SHED THE SKIN - The Carnage Cast Shadows review

 

SHED THE SKIN - The Carnage Cast Shadows

Hells Headbangers Records

SHED THE SKIN are a Cleveland, Ohio Death Metal supergroup who I first learned about in 2018 with their second full length, We of Scorn. I liked em for their music but more for who was in the band. First and foremost is guitarist / vocalist Ash Thomas. At that time I wasn't familiar with him but then I learned more. 

I really learned about this guy from watching a Youtube show where he was discussing his love of Finnish Death Metal and showing off his collection of releases. Not only was it educational but inspirational. Ash Thomas was pulling out releases that I only owned half of. And I admit it was because of that show I updated my Finnish Death Metal collection. 

With that said I also checked out all of the bands Ash Thomas was in. And hell yeah they're all cool like ESTUARY, CORRUPTED MORTALS, THE VLADIMERS and SURGIKILL. But who else is in SHED THE SKIN well there's Kyle Severn drummer for INCANTATION. There's also Matt Sorg guitarist of RINGWORM. And also another RINGWORM alumni with bassist Ed Stephens who's also in the Thrash band VINDICATOR. 

So yeah here we have a US super group playing old school DM and if you think this is an American version of BLOODBATH I'll smack your face with the back of my hand. SHED THE SKIN come off sounding original as hell. They are fucking brutal, dynamic in the riff department and the guitar soloing is actually unique. Ash Thomas gives a vocal performance like a pissed off grizzly bear rudely awakened from his slumber. 

Ya want great fuckin Death Metal in 2025 well then here it is. Eleven tracks that will rock your head, slam pit your body and will destroy your worthless soul. I like this album a lot and I thought their last one, Thaumogenesis, from 2022 was the shit. All hail Ohio Extreme Metal and all hail SHED THE SKIN. Nuff Said!

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/album/the-carnage-cast-shadow

VINDICATOR - Whispers of Death review

 

VINDICATOR - Whispers of Death

Self Released

There's a lot to unpack here so let me start by saying I first learned about this Ohio Thrash band back in 2018. I was checking out / writing about another Ohio band release by SHED THE SKIN. One of that band's members, bassist Ed Stephens, plays in VINDICATOR as well as RINGWORM. 

So I followed the stream to the river and discovered VINDICATOR has some pretty good albums. I have their The Antique Witcheries full length from 2010 which came out on Heavy Artillery Records. And their United We Fall full length from 2012 which came out on Slaney Records. Overall VINDICATOR has five full lengths that includes this one plus a bunch of short form releases and compilations. I mean the band has been around since 2005. 

Now on this new release what we have is a Thrash band that's totally involved in what Thrash Metal is all about. I'm talking great fuckin riffs, sick fuckin vocals and a dynamic rhythm section. It's 2025 and we fans are always faced with false Thrash bullshit which is trash. Just listen to the cool as fuck soloing as well as timing within these cuts. 

Hell yeah VINDICATOR are the best Thrash Metal act that I've heard this year. Not that I concentrate on Thrash Metal releases, unless their Blackened Thrash. But hey give this band a listen and you'll be a convert. I'm just surprised they're not on a cool label ya know like Hells Headbangers. 

LISTEN HERE:

https://vindicator.bandcamp.com/album/whispers-of-death

FAIHXTRACTOR - Contempt for a Failed Dimension review

 

FAIHXTRACTOR - Contempt for a Failed Dimension

Redefining Darkness Records

FAIHXTRACTOR is  two piece death metal band hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio. The two band members are Ash Thomas who handles guitars, drums and vocals and Zdenka Prado on bass. Now before I get into this release I have to explain some history. 

A few years ago (possibly during the Covid lock-downs) I learned about the musician Ash Thomas via a Youtube program. The show was called Metal Relics. And on one particular episode Ash Thomas was on showing off his collection of Finnish death metal. I liked his passion for the releases he showed off most of which I had. And from that time onward I decided to check out any band he was in. 

First and foremost I checked out his bands like CRUCIFIED MORTALS, ESTUARY and the super group SURGIKILL. The bottom line on them is great. But this band FAIHXTRACTOR, which started out back in 2005, is one I missed out on. So here we are decades later with their fourth full length. And I have to agree with promo info which say's ""CAST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS ASIDE, LISTEN TO THE MATERIAL & NOT THE TRENDY RAMBLINGS OF OTHERS!” In other words “SHUT THE FUCK UP & HEAD BANG!” 

So with that said yeah this is pure old school death metal in under thirty minutes. That means no atmospheric intros / outros or any other waste of time. Ya want influences? Then think early 90's era Sweden, Finland, the US and maybe a touch from those tea drinkers in the UK. Ya got the bestial vocals, damm good crunchy rhythms with dive bomb solos. Hell there's even some keyboards added on one cut for added touch. The drum work is frantic and solid. 

In the end yeah this is a perfect death metal album and with a purpose.

https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://faithxtractor.bandcamp.com/album/contempt-for-a-failed-dimension

MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT - Born In Wire review

 

MATSUAGA WAS RIGHT - Born In Wire

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Well here's some irony for ya. The other night at work the subject of wrestling came up. Now when everyone else was calling out the names of wrestlers from the WWF or NWA. I was naming the greats from ECW. My first wrestler named was Terry Funk. Second one was Sabu, then the Sandman and onward it went. So hey there you go.

Now here we have the new album by MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT. This is a band from Ohio who I learned about last year with their Kings Of The Deathmatch album. That also came out on Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Yes the label which is the home of the most extreme fuckin stuff you will hear these days. 

I guess it bares repeating, the band is named after one of the most famous Japanese extreme wrestlers of all time, Mitsuhito Matsunaga. Also these guys play fuckin grindcore to the hilt. Born In Wire is fifteen cuts of psychotic grinding wresting themed mayhem. They even do a song about Abdullah The Butcher. Can I get a Hell Yeah. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/born-in-wire

MIDNIGHT - Let There Be Witchery review

 

MIDNIGHT - Let There Be Witchery

Metal Blade Records

Well this beauty came out in March but I've been listening to it on and off for a month now. Let me get this out as a bias alert, I'm a huge fan of MIDNIGHT. I've seen em a bunch of times, have all of their releases (the full lengths that is), one compilation and one EP. I also wear a couple of their shirts proudly. 

Be that as it may this the fifth full length by the band, and second one since joining Metal Blade Records. Now personal bias to the side you or anyone cannot deny that MIDNIGHT are still firing on all cylinders after all these years. Their ealy stuff had a punk feel to it. But nowadays they're pure fuckin metal or speed metal if that's more your interpretation.

Their formula is simple yet powerful. Take some good riffs, a few wild solos, solid drumming and hard hitting bass lines. Add the sleazy and horror lyrics plus Athenar's vicious vocals and there you have it. There's nothing technical about it. Basically it rocks just like traditional metal from back in the day.

I don't have to name drop any of these ten songs. They're all fuckin good which makes Let There Be Witchery a perfect album.

https://www.metalblade.com/us/

LISTEN HERE:

https://midnight-ohio.bandcamp.com/

MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT - Kings Of The Deathmatch review

 

MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT - Kings Of The Deathmatch

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Extreme music and Hardcore Wrestling have had a connection for a very long time. Years ago it was underground bands from the punk side of the aisle like ANTISEEN, RANCID VAT and COCKNOOSE (aka: The Confederacy of Scum). Most of those band's albums had songs about wrestlers on em. Plus their live shows had plenty of wrestling shtick. 

Some decades later you started to see bands from the metal side of the aisle, mainly thrash and grindcore acts, who showed their love for the sport of kings through their music. Hell I learned a few years ago that hipsters up north in NYC were getting into extreme wrestling. Yeah well how's that fad going? Maybe as long as women's roller derby?

But anyways being a fan of wrestling since I was a kid watching early WCW then NWA and later on ECW it's automatic for me to like any band who's into it as well. Ah but this band goes beyond the realm of US TV wrestling programs. This band takes to the realm where we fans only knew via VHS tapes be they traded for or bought. We're talking Japanese Death Match worship. 

This band here, who by the way are from Ohio and play grindcore, name themselves after one of the most famous Japanese extreme wrestlers of all time, Mitsuhito Matsunaga. The band is made up of a singer (if you wanna call it singing) two guitarists and a drum machine.

Now I'm not gonna play word games here. Musically this is fast insane styled grind. We're talking fifteen songs in around ten minutes. It's all about the guitar riffs, screamed vocals and snippets of live wrestling events. Overall, as a grind fan, yeah it's cool. But as a wrestling fan who's into extreme music I'd rather listen to the Confederacy of Scum bands. 

Oh and by the way as far as me liking wrestling well here ya go.

Nuff Said. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/kings-of-the-deathmatch

SHED THE SKIN - The Forbidden Arts review

SHED THE SKIN - The Forbidden Arts

Hells Headbangers Records




Alright call me bias but I'm like a magnet to almost everything Ash Thomas (guitar and vocals on here) is involved with. The guy is an incredible modern artist when it comes to death metal. If you're a fan of bands like CRUCIFIED MORTALS, ESTUARY and the DM supergroup SURGIKILL then you know what I mean. Buy the way the guy loves Finnish death metal.


Which brings us to this release and the third from this act who've been around for nine years now. Nice little side project since it also has Kyle Severn of INCANTATION and Ed Stephens plus Matt Sorg both of BEYOND FEAR and RINGWORM respectively. With this foursome the death metal influences rage on with some old school touches of Finnish and USDM.


Taking that into account, The Forbidden Arts sounds like something from thirty years ago. Thankfully the production is modern as in great bestial vocals and soloing that stands out. The riffs vs vocals is as heavy as an elephant sitting on your face. If this is not one of my favorite DM releases in a while then I'd be lying. 


https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shedtheskin

MACHINATIONS OF FATE - Self Titled review

MACHINATIONS OF FATE - Self Titled

Redefining Darkness Records





What we have here is something completely out of the box and exciting as fuck. MACHINATIONS OF FATE are a three piece act out of Kentucky, USA. Musically this is Euro style melodic death metal with so many twists it would make a Swede feel like he's been slapped twice in the face.


First off this is an Ash Thomas project, he's on drums and vocals. I've written about a number of bands he's been in like ESTUARY, SURGIKILL and CRUCIFIED MORTALS. The guitarist Brian Henn is one of those "formerly of " Ohio metal band types but works incredibly here. Finally there's bassist Jason Pate an Ohio metal scene alumni as well. Yeah Ohio is one of the most METAL of states in the union.

  

Musically the band's sound is similar to early HYPOCRISY with a good kick in the nuts. I'd also toss in the blackened grandiose of DISSECTION. Thankfully Peter Tagtgren didn't get his hands on the production or he would have fucked up the raw feeling this album has. Ash Thomas has for a few years now brought a new perspective to melodic death metal that defies the Swedish generic norm. 


To me this is where metal becomes aggressive and beautiful. Break out the soft instro intros then follow it up with a violent death metal saga with great riffs, dynamic drumming and traditional scorched vocals. Add to that some sweet guitar soloing. That describes the whole album to a point. Plus I love how the album ends with a quiet instro piece.



Obviously I'm bias here because I have previous respect for the performers. But even with that said anyone into death metal with a melodic touch but with teeth and originality will or should gravitate towards this release.


http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

https://machinationsoffate.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/machinationsoffate/

IRONFLAME - Blood Red Victory review

IRONFLAME - Blood Red Victory

Divebomb Records




Does anyone remember "battle metal"? It was a genre tagline from a decade ago. Basically, as far as the music goes, you had bands performing either melodic death metal or power metal. Now the lyrical themes (or shtick if you prefer) was a mixed bag of Norse mythology, the crusades, knights clashing, warriors of old battling it out. And to a small degree some were bestowing virtue to piracy. 


The whole thing only lasted a few years as far as popularity goes. I must admit there's a nice size collection of CDs by those types of bands on the rack. But hey what's not to like about metal bands doing songs about iron and steel. Of course when you started seeing, for example, a Canadian band singing about pirates or an Argentinian act pushing out viking mythos it got stupid.


So when I first checked out this third album by Ohio's IRONFLAME I couldn't help but think of battle metal. Now I'm not going to toss them into the pot. But ya know the lyrical themes are all here. They've got songs about battles, honor and glory. Basically everything you'd find in the liner notes of a MANOWAR album.


On the other hand the music itself is pretty damm good. This band reminds me of early TWISTED TOWER DIRE. Who by the way were favorites of mine. You've got these beautiful melodic rhythms which just carry you along. The vocals, which range from from real guy stuff to a mid range high are perfect. Finally there's the lead guitar work which ebbs and flows throughout every cut like a cutting scythe or a violin composer. 


In the end I like this album a lot. It's total fantasy metal which I've always loved. Epic in a way which makes your metal loving spirit rise. Throw the horns up to this Ohio band people. Save some room on your battle vests for their logo patches. Have a slot open on the next Keep It True fest. Better yet play this every morning this year when you wake up to face the world. A battle rages and IRONFLAME is on your side.


http://www.divebombrecords.com/site/

https://ironflame.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IronflameUSA/

CURSE OF DENIAL - Coming For Your Soul review

CURSE OF DENIAL - Coming For Your Soul

Redefining Darkness Records




It's releases like this as to why I take my sweet time reviewing stuff sent in to SFM666. Then there's the fact that I work fifty hours a week and somewhere in-between I have a life. Be that as it may it took quite a few listens to this particular release to even get me to type a fuckin word. Sure I liked it but why I didn't know at first. Then the whole idea of Fall and Halloween coming up kicked in so there you go.


CURSE OF DENIAL are a cool as fuck band from the great state of Ohio. We're talking of the Midwest mecca of fuckin metal there people. What this five piece act is all about is strictly extreme metal. The genre tagline on them is blackened death metal but they are so much more and yes that makes them cool as fuck.


The vocals vary from blast furnace throat-ed deeply growled vocals to harsh blackened screams. Musically we're ravaged by powerful riffs burgeoning on thrash or in other cases death doom as well as tried and true death metal. The one constant is the lead guitar work which slices it's way into every facet of this album. You get buzz-saw leads and fluid solos as if you're headed in tech death territory. 


With a title like Coming For Your Soul, ah yeah and it's not a suggestion. The song structures on here simply twist and progress in ways to keep you off balance. It's like being engrossed in a creepy novel. Turn the page and a new freaky development happens. From start to finish on this their second full length CURSE OF DENIAL have created perfection.



http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

https://curse-of-denial.bandcamp.com/album/curse-of-denial-coming-for-your-soul

https://www.facebook.com/curseofdenial/

MORKAST - Deadlands review

MORKAST - Deadlands

Self Released




Here's an act that took a few listens in order to fully get what's going on with them. Honestly many acts are easy to pigeonhole and then there's the ones with plenty of baggage to open. First off this band comes from my nation's heartland aka: Ohio. Before I move on I'd like to point out that when certain people look upon American Metal and it's scene they see places like New York, Florida, NOLA or the whole Western Coast as it's meccas. Ah no, if you look at it all as a body then those are it's limbs. The heart and soul of American Metal is in the Midwest with it's bastions of working class burgs. Remember British Metal didn't come from London. It came from Birmingham. Remember that.


The second thing to mention is that the band self describe their sound as progressive death metal. Personally I don't think so. If anything it's basically great American metal. MORKAST draw upon a slew of influences in order to forge an impressive sound albeit not totally original. First off you've got good death thrash styled riffs and galloping rhythms. Vocals are a combination of basic death metal deep throat and harsh screams. We're talking something out of the melodic death metal handbook here but they're not taking the Swede-deth train.


What sets this band apart as far as I'm concerned is their guitar lead work. There's a combination of blues based leads as well as classical styled ones (someone likes Yngwie) which all scream 80's fuckin metal. Also give some props to the drumming on here because this guy goes effortlessly from basic rhythm to dynamic fills to blastbeats to trigger stationary beats with some jazz tom work. Basically he's keeping thing exciting. A second thing this band incorporates well is some eclectic song tempo sequences. It's something that straight up melo deth bands lack if it's not obvious. If ya wanna use the term "progressive" than that's probably where it applies. 


Earlier I said that musically what MORKAST is doing on here is not original. That's not meant as a slight against them at all. In fact they remind me of a band, also from Ohio, who came out a little over a decade ago. I'm talking about SKELETONWITCH who are playing nearby in the coming weeks. I won't say what MORKAST do on here is copying. Actually it's more like following in another's footsteps and enhancing a sound which in 2019 is all their own. I look at this as a great demo for a band who should have this release put forth to the masses. Hey kid, you like Metal? Then kiss the boot, nuff said.



https://morkast.bandcamp.com/?


fbclid=IwAR0AuM_ADp75dBmJr_0p5L4694UcpDvuUvzpFonnJ8IEC7HUYBbZE9L5dM8

https://www.facebook.com/morkast

MEKA - Ending My Life to Destroy Yours review

MEKA - Ending My Life to Destroy Yours 

Redefining Darkness Records




Alright a three song demo (?) from a Ohio band who I have no info about. They're so kvlt that they don't even have a Facebook page. OK joking aside I have to say the title of this is cool. It's one that you would've expected from Greece's black metal haters of humanity DODSFERD. But like I said MEKA hail from Ohio or more precisely Toledo, the bowels of to be far more exact. 


Musically the tagline on this is " filthy, noisy, blackened metal". OK but lets not forget there's plenty of brooding sludge metal rhythms as well as touches of industrial atmospherics. To top it all off you've got a maniac screamer as well as sickening guitar leads that'll make the weak vomit profusely. The bottom line here is that what you have here is a cauldron over a hot flame filled to the brim with a savory blackened goo. Original? Hell no but the potential is there for something exciting. 


http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/m-ka-ending-my-life-to-destroy-yours 

SHED THE SKIN - We of Scorn review

SHED THE SKIN - We of Scorn

Hells Headbangers Records





SHED THE SKIN is a Ohio death metal super-group who've been around since 2011 and have previously released an EP and a full length. OK so for you the reader who are probably scratching your head with the question "Ohio"? This band is made up of scene veterans with vocalist/guitarist Ash Thomas of such bands like ESTUARY, CRUCIFIED MORALS and is a frequent guest on the Metal Relics You Tube show. On drums there's Kyle Severn of INCANTATION who just so happens to live in Columbus, Ohio. On bass you have Ed Stephens of RINGWORM and VINDICATOR. Finally there's Matt Sorg also of RINGWORM on guitars.


Now if you're inclined to believe that this is just a bunch of forty somethings getting their jollys playing death metal for kicks then you'd be wrong. You're thinking of BLOODBATH. SHED THE SKIN are slightly better than that. With the combined influences of their other projects this Ohio metal militia creates a sound on this their second full length which is part thrash, part old school and modern death metal in scope. If anything this all sounds like a revitalized version of melodic death metal. You've got some fast paced riffs accompanied by a multitude of solos all sealed with a countering of guttural and raspy vocals. Plus a rhythm section that hammers out the perfect groove.


Since I never heard this band's debut I found We of Scorn as a huge surprise. They've found a way to manipulate that old Gothenburg sound into a new force of nasty. As I've made quite evident in the past. The whole melo-deth thing came and went for me early on in it's genre life. But damm if this ain't good.


https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://shed-the-skin.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/shedtheskin

FUZZ LORD - Self Titled review

FUZZ LORD - Self Titled

Fuzzdoom Records




Some bands have a name which needs no introduction or explanation to who they are. Case in point, according to their promo info FUZZ LORD are the heaviest band out of Chillicothe, Ohio. Far be it for me to doubt that. In fact if you're ever driving through Ohio sometime look for that on the city's entrance sign next to the words "designated Tree City USA" or "Ohio's First and Third Capital". Other than that this band's signature is not covered in a haze of smoke.


Basically you have two guys involved with a blog-site and podcast (Core of Destruction Radio). Them being Steve 'The Fuzz Lord' on guitar, Lawrence 'Lord Buzz' on drums & vocals plus last edition 'Stoner Dan Riley' on bass & vocals. With the introductions set the idea behind the band was inspired from what they played a lot of on their podcast.


With that said and my lack of knowledge to what they play on their podcast I'd give this a notification of a late 60's early 70's vibe as opposed to modern day metal or SABBATH-ian stoner rock. I'd also toss in some Punk Rock attitude or Garage Punk but hey that's been done as far as revival status for twenty years. Yeah this sounds like something cool from the garage punk days from the 90s with some metal touches tossed in.


http://coreofdestructionradio.com/

https://fuzzdoomrecords.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/fuzzlordslays/

CONTRA - Deny Everything review

CONTRA - Deny Everything

Robustfellow Productions




I wonder if this Cleveland, Ohio band ever listened to MOUNTAIN or KILLDOZER for that matter. Whatever the case CONTRA, have some influence with those two acts on this their debut full length. Hell I'll say they've listened to quite a few Touch & Go acts to come up with their hard rock/sludge sound. I just can't figure what is up with the apes on the cover.


As far as band history goes according to the promo info, CONTRA was originally formed as an instrumental 3-piece by former SOFA KING KILLER guitarist, Chris Chiera, and ex-RUE drummer, Aaron Brittain. After briefly playing together in another local outfit, they sought to start their own band and enlisted the aid of SO LONG ALBATROSS bassist, Adam Horwatt, to play 4-string baritone guitar. I admit I don't have a clue who those bands are. 


Continuing on the history part, the band got themselves a vocalist named Larry Brent who has some standing in the local HC scene in Cleveland. He sings on eight out of the ten cuts on here. As far as Larry's singing goes he has a cool gruff voice that fits perfectly within the musician's repertoire. As far as the music well back in the heyday of Touch & Go Records this would've been called grunge with someone asking "Why isn't this on Sub Pop?"


http://robustfellow.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ContraCle/

https://contracleveland.bandcamp.com/releases

ENDLESS VOYAGE X - Those Who Time Forgot review

ENDLESS VOYAGE X - Those Who Time Forgot 

Fragile Branch Recordings





Supposedly this was doom infused black metal, it's not. The real skinny is that this is what I guess you would call "atmospheric black metal" and it's from a one man act outta Ohio. The one man, Jake, is into the ocean and darkness. In fact this four track opus is about a ship, whose crew find themselves lost in the Bermuda Triangle. For some reason I'm getting shades of that old TV show In Search Of with Leonard Nimoy narrating. 


I got news for ya Jake, except for your toilet the closest large body of water nearest to you is Lake Erie. Now that might not be such a great topic to be musically inspired by especially in black metal. But you do know there have been plenty of bodies found in it's waters over the decades. But anyways I digress, Jake started ENDLESS VOYAGE X in 2016. Since then he has, along with this four song EP, another EP from last year plus two splits this year. 


As far as this one goes I'm gonna be honest (like I'm not all the time?) this is not my thing. But I'm not gonna drown Jake in negativity since there's some cool creativity going on. To sum this up it leans into what I know as "progressive" or "post" BM territory. If you're looking for harshness then you're at the wrong place. The songs on here are melancholy, maybe that's the doom part. Oddly enough there's a song on here, an instrumental, titled "Melancholy". I also think it's cool how there's plenty of clean guitar usage much like what plenty of Ukrainian bands are doing. Although I believe latter day ENSLAVED really pushed that practice when they left black metal and went proggy.


In the end (wow that's a painful segue) this all goes to that "What if Varg was a sensitive man" type of hipster stuff that I hate. We had an act here in NC years ago that were similar to this and it didn't turn out well for him so the guy stopped trying to play black metal and went back to Alt. Country. 

http://www.fragilebranch.com/

https://endlessvoyagex.bandcamp.com/album/those-whom-time-forgot

https://www.facebook.com/EndlessVoyageXOfficial

MIDNIGHT - Shox of Violence review

MIDNIGHT - Shox of Violence

Hell's Headbangers Records




Not one but two VENOM covers? What is it, my birthday? Actually it was when this landed on me. Shox of Violence is the latest compilation by Cleveland's favorite punk/metal hybrid act MIDNIGHT. Yes it is a compilation (Complete and Total MIDNIGHT three?) containing the four tracks from last years Shox of Violence 12"er for starters and follows up with tracks from splits, a bunch of covers (GIRLSCHOOL, PAGANS, THE SPITS, SCARAB, CRUCIFIXION, TAIPAN, MISTREATER and QUIET RIOT plus the earlier mentioned VENOM and an uncredited cover of the SONICS) and some kinda funny live tracks and demos. 

This is a collection suited for long time fans of the band of which I am. Also for people who don't/can't buy every short format release the band puts out because we know sooner or later it'll be on a CD comp. So as far as highlights go; "Sadist Sodomystic Seducer" an original track which appeared on a split MIDNIGHT did with Detroit's own sick bastards SHITFUCKER. I saw them together on that tour a while back. Then of course there's the VENOM covers, "Too Loud for the Crowd" which is from a Decibal magazine flexi and "In League With Satan". Add to that the uncredited cover of the SONICS' "The Witch" which is like the fortith cover version I've heard. 

Big surprise was four SPITS covers which come from MIDNIGHT's Slay the Spits 7"er from 2007. And speaking on punk fuckin rock there's the two PAGANS' covers, hometown heroes to MIDNIGHT. There's also the covers of TAIPAN and MISTREATER from the USA Violates Australia 2013 7"er. As far as the live tracks go, probably the best cut on here is their live version of "Unholy and Rotten" for only what ensues during the performance. I don't wanna give anything away. All in all another great must have comp by MIDNIGHT.

http://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

https://midnight-ohio.bandcamp.com/album/shox-of-violence