SHORT CUTS for MARCH 2020

Short Cuts are short reviews of stuff/bands you probably know.

NAPALM DEATH – Logic Ravaged by Brute Force 7"er

Century Media Records




So what you have here is a two song teaser from the band's upcoming full length. There's a dose of nostalgia in the format choice for me since you get an original cut and a cover tune. The original, "Logic Ravaged by Brute Force", is not grind or death metal sounding at all. Basically it's this rhythmic industrial style post punk sounding number. Barney uses a monotone singing voice along with shouts and screams. Dare I say it comes across as a hit song. 


The cover tune is "White Kross" by SONIC YOUTH from their 1987 Sister album. It's pretty much done straight via NAPALM DEATH running it through their ringer. In the end if you listen to this five times in a row it grows on ya. Then again you need to do that since upon first listen you'll scream "SHIT". I'm sure the tools in the mainstream metal media will rave on about this. Personally it's easily forgettable.


https://www.centurymedia.com/

MY DYING BRIDE – The Ghost of Orion

Nuclear Blast




Honestly I kinda lost excitement in MDB way over a decade ago. Now that's not to say their output since then was bad. I have many of those albums and some of em are decent. A few of em are worth going to sleep over. The best I can say is that they've been consistent. The worst I can say is that their formula has now become repetitive to the point of boredom.


On this their first full length in five years (for obvious reasons if you've kept up on the band's personal matters) is also the first one for Nuclear Blast since being a long time staple at Peaceville Records. For the most part musically this falls back into the decent category. I think the first four cuts are the best on the album. The second half of the album kinda gets mediocre. Overall their melodic and somber aesthetic to gothic doom is still intact. Trust me if you're a long time fan you'll buy it.


https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html

KREATOR – London Apocalypticon – Live At The Roundhouse 

Nuclear Blast




OK it's 2020 and your love affair with live albums is probably not a big deal especially if you've grown up in the age of the internet. But I didn't so a live release for me is still something to check out at least for curiosity's sake. Plus I'm a KREATOR fan and I haven't seen them in quite a few years. This live release is from a 2018 performance they did at The Roundhouse in England. Now I believe they played here in my town a year ago with label mates SABATON but I opted out in going.


What you have here are seventeen tracks from their Gods of Violence tour. It's over an hour's worth of material spanning the band's long career. To me that's a good thing because I wanna hear a full set and not a greatest hits live piece of crap. KREATOR has changed over the years so I want to hear it all which are the old thrash classics plus the newer stuff which ain't bad. In the end it's a great fuckin album. For you KREATOR fans or those of you who are Teutonic thrash four completists, and I know a few, then here you go.


https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html

DEMONS & WIZARDS – III

Century Media




Trust me they're not a URIAH HEEP cover band. Actually I read about DEMONS & WIZARDS years ago and when I saw the name I figured cool they're named after my favorite album by URIAH HEEP. So I figured maybe they're influenced by URIAH HEEP and checked out their second album, Touched by the Crimson King. I was also excited because now they were taking a reference in their release title to my favorite KING CRIMSON album. And after a listen I figured out they were Euro Power Metal (sigh).


Basically this band is a side project of ICED EARTH''s Jon Schaffer and BLIND GUARDIAN's Hansi Kursch. In other words it's a power metal fan's wet dream come true. I'm not a big fan of this metal genre. I will say after fifteen years since their last album and now on a big label hey good for them. Musically it's quality power metal or should I say music. If you're a fan of these guy's other bands then you'll like this. Don your battle vest and dream of Wacken glory.


https://www.centurymedia.com/