THIS ENDING – Dead Harvest

Fusing the best elements of death metal, melodic thrash, and industrial, Sweden’s THIS ENDING has formulated their own sound that crosses genres. Their latest release, “Dead Harvest”, is a perfect blend of these dominant musical aspects, combining them into a heavy, hailstorm of thundering drums, powerful guitar riffs, melodic guitar solos, and vehement vocals, resulting in aggressive album that will appeal to large variety of metal fans upon the first listen.

Although their sound is quite new in style, THIS ENDING has been around since 1991 when they were known as A CANOROUS QUINTENT, playing many shows in Europe with metal heavy-weights such as AT THE GATES, DISSECTION, HYPOCRISY and EDGE OF SANITY. The 5 piece parted ways in 1998 to pursue various separate projects, but reunited in 2005 under the new name THIS ENDING, first releasing a 3 song demo entitled “Let The World Burn”, and then unleashing their first full length CD entitled “Inside The Machine” in 2006. 

2009 brings us their latest release, “Dead Harvest”, a refreshing new approach to song writing, combining their various musical influences and creating a dark and mesmerizing CD. THIS ENDING utilizes a lot mature composing techniques such as counterpoint guitar riffing, blast beat drumming combined with electronic triggers, layered vocals, and dynamic song writing, that makes each track a unique and satisfying experience. Definitely worth a listen if you’re into melodic death metal, or aggressive nu-metal.

Track listing:

1. Trace Of Sin

2. Parasites

3. Machinery

4. Instigator Of Dead Flesh

5. Dellusionists

6. Army Of The Dying Sun

7. Dead Harvest

8. Tools Of Demise

9. Deathtrade

10. The Asylum

Sources:

http://www.thisending.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thisending

http://www.metalblade.com/

Cannibal Corpse – Evisceration Plague

Cannibal Corpse returns to the forefront of the death metal scene with their eagerly awaited 11^th studio release, Evisceration Plague. Showing no signs of slowing down in 2009, the godfathers of gore prove themselves once more as a formidable force in the ever growing macrocosm of metal music as they unleash all manner of mutagenic mayhem with their latest sonic assault.

Successfully slaying audiences for over twenty years now, Cannibal Corpse has matured musically into a well oiled machine of annihilation that becomes more and more proficient at delivering the deathblows with each outing. Evisceration Plague harnesses their iconic song writing style of catchy riffing, cleaver time changes, and brutal breakdowns, and combines that with increased instrumentation. The guitar harmonies between Pat O’Brien and Rob Barrett are more prevalent on each song, the drum fills by Paul Mazurkiewicz venture into the experimental realm, Alex Webster’s bass playing is consistently tight and impressive, and the guitar solos are very fluid and fitting to each track. George Corpsegrinder’s vocals are intense from the first scream heard to the last growl muttered, and the vocal overdubs are subtle and not over done. The lyrics range from homicidal rage to all out mass extermination. The body count has been increased to global proportions as songs like “Scalding Hail”, “Carnivorous Swarm” and “Evisceration Plague” sees the Earth’s population decimated by unnatural disasters.

Following in the footsteps of their 2006 release Kill, Evisceration Plague was recorded with producer Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal/ex-Morbid Angel) at Mana Studios in Florida. The crystal clear production attained by Rutan reveals the insane intricacies of Cannibal Corpse’s technical proficiency, without diminishing the raw intensity of their down tuned guitar sound. Running a little under 40 minutes in length, this 12 track CD delivers some of Cannibal Corpse’s best material to date. The special edition package includes a bonus "Making Of" DVD, an exclusive sneak peek of which can be seen here on Fangoria.com. Delightfully gruesome and brutally relentless, Evisceration Plague is a masterfully made monstrosity of music created by one of this genre’s founding fathers at the pinnacle of their career. A must have for true fans of Cannibal Corpse, and a highly recommended addition for fans of gore laden metal. I give it 4 out of 4 rotting skulls!

Track listing:

1. Priests Of Sodom

2. Scalding Hail

3. To Decompose

4. A Cauldron Of Hate

5. Beheading And Burning

6. Evidence In The Furnace

7. Carnivorous Swarm

8. Evisceration Plague

9. Shatter Their Bones

10. Carrion Sculpted Entity

11. Unnatural

12. Skewered From Ear To Eye

Sources:

http://www.cannibalcorpse.net/

http://www.myspace.com/cannibalcorpse

http://www.metalblade.com/

Cattle Decapitation – The Harvest Floor

Cattle Decapitation pushes the boundaries of speed and technique with their new album, “The Harvest Floor”. Jumping from heavy mid-tempo mosh riffs, to thunderous thrash parts, to arpeggio sweep-picking riffs with mind blowing gravity blasts, Cattle Decapitation unleashes a plethora of punishment to the uninitiated listener.

“The Harvest Floor” is their 5^th full length CD and most impressive release to date. A perfect example of Deathgrind music done well, Cattle Decapitation encompasses a variety of styles into their sound creating a virtual rollercoaster ride effect. Deep guttural growling vocals and high pitched screams spew forth gore-laden lyrics from front-man Travis Ryan as the diverse guitar style of Josh Elmore and the monstrous bass sound of Troy Oftedal are accompanied by their new drummer David McGraw, who takes Cattle Decapitation to a whole new level of extreme speed and brutality. Joining the quartet are guest vocal appearances by Ross Sewage (Impaled/Ludicra) and Dino Sommese (Dystopia/Asunder) who add more layers of insanity to the mayhem. Jarboe (Swans) lends her haunting voice to the title track, and Jackie Perez Gratz (Grayceon/Amber Asylum) graces a couple tracks with her electric cello, giving the CD an eerie aura at times. The combination of all these elements results in an album that further separates the band from the typical approach applied by some of today’s extreme metal acts.

The 10 track schizophrenic CD runs a little under 40 minutes and features an enhanced portion that sports an iPod ready documentary titled “Pandemic: The Damnation Epic – The Making of The Harvest Floor”. The CD layout reveals the true carnage that the cover image by horror artist Wes Benscoter only hints at, and the lyrical content will further reveal the band’s misanthropic perspective. Cattle Decapitation’s “The Harvest Floor” is an apocalyptic multimedia epic that should not be missed!

TRACKLIST:

1. The Gardeners Of Eden

2. A Body Farm

3. We Are Horrible People

4. Tooth Enamel And Concrete

5. The Ripe Beneath The Rind

6. The Product Alive

7. In Axestasy

8. Into The Public Bath

9. The Harvest Floor  

10. Regret & The Grave

Source:

http://www.cattledecapitation.com/

http://www.myspace.com/cattledecapitation

http://www.metalblade.com/

DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY – Battle Sluts

Like the fearsome Berserkers of long ago, DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY has mercilessly unleashed their second audial assault entitled “Battle Sluts”. Combining the best elements of melodic thrash, Viking black metal and symphonic orchestrations, this new CD evokes the very essence of ancient man’s Barbaric past and presents it in a modern format.

DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY was forged in the icy month of January 2003 in the not so frozen lands of Tennessee. Their first full length CD “Devour the Power” was released in September 2006 and received high reviews from metalists around the world. Now in 2009, their sophomore release showcases their sound re-forged into a more destructive and valiant epic form than that of their previous record.

“Battle Sluts” is a head-banging roller-coaster ride of musical influences which come together nicely in this well written new CD. At times they sound thrash with their melodic guitar harmonies and sweet guitar solos, and at others, they sound like folk metal with European melodies and group chants. And within the same song, they’ll switch gears again and go completely into a black metal style with blasting drum beats, screeching vocals with guttural overdubs. Then there are the majestic keyboard themes which sound good enough to score the next Conan The Barbarian film. And with song titles like “Beyond the Scorpion Gate”, “The Winged Panther”, and “Return of the Geishmal Dead”, it’s safe to say that DESTROY DESTROY DESTROY is purely a Fantasy Metal band of epic proportions who’s ready to conquer the world with the unique brand of metal. I highly recommended this CD to lovers of the thrash and Viking metal genres, or to those who are seeking new theme music to listen to while slaying your foes.

Track listing:

1- The Second Coming (intro)

2- Battle Upon the Artic Plains

3- Beyond the Ancient Shadows

4- Realm of Ancient Shadows

5- Born of Thunder

6- To Die Without Honor (interlude)

7- The Winged Panther

8- The Wretched Forrest

9- The Berserker’s Field of Whores

10- Agents of Hypocrisy

11- Return of the Geishmal Undead

12- Battle Slut Drinking Song

Running Time: 42 minutes

Source:

www.myspace.com/destroydestroydestroy

The Best Of 2008

The year of 2008 is coming close to an end, so it is only fitting that we take a moment to look back at the new releases that the sick and twisted world of metal music has brought us this year. 2008 was a good year for many established bands to prove they've still got what it takes to rock. Some of our favorite bands reinvented themselves, while others kept true to their own particular style. A lot of the newer bands pushed the limits of speed and brutality, setting the bar just a little higher for 2009. I'd say 2008 was good year for us metal fans, and the future of the genre is in good hands. So without further ado, here's my Top 10 albums of 2008.

Top 10 of 2008:

10. MOTORHEAD - Motorizer

www.myspace.com/motorheadofficial

British rockers MOTORHEAD made their mark in 2008 with their 19th studio release entitled "Motorizer". Keeping true to their roots, Lemmy and the boys deliver exactly what you'd expect from a MOTORHEAD CD, a hard rocking new album.

9. JUDAS PRIEST - Nostradamus

http://www.myspace.com/judaspriest

Kicking ass since 1969, JUDAS PRIEST has taken the metal world by the balls with their new release entitled "Nostrodamus". Mixing their trademark speed metal sound with synth-guitars and orchestral movements, JUDAS PREIST has not only reinvented their style, but proven that an old dog can still learn new tricks. Their double CD concept album about the legendary 16th century French prophet Nostradamus has earned them 2 Grammie award nominations.

8. VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET - Noble

http://www.myspace.com/versaillesjp

In 2008, the Japanese visual-kei band VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET released their first full length album entitled "Noble". Showcasing their impressive guitar wizardry, melodic metal sound, and their androgenous appearance, "Noble" has gained VERSAILLES-PHILHARMONIC QUINTET a legion of fans both in Japan and in America.

7. BRAIN DRILL - Apocalyptic Feasting

http://www.myspace.com/braindrill

Pushing the limits of speed and ferocity, BRAIN DRILL's "Apocalyptic Feasting" has taken the genre of metal to an extreme level intensity. Not intended for the meek or the uninitiated, BRAIN DRILL's latest release will leave even the most hardcore death metal in awe.

6. WHITECHAPEL - This Is Exile

http://www.myspace.com/whitechapel

Tennessee’s death metal maniacs WHITECHAPEL made their mark in 2008 with their new CD entitled "This Is Exile". While this is only their sophomore release, this band demonstrates an experienced ability to assault your ears like an old pro, using their crushing three guitar sound, brutal vocals, relentless blast beats and killer cut-times. This band is a force to be reckoned with.

5. CYNIC - Traced In Air

www.myspace.com/cyniconline

2008 brought us the second full-length album by the progressive/technical death metal fusion band CYNIC. Having made their debut fifteen years ago, "Traced In Air" is an otherworldly monument to artistry, inspiration and to metal music itself.

4. SLIPKNOT - All Hope Is Gone

www.myspace.com/slipknot1

In 2008, SLIPKNOT returned to release their fourth studio album "All Hope Is Gone", which debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 charts thanks to their legions of Maggots all over the world. Dishing out their best schizophrenic style of metal, "All Hope Is Gone" features a further evolution in the band's style and sound.

3. TESTAMENT - Formation of Damnation

www.myspace.com/testamentlegions

Veteran thrashers TESTAMENT released their first release in nine years in 2008. "Formation of Damnation" places TESTAMENT at the forefront of the Thrash Metal scene once again with their superior musicianship and kick ass aggressive style.

2. CRADLE OF FILTH - Godspeed On The Devil's Thunder

www.myspace.com/cradleoffilth

England's Black Metal Monsters have returned to torment the feeble with their 2008 release "Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder". Thier concept album about the legendary 15th Century murderer Gilles De Rais (whom was among other things a sexual deviant and serial killer), features their trademark dark riffing accompanied by haunting orchestrations, and narrations by horror heavyweight Doug Bradley.

1. METALLICA - Death Magnetic

www.myspace.com/metallica

METALLICA's 2008 release "Death Magnetic" marked the return of their favored thrash metal style, winning them praise of many fans of their earlier releases. "Death Magnetic" remained at number one on Billboard's Hard Rock, Modern Rock/Alternative and Rock album charts for five consecutive weeks, proving that METALLICA's fans are both young and old, newbies and oldschoolers alike.

Get in gear with GEARS OF WAR 2

Greetings Gorehounds and Gamers,

It is time once again for me to share with you the lovely listenables which make their way into my clutches. On the slab, I have Gears of War 2 The Soundtrack, the new original music score composed by famed Hollywood composer Steve Jablonsky (“Transformers”, “The Island”, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) and recorded with the world famous Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus. An intense sonic journey through humanity's last stand, Gears Of War 2 The Soundtrack delivers a big cinematic sound with an even bigger emotional range.

Gears of War, the third-person shooter game, has won over 30 Game of the Year awards and has sold 5 million copies worldwide, making this Xbox 360 exclusive release one of the most highly anticipated follow-ups in video game history. Epic Games wanted the new score to be bigger, darker, and crunchier than their pervious release, so they gave composer Steve Joblonsky a blank canvas to create what he felt would best suit the new game’s atmosphere. “I experimented with a lot of hybrid organic/electronic elements, and combined them with the power of a large orchestra and choir”, says Joblonsky about his emotionally charged score. The result is a hard-hitting soundtrack filled with hauntingly seductive strings, deep horns, chanting chorals arrangements, and percussive rhythms that successfully immerse the player into the nightmarish world of Gears Of War 2, and prepares them for battle against the evil Locust Horde.

But not everything heard on the Gears Of War 2 soundtrack is all thundering percussions, and militant themes. There are also several tracks on this CD that summon the darker, atmospheric elements of a full symphony orchestra, while making excellent use of digital sounds and stereo effects (see “Hollow” MP3 teaser below). The soundtrack also includes a impressive vocal solo by soprano Mitzie Kay on the track entitled “With Sympathy” (see MP3 teaser below), and a somber variation of the main theme delicately played on the piano on the track called “Autumn Of Mankind”, which dramatically ends the entire listening experience. The 27 track CD runs an hour in length and features several game inspired landscape images on the inlay. Presented by Sumthing Else Music Works, Inc., Gears Of War 2 The Soundtrack is now available at your local game/music store, Amazon.com, or as a digital download at www.sumthingdigital.com.

Track Listing:
   1. Return Of The Omen

   2. Hope Runs Deep

   3. Green As Grass

   4. Expectations

   5. Finally, A Lead

   6. Armored Prayer

   7. Hold Them Off

   8. Derrick Chase

   9. Building Thunder

  10. Hell Breaks Loose

  11. Bedlam

  12. Breakneck

  13. Landown

  14. Racing To Extinction

  15. If They Can Ride Em

  16. Hollow

  17. Unexpected Changes

  18. March Of The Horde

  19. Highway

  20. Denizens Of The Deep

  21. With Sympathy

  22. Insurmountable Odds

  23. Bump In The Night

  24. Frenzy

  25. Outpost

  26. Finale

  27. Autumn Of Mankind

sources:

http://gearsofwar.com

www.epicgames.com

www.sumthing.com

www.sumthingdigital.com

An interview with Dead Space composer Jason Graves

The bloody sci-fi survival horror game Dead Space from Electronic Arts has been terrifying  gamers for several weeks now, and even more frightening than it’s ghoulish graphics is it’s original symphonic soundtrack. Composed by the renown composer Jason Graves with the help of The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, Graves creates an intense, eerie soundscape for this first person shooter game that adds the perfect atmosphere to this nightmarish game. The Dead Space CD features 15 tracks of booming orchestrations offering a wide dynamic range from eerie, screeching strings to thunderous, frenetic percussions. A must have for lovers of dark and dissonant music, or for fans of the EA game itself.
 
Track Listing:
1- Welcome Aboard The U.S.G. Ishimura
2- The Necromorphs
3- The Leviathan
4- I Left My Heart In Med Lab 3
5- Severed Limbs Are Hazardous Waste
6- I’ve Got You Devolving Under My Skin
7- Plasma Cutters Are Your Friend
8- Manual Survival Mode Seven
9- The Cost Of Living Is On The Rise
10- Do Not Vomit – Do Not Shout
11- The Hive Mind
12- Fly Me To The Aegis Seven Moon
13- Cyanide Systems Offline
14- Habeas Corpses
15- Must… Go… Faster!

I recently had the pleasure of asking the award winning composer a few questions about his work with The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra. Below are Jason’s responses to my inquiries regarding his work on Dead Space.

ZOTH: You have quite an impressive list of credits under your belt, Jason. How does writing for a Horror Video Game like DEAD SPACE differ from writing for something like a TV promo? Is there a special thought process that goes on when you undertake a project of this magnitude?

JASON: Video games in general have a lot more freedom involved, especially considering a TV show may have fifteen minutes of music and a game can require ten times that.  The sheer number of minutes needed for today’s games provide a much larger canvas for composers.  Add the horror genre on top of that and you’ve got almost unlimited possibilities from a music standpoint.  I think that’s one of the reasons Dead Space ended up with an original sounding score.

It’s always hard for me to step away from a situation and think, “Wow, this is a really big project.”  I’m usually so deep into the music that I don’t come up for air until I’m finished composing.  I worked on Dead Space for about two years, but when it comes down to it I was focusing on each individual cue a day at a time, which is probably a good thing.  I tried not to stop and think about how much music there was left to compose - probably a good thing for both the final score and my personal sanity!

Z: DEAD SPACE features The Skywalker Symphonic Orchestra. Did you have any limits to your arrangements, since you’re writing for an Orchestra? 

J: The only request from EA was “make it really scary,” which was both very liberating and also very intimidating.  The kinds of sounds and textures I wanted for the Dead Space score were limited only by my imagination - as cheesy as that sounds, it was really true.  The whole process was an incredible test of concentration and focus to plan the sessions, especially given that there were no “rules” as far as composing for the orchestra.

 Z: I noticed quite a lot of percussive attacks throughout the featured tracks. Where there any sounds that were created that utilized an unorthodox approach to playing the instruments (ex: Pizzicato vs. bowed, clicking mallets together, Garbage Cans vs. Anvils, etc.)? 

J: “Unorthodox” would be a great way to describe both of the Dead Space recording sessions.  The entire approach behind the score was to make the music as unfamiliar and “non-musical” as possible.  The general idea being the unknown has more potential to put you on the edge of your seat, musically speaking.  So I researched, compiled and dreamt up hours of different, crazy, spooky effects for the musicians to perform. I even had thin dowels for the string players to hit things with (instead of using the backs of their very expensive bows).  They were tapping their instruments, the music stands, the chairs - anything we could find.  I even got a great sample of all the strings dropping their dowels at the same time (I dropped my baton to show them exactly when to do it).

A lot of the percussive attacks in the score are combinations of those wonderfully crazy string hits and custom percussion hits I performed and recorded myself (I’m a classically-trained percussionist).  There are many different kinds of anvils, metal plates, steel rods, and yes, garbage cans!  I also got some great snap pizzicatos from the string section, which is a great percussive sound that layers well with other hits.

  

Z: The entire CD is breathtaking, Jason. My favorite is “The Leviathan”. Is there one particular track that you’re most proud of, and why? 

J: Thanks! It’s funny you mention that track - it’s one of my favorite as well.  There was some specific direction from EA for a hint of a melodic theme in “The Leviathan,” since it was a big boss track.  There isn’t a lot of melody in Dead Space - most of the score intentionally leans towards atmospheric sound design.  So when I have the chance to be a little more “musical,” even within the dissonant world of Dead Space, I really enjoy it.

It was also a lot of fun composing the music for the opening cinematic, which is called “Welcome To The U.S.G. Ishimura” on the soundtrack.  I was able to incorporate the few melodies in the game into one singular statement, while also underscoring the introduction and action for the beginning of the game.  It was a lot of fun to position the epic, grandiose opening music in contrast to the darker, more dissonant music at the end.  It’s also a really great emotional journey, which is what I think music is all about anyway.

Z: Finally, what are some of your favorite Horror Movie scores? Are there any film scores that have served as an inspiration to you?

J: For Dead Space specifically, there really weren’t any film scores that had the kind of sound I was looking for.  I found some 20th century concert works that were a lot more experimental in nature - those ended up being a big influence on the final score.  Some of those pieces can be heard in films like “The Shining” and “The Exorcist,” but there are classical pieces of music that were later incorporated into films.

As far as horror scores in general, I really love Jerry Goldsmith’s work for films like “Poltergeist” and “Alien.”  Also, I think Marco Beltrami really made a name for himself scoring the “Scream” franchise, and for good reason.  Like myself, he studied with Goldsmith - his music has such an immediate influence on the films he scores.  Some others he’s done include “Hellboy” and “The Faculty.”  I think Steve Jablonsky’s take on horror music is very modern - I especially like his “Texas Chainsaw” scores.  And I would hate to forget Christopher Young, whom I also had the pleasure of studying with.  He cut his teeth in horror twenty years ago and did everything from “Hellraiser” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” to “The Grudge” and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.”  My entire experience with Chris has been a huge inspiration to me.

I have a fairly voracious appetite when it comes to music, whether it’s classical, film scores, jazz or pop.  I listen to as much music as I can, given all the time I spend composing.  The more I listen, the more I’m compelled to improve my own craft - my musical inspirations are the driving force that make me strive to be a better composer.

sources:
www.jasongraves.com

http://deadspace.ea.com/