Sparing excess praise gravy, Joey is in fine form throughout this hour long opus. Even the less sterling cuts on “Worship Music” are extra good thanks to his powerful vocals. Getting to the meat of the album, the tastiest chunks of “Worship” are the anthemic parts, namely “The Devil You Know” and “In The End.” The latter in particular is worth repeated listens. It’s an epic mid-tempo affair driven by a martial grimness and a chorus that swims inside your head long after the last note has been struck. Being Anthrax, oddities also abound. This explains “Judas Priest,” a somewhat disjointed tribute to that most influential leather clad quintet from England.

If you’re the skullduggerous type who settles for downloads, skip the inanities and settle on “In the End,” “The Constant,” “Judas Priest,” “The Devil You Know,” “Revolution Screams” and “Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t.” The last is a thrashing mad romp that harkens to classic “Among the Living”-era Anthrax, a beautiful mix of b-movie camp and fanboy homage. What’s really striking, however, is how the band’s eclecticism brings back a lot of hallmarks from the Johm Bush era. Take “The Constant,” for example; it’s got a groovy hook that you wouldn’t miss for anything, being pure 90s Anthrax that would fit in albums like “Volume 8: the Threat Is Real” or that strange follow up to “Sound of White Noise.” The same goes for half the songs on “Worship Music.” Sure, there’s thrash in large servings but the last two decades of Anthrax are heard in grand form.

In summation, “Worship Music” culminates the Anthrax experience. It brings back tidbits form every album and delivers them fresh and exciting. The songwriting is superb, the hooks irresistible, and the sheer Anthrax power is awesome. After so many frustrated years, it’s all worth it. viagra

Horrific attempts at humor aside, “Scheepers” comes highly recommended to fans of Euro-metal, speedy or otherwise. Anyone who gets a boner listening to Judas Priest, Pretty Maids, Accept, Savatage, Scorpions, and Iron Maiden will fall in love with “Scheepers.” The album reciprocates in grand style with a torturous opener titled “Locked In the Dungeon” that slays every single misgiving several different ways. In short, it’s a kick ass song armed with twisting guitars, godly vocal work, and a huge chorus. Think “Painkiller” meets “Screaming For Vengeance.”

It’s not only Ralf who shines the most here, as a slew of session musicians and his own band mates are contributing to the album’s flavor. “Remission of Sin” stands out in particular for having Ripper Owens share vocal duties. The result is pretty much the same as when Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson collaborated: the two singers end up sounding the same.  Other notable collaborators are Magnus Karlsson, longtime accomplice Matt Sinner, and even Snowy Shaw plus a few other illustrious guests who lurk in the same power metal milieu as Ralf.

Other than the guaranteed fist pumping anthems, there’s no shortage of softer tracks on “Scheepers.” The album’s sweeping ballads includes the symphonic doldrums of “The Fall,” the Judas Priest cover “Before the Dawn,” and the emotionally laden “Pain of the Accused.” Then there’s the weepy, peace loving farewell that’s album closer “Compassion,” a laidback singalong akin to Scheepers’ own version of Lennon’s “Imagine.”

It’s the heavy metal parts that leave the deepest impressions, however. Be it the soaring chorus in “Saints of Rock,” the churning “Cyberfreak,” the boring speed metal of “Play With Fire” or the humongous midtempo headbanger  ”Dynasty,” Scheepers has got everything covered. A rock solid first album from a towering frontman, Scheepers succeeds in filling the gap between Primal Fear albums.

Suffering is indeed the likely reaction to the fresh batch of material on “Unseen.” Despite the talented personnel in the band, “Unseen” simply fails to deliver the expected drama, the thrilling intensity, the all out no-holds-barred firestorm the world needs from these guys. Okay, so the new material’s predecessor “Versus” marked a return to the heavy stuff, but that album was glass is half empty too. The band are already too comfortable in the particular niche they’ve wormed themselves into. Yet why does “Unseen” prove so unsatisfying? It’s because the Haunted have switched genres.

Terrible, huh? It can’t be missed here. Most of the songs on this platter hardly register in the metal spectrum. Expect hook laden riffs and weird lyrics about Dolving’s…whatever. The lyrics don’t matter as much as the palpable mood that infects the tunes here. The Haunted may have changed colors for “Unseen,” yet an indelible part of the band remains amid the general awfulness. Throughout the albums [boring] twists and turns, there lurks the quintet’s gloomy signature. The Haunted were always a dark bunch anyway, possessed by demos within and without. It’s a condition that paints some of the tunes here a few shades scarier than usual. For proof, try the album closer “Done” or “The City.” Vibrant perhaps until the heavy rain comes pouring down to soak everything in its gray glumness. No matter where the band turn, the storm clouds are never far away.

“Unseen” begins on a dispiritng note with the ironic “Never Better” that’s followed by the flicker of hope “No Ghost.” What comes next sucks and so does what follows after it. Apply the same to the title track, “The Skull,” and the weird half baked jive “Ocean Park.” Is there a glimmer of hope amid the tragic musical circumstances? Yes, thanks to a little guitar soloing, a little change in Dolving’s singing style, a little heaviness too and little else besides. Sigh.

The forceful brunt of these verities come into play during the opener “Prepare for Attack,” which showcases the band’s tutelage in the classics from the Bay Area scene. Every single thrash staple is featured on the album’s opening salvo, whether it’s the obligatory vocal snarls or the intricate guitar work. “Time Is Up” pushes all the right buttons for a specific type of metalhead, specifically the denim-clad diehards who hailed the rise of Municipal Waste some time ago, dug Gama Bomb’s irreverent humor, and continue to enjoy the retrogressive trend seeping across the underground. Havok are all this and more thanks to the occasional surprises that disrupt the album’s edge of your seat pace. The sonic firestorm may never let up on such scorchers as “Fatal Intervention,” “Covering Fire,” “The Cleric,” or the relentless title track and album closer “Time Is Up,” but there’s more than enough sweet variety when it comes to the real standouts like “Killing Tendencies” or the wonderful apocalyptic tune “The Cleric.”

The final verdict on “Time Is Up” is the same as a lot of albums these last few years. It’s pure thrash metal steeped in the classical influences with nary a modern edge to give it 21^st century appeal. “Time Is Up” doesn’t ask you to like it, it demands total submission. Nothing more, nothing less.

Expectations were pretty grim for “Black Rivers Flow” thanks to this writer’s prejudice towards new bands. Of course, the ingrained prejudice has its reasons, borne from suffering through so many albums that were riding on a trend or some other ephemeral abomination. Experiencing second-rate copycat metalcore bands, talentless/tasteless power metal, and sub par death metal have all withered his soul, leaving it coarse and angry at the very scene it has sworn allegiance to.

Melodrama aside, the present material from Lazarus AD is indeed quite the boot to the arse. It starts off without a boring intro or orchestra-driven filmscore pomp, which is a lingering bad habit among a vast multitude of inferior releases today. Indeed, the music here commences with a rousing groovefest that kindles the expectant listener’s enthusiasm for what “Black Rivers Flow” has to offer. The first song “American Dreams” is a worthwhile appetizer catchy enough to merit a few additional repeat listens. But those who forge ahead will find themselves amply rewarded by its far heavier siblings “The Ultimate Sacrifice” and a vigorous title track.

The irresistible visceral music is extended past the album’s halfway mark. While “Casting Forward” might strike discriminating ears as too catchy—too commercial—and uncomfortably upbeat for a ’serious’ metal album, rest assured what comes after is pure raging thrash. Personally, this writer doesn’t consider Lazarus AD a pure thrash band, for this is inaccurate and putting tags on artists are convenient but not entirely useful in the long run. Aside from these reasons, Lazarus AD have a powerful inclination for massive choruses and hooks galore that indicate a broader musical tutelage beyond the speedy confines of the mighty thrash school.  With songs like “Light A City (Up In Smoke)” and the utterly stupendous “Eternal Vengeance” Lazarus AD prove they’ve got what it take to pull off great things, epic things, timeless things.

Those looking for faults in this masterwork might fuss about Jeff Paulick’s vocals, but that’s just being a twat about boring details. Nitpicking performances here is a pointless task because the band are stellar for most of the album’s running time, be it the Dan Gapen-Alex Lackner twin guitar pyro or Ryan Shutler’s effortless drum work. These bastards have raised the bar so high, it would be awful if what came after this sucked in comparison.

So it’s been about a year and a half since your debut album was released. What’s been happening since then?
Incomplete line-up kept ARCANUM SANCTUM from touring in support of Fidus Achates, and I concentrated on composing of material for the second album. The latest songs for the new album were composed in cooperation with our ex-bassist Kirill ‘Kirk’ Kulinitchev, who decided to return to the band. I am happy to have him back – Kirk is a good bassist and I have always felt easy and comfortable while composing new songs with him. Now we are busy with rehearsing and preparing for the studio work.

The promotion of Fidus Achates was another activity I have been carrying on during this time together with our label More Hate Productions.

How has the response been to Fidus Achates?
The response was quite encouraging – many good reviews and comments. 85% of the first print of the album has already been sold. The only disappointment is that the response in Russia has not been as good as abroad. However, it is typical for Russian fans to neglect domestic bands.

In hindsight, when you listen to Fidus Achates are you happy with it or do you hear aspects you wish you’d done differently?
The material for Fidus Achates had been composed long before the recording. We had enough time to get an unbiased view of each song and now I can listen to this album apart from thinking that I am a part of it – it’s a good album of a good band. The main thing is that this album is full of sincere feelings and the production was good enough to convey it.

How would you compare the sound of your new material to the last album?
New material is definitely more technical and thrashy, yet melodic. We have both angry, fast or mid-tempo songs and deep canorous instrumentals. This time all lyrics are written entirely in English and vocals contribute to the density of the sound more significantly.

Who were your early musical inspirations? How did you get started with music in general, and was it always obvious you wanted to be in a metal band?
In childhood I used to listen to hard rock bands with my father. When I was 12 he got a video cassette with Black Sabbath Story and music videos by Dio. This day I decided to become a guitarist. By that time I had already finished musical school and could play violin. My first band was called Blizzard – I organized it when I was a 16 years old fan of Metallica. That time I met Kirill ‘Kirk’. He responded to an advertisement I had posted in a local newspaper. Kirk introduced me to the extreme metal scene. I was impressed by Death, Obituary, Carcass, At the Gates, Edge of Sanity. Together we discovered Opeth, Blind Guardian and many other bands. I still listen to a lot of music and like to discover something new to me.

Describe how Arcanum Sanctum came about?
In September of 2004 I left Void – the band where I played rhythm guitar. By that time there were no bands I could join, that’s why I decided to organize my own band. ARCANUM SANCTUM was formed on the 10th of October 2004 by me and the vocalist Alexander “Marius” Maltzev as a melodic-death metal project. In winter of the same year Marius left the band in order to form a symphonic black metal project REQUIEM AETERNAM (Rus.). I asked Kirk (he also played in Void) to join the band as a bassist/vocalist. Since that time we have passed through numerous line-up changes and I have remained the only constant member of ARCANUM SANCTUM. Current line-up will be announced together with the release date of the second album.

Where did you get the idea for your band name?
I came across this concept in the books about Paracelsus and alchemy. A late sixteenth-century pseudo-Paracelsian treatise identifies Paracelsus’s famous panacea (“Azoth of the Red Lion”), extracted from cinnabar and associated with the alchemistic philosopher’s stone, as the “arcanum sanctum”, which means the secret of secrets.

When it comes to lyrics, what kind of themes inspired you when writing the previous album, and with the current material?
Generally my lyrics are based on personal experience – Fidus Achates was a very intimate album. Almost all songs reflect my feelings during that period of time. I am very avoidant and it is very difficult for me to talk face-to face – I just can’t find correct words at once. With the lyrics I got the possibility to tell what was left untold to those who care.
The new material is more philosophic in lyrics, more angry. It deals with human nature in general – all those lies predominant in human relations on every level beginning from self-deception up to the global political issues. However, the main purpose of my songs remains the same – to awaken feelings and thoughts.

Do you have any plans for live shows?
At the moment we have almost complete line-up and plan to play live in support of the second album.

If you could tour with any band, who would it be?
Well, when you plan such things, it must be based on compatibility and status rather than on personal likes. However, I’d prefer to go on tour with some thrash metallers. No names, sorry.

What bands have you been listening to lately?
Megadeth, Death, Sadist, Raise Hell, Revocation, Havok, Sodom, the Crown, W.A.S.P., Ozzy Osbourne, Postmortem (Estonia), Tales of Darknord, October Tide – just can’t remember each and every band.

What do you think has been the biggest obstacle to overcome in the process of getting your band noticed?
The main problem is the absence of touring, I think. Touring still remains the most common way for the band to get noticed. Apart from chance to play live for hundreds and thousands of people, it develops a lot of stuff, such as videos, photos etc., which keep up an interest in the band in the Internet between the official releases.

Another aspect is time. Today there are numerous bands playing good music, both signed and unsigned. Many good bands quit the stage after the first or the second album. Only those who find strength to work hard and remain loyal to music through years have chance to become prominent on the metal stage. ARCANUM SANCTUM still remains a fresh band, but we eager to make it big!

How important is social media (Myspace, Facebook) for keeping in touch with fans and promoting your music?
Thousands of people have already discovered ARCANUM SANCTUM via MySpace. We get many messages and comments from fans worldwide. For the band which does not tour it is essential to communicate with fans at least via the Internet. By means of ARCANUM SANCTUM MySpace page people interested in our music can learn how to mail order a CD, share our music with their friends or get in touch with us on any matter. So, I vote for MySpace!

That’s it! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview. Is there anything else you’d like to mention?
Thank you for the interview! I can hardly wait to begin the recording of the second album. Hope you will like it! Stay in touch!

Setlists

KATATONIA:
Leaders
Liberation
Day and then the Shade
Soil’s Song
The Longest Year
My Twin
Ghost of the Sun
Forsaker
July
Without God
Murder

OPETH:
The Devil’s Orchard
I Feel the Dark
Face of Melinda
Porcelain Heart (w/ drum solo)
Nepenthe
The Throat of Winter (acoustic)
Credence (acoustic)
Closure (acoustic)
Slither
A Fair Judgement
Hex Omega
Folklore (encore)

First a note about the venue. This was the first time in recent history a major metal show has been held at the Guelph Concert Theatre, or in Guelph at all. I don’t think they were quite prepared for the masses of a sold out show. The place was packed! It’s a great little venue to see a show if you’ve got a spot on either of the three balconies, but not so great if you’re stuck on the floor. The place has zero air circulation and turned into one giant sauna by the end. You could actually see the ceiling sweating.

On to Katatonia: I don’t know whether somebody was playing a practical joke or if it was just an embarassing technical problem, but when the band started “playing” we could only hear the drums and everyone else looked like they were rocking out to silence for 30 seconds.

They played tracks from a variety of albums over the years, each as captivating as the next. I had seen Katatonia once before a few years ago and wasn’t crazy about them, but this time I found them mesmerizing and I was completely enthralled with their performance. At the end Anders switched to vocals for “Without God” and “Murder” and everyone went nuts (excited we’d actually get to hear some growls at this show…)

Now, I’m sure you all know the circumstances surrounding Opeth these days and luckily I had prepared myself ahead of time for a show without growls. Most responded well and were accepting of the new material, but of course there were a few hecklers and people leaving early, disappointed. They played a lot of songs off Heritage and the only old songs were slow with clean vocals. People started moshing at the rare heavy bits of Porcelain Heart and A Fair Judgement probably realizing that was as good as it was going to get. Hex Omega ended up being the heaviest track.

But I shouldn’t be too critical of their soft material. It doesn’t change the fact they are all masters at what they do and Mikael’s voice is haunting to hear live, especially for Face of Melinda. He’s actually quite humorous and entertaining as a front man, chatting between songs and cracking a few jokes (or just being an ass). Addressing the hecklers, “Does it say on your ticket that you get requests?” and before a 3-song acoustic stretch commenting along the lines of playing a bunch of stuff that nobody likes.

Overall it was a great show! I’m a bit bummed we didn’t get any Bloodbath songs like Baltimore did, but maybe Mikael will be willing to growl out some heavy stuff on the next leg of the tour. Maybe…

The problem with “Khaos Legions,” despite its startling poignancy, is a lot of the songs are rehashed. Just take the album intro, for example. “Khaos Overture” is a corny opening salvo that sets the anarchic tone of the oncoming fare—it’s also no different from a previous album opener circa 2003. “Yesterday Is Dead And Gone” is an okay track to stimulate the listener’s enthusiasm; the Amott brothers are in fine form and Angela’s vocals are vicious as ever. “Bloodstained Cross” is equally riveting. Unfortunately by the time “Under Black Flags We March” arrives the band seem to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. No wonder giant chuncks of “Khaos Legions” is reminiscent of past releases like “Doomsday Machine” and “Anthems of Rebellion,” whether it’s the juicy hooks or the thrash tinged pace.

Since we’re dealing with Archenemy nothing is amiss on the musicianship front. What does suck are the cliché lyrics and dull songs that unravel with utter dullness. Take “City of the Dead,” “Cruelty Without Beauty,” “Cult of Chaos,” or “Thorns In My Flesh,” all filler tracks galore with nary a moment of passionate brilliance. Luckily there are enough solid numbers left for redemption such as “Secrets” or “Through the Eyes of the Raven.” There are two instrumental tracks too for guitar nerds to drool over. Other than these gems, “Khaos Legions” teeters on the brink, an almost half-assed effort saved by commendable talent.

Though Archenemy’s last studio outing “Rise of the Tyrant” saw them at the height of their powers, “Khaos Legions,” on the other hand, is a painful step backward. Guys and girls with secret crushes on Angela are much better off revisiting their Carcass albums to ease the heartbreak.

A word of caution: It might take repeated spins before this latest Edguy endears itself to the skeptics because there still remains much worth grimacing about. Lead single and opener “Robin Hood” seems an odd choice to represent the album, but give it time and the song grows on you. It really is a sword swinging romp worthy of high praise. The video is an embarrassment though. Fortunately, Edguy’s well honed songwriting acumen (thanks Tobias Sammet) is a huge contributor to the sterling quality of the material here—most of it, at least. “Nobody’s Hero” is a heady romp driven by some flashy guitar play from monsignors Jans Ludwig and Dirk Sauer.  ”Rock of Cashel” kinda sucks the way “Tinnitus Sanctus” did a few years back, but “Pandora’s Box” is a keeper.

The middle of the album is hit and miss, especially “Two Out Of Seven” which sounds like a cross between Europe and Def Leppard (so does the token ballad “Every Night Without You). There’s supposed to be a dick joke in the lyrics that’s totally suffocated by an overwhelming chorus. Edguy are quite wonderful when they aren’t taking themselves seriously and the awkwardness of “Two Out Of Seven” is a fine example.

For true metal glory, go for “Faces in the Darkness,” Fire On The Downline,” and “Behind The Gates To Midnight World.” These are mighty offerings true to the band’s whimsical tendencies. Even better, they also have a touch of wickedness in them. Performance-wise the band are at the top of their game, a plateau they’ve reached many years ago around the time “The Savage Poetry” was reissued. Tobias Sammet is in fine form as usual and his mates execute the songs with deftness. Hardly a groundbreaking release, “Age of the Joker” is still a worthy effort from these much maligned Germans. Diehard Edguy lovers owe themselves a good dose of this album.

For their third magnum opus, Crown the Lost offer a selection of euro-melodic songs that feature impressive guitar soloing and a pedigreed sophistication. To fully comprehend and acquire a taste for their music though, it’s necessary to understand the inner workings of the quintet. Founded several years ago under the banner of thrash metal, Crown the Lost’s foundation stones were soaring clean vocals, twin guitar duels, riffs, and a touch of progressive technicality.

These elements are still in place for “Cold Pestilent Hope,” the follow up to their confusing 2008 release “Blind Faith Loyalty.” The main difference between the two albums is the present material is penance for the trespasses of its elder sibling. See, though the vision for “Blind Faith Loyalty” was grandiose, execution fell short, resulting in a less than appetizing listen. “Cold Pestilent Hope” goes the extra mile to rectify this grievous fault, thus the songs are tighter and the band’s compositions are abbreviated to a digestible few minutes each.

The album commences with an instrumental opener then proceeds to get underway with “Separate Blood From Waste.” It’s here that Crown the Lost’s greatness is exhibited in all guns blazing fahsion—there’s newcomer vocalist Leon Mallah’s Queensryche-esque enunciations, thrahstastic dueling mayhem from guitarists Joe Bonnadio and David Ghelke, plus a capable rhythm section that preserves the song’s cohesion.

When it comes to songwriting, lyrical themes, and musicianship, Crown the Lost are a fully matured band. What they seem to lack this far into their existence is a solid grasp of what truly rivets a listener. It’s a difficult art, akin to alchemy and other subliminal endeavors. As a result, some of the tracks on this album are passable at best.

This doesn’t mean “Cold Pestilent Hope” is tedious. It’s more eclectic thatn any of the band’s previous outpourings, with an instrumental stewing in the middle and real moshpit worthy fare spread across its 50 minutes. Try “Bloodsoaked Serenity,” the title track, and the farewell tune “Inexorable.” Hopefully, this album earns a reputation for being Crown the Lost’s “Through The Ashes of Empires,” a masterful effort that apves the way for their best, most lasting work.

UPDATE: According to their website, Crown the Lost have disbanded. Does this make “Cold Pestilent Hope” a collectors item? Oh well, Crown the Lost is dead–long live Crown the Lost!