Germany has been always great black metal scene and Wolfmond Production brings us some really awesome releases. This time it is a new opus by Lost Shade. This is their fourth full length opus being in the scene since 1999. This opus contains ten songs. Music of Lost Shade is fast and kind of raw black metal, but also song structures have some epic warrior battle melodies, with lyrics more oriented towards pagan side of things. Vocals are black metal screaming, not too extreme but I can also hear some chanting and some spoken word in some songs depending on the atmosphere. As I said, this is black battle pagan metal par excellence. Lyrics are in German, but I understand the language so my personal favorites on this one are Ewige Vergeltung, great epic song with such eerie piano song ending, also Hexentanz and Leichenmarsch. It kind of reminds me of old school Mystic Circle in its epicness, but without synth and symphonic passages. Good epic pagan battle black metal.
This book is in fact a fine collection of eighties photos of more and less known hardcore punk bands in action, capturing all the intensity and energy that only hardcore punk show can provide. All of the fantastic photos are done by great Anne Ullrich and foreword and comments to the bands are done by Lee Hollis known as a singer for legendary hardcore punk band Spermbirds. I enjoyed seeing those photos, but I also enjoyed reading Lee’s comments because they are sometimes so full of black humor and sarcasm, sometimes you can see in him that little hardcore kid with shining eyes that we all still are. Great monography, great book and I really enjoy to have it in my collection. Hardcore lives!
Many people don’t love newer, darker Nofx phase with more varied songs, piano parts, dark introspective lyrics with lots of word play, but I love it. This, maybe last studio album of these skate punk legends continues where last one called Single Album left off. Songs are more up tempo and more energetic with beautiful, yet somehow melancholic melodies, Don’t Count On Me is one of my personal favorites with such superb vocal interplay between Fat Mike’s, Hefe’s and Melvin’s voice. I can also hear lots of Cokie The Clown(Fat Mike’s alter ego) in some songs. Also, band grew and gained a lot when Karina Denike joined on keys and backing vocals, the songs gained such great richness. Nofx also take verbal attack on the scene with Punk Rock Cliche, the song to which lyrics I can relate totally in many ways. The music is basically fast skate punk, but versatile, with reggae, ska influences, also I would dare to say progressive punk rock in many ways. Fuck Day Six is a great dark song about rehab, autobiographic and strong. Gone With The Heroined, which was called before Scarlett O Heroin on one of those seven inches series, finishes this ten song album in an incredible but darkened way. This is dark skate punk rock tour de force and if it is the last one by this legendary band it is a worthy legacy.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 