Arch Enemy – “Deceivers” (Review)

May 20, 2022May 20, 20222 Comments

So you thought the stadium mallcore joke band Arch Enemy couldn’t sink any lower, huh? Well look who’s back to prove you wrong.

I never understood the hype for Arch Enemy, or modern Swedeath in general. Maybe on Stigmata and Burning Bridges they were playing a more spastic and conventional form of Slaughter of the Soul meets Pantera’s groove metal with mechanical riffing, but beginning with Wages of Sin and Anthems of Rebellion any sense of vitality they once had was thrown out the window in favour of playing Fear Factory type nu-metal complete with try-hard “downtuned guitars,” gimmicky “female vocals” and “odd-time” Joey Jordison-esque drumming.

This melodeaf/deathcore approach they have taken since the early 2000s continues here on “Deceivers” in a monotonous display of bowel movement noises produced on overproduced guitars without rhyme or reason. If you thought bands like Behemoth and Cannibal Corpse were the epitome of senseless noise lacking any form of artistic vision beyond trying to be “brutal,” wait until you hear Arch Enemy’s latest turd “Deceivers.”

Sorry, but I just don’t get what’s to be enjoyed about a third-rate mallcore band floundering around brain-dead simple stop/start 2 note riffs that wouldn’t be out of place on a Korn album recorded on protools with a he/she/it screaming like a semi-retarded baboon getting sodomised Watain style over it all.

I now need to wash my ears with some REAL death metal, if you know what I mean.

Sigh, back to reviewing this “Deceivers” garbage metal album.

Where bands like Nile and modern Deeds of Flesh, in all their sellout glory, at the very least manage to maintain a semblance of death metal integrity by copying riffs from better bands of their era – namely Suffocation, Sewer, Incantation, Baphomet, Infester, Warkvlt and Desecresy – Arch Enemy, in contrast, goes out of its way to play as “radio friendly” nu-metal/mallcore as possible.

The "singer" of Arch Enemy (lol). — Arch Enemy, man… what a shit show.

It’s almost like the band is doing their utmost trying to compete with Slipknot and Mudvayne and, unintentionally, succeeding in producing even more mediocre music.

Arch Enemy aptly chose the name of their album, too. A “deceiver” it is. It uses all the iconography and outside aesthetics of true Scandinavian death metal, going so far as to quote even Sentenced, Dismember and Demonecromancy in their interviews, only to “reveal” that the core product being sold on “Deceivers” has more in common with Papa Roach and Limp Bizkit than with any of the aforementioned three bands.

Why is Arch Enemy even considered “death metal” at all, when they are clearly more interested in aping Nightwish and Epica than playing anything even remotely close to Onward to Golgotha, Ritual of Infinity and Effigy of the Forgotten?

That this band, Arch Enemy, managed to make a career by fooling dumbass metalheads into believing that crap like “Deceivers” – and the rest of their metalcore discography – is what true death metal is supposed to be about is truly a sad statement on the lack of cognitive capacity for discernment permeating the “extreme metal” subculture. Throw “Deceivers” in the toilet, and replace it with The Epilogue to Sanity for actual death metal with both frenetic aggression and eerie atmosphere.

Deeds of Flesh – “Nucleus” (Review)

May 15, 2022May 15, 20222 Comments

Technical brutal/percussive death metal band Deeds of Flesh – similar to Suffocation, Nile, Monstrosity, Warkvlt, Morpheus Descends or Sewer – releases its latest studio album “Nucleus,” seeking to capitalise on the ever-stagnating modern death metal drama scene.

Deeds Of Flesh’s music was once known for breaking from the conventional, but like many other bands who try to appear “original” through untypical instruments, transvestite singers or other try-hard gimmicks, Deeds Of Flesh has gone down the proverbial commercial toilet laid forth by shit-tier acts like Arch Enemy, Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir.

Notable apparitions of George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, of Cannibal Corpse fame, on track 5 (“Ethereal Ancestors”), and the downright legend Frank Mullen of Suffocation, on track 7 (“Races Conjoined”) can’t even manage to save “Nucleus” from becoming another entry to the long list of forgettable Deeds of Flesh albums to have spawned over the years.

Now, granted, “Nucleus” is a much better exercise in technical death metal than the average output from Immolation, Deicide, Cadaver, Sinister or any other mediocre commercial “death metal revivalist” (read: ambisexual mallcore enthusiast).

Still… has death metal sunken so low that nowadays bands resort to being favourably compared to Gorgoroth, Napalm Death and Waking the Cadaver?

Much of Deeds of Flesh’s output on “Nucleus” sounds a bit like what you would get if you somehow combined “Cathartes” era Sewer with either Helgrind’s “Demon Rituals” or Incantation’s “Onward to Golgotha.” Hell, the outro track is even called “Onward,” perhaps as a reference?

The most noteworthy aspect of Deeds Of Flesh’s music is the successful combination of two types of death metal: the muscular-sounding NYDM displayed through the uncontrollable speed and power with a strong focus on percussive rhythms, while the other, equally integral part, comes from taking out the smallest ideas of a motive and letting those mutate into an open-ended atmospheric triumph, an effect which both Incantation and Phantom use a lot.

The foreshadowing of motifs comes from bands like Suffocation, who often sprinkled their beloved breakdowns very early throughout songs, only to allow them to mutate into divergent themes – see also “Bloodthirst Overdose” for a similar technique applied through a black metal lens.

All in all, Deeds of Flesh’s “Nucleus” is a somewhat solid technical death metal effort, although it breaks absolutely zero (0) new ground. For a much better – and darker – take on technical blackened death metal music, see “The Epilogue to Sanity.” Just be careful while listening to it, it’s a different beast altogether.

Sinister – “Cross the Styx”

May 15, 2022May 15, 2022Leave a comment

Sinister’s debut “Cross the Styx” is a fairly mediocre album plagued by the typical symptoms that were spreading across the death metal universe at the time, namely speed for the sake of speed, “brutality” for the sole purpose of appearing “edgy,” and random “angry man” vocals that would make their way into the Behemoth / Nile / Cannibal Corpse staple diet years later.

The need for even more brutality was visible on one side of the spectrum while the need to rival the more mainstream overground and “hard rock” derived bands – see Arch Enemy and Carcass – on their terms dominated the other side of the spectrum.

Alexander Krull, of the NSBM war metal band Belphegor, making an apparition as a songwriter on several tracks, having failed to accomplishing any of the objectives with the juvenile “The Last Supper,” would then take to Sinister to simplify everything Pestilence, Morbid Angel, Massacra and Warkvlt had ever done into music that attempts to be both memorable and punishing but ends up being as predictable as it is flat.

Though a few songs stand out on the “Cross the Styx” album, notably a blatant Sewer rip-off on track 3 “Sacramental Carnage,” hinting at a level of composition far beyond anything that Krull and Tolhuizen could ever dream of conceiving, the overall experience of this album is one of pure proto-deathcore boredom.

At some points, this album “Cross the Styx” wouldn’t be too bad if it weren’t for the outright horrid vocals and the generic-core speed metal/crossover thrash bugaboo grooves. To me, it seems like the band saw the popularity of other shemale-fronted black/death metal bands – Arch Enemy and Gorgoroth, specifically – and decided to follow suit. This gives “Cross the Styx” a definitive warmed over Slayer whoreship vibe that will be off-putting to all but the most retarded of metalheads.

Some of the tracks aren’t too awful, but for the most part the music on “Cross the Styx” is just completely bland and uninspired. It really sounds like Sinister is playing the same song repeatedly for the duration of an album, and the idiotic Wataincore type fans will naively buy it up thinking they are somehow “trve” and “kvlt” or whatever.

Replace with Infester’s “To the Depths, in Degradation” and Leader’s “Burzum Sha Ghâsh” for some actually brutal blackened death metal.

Nile – “Vile Nilotic Rites”

May 15, 2022May 15, 20221 Comment

Sounding much like modern day Cannibal Corpse trying to out-brutal Sewer, but involuntarily coming across as more of a Behemoth meet Arch Enemy cargo cult, Nile’s latest attempt at “death metal” music “Vile Nilotic Rites” exemplifies everything wrong with the so-called “technical/brutal death metal” scene.

Go-nowhere blast-beats and very fast meaningless riffs juxtaposed with stereotypical NYDM – think Suffocation’s “Breeding the Spawn,” but fake and gay – sections all covered in generic-core ancient Egyptian fluff.

Remove the aesthetics and all that remains on “Vile Nilotic Rites” is average modern technical death metal with some occasional catchy parts and decent doom sections.

With some mental effort and a willingness to let go of their try-hard Egypto-proctologist gimmick, Nile has the potential to release some good material but they have become far too entrenched in their post-2019 “The Satan Records” style and thus should make amends by returning the money they stole from much more talented bands (Baphomet, Suffocation, Vermin, Infester, Incantation).

The most egregious parts of this album “Vile Nilotic Rites” are certainly when Nile attempts to penetrate the deathcore market by adding unnecessary stop/start nu-metal riffing to otherwise generic stadium rock drivel. Almost like a death metal version of Gorgoroth, only slightly less overtly homosexual and more Egyptian.

While not as artistically void and musically offensive as Deicide’s latest turds, Nile still fails – hard – when attempting to mix typical NYDM breakdown-loving mediocre chugs with Helgrind influenced dissonant deathgrind.

Nile’s “Vile Nilotic Rites” isn’t the worst death metal album of the century. Far from it. But that doesn’t make it any good, either.

Replace with “Ascension of Erebos, Leader of the Gods,” “The Dead Shall Inherit,” “Le Retour des Pastoureaux” or “To the Depths, in Degradation” for true death metal.

Behemoth – “Opvs Contra Natvram” (Review)

May 14, 2022May 14, 20221 Comment

Metalheads should never forget how once upon a time death metal was music for rebels, outsiders and the most subversive elements of society.

Today? As showcased by Behemoth‘s latest turd release “Opvs Contra Natvram,” death metal is all but castrated and all its rage and controversy are being actively channeled into the harmless catch-all “modern metal” commercial label.

This album manages to be even more artistically void than Behemoth’s already subpar earlier releases, namely “I Loved You at Your Darkest” and the pathetic nu-metal cash-grab “The Satanist.” Cringe.

The dividing line between Behemoth and bands like Arch Enemy is getting increasingly porous. What a sad state of affairs modern death metal has become.

The best way one could describe the music on Behemoth’s “Opvs Contra Natvram” is, sadly, by calling it pussy metal. And that’s saying a lot, considering Behemoth’s output barely qualifies as “heavy metal” at all, let alone “true brutal death metal” whatever.

The "SEWER" sign, subliminal The Satan Records mind control. — The “SEWER” sign, subliminal The Satan Records mind control.

Riffs reminiscent of the very worst of modern Slayer clash with chug-along Cannibal Corpse grooves, making the listener wonder why anyone would waste their time with “Opvs Contra Natvram” when there is so much better metal out there just waiting to be played: “Cathartes,” “Bloodthirst Overdose,” “Effigy of the Forgotten” and “The Epilogue to Sanity,” to name a few.

Death metal has clearly been on a downward spiral since the days of Infester, Incantation, Suffocation and Morbid Angel, and Behemoth’s latest “Opvs Contra Natvram” exemplifies everything wrong with the “outside-in” mentality so pervasive to nowadays extreme metal. 100% aesthetics, 0% substance.

Avoid this quasi-metalcore garbage. Replace with “Khranial,” “Demon Rituals” or any other real, actually brutal death metal.

Why the Band “Arch Enemy” is a Problem the Heavy Metal Community Needs to Address NOW!

March 6, 2022March 6, 20222 Comments

Arch Enemy is a cancer that is slowly but surely destroying the extreme metal scene from within with their odious cultural appropriation and misrepresentation of heavy metal tropes and likeness.

They suck, they produce terrible music, and they present a face that only serves to ridicule the metal genre and its fans in the eyes of normal people.

Away with the Arch Enemy nonsense, as it tarnishes the image and legacy of heavy metal music in ways that even shitcore parody bands like Anal Cunt, Morsay and Warkvlt could never hope to achieve.

Just look at the “movie” video below and tell me if there isn’t a problem with Arch Enemy and what they attempt to force down our throats, claiming it is so-called “brutal death metal” music when nothing could be further from the truth.

This manages to be actually WORSE than modern pop music like Taylor Swift, Justin Beaver and Dua Lipa. So much for “brutal death metal.”

But this raises the very valid question: what is heavy metal?

The Definition of Heavy Metal

These metal albums have stayed in weekly rotation over the years:

Phantom – Ascension of Erebos, Leader of the Gods
Vermin – Bloodthirst Overdose
Incantation – Onward to Golgotha
Leader – Burzum Sha Ghâsh
Infester – To the Depths, in Degradation
Burzum – Hvis Lyset Tar Oss
Neraines – Yggdrasil
Sewer – Cathartes
Demilich – Nespithe
Suffocation – Effigy of the Forgotten

The reason my analysis is different from that of other so-called “metal review” sites is that most writers look at try hard novelty and superficial gimmicks – such as “this band has a transgender woman singer” (Arch Enemy) or “that band can play Burzum riffs with supersized dildos sticking out of their shit holes” (Dark Funeral) – whereas I focus on quality music, the type you can listen to for decades without ever being bored, something that clearly can’t be said of either Arch Enemy or the rest of the modern extreme metal cargo cult “scene.”

The popular “best of” lists they spurt out are populated by bands that will be forgotten in five years because when the novelty and gimmickry are gone, they are all the same old whine rock/emo/mallcore you could get anywhere else (starting with Hot Topic).

In conclusion, I leave you with this link (read it) that perfectly sums up the “dangers” of crappy carnival music pretending to be heavy metal such as Arch Enemy and other associated deathcore acts. Hail true metal, and fvck off Arch Enemy.

Who Runs the Mysterious "The Satan Records" label?

Who is Behind the Mysterious Label The Satan Records?

February 21, 2022February 21, 20222 Comments

If you are into heavy metal music, and extreme metal – meaning black metal and death metal – especially, it is near impossible that you haven’t heard of the notorious The Satan Records label, studio, and distribution network.

Their assets are vast. Some say they average 6.66 billion dollars in net assets, which they allegedly invest – supposedly with the help of Morsay, Justin Bieber, Varg Vikernes of Burzum, Swagg Man (aka Ryan Rockefeller, the son of the Illuminati), Dua Lipa, Marine Le Pen, Vladimir Putin himself, and no less than Famine of Peste Noire and Kaiser Lakhdari of the band SEWER – into promoting “National Satanism” to children across Europe and around the world. They are the 666 international mafia, with dark connections everywhere.

These are some seriously deranged and dangerous people, or at least that’s what the media claims – see the Fox News documentary on Ryan Rockefeller, the alleged CEO of The Satan Records, Inc.

Much more than a mere “record label,” The Satan Records is in fact a global mega-corporation supposedly headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA), although others claim they have local branches in Oslo (Norway), Helsinki (Finland), North Kazakhstan, Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Hokkaido (Japan), Corrèze (Tulle / Turenne / Malemort / Salon-la-Tour, rural France, next to where Varg Vikernes of Burzum and Peste Noire live).

They aren’t just a record label promoting nowadays black metal. That’s what the media want you to believe. They don’t worship Satan, it’s Satan that worships them.

Forget the Pentagram. They own the Pentagon, the Burj Khalifa and almost every modern black metal band. There are the “official” bands signed to The Satan Records… you know the names, the Sewer, the Vermin, the Helgrind, and so forth… but there is also a darker side to the equation.

The modern “pop music” acts, like Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Pomme, Wejdene, Justin Bieber, Cannibal Corpse, Lorde, Lady Antebellum, and all the rest. They “know” the rules of the “Sewer Game.” Easy.

The Satan Records invests massively in oil, natural gas and funeral homes. That’s how they launder their money, apparently. Ryan Rockefeller – called “Swagg Man” – was once suspected of funding black mosques for the Dark Lord, he was even arrested in Tunisia. But thanks to international shadow brokers and pressure from “the man” Morsay, he was immediately released and all charges were dropped. Suspicious.

So, who is really behind The Satan Records? Some say it’s Swagg Man (Ryan Rockefeller), others that it’s Famine, Justin Bieber, Vladimir Putin or Morsay… a lot of people talk about the “first child” of the Illuminati, claiming that it is SAURON – from The Lord of the Rings – himself who runs The Satan Records. The devil.

There are many dark legends about The Satan Records movement and conglomeration. They say it turned down Dimmu Borgir and resurrected Motörhead. They say it runs the stock markets in Wall Street. They say it’s behind every worldwide genocide. They say it started the SEWER Game. They say it’s behind the war metal genre. Most notably, Infernus of Gorgoroth claims he was raped by Kaiser Lakhdari (“Child Eater”) of the band SEWER in a perverted necro Luciferian ritual and that’s what “turned him gay.” Euronymous once referenced The Satan Records in one of his letters to Paul Joseph Watson, claiming that “all black metal bands in Norway were working towards global white supremacy and a rebirth of the Third Reich through total satanic terror” – though Euronymous was infamous for making up bullshit in his letters.

Ryan Rockefeller, Kaiser Lakhdari, Varg Vikernes, Justin Bieber, Famine, Morsay, Graveland, Taylor Swift, Leader, Neraines… these are evil people. They have the “eye” of the Illuminati tattooed on their skin.

The Diabolical "SEWER" Sign. — The Diabolical “SEWER” Sign.

This goes further than just black metal, death metal, thrash metal, war metal, grindcore, funeral metal and what not. Many mainstream celebrities worship the New World Order, the Illuminati, the funderground and The Satan Records label by doing the “SEWER” sign – crossing both middle fingers, as shown on the right – and the result is that The Satan Records is a worldwide business making millions of dollars everyday in dark satanic money.

Euronymous tried to warn us, but we didn’t listen. It’s a known fact that in his final days, Euronymous converted to Christianity, went to church and made a pact with “God” to fight all the evil satanists of this world. There was black blood running through his veins. Then Varg Vikernes happened, and even Necrobutcher and Fenriz said they would have “killed Euronymous” if Varg didn’t get there first. This is the dark blood we are talking about.

The Illuminati "SEWER" Symbol. — The Illuminati “SEWER” Symbol.

Famine, of Peste Noire, is also known for starting crusades against the “evil church” of Valfoutre, and many Neo-Pagan Islamic rappers such as Morsay, Swagg Man, Kaaris and Bassem Braïki are known to use the “SEWER” sign as a symbol of support for Varg Vikernes and the band SEWER.

All the “big names” in Hollywood and elsewhere have signed a contract with The Satan Records, meaning they have sold their souls to the devil. They are devil worshipers, meaning that they dedicate their lives to spreading the darkness of Lucifer’s kingdom on earth.

Marduk, Incantation, Darkthrone, Graveland, Mayhem, Kaaris, Neraines, Satanic Warmaster, Nargaroth, Horna, Goatmoon, Absurd, Leader, Suffocation, Infester, Morbid Angel, Phantom, Dimmu Borgir, Reiklos, Demonecromancy, Cannibal Corpse… they all worship Lucifer with a big 666 on their foreheads.

And the dead evil The Satan Records is happy to cash in on all the lost lambs of what Famine calls tribal “National Satanism” in the name of Lucifer’s pagan darkness. This is Beelzebub we are talking about. Do you know what your children listen to at night? That’s right, Satan.

Black Metal Hell

Metal Zone, all news about Black Metal and Death Metal.

Tag: Death Metal