WORT’s The Mosh Pit

Azaghal
Omega
Moribund Cult
45:15 - 9 Tracks
Pretty straightforward old-school sounding black metal going on here. It’d quite evil, “underground sounding” and that means raw to me. There isn’t much new ground being tread here, but Moribund seems to be putting out some decent old school black metal stuff lately, and it’s about time we played some!

Benedictum
Seasons Of Tragedy
Locomotive
59:02 - 11 Tracks
You may recall we played a few tracks from these guys a couple years ago… from their album “Uncreation” They’ve got a nice looking female singer, who doesn’t always sound female… She has a good range and grit to her voice which I think makes it stand above some of the typical euro “femetal” The music is straight forward metal/thrash. Production is top notch, guitar solos are cool, and some songs get pretty heavy, but with some catchy choruses. It’s all around a pretty cool metal CD which you will hear on the Mosh Pit!

Close Your Eyes
Close Your Eyes
Music Gallery
21:23 - 6 Tracks
I haven’t even listened to this CD as I type this, I’m almost hoping that it’s bad, just so I can say Close Your Eyes? No, let me close my ears!. Okay, so here goes, I’m putting the CD in the tray…. Well, the guitars are neat, songs are catchy, but it is metal/emo core…. and I don’t know if I can really love this. There are the typical breakdowns, singalongs, and really the only CD of this genre I’ve heard so far this year. I can say this might not make it to the air, but if there’s time or requests, you may just hear it… I’m a sucker for catchy songs.

Dark Fortress
Eidolon
Century Media
52:17 - 9 Tracks
This is some pretty good heavy, well produced black metal, more along the lines of Behemoth and Vader. However, I think there are more black metal elements, with some of the guitar sound having that eerie tone. The drumming and rest of the music of course are intense and very well put together. I find it hard to want to stop listening to it. In fact usually when I type up these reviews, I skip around the CD and try and get an overall vibe as I type. When listening to this, I am getting distracted and finding other things to do on the computer while still listening to this! :) So yeah, you’ll hear this on the Mosh Pit!

Eluveitie
Slania
Nuclear Blast
50:16 - 13 Tracks
Typically folk metal comes from Scandinavia, well, at least that’s where I think it comes from… either there or Ireland or Scotland or something. These guys hail from Switzerland! Their bio states that their music is based on traditional Celtic music and Gothenburg metal. That’s a fair generalization. It almost feels like I’m listening to “steerage” music from the Titanic mixed with some of the best In Flames / Soilwork stuff. To me, it’s metal first, and folk second on this. There is an underlying violiney-folk in the background, but it seems to mostly stay there…in the backround. There are a few tracks that it moves to previal, but overall, this is a metal cd with folk mixed in, not folk with metal. Of course, it reminds me a bit of the older, heavier Amorphis too. You’ll need to hear this, so I’ll be playing it!

Hemlock
No Time For Sorrow
Blind Prophecy
41:47 - 12 Tracks
From Vegas, Hemlock has been around for a while, but now they are getting a bit more notice, as they are opening for Ministry and Meshuggah on the CU LaTour. Their music is pretty straight forward metal. A bit like Lamb of God/Chimaira, and the like. They have a good chugga chugga metal sound, but with some cool melodic guitar overlayed on top. The hooks and riffs and melodies are catchy, some breakdowns are here and there, and the vocals are good and barky. I’d have to go as far as to say it’s a bit like Pantera,actually a bit of a mix middle-age Pantera (far beyond driven, but with more hardcore). You’ll hear this on the Mosh Pit.

Hermano
…Into The Exam Room
Regain Records
43:46 - 12 Tracks
Stoner Metal, featuring the former singer from Kyuss. As most stoner metal goes, this is par for the course. Good meaty riffs, some catchy parts, and yup, some heavy parts. The production is pretty good, and since we have some fans of Stoner Metal, this is a must play on the Mosh Pit.

P.O.D.
“Addicted” Single
INO/Columbia
3:32 - 1 Track
Sorry, not for the Mosh Pit these days. It’s a song, it’s POD, it’s just the same ol same ol from them… not bad, just not for the Mosh Pit. I don’t know if this will go well with Dark Fortress and Hate Eternal… haha

Tarja
My Winter Storm
Fontana International
71:08 - 20 Tracks
You might recognize this name from her old band, Nightwish. This “solo” release is someone typical for euro-femetal. There’s a lot of classical elements in this CD and not so much Metal. Only a couple “metal-ish” tracks on here that I can find. Because it’s her first solo album, There’s a track or two we can find to play on here, or at least part of one!

Zimmers Hole
When You Were Shouting At The Devil… We Were In League With Satan
Century Media
39:49 - 11 Tracks
This is the side-band to Strapping Young Lad, featuring everyone but Devin (who produced the vocals and mix), but hey, the singer is the guy that’s done backup vox for Devin/SYL for years, so he does sound just like it. This is kind of a joke band, but hell, this music is no joke, it’s fast, heavy, catchy and makes me want to break things. The songs are hilarious, especially “The Vowel Song” featuring Nathan Explosion from Dethklok. You will hear a lot of this on the Mosh Pit!

ARTIST  –  TRACK  –  ALBUM  –  LABEL  –  NEW  –  REQ
Protest The Hero  –  Wretch  –  Fortress  –  Vagrant  –  Y  –  N
Bullet For My Valentine  –  Scream Aim Fire  –  Scream Aim Fire  –  Jive  –  Y  –  N
Ministry  –  Under My Thumb  –  C U LaTour Sampler  –  N/A  –  Y  –  N
Cavalera Conspiracy  –  Sanctuary  –  Inflikted  –  Roadrunner  –  Y  –  N
Disfear  –  Fiery Father  –  Live The Storm  –  Relapse  –  Y  –  N
Spyder Baby  –  Bitter  –  Let Us Prey  –  Blind Prophecy  –  Y  –  N
Death Angel  –  Buried Alive  –  Killing Season  –  Nuclear Blast  –  Y  –  N
Grief of War  –  Sown By Greed  –  A Mounting Crisis…As Their Fury Got Released  –  Prosthetic  –  Y  –  N
Warbringer  –  Beneath The Waves  –  War Without End  –  Century Media  –  Y  –  N
Brainstorm  –  Protect Me From Myself  –  Downburst  –  Metal Blade  –  Y  –  N
Primal Fear  –  Blood On Your Hands  –  New Religion  –  Locomotive  –  Y  –  N
Seven Witches  –  Worship  –  Deadly Sins  –  Locomotive  –  Y  –  N
Powermad  –  Plastic Town  –  Absolute Power  –  Reprise  –  N  –  Y
Heathen  –  Opiate of the Masses  –  Victims of Deception  –  Roadrunner  –  N  –  Y
Realm  –  Eleanor Rigby  –  Endless War  –  Roadrunner  –  N  –  Y
Judas Priest  –  Some Heads Are Gonna Roll  –  Defenders of the Faith  –  Columbia  –  N  –  Y
Iron Maiden  –  Can I Play With Madness  –  Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son  –  Capitol  –  N  –  Y
Metallica  –  Helpless  –  Garage Days  –  Elektra  –  N  –  Y
Pantera  –  Use My Third Arm  –  Far Beyond Driven  –  Elektra  –  N  –  Y
Kingdom of Sorrow  –  Piece It All Back Together  –  Kingdom of Sorrow  –  Relapse  –  Y  –  N
Sworn Enemy  –  A Place of Solace  –  Maniacal  –  Century Media  –  Y  –  N
Arson Anthem  –  The Avoider  –  Arson Anthem  –  Housecore  –  Y  –  N
Clutch  –  Burning Beard  –  Robot Hive / Exodus  –  DRT  –  N  –  Y
Meshuggah  –  Electric Red  –  obZen  –  Nuclear Blast  –  Y  –  N
Vvervvolf Grehv  –  Over Active Appreciation  –  Zombie Aesthetics  –  Relapse  –  Y  –  N
Neaera  –  Tools of Greed  –  Armamentarium  –  Metal Blade  –  Y  –  N
In Flames  –  The Mirror’s Truth  –  A Sense of Purpose  –  Koch  –  Y  –  N
Heaven Shall Burn  –  Forlorn Skies  –  Iconoclast  –  Century Media  –  Y  –  N
Winds of Plague  –  The Impaler  –  Decimate The Weak  –  Century Media  –  Y  –  N
Brain Drill  –  Consumed By The Dead  –  Apocalyptic Feasting  –  Metal Blade  –  Y  –  N
Salt The Wound  –  We’ll Sleep Until Sunset  –  Carnal Repercussions  –  Rotten  –  Y  –  N
Hate Eternal  –  Para Bellum  –  Fury & Flames  –  Metal Blade  –  Y  –  N

WORT-FM Loud Rock Top 20 for the Week of 3/3/08

Artist  –  Album  –  Label
1) Protest The Hero  –  Fortress  –  Vagrant
2) Brain Drill  –  Apocalyptic Feasting  –  Metal Blade
3) Winds of Plague  –  Decimate The Weak  –  Century Media
4) Heaven Shall Burn  –  Iconoclast Part 1: The Final Resistance  –  Century Media
5) Cavalera Conspiracy  –  Inflikted  –  Roadrunner
6) Sworn Enemy  –  Maniacal  –  Century Media
7) Death Angel  –  Killing Season  –  Nuclear Blast
8) Primal Fear  –  New Religion  –  Locomotive
9) Kingdom of Sorrow  –  Kingdom of Sorrow  –  Relapse
10) Hate Eternal  –  Fury and Flames  –  Metal Blade
11) Seven Witches  –  Deadly Sins  –  Screaming Ferret
12) Brainstorm  –  Downburst  –  Metal Blade
13) Saviours  –  Into Abaddon  –  Kemado
14) Various Artists  –  C U LaTour Sampler  –  N/A
15) Salt the Wound  –  Carnal Repercussions  –  Rotten
16) Warbringer  –  War Without End  –  Century Media
17) Devian  –  Ninewinged Serpent  –  Century Media
18) Bullet For My Valentine  –  Scream Aim Fire  –  Jive/Zomba
19) Arson Anthem  –  Arson Anthem  –  Housecore
20) Grief of War  –  A Mounting Crisis…  –  Prosthetic

Top 5 Adds
1) Meshuggah  –  obZen  –  Nuclear Blast
2) Neaera  –  Armamentarium  –  Metal Blade
3) Spyder Baby  –  Led Us Prey  –  Blind Prophecy
4) Vverevvolf Grehv  –  Zombie Aesthetics  –  Relapse
5) Vayden  –  Children of Our Mistakes  –  Silent Majority

Other Adds:  Danava

Neaera
Armamentarium
Metal Blade
57:05 - 12 Tracks
A follow up to their last album, duh,…  Their last album was comparable to At The Gates, as they seemed to have that same edge.  This is some of the same, but with a bit more brutal cookie monster vocals mixed in here and there.  The music is top notch, production is nice and clean.  This is something you can expect to hear a lot of on the Mosh Pit.

Spyder Baby
Let Us Prey
Blind Prophecy
46:01 - 14 Tracks
This is a bit punky, a bit “nu-metal” and a bit industrial.  The guitars are dirty sounding, there is some melodic music stuff happening in the background, vocal melodies and some harsh vocals mixed in.  I guess one could say it’s Marilyn Manson meets some Ministry and old school punk.   Some tracks are pretty darn cool, others get a little boring.  We’ll do our best to play what’s cool on the Mosh Pit.

Vayden
Children Of Our Mistakes
Silent Majority
39:05 - 12 Tracks
This starts off in the first 20 seconds as being catchy, chunky, cool, then the vocals come in, and I feel like I got gypped.   It get real slow real quick for a bit, then gets back to normal, but nothing as cool as that first 20 secons!  This band might be more suited for more commercial hard rock formats, and not so much for the Mosh Pit.  They are pretty good for what they are setting out to do, but as for fitting into a true metal show?  Not so much.

Danava
Uonouno
Kemado Records
54:56 - 7 Tracks
This is a bit like an old school 70’s metal release.  Nowadays I guess they would be called stoner metal.  The production, I assume.  It’s a bit “airy,” yet they say “proto-metal and old school prog”  It’s just a little bit too much of the proto and not enough metal.  I think I’ll hand it on to the rest of the WORT staff for airplay.

Meshuggah
obZen
Nuclear Blast
53:25 - 9 Tracks
This is definitely their “comeback” album!  The last two albums from Meshuggah were, I dunno, blah.  This one has them coming back and showing who they really are.  So many bands have mimicked Meshuggah over the last few years, but there is only one.  obZen shows everyone who the masters are.  The playing, as usual, is just sick, fast, crazy and not easy to dance to.  The only dancing that will be done will be in the circle pit.  If you are a fan and like me were a little disappointed in their last couple releases (Catch 33 and maybe Nothing), you will be happy to have the old Meshuggah back!

Vverevvolf Grehv
Zombie Aesthetics
Relapse Records
Unavailable for review, however, their Myspace page has a few tracks, to indicate they are fairly experimental, but fairly brutal in the metal realm.