Tourniquet - Gazing At Meduza (CD Review)

01. Sinister Scherzo
02. Longing for Gondwanaland
03. Memento Mori
04. All Good Things Died Here
05. The Crushing Weight of Eternity
06. The Peaceful Beauty of Brutal Justice
07. Can’t Make Me Hate You
08. One Foot in Forever
09. Gazing at Medusa

Tim Ripper Owens (Vocals)
Chris Poland (Lead Guitar)
Aaron Guerra (Guitar/Vocals)
Ted Kirkpatrick (Drums/Bass)

Guest:
Deen Castronovo (Lead Vocals on title track)

Tourniquet was formed in Los Angeles in 1990. Nine full length studio albums later, (plus EP's, live album, acoustic release) the members of Tourniquet remain committed to creating intense music.
Co-founder, drummer, main songwriter, and mastermind Ted Kirkpatrick’s passion for classical music and technical metal lead to the music described as “Beethoven Meets Frankenstein”.

Many musicians have graced Tourniquet albums – including guitarists Marty Friedman, Frank Marino, Pat Travers, Chris Poland, Karl Sanders (Nile), Scotti Hill (Skid Row), and Bruce Franklin (Trouble).
Vocalists include Chris Jericho (Fozzy), Tim Ripper Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Michael Sweet (Stryper, ex Boston), Dug Pinnick (King's X), and Corey Glover (Living Colour).
Due to the classical nature of the music, members of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra have made contributions.

The latest album, which was successfully funded by the band’s ultra-loyal fan base, features vocals by Tim Ripper Owens (ex- Judas Priest, ex-Iced Earth) and lead guitar by Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth, OHM). The title track has guest vocals by Deen Castronovo (ex-Journey, GZR).

I confess to not being aware of this band before, when it arrived from the PR people, I was a little bit put off by the lengthy biography and was of the opinion that I was about to listen to some technical power metal album loaded with Christian themes, something which I have very little time for.

I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the kind of overblown twaddle that has been killed by over production and endless bloody technical guitar work.

No, in fact this is a full on heavy metal assault, almost retro in sound, though with a superb and crisp modern production.
Very much driven by numerous timing changes and stunning drumming that retains perfect rhythm and brutality in equal measure.

To the vocals, well lets face it Ripper Owens can scream out with the best of them and here his vocal prowess is utilised to perfection, some great multi tracking and backing vocals also add to the overall majesty of the performance.

Guitar playing, a bit technical in places, but at least this has “Soul” it is not that cold and flash “look at me aren’t I clever” but more we are here to play and we mean business.

The songs are at times anthemic, symphonic and progressive but most of all it’s a superb heavy metal album, something which is getting harder to find these days.

Rating 9/10
For fans of: Iced Earth, Judas Priest, Megadeth, Queensryche, EdGuy

King Leviathan - The Shrine (CD Review)

01.Intro
02.Wormwood
03.Born Of The Blackest Hearts
04.Skin From Bone
05.Madness Made Divine
06.The Shrine


Adam Sedgwick (Vocals/Guitar)
Rob Kuhler (Guitar)
Sam Forrester (Bass)
Danny Yates (Drums)

From Brighton, devout worshipers of Speed, Violence and The Occult, have spread madness from their inception. With their new EP "The Shrine" about to hit May 31st there is no sign of stopping. With "The Shrine", every second of speed, aggression, and riotous fun is to be savored.
They liberally blends many different styles of Metal and Hardcore into an intense, fiery stew. Riffs with roots firmly planted in the great American Thrash and European Metal traditions peel out of every single song, bolstered by a rhythm section, and featuring solid drumming, that is relentless.

The frenetic pace so characteristic of the genre is kept the entire way, the delivery tight, yet not without the feeling of spontaneity. Creating images of the house that you and your beer-bong buddies proceeded to trash when the neighbour kid's parents left for the weekend.

Intro as a seperate track? Anyway to the first song 'Wormwood' a solid thrash workout with a mixture of death metal and clean vocals, the latter sounding much better, one thing though a horrible snare drum sound, way to tight and tinny for my ears, shame as it spoils this for me.

'Born Of The Blackest Hearts' has a nice clean and powerfull vocal, the music is solid thrash and has a great solo in it, the drums drive the song along, but that snare drum is killing this!

Up next 'Skin From Bone' with its power metal guitar riff over solid drum pedal work is first class, when the speed increases and the death metal vocal comes in this is one that harkens back to the early days, all is going well till that fucking snare again, bang bang bang it goes like a toy tin drum.

Im afraid that the last 2 again just suffer from that snare sound, maybe its the drummer in me, great music well put together, great vocal style.

Rating 7/10
For fans of: Sylosis, Savage Messiah, Slayer, Evile, Revocation

Fuck Off - Hell On Earth II (CD Review)

 Albert (Vocals)
Pep (Guitar)
Victor (Bass)
Ferrán (Drums)



Formed in 1986 from Barcelona, FUCK OFF were Thrash Metal pioneers in Spain the 80’s first releasing a 7” EP in 1987 followed by two albums “Another Sacrifice” (1988) and “Hell on Earth” (1990).
After this, the band split up, reformed in 2010 guitarist Pep Casas with a completely new line-up and backed by also former vocalist Joe in some shows.

The band began writing new material, in 2012 the “A Different Sacrifice 1987-1988” CD came out and they recorded their long awaited 3rd album “Smile As You Kill” in the purest tradition of 80’s Speed/Thrash Metal with the mastering skills of Swedish mastermind Dan Swanö and cover art by greek artist Gerasimos Kolokas. This album was released in September 2013.

This latest cd contains new songs recorded in 2014 and gathers together single tracks and demos from their 1990 album.

Have to wonder how this band ever got anywhere, i mean "I'm going to a gig tonight", really? , "Yes Fuck Off!", "Well fuck you then", well you get the idea!
Anyway to the music and the first 7 songs which are the "New" ones.

Cannot fault the quality of the music, classic speed metal style, fast, well produced and endless riffing, however the vocals are completly out, dont match the music at all, maybe he's not comfortable singing in English, maybe he cant sing, im not sure which.

Track 8 'Torquemada' is a demo from 2000, the music is just as good, but the vocals are also very good, matches the music and sung in Spanish, this is followed by an instrumental called 'Cyclone Pt IV' and is a speed metal take on Iron Maiden riffs, another good track.

Next up is the 2013 version of 'Hell On Earth' hope the vocals are better on this one, lets hit play...nope just as bad.

The rest of the tracks are from singles released in 1989; 'Embrion, witch below the belly'is a weird and wonderfull piece great vocals and some vocals with strange effects on as well, a lot of timing changes on this one, thrash and speed flow at different paces.
The other tracks are pretty good as well, even yet another version of 'Hell On Earth' which doesnt sound as bad as the other 2!

Rating 8/10
For Fans Of: Exciter, Anninhilator, Anthrax, Overkill, Sodom

Detente - Recognize No Authority Expanded Reissue (CD Review)

Disc One
01.Losers
02.Russian Roulette
03.It's Your Fate
04.Holy Wars
05.Catalepsy
06.Shattered Illusions
07.Life Is Pain
08.Blood I Bleed
09.Widow's Walk
10.Vultures in the Sky
11.Blood I Bleed (Tiina Teal 2010)
12.Genocide (Tiina Teal 2010)

Disc Two
01.Shattered Illusions (Demo I 84)
02.Vultures In The Sky (Demo I 84)
03.Widows Walk (Demo II 84)
04.Holy Wars (Demo II 84)
05.Chemical Joy (Rehearsal 85)
06.Murder Inc (Live 05/12/85)
07.Diseased (Demo III 87)
08.Wasted Time (Demo III 87)
09.All That Remain (Demo III 87)
10.Red To Grey (Demo IV 89)
11.Coming Down (Demo IV 89)
12.Loves Death (Demo IV 89)

Catalepsy
13.An Offering (Demo I 87)
14.Evil Within (Demo I 87)
15.Obituary Fear (Demo I 87)
16.Under The Influence (Demo II 88)
17.Law And Disorder (Demo II 88)
18.Who Can You Trust (Demo II 88)
19.Piece Of My Heart (Demo II 88)

Detente (Original Line Up)
Dawn Crosby (Vocals)
Ross Robinson (Guitar)
Steve Hochheiser (Bass)
Caleb Quinn (Guitar)
Dennis Butler (Drums)

Catalepsy:
Veronica Ross (Vocals)
Ross Robinson (Guitar)
Steve Hochheiser (Bass)
Caleb Quinn (Guitar)
Dave McClain (Drums)

Detente (2009 - 2015)
Tiina Teal (Vocals)
Dennis Butler(Drums)
Caleb Quinn (Guitar)
Steve Hochheiser (Bass)

Detente were part of the thrash/speed metal scene that came out of America in the early 1980's, female fronted they were in an exclusive group of bands alongside Znowhite and Bitch.
They formed in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. The group's original line-up included Dawn Crosby on vocals, Steve Hochheiser on bass, Dennis Butler on drums and Ross Robinson and Caleb Quinn on guitars.
Their first album, Recognize No Authority, was released on Metal Blade Records in 1986.Within days of the debut album's release, the supporting tour had to be cancelled when drummer and co-founder Dennis was severely burned in an industrial accident, resulting in more than three months of hospitalization.

Singer Dawn Crosby went on to form Fear of God, who were eventually signed to Warner Bros. Records. Ross Robinson later became a producer whose credits include Korn, Sepultura, Slipknot and many other top acts.

Dawn Crosby died in 1996 of liver failure associated with a history of alcohol and drug abuse.

In 1987 Detente reformed under the name of Catalepsy with vocalist Veronica Ross from Canada. With Veronica writing the lyrics and vocal melodies for the songs "Evil Within", "An Offering", "Obituary Fear", "Law and Disorder" "Who Can You Trust" and "Under the Influence". The demos, recorded at Baby O' Studios in Hollywood, California, climbed to the number one spot on the WVVX-FM Underground Radio. The band was set to release a new album titled Beyond the Threshold under a resigning of Metal Blade Records, however, the band members each went in new directions before the album was released.

In 2007 Detente reformed with Hellion vocalist Ann Boleyn, in 2009 she was replaced by  Tiina Teal and they continue to tour and release albums.

This 2 cd set includes the original album and demos and all the Catalepsy demos.

Starting with the original album, have to say its early speed meets proto thrash metal still sounds fresh, Crosby had one helluva voice, the music is clean and fresh sounding.
Intresting that the last 2 tracks with vocalist Tiina are included, vocally so very close but musically a tad more refined and slightly faster.

The demo disc is quite something as well, considering they are just "demos" the standard is high, the music is just bas good as the debut album.
While the quality of the 1987 demos is a little poor in places the music is different, more towards mainstream heavy metal, even an acoustic ballad with 'Diseased', an intresting progression.
The 1989 demos have an even worse sound quality, and the music seems to be trying to recapture their early sound yet trying to be something different at the same time.

The Catalepsy demos are fairly typical of late 80's post thrash bands, vocalist still sounds like crosby.

This is an excellent cd set, one not only for fans of the band but for fans of the thrash/speed genre and its roots.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Bitch, Acid, Znowhite, Arch Enemy, Testament, Exodus