A
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Grade
Scale adopted at MetalKings.com (starting from the lowest)
1
- Shite
2 - Could be worse
3 - Could be better
4 - Damn good
5 - Killer
5/5
AMORPHIS
Far From the Sun
2003
EMI Finland
doom rock
To tell you he truth, it was mainly this record that made me want
write reviews again, which (as well as metal music as whole) I was getting
quite tired of. I guess there comes a time in the life of each review-wrier,
when all the new albums suddenly fall into one huge blurred helter-skelter,
finding anything original and unique in which proves to be utterly impossible.
Everything starts to sound unbearably boring, dull, and ten-times-before
heard, while the whole style only makes you want to puke. Finally you
arrive at the point, when the only medication, which would get you out
of this black abyss, can be a truly good and interesting work, which
would make you take a look at the music from another angle, which would
make you want to listen to it more than once, which - finally - would
allow you to honestly say that you really like it. Well, the latest
Amorphis has surprisingly cut the deal for yours truly: high-quality,
diverse, integrate, serious-minded and simply beautiful music. No more
- no less. (Troll)

4/5
FINNTROLL
Visor om Slutet
2003
Spinefarm/FONO
òðîëëüñêèé ýìáèåíò
Hmm, quite interesting I must say. If the first album of this honorable
Finnish act was telling about the life and customs of the trolls in
general, then the second one was largely dedicated to the word-painting
of their battle feats and the songs of wars long past. Quite logically
the third one - pardon the expression - experimentroll EP gives an attempt
to describe what the troll-kin's shamans may after eating too much mushrooms
and other hallucinogenic rootlets. Very well, let us not judge them
too strict for this, and although I personally would have frankly preferred
to hear something more erm… traditional, such experiments, nonetheless,
have a full right to existence, and, considering the fact, that the
material has definitely been written ex animo, who am I to point me
indignant finger at me Nordic brethren? Plus, I mean Finntroll did honestly
warn everybody that "Visor" was going to be erm... quite an unusual
listening experience. And as a closure - let me give you a brief description
of what you may hear: acoustic guitars, tambourines, "awful" (in the
good sense of the word) choirs, handclaps and stomps, and ambient-like
synth themes. (Troll)

5/5
HIDDEN IN THE
FOG
Abstract Maelstrom Paragon
2003
self-produced
black metal
That is pretty good I must admit. Even considering the fact that the
influence of Emepror's "Anthems to the Wilken at Dusk" is all too obvious
here. After all, not every black metal band could really say that it
plays "almost like Emperor", and they do play pretty damn well, at that.
Another important point is that it is a German band we are talking about
here, and sad as it is but the German black metal scene has never been
overly inventive. Well, each rule has a pleasant exception. The complex
cobwebs of guitar riffs, entirely crazy drum beats, well-timed keyboard
arrangements, excellent soloing - all of that, as well as a whole lot
of other things is what one may find on "Abstract Maelstrom Paragon."
And although it is probably still pretty early to say that Hidden in
the Fog could righteously claim the recently abandoned imperial throne,
nonetheless, earnestly, I have to admit that so far I have not heard
anything more convincing in this key. In the closure it is also worth
point out the quality of the recording itself, which is quite good especially
for a self-produced record. I says go for it, lads! And, all you at
record labels… take notice. (Troll)

5/5
HIM
Love Metal
2003
BMG Universal
love metal
Honestly I would have never expected myself be able to say that I frankly
like him - I mean, HIM. However here I am sitting with my headphones
on, totally blown away by His Infernal Majesty's latest effort, and
- again with all my honesty - I don't give a fuck what everyone else,
who is more used to see me a bloody scythe in my hand swinging at the
heads of all the "whining gawths" of this putrid planet, might say about
that. So what's the deal? The deal is that Monsegnior Ville has once
again managed to fool everybody, and although the record bears the loud
title of "Love Metal" this is nothing but a provocation for it really
has nothing to do with anything "gawthic", not even close. What it does
sound like is the standard guitar-oriented, traditionally Finnishly
melodic rock, yer typical MTV bullshit, but for one aspect, which changes
the whole thing. (in a dramatic whisper) 'Love Metal' does not contain
a single bad track. Period. Every song on the record starting from the
totally unHIMmish, rock-n-roll-like "Buried By Love" and to the more
typical "Funeral of Hearts" - is a one hundred percent hit, which make
you wanna listen to them over and over again. Yep, that's Love Metal
for ya, baby. (Troll)

5/5
LORDI
Get Heavy
2002
BMG Finland
õýâè-ìåòàëë
The brand-new product of the Finnish metal scene which has been received
through crossing the image of GWAR with the musical and verbal exercises
of none other than Vincent Fournier, whose altered DNA hailing under
the proud title of Lordi has not only grown into Finland's fave act
number one, but has also started storming the metal scene of the neighboring
countries. In fact what happened the band's debut "Get Heavy" has reached
platinum status at home and moreover booked itself a permanent slot
in the top five of national charts. Would you love a monster, baby?
- asks the band's singer in a soothing voice. However upon sighting
this heavy metal Freddie Krueger the said baby may not be able to give
an uninhibited answer, which is why the band gives her yet another hint
- "Devil Is a Loser" (He's my bitch), so really, dear, there ain't no
guy like me around. And those girls who are more enamored with some
technogenic designs, are likely to enjoy the "Biomechanic Man". Overall,
an excellent record for all the classic heavy lovers. (Debbie Boink)

4/5
LULLACRY
Crucify My Heart
2003
Spinefarm/FONO
heavy rock
They say you don't change horses in the middle of the stream, and that
an old friend is heaps better than two new ones, but this simple wisdom
did not stop Lullacry from waving goodbye to their old singer Tanya
last year, and replaced her with a new one called Tanja, whose name,
ironically, is only one letter different from her predecessor. Luckily
this is not the only difference, since Tanjas vocal abilities proved
to be a lot higher, while the looks are totally stunning. The new blood
gave the rest of the band so much of a kick in the butt, that "Crucify
My Heart" has turned out to be 10 times more aggressive, thick, elite,
and simply better than the previous "Be My God". An astonishingly beautiful
ballad of "Unchain" with magnificent guitar parts by Sami Vauhkonen,
the driven "Crucify My Heart", and the energetic "Don't Touch the Flame"
make the album appealing for both, heavy, gothic, and love-rock fans.
(Debbie Boink)

no
rate
METALLICA
St. Anger
2003
Vertigo
metallica
Not stopping at the already 10,000 times chewed and swallowed in all
the possible reviews and all the thinkable "St. Anger"-related forums
subject of the "snare" (in this context also stands for "enamel saucepan"
and "garbage can cover"), I must say that aside from the aforementioned,
nothing really horrible or - let alone - strange has happened. If to
date, you still haven't got used to the frills and capers of Henosse
Lars and company, you really nshould consider changing your attitude
and quit whining for your own sake. I mean let's get it straight - throughout
their musical career Metallica have always wanted to play Black Sabbath.
Jolly well! So Black Sabbath they play, in their own interpretation
of course, but it is still Black Sabbath - pure and simple. Moreover,
they do play quite good (forget the snare once again), and well… so
what if it doesn't sound like "Kill'em All" or the "Black Album" - who
gives a flying fuck after all... (Troll)

4/5
MOONSORROW
Kivenkantaja (Stonebearer)
2003
Spinefarm/FONO
viking metal
Another monumental epic delivered by the hot Finnish alpha-males who
cannot forget the brutal glory of their great ancestors, roaming about
the world in their battleships, searching for adventures, which would
then be sung in beautiful hymns. Well, the road from one shore to another
usually took quite a while, which meant that the said hymns weren't
exactly short either. The latest Moonsorrow record is no exception and
features a total of six track spread along some 60 minutes of music.
This means that you gotta have some nerve to pull you to the end of
"Kivenkantaja", or else you gotta be a die-hard all-out viking metal
fan. If that be the case the pleasure from listening to the CD will
be everlasting - the many-voiced male choirs, the melancholic violin
shrieks, the soul-touching female vocals, the grim lyrics - in short
a real album written by the real vikings for the real fans of this horned-bearded
ilk. Special note goes out to the opening "Raunioilla", which is probably
the strongest number on the CD. (Debbie Boink)

5/5
SENTENCED
The Cold White Light
2003
Century Media
doom gothic
All of us come to this world in order to die. And if there were a "Suicider
Society" somewhere their rituals should have included auditions of the
three latest Sentenced albums. The new one "Cold White Light" once again
explains that everything's just awful, life sucks, and the music is
so morbid, that even if you notice a glimpse of light in the far-far
end of the tunnel, you somehow feel compelled to nail this light shut.
Darkness, freedom, and silence. And only one star in the sky would suddenly
start crying of you in the morning hour. Funeral bells will ring in
"Brief Is the Light" and the brain-splatters on the wall from "Excuse
Me While I Kill Myself" have long been cleaned up, put into a neat plastic
bag, and packed into the tiny little coffin on the last page of the
CD booklet. You've ended your life-cycle, it has been short and silly,
but this was your choice. However if the choice has not been made quite
yet, give "Cold White Light" another spin and think - do you really
want this??? After all sitting at home and soaking you misery in a glass
of whiskey listening to the beautiful voice of Ville Laihala is a lot
better than decaying in the dirt somewhere… (Debbie Boink)

5/5
STALWART
Dive to Nowhere
2003
promo
symphonic angry metal
The fact that Stalwart rules became clear to me back in June of
this year when I saw them opening the first day of St. Pete's "Russian
Roulette" festival. Then again "rules" is probably not a strong enough
word. These guys really fucking shred! Imagine a mixture of Machine
Head, Pantera, Kill II This, The Projec Hate, Waltari and a good share
of neoclassic orchestrations as a dressing to this thermonuclear cocktail?
Yammi? Hell, yeah! But that's not it. Already by the second song the
aforementioned TNT mixture adds a couple of drops of Black Sabbath and
a part of Voivod, and when it comes to the third and fourth tracks,
you would even be able to hear some of the later Dimmu Borgir, early
Tiamat, and what not. And mind you, all of this is just an echo, not
citation! Add to this some really dense and thick sound, flawless performance
skills, and you would get still a very distant picture of what you may
find on this CD. Freaking A! (Troll)

5/5
TROLL BENDS FIR
Troll Bends Fir
2003
Kailas Records
beer folk
The worst nightmare of any review-writer is reviewing an album, which
you really get the kicks out of. Then again, no… There is something
worse than that. That is reviewing an album which, in your opinion,
rules, shreds, burns, kicks ass and freaking slays! :) And that is exactly
the case we have here. The Russian part of our readership has already
heard me mentioning the band in the context of the Rusian Roulette fest
which took place in St. Pete in June of this year, but that was the
raving and raging of a live concert, and now the time has come for the
album itself. Well, first of, it needs be said that this has nothing
to do with metal. This really is folk music, and in the most ardent
and groggy style at that. So if for you distortion is the determining
criterion of good music, then this album would most probably leave you
completely unmoved. Secondly… and this is where it gets really complicated.
Seriously how could one describe in words something which can only be
heard with one's own ears? How could one transprose the atmosphere of
an endless medieval beer fest to someone who has never ben there? How
could one convince a die-hard skeptic that trolls really do exist? You
don't know? Well, I do. Sit down and listen to this record sipping on
a pint of good ale, and try to forgert sbout the bustle of your everyday
life at last for a short while. Hey! (Troll)
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