Rob Zombie is back with his new album. You can love or hate his works, since White Zombie days to his solo albums, but the man has imagination and ideas. I love his movie work, I watched all his movies many times and every time I watch them again, I always see something new. Such great atmosphere, gore and poetry. This new album contains 17 songs of carnage in the vein of Rob Zombie. That means industrial metal with touch of psychedelia, horror punk even garage rock and hard rock. Heavy use of electronics and samples is fine by me, I love electronics and samples when they are used cleverly and fit perfectly to the song structure. There are couple of short songs that serve more of intros or instrumental intermezzos between acts of this psychodrama. Listening to this album is like watching Firefly family rampaging, stomping around and loving it. My highlights recommended songs: Shadow of the Cemetery Man, The Eternal Struggles of the Howling Man.
Slovenians from Brussels, Belgium are in no way strangers to the pages of this zine, because I reviewed their last release a while ago. Now, they have a new e.p. out and it contains four songs of unrelenting skate punk madness. Negative Influence is for me the best song on this e.p. being fast skate punk anthem with lots of energy, harsh yet melodic vocal lines and catchy main melody. Get A Job is more garage punk influenced mid tempo more rock vibe song and it sounds interesting. Mobilehome has bass intro followed with almost sludgy song start and dirty guitar riffs sending raw punk spirit across our sound speakers to our hearts and minds. Vocals are spoken and in French on this one, varying between singing, angry reciting and whispering. Newbee In Town is again faster more straightforward punk song and my other highlight of this record. Good one.
Giotopia is Belgian fantasy epic metal project and they are about to release their third full length opus. Originally being brainchild spawn of one Gio Smet, this entity accumulates many prominent musicians delivering their part in the concept saga story that is this album. The album contains 11 songs of conceptual saga of heroism, war of good against evil told through many characters and vocal lines, powerful and epic guitar riffs, epic melodies and heroic metal to make your old metal heart beating faster upon listening to these songs. Keyboard, piano and atmospheric parts are also prominent in some song structures emphasizing drama and characters of this instant classic tale. I recommend that you take time and listen to the album in its entirety because it is one story, one saga and only if you listen to the whole you will understand the grandeur and epic storytelling in this music metal tale. My personal favorites are Trinity Of Evil and Princess Of Ice, but as I said, you will be wise if you listen to the whole opus. Great one!
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 