NON-METAL RELATED POST: GET YOUR ''LOST'' FIX

Since ''Incredibly Lost Live'' is a project I hold very close to my heart,I'm going to allow myself to post about it on this blog.I know it has nothing to do with the music,and if that gets your panties in a bunch,I bet you do remember how to scroll past a post.

It all started with an RPG forum that I joined in December.I had never thought my whole damned life that I would possibly ever find a Role Playing Game that might be of the slightest interest to me,even though I've been told by numerous people that I should have a career as a writer.For many years I have left this hobby aside (pretty much since I dropped out of high school).Then,years later,I discovered the captivating and thrilling world of the hit tv-show ''Lost''.That has inspired me to look for RPG boards where equally-talented writers joined to re-write history.

That is when I discovered the one and only web-forum that displays a very convincing re-write of the original ''Lost'' script: ''Incredibly Lost''.

I have personally joined in the fun as Charlie Pace during the x-mas break.I have been posting actively since then.

Some weeks ago,me and co-writer Kay Z have had the fabulous idea of turning our texts into actual episodes of ''Lost'',using audio that we recorded for the characters that we portray on the forum.This audio is going to be synced to actual footage from the TV show.In there,I portray Charlie Pace.

A commercial has already been posted on the official Incredibly Lost Live channel.Ten-minute episodes will be posted each week.I will announce the release date of the first episode once we're done working on it.

Spread the word,and if you do feel like whining about the fact that there are Lost-related posts on this blog,feel free to do so in the comments section.

Sincerely,

-Noch

URLS

The ''Incredibly Lost'' RPG forum: http://incrediblylost.proboards.com/index.cgi
The ''Incredibly Lost Live'' Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/IncrediblyLostLive

Last saturday's installment of my show is up!

Take note that I replaced the Podomatic player at the top of the page by a brand new one to get extra storage space.To hear previous installments of my show,visit www.myspace.com/crocpodcast where everything is still archived.

In this past Saturday's installment (March 13th) I brought you sixteen choice cuts in an extended 87-minute special.

Here is the playlist.

1.IMMOLATION: A Glorious Epoch
2.LUX DIVINA: Forgotten Divinity Deletrix Part I
3.CATAMENIA: Quantity of Sadness
4.MORDERISCH: Welcome to Death
5.GRAVEHAMMER: Omens of a Macabre End
6.DULCAMARA: Infierno
7.KALMAH: Bullets Are Blind
8.ANIMA: Welcome to Our Killzone
9.SOLUTION .45: Gravitational Lensing
10.ARSIS: We are the Nightmare
11.UNLEASHED: As Yggdrasil Trembles
12.SYN:DROM: Obsolete Gods
13.ORDER OF APOLLYON: Never
14.EXODUS: Hammer and Life
15.HOSTILITY: Resented Legacy
16.UNDEAD CREEP: Undead Creep

Spread the word.

-Noch

REVIEW: ANIMA-''Enter the Killzone''

TRACKLIST:

1.Intro
2.Incarceration
3.Loner's Reflection
4.Cu(n)t & Twist
5.The Man Eater
6.Carnage Provoked
7.Black Night
8.The Omnipotent Torture King
9.Welcome to Our Killzone
10.Necromantica
11.I am Sick I Want to Kill
12. XXXIII

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

2. ''Incarceration''

I have to underline the fact that this album's production leaves a lot to be desired.I have a strong impression that this is an unfinalized mix of the track due to something that seems like a complete distance between the drums and practically everything else happening in the song,sound-wise.Musicianship-wise,these guys are very skilled at their craft,even though I must admit I am no fan of deathcore.Now I might get crucified for this,but I sat through the whole song,and found no element that particularly stood out in my ears when it comes to defining ANIMA as a band of its own rather than just one of the many of the gazillion bands of that same area of the scene.Not that I expect every single band to manage to reinvent the wheel,but I at least expect them to have at least one particular trait of their sound retaining my attention enough to keep me coming back to THEIR material instead of any other band's.I dare hope it is still yet to reach my ears.

3. ''Loner's Reflection''

Even though I was only a BIT less bored with this one track than the previous,I do believe in there lies a conscious effort to make the song slightly more nuanced than just one huge breakdown and a go-nowhere solo thrown into the void.This song has phases,and a personnality.It is one highly venomous display of passionate and furious drumming.The riffage in there is nowhere near original,but I must admit it follows more of a clear direction than on the previous track and it does have a highly threatening sound that makes the track one to fully enjoy,but it will still take a lot more than that to get me to come back to it repeatedly.

4. ''Cu(n)t & Twist''

Most definitely,this album keeps on getting better as it progresses.I'm pretty psyched to see there are some more regular brutal death metal sounding moments on this disc,and they sometimes do take the front of the stage,pushing away the obsessive focus on breakdowns for a breath of fresh air that was extremely needed from my end.This is a highly groovy track that wouldn't be out of place on a Dying Fetus album.Being a very loyal fan of the latter,I can only say this makes ANIMA score quite a few points in my book.I am pleasantly surprised.

5. ''The Man Eater''

Quite interesting to consider that this track's main riff sounds a bit death-thrashy on the edges.I never expected to find such a riff buried somewhere within this effort.It is quite a considerable driving force for this song as it remains omnipresent within the hardcore enveloppe that clearly packages this band's sound.I definitely appreciate the nod to different sub-genres and the ability of blending it in within the core of the identity of this album.It makes for quite a violent and original-sounding assault that grabs me a thousand times more efficiently where the album failed to even retain the slightest of my attention in the beginning.

6. ''Carnage Provoked''

This one track is a focus on the band's rootsound.Even though it is a return to flat-out deathcore,I do appreciate the presence of a solid main riff,and the same type of threatening serpentine guitar work that made tracks like ''Loner's Reflection'' one nifty sort of volcano erupting on slow-motion.This is pretty much the best metaphor I have to offer when it comes to describing this type of deathcore.Slow,vicious.It does work.It does NOT reivent the mold,but it does work wonders.

7. ''Black Night'' This is an interlude.

8. ''The Omnipotent Torture King''

Very catchy slab of perfectly-executed deathgrind.Yes,I said deathgrind.This song is another highly relieving departure from the Tales of a Thousand Breakdowns defining the beginning of the record.Memorable main riff,moments of pure fucking technical chaos,haunting wall of sounds that get you craving for another bigger fix,only to have you find out it can't possibly get any bigger than that.

9. ''Welcome to Our Killzone''

This is a fairly equal alternance between furious thrash metal induced passages and the usual deathcore breakdowns.Within such a thrashy context though,said breakdowns are a much easier pill to swallow.This track's absolute sense of emphasyzing the importance of the melodies easily makes it my favourite song on the record.Each and every riff pummells my skull and remains etched upon my brain.This is most exactly what I crave hearing on each and every album I review : a skillful blend of sub-genres that are ever-so-rarely blended together with this much talent.This is one track I will definitely promote.

10. ''Necromantica''

Smashing brutality-wise,I fucking love this track.Riffage-wise,I am less than impressed with this one.The guitars have managed to take my attention in much greater ways than that in some moments of the album.That's the jist of it.

11. ''I Am Sick I Want to Kill''

This track quite surprisingly starts at a relatively down-tempo pace,making it a very well constructed progressive deathgrind win.Yet another song that took me aback with its raw and destructive approach to technical songwriting.So far this album has been a build-up,and I expect quite a grand finale.

12. ''XXXIII''

Against my expectations,this track is most definitely not the best of the whole affair.It really does kind of stretch out to no end,with much more emphasis on the sound effects than the actual substance of the music in itself.

RATING: 7.5/10 While I was far from convinced this record would ever manage to do anything for me,it has taken me on a road of highly pleasant and consuming surprises with its nod to other quality sub-genres and its technical edge that got more and more obvious as I visited each track.This is most definitely an interesting journey into the dephts of brutality and one I might even occasionally come back to in moments of intense lust for pure sonic chaos.Impressive effort.Give a chance to this album.It starts out on a flat note but builds into quite a mean fucking monster.

-Noch

I will stream the track ''Welcome to Our Killzone'' on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show,''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.You can tune in at 7 PM EST on www.radioquebec.biz or www.frankoradio.com.The re-broadcast airs on Sunday,also at 7 PM EST,on the same two channels.A downloadable version of the installment will be uploaded to my MySpace page the following Monday.

Mörderisch: YET ANOTHER GEM FROM BRASIL

The thrash metal revival of the past few years that everyone but the deaf and blind has witnessed and embraced spawned the sometimes epic,sometimes completely unnecessary return of the fathers of the scene,but the most considerable action caused by the return of this sub-genre to the forefront of the stage has,in my eyes,unfolded within the deep underground.Don't get me wrong,I'm definitely hooked to bands like Evile and Warbringer,but nothing gets me nearly as apeshit as obscure bands such as Pesticide,Bomb Threat,the band in question in this article Mörderisch,to name but a very select few.

To be taken back to the feel of the tape-trading days,down to the sound of the cassettes played through a small 80s 'corder,it is common knowledge that you have to dig up the deepest vaults of underground metal labels such as Pure Steel Records,Stormspell Records and a few others,and you also need to keep an eye on the evergrowing community of bands promoting their music on MySpace.

It is by opting for the latter that I discovered quite an impressive thrash metal band from Brasil.The four dudes in the picture above raise shitloads of hell.Groovy and absolutely well-constructed hyperactive guitar work,impressive drumming,and a completely insane-sounding vocal performance reminiscent of Tom Araya's earlier days are the main cards that are being played.Each of the band's cuts found on their MySpace page all have their very own personnality and heaviness to them.I can somewhat feel a pinch of NWOBH influence in the sound as well,which does give it a very rich personnality and appeal.


The band has formed in June of 2008.There are three tracks online right now,but there is nothing like the crowd's support and encouragements to keep a band on the roll.


Check 'em out and fucking applaud their talent. www.myspace.com/morderischbr

-Noch

TAKE NOTE: I'm gonna give these guys some airplay on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show,''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.Tune in,and support.

HOSTILITY: A JOURNEY BACK TO THE PANTERA DAYS

If you are a self-respecting metal fan,you are one of the thousands of millions of people who are still mourning the death of Dime.And if you are not a supreme fucking cunt who deserves to be lapidated with nuclear bombs,you respect Phil Anselmo and the way he's contributing to the growth of the underground metal scene,while fully recognizing the undisputable fact that he has NOTHING to do with Dimebag's murder.

Even though the man has his own record label called Housecore records,and it is quite a nifty home for killer heavy bands,even outside of Phil's radar are quite some remarkable acts that totally fucking rip it up exactly the way Pantera used to do it.

In comes Hostility.I heard these guys just this afternoon as they recently released a new track called ''Resented Legacy'' on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/hostilityus).
From the very moment the first chords hit it like a truckload of fucking bricks on my head,I was taken straight back to ''Vulgar Display of Power''-era Pantera.It was very blatantly going to fire up into a full-blown tribute to the gem that is the music Dime left behind with his unforgettable and highly worshippable legacy.

These guys' new record ''Set in Stone'' hits the shelves in the earlies of the summer,and the label still hasn't been determined.If I wasn't that fucking broke I'd put good money on the probability that they're gonna get Anselmo's kudos and will end up on Housecore.

Listen and see for yourselves.This is the real deal.

-Noch

NOTE: HOSTILITY is going to get a stream on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show ''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.Tune in,and support.

REVIEW: CATAMENIA-''Cavalcade''

TRACKLIST:

1.Blood Trails
2.Cavalcade
3.The Path that Lies Behind Me
4.Silence
5.Quantity of Sadness
6.Post Mortem
7.The Vulture's Feast
8.A Callous Mind
9.Reincarnation
10.Angry Again

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Blood Trails''

I have to admit I did sample this album on the band's MySpace page after hearing a wee bit of this track only to check if there was a bit more heaviness in store on this album.And I can safely say that make no mistake,these guys have got quite a few tricks under their belt.

This first song is quite a sweet slab of melodic metal.It has quite a fleeting darkness to it that you mostly can never put your finger on while listening to this type of alternative metal usually.I find the guitar melodies absolutely catchy,and the blend of James Malone-ish vocals and the cleans gives it a very human tone that definitely makes the track very efficient and quite a relief to hear when shit piles up in life and you need to hear a straight up rocker come out of your speakers.Good stuff,but I'm looking forward to hearing something truly metallic coming out of those energic little dudes.

2. ''Cavalcade''

When I said these guys have quite a few surprises in store for the listener,I was most definitely correct.This track takes us into a bit more of a viking folk terrain with a strong dose of Amorphis influence.This is a remarkable departure from the general direction the first track was heading into.It is a mid-tempo ''Sampo''-type track with a very immersive guitar melody that truly takes ya into the general feeling Amorphis always achieves: taking you into the dephts of dark woods in the dephts of Finland.The fact that these guys come from that area is quite undeniable when you look into the heart of this song.The clean vocals are particularly impressive at this point as the frontman reaches some very high notes and blend in quite successfully with deep haunting growls that display a raw emotion that totally grabs you.Simply beautiful and sacred.Fans of November's Doom and Katatonia also might want to turn to this song for a very similar feeling.

3. ''The Path that Lies Behind Me''

This one track is quite the unusual blend of styles.I have to admit I love it when bands achieve the challenge of infusing two very different sub-genres into one absolutely efficient and smashing display of art that's going to take you aback and tear you a new one when it comes to what you THINK you can expect from a record.

This one track stays within the mid-tempo folk-ish vein though it is slightly less obvious than on the previous track.The vocals are slightly more rythmic than pre-dominant,and the song has quite a soft personnality,but beware: there are some black metal passages.These are quite simply amazing.The driving melody of these blastbeat-furious moments is completely stunning,and I have to say I now crave hearing more of what these guys can pull off when it comes to this sub-genre in particular.Good melodic black metal being a rare gem as of late,I always get excited when I hear such a convincing display of excellency.These passages should have been slightly more frequent within the song,but this doesn't take anything away from these guys' impressive ability to make this type of malevolent darkness fit with folk-ish,slightly alternative metal-sounding innocence.It is quite a beautiful portrayal of the darkened human mind and its patterns.

4. ''Silence''

Yet another very melody-driven track that is slightly in the vein of ''Cavalcade'' but it has more of a sorrowful tone than a dark one.I would say this strongly reminds me of what I have heard on the latest Arsis album ''Starve for the Devil'',but stripped from its technical elements,and rendered as raw emotion retaining the strong melodious talent.The James Malone vocals are particularly impressive on this track,being absolute shrieks that efficiently grab you and keep your attention all through the song,while the cleans are more of a background presence than on the previous songs,but achieve the same kind of effect than on the first track.The choruses are a very interesting nod to Opeth,Mikael Akerfeldt-ian deep growls included,and I can also still hear a hint of an Amorphis touch on the guitar work,which does blend in beautifully.It is a very promising swirl of influences that does take the listener on a roll where they simply can't tear themselves from this listening experience.

5. ''Quantity of Sadness''

This is the straight-forward display of insane heaviness that I was waiting for after hearing the third-track.This is a bit of a blackened folk song to some extent,but still with a touch of Arsis fascination taking the forefront of the game.The vocals are most definitely at their peak as the James Malone compares continue to abund.I would say this one track is the most loyal portrayal of the ensemble of this band's work that could easily be the first song to pitch to someone who's completely new to this band's sound.It is most definitely an instant kicker,an instant love.I'm going to stream this track on my own radio show this week.I am truly convinced this is going to be embraced by all the listeners without a single exception.

6. ''Post Mortem''

I would say this song is a bit of a step back into the band's basic roots.It is what I would classify as a prime example of what Viking Metal was all about before Amon Amarth turned it into swedish death metal.The chorus' union of clean vocals and mid-volume shrieks make for an extremely interesting sonic result.While this track isn't the strongest on the record when it comes to blowing your mind to dust with beat variations and skillful nuances,it is still a very sweet track that all folk lovers will embrace with much enthusiasm.

7. ''The Vulture's Feast''

We are heading straight back towards the Amorphis sound with a clean vocal-driven track that is quite boldly beautiful.To me it is most definitely the main surprise on this record.It could probably be turned into an accoustic track and still have me nodding my head along.It is what I would call a folk ballad,if I'm gonna put this under a tag.There is absolutely no growling within,no agressivity,yet it does belong on this disc and it's truly pushing the enveloppe when it comes to how efficient such a soft track can be in the midst of a metal record.

8. ''A Callous Mind''

Yet another fucking grand smash into the skull in a ''Quantity of Sadness'' fashion.The same cards are being played here,to my absolute satisfaction,making it yet another song I will absolutely have to stream.I have nothing to add to this that hasn't been said about the fifth track.It definitely reaches the same level of excellency while being a breath of fresh air and a very welcome kick in the face.

9. ''Reincarnation''

I would easily attach this song to ''Post Mortem'' in the sense that it is a focus on the root of the band's sound,particularly mind-blowing clean-vocal-driven chorus atop.The accoustic passages of the song add a very,very nice touch to the body of the song.

10. ''Angry Again'' (MEGADETH cover)

I must admit I was quite surprised to find a Megadeth cover in here,since the band's sound is clearly not going in that direction in the entire lenght of the album,but I was quite pleased with this type of tribute to a band I personally can't get enough of.It is a very accurate cover of a classic track that easily ranks amongst my favourites.The band does keep its sound,even though it is very loyal to the 'Deth.Quite a sweet way to end the album.

RATING: 9.5/10 I must admit I am most definitely on a blackened-folk drive this time around and this album is exactly the type of disc I want to crank at maximum volume every single day.This band's influences are comprised of my idols of the moment,while embodying a very unique identity for themselves.I must note that the songwriting in here is absolutely impressive.It totally smoked me up with each and every single track,and the unpredictable twists and turns of this band's sound are absolutely unforgettable.

This is a must-buy.

-Noch

REVIEW: DEMONICA-''Demonstrous''

TRACKLIST:
1.Demon Class
2.Ghost Hunt
3.My Tongue
4.Luscious Damned
5.Below Zero
6.Alien Six
7.Palace of Glass
8.Fast and Furious
9. Summoned
10.Astronomica

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1.''Demon Class''

With this track I would easily classify this band's sound as Lamb of God meets Exodus.Regardless of wether or not the sub-genre actually exists,this could respond to the tag thrashcore in the sense that it has the breakdowns and raw rebellion of hardcore,matched with the razorsharp wall-to-wall fast riffage of thrash.Those are promising elements for someone who is a newcomer to this band's music,considering that the nod to modern Exodus is one that is very hard to gain from all the purists of this world.

2. ''Ghost Hunt''

I would say this one track is much more nuanced with a heavier focus on piling up the riffs and melodies as the track has its obvious breakdowns and peaks.In my book,this is a furious thrasher along the lines of ''Riot Act'' thrown into a more mainstream mold with a formula that is slightly more accessible to those who are fans of Fear Factory and Slipknot rather than the thrash metal maniacs.It is a song that could easily be embraced by both camps.The chorus has a dirty and in-your-face guitar sound,and the verses do have some explosive riffage to them,but the recognizable patterns of a more mainstream approach are undeniable.

3. ''My Tongue''

I have to wonder exactly what this cliché stinker of a track is doing amongst such promising choice cuts.The lyrics are such a blatant,hilarious stereotype of rock and metal attitude,it definitely makes it a painful listen.I can hear no solid riffage in this track at all.It is mostly about the stripped frontman fantasyzing over his badass image with absolutely no musical substance to back-up his little parade.I suggest that you skip this one.It would have fit more accurately into a hair metal context than on a disc like this one.

4. ''Luscious Damned''

What we have here is the most clear example of how I described this band's sound earlier on: ''thrashcore''.This track manages to contain a ridiculous amount of breakdowns while remaining a very interesting ride from start to finish.I have always hated Hot Topic mallcore with a passion and I have to admit most hardcore bands do fit within this sorry category nowadays.A song like ''Luscious Damned'' retains the true drive of what hardcore should've remained when Pantera brought it to the table and Hatebreed followed on before the emocore scene turned all the anger contained within the sub-genre into absolute dust.The breakdowns are healthy hardcore mixed with modern thrash metal insanity that totally convinces me it's been copied and pasted from Exodus' newer formula,down to the vocals.But since I am an eager fan of this sound,I cannot complain.To say that it is original would be a joke,but I have to admit I am liking the general direction this band is going in.I am liking the blend of influences and the way they are being so straightforward about this as a judicious tribute to their idols.

5. ''Below Zero''

This is the second track off this album that I can't call anything but a painfully obvious filler.The agressivity and raw southern agression of the guitars is being constantly and excessively watered down by the smoother parts that contain seemingly nothing but random doodling.The soloing has been pushed right towards the end of the song,making it much less efficient as the track had been dragging its feet incessantly to get to the good stuff.

6. ''Alien Six''

Another solid track that unmistakably alternates from hardcore to thrash then back and forth full circle for the entire lenght.What I mostly dislike about this cut is the excessive emphasis on a bit of a weak chorus,but outside of this,the verses are clearly interesting and yet again bring out the best characteristics of both the sub-genres it utilizes as concrete basics for the body of the sound.I would give a bit more of a nod to Lamb of God for this track,since a lot of the riffage is clearly Morton-inspired and does have the feel of the latest LoG material.

7. ''Palace of Glass'' I can't help but strongly question if this track has any sort of direction.A lot of the riffs that have been thrown in there are more or less efficient and it does feel like the middle of the song is nothing but repetition.The use of keyboards kind of adds some cheesiness to the picture which doesn't help matters at all.The song does retain some agression but it does feel like the attack has been miscalculated and there is quite a lot of fat to be trimmed.

8. ''Fast and Furious''

As the intro of this track hit it like a ton of fucking bricks in a very sadistic and delightful fashion,I had to expect this song would be a thrash metal anthem,nothing less.It did get quite a bit pedestrian on short notice to fall back into that mainstream mold the album has clearly adopted on Track Two.It is still a very pleasant track,with some steady guitar work that definitely gives the listener a run for their money if they want some heavy shit,but it is far from reinventing the wheel,and it apparently has no desire whatsoever of doing so.It is yet another song I hoped would blossom into a masterpiece that I could take to the terrain of absolute enthusiasm but this impression has died down as the album progressed.''Fast and Furious'' is proof that the band is going to stay within its limitations of southern fuzzy nu-metal with a slightly progressive thrash edge.I have to admit they're the best in their game right under the kings of this sub-genre,Lamb of God.

9. ''Summoned''

This track has every characteristic of a generic mallcore song.It will be popular with members of the Unearth horde but will do little to please those who are gathered here out of their fondness for the burning fires of thrash metal rage that defined the first few cuts as absolutely moving tributes to Exodus.It is most definitely the one song they could use as their Mtv singles since it will work with those crowds.It is nothing but a hardcore song and it definitely does drag its feet.I won't hesitate to move on to better things.

10. ''Astronomica''

This is a very downright odd way to end this album,I'm gonna say it as it is.The way it all starts out with the tam-tams led me to question exactly what the fuck it would turn into.As some very Zakk Wylde guitar work took the stage I was absolutely content.Right up to the point where we hear nothing but cheesy space sounds that seem to stretch out right towards the end of the sound to the extent of killing my interest for the cool riffage that might have still been in store for my ears before the album's very end.

RATING: 6/10 These guys do have some pretty fucking great chops.They are in the ranks of the band Lamb of God who are equally well-accepted by the mainstream crowds and the metal purists of this world because of their ability to conjure up the souls of Pantera and Exodus with their very obvious love for the southern guitar sound,hardcore,and the elements of thrash metal's root. Good stuff for sure,but there are only a few tracks I might occasionally come back to.

-Noch