OK, that was a surprise. Having only just got the use of my ears back from reviewing Nick Oliveri’s most recent Mondo release Fuck It a couple of weeks ago, you can imagine my surprise when Matt sends me a second Mondo full album release this month. But no, it’s true – nothing happens for 8 years and then two come along at once…Shooter’s Bible is a very different beast. For a start it was recorded in 2010, and then not released and is far more full on punk throughout than the desert / stoner approach that we got with Fuck It, and a level of studio polish to go with it. The story behind it was that Oliveri did not have a full time guitar player, so what we have here are his own playing here alongside the usual bass, so the whole thing has a more pre-production/demo feel to it, which to be honest adds to the effect. Content wise, we have a lot of remastered and remixed material that eventually made its way onto the Hell Comes To Your Heart album, some new pieces (We Are Mondo Generator deserves calling out here). The highlight of the album is definitely the cover version of Iggy Pop’s Dog Food, which is far tighter than other tracks, and benefits from having Dave Grohl pounding the drum skins. As you would expect from a multi-source archive clear-out, the sound mix varies enormously and clearly was recorded at different times. Either way, for a completist Oliveri fan, it’s an interesting addition to your collection, but personally I will stick to the Fuck It release this month. 5/10
Toundra: Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari (InsideOut Music) [Simon Black]
OK, this is a difficult one. One the one hand, I am torn by the fact that this is four clearly very technically able and talented musicians from Madrid playing some complex and moody progressive music, on the other it’s intended as a highly experimental instrumental soundtrack for a 100 year old German Expressionist silent horror film which I have never seen. But hey, we don’t try and limit ourselves here at MoM, so I am happy to push beyond the usual metal envelope and see what I find.
What I do find is an incredibly moody and atmospheric album, which makes great ambient background listening. And others clearly agree, because these guys are currently touring this all over central Europe, with quite a few sell out shows already, although it would be a brave move to put them on somewhere like Bloodstock. The challenge is giving this a fair review when you can’t see the context that it is intended to support, but either way this has sufficiently piqued my interest to see what else these guys can deliver. 6/10
CB3 (Charlottas Burning Trio) embark on a sonic journey of explosive rock jams and psychedelic soundscapes on this 32-minute voyage into a world which ranges from heavy psych rock jams through to delicate atmospheric passages. The band channel the spirit of Hendrix, Floyd and Tangerine Dream as they develop and expand their musical exploration. Having been together for seven years, the trio who hail from Malmö, Sweden, appeal to many with several albums already under their belt. Led by Charlotta Andersson - Electric Guitar, with Pelle Lindsjö - Electric Bass and Natanael Salomonsson – Drums, CB3’s unique approach allows forays into rock, jazz and psychedelia. Five tracks mean lengthy meandering passages, but there is direction on Sonic Blaze, whilst the nine-minute centrepiece Acid Haze provides just the platform for a heavy psych trip. I would imagine live, the band who have supported numerous big hitters like Monolord would induce trance like states around the floor. It’s certainly expansive and soporific. Probably not the best to listen to whilst on that long drive at night but if you are sitting comfortably then enjoy the ride. 6/10
Night Crowned: Impius Viam (Noble Demon) [Rich Oliver]
To a lot of metal minded folk melody can be a dirty word especially in the realms of extreme metal where heaviness and aggression can be seen to be the driving forces in these genres. For me extreme metal really works when the heaviness and ferocity can work side by side with fantastic melodies with neither being compromised as a result and Night Crowned achieve exactly that with their debut album Impius Viam. The band is made up of seasoned musicians from various Swedish metal bands such as Nightrage, Cipher System and Dark Funeral and their skill, experience and expertise really shows in the sheer quality of music on display throughout the album. Impius Viam is the perfect marriage of melodic black metal and melodic death metal with the cold bite of black metal and the bludgeoning of death metal gift wrapped with luscious and catchy melodies.
The extremities of each genre are on full display such as on the ferocious Reborn which serves as the first proper song of the album with a cacophony of blast-beats, tremolo picked riffing and those damn melodies which stick in the mind long after. This winning formula is retained throughout the entirety of the album though there are slight deviations from the symphonic keys in Your Sacrilegious Flesh, the moments of acoustic guitar in Black Bone Cross and the clean vocals featured on Ira and Ego Sum Bestia. As well as the sparse cleans the vocal approach on the album is a mix of black metal shrieks and death metal growls with all being used to great effect. There is also a use of keyboards from piano melodies to symphonics to subtle atmosphere.
They have a presence throughout the whole album but are used sparingly and kept mostly in the background. On the whole though Night Crowned stick to a tried and tested formula which means some songs can fall off the radar especially when there are 12 of them but the songs that stand out more than make this album worth its while. Night Crowned have a fantastic debut album here and if you are an extreme metal who isn’t adverse to melody then this comes highly recommended. 8/10
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