Tuesday, May 26, 2009
CHIMAIRA
The Infection
Ferret Music
The monster known as Chimaira returns with their fifth full length release entitled The Infection. The Ohioans pick up where they left off with Resurrection, and they still seem to be enjoying their split from Roadrunner Records (this is their second release on the NJ based Ferret Music). Chimaira doesn't stray far from their usual formula of dropped tunage, angry vocals and ferocious double bass drums. But why try to fix something that isn't broken is what I always say? The band did some interesting marketing to push the release of this album. The "Spread the Infection" campaign was a great way to get out the word of a new album by utilizing the rabid fans of Chimaira. Grassroots promoting at its best.
TOP TRACKS: The Venom Inside, Destroy and Dominate, Secrets of the Dead
FINAL VERDICT: The one thing I noticed upon first listen is that The Infection is a slower tempo than anything released in the past. Heavy, yes but just not as brutal and relentless as say, The Resurrection or The Impossibilty of Reason. Personally, their best work was on the self titled album. Overall not a bad effort and worth adding to the collection.
CKY
Carver City
Roadrunner Records
Skate stoners, cKy, newly signed to Roadrunner, are back with their fourth full length release in about four years. The thirst for stoner rock is quenched to say the least. With Carver City we get more of the same fuzzed out guitar sounds and solid drumming as heard on previous CKY outtings, however, I find myself actually digging every song on this album as compared to An Answer Can Be Found. In a word, that album was "eh".
TOP TRACKS: Hellions on Parade, Imaginary Threats, Plagued by Images (sick composition!), Karmaworks
FINAL VERDICT: CKY always seem to proclaim their next album the best rock album of all time. I'm not ready to bestow such lofty claims onto them, but Carver City is an absolute beast. As good, if not a tad better than IRD and Vol. 1.. . there I said it.
HATEBREED
For The Lions
E1 Music
Usually, I'm not one for cover albums. Ever. In a few instances I can tolerate them and yes, sometimes, SOMETIMES, one comes across and slaps ya in the face and says, "THIS IS GOOD SHIT!" Hatebreed scores a homerun on their tribute to all things heavey on For the Lions. What makes a good cover/tribute album? Song and band selection. Hatebreed, being one of hemost successful hardcore bands to crossover to metal digs through a sordid array of metal, punk and hardcore classics and new bands such as NYHC legends, Madball, trash metal gods, Slayer and hardcore godfathers, Bad Brains and Agnostic Front. The list is too long to write, but the album plays through like a rollercoaster time machine that will take you back to what made heavy music worth listening to.
TOP TRACKS: All of them. I'm prevy to ther cover of Agnostic Front's Your Mistake and their version of The Misfits' Hatebreeders is insane.
FINAL VERDICT: Young or old you must get this album. I'm actually hoping all of you young fucker's take heed and actually listen to REAL hardcore...and not that shit your filling your empty space between that ridiculous flourescent colored baseball hat your wearing.
- Gdevil
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