DesertCitySoundtrack.com

Driver Release!

admin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:49:00 +0000

According to blabbermouth, Rob Rock's early 90's project with Roy Z, Driver is finally going to see the light of day. Metal Heaven is going to release a full album of completely rerecorded songs. Driver made a name for itself playings gigs in both Connecticut and the sunset strip, but never landed a record deal.

Driver released a cassette only EP containing 5 songs in 1989.

Labels: Driver, Rob Rock

Precious Death - Southpaw (1993)

admin — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:44:00 +0000

Precious Death was one of those interesting bands that were at once before, and after, their time. By that, I mean that they were embracing that funk-metal hybrid that had come & gone a couple years earlier with bands like Atom Seed, Mindfunk, Living Colour, and I Mother Earth. Most bands erroneously categorized as funk metal were in fact more alternative rock than metal, and though their music contained elements of heavy metal, it was not the dominant element. The aforementioned bands were probably the most "metal" of those associated with the genre. The Christian music market only had one band widely recognized as funk metal, and indeed were associated more w/ the alt rock scene, though their music was heavy enough to be considered metal at that time. That was Dig Hay Zoose. Of course, this band came out about the time Red Hot Chili Peppers and other groups were moving away from the style, & by DHZ's 2nd album Magentamantalovetree came out, the "scene" had all but dried up. The only noteworthy band in that scene from a Christian music standpoint was Hot Pink Turtle, though it's been debated whether they're "metal" enough to be considered part of the same scene & not the alternative rock offshoot of that scene.

Enter Precious Death. After the band's demo (Our Stinkin' Demo) came out in 1991 (the same year as DHZ's 1st album), they regrouped & released their 1st album, Southpaw, in 1993. Now, that was the year DHZ's 2nd album was released. However, this album took a less "metal" approach & was firmly rooted in alt rock as well as the funk leanings of the 1st album. As other bands were abandoning the scene, Precious Death stepped in. The other interesting thing about Precious Death is that their style also incorporates thrash metal (in a somewhat subdued setting), as well as a fairly modern variety of American power metal. Other than the more modern elements, everything the band was doing was on the downturn. Why did they have such an impact, then? I believe that it's because they were stylistically unique in the scene, as well as having elements in their sound that ended up influencing the "nu-metal" scene a few years later. In that sense, they were before their time.

Getting to the music itself, this is an interesting hybrid of mid-paced thrash ala Exodus' "Force of Habit" though a tad less heavy, the modern American power metal stylings of latter-day Anthrax (think "Sound of White Noise" but slightly less heavy), and the funk-metal sounds of bands of the scene, though decidedly more metal than most examples. The title track opens the album with a quiet, clean-guitar intro that blows into a slow, chunky riff. Nothing reeks of funk right away. An interesting picked riff during the verse then recalls the chunky riff again during the chorus. Vocalist Chris Scott has some nice overdubbed vocal harmonies here, including the sung "southpaw" during the chorus. The guitar "solo" here is minimalistic, but works well, serving the song rather than showboating. The bridge speeds things up a bit and has a bit more drum groove w/ some nice cowbell incorporation. Nothing at this point elucidates "funk". Where's the funk?

The answer to that would be "Shine", the 2nd track. The song intros with a drum flourish, and decidedly funk bass, as well as a clean-guitar scratch that recalls funk & disco. The harmonized vocal from Chris is nice, and after a verse of funky bass & guitar scratching comes the heavier chorus with more pronounced drumming. Minor guitar soloing occurs to let you know this is still a metal band, but the funk is brought down in this song. Parts of the scratchy guitar remind of DHZ's work. The clean-guitar bridge 2/3 of the way through is unique & fits the song well. Then a nice melodic solo kicks in. Multiple runs of the chorus close the song in fine form. Track 3 "Hello" doesn't immediately engender thoughts of funk with its clean guitar intro & decidedly rock bassline, or it's heavier underlying riff. Neither does the chunky pre-chorus or the heavy chorus. Not every song has to drip with "tha funk" to be an influence. The bass guitar still shows hints of funk, even if their not pronounced. The solo work in this song is interesting as well. "No-Can-Do" opens with a drum line reminiscent of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" (probably not intentional), and a double-tracked guitar line that is slightly eerie. A large riff comes in to complement Chris' vocals & thundering drums in the slow/heavy verse parts. The songs speeds up about 1/4 through, even incorporating a near blast-beat. Never forgetting melody, the riff becomes choppier with Chris' vocals providing the melodic element. Group yells of "No-can-do" accent as well. The solo here serves the song again, providing enough guitar solo for metal heads, but keeping the accessibility high. The slower riff after the solo has that Metallica "black album" feel to it, then a bluesier solo kicks in. After the bluesy part, a more standard fast thrashy solo picks up. "Strange To Me" has more of a defined funk aspect, with funky bass & drums that accent the rhythmic side of funk. Also, the guitar incorporates more of a scratchy sound, albeit this time with more distortion. This song has a great solo! "Talk About the Weather" is one of my favorites with it's fun vibe, finger snaps intro, and bluesy feel. Chris' improvised vocals in the intro also add a nice touch. The main riff has tons of groove, and the song as a whole is dripping with it. Also, more cowbell! There's a nice breakdown in the song about 2/3 in that just adds a bit of atmosphere before the blistering solo. "King of Siam" starts with an awesome super-fast roto-tom intro that I wish there were more of, followed by a nice chunky riff. The verses seem a little too minor chord at times, though I think that was the point (dissonance). The layered vocals here can get a bit overwhelming, at times slipping into post-Voivodian anti-melody. However, they work well in the song. "Force Fed" is a bit thrashier, sounding something like Beg To Differ-era Prong at times (sorry, pun intended). "One Day To Live" is a mostly acoustic ballad. A decent cap on the album, though a tad throw-away compared w/ the rest of the material.

"Southpaw" is generally considered by Precious Death fans to be their best album. Many fans balked at the 2nd album, "If You Must", even though it offered quality songwriting, better production, and a bit more variety in the mix. I am of the opinion that while Southpaw is more consistent, the 2nd album is just as good. Either way, this gem is a classic in the Christian metal scene, & probably the only album of its kind of true funk/thrash/metal that truly graced the Christian music scene.

Track List:

1.	Southpaw	04:15
2.	Shine	04:19
3.	Hello	05:20
4.	No-Can-Do	05:31
5.	Strange to me	04:59
6.	Talk about the Weather	06:32
7.	King of Siam	04:57
8.	Force Fed	05:33
9.	One Day to Live	04:23
Total playing time		45:51

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320CBR with all cover, ucard, and sleeve/booklet scans in high quality .JPG format.

Remember, this CD is out of print & has been for over 10 years. The band has broken up and has (to my knowledge) no intention of reforming. No record companies I'm aware of have expressed interest in re-issuing this gem, and Metro One records has basically abandoned rock music altogether & have focused on pop the last few releases. That said, Chris is still making music with his other band Blackball, and has an official Myspace profile for Precious Death. They aren't selling CDs from there, so I'm assuming the band is out of CDs much like many bands of that era. If I hear of members of PD selling the album or of a re-release, I will remove the download link.

New adds.

admin — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 07:01:00 +0000

Got a few new CDs in, mini reviews to come within the next week or so. Vigilance, a metal band out of the Pacific Northwest has re released their demo from the late 80's remastered. They play traditional heavy metal with some high pitched vocals.

Sardonyx, the ministry minded band hailing from Pennsylvania has had Majestic Serenity re released by Retroactive records. Sardonyx plays traditional/power metal with bold lyrics and a vocal approach I would compare to Savatage. The disc is completely remastered and has Sardonyx's 4 song demo Rebel of Reason as bonus tracks.

Labels: Christian Metal, Sardonyx, Vigilance

Wish For Eden (1994)

admin — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:03:00 +0000

Wish For Eden is the inaugural release from Tooth and Nail Records, a CD that would prove both highly important, and slightly controversial. No one could have predicted the impact T&N would have on the Christian music world, not even Brandon Ebel himself. Of course, this CD was the humble first release of the label that could, a far cry from the current sounds being marketed today. No, this post-hardcore gem was ripe & ready, even if it was a couple years behind the curve.

The controversy I mentioned is that a few Christian bookstores & retailers refused to carry the album. They thought that "pet the fish" was a masturbation reference, when in reality, it was just a nonsensical phrase suitable for an album title in the midst of the "alternative generation". Needless to say, this album didn't get its due during its time. While many write this band off as a generic Helmet clone, they would do well to listen a bit more closely & absorb the sound of this classic before passing such judgment.

The album doesn't come roaring out of the starting gate; rather, a brief feedback intro barely prepares the listener for the driving riff that "Questions" uses to suck the listener in. Unlike many of the metal bands that faded into obscurity in the late 80's/early 90's, complexity of the riff was not the order of the day here. A groove-laden, driving riff was what these guys were cooking, and it was tasty. The song moves between ebb & flow, with droning versus, groovy choruses, and a dissonant, ethereal bridge that has just enough guitar feedback to keep it interesting. The song swells at the end with more fast-paced riffing & drum work until the abrupt ending. "Ocean" starts with another groove-laden riff; simple, but effective. The vocals have an echo & effect on them that gives them a haunting feel. Lyrically, the song is very basic; I'm not sure I've quite gleaned the meaning yet, even after all these years. "Don't Know" opens with a clean guitar riff, then screams into another groove-based riff backed by solid drumming. The bass lines in these songs pretty much all serve the songs & don't do anything too dramatic, but that's the way some music sounds best. "U Could" opens with some guitar squealing, and yet another groovy riff, along with some decent drum build-up. The vocals in these songs all move from melodic gruff singing to a more shouted vocal & back again. "Me" opens with guitar feedback & a lead-off bass line. Once the song kicks in, another groovy riff takes hold. "Fade" also opens with a low-end bass line & guitar feedback. The closing title track is the only aberration here; it ends the album on a much lighter note, with less droning guitar, sounding more like a grunge rock ballad (in that good Pearl Jam way) than the rest of the material.

The thing that makes this album work is not how different it is; on the contrary, it's how different it's not. This is not highly original; indeed, this sounds like a slightly less heavy, slightly more melodic version of Helmet. Let that not be a deterrent, however. Underneath the hood of this well-oiled machine is a set of solid, if samey songs, all having their place on the record, & all containing the deliciously obtuse lyrics that many post-grunge bands did back at that time. What makes this record work is that it is the first time since the early Blonde Vinyl records releases that someone was releasing music that was out of the mainstream. Some might argue that Helmet flirted w/ the mainstream due to the success of the single "Unsung" from their Meantime album. Indeed, the band had some success with that song, with a video on MTV & rock radio briefly lauding it. Bands like Helmet don't cater to the mainstream, and reviewers who praised Meantime hated the follow-up album, Betty, despite it being as good (if not better) an album as Meantime. Wish For Eden make a slightly less heavy record, which could appeal to the fan of heavier grunge or post-hardcore, but certainly not to the mainstream rock fan, or even the standard grunge fan, except perhaps those into the more abrasive works of Nirvana or other bands who walked on the harder side of the "alternative" rock movement.

No, this album was destined for the cutout bin before its time. This is not because it's not a good record; no, this was simply a matter of the band being caught in a stylistic movement that was pronounced dead on arrival. Unfortunately, it means that the band never stood a chance except with audiences in the Christian market looking for a positive alternative to the post-punk sounds of Helmet, Snapcase, or Fugazi. Where those bands may have lacked the positivity of a band like Wish For Eden, an important niche was fulfilled. Whether the album stands the test of time has yet to be determined; however, it's cultural relevance cannot be disputed.

Track List:
01 Questions (4:09)
02 Ocean (3:15)
03 Don't Know (3:08)
04 U Could (2:30)
05 Green (2:58)
06 Fly (4:31)
07 Me (3:37)
08 Fade (2:44)
09 Blood (4:22)
10 Pet the Fish (2:31)

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320CBR with Large cover, sleeve, and UCard scans.

Remember, this album is out of print. Despite Tooth and Nail Records being at the forefront of Christian music today, this gem is out of print & no longer available from the T&N online store. If T&N or Rob Walker (singer/songwriter of Wish For Eden) ever decide to re-release this album, I'll remove the download link. In the meantime, enjoy, and buy it if you like it (& can find it).

World Against World - Until the Day Breaks and the Shadows Flee Away (1998)

admin — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 03:18:00 +0000

If it wasn't already quite obvious, I'm going for variety in this blog. I don't want to post all of a single style or a certain group of styles: that would be boring. No, variety is the spice of life, & I like my food spicy. As such, sometimes I like to dabble in music styles & genres I'm not intimately familiar with so I can expand my musical vocabulary.

That brings us to this band. World Against World is a band that seemed to spring out of nowhere. In reality, they formed from the ashes of Christian pop-punk Spudgun. Spudgun were a solid, if unremarkable punk band. The guys in the band probably realized this & knew that if they were going to be effective, they had to get their own vibe. So, when the band broke up & reformed into World Against World, they decided to explore a sub-genre of punk not explored in the Christian music scene thus far: "crust punk". I must admit, the only crust punk band I'd even heard of before was Amebix, and they are thought of as the originators of the style. World Against World (heretofore to be referred to as WAW) are different than Amebix, in that they are probably more true punk than Amebix, since they had elements of thrash/speed metal in their sound. WAW have that gritty, noisy sound that "crust punk" is known for, though at times it can border on the metallic.

Interestingly enough, I purchased this at a Christian book store not known for carrying heavy bands. In the past, the heaviest thing they had carried was Skillet, and that was against the will of the store owner, but at the insistence of a couple employees who knew the youth would buy it if she stocked it. So I was taken aback when I saw the display in the store which included a CD & small poster (probably the only promotional materials BulletProof Music printed up for a band as unique in the scene as WA). I listened to the CD with no expectations (except that it might be heavy music, judging from the sleeve), and came away with a lot of thoughts. My initial reaction based on the first track was, this is what Horde would sound like if it was a punk band. For the uninitiated, Horde is a "holy unblack" metal band (the Christian antithesis of a "black" metal band). Horde is old-school black metal, fast, loud, noisy, dissonant, and raw. This could be the punk synonym of that ethos. This is loud, fast, noisy, dissonant, and raw. The vocals are nigh unintelligible in places, the bass rumbles loudly, the guitar cuts a swath through things, and the sharp snare drum pierces when it's hit particularly hard.

The other major similarity to Horde here is the song titles: Jayson Sherlocke (the man behind Horde) had an affinity with long song titles, & these guys must share in that passion. The first track, "Disrupted Darkness and Scattered Spirits" opens with a deceptively melodic, yet foreboding guitar line, until the music picks up & the vocalist jumps in screaming "Terror, terror, terror!" Indeed, the U-Card has the word "terror" written all over it on the inside, so when you remove the CD, that's what you see. "Our Nation of Thoughtlessness Celebrates Immorality While Seeking Independence From But Nevertheless Finding A Plague of Sorrow" (2nd track) also opens with a slow, churning riff that morphs into a mid-paced riff with rolling bassline (with almost an Steve Harris/Iron Maiden-like gallop to it), and the screaming vocal line. Mid-way through is a somewhat metallic bridge section with a scale riff. "The Hope of the Wicked Has Become Despair" is a fast song that opens with a near blast beat, then settles into an interesting drum groove alongside a constant guitar line. "A Somber Tale of Repentance" opens with background noise that sounds like voices, and an interesting, ominous guitar line that also cuts out here & there. If you listen with headphones, you can tell the guitars here are double-tracked for effect, and it works nicely. The guitar is extra distorted here, as are the vocals. There are very few lyrics on this track, and the vocalist uses an echo effect to draw out the sound. "The Destruction of the World In All of Her Glorious Splendor" opens to the sound of a child's toy (like the wind-up teddy bears that would play a tune), then blasts into a heavy guitar riff and fast drumming. More screaming vocals here, and lost of distortion. This song also has some double-bass drumming, something that many punk bands don't use because it's a convention often associated with metal. "Insomnia For the Dead" opens with a fade-in on the drums, and then blows into a slow high-pitched riff & vocals, then settles into a groove along a nice drumline. "We Dance With the Moment on the 2nd Story Of Finality, Unaware of the Flames Slowly Spreading Up the Stairs" opens with a very dissonant, distorted guitar line, distorted bass, and simple drum line. Then, the tempo picks up just a tad & goes into a slow hardcore type of burn. This is probably the longest track on the album, and goes through more "movements" than any other. It also doesn't have vocals until the song is nearly 3/4 of the way through. The vocals in this track are extremely distorted & processed, and are barely understandable. "Deserted Concern For the Irrefutable" opens with a simple drum pattern, and into another slow, ominous riff, then into a cool drum groove and faster riff. This is the 2nd longest song on the album. The closing song, "One Final Attempt at Righting Our Wrongs" evokes images of goth music, as a barely audible organ can be heard amid a smattering of sound effects, only to come to a head in ambient noise at the end of the track.

At just 35 minutes, this is a short album, but not one easily digested. If you're not into noise hardcore, or noise punk, this can be a hard pill to swallow. If you're adventurous, however, this album can be very rewarding. Lyrically, the band delves into some pretty heavy stuff; all backed up by scripture references. In fact, the only place in the packaging where a scripture reference doesn't appear is on the CD itself, as well as on the U-Card where the song listing is at. Otherwise, there is scripture referenced almost everywhere else. These guys are serious to the bone, and it shows in the performances. This is not silly, fun punk music like the Ramones, MxPx or Slick Shoes. Rather, this is a serious band with serious lyrics & music. I would even recommend that this not be played for young kids, because some of the lyrical themes touch on Biblical passages that younger kids wouldn't understand or would find confusing.

Interestingly enough, I read in an online forum a couple years later that WAW had broken up & reformed into an unblack metal project, so my initial reaction of "Horde punk" was not entirely inaccurate. It seems the WAW guys & myself were on the same wavelength on that one. In any event, this is unique in the Christian music scene, and a welcome stylistic diversion from all the tough-guy hardcore bands & pop-punk groups that seem to "horde" the spotlight (sorry, pun intended).

Track List:
01 Disrupted Darkness and Scattered Spirits
02 Our Nation of Thoughtlessness Celebrates...
03 The Hope of the Wicked Has Become Despair
04 A Somber Tale of Repentance
05 The Destruction of The World...
06 Scared Silent
07 Insomnia For the Dead
08 We Dance With the Moment...
09 Deserted Concern for the Irrefutable
10 One Final Attempt at Righting Our Wrongs
Total Time: 35:02

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320CBR with Large cover, sleeve, and UCard scans.

Remember, this title is out of print & has been for some time. In fact, I believe Bulletproof Music (the harder edged side of Gray Dot records) is out of business, though there website is still online (though it hasn't been updated in over 5-6 years). If it is discovered that this album is still in print or goes back into production, I'll remove the download link. In the meantime, enjoy this slice of Christian "crust punk" while you can.

Detritus - If But For One (1992)

admin — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:27:00 +0000

This was my first exposure to Detritus. I purchased this album as a new release in the fall of `92, and was forever entrenched as a full-on thrash metal fan. Tourniquet's Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance was proof that Christian metal was as good (or in that case better) as what the secular & mainstream had to offer; this album further cemented that proof. Of course, it wouldn't be until several years later that I realized just how right I really was.

The album opens somewhat deceptively with a rhythmic acoustic guitar, followed by a bit of solo work that invokes a slightly subdued metal blues. All of a sudden, the heavy riff & powerful drum rhythm kicks in & you know this is a thrash album. "Masquerade" opens the album nicely with a great riff & powerful vocals by Mark Broomhead. "So Far Away" also opens deceptively; with a spacey clean guitar line that is ethereal & interesting. The dual-layered vocals works nicely with Mark sining in a tenor voice and a lower register in harmony. Half-way through the song the thrashy riff kicks in & takes the song into overdrive. "Let Peace Begin With Me" has a killer riff and urgent vocals. "Feel" is a bit of an acoustic interlude that swells to pique at the end. "Blindly Rejected" is a mid-paced song about the mentally & physically handicapped & how we as a society generally ignores or rejects them when all they want is love. The albums title piece is a monster thrash song with interspersed fast & slow riffing, a pinch of death metal growls, and a beautiful piano-laced outro that rivals Faith No More's "Epic" in that category. "Sailor's Farewell" is a tune that lyrically evokes Running Wild with their pirate themes, though in a more spiritual context. "Father To Son" is a great commentary of a father on his deathbed apologizing to his son for not being a better father, but asking that he take comfort in his Heavenly Father instead of looking to his own father. "As It Rains" is a metal praise song, if ever there was. It talks about the beauty of God and His creation in the earth, and how we as humanity have been careless & destroyed much of the beauty of the earth. "Subtle Shades" closes the album in an unorthodox fashion; the song is not thrash, and indeed, not even metal. It's sort of like an indie pop piece within the context of a Pink Floyd space-out. Truly an interesting piece, and lyrically abstract as well.

Detritus unfortunately broke up after this. I remember writing to them & receiving a letter back from the band months later that the group had split & was no longer selling merchandise. I was disappointed because I wanted a Detritus T-shirt. In any event, Mark Broomhead was in a new band called Fire Fly, though that is now defunct & they have reformed in to an outfit called Exoria. I'm hoping it's a metal project. In any event, this album is a lasting testament to how good Christian metal can be, & is JUST as good a listen today as it was 15 years ago when I bought it.

Track List:

1.	Masquerade	03:55
2.	So Far Away	06:10
3.	D.I.G.M.	05:36
4.	Let Peace Begin With Me	03:38
5.	Feel	02:16
6.	Blindly Rejected	04:43
7.	If But For One	06:45
8.	Sailor's Farewell	02:54
9.	Father To Son	03:40
10.	Painted Reality	04:08
11.	As It Reigns	04:03
12.	Subtle Shades	03:59
Total playing time		51:47

320CBR with large cover, sleeve, and UCard scans.

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Remember, this album is out of print & has become hard to find. If the band decides to re-release this, I will remove it from this site. Until then, enjoy this music & buy the disc if you get the chance - you won't regret it.

Detritus - Perpetual Defiance (1990)

admin — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:11:00 +0000

If there was ever an underrated thrash band in all of the UK in the secular scene, it was Xentrix. Apparently too many people thought they had more in common with the bay area thrasher's of the day (& Metallica) than their European counterparts (such as Destruction or Kreator) & that their music wasn't as interesting as it could or should have been. I never subscribed to such thought, however; rather, I was more a fan of Xentrix than either of the aforementioned bands, probably because I preferred their lyrical approach more.

That said, they also had an enjoyable music style. Which brings us to this album - Detritus' "Perpetual Defiance" has much in common with their UK countrymen Xentrix, and much different as well. Allow me to explain. While Xentrix's debut album "Shattered Existence" showcased a better production value than this platter, Detritus showed marked improvement over that album in terms of songwriting and diversity. Where "Shattered Existence" was quite a consistent album, having much the same sound all the way through, Detritus showed us quite a range on "Perpetual Defiance", from the more mellow opening moments of "Child", to the eerie intro to "Morbid Curiosity", the brutal thrash assault of "No Mercy", the lyrical indictment of satanic lyricism in "Playing With Fire", or the straight-forward British thrash of "Taste the Blood". Xentrix had not been so bold. Although this album lacks a tad, sonically, it makes up for it in droves via memorable songs, as well as through the diversity. In addition, the brilliant Rodney Matthews cover art gives the album additional weight in a market where most secular metalheads wouldn't give a Christian metal album a 2nd look, the mark of a good album sleeve (something most metal bands strive for) was definitely in the band's favor.

For these reasons, I'd say "Perpetual Defiance" is at least on par with, if not superior to "Shattered Existence", and for that, it deserves a place in any thrash metal fan's collection. I dare say it belongs in the top 15 Christian thrash albums of all time. Granted, this was not my first exposure to Detritus (that came several months earlier when I purchased this album's follow-up "If But For One" & was inexplicably drawn in). At first blush, this album (with it's somewhat thin production by comparison, and toned down progressive tendencies) was a minor disappointment. While time has not been kind to the album where the production is concerned, the songs still stand the test. Overall, a stunning debut from a quartet whose next album would prove to be a landmark, not only in Christian metal, but in thrash metal as well.

Track List:
01 Subliminal Division 04:21
02 Point Of No Return 03:05
03 Playing With Fire 06:17
04 Taste The Blood 03:27
05 Morbid Curiosity 07:05
06 No Mercy 02:04
07 Child 05:28
08 Eviction 02:33
09 Derange 05:52
10 O.T.T. (Over The Top) 04:10

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320CBR with Large cover, sleeve, & UCard scans.

Remember, this album is out of print, and has been for at least 15 years. Detritus has been broken up for a long time & members have moved on to separate projects. However, if any of the band members (or another label) endeavors to re-issue this album, I will remove the download link. If you get a chance to purchase this album, please do. Support the artists if you can.

Decision D - The Last Prostitute (1995)

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 20:47:00 +0000

Well, if ultra-technical thrash isn't quite your thing, Decision D's third & final album might change your mind. This album tones down the overt, "change the riff every 30 seconds" mentality of its predecessor "Moratoria", and to some extent, their debut "Razon De La Muerte".
Instead, they let the technicality be in the riffs themselves, the variety present here, and the way it's all constructed. Production here is better than before, & the riffs are less abundant, allowing the songs to "breathe" a bit more. This was wise for a number of reasons, and it gives the album a nice groove to it that early thrash metal just didn't have. Despite that, this is still very much a thrash album.

Album opener "Last Prostitute" starts off slowly with a nice groove, and gets things going with a chunky riff that lets you know the band is serious. Edwin uses less of the screaming here, as well as virtually eliminating the death growls of before, and incorporates kind of a whispery vocal that adds an interesting element. "Graffiti" is an interesting song about how Jesus did not condemn the prostitute, but instead told the people that if any one of them was without sin, they could cast the first stone. It has a nice groove, and is kind of broken down into 2 parts that work together, though are very distinctive. "Residence of Dishonour" has a great groove, and interesting vocal phrasing & timing. "Independent Remorse" has some interesting spoken word vocals, some interesting "moaning" vocals, as well as some of the fastest riffing on the album. "Smoke" is an interesting sort of tribal beat type of song with mostly whispered vocals and mostly just rhythmic instrumentation. "Accusations" has a nice twisting riff, and a good syncopated drum beat to match. "Forsaken" is a bit more traditional thrash in sound, but maintaining the album's groove. "You Ain't Nothing" has another nice progressive thrashy riff, and a good rolling drum groove behind it, as well as some monster bass. Edwin uses a funky mid-range vocal that's reminiscent of Cirith Ungol, as well as as some more traditional metal singing, which I believe is unique to this album. "Racist Behavior" closes the album with throaty vocals, lots of groove, and a heavy groove/thrash sound.

All in all, a nice cap-off to Decision D's career, and a great album. It's too bad this gem, like their other material, has been largely unheard outside of Europe, because this is awesome stuff.

Track List:
1. Last Prostitute 04:59
2. Graffiti 03:18
3. Residence of Dishonour 05:34
4. Women of Injustice 04:42
5. Independent Remorse 03:59
6. Smoke 03:11
7. Accusations 05:01
8. Forsaken 03:56
9. You Ain't Nothing 02:55
10. Racist Behavior 04:53
Total playing time 42:28

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320CBR with Large cover, sleeve, & UCard scans.

Remember, this album is out of print & has been for at least 10 years. It's unlikely that this will go back in production again unless by some small outfit in relatively small numbers (generally 1000 copies). If it is found that this is back in print, or if the band or the owner of the recordings wishes they be removed, please just notify me.

Requests

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:14:00 +0000

I won't necessarily be taking requests, because most of the stuff here will be from my own collection. However, I am asking anyone else that wants to contribute in 2 ways:

Send me a CD you believe should be shared, as long as it's an original & still out-of-print, or sell me the CD at a rock-bottom price.
Provide either a 320CBR .MP3 rip w/ all cover & UCard scans, or even a .WAV or FLAC (or other lossless) dump with scans.

I will be making requests based on either albums I lack in my collection, or discs that I have but cannot be ripped due to being too badly damaged. I don't ask that you sell me a hard to find CD for next to nothing, but I'm not paying $40 or more for a CD copy of something I might already have on cassette or vinyl, or for an album whose original worth may have decreased due to a re-release or larger than anticipated original run (such as Rage of Angels or Saint's "Times End" CD).

In any event, here is a short list of albums I need on CD (or high-quality rips of):

Time's End by Saint
Bloodgood by Bloodgood
Detonation by Bloodgood
Rock in a Hard Place by Bloodgood
Out of the Darkness by Bloodgood
Rebellion by Sacred Warrior
Master's Command by Sacred Warrior
Wicked Generation by Sacred Warrior
Obsessions by Sacred Warrior
Behind Enemy Lines by Recon
Sylentiger by Trytan
Celestial Messenger by Trytan
Your Dying Day by Haven
Age of Darkness by Haven
Whitecross by Whitecross
Hammer and Nail by Whitecross
Into the Kingdom by Whitecross
High Gear by Whitecross
Pillars of Humanity by The Crucified
The Empty by Godfear
Pound For Pound by Godfear
Neon Cross by Neon Cross
Torn by Neon Cross
Glimmer of Hope by Ordained Fate
Ordained Fate (demo) by Ordained Fate
Dimensions by Believer
The Torment by Seventh Angel
Lament For the Weary by Seventh Angel
Once Dead by Vengeance Rising
Moratoria by Decision D
Spiritual Matrix by Sculpture
Mortal Enemy (demo) by Mortal Enemy
Angelica by Angelica
Ransom by Ransom
Soul Asylum by Ransom
Armored Choir by Arsenal
Hear the Light/Find Your Heart a Home by Barnabas
Feel the Fire/Little Foxes by Barnabas
Calling Down Fire by Rosanna's Raiders
Clothed In Fire by s Raiders
Don't Dance With Danger by Scarlet Red
Rock of Offense by First Strike
Master of the Metal by Messiah Prophet
I Shall Conquer by Leviticus
The Strongest Power by Leviticus
Setting Fire To The Earth by Leviticus
Knights of Heaven by Leviticus
Fighter by Fighter
Bang the Drum by Fighter
Battle Cries by The Brave
Trust by The Brave
LOFCAUDIO by Mastedon
It's a Jungle Out There by Mastedon
Halo by Halo
Crystavox by Crystavox
The Bottom Line by Crystavox (aka Crystavox II)

This isn't a complete list, & more requests will follow. I will be making new request posts as I determine more albums to add. In the meantime, please comment on this post to notify me if you'd like to help fulfill a request, or e-mail metalfro777 [at] hotmail dot com.

Decision D - Razon De La Muerte (1992)

admin — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 02:22:00 +0000

Here is an interesting, little-known Dutch technical thrash band called Decision D. They are probably best remembered in the Christian metal scene for 3 things:

The unique vocals of Edwin Ogenio.
Their overtly technical style.
The thin production of this album.

Yes, while it's true that many thrash bands first albums had poor production, and this being no exception, one can easily look past that to see the beauty within. The guitar is heavy, the riffs are plenty, the solo work is good (while not being outstanding), and the band sounds tight. Edwin has a variety of vocal sounds, ranging from a low, death metal growl to a high-pitched scream, and a few levels & sounds in between. Edwin's vocals are somewhat an acquired taste, but once you acquire them, you'll find this album has a lot to offer. Opening track "Diabolic Shadow" starts off full force with a driving riff, and Edwin screaming into a rapid-fire lyrical approach, sounding not unlike a hardcore punk band trying to spit out a lot of lyrics. However, Edwin's inflections make things more interesting. "World's Deception" slows things down a bit, and gives Edwin a chance to stretch out even more, vocally, and has some nice riffing. "Holy Supper", my other fav on the album, has an awesome chorus riff, in addition to an interesting vocal by Edwin.

All in all, a difficult album to come by (though not nearly as difficult as its follow-up, Moratoria), but worth the search. This is a forgotten Christian thrash gem that should have been appreciated by more people, had they received distribution through someone like Diamante back in the day. Sadly, few outside of Europe heard this unless they ordered through someone like Rad Rockers.

Track List:
1. Diabolic Shadow 07:32
2. World´s Deception 06:11
3. Babylon´s Kingdom 04:10
4. Holy Supper 03:18
5. Hymn Of The Refuge 04:00
6. Ecclesia Anorexia 06:42
7. Criticize 07:01
8. Reincarnation Of Death 06:51

Download from MegaUpload

320CBR with large sleeve & UCard scans.

Remember, this album is out of print & unavailable through traditional outlets. However, if the album is ever re-issued, I will remove the download link from the site & replace it with a link to wherever you can purchased the re-issue from.