Deliverance - "The Subversive Kind" Review

     Thrash metal legends Deliverance return for their eleventh studio album The Subversive Kind after 5 years of silence, continuing in the vein of their previous album Hear What I Say. While in later years the band drifted away from their roots and strayed into the heavy metal and progressive metal realms, The Subversive Kind is a throwback to iconic albums like Deliverance and Weapons of Our Warfare.  The album is a pedal-to-the-metal, no-holds-barred sonic assault, blasting away at the listener's ear drums with 7 tracks of pure metal mayhem.  In the matter of their faith Deliverance refuses to compromise, remaining stalwart and dedicated for almost three decades. 
     Unlike the band's previous few albums, Deliverance chooses to focus more on raw power and speed rather than melody or polish.  It's a recipe that worked well for the band in the past, and is immediately apparent with The Subversive Kind's opening track, "Bring 'Em Down."  Churning guitars framed by bone-shattering drum beats accompany Jimmy's signature, raspy vocals.  A guitar solo wails out of the background like a shrieking banshee as lead guitarist Glenn Rogers proves that time hasn't dulled any of his talent.  The current lineup, who all were with Deliverance in the early days outside of bassist Victor Macias, appear to be a tight-knit group, and it comes across in their musical cohesion on The Subversive Kind.  Macias is no new name to the scene, either, having played with thrash legends Tourniquet over the course of his career.
     "Concept of the Other" is a straightforward thrash assault, with The Crucified-esque transitions.  "Center of it All" is one of the more uninspired tracks on the album.  The song has a modern sound to it, but it fails to set itself apart from the rest.
     "The Black Hand" is a brilliant track.  It begins with an intriguing melodic rhythm and segues into a thrash metal masterpiece.  The guitars are like twin pillars of relentless fire and Jimmy gives one of his best vocal performances of all time.  The chorus is both memorable and haunting, proving that Deliverance still has a lot to say and that they know how to say it.  "Epilogue" is classic Deliverance and sounds like it could have been a B-side from Weapons of Our Warfare.  This listener is also reminded of Metallica's "Creeping Death."  
      Just past the halfway point, this listener has to pause and take a breath. Phew!  It's like eating a bag of Doritos Blaze chips in the middle of a desert. Only instead of wanting to start a rap battle like Peter Dinklage, I have the urge to find the nearest mosh pit and jump right in!  "Listen Closely" is a rhythmic monster and takes a page out of Tourniquet's playbook.  Deliverance also experiments with dynamics and tempo changes on this track, which makes the guitar solo three-fourths of the way through the song pack a harder punch.
     Then it's on to the masterpiece title track, "The Subversive Kind."  The song hits fast and heavy out of the gate with a quick guitar solo.  The vocals on this track are some of the most memorable on the album, and the guitar shredding is what Metallica has been missing on their last few albums.  Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.  "The Fold" is the album's final song.  It builds tension and suspense over the course of a minute introduction, morphing into one of the more polished numbers on the album. 
     Deliverance returns with a vengeance on their album The Subversive Kind.  It's one of the best metal albums so far in 2018 and the band's best album since the early 90s.  Hopefully some younger bands will take note of Deliverance's work ethic and dedication.  Fans of thrash metal and speed metal will find this album like a fine cocaine: they'll want to return over and over again to its alluring power.  With The Subversive Kind, Deliverance proves that sometimes keeping things simple works out for the best.  The album is a tried and true recipe, delivering a thrash metal masterpiece from start to finish.

Rating:  9/10

Adorned Graves - "Out from the Depth of the Grave" Review

 
      Gloomy, relentless, sludgy -- like the Biblical leviathan surging up out of the darkest depths to herald the destruction of the world.    Rhythmic, aggressive, invasive -- like a Panzer tank crushing debris beneath its treads.  It's hard to imagine that these styles might stand side by side, but Adorned Graves' Out from the Depth of the Grave is a manifestation of these separate visions.  The German metal outfit plays old school thrash metal with an overlaying veneer of doom metal.  Out from the Depth of the Grave is the band's first full-length album, despite being together since the early '90s in some shape or form.
     Adorned Graves released an EP entitled Hand of Death in 2015, and Out from the Depth of the Grave follows in its footsteps.  The songs on the new album are generally longer, more cohesive, and moodier than the EP.  Adorned Graves are masters at interspersing slow, doom-laden passages with vibrant, up-beat thrash assaults.  If you crossed Black Sabbath with Metallica, or Trouble with Tourniquet, you might get an idea of what the band sounds like.  With such variation, Out from the Depth of the Grave stays interesting even with 11 tracks clocking in at almost an hour of metal mayhem.  Adorned Graves' vocalist and rhythmic guitarist Cailin Lef Graever, along with drummer and backup vocalist Deafon Graever, display numerous styles in the vocal department.  There's mellow singing, death growls, gang vocals in the vein of The Crucified, and spoken passages.  Guitarist Andreas Wormser shreds through wave after wave of grinding doom riffs, vitriolic thrash attacks, and atmospheric leads.  All of these things combine to create an engaging, unique record that is a bold odyssey of song writing.
     Out from the Depth of the Grave begins with the atmospheric introduction to the track "Out of the Deep."  It's a cry to God from the midst of despair, much like Job's impassioned plea as he donned sackcloth and lamented the loss of everything that he once held dear.  The harmonics and almost operatic singing is reminiscent of Saviour Machine's vocalist Eric Clayton.  The song then begins to climb in dynamic range and scope, sounding similar to a Veni Domine track.  The album's second track, "Opus One," is a fairly straightforward thrash number.  The vocals are similar to Metallica's "Creeping Death" in some spots, and bring to mind Tourniquet in others.
     "Primal Ocean" is one of the strongest efforts on Out from the Depth of the Grave.  The song starts with spoken lines in Hebrew and then an atmospheric guitar riff kicks in, sending shivers down the spine.  The pounding drums are relentless on this track, accompanying sludgy riffs that push it slowly into thrash metal range.  Some bands have dueling guitars -- Adorned Graves has dueling styles, and the stylistic shift is well executed on "Primal Ocean."    Track four on Out from the Depth of the Grave is a short thrash number.  "Hydrophis Archaios" reminds the listener of Mortification's early thrash metal with its high octave vocals and furious riffing and drumming.
     A brief spoken intro leads into the album's sixth track, "Psalm 88."  "Psalm 88" takes a step back for a moment to immerse the listener in roiling waves of sonic destruction at half speed.  It's easy to hear the Candlemass influence in the opening riff, which is thicker than honey and about as friendly as a cornered rattlesnake.  The song, with its dynamic contrast and time changes, is a testament to Adorned Graves' skilled musicianship.  "Invocation to Liwija" serves as an introduction to the next track, "Gorge of Liwija."  "Gorge of Liwija" is an epic 9-minute song in the vein of Maiden's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," with seasoned doom and thrash riffs, interesting drum fills, and passionate vocals.  There's a strong Lament for the Weary influence on this track, which makes sense, as Seventh Angel were one of the most successful bands at integrating doom and trash.
     "S.alvation O.f the S.ea" is a fun number with crunchy guitar riffs and shouted vocals.  The track would fit well as a B-side on Mortification's Post Momentary Affliction.  "Adorned Graves" is the tenth track on Out of the Depth of the Sea.  It's back to "doom and gloom" for a moment as the song has a 2-minute intro before the vocals come in.  Mid-track, the band kicks it into full throttle, with aggressive guitar playing in the vein of Slayer.
     Finally, the end of the journey has arrived.  The weary traveler sinks down in the shade, shrugging the dust from his sandals.  He dips his hands into a cool trough full of water, splashing it over his dirty face.  Then he drinks deeply until he is sated, closes his eyes, and slumbers.  The acoustic guitar and atmospheric vocals of "Source of Life" imparts such a mood on the listener.  The soaring guitar riffs midway through the song surge with a life of their own.  The melody is euphoric and invigorating, like a fine cocaine.  It's something that I would expect Extol or Opeth to write, but its surprising nature doesn't detract from its brilliance.
     Out from the Depth of the Grave is a thrash and doom metal masterpiece.  It's difficult to point out any faults.  Perhaps a few of the songs could be trimmed in length a bit, and more variation of melodic instrumentation could be used (keys, violins, etc.).  Adorned Graves has achieved something that most bands set out to do, but never accomplish.  The band has successfully merged multiple styles of music in an original way, all while giving tribute to the masters of yesteryear without regurgitating an album that's been done before.  If you're looking for a fresh musical vision, and you like thrash or doom metal, then look no further than Adorned Graves' debut album Out from the Depth of the Grave.

Rating:  9/10

Theocracy - "Ghost Ship" Review (Halloween Special)

     It's All Hallows' Eve, the time of year when ghouls and goblins dance on top of graves and in the middle of our streets.  Jack-o'-lanterns leer at us around every corner, and children bounce along on hay rides in the settling gloom.  So let's kick back and turn up the volume as we stuff our faces with delicacies of every chocolatey and sugary stripe, sipping cider next to a roaring flame.  As your ears perk up, you hear the first notes of Theocracy's fourth album Ghost Ship sailing out of the dense fog, tantalizing us with its strong brand of melodic power metal and eerie album art.  The cover is something right out of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and like the namesake in that series of films, it's a classic for the ages. 
     Many critics have harped on the fact that Theocracy draws from a well of influences that include European power metal bands such as Sonata Arctica, Edguy, and Blind Guardian, but the band doesn't merely ape these artists.  They have formed their own brand of power metal here in the United States, and have dared to dream of a musical vision that is known both for its epic songwriting and its grounding in the Christian faith.  Hot off the heels of its predecessor, As the World Bleeds, and daring to challenge Theocracy's opus, Mirror of Souls, the new album Ghost Ship does a more than adequate job of living up to the band's stalwart legacy.
     Ghost Ship leaps out of the gate with the opener "Paper Tiger," and while the title of this track suggests a dual fragility and ferocity, the ferocity wins out in the end.  It's immediately apparent that guitarist Van Allen Wood is no slouch.  Accompanied by Jonathan Hinds on rhythm guitar, he capably shreds his way through the first track.  Theocracy also experiments with what I will tentatively call a "rap" at the end of "Paper Tiger."  It's similar to a vocal style used on the song "I Am" from the previous album, except this time it's grittier and faster. 
     Then it's on to the title track, "Ghost Ship."  This song is strongly influenced by the past musical styles of the band, featuring obvious thrash roots and a crunch that has been present on songs like "Laying the Demon to Rest" and "30 Pieces of Silver."  But there's also a raucous posturing by the lead guitar as it whizzes overhead (show off!) and eclipses the other instruments on the song.  Arguably, it's one of the standout efforts on Ghost Ship.
     "The Wonder of It All" continues in this thrashy vein, and Matt Smith demonstrates why he is one of the premier vocalists in metal today.  His voice soars between lower and higher octaves with ease.  Personally, I'm a huge fan of the lower, more baritone aspect of his voice.  "Wishing Well" begins with orchestration that segues into an anthemic monster.  It will certainly give me pause the next time I cast a penny to make a wish.  Theocracy shows off their song writing skills on "Wishing Well" as it builds to a crescendo and then backs off into a melodic bridge, but the ending is pure angst framed by pointed drumming.
     The beginning of the song "Around the World and Back" comes off as a bit gimmicky with the sound effects, and the band arguably loses a bit of steam at this point.  But Theocracy "Stirs the Embers" again, as guitar riffs surge like waves slamming into the shore on the next song.  The two dueling guitars bounce off of each other with perfect timing, and some of the riffing on this song puts modern-era Metallica to shame. 
     "A Call to Arms" features heavy syncopation, which gives the song a pointed edge and musical focus.  The chorus is one-hundred percent "We Will Rock You" material, and you'll be singing it as you drive to work and humming it as you take a shower.  "Currency in a Bankrupt World" slacks off the pace for a moment, but its rolling melodies and impetus are as infectious as The Walking Dead. 
     "Castaways" heralds our ears with an aggressive early '90s thrash riff, and as the bass guitar kicks in, it's clear that even Fast and Furious can't hold a candle to this pace.  The imagery on this song does an excellent job of complimenting the album's nautical theme. 
     "Easter" is the band's opus, and while it's obvious that this is one of the most technically proficient and passionately inspired songs on the record, it doesn't quite hold up to the epic qualities of "Mirror of Souls" or the frantic pace of "I Am."  After debating inwardly with myself about this track, I've come to the conclusion that what bothers me is its lyrical content.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not critiquing the band for what the lyrics represent, but rather their approach to it.  They come across as rather cookie-cutter in the end.  It lacks the originality of the lyrics of the two aforementioned songs.  Of course, this is merely a quibble, as the tremendous uplifting atmosphere of the song wins out in the end.
     By any standard, Ghost Ship is a phenomenal album.  Fans of power metal, thrash metal, and heavy metal will find moments to enjoy on Ghost Ship.  Theocracy is a talented bunch of musicians, and it's hard to believe that this vision started with just one man, Matt Smith.  So, let's not wait any longer.  Grab your headphones and a cup of cider or ale, as it's time for the ride of a lifetime.  Hold on to the nearest railing or spirit (on second thought, you might want to just grab the railing).  All aboard the Ghost Ship!

Rating:  9.5/10