by Diane DeMeter
These are strange days, as 2005 comes to a close.
I’ve kicked the cancer sticks (nothing will be the same
again) and thoroughly enjoyed an out-of-season thunderstorm, on the eve
of my birthday.
With that, it’s time to welcome a new year!
METAL MARCHES ON...
The Death Metal band, known for “Keeping It Sick” is
once again in action!
I received e-mail from Von Young announcing the
glorious news of a new Deaden CD.
Displaying The Art Of Carnage
was recorded at Wormwood Studios, in Oak Lawn, IL this past
summer and is the follow-up to ‘97’s Hymns Of The Sick.
As reported on the Deaden website, only one member change;
bassist Danny Hughes, “Was unable to commit to the regroup due
to personal issues.” Soooo, Jake Lahniers is taking over bass
and vocal duties.
To put rumors to rest, this statement was recently released
(also on the website), “Von has not left the band to join Lividity.
He has joined the ranks of Lividity in addition to being a part of
Deaden.”
The band is shopping for labels, as they are anxious to get
the disc out to the sick masses. In the meantime, they did some shows
in late October, bludgeoning Troy, OH and Bellville, IL, getting back
into the thick of things.
The Deaden website,
www.deaden.net is worthy of a visit. The merchandise page is
chock full of new Deaden items and re-issue of early products.
Holiday shopping
couldn’t be any easier; and it continues…
CORE ‘TIL DEATH IV...
Heavycore will unleash another brutal metal CD compilation,
featuring Jeff Gaithers’ artwork, before Christmas.
Bands, as of press time: Heavy-Handed – Savoy, IL,
Skeptik – Urbana, IL, Gideons Pawn – Chicago, IL, Low
Twelve and Ocularis, – Bloomington, IL, Ghengis Khan –
Champaign, IL, Skitzo – Vineburg, CA, Godking –Raleigh,
NC, Ominous – Elizabeth, NJ, Skullpl8 – Oklahoma City, OK,
Thinline and 3 Headed Moses – Columbia, MO, Skullkin
– Murfreesboro, TN and Abacinate – Keansburg, NJ.
Get more at:
www.coretildeath.com.
DEMETER’S TEASERS
FEAR FACTORY
Transgression
~ (Calvin Records/Liquid 8)
Fifteen years and counting and “cyber metal” is still a
sound all their own, which is very distinctive. FF never sounded like
any other band and never will.
On their fifth studio album, Christian Olde Wolbers traded
his bass for guitar, now that bass duties have fallen upon Byron Stroud
(Strapping Young Lad). Old bassist Dino is long gone.
The industrial elements are still integrated but not the
main element and it certainly makes for an easier listening experience
(if you’re not big into industrial). It’s really a culmination of their
previous studio CD’s (not the re-mixes).
The anger isn’t evident and the songs are uncomplicated,
focused and not so layered, for a cleaner sound. But it still packs a
hell of a punch!
Great hooks, catchy chorus’s and a spiritual feel. They
cover the ‘80’s hit, “I Will Follow”, which at first, I felt was
a weird choice, but oh so cool after they put the FF stamp on it. The
bass-heavy, killer track, “Millennium”, sums it up nicely,
“Taste the salt of my
tears, take the wealth of my years, singing into the millennium, with
you”.
HYPOCRISY
Virus
~ (Nuclear Blast)
Still churning out a barrage of unmerciful extreme/death
metal, for over a decade. Weather it be our society or the metal
community, there will always be a place for Hypocrisy.
This time around, 11 tracks, featuring “Craving For
Another Killing” (an excellent representation of why I love death
metal) and “Let The Knife Do The Talking” (very catchy doom
vibe).
The last cut (no pun intended), “Living To Die”
reminds me of, the last song for the last scene in a drama, with no
death metal vocals. Perfect way to end the CD.
Virus will surely grow on you, or should I say in you!
Till Next time…ONE
NATION UNDERGROUND!
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