Lines In Wax

TWELVE YEARS OF UNWANTED OPINION

Month: April 2021

Cradle Of Filth – Nymphetamine (2004)
metal

Cradle Of Filth – Nymphetamine (2004)

Nymphetamine is a double-edged sword for me. I remember tuning into Scuzz TV at the time (I was an avid Cradle fan at this point, having started with Damnation… and worked my way backwards obsessing over the band’s spooky metal), and being enormously disappointed with the single version of the title track, namely “Nymphetamine (Fix)”. As a 14 year old meathead, I loudly proclaimed that I was done with Cradle at this point, and that they had “sold out”. Then, the band dropped “Gilded Cunt” as a download off the Roadrunner website, and I promptly ate my words. The track remains one of the heaviest and most savage tracks they have ever penned. Nymphetamine as an album begins a downward trend in Cradle’s output, but as a whole stand-alone album, it strays in a more traditionally melodic territory. Think melodeath with keyboards, and you’re along the right path. I am however, not doing this album justice, it is still a solid metal record, its just not the same level of craziness I would have come to expect from Cradle. The reality however is that there is not a single bad track here, even in its full 9 minute form, “Nymphetamine (Overdose)” is a stunning metal track. For the sake of this review I gave the album a run through on my IEMs and I am happy to confirm that the record has aged well in 16 years and has stood the test of time.

Impaled Nazarene – Pro Patria Finlandia (2006)
black metal

Impaled Nazarene – Pro Patria Finlandia (2006)

A later-career Nazarene offering which still manages to showcase the bands rabid thrashy black metal style. From the endless ocean of this genre, Impaled Nazarene do stand unique with their own frenzied sound. Pro Patria Finlandia had a clear and precise production job and is actually a lot longer than I remember, on a relisten. The CD comes in a cracking little digipak.

runescape斯凱利 ‎– runescape.wav2單戰利品的戰爭 (2019)
dungeon synth electronic vaporwave

runescape斯凱利 ‎– runescape.wav2單戰利品的戰爭 (2019)

This bizarre project has been on my to-do list for a very long time. Today I finally listened, and was taken away on a wonderful musical experience. Chanelling aspects of both dungeon synth and vaporwave (my favourite niche electronic subgenres no less) and filtering them through the worship of an old RPG, we have some glorious low-key compositions that creep and crawl with the right amount of emotional leads over the top. Like, that sounds ridiculous I’m sure, but this is one of the best things I’ve heard in a while. Gutted the cassettes are long sold out. I’m looking forward to going back and hearing the first record too.

Deceased – Surreal Overdose (2011)
metal

Deceased – Surreal Overdose (2011)

This is a strange one. On one hand, it is almost quite stale metal, on the other hand it is quite bizarre and unusual. There exists a strange duality between the two opposite ends of the musical spectrum, as it were. Surreal Overdose is thrashy, and more-metal-than-thou listeners will no doubt enjoy. But for me, dipping in like this, the production and general style is clumsy, and everything seems to be tripping and falling over everything else. Not for me, I don’t think.

Sleep – Sleep’s Holy Mountain (1992)
doom metal

Sleep – Sleep’s Holy Mountain (1992)

Listening back now after all these years, I can more or less hear the youth oozing out of the speakers. Coming on like an acid-drenched Sabbath, Holy Mountain contains none of the bong-addled fuzz of later recordings, instead focuses on more concise and groove-led tracks. A classic of the doom and stoner genres whichever way you cut the cake.

I Shit On Your Face ‎– Defecation Domination (2013)
grindcore

I Shit On Your Face ‎– Defecation Domination (2013)

Poo samples are perhaps to be expected, but I find myself shaking my head all the same. Disgusting death metal with a touch of goregrind sleaze is the order of the day. The downside is that Defecation Domination does not possess the same solid, fibrous and chunky production from the bands splits. In poo terms, the recordings here are much looser and fluid, and thinner in substance. However, there is still chunks and globs of digestable goodness floating down the aural passageway. Yeah. You just read that.

Bestial Mockery – Gospel Of The Insane (2006)
black metal

Bestial Mockery – Gospel Of The Insane (2006)

Decent bit of war-tinged black metal. Songs about sluts and Satan and all that jazz, as I’m sure is evident by the cover art above. What is surprising however is the solid, dense production aesthetic which is almost unheard of for this kind of shit. It was a nice surprise. The only downer is that I listened to this back to back with a Revenge record, and it could absolutely not stand up to that.

Pharmacist – Medical Renditions Of Grinding Decomposition (2020)
grindcore

Pharmacist – Medical Renditions Of Grinding Decomposition (2020)

Did anyone say Carcass worship? Pharmacist have to be some of the greatest goregrind in the old school style that I’ve heard in quite some time. Move on over County Medical Examiners! Pathologist also has someone giving them a run for their money at the moment. The sound is a little muddy but I feel that’s a trite complaint considering the genre. The lowdown is that this is fucking awesome, and is well worth checking out. I’m loving this resurgence in old school styles at the moment, with death metal and with goregrind. Amazing stuff.

Slimewave #1 – Machetazo / Total Fucking Destruction – Split 7″ (2006)
death metal grindcore

Slimewave #1 – Machetazo / Total Fucking Destruction – Split 7″ (2006)

When I started the Lines In Wax website in 2011, one of the first things I did was document my growing collection of the Slimewave series by Relapse. I don’t collect vinyl all that much anymore, but in line with the ten year anniversary of this site, and my seemingly never-ending mission to catch up on all the reviews I’ve been putting off for years, I figured it was high time to add the remaining Slimewave entries to the site. Machetazo are nothing shorter than a lesson in how you should be recording your death metal. The sound is warm, bludgeoning and most importantly, that gut-wobbling bass is prominent and fully audible in the mix. Some definite audio sickness from guys who have been chipping away at the scene for countless years now. If you love all this new breed of death shit like Fluids or Undeath, please go back and check out Machetazo. Some of my favourite TFD stuff is on this split. All of the tracks are amazing, but the production is some of the chonkiest that TFD have ever had. Extra props goes to “Hammer Smashed Gore Fan”, which is pure fucking genius in song structure and lyrical content. The CD version of the Slimewave included the acoustic version of this track which is just as hilarious.

Children Of Bodom – Hatebreeder (1999)
metal

Children Of Bodom – Hatebreeder (1999)

Recieved the sad news that Alexi had passed away (edit: date of writing is 4th Jan 2021) so decided to spin up some older Children Of Bodom classics. I’ve never been the biggest fan, but there is something cathartic about COB’s sprightly music. Sitting in its own world between melodeath, metalcore and something altogether more Blind Guardian-esque, Hatebreeder is a polished collection of lightening fast tunes filled with youthful energy. RIP dude.

Summoning – Minas Morgul (1995)
black metal

Summoning – Minas Morgul (1995)

Summoning have always danced on the horizon of my musical periphery, mainly for being that black metal band with that horrendously awful logo. Granted, the more I think about it, the cooler I think that logo actually is, so there you go. Minas Morgul is fantastic. I’m no Tolkien nerd (yet, at least – I still need to get around to reading the books as an adult) but the vibes and atmospheres conjured here are phenomenal. That is an attest to Summoning’s skills, not only at black metal wizardry but at synthesizer and soundtrack style composing. Honestly, the 1 hour and 7 minute run time absolutely flew by. I will be looking for more Summoning material.

Haggus – Plausibility Of Putridity (2018)
grindcore

Haggus – Plausibility Of Putridity (2018)

A Haggus full length is just what the planet needed. Of course, it takes yours truly here a few years to actually get around to listening to it, but boy, was it worth the wait. Hard not to be derivative, but Haggus does what Haggus does best, with its mincing stomps and gut-churning watery vocals. I will mention however, that a lot of grindcore wonders that rise and fall on the international scenes, becoming golden favourites for a hot minute, can’t hold onto that magic when it comes to putting down the inevitable full length debut album. There are no such worries here, Haggus are perfectly capable of holding attention and keeping the gory groove alive in a more long form (for grind haha) format. Long live Haggus.

Goatpenis ‎– Htaed No Tabbas (1992)
black metal

Goatpenis ‎– Htaed No Tabbas (1992)

Possibly one of the derpiest things that I have ever had the privilege of hearing. Mayhaps this means that I am not kvlt enough? That’s gotta be it, right? I am surely not kvlt enough for this insane tape recording. Nevertheless, I listened to the whole thing unironically, so this must mean I now ascent to a higher plain of obscurity. Cheers!

Winter – Into Darkness (1990)
death metal doom metal

Winter – Into Darkness (1990)

Winter are legendary in the world of slow and heavy music. I had the pleasure to catch them live at one of the early 2010’s era Roadburn festivals (I forget which), so it was nice to return to these guys after so many years of not listening to them. Into Darkness is a slow, dirgy romp through well crafted metal tunage. Sometimes you gotta go back to the classics for that decent hit of metallic goodness.

Tarwater – Adrift (2014)
electronic

Tarwater – Adrift (2014)

Another one that has been on the to-do list for about six years. I can’t even remember where I picked this one up, maybe some sort of Vice end of year list? I forget. Either way, there is a lot of interesting instrumentation and electronic work here, but those are dragged down by a vocal performance which is interesting at its best and fucking irritating at its worst. Not for me.

Tangerine Dream – Zeit (1972)
electronic

Tangerine Dream – Zeit (1972)

The first half of Zeit is somewhat disappointing. There appears to be a prevalence of some sort of bending organ sound or even a theremin, and whilst that is cool for about 2 minute, its irritating after 15 or 20 minutes. Zeit however starts to form into another beast all of its own around the 40 minute mark, where bubbling samples evolve into pulsing electronic sounds and are augmented by gorgeous flourishes of synthesizers and what almost sounds like dolphins playing, or signals from out of space. A redeemer in the second half, most def.