Impetigo - Horror Of the Zombies (1991)

This is real basement gore metal. Back in the day bands such Impetigo and Necrophagia were churning out this kind of gurgling terror, complete with tales of serial killers, gut-munching zombies, salivating cannibals and maniacal butchery. It's all here, horror film samples, grinding guitars, often very heavy and thankfully mid-tempo and sludgy instead of too fast, and vocally it's pure sludge and festering phlegm. Adorned in Chas Balun artwork on the 2000 reissue, this sits nicelty alongside the watery gloom of Autopsy and medical carnage of Carcass. Some would say this type of old school death metal is cheesy, but alot of the horror-related stuff always was in a sense but just like the old '70s splatter movies, this has a guttural appeal that goes beyond the festering lyrics and downtuned, disembowelling grooves, so indulge yourself on the fetid pleasures of 'Boneyard' and spit blood at the drowning 'I Work For The Streetcleaner', and of course, wallow in the sickly mess of 'Cannibal Lust'.

Hail the gore metal scene!

7/10

Childman - Childman (1993)

For those of you who've never heard of Adam Sherburne, he was one half of cool hip-hop rock duo Consolidated. With 'Childman', he comes across like the white Jimi hendrix producing one of the best rock albums of the '90s and certainly one of the most criminally ignored. This is at once funky, emotional, groove-based, streetwise and psychedelic, with some excellent riffs and plenty of soul. Adam comes across as a hip-hop guru, not exactly rapping but the flow here is smooth, and the tracks are extremely clever, lyrics wise covering all manner of social subjects from sexually transmitted diseases to simple love and affection, check out the grilling men get on 'Refuse To Be A Man' and the amazing Lenny Kravitz jive of 'Without You'. There's everything here, and certainly an air of unpredictability with the moody 'False Positive' and several heavyweigt numbers.

You'll do well to search out this record, it was his only solo effort, but if you're after something real and with intelligence then dig this.

8/10

Naked City - Torture Garden (1991)

Okay, there's alternative metal...and there's just the plain bizarre! File Naked City alongside Exit 13, and Mr Bungle. It's the creation of jazz musician and all round freaky genius John Zorn, released on the Earache label, it coincided with a torrent of other surreal experimentation's from the industrial/avant-garde scene, and somehow slotted into a niche that metal would never have dreamed of some ten years previous. naked City would be pretty much unlistenable mayhem to your average metaller, so if you're a bit of a purist looking for head banging, fist clenching power metal, please walk away. However, if you're after 42 (yes, 42!!) songs of extreme epileptic genius then grab yourself a copy...NOW! There's no real point in trying to explain naked City's style of music, there isn't one. Whereas Mr Bungle created lengthy pornographic cartoon nightmares, naked City slap you in the face with twenty-second lumps of phlegm that mix jazz, hip-hop, spaghetti, slapstick comedy, horror soundtrack, thrash, folk, industrial, hardcore, county and western...blah blah...don't try to predict or get any idea from the song titles, 'Thrash Jazz Assassin', 'Perfume Of A Critic's Burning Flesh', Igneous Ejaculation' and 'Gob Of Spit' might as well be numbered or untitled, because in reality it's just a scary, freakish carnival of sounds, noises, jerks, twists, bumps, grinds and spastic mutterings.

Great!

8/10

Darkthrone - Transylvanian Hunger (1993)

The grim, snowy peak of black metal's fetid reign. 'Transylvanian...', complete with Fenriz adorned in corpse paint cover holding a fiery candelabra, was another black journey into the pitch pit of necro sound. The riffs remain cold, at times repetitive in their evil, and Fenriz drums like it's his last day on this grey planet. Everything is kept reasonably simple, yet somehow the band scrape back the hideous nightmares once created by Bathory and Hellhammer, but this is even more desolate and dark, often thick and suffocating like foul smog. All eight tracks have a similar, alienating structure, the title cut is simply a five-minute cold blitz of frost upon the face, but there's never any let up, a majority of the record is played at a disconcerting, unsettling pace, punctuated by the harsh, raw vocals.

Darkthrone created a cavernous feel to their early records, effortlessly painting some of the most grotesque imagery known to metal that, albeit for a handful of stark years, ripped the face of metal and spat in the commercial eye of music in general. The marches of war had truly begun within a scene that remains potent, but nothing will ever compare to those early '90s when the noise created from Darkthrone was seriously threatening and alienating.

8/10

Poison - Open Up And Say..Ahh! (1988)

I feel almost apologetic that I've included such a record, but my excuse is, it was bought for me one Christmas...obviously not the best Christmas, but this record is certainly an acquired taste. For glam heads only, it lacks the sleaze of early Crue, is bereft of the swagger of Faster Pussycat, and certainly has no trace of Marc Bolan's dandy charm, because Poison were almost like a manufactured band at the time, and frowned upon due to their often lightweight sound and feminine image...there were several so-called 'hard' kids at my school who all thought the band were women and admitted fancying them...that made a few idiots blush! Musically, well, at times it's embarrassing and there's no two ways about it. The inclusion of 'Your Mama Don't Dance' was appalling selection, 'Love On The Rocks' is a glam sham chant and acoustic ballad 'Every Rose...' attempted to claw some credibility back, but ended up a bit Bon Jovi. However, I've heard a lot worse, Poison certainly being at the top of the glam rock pile during the '80s, but the scene was quickly destroyed by bands with balls. Major issue with the record is that it's weaker in sound even than I'd expected, but certainly a record very much part of its genre.

6.5/10

Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog (1991)

Ex-Soundgarden frontman wrote his best ever material in ode to his old room mate and one time Mother Love Bone genius Andrew Wood. Temple Of The Dog is pretty much Cornell's tribute to a man, who for me, was one of rock's greatest frontmen. Released as grunge had taken a grip of the world and bands such as Pearl Jam were ruling the roost, TOTD, albeit a one-off project, remains one of the greatest pieces of music ever to have graced rock's depths. To call it grunge would be unfair, 'Say Hello 2 Heaven' and 'Call Me A Dog' are fitting masterpieces that Wood himself would have been proud of writing, and on the whole this album drifts effortlessly between mellow and hard rock, never once having a dirty edge but still supplying the occasional big Seattle edge on tracks such as 'Pushin Forward Back', but throughout this poignant record you'll sense the ease with which Cornell worked out this beautifully arranged trip, painting pictures of Andrew Wood's feather boa strut and blonde charm, the glitter, the glam, and streetwise stagger, all boosted by Cornell's wonderful voice which rises from banshee wail to soothing lullaby, 'All Night Thing' the perfect example of such grace, whilst 'Reach Down' is simply epic.

If you call yourself a rock fan, 'Temple Of The Dog' is essential for your collection even if you know nothing of the talent of Mr Andrew Wood. On its own merits this is a fabulous record, and better than any grunge album in the sense it was simply made from the heart instead of being part of a scene, and I'm sure Wood would have nodded approvingly, because Cornell can be very proud at what he achieved here, that being something so emotionally charged and rapturous, that only Mother Love Bone could have done better.

9.5/10

Trouble - Plastic Green Head (1995)

Considering Trouble, one of metal's greatest ever band's, releases an album about once every decade, 'Plastic Green Head' was a slight disappointment after the brilliance of 'Trouble' and 'Manic Frustration'. 'Plastic...' was sure to welcome the stoner crowd rather than doom-psych fans, as the whole record certainly has that lazy, dreamy feel as if too much of the weed had been inhaled during its creation. 'Plastic...' is crisply produced, but the band, now free from the reigns of Def American, seem to be lacking something on this record, but what, I can't quite put my figure on. There is still much to behold, the title cut and 'The Eye' are classic slabs of groove-based doom, and the now rather formulaic lamentable 'Requiem' sweeps in with pure majesty, but the the album seems to lack the darkness of 'Trouble' and blissful swagger of 'Manic...', the songs wistfully striding by to no real effect, despite every number being a reasonably heavy, riff based ground shaker. Wagner is on form as usual, only this time his sinister preachings are not as malevolent, and the two cover versions, of The Monkees 'Porpoise Song' and The Beatle's 'Tomorrow Never Knows' are frustratingly pointless when we could have had two more Trouble soundscapes to devour.

Overall, 'Plastic...' is a very good record, but the competition of the last two albums seemed to be just too big a shadow to emerge from.

7.5/10

Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)

Is this one of the heaviest albums ever released ? Rob Flynn, ex-Violence axeman shocked the metal world with this excruciatingly leadweight debut record which crushed the opposition and brought the metal scene back to life. No 'nu-metal' licks here, this is 100% gargantuan heavy rock, pounding the door in, caving the skull, amps up to ten, the drums echoing through the walls, punishing heavyweight rock at its finest. This is a seminal album caused earthquake disruption among the press and the fans who were craving a record to bridge the gap between late '80s thrash such as Slayer, early Sabbath etc. However, don't expect creative wizardry here, this is simple balls to the wall heavy, powerful metal with occasional thrash elements but more of a streetwise attitude, a la Biohazard.

The tracks build pretty slowly but never let up once the grip has been tightened. It's at once furious as it is destructive, Flynn's barbed wire vocals simplistic yells of anarchy and social distress. 'Davidian' , 'Old', 'A Thousand Lies' and 'Im Your God Now' will simply pummel you into submission.

Many classed machine Head as a nu-metal band simply because they emerged during that sickly wave of false hope, but like Fear Factory they created something fresh by simply being honest and brutal. Producer Colin Richardson really upped the anti here as Machine Head certainly filled the void, albeit for a short while, as Slayer dissipated with their watered down brand of metal.

'Burn My Eyes' will always be considered an important metal record because of its sheer heaviness. Whilst many bands could offer something more complex, sinister or original, this record was simply a much needed kick up the arse for metal as it succumbed to the image-based idiocy of Marilyn Manson.

9/10

Coroner - Mental Vortex (1991)

A cracking record, full of complex song structures and a bizarre cover version of The Beatle's 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. This has all the crunch a quality thrash album requires but the complexities on offer here are quite staggering, the band shifting the mood and soundscapes with arrogant ease, one moment speeding through an array of quality European thrash assault, the next spewing out some seriously accessibly grooves, check out the brilliant 'Son Of Lilith' and 'Pal Sister' for original thrash. The Swiss trio certainly made their mark as one of the most influential albeit ignored thrash bands, combining the unpredictable sharpness of early Voivod, with the technical prowess of Atheist and Anacrusis. Coroner will never let you down, and their catalogue is one of the most worthwhile and consistent in metal.

8.5/10

Coroner - No More Color (1989)

You can tell it's Swiss and you can tell it's on the Noise Records roster because it's quality Euro-thrash metal, technical, dry, choppy, at times seemingly no thrills except in the technical wizardry of the musicianship, but its accomplished, somewhere between Voivod and Kreator, not quite as speedy or as fragmented or weird, bet genuinely captivating without being flamboyant. Coroner have stuck to their guns for years, constantly churning out quality metal, 'No More Color' displaying far more conventional qualities than their later records, but this smokes too.

Vocally, the tones are almost drowned amidst the frantic fretwork and complexities, but this stuff works, somehow, making Coroner one of those criminally underrated thrash acts who've always remained top of their game despite never reaching the headlines.

8/10

Overkill - Under The Influence (1988)

Was never a huge fan of this band at the start, but 'Under The Influence' was a pretty influential thrash record when growing up. Combine the crunchier elements of Anthrax, Metallica, Testament, throw in a bit of Exodus, it's nothing shocking, just pretty basic chugging thrash, Ellsworth's vocals nothing out of the ordinary, if anything mildly irritating but there's some decent tracks on here, 'Shred' for example, with its typical thrashy chanted chorus, but just not enough going on to enable the band to rise above the mediocre.

Overkill have come on leaps and bounds since this opus and are among the forerunner's of the thrash field. There's no real issue with 'Under...' but the competition at the time was too fierce for their sound to emerge triumphant.

7/10

Violence - Nothing To Gain (1993)

More wreckage from San Francisco's finest thrashers, this record was unfortunately their last. It's more of the same to some extent but the band sound punchier, at times more complex, even inserting a few acoustic pieces in, interwoven the already brutal sound with varying intricacies. It's just a great experience lending an ear to this kind of thrash assault, the band just going full steam ahead through 'Ageless Eyes', 'Pain Of pleasure/Virtues Of Vice' and 'No Chains'. Chugging riffs, great speed but also more space for the tracks to breathe. Shame the band faded away because they remain one of the best.

7.5/10

Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)

Don't believe the hype...but do please enjoy it! From the ashes of Seattle's greatest band, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam formed, with new kid Eddie Vedder on vocals. Lyrically its confessional, at times angry, musically sometimes breathtaking, bestowing upon us all the true sound of glistening grunge far removed from the fuzzy Sub-Pop days. 'Even Flow' will caress you forever, it's feathery chorus dream-like streams from the MLB -grooved riffs, whilst 'Alive' (massive hit for the band) is Neil Young, Zeppelin mixed into one combined with that casual groove the band made their own.

I won't knock the record too much, it's certainly a grower but to say it's overrated is an under-statement. There are some classy tunes on here, but the mainstream lapped this up, in turn making the band more mainstream as they went along. Maybe I was a Mother Love Bone purist, but I found 'Ten' just too sickly and dreary when compared to the majesty of 'Apple', and the waffle of torment being 'Jeremy', but it is a solid record throughout, displaying a variety of motions and mood, twisting and turning between mellow memories and angry churns, but I just wasn't bowled over by it, all at once gagged by the whole Seattle scene which for me lacked any kind of image or flashness and simply wallowed in its own piss, destroying much of metal's traditions along the way. For me, Pearl Jam are no different to REM or U2, stadium filling tripe that I just don't get. 'Ten' is certainly their best album, and certainly a record of its time, but don't believe everything you hear.

7.5/10

Lizzy Borden - Master Of Diguise (1990)

Somewhere between the raw meat blues of W.A.S.P. and Twisted Sister, yep, Lizzy Borden is something that heavy metal once needed. theatrics, image and hairspray, but I'm quite liking this, and see it as a serious metal record rather than drab imitation. Lizzy apparently fired his band and is working here with hired musicians, but I'm liking the quality of tracks, albeit straight down the line dramatic metal but kinda bereft of the cheesiness of earlier work. This record brings with it some orchestral numbers, having the feel of a concept album, so you could do a lot worse than purchasing this, because it's quite decent power metal showing that even the old dogs within the scene could progress.

7/10

Death Angel - Act III (1990)

The Bay Area boys mature even further, 'Act III' being their defining article, a more stream-lined refreshed and often groove based thrasher not quite as aggressive as the first two records, but opening itself up to consume all manner of styles, from classic metal to even funky swayings. Some brave experimentation here, particularly on the acoustic flow of 'A Room With A View', 'Act III' finds a soul amongst the rubble, clipping away the raw edge, possibly losing a few thrasher fans along the way, but certainly gaining respect among the metal community meaning that the band can stand proud alongside the big boys. There's some intricate thrash on here, the band having always been an accomplished combo, Osegueda's vocals not quite as manic either, bringing a fresher perspective on things. 'Seemingly Endless Time' is a pacey opener, but the band offer more respite in the tracks now, making way for sweet time changes, mellower interludes and slower intricacies, hence the balladic 'Veil Of Deception', and the more groove based 'Discontinued' which upset alot of hardcore fans with its funk flavour. I've also found on the net that many fans were discouraged by the band's second ballad, 'A Room...', but Death Angel simply wanted to prove that their progression beyond the realms of straight forward thrash, and 'Act III' goes a long way of showing the world that thrash metal was alot more than just Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer and Metallica.

8.5/10

Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ (1994)

Holy smoke! Jesus Christ are possibly Canada's heaviest band, and the countries answer to Pantera I guess. Somewhere between the darker grunge of Soundgarden, the angst of Warrior Soul and the power of Machine Head, it takes no prisoners, leaving buildings wrecked in their wake. The band seemed to disappear after this riotous record and little is known about them, but what a gem of a record they've left, ultra-heavy, cutting edge and even giving Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades' a going over.

The band never let up, their style is pretty in your face and I can only really use Pantera as an example, but this has far more in the tank, opener 'Peace By Piece' has a touch of Alice In Chains, especially in Andy Hoyle's vocal sneer, but the riffs just bludgeon throughout, only letting up on the brilliant 'I Hate', which is a dark stomp to the senses.

This is a record that needs checking out. It oozes cool and doesn't really belong to any time frame but if you love early Machine Head, Fear Factory, Pantera, mixed with a bit of Soudgarden, check it out.

8/10

Jane's Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual (1990)

Another fantastic record from what can only be described as an 'arthouse band' in my book. Jane's Addiction once again refusing to be labelled, crashing onto the airwaves with their vibrant and sexual rock 'n' roll splashes of colour, swaggering sleaze and furious funk. French horns, jangly acoustics, wheezy dreaming, Eastern influence, suicidal melancholy and almost commercial pop, where do we start ? We'll, 'Stop','Aint No Right' and the pumping 'Been Caught Stealing' remain upbeat classics, accessible ditties of wondrous depth which will mate with anyone who wishes to cavort, dance or freak out to. Some serious grooves on offer, forget the Chili Peppers, a majority of rock bands musical efforts would have to be judged against Perry Farrell's talent, many of course paled by the wayside. Side Two intrigues most, an ode to Farrell's mother who committed suicide when he was four, and also in memoriam of a friend who overdosed. Not bleak just wistful, gorgeous and soul -searching, hard to define and describe, Jane's Addiction were once again possibly too clever for the masses, but their following was huge. As a record 'Ritual...' is indeed an orgy that must be joined. Great album cover too.

8.5/10

Darkthrone - Under A Funeral Moon (1993)

Blessed with evil magic, Darkthrone confirm their complete departure from death metal with this forest-fire of a record only rivalled by Bathory's first three outings. Grim tidings once again from Fenriz and company, from the pitch cover and typical black metal woodland scene, to the ghoulish riffs and echoing cries of blasphemy. The Necro sound that the band would make their own shines through here, lyrically it's all vomited out in the true spirit of Norwegian black metal, obscure and cold, alienating and purposefully under produced and with about as much bass as an empty bath. Most of the record is reasonably fast-paced except for my favourite track, the creepy 'The Dance Of Eternal Shadows' which is pure witchery, and the eerie drums are a sound to behold, and thankfully these vibrating booms pepper the record. 'Unholy Black Metal' is certainly a nod to Venom, only pacier, and on the whole it's possibly the record that stands as black metal's defining horror. Scary stuff.

8.5/10

Onslaught - Power From Hell (1985)

Those were the days. This stuffy British bunch went on to become popular thrash guys but started things off with this atmospheric 'death/black' metal dustbin row. This has a hardcore punky edge, and in vocalist Paul Mahoney an almost amateurish, tongue-tied growler eager to spit dark tales of Satan, Hell and anything else from the infernal realm. It's all very image-based from the classy yet simple black and white cover to the various work outs which come across like Possessed, early Slayer, Venom and Sodom with lyrics to match. I purchased this the same day as Sanctuary's 'refuge Denied' and was mightily pleased with both, this record being what all thirteen-year old metal fans would have died for back in the '80s. Of course, a tad corny and cumbersome, you probably won't be moved any longer by 'Skullcrusher' or 'Lord Of Evil', but in its very British attire 'Power From Hell' is a good cult metal album that will have the damp leaking from the rafters.

7.5/10

Bakers Pink - Bakers Pink (1993)

I'm confused. Promising retro-rock band The Front dissolved after one impressive debut record, and then the band kinda come back as Bakers Pink, record a similar record, and once again fade away! What was the point ? This record is heavier, but only sightlier, than The Front record, offering a little more hip-shaking, Saigon Kick-inspired grooves, i.e. 'Euphoria', although the album opens rather bizarrely with a piano-based track, albeit a nice tune, 'The Noose...' which for some could be rather misleading. Again, it's shimmering rock fronted by Michael Franano who remains somewhere between Billy Idol and Jim Morrison, but as a record it's fleeting and unrewarding.

6.5/10

Autopsy - Mental Funeral (1991)

Another of my favourite bands, the guttural Autopsy churned out some gruesome classics, their drowned in sludge sound epitomising that watery horror. You know the score, read the track listing, 'Destined To Fester', 'Dead', 'Torn From The Womb' etc, etc, pure gore entertainment, but Autopsy did it so much better than anyone else, managing to make a noise something akin to a zombie aftermath, the squelch of boiling flesh replacing the almost dreary guitars, Reifert's growls almost lost in the boggy soup of decay and fetid slush. true grave robbing metal somewhere between Death's 'Scream Bloody Gore' and the grey sun-bereft drone of Winter. Great.

8/10

Violence - Oppressing The Masses (1990)

Formed as Death Penalty back in '85, Violence are one of my favourite thrash acts. No thrills fury, simple as that. 'Eternal Nightmare' was the brutal debut, 'Oppressing...' more of the same issues with society, the band providing a crunch but an altogether more frenetic groove than your average Bay Area thrash act. Just loving Killian's angry vocal outbursts and the machinery roar of the riffs. 'Officer Nice' and the anthemic 'World In A World' being standout cuts, carving the flesh deep with the angry thrash. Classy band who just couldn't hit the big time, possibly because their sound was just too raw for the masses!

7.5/10

Winter - Into Darkness (1992)

The doom metal scene has always been over crowded, but thankfully Winter produce a manic depression that puts them in a dungeon on their own. This is very bleak, music that you certainly won't often be in the mood for, but once that needle hits the wax, its a grind like no other. This isn't retro groovy doom, or stoner, simply grey, bleak and uninviting soundscapes that mash the brain into a grey pulp. There's no edge, or life or glimmer of hope on 'Into Darkness', it's merely an experiment in grating anguish and despair, music to perish to in fact.

So, why would anyone get off on such miserable slow-motion hate, well it's simple, it's a feeling, just like the shrill black metal noise, this is music from another place, a desolate vacuum of complete misery. Although the production is actually of a high standard, Winter chug along until the stereo is a pile of ash, because this isn't awkward like Confessor, or monolithic like Candlemass, it's simply grey, a reflection of social disaster, personal tragedy and unrivalled grief. Buy...and then die!

7.5/10

Sadus - A Vision Of Misery (1992)

Great, overlooked American thrash act. Supplying the scene for years with their tortured sound of harsh, dry complex thrash. Magnificent and arrogant, but possibly too complex for its own good, but this is the stuff cult bands are made of. 'Through The Eyes Of Greed', 'Valley Of Dry Bones', 'Slaves To Misery', sounds like your average thrash run down...far from it, blast beats are in range but this is technical, Steve DiGiorgio's rumbling bass spiralling out of control, almost funky between the bemusing thrash web of torrential twiddling and trigger drumming, Darren Travis' vocals a grim sneer.

This is very necessary thrash but don't expect chug-a-long accessibility. Sadus have made a career out of such wizardry, so also suggest you track down 'Illusions' and 'Swallowed In Black' for more formidable, face-ripping joy.

8/10

Cynic - Focus (1993)

Too damn technical for its own good. Cynic lasted one opus and folded, tragically because this is a masterwork in complex thrash from various members of Pestilence, Death, Sadus blah blah, so you'll catch my drift when I say this is very accomplished metal with enough chops to leave you dizzy. It's not headbanging mosh thrash, the wizardry at times all too bewildering, think Mekong Delta with Watchtower, plus a bit of Atheist, bubbling basslines, robotic solo's that fly from every angle then suddenly stop, shift and then cut like a razor, often alienating the listener by way of short, sharp bursts of highly academic thrash. Confusing but marvellous, extraordinary but almost pointless when you consider that the band worked their socks off to construct such grace and then then fizzled out, possibly because not many on planet Earth appreciated it. I'm glad I did. A wondrous web of frenetic energy, not an easy ride mind you.

8.5/10

Emperor - Wrath Of The Tyrant (1991/92)

Be afraid...be very afraid. More sons of Northern darkness, this time slightly more symphonic than Mayhem or Darkthrone, but still as black and as suffocating. Emperor made big waves with 'Wrath...', their shrill,buzzing and claustrophobic flaming evil layered with keyboards but just as despicable, giving off that completely cold, remote angst that belongs in some distant snowy forest. Norway and its black metal scene became an inhospitable place for a long time during the early '90s, many fearing the arctic noise and corpse painted warriors and their genuine unholy vibe. Many laugh now when they look back on such a scene, but for me this grim wave was a little like discovering metal for the first time, the image and sound very much genuine and fresh, and the temptation to delve into the dark waters all too much to take so simply drown in this kind of stuff because its pure evil metal.

Musically its pretty fast-paced, vocally harsh and nasty, and Emperor were certainly one of those bands quickly able to progress within the scene that soon became saturated in similar, albeit often false acts, but 'Wrath...' certainly remains one of the genre milestones.

7/10

Sepultura - Roots (1995)

I'll always prefer the thrashier days of 'Arise' but 'Roots' is one hell of a clever record, going beyond the traditional metal grind and swatting away the death metal values to be suddenly a unique experience in tribal mayhem. This is futuristic, true 'new metal' as such, a whole new world of angry sounds, blastbeats and arrogance that blasts every competitor out of the water, raising the bar and the stakes, but remaining unrivalled. For me, Sepultura were always unfulfilling to my ears, their brand of Brazilian thrash never edgy enough to dislodge the more frantic bayings of the U.S. bands, but 'Roots' is a whole new board game, combining real tribal chantings with thunderous metal, this is native, urban chaos mixed with heavy rock grumblings, the band recognising the shift as the mid-'90s scene swayed away from the old school and towards a more commercial market, not that 'Roots' is a commercial record but this certainly has nods to bands such as Korn rather than Venom as previous records may have, 'Roots' making Metallica's late career output seemingly embarrassing by comparison. Main cut 'Roots Bloody Roots' is the band's tribal 'Raining Blood', a truly gargantuan earthquake of a track that has become an anthem, and yet 'Roots' was to be the last record with Max on vocals, the band pretty much disappearing down the pan and Max continuing his warfare with Soulfly.

Simply purchase 'Roots', no real point in pondering on the bands tribal evil, but I promise you that you won't be disappointed with such a mountain of a record. File alongside Machine Head 'Burn My Eyes' and Fear Factory's 'Soul Of A New Machine' for a shifting of the elements and see why Slayer got left behind.

8.5/10

Enuff Z Nuff - Tweaked (1995)

After the Hollywood hair days of their previous records, Chip and Donnie somehow invent this bubblegum rock classic, combining the swanky swagger of the Stones, the sugar pop of The Beatles and all manner of British influences, 'Tweaked' is pure genius, yet completely misunderstood, hence the bands tragic career of unfulfilled brilliance which should have been filling stadiums long after Bon Jovi had cast their cowboy boots aside.

'Tweaked' is a pure rock 'n' roll record, from the mystical openings of 'Stoned', Vie is in exceptional Lennon form, his fragile tones caressing the swirling guitars creating a bewildering mix of summery pop and jingle-jangle harmony akin to The Beach Boys and The Sweet, with the occasional riff of The Who thrown in for good measure amongst the sleaze of the Faces. It's memorable, retro and timeless and so genuine and from the heart, these are real songs, personal anthems and tear-jerking ballads, particularly 'Its Too Late', to the more metallic stomp of 'Style' and ballsy roll of 'Mr Jones', truly mesmeric material from a band who had enough gems to top every chart in every country.

Slot this alongside Saigon kick for lush wonder, and even Oasis for its ability to reinvent styles that have gone before but present to you songs like they are true old friends who've come back to remind you of how great everything used to be. 'My Dear Dream' is simply The Beatles 'A Day In The Life', but equally as rewarding whilst 'Life Is Strange' simpler and rockier. You never know what you're going to get next with Enuff Z Nuff, because since this masterpiece they've made a career out of writing amazing albums that much of the world won't hear, and that's a huge shame.

9.5/10

Kik Tracee - Field Trip (1992)

Tragically, this EP was to be the last offering from this short-lived outfit, but for what it's worth, Kik Tracee made a wonderful noise, a swaggering, pompous glammed up cauldron of serious yet good time rock that was just too good to exist, and so, the dodgy bands such as Poison et al, charged on, leaving this creative bunch to welter in their own unfulfilled ego's. Shame.

'Field Trip' is a jangly, Beatle-esque and breezy half-hour nip to groove rock, blessed by Shareaux's velvet tones, some cool summery riffs and mighty anthems in-between, somewhere caressing Zeppelin's bluesy jig and such promising metal edge, but where did it all go wrong ? Who knows, just savour the band and their two-record career, at one relaxing, thought provoking and potent, and please try to track the albums down, probably residing in some bargain bin on the internet, pick them up and appreciate good rock 'n' roll...

8/10

Candlemass - Ancient Dreams (1988)

Without question, my favourite Candlemass record, a must have on vinyl due not only to its wistful artwork, but the sheer weight of its riffs. This is pure doom, possibly an acquired taste as Messiah Marcolin's operatic vocals soar above the slo-mo laments, but this is unique, a smooth almost beautiful brand of epic doom metal, original and as atmospheric as some old crumbling monastery. 'Darkness In Paradise', 'Bearer Of Pain' and 'A Cry From The Crypt' just some of the mournful juggernauts on offer, shrouded in more fog than an autumn churchyard, the bells droning out across the ruins, black figures floating from the crevices. Candlemass were always different, never intent on rehashing old Sabbath riffs but instead romancing the eardrums with epic records such as this.

8.5/10

Dark Angel - Time Does Not Heal (1990)

After the bone-crushing rifferama that was 'Leave Scars', Dark Angel somehow invented something even more monstrous, an album of some 246 riffs to match the mighty early offerings of Slayer. 'Time Does Not Heal' stands alone, bridging the gap between death metal, thrash and traditional heavy metal, decades later it still remains as fresh and as punishing, but unlike bands such as Slayer who since their classic days have attempted, but failed miserably, to bring those days back, Dark Angel tragically folded after this classic record, but looking back, it was probably for the best, the band reaching a titanic peak on this record.

The album weighs in at almost seventy-minutes, each track touches at least six minutes, several clocking in at over seven minutes, but not once will you get bored by this juggernaut. Hoglan's drumming is enough of an excuse to just lay back and be swallowed by this massive beast of brutality. 'Time...' is wonderfully complex, ragingly psychotic yet also accessible, vocally Rinehart takes us to a more traditional yell rather than something attempting evil, his social commentary backed up by musicianship that can only be described as epic and mighty, the tracks woven together by a labyrinth of riffs. The lyrics seemingly complex, leaving you bemused at how the guy manages to remember it all, dark tales of reality, seedy streets and homicidal rage, and yet this is so, so different from everything else the genre has ever had to offer, truly monstrous.

Favourite track on the record is the stalking 'Psychosexuality', a creeping heavyweight serial killer of a tune, but pick out any of the nine slabs on offer and you'll drowned in the ocean of muscular power.

Dark Angel remain untouchable, true genre defining metal that matured beyond the scene, so the fact that such a sound was tragically cut short remains an almost romantic echo of a time when thrash/death metal was ahead of its game and Dark Angel were true leaders of the field.

9/10

Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1993)

The wave of early '90s black metal, particular from the frozen Scandinavian wastes, was at once suffocating yet irritating once a thousand bands had daubed themselves with corpsepaint and cried grimly into the forests of night. But there was a time, like with most musical genres, when something so fresh and new opened the eyes of many and stood above the rest. After the punky harshness of 'Deathcrush', 'De Mysteriis...' emerged, a black, consuming blanket of gloom from Norway's inhospitable woodlands, where the snows rape harshly the flesh of man, and the most genuinely evil of noise was constructed.

'De Mysteriis...' is one of the black metal classics, without question. One part Bathory with its dense yet almost tinny riffing, yet another part so remote and cold beyond the wildest nightmares of heavy metal's primal past. This is way beyond Venom's jokey drunken evil, and instead remains untouched in its grim void.

Step forward original black metal god of the inner circle, Euronymous, clad in black, face daubed like some miserable orc, yet his band making a terrible noise from the tundra that only Darkthrone could match. 'Funeral Fog', is a hyper blitz, the vocals almost muffled in their obscure evil, the guitars a rancid, grating buzz before the band slow it down for the ominous 'Freezing Moon'. Eerie stuff, blessed with an atmosphere devoid of life, screaming in its black hate and forever intoxicating the brain.

This is true black metal from a time when heavy metal grew out of its satanic imagery and got serious.

8/10

Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky (1992)

When it came, like black smoke across the pallid sky, no-one was prepared. We had heard the black metal vibrations from past bands, but little did we sense from the death metal-orientated debut 'Soulside Journey', that Darkthrone would go on to become the leaders of the most evil black metal noise known to man, true warriors of the Norwegian discipline from the grim snows and falling, long shadows.

'A Blaze...' first reared its head to me on a Peaceville Records sampler cassette and the the gurgling incantations spewed that same filth as Bathory's stuffy 'The Return', and as the guitars ripped into 'In The Shadow Of the Horns' there was the unsettling feeling that a caustic, enveloping wave had hit the shores and things would never be the same again.

Metal fans were being bombarded by the grunge scene and just getting over the crunching death metal fad, but no-one expected such a nasty, overwhelming scene as black metal to re-emerge with such a vengeance.

Darkthrone hit the headlines, their interviews as vicious as the snarling vocals that screamed from this cesspit of a record. Many so-called metal fans ran for cover, others truly turned their noses up at such a guffaw, but deep down they all took note that black metal was alive, sweeping through the forests, a sinister pack of wolves at the door, an eerie vocal disharmony, truly wicked lyrics and a grating, bass-bereft sound so harsh and cold that only the frozen hills of Scandanavia could hold it.

Those who have appreciated the vile velocity of 'A Blaze...' have described the record as something akin to shutting ones eyes and being taken by complete pitch darkness. And that's the best description of a movement that, although like so many others became over crowded, remains so potent in the folklore of metal, and standing goat head and shoulders above the rest are Darkthrone, Fenriz and Nocturno Culto, creators of one of metal's most putrid and hideous records. There is nothing blacker.

Hail!

8.5/10