This week's music bag has a collection of reissues, a live album. and a very odd EP from a band whose name matches their musical oddness. Then again, you, my beloved readers, know I like an eclectic mix in this column.
CD Reviews
Xentrix: Shattered Existence, For Whose Advantage?, Kin
Whether you consider this Leyland (yes the origin of all those horribly made cars in the '70s) band Bay Area Thrash wannabes or flag-bearers of British thrash you have to admire their tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. What can you say about a band who gained notoriety for doing thrash versions of "'Ghostbusters" (included on two of the CD reissues) and other pop hits of the day live? It's a rather sharp contrast to the sometimes annoyingly po-faced attitude of certain Bay Area thrashers. Many of B team provided Xentrix with support slots.
This is head down thrash with attitude but never over the top. It's not exactly ground-breaking by any means but it is obvious why they had a following. These three CDs come in classy gate-folds sleeves with liner notes replete with an essay on each release (though it has to be said, in tiny print). Each CD comes with bonus tracks one with all the tracks from the Dilute to Taste EP. Xentrix holds a place in the history of thrash metal and thus is deserving of your metal attention. Sure beats listening to the last Metallica album, that's for sure.
Nox: Ixaxaar
Brutal technical death metal is what you will hear from this lot. Death metal vocals and amazing speed abound. Unlike some of these bands that are just straight grunt, there is a tune found in each track. This is creepy and intense stuff played at full throttle. If you like it heavy, nasty but technical then this lot might just be for you. Let's put it this way... the name of the album is that of the gate of hell... you are warned.
With Passion: What We See When We Shut Our Eyes
Now this lot have been at times, and have toured with, metalcore bands. But like Mastadon and a few others, there is something a lot more clever going on than just metalcore. This is technical progy (at times) death/black metal. Oddles of riffing combine with some seriously impressive musical prowess. This is certainly not your average "modern metal" album that is for sure. A good one for fans of machine-gun drumming... check out "Forgotten Amongst Screams" if you want proof. Worth checking out for the extreme metal fan.
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