The new release schedule is starting to peck up, so…
Here we beaking go! One of my pecking favorites are back! Canadian prog thrash heroes Voivod are kicking feathers with Synchro Anarchy. Let me first say that guitar player Dan Mongrain (Chewy) and bassist Dominic LaRoche (Rocky) are—and have been—apt musicians filling in gaps that no one thought possible. So, what about this? This is by far the best of the “reunion” records. Vocalist Snake sounds the same and drummer Away has not lost a step with his interesting fills OR his artwork. The “jazzy” feel is still there, and so is the “weirdness.” Though, it would be cool for Away to pound those drums like he means it like he did back in the day. All in all, this is a fresh new release from a band that’s been around in one incarnation or other for 40+ years. Good stuff. 8 Fucking Pecks.
Why do so many metal videos include some girl lost in the woods. Well, I don’t know, but what I do know is that Hammerfall’s new record Hammer of Dawn (not very creative guys) sounds like the in-store music at Hot Topic. While admittedly, this type of thing isn’t normally my thing, and it’s certainly not the most egregious release on Napalm, but this record kinda encompasses what Hammerfall is all about. There are operatic and symphonic parts, and the solos are cool. But stuff just has no teeth (neither do I, it’s called a beak) but just why crank out another mediocre record? 5 Fucking Pecks.
I guess naming your band after a Deicide record is a “who cares?” moment but Disembodied by Insineratehymn is a slab of solid old-school death noise. What really grabs me here is the guitar tone—I LOVE it. This is cool, but certainly not the most creative thing, but I assume that’s what they’re going for. Pro Tip: Just write lyrics, no need to raid the pecking Thesaurus. Cool stuff, though. I dig it. 6 Fucking Pecks
Well, that’s all this time—you’re never going to get me to review the new G N’ R. Waldo Out!
