beyond the horizon ride the horsemen, carrying their plagues and torment. Spreading disease and ruin in their wake, there is no mercy to be found. Now imagine, also, that there is a noise that corresponds to each and every horrific sight you can imagine. Those sounds, put into a sensible order, become what we human scum know as Warhorse. The sound these three bastards purvey is total murkiness and lack of light in every aspect. There aren't enough adjectives in the English language for the word evil. At least not enough to fill the quota that Warhorse demands. The disc starts out as serenely as a dewy forest glade, with an instrumental track called Dusk, and quickly issues forth the sound of the devil himself within minutes. The following track Doom's Bride, kicks your ass with the sheer force of a Sherman tank trudging it's way through the Everglades. This trio apparently has an ongoing love affair with the drug culture, proven in such tracks as Lysergic Communion and Scrape. One would naturally make the assumption that these fellows HAVE to be high to withstand their own might. At times, they have one recalling doom metal luminaries Grief and early Eyehategod. Lyrics may have been kept to a bare minimum throughout this 57 minute, 9 track disc, but, in the long run, seems to serve the album better. The lyrics that ARE present are written in such a bizarre, surreal perspective, that it is clear that this trio are bearing nothing less than their entire body, mind, and spirit. As far as I am concerned, these guys are picking up, in essence, right where Sabbath left off before an ungodly amount of line-up changes. The more you listen, the dirtier you'll feel. The dirtier you feel, the more you'll understand and want to be in that apocalyptic place of horror that only your mind can dredge. This is truly a force to be reckoned with.



-C. Kolakowski

Black Sabbath - Paranoid (Warner Bros.)

It all had to begin somewhere. There is little dispute (at least for most critics with any semblance of taste and reason), the epicenter, the meat, the very lifeforce of the metal phenomenon was created and honed by the almighty Black Sabbath. The effect that they had on the metal world was so profound, it could never be duplicated again is so meaningful a way. They forged steel, to drop an adequate pun. This Birmingham, England quartet began their career as a fledgling blues band on the English pub circuit called Earth. At this particular point in rock history, with the success of nearby Liverpudlian native The Beatles, rock music was a hot commodity in this area, and the music/drug culture relied heavily upon the rock/pop sensibilities secreted by the 60's. This manifested itself mainly in the form of the Blues. But, my friends, times MUST and always do change. The world was introduced to the thunder and mayhem that was Black Sabbath in the early stages of 1970 with their debut, self titled release on Warner Brothers Records. This album gained rave critical reviews, but was largely ignored by an American audience. It was the 1971 release Paranoid that made America's disillusioned youth realize that something special was happening in England again. Comprised of John "Ozzy" Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terry "Geezer" Butler, and Bill Ward, the music world was forever changed to the tune of dark tidings and warnings against the blacker side of nature. Every track within this album's confines definitely stands the test of time. The production values are as one would expect from this era, but the content transcends the analog mishmash. The lyrical prose left the parent's of fans careening toward the nearest church. had these people paid closer attention, the ideas behind the words are very honest and warning. Tracks like the nuclear fueled Electric Funeral and War Pigs, to the drug-addled insanity of Fairies Wear Boots, to the soft and haunting Planet Caravan proves that Sabbath was a two-sided insanity/tenderness coin. Covering enormous ground on one LP, of drugs, war, and the occult, it is plain to see why Black Sabbath are the true innovators, and inventors, of modern metal, and none can lay claim to it.



- C. Kolakowski