Sigh – Imaginary Sonicscape | 100%

Three Imaginary Boys: The cure for metal's archaism

Note that this review is about the 2009 reissue, the true version of the album.

Tony's classics part II: I wanted to choose something special and important for me for my 100th review for the Archives and Sigh really touched my spirit with this album. It was important for my musical development and I consider it to be a landmark of intellectualism in metal, how pretentious.

This album is the peak of creativity in metal. It's the perfect release for this so called Open Minded brigade, it has everything necessary to enrage the traditional black metal fans and proves that Japan is the weirdest and most satisfactory musical kingdom to emerge. It's an unique album in Sigh's excellent discography. Located right at the middle of their career, it still has the mystic grace of their past endeavours without the slight bastardization of their black metal sound with overt symphonic elements and added gritty and busty female vocals.

The band always had an original vision ever since their seminal debut and they still lead the charge today with an undying liking of their weird world. 1993's Scorn Defeat was an exploration of the dark mantra of Japan while Imaginary Sonicscape is a trip on mushrooms full of colours, full of depth. Sigh's attempt at recreating this sound while keeping the elements they explored on the following releases (Hangman's Hymns and Scenes from Hell) was a success with their latest album In Somniphobia. I can understand why this album was so important for the composers, it helped to fully bridge into the experimental/avant garde territories and established yet another side to their persona.

Nevertheless, it's assuredly a divisive album that still shakes the foundations of the metal monument. How far will the genre go while still being able to maintain its tenacious identity? My opinion on such debate is answered by my unfathomable fondness for this record. It's one of the most glorious tour de force the genre has seen.

The main element that make Imaginary Sonicscape is the diversity of its sound. The maturity that the trio achieved through the recording is simply astounding. From jazz overtones to classical, baroque and fusion, Mirai and company are monsters of experimentation and their vision would never be as grand as it was here. From the noisy psychedelia of “Voices” to the hellish beach club of “A Sunset Song”, Sigh brushes everything with ease and they're a gifted painter who knows how to mix their colours.

It's a known fact that the Japanese are masterful musicians and Sigh doesn't neglect to pay homage to that side of their culture. Shinichi Ishikawa is one of the best guitarist in music and he shines everywhere here. He's sadly underused nowadays and a bit buried. Even though Mirai's moog and keys are often at the forefront of the sound, his associate will often unleash these juicy solos. It has everything, from Maidenesque melodic leads found in the epic “Slaughtergarden” to riffy, groovy riffs while never truly leaving the black metal elements far from the picture. Nonetheless, it's not an album for Tsjuder or Behexen fans, they truly leave these tortured goatblooded lands to reach one where instead of invoking Satan to kill your enemies, you smoke bongs and play Super Smash Bros Melee with him, he even let you take the same character all the time, I'll take Luigi, thanks Lucifer!

Borrowing the progressiveness that made Dream Theater's early releases so good, Kawashina explores a keyboard heavy form of metal. His moog sound is very original and, leaves a lusty impression on the listener. As vivid and inventive as Jon Lord was in Deep Purple, he knew that bass wasn't enough this time around, additional tools were to be used to create a lush paradise that is so distinctive. The fast and present keys are a good companion to the catchy riffs such as in “Bring Back the Dead” (unbelievable that this song was cut from the original release, it's so good). Contrary to plenty of self proclaimed avant garde bands, Sigh still delivers plenty of metallic riffs upon the listeners, their experimentation is not an excuse to stop writing these blistering guitar leads to rely solely on the atmosphere created by the synths.

Their lyrics are silly but who cares when it's so awesome, it's kind of pseudo evil and I don't think they were truly serious about them or maybe their grasp of the English language wasn't up to the task. It might has been nice to use Japanese lyrics though to confuse the westerners even more perhaps? It's weird that such an overtly grandiose and psychedelic record relies on such evilesque lyrics as its thematic base

The identity is also quite international considering it's Japanese. If you followed my reviews, you know I'm a big fan of Ningen-Isu, this progressive band with the perfect and extensive career, Sigh compared to them doesn't necessarily want their roots to go hand in hand with their hand. Even though both bands looked in the early days of rock to develop their respective personalities. They dive into the 1960s and 1970s for their influences and that's admirable, it proves that they're able to leave their confinements and search and explore something else.

Sigh always had to deal with a weakness and it's still the case here. While it's certainly not the worst around, Mirai's vocals were always the black sheep of their sound. His harsh black metal delivery here creates some sort of dichotomy with the less than static sound here. Nothing is perfect but what is admirable is the ability to know your strengths and weaknesses, the band knows how to set the table in a way nothing looks less appetizing even if a side plate is more mediocre than the main course. They do that with the vocals, there's some additional ones, even some female bits here and there and it's all cohesive. It's sort of a secondary aspect of the band here even though they're quite present. Sometimes it's buried under vocoders (not as lame as when Cynic unleashes his robots against our ears, don't be afraid). Point is, Mirai is a gentleman who knows how to travel while protecting his confidence.

Immersing, it's so vast and grasping that I have some problems talking about it. All its aspects are punching my belly like little bullets of perfection wanting to leave an indelible mark on my skin. Branching into porno music with their dirty synthesizers, there's orgasms everywhere and you never expect them to explode all over your face. Sigh creates phallic sonicscapes with their musical morphing skills, changing their genres with all their releases, exploring vast, extraneous lands .

I think it's a perfect record thanks to its intricate songwriting delivered throughout long and diverse songs. The musicianship, always trying hard to impress, is truly masterful. Mirai's instruments credits in the booklet is longer than your curriculum vitae. He's pictured around eight keyboards that would put Neil Peart's drum setup to shame. It's a masterpiece of vision, it has this vivid atmosphere that you can't find nowhere else, that's the proof that a band managed to move in an unknown direction while all his pursuivants were too puritan to follow them into abstraction.

Highlights:
-The James Bond orchestra feel of the keys in “Voices”.

-The Smith/Murray leads midway through “Slaughtergarden”.

-The disco boogey and the Abbath on the beach sound of “A Sunset Song”.

-The groovy hand claps of “Ecstatic Transformation”

-Who the hell needs these fucking highlights, listen to the damn thing you twat! 

Avatarium - Avatarium (2013) | 55%

Leif jumps on the Mum Doom bandwagon

After the end of Candlemass' recording life and while Krux is doing its own unoriginal doom divagations, Leif Edling decided to jump in the female fronted doom wagon with this new project. This self titled album, while inoffensive to the senses is as boring as Leif's stylish goatee.

The vocals are good. The riffs are ok and well played, the bass is as unimportant as it is in Candlemass but the songwriting is just fucking flat and mundane and that's the worst crime a doom band can do. The band is also guilty of being way too late to the mum doom party. The trendy doom style led by Blood Ceremony, Jex Thoth or Castle has already happened and Avatarium is like these dudes who knocked at the door at 4am with a pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon while everybody were already crashed on the floor with their pants down.

Mats Leven is cool and all but apparently he's not sexy enough (actually he kinda is) to front another band with the legendary bassist composer, Leif had to follow a fashion instead of creating one. That's kind of sad for a dude who wrote “Epicus Doomicus Metallicus” to be a third wheel in 2013.

The main criticism I have concerning the music itself is the fact it's so intertwined with instrumental heavy doom parts with Candlemassesque riffs and soft, lullabyesque parts with clean female vocals. It creates some sort of dichotomy, I mean, it can work for a song or two but not as a main songwriting strategy. It's predictable as fuck and it's rhythmically awkward and lazy. It doesn't feel like a complete band but two units stacked together with duck tape.

The guitarist, Marcus Jidell, formerly of The Ring and Royal Hunt, is doing what he's asked more than decently. I will not blame him for anything since Leif is probably writing everything again. Musically, it's somewhat akin to the hard hitting, epic but melodic side of Heaven and Hell's sole album, The Devil You Know mixed with acoustic guitars and keys. It's a very safe album without any monstrous and apparent flaws but don't be fooled, the quality is just not present. I guess if you like doom metal to be as insipid and easy listening as a pop album or a Michael Bay movie, go right ahead and listen to that sleek Nuclear Blast production. I'll listen to bands who still care about doom.

“I want heavy doom riffs AND OH female vocals but I can't write them to fit together!”

Sure, it's not bad, Jennie-Ann Smith has a nice, lush voice reminding me of Ronnie James at times and it would had been appropriate for her to front Candlemass. There was no need to slightly change the epic doom formula by releasing yet another album under another name. At least Steve Harris had the decency to release an awful album under his own name instead of soiling the Maiden monicker, Leif is just adding more salt and pepper here and there and scream: “Voilà, something different!”. Nope, I don't care.

I made bacon and chocolate cookies the other day, they turned out better than this band because the recipe was cohesive. Also, compared to the riffs Leif is writing, bacon is and will always be tasty. This is overcooked.

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Owl – You Are the Moon, I Am the Night (2013) | 83%

“No regret! No retrospection!”

Christian Kolf is one of the most interesting musicians in the modern German metal scene. Fronting the weird doom/death band Valborg which is constantly releasing strong albums since their inception in the early 2000s and the excellent psychedelic sludge/whatever band Woburn House, he's a busy man. Owl is another project of his and it's still top notch metal, they're at their second full length stage and I feel they improved compared to their 2011 debut. Before continuing, I'd like to warn you that if you don't like long ass songs, just go back to your safe ten songs for forty minutes death metal album and be comfortable in your conservatism.

The approach found on “You Are the Moon, I Am the Night” is rather unique, it evolved from their self titled album into something more refined. It's exploring the realms of death metal but at the same time, incorporating enjoyable, exterior influences. Their basis remains death metal and it sounds like if Morbid Angel found a bigger brain or Nile got kicked out of their Egyptian McDonald. It has a very grandiose concept and an epic sort of riffing with a great guitar tone

The vocals of Kolf are deep and cavernous, akin to Steve Tucker era Morbid Angel, they definitely get the job done even though Kolf is first and foremost a composer, you can hear the similarity found in his other bands but transferred into a death metal setting compared to the mixes of . These rough vocals can be catchy and they sometimes rely on repetitions of lines to prove their point like “I will destroy you!” on the title track. Quite visceral! Outside of the harsh vocals, there's some profound but not cheesy cleans. Furthermore, the title track features a strange semi harsh, sludgey and almost spoken word French, it seemed to be poetry and it felt familiar but it appears to be original lyrics, they're quite good too. A romantic metaphor about the sun and the moon, very adapted to their profound music.

The album starts with two monster tracks, the eighteen minutes title track and the fourteen minutes “Clouds of the Mourning Spring”. Both very intricate and atmospheric songs full of nuances. The release ends with an ambient track just like it did on their previous album but fortunately this time, it's fortunately only fourteen minutes rather than half an hour, thank Satan for that. I like ambient but this was simply too much for me, after ten minutes, we got the message.  Nevertheless, there's still a tendency of being simply too atmospheric. I can't help to think that the last ambient track is unnecessary, Kolf has an ambient band called Gruenewald, I reckon he could keep these influences for this project instead. Still, the ambient influence is incorporated into their sound on the three metal tracks, it's certainly a part of their identity. Structurally speaking, it's not the most cohesive album, there's even a one minute interlude that would had been integrated easily in one of the other tracks. It's a bit too loose and could benefit from a tighter direction.

They can be compared to state brothers The Ruins of Beverast in a sense that they're dissecting their genres while adding instrumental, hypnotizing and emotional parts. They're both using various elements to develop their approach and in the case of mister Kolf, he's not scared of diving into atmospheric sludge/post metal to get what he's looking for. That's reflected by the cultoflunesque production and the coldness of the riffs. There's no place for long leads that are giving their sometimes overpaid place to clean guitar parts that are creating interesting background soundscapes. This mix of hard hitting slow and doomy death with sludge influences is really damn enjoyable and the songs don't feel like they're twenty minutes long.

Owl is for adventurous listeners who have a desire for for a subtle, progressive and atmospheric death metal recipe. It's still keeping the sense of dread the genre is known for but it's making it airy and dreamy. Like an owl, it's living in the dark shades of the night, waiting for a naive prey to appear. Bringing it to its nest to be devoured, lifeless.

It's recommended even though they could remove the fat from their sound but then the project wouldn't be that justified since Valborg already explores a tighter doom/death sound albeit with a twisted behaviour. It's an uncompromising album proving once again that death metal can think outside of the box and be particularly inventive. Owl is fighting the old school death metal scene while also being free from the constraints of a modern and technical sound which is overcompensating with solos and noodling. Comparable to Portal, the Germans are relying on building frameworks made out of unorthodox structures and influences. Owl, on the other hand, creates something with a sense of familiarity, it's not as discordant and unapproachable.

Owl FB
The CD is sold out but you can get the digital album here

Aktor - I Am the Psychic Wars (2013) | 90%

A reference to Circle's "Katapult" album maybe?

NWOFHM #6 : Films Aktors Guild 

Thanks to my metal god friend Azmodes for the vinyl rip of this release, I owe you big time. NWOFHM is a term coined by Lehtisalo during his career, it's to reflect his love for metal and his country, Finland.

"As the wind blows my breath away, are you listening to me?"

Formed by one of my favourite musical heroes around, Jussi Lehtisalo and, to my surprise, the American extraordinary gentleman Chris Maycock (aka Professor Black of Dawnbringer, High Spirits, Pharaoh). Aktor is another weird Finnish project created by the Circle leader that will probably, to my consternation, go unnoticed. 

Maycock is bringing his awesome and fun voice to Lehtisalo's idiosyncratic song writing  What we have here is a perfect mix of High Spirits (a very pleasant band) with the insane experimental heavy metal approach developed in Krypt Axeripper, a project that if you didn't know yet, I totally adore. While the American is not known for his powerful voice (he's a composer more than everything else), I think he's a very nice addition here. His soft and easy listening voice fits quite well with the great riffs and he's able to transpose the weird vocal lines into something truly tangible.  The choruses are fun and the lyrics are super good and totally understandable.

Their first release akin to another metal project of the crazy Finn called Tractor Pulling, is a short single with two songs but goddamn, I think I pressed the repeat button forty times since I first got it. Perhaps this length seems a bit restrictive in terms of what you can achieve musically but under the flair of these seasoned musicians, it doesn't really matter. It's a great release and one of the best metal releases the Finnish psych/experimental guru has done.

The single is mixing melodic heavy metal with the usual weird leads that you can hear in most NWOFHM with an healthy dose of AOR and hard rock à la Blue Oyster Cult (hence the title of the release, I hope you guys got it before I told you!). Both songs, the title track and “Buried by the Sea” (which is maybe a following to Krypt Axeripper's “Sacrifice the Sea”?) are short three minutes and a half tracks, they're both very catchy with undeniable and mesmerizing hooks. There’s an added poppier sound here thanks to the sufficient amount of keyboards giving an “heavy prog”  or almost electro vibe perspective and the clean vocal delivery of the Professor. It’s more accessible than bands like Motorspandex or Arkhamin Kirjasto, it’s still eccentric but it’s maybe not as bizarre as some other projects. It's a bit similar to the new incarnation of Circle called Falcon which also released their debut in 2013 but Aktor is actually a full blown metal band

This single is highly recommended for fans of traditional metal with a personal and interesting touch. It's very melodic and has nice classic and glam rock influences. Aktor is one of the best collaborations I heard recently and it was a pleasant to hear these two seasoned and respected musicians play together. Lehtisalo proves once again that he's a true underrated metal warrior by delivering yet another solid release. I can't dislike anything that emanates from his creative and joyful mind. Spend seven minutes in good company!

Listen to the whole single here uploaded by yours truly.

Buy the single on Ektro Records

Borrowed Time - Borrowed Time (2013) | 91%

Superb album art done by Shagrat of Acid Witch, it reminds me of Running Wild a little.

More sand in the diamond encrusted hourglass

"The past and present are but one component”

Detroit, such a desolate wasteland, money did ravages there and Nicklas Lidstrom retired,  what's left to enjoy? The new album of Eminem? Well, the Tigers and the Lions are pretty good... But screw sports, we're here for metal, right? Concerning that music style, Borrowed Time is there for y'all. Formed in the year of the shark 2010, the American band released a bunch of demos, splits and extended plays before this year, the year metal traditionalists were expecting, the year they finally released their first full length. This self titled album is perhaps the best debut album heavy metal has seen since...Well, I don't know, since a while at least!

I really discovered them in 2012 when they played in Montréal for the first time alongside Cauchemar, Demontage, Occultation and Metalian (what an amazing lineup!). I knew the name but I had yet to listen to them and I was utterly pleased with their performance. I had high expectations for their first album and I'm absolutely not disappointed by the outcome.

Led by Jean-Pierre Abboud, the only constant member of the lineup, his silky falsettos are of the purest heavy traditions and they're certainly in the major league. His delivery is pristine, subtle and powerful. He's able to mix emotional and almost romantic intonations like on “Dawn for the Glory Rider” and he really shines on “Of Nymph and Nihil”, a balladesque track and perhaps the best song released in 2013 (yes, believe me.). He's also using a rougher voice from time to time to indicate you're not listening to a HammerFallesque cheesefest. J-P is more charismatic than skilled even though he has chops, he's no Harry Conklin but who really is at his level?

This band has one of the best lyrical and artistic approach the genre has to offer. The lyrics are about as deep and well written as you can read from a band taking its inspiration from fantasy and literature. They owe that to Manilla Road, a band that everyone worthy should at least worship a little, Borrowed Time definitely do, they covered the classic “Necropolis” on their demo to prove their adherence to the Road club. The great cover art represents the band very well, it shows a certain distinction and intellectualism that isn't much present in most metal genres. Don't think I spit on metal, I do like unsubtle stuff like “Painkiller”, it's encompassing the passion and primal energy of the music but I always had an inclination for truly well written and researched lyrics, somewhat like Virgin Steele did with their exhaustive conceptual albums. Borrowed Time are not quite there yet but it's way more interesting than singing about tits and bikes all the time. I mean, hell, we know it's cool, no need to prove you can party all night long and can withstand a night of hard boning with groupies. 

Music wise, the band runs a very tight ship. It's full of solos, great bass lines and energy. Victor Ruiz and Matt Preston are great guitarists and their leads are efficient and even if they're numerous, they don't feel like they're all over the place. The album is as intricate as its cover art, full of little details that you'll be able to hear even after your fifth or sixth hearing. Mixed up with a knack for mysticism, the music is heavy but it also can be joyous at times like “Pygmalion” with its catchy vocals. The album is composed of nine tracks but two of them are short one minutes interludes that serve as segues into the next songs like “Dark Hearted...” which is an introduction for “Libertine”. To be honest, it's not the best composition for a track-list, it doesn't quite affect the cohesion that much but it's  cluttering the album. They don't really fit into the next songs themselves since they're instrumental and would lead to the longer songs being longer and boring. Outside of these unnecessary but still pretty good short tracks, the band delivers three very epic songs from six to seven minutes and they're very apt at building interesting tempos and atmospheres like on the great closer “A Titan's Chain”. This last track has some pacing issues near the middle but that's something easily fixed with some experience, it's after all their debut album.

The influence of the beloved NWOBHM, a scene that is now trendy in the underground is obvious. Plenty of bands are getting back together to play festivals such as Keep It True and Muskelrock or even release great comeback albums like Satan did this year with “Life Sentence”. This return to the roots is a good thing since most of the bands are decent but we're already starting to to scrape the barrel. Borrowed Time takes its influence from the epic branch of the British scene with bands like Cloven Hoof, Elixir or the long tracks Iron Maiden is well known for. Nonetheless, the band is still American, taking inspiration from the fantasy inclined cult bands like Longings Past. I think epicness could be a feature that they could expand, but in the meantime, they both nail the fast, heavy tracks like “The Thaumaturgist” and the epic ones.

Perhaps not as good and adventurous as In Solitude's new album “Sister”, “Borrowed Time”, while conservative, does everything right. It wasn't a rushed album, the band took its time. The production is way better than on their other releases and it helped the band in its noble quest.

To my dismay, I've read probably what is the worst review I've ever read on a “professional” website. A review written by a random girl on Metal Temple, it compared Borrowed Time's sound to Van Halen and King Diamond and made Metalocalypse jokes. Huuur. A lot of people don't seem to grasp what traditional metal is and should be. The fact this website employs such terrible reviewers is quite bad for the scene. Everyone can write such bullshit on the internet, creating inaccuracies and spreading awful and wrong information. What I tried to accomplish with this rant? Maybe asserting that heavy metal is now perhaps a niche more than ever and it has to face the incomprehension of modern metal fans who are clueless on its origins and its developments and drench in mediocrity.

“What will be? Tell me great vizier”

...The future of American traditional metal, their sound represents the evolution of the genre and even though it doesn't have the “oh my god, we have bell bottoms and weird hats!” sound of the vintage rock/metal revival nor the characteristic sleek and tasteless sound of many heavy/power bands signed on major labels who don't give a fuck about honesty and are trend surfers. Alongside bands like Dawnbringer or newcomers Eternal Champion, Borrowed Time delivers pure metal with a flair for emotions of the highest instance. They do it with ease and carefulness and they'll harvest the fruits of their labour.

Essential. Don't borrow it, buy it.

Borrowed Time's Facebook page

Alucarda - D.F.F.L (2013) | 78%

Dying From Fucking Lego

This demo is the first release of this solo project from Denmark and it's quite cool. Named after a cult Mexican horror movie, the sound of this twenty minutes release is definitely interesting and worth the time for the underground metal fans in need of well done occult music. The sample at the beginning of the last track is from the movie “Satan's Sadist”, another cult movie and it has this cheesy but enjoyable vintage vibe that is often well liked in that genre.

Even though the production is very rough, I think it compliments the songwriting of H Witchfuzz, a dude named Hampus Wahlgren who's a newcomer in the scene but he's definitely there to stay since he has an interesting take on the whole vintage doom sound. The guitar riffs are still pretty discernible under all the fuzz. It's pretty damn fast...oh yeah, I forgot to say that he's including a shitload of punk in his sound. It sounds like Satan's Satyrs but with a better production (getting a better sound than “Wild Beyond Belief!” wasn't quite difficult since it was the shittiest sound ever). In fact, if you're a fan of this American band, get this demo immediately. It's available for free if you don't like tapes, so you guys have no excuses!

It's mostly groovy as fuck and pretty speedy but the doom influence remains obvious. It's a good mix of influences and the formula totally works. The track “Wicked Sabbath” is a pretty heavy & slow one using potent doom qualities. Full of distortion à la Electric Wizard, the music is pretty thunderous, the bass is loud and the drumming is fast paced. The fact it's very speedy gives the band an interesting edge and it's not only a mix of doom and punk, it feels connected and natural.

The vocal facet of the project will perhaps be the breaking point for certain people. They're clean and buried under the mix but high and screechy, they can be a bit grating at times but I guess that my tolerance for such vocals is good. I do think it's original and it's a change from the buried, deep vocals the doom genre tends to use. It has this nice DIY vibe that I like, it's honest and fun and I rarely ask for more when there's also a quality in the songwriting. To conclude, Alucarda is a project with a lot of potential and it will be interesting to hear the future releases.

Download the demo here

Steel Mammoth - Radiation Funeral (2011) | 83%

NWOFHM #5: Nuclear Metal Transitioning

Steel Mammoth is yet another project with Jussi Lehtisalo in its rank, perhaps the most occupied musician in Finland and he really created a scene of his own outside of the Finland conventions. Compared to most of his other metal projects, this one is a full band comprised of two Seremonia members and the drummer of Arkhamin Kirjasto. Jussi handles the guitars, basses and vocals alongside Ville Pirinen (Seremonia, Garfield Steel...).

Steel Mammoth is one of Jussi's most prolific projects outside of Circle. And speaking of this seminal psychedelic rock band, I have no idea what happened to it in 2013. It seems the band has split into two separate entities. One with the usual members formed Falcon (ex-Circle), a AOR/hard rock band while Circle is now composed of metal musicians (Speedtrap, Stench of Decay). It's simply weird like everything he and his label Ektro records do, Jussi is definitely a tough guy to follow but I do my best to keep my head out of the darkness.

This project has many albums but the first four releases weren't metal, they explored psychedelic and stoner rock but they still had this gritty and aggressive approach. The typical NWOFHM touch was also quite present, it was quirky, weird and had the unique riffs and basslines of Jussi. They had this 70s vintage, garage rock vibe that was quite cool, it was somewhat like Graveyard but with an original twist.

But two years after the excellent “Nuclear Ritual”, the band released this album “Radiation Funeral” and it marked a change of sound. Akin to the sky after a nuclear war aftermath, the sound became darker and they joined the ranks of Krypt Axeripper, Arkhamin Kirjasto or Motorspandex on the Metal Archives. Their riffs became heavy as fuck and the vocals as metal as a rusty cheese grater. The influence of the unholy trio composed of Venom, Bathory and Motorhead was integrated into their psychedelic basis and it's freaking refreshing. This combined with an healthy dose of punk and some doom metal made this record a pretty fun one.

It can compared to the extreme metal attack of Arkhamin Kirjasto but more gritty and less experimental and weirdly catchy. It's heavy/thrash/punk played in the Jussi Lehtisalo fashion so it still sounds pretty out there! Their songwriting formula is fairly simple, nine songs for thirty minutes of music, it's certainly a blistering, nasty attack. The opener “2000” sets high standards for the rest of the album but there's certainly no fillers here. The bass is loud, the drumming is energetic and it's fucking fun. It's not only a change of sound, it's rather an evolution since they retained the elements that made them cool and original and added an old school metal vibe. It's rare to see non metal bands evolving towards the metalness, it's often the opposite, bands become wimpier since they're grown ups now. Well, fuck growing up, I'll eat pop tarts with my imperial stout if I want to.

Steel Mammoth's later days are a good counterpart to the experimental heavy metal approach of Jussi's other metal projects. I'm radiated but I don't care.

Steel Mammoth on Facebook
Ektro Records