Reviews: Megadeth, Defacing God, Dorian Shrooms, Imperivm (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Megadeth - The Sick, The Dying...And The Dead! (Universal Music)

In the thrash game, the metal game in general actually there aren't many as controversial as Dave Mustaine. Always worth a few column inches from the metal journos, the frontman and creative force of Megadeth has some strong options on lots of issues but none of these should detract from the quality of Megadeth's music. Probably one of the most consistent bands in the thrash metal scene, they have always had their own unique sound that has spawned 16 studio albums and nearly 40 years! 

On this sixteenth record MegaDave sounds more pissed off than ever. The first album since his throat cancer diagnosis, the first to feature powerhouse drummer Dirk Verbeuren behind the kit and the first since long time bassist Dave Ellefson was dismissed from the band for his 'scandal'(?). It's a like a new era for the band, but one that draws heavily from the 'old' Megadeth of Rust In Peace, Peace Sells and Countdown To Extinction. Only Mustaine and guitarist Kiko Loureiro return from 2016's Dystopia, as Steve Di Giorgio plays the bass for this record (I mean he's basically bass for hire at this point), but the songwriting is aimed at capturing the essence of Megadeth. 

They thankfully continue the vein of great thrash they have given us throughout the years, a lot of which that was reactivated on Dystopia, but there's also some of the slower more deliberately brooding stuff from Youthanasia or Thirteen. (Thankfully nothing approaches the Supercollider mis-step). We'll Be Back and Night Stalkers for example are classic Megadeth, the latter featuring Ice T on the middle section, who lets loose some anger, while the title track kicks off with some lyrics about the plague and a more modern sound cinematic approach. 

It's not all about smashing you around the face though as it's a song like Dogs Of Chernobyl that shows the songwriting prowess of Mustaine, keeping a sense of paranoia and horror with a flair for the dramatic. There's dynamism in the songs here, Sacrifice is the albums proggiest, guitar fuelled moment, well that is until Mission To Mars both co-written by Loureiro, Mission To Mars has a neat lyrical throwback to a seminal Megadeth album. While Junkie has a snotty punk edge, Killing Time is a groover and Soldier On! is a stomper both have that keen political understanding, that Megadeth have always carried, Dave letting his opinion of governments and war run wild. 

Along with the 12 originals there are two covers on the album as they again throw around their in their punk credentials for Dead Kennedy's Police Truck but the better of the two covers and maybe one of the most entertaining songs on the album is This Planet's On Fire (Burn In Hell) by The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar featuring the man himself in duet with Mustaine. It's feel good moment to end the album, though really the song is about the end of the world! Megadeth continue to be the most prolific of the Big Four, The Sick, The Dying...And The Dead! a triumph over illness, that could have been the end of the band. A thrashtastic celebration of these survivors! 9/10

 
Defacing God - The Resurrection Of Lilith (Napalm Records)

The Resurrection Of Lilith is the debut album of Danish extreme metal band Defacing God. Founded by vocalist Sandie ‘The Lilith’ Gjørtz and drummer Michael Olsson. Focussed on the occultism, witchcraft and the defiant demon Lilith, it not only influences their dark, viseral music but the entire aesthetic of the band. The duo have brought in Lars Vinther for the cinematic orchestrations and have had comparisons to Cradle Of Filth and Carach Angren, but the swelling strings are met with death metal making them also sound like bands such as Rotting Christ or Fleshgod Apocalypse. The former, and in fact the entire Hellenic scene seems to be a big factor in there sound as well as multiple Scandinavian bands as well. 

The album conceptually tells the story of Lilith, Adam's first wife who refused to be good and obedient to her husband as was God's will, so in the Christian Dogma is seen as a demonic, evil character (go figure). For everyone outside of the Christian Dogma, and especially in the circles that dabble with witchcraft and paganism Lilith is a key figure of female empowerment and this is how Defacing God wish to portray her through an extreme style of melodic death metal. A noble lyrical statement and a musical style that will win them fans, Vinther's orchestrations and Gjørtz's aggressive and expressive growls mean that The Resurrection Of Lilith blazes through 12 tracks of unrelenting metallic force. 

However as you listen to the record, you do start to feel as if there's a familiarity to all of the songs, they come out all guns blazing as much as possible until Rise Of The Trinity gets gothic and doomy, before the pace quickens again and on it goes towards the end of the record with slow and fast switching between both. A good debut yes but for me there was too many songs that felt the same for it to sink in my mind. 6/10

Dorian Shrooms - Nothing Is Sacred (Self Released)

With a band name like Dorian Shrooms you'd be forgiven for thinking that this Xanthi, Greece five some would be deeply ingrained in the psychedelic stoner/doom scene, all woozy basslines and fuzzing guitars. However these Funguys (get it?) actually play music that has more in common with 70's/80's rock bands, though they are a real mishmash of inspirations never settling too long on something. Recorded DIY, I mean totally DIY, the five piece used mainly home studios, as well as cars, Auntie's houses and anywhere else they could find. Making use of innovative (read: cheap) recording styles to get this album out the door. 

Now even though it's very self made that's doesn't detract from the quality as a multilayered number such as Birdman shows. It's probably because of the relative solitude they worked in why the myriad of styles are so abundant. Touches of Van Hagar on the choppy opener Panic Attack, which gets a real Audioslave groove towards its end, Unknown Love has some swirling Led Zeppelin-esque guitar peels, the Eastern flavour brought in on Etta Soi's backing vocals. 

Waste No Time to me has a lot of Ozzy attitude as Lightning Bolts brings massive classic rock swagger of Zep, Purple etc grounded in the blues and building up into a bit of an epic. Got Me Rolling though is much more in the powerful UFO style. (Get well soon Phil Moog!). Nothing Is Sacred is a record that's brimming with great playing and songwriting, very much a testament to doing things yourself. 8/10

Imperivm - Ex Mortis Gloria (Ultimate Massacre Productions)

Roman themed technical/neo-classical death metal from the UK as Imperivm delves into the idea of "From Death Comes Glory" (the English translation of their Latin album title)? Essentially then they focus on Roman military system and the duty surrounding it. I should love this, so many of my compatriots do, but it doesn't seem to click with me. I think it's just a little too frantic and frenzied. There's a little bit of nuance here and there, a bit slow down for some atmospherics on Seven Legions but before long it's back to blistering death metal beatings and guitar solos galore. 

On Per Silentium Noctis they bring in choirs at the beginning but then again back to just repeated riffage. There's nothing wrong with that but every song pretty does the same thing. The guitars of Mike Alexander are certainly impressive, but nothing bands such as Bloodshot Dawn or Nile haven't already done better. The rhythmic barrage of Anthony Ridout (bass) and Janne Jaloma (drums) is explosive but it's mainly just mechanical blastbeats and Zach Jeter's growled vocals, that you focus your attention on until a solo kicks in, it's almost like the riffs between the bass and guitar are just locked in and don't really go anywhere. 

Ex Gloria Mortis is a technical death metal album that's by the numbers, nothing inherently wrong with that but for me it won't be getting repeated exposure. 6/10