ARMORED SAINT "La Raza"

ARMORED SAINT "La Raza" - (as we all know, what the world really wanted was not commie healthcare but a brand new album from Armored Saint!! seeing as it has been 10 years since their last album "Revelation" and 19 (!!!) since their classic "Symbol of Salvation", the release of their third studio album in 20 years SHOULD be a big deal. but the way bassist Joey Vera played down the whole affair got me suspicious. you would think they would act at least a LITTLE bit excited about putting out a new album, but instead, this just seems like something they got together to do for "fun" and nothing more. so what they have delivered is NOT a metal record but a HARD ROCK record. granted, it's not bad but I was definitely on the fence about it on the first few spins, which is kind of funny cause they have a song about fences on here. if you are expecting a METAL record, you WILL be disappointed, but if you can get into rock stuff like the Cult (before their latest fiasco) or Demon or 90s era Golden Earring, it is not that bad. stand-outs are "Head On", "Little Monkey", the title track and ""Get Off the Fence", all of which are solid rock tracks. granted, none of this holds a candle to anything off "Symbol of Salvation" or most of "Revelation" but at least it is decent. things probably would have sounded more rocking if the production had more punch, as it lacks heaviness, but it seems to be their intent to go rock, so I am glad that at least they put out a new one and it doesn't gnaw, like that last Cult disc or the "comebacks" from Helmet…)
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A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL (1967)

A BULLET FOR THE GENERAL ( * * * ) - I was eating spaghetti last night and was inspired to watch a spaghetti western. Blue Underground put this classic from 1967 out, directed by Damiano Damiani ("How to Kill a Judge" and starring Gian Maria Volente (the rifle-wielding villain from "A Fistful of Dollars") in what may very well be his greatest performance. Volente plays a small-time bandit during the Mexican Revolution who teams up with a shady gringo to run guns for their "general". perfectly captures the idealism, corruption and disillusionment that befell that revolution, and although it is not gory, it has enough gun play to make a war movie. Epic story has plenty of twists and an odd, but believable assortment of characters. heck, Klaus Kinski nearly steals the show as an avenging padre. does have a political slant, but there is enough humor to compensate, and this is one of the fastest paced entries in the genre. gets bizarre towards the end, with so many story twists, but deserves to be hailed… Click to Shop @ FYE! Big Sales!!!

BLACK MAGIC (1975)

BLACK MAGIC ( * * * ) - this movie is a trip. it's from the Shaw Bros. and directed by Ho Meng-Hua, who did the classic "The Flying Guillotine" as well as the horrid "Goliathon", and stars Lo Lieh, but this ain't no kung fu movie. this is straight up horror and was a big hit for the studio in 1975, even launching a couple sequels. the plot has an evil wizard casting love potions and death potions on folks … for a price. this movie contains a little bit of gore, some amazing scenes with milk and rice, as well as plenty of maggots, spiders, centipedes and cockroaches, and even some brilliant laser effects. not without some slow stretches, but there is enough weirdness and sleaze going on to keep you from getting bored. plus, it is a healthy movie cause it makes you want to drink milk. fun stuff… Click to Buy From FYE!

DEEP PURPLE "Live"

DEEP PURPLE "Live" - (Hey, looky here. it be another live cd from Deep purple that everyone must own cause they have only released about 40 live albums or so. something tells me that this Holland import is not "official", though. this features seven vintage live tracks from Deep Purple that you have heard in various incarnations before, such as on their latest archival DVD, as well as four tracks from Ian Gillan covering Purple standards with Steve Morse on guitar. it is these solo tracks that really make this worth seeking out, as they is rare. but to hear Deep Purple in the early 70s doing classics like "Hallelujah", "No No No" and the pinnacle of all music - "Child in time" live will make you poop. of the solo tracks, the version of "Demon's Eye" crushes the most, though the folky version of "When a Blind Man Cries" is certainly bizarre. worth picking up, if you can find it, like beer, you can never get your fill of Deep Purple. amen) Click to Shop at FYE Now!

Pieces (1982)

PIECES ( * * * ) - Judas Priest!!! this movie is one of the most balls out and brutal movies EVER!!! this Spanish gorefest from 1982 is an over the top giallo in the vein of "the French Sex Murders" or "Strip Nude For Your Killer" in that it is ridiculous AND rules! somebody is chopping up college girls with a chainsaw in order to make a puzzle. ultra-violent, with enough dungloads of intestines, limbs, blood and other bodily fluids to please the entire family. you also get a random kung fu fight, a brilliant observation about water beds, some hilariously unreal dialog and one of the greatest twist endings in the history of film. seek this out!!! Shop FYE For Huge Discounts!

DEATH ANGEL "Sonic German Beatdown - Live in Germany"

DEATH ANGEL "Sonic German Beatdown - Live in Germany" - (this CD was recorded in 2007 but took awhile to get released, for reasons unbeknownst to us but likely knownst to the record label. now that the live disc has made a comeback, seems like everyone is putting out something, but this here is one of the better live releases in recent memory. the band is tight like a noose and seem genuinely enthusiastic to be playing at the Rock Hard Festival, and the energy translates perfectly, whereas a lot of live records seem to have lost some of that power. Death Angel storms through some thrash classics, like "Seemingly Endless time", "Mistress of Pain" and "3rd Floor" before diving into their comeback record "The Art of Dying" with stand-outs "Thrown to the Wolves", "5 Steps to Freedom" and "Thicker Than Blood". And shucks, I reckon "Thrown to the Wolves" be one of the bestest tracks they have yet composed. They even preview "Carnival Justice" from the then yet unreleased "Killing Season" album. They then close things out with the anthems "Bored" and "Kill As One". granted, they did NOT play "Road Mutants" but that should not give you an excuse to swallow a bottle of sleeping pills, as they played plenty of other classic tracks. Man, I am stoked that these guys still keep it real and this live disc freaking shreds….) Click To Buy From FYE!

THE SAGA OF THE VIKING WOMEN AND THEIR JOURNEY TO THE WATERS OF THE GREAT SEA SERPENT (1957)

THE SAGA OF THE VIKING WOMEN AND THEIR JOURNEY TO THE WATERS OF THE GREAT SEA SERPENT ( * 1/2 ) - No, that is not the name of a Bal-Sagoth song, but the actual title of an extremely cheap sword and sandal flick directed by Roger Corman circa 1957. With a title like that you would expect an epic on the scale of "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad", "Hercules in the Haunted World" or that 70s B movie "Star Wars", but nay, this is an utter borefest. the plot - after waiting five years for their men to return, a group of Viking women grow weary of cooking and knitting and decide to follow after them. they run afoul of a giant sea serpent (which I think is just a rubber crocodile picked up from the local toy store) as well as an evil king bent on enslaving these comely lasses. think I made this sound more exciting than it actually is, for there is a lot of talking and not much else. and it is not just boring, it is EXCRUCIATINGLY boring. I think they literally spent the budget on costumes and could not afford to add something called "action" in this mess. but hey, if you are having trouble sleeping, this will knock you out like a crowbar. and have to admit that that is a great title… Click to Shop FYE For This Title and More!

ANNIHILATOR "The Best of Annihilator"

ANNIHILATOR "The Best of Annihilator" - (Roadrunner put out this comp a while back but took while to pick up. this "best of" only covers the first three albums, so unfortunately, there is nothing off of "Criteria for a Black Widow", even though that had plenty of strong songs like "Sonic Homicide", "Nothing Left", "Bloodbath", "Loving the Sinner" and "Back to the Palace". but despite that, pretty happy with the track listing, which features the classics "Phantasmagoria", "Road to Ruin", "Alison Hell", "Set the World on Fire", "W.T.Y.D.", "The Fun Palace", "I Am in Command" and their "hit" single "Stonewall". as appropriate, the first 13 tracks are culled from their classic albums "Alice in Hell" and "Never, Neverland", but four tracks from the extremely melodic "Set the World on Fire" may be hard for some to stomach, especially since they throw in the AOR ballad "Phoenix Rising", which is one of the worst songs the band has ever composed. heck, that third album took a long time to get into, for it doth not thrash, and almost destroyed their career; but in retrospect, it could have been far worse. overall, a pretty solid affair, again despite no tracks from "Criteria for a Black Widow", and the omission of tracks like "Ligeia", "Kraf Dinner" and "Knight Jumps Queen") Buy Now From FYE!

WOMEN OF THE WORLD (1963)

WOMEN OF THE WORLD ( * * * ) - another shockumentury from Jacopetti, Prosperi and Cavara from circa 1963. not as brutal as their other works like "Mondo Cane" or "Africa Addio" but not without a few squirming moments involving dung or eye surgery or skin-grafting that is straight out of "Eyes Without a Face" or "The Awful Dr. Orlof". as in "Mondo Cane", the narration is simultaneously sarcastic and insightful, as the war between the sexes is depicted from various cultures around the world. granted, it is long and has some slow stretches, but overall some quality entertainment… Click to Shop For This and More at FYE!

TOP 10 MOST UNDER-RATED BANDS

TOP 10 MOST UNDER-RATED BANDS



10. NECROSANCT - (their 2nd album "Incarnate" is unreal in its sheer brutality. other tow albums are good, but that one is just sick. they never got their dues, though)



9. SKIN CHAMBER - (oppressive as heck "death metal" project from industrial pioneers Controlled Bleeding. the debut "Wound" is perfect torture music and the follow-up "Trial" is more rocking, but this was a sick project)



8. SÉANCE - (one of Sweden's most brutal bands ever! both "Fornever Laid to Rest" and "Saltrubbed Eyes" are death metal milestones. they have been threatening to unleash a third album for over 13 years now…)



7. BRAINTICKET - (possibly the most psychedelic band ever!!! "Cottonwoodhill" is the ultimate freak-out record. they went more spacey in the 80s, but the early stuff is a trip)



6. CLEARLIGHT - (one of the greatest prog bands ever, up there with King Crimson and Gentle Giant. their 1975 opus, "Forever Blowing Bubbles" is a must-have)



5. MANILLA ROAD - (these doom/true metal gods deserve to be hailed in the same esteem as Omen, Cirith Ungol and Pentagram)



4. SONIC VIOLENCE - (like a crustier Godflesh with two BASSISTS instead of a guitarist. their debut "Jagd" is still one of the most nihilistic albums ever)



3. AFFLICTED - (these Swedes were way ahead of the curve with the psychedelic death metal of "Prodigal Sun", then they went power metal on their second album, two years BEFORE HammerFall made the genre popular again. sometimes being ahead of your time means you still miss the boat)



2. CARBONIZED - (this Swedish insanity was so many years ahead of their time that I am not sure the world will ever pick up on their genius. "Disharmonization" is freaking brilliant!)



1. THE LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG - (Thin Lizzy meets Omen meets Running Wild meets Pentagram meets Mountain meets Uriah Heep. they bring back the classic metal sound that we once thought was lost. greatest band ever? maybe…)

TOP 10 MOST OVER-RATED BANDS

TOP 10 MOST OVER-RATED BANDS



10. SLAYER - (you would think that for the amount of people that worship this band, that they would put some effort into writing songs that are not predictable and sleep-inducing)



9. LED ZEPPELIN - (did this Vanilla Fudge tribute band EVER do anything original? Willie Dixon should OWN their back catalog, thieving stealers…)



8. NIRVANA - (Thank El Duce from the Mentors for shooting the singer in the face, as this band was on the verge of single-handedly destroying every genre of music that ever was)



7. THE CLASH - (they put the "gae" in "reggae")



6. GUNS N ROSES - (sure, guns are cool but AIN'T NUTHIN' metal about flowers … except for maybe tiger lilies and daisies and maybe the ones that grow on cactus. OK, flowers CAN be metal, but this band is still weak)



5. TOOL - (musically, about as exciting as clipping toe-nails)



4. VAN HALEN - (you would assume that this band WOULD rock but you would be wrong. most adult contemporary acts are heavier than this…)



3. PANTERA - (sure it sucks that the dude got killed but that does not mean that this band was anything more than a weak glam act that became a weaker thrash act. heck, the dude from Blind Melon died, too and that does not mean that that band suddenly doesn't suck anymore either…)



2. RADIOHEAD - (I am firmly convinced that the fans of this band must have some kind of extra chromosome in their genetic make-up in order for them to enjoy this, like retards or flamers or people with webbed feet)



1. THE BEATLES - (people make it seem like this half-arsed rip-off of the Monkees literally INVENTED music, when it is obvious to anyone with a third grade education that music was invented by Gene Autry!)

CARNIFEX "Hell Chose Me"

CARNIFEX "Hell Chose Me" - (dang, Carnifex are in a bit of a pickle cause their debut "Dead in My Arms" was so freaking uber-brutal that they may not ever be able to surpass it. sure, "The Diseased and the Poisoned" was good, but nowhere near as intense as their debut and this third opus "Hell Chose Me" is more brutaller than their second album but again, their first album is the brutallest, and in that respect, I reckon they am a lot like Job For a Cowboy. boasting what may be the best artwork of the year on the slipcase of an evil zombie priest holding a decapitated lamb head, in artwork that reminds a bit of the Asphyx masterpiece "Last One on Earth", you get a pretty good sense of what you are in for, death metalcore … the brutal way. all the songs are nihilistic ditties about murder, suicide, hate, hopelessness and heck itself, and have to say that these are their strongest lyrics to date, and want you WANT to hear from a death metalcore band. seems like they are slowly trying to get away from the core tag, which would help set them apart, but if they keep up with the nihilism and hate, think they are definitely moving in the right direction. bester tracks are "Dead Archetype", "Sorrowspell", "the Scope of Obsession" and "Genocide Initiative", with the bestets track being the opening title track, which sounds like Origin playing doom metal. great stuff here, especially how their logo looks a lot like Obituary's, and if they could bring back the production and the pig squeals from their debut for their 4th album, this band will be an invincible force…) Click To Buy From FYE!

DARK TRANQUILLITY "Where Death is Most Alive"

DARK TRANQUILLITY "Where Death is Most Alive" - (this double cd was culled from their recent double DVD and features a full concert from Italy on Halloween 2008. the sound quality is dang spiffy, with just enough of a raw edge and the audience is mixed in just right. in point of fact, this double disc is pretty sick. plenty of classic tracks on here - "The Wonders at Your Feet", "Therein", "Punish My Heaven", "The Treason Wall" and "Final Resistance", as well as newer anthems like "Lost to Apathy", "The New Build", "Focus Shift", "Nothing to No One" and "Terminus (Where Death is Most Alive)". They even throw in several surprises like "Dreamlore Degenerate", "FreeCard" and "Edenspring"!!! unfortunately, they did not play "Doberman", "Zodiyackal Light", or "The Sun Fired Blanks" or enough tracks from the "Character" or "Damage Done" records, like "Monochromatic Stains"!!! yes, they did not play "Monochromatic Stains". it is CRAZINESS!!! like if -


ACCEPT did not play "Balls to the Wall" or if

THIN LIZZY did not play "Jailbreak" or if

DEEP PURPLE did not play "Smoke on the Water" or if

LYNYRD SKYNYRD did not play "Freebird" or if

RATT did not play "Round and Round" or if

ASPHYX did not play "Vermin" or if

CHARLEY PRIDE did not play "Kiss an Angel Good Morning".


but if you can get past that faux paux (hey that's French for something) than this double cd is teats) Click to Buy From FYE!

BAT WITHOUT WINGS (1980)

BAT WITHOUT WINGS ( * * * ) - This is one of the weirder Shaw Bros. films, with a maiden being captured by the villain Bat Without Wings, whom they all thought was slain, but is now is back to violate and dismember the womenfolk. the maiden's betrothed, her father and a kung fu fighter team up to rescue her. crazed kung fu flick from 1980 has plenty of intrigue and plot twists, as well as a bit of gore, bodily dismemberment and people melting. but most notable is that the Bat Without Wings (who can actually fly, despite his name) looks like a cross between Gene Simmons and King Diamond!!! Heck, I think Gene Simmons even considered filing a lawsuit against producer Run Run Shaw, but do think anything came of it. story is a bit hard to follow, but the killings are unique and there is an eerie atmosphere you would expect from something like the classic "Tombs of the Blind Dead", and not from a kung fu flick. good stuff and great stunts from the director of "Killer Clans" and "The Magic Blade"… Click to Buy From FYE!

COCK SPARRER "Here We Stand"

COCK SPARRER "Here We Stand" - (this band has been around for well over 30 years and still keeps it real. "Here We Stand" is Cock Sparrer's first studio album in a decade and I may be going on a limb here, but it is quite possibly the GREATEST PUNK ALBUM EVER!!!! The production is perfect, the guitars crisp, and these working class sing-along anthems of drinking, love lost and anger are universal themes that everyone can relate to. the best songs are the first six and the last two, but they are all solid. "Do You Have a Nice Life Without Me?", "Suicide Girls", "Sussed" and "Better Than This" are anthems that usher in the new decade proper. the bestest tracks, though are "Too Late", "Gotta Get Out", "So Many Things" and the single "Spirit of '76", the latter of which has to be in the top five for best punk songs ever! the bonus DVD features the head of Pirate Press Records sharing stories of Cock Sparrer's first US tour in 2000 and talking about how they are just about the greatest thing that ever was. there is a brief making of the album segment and raw live footage of "Gotta Get Out", "So Many Things" and their classic, the quintessential punk rock anthem - "We're Coming Back". sure, they are older, but they are still angry and still out-rock everyone. get this and a 12 pack and crank it up, as Cock Sparrer are still the best punk band that ever was!) On Sale Now at FYE!

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "Ypsilanti"

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "Ypsilanti" - (their 2nd album has more pessimistical lyrics and is harsher and angrier than the first couple releases. the meanest songs are "Is You Asking or Is You Telling?", "Take It or Leave It", "From Here on Out" and "If Heaven Ain't A Lot Like Ypsi, I Don't Wanna Go". Evidently, Ypsilanti is a town in Dakota Territory. again, the religious and straight edge stance is a bummer. I know that straight edge is all about being sober and beating people up, but you can beat people up whilst drinking as well, so all the straight edge kids need to give beer a chance. not much else to say about this, as I am starting to get burned out on this metalcore stuff. they are all starting to blur together and it is beginning to get both monotonous AND repetitive. but if you want some christcore that makes Living Sacrifice sound like Celine Dion in comparison, I guess this is for ewe…) Click to Shop at FYE!

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "They Want You Silent"

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "They Want You Silent" - (think this be the debut disc from this christcore act and it is a step up from their "The Beginning of the End" EP. granted, the message is still too positive and uplifting, but there are a couple strong tracks here, like ""Shall We Dance" and "Sundress". one track was excruciating, though - "Know When to Hold Em" which features whining female vocals. now, I don't mind women in hardcore, as someone has to sew patches on your jacket and someone should watch the merch booth but when they start whining, it makes you want to play windmill and throw elbows in someone's face, and not in a friendly way. overall, if you are open-minded you might dig it, but I would rather hear Despised Icon, Dead to Fall or One Life Crew..) Hear the Album for Yourself Here!

BLACK ANVIL "Time Insults the Mind"

BLACK ANVIL "Time Insults the Mind" - (just when you thought that there was only enough room for Anvil and Anvil Chorus in the metal world, here comes Black Anvil! granted, this has been out awhile, but Relapse done did re-issued it proper. may take a couple spins to get over the dry production, but then it will hit you like an anvil that this band rocks. they sound kind of black metal, but not like that weak and boring stuff that permeates Norway like snow, as there is enough of an old speed metal and even a bit of a doom vibe to it to not insult your ears like most of that arsonistic ,pompous pop music. in a bombshell, it is like a cross between Early Man and Cadaver's "Necrosis" album. vocals are raspy and a bit generic, but at least there are no weeping moments. best tracks are "Deathsomnia" and "On This Day Death", with the bestest being "Release the Kraken" and "L.T.H.L.T.K.", which I think means "Live to Hunt Love to Kill" but ain't fer shore. They end things up with a sick version of Celtic Frost's "Dethroned Emperor", which of course has been covered by everyone from Slaughter (Canadian Slaughter not the horrid glam act from the ex-Vinnie Vincent Invasion singer) to Brutal Truth to Obituary to Vomit Snack, but Black Anvil really nails it. the vocals are deeper and gruffer on the cover track and I think they should use that approach on their next disc, as it sounds so much more heavy. overall, a solid debut and I think that these guys can cause some serious damage if given the right exposure…) Click to Buy on FYE!

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "The Beginning of the End"

BLOODLINED CALLIGRAPHY "The Beginning of the End" - (think this was the debut EP from this death metalcore act. it has five tracks and though it is mostly heavy, there are a few strikes against it. it appears that they are a religious band and they are straight-edge and the songs are all about "feelings" and "unity" and the kind of stuff that may work for an oi band but ruins hardcore, as it should all be about drinking brew and punching people. and if you are going to be religious, it would work better if they were zealots, singing songs about setting heathens on fire and leveling their cities, schools, hospitals and orphanages. alas, worse than all of this, is that there are two songs with emo whining in them. that is a "no-no". dang, and I thought that a band with a song called "The Saddest Girl to Ever Hold a Martini" would be all about drinking and nihilism instead of this "positive message" yarn…) View This and More at FYE!