A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Grade Scale adopted at Troll's Independent (starting from the lowest)

1 - Plop
2 - Hand-grenade
3 - Heavy-duty Shell
4 - Nuclear Explosion
5 - Troll-fart!!!

4/5
ANTICHRISIS
Perfume
2001
Napalm Records
gothic/trip-hop
Here's an immortal question of what is better - to be happy or to be a genius? When the leader of Antichrisis, whatever he calls himself, was in despair and almost dying from a lost relationship, his music was the work of a genius. Now that he has found a new love and long-searched-for happiness, I cannot but notice that his new compositions are considerably inferior to his earlier masterpieces. Of course, they are not bad, they are just not up to the level of Antichrisis' first two records. And the style has changed dramatically, too. Gone are funeral doom elements of "Cantara Anachoreta" and gothic melancholy of "A Legacy Of Love", a new and fashionable thing called trip-hop has become the main component of the band's music. As a result, "Perfume" acquired a lighter, happier mood that really makes me glad for Moonshadow (or Cid, if you wish), but I'm afraid most fans would not be able to appreciate it and will eagerly label Antichrisis as a sellout. What can I say, I enjoy the band's new style and compositions, they are solid and well-performed, but the best track for me is the extremely original version of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". (Maniac)

3/5
BAL-SAGOTH
Atlantis Ascendant
2001
Nuclear Blast
epic black
Ahhah, the masters of long song-titles and Tchaikovsky-like black metal are back in big biz. This obscure British outfit, having once created its very own and absolutely unique song-writing pattern, has been consistently following it ever since, not bothering to introduce even a slight change into it, caressing and cherishing it as… well… ;). Is a good thing that the lads want to do something of their own, but the problem I have with it is that no matter how nouvelle their music was when they first played it - it stopped being new at that very instance. Moreover, I never quite liked their style in the first place. The only thing that changed on 'Atlantis Ascendant' as compared to any other Sagoth album very amazingly ;) is the already-mentioned song titles, which did become much shorter, although no less corny. The rest of it is the same warrioresque pompous riffs and bombastic keyboard parts we heard on, say, 'Starfire…'. Although coming to think of it - the guys make it very easy: if you hear B-S before and liked it, you will inevitably get the kicks out of this album as well. The opposite would be equally true too. And if you ain't never heard of this band, borrow any of their CDs from a friend and make your own judgement. Fenito. P.S. Oh, and it does have the third part of my absolute favourite 'The Splendour of a Thousand Swords Gleaming Beneath the Blazon of the Hyperborean Empire' ;) (Troll)

4/5
MARK BOALS
2001
Ring of Fire
Frontiers Records
heavy/speed
It's been a while since I've noticed a very interesting tendency: once a vocalist of some famous band releases his solo record count off one third of his main group's heaviness and you get the sound of his new work. There are many examples of it - Andi Deris, Jeff Scott Soto, Joey Tempest, Steve Grimmett, etc. The previous album of Yngwie Malmsteen's vocalist Mark Boals also confirmed this rule - it was quiet AOR with nice, but too popish melodies. However, his new effort "Ring Of Fire" turned out to be a decent answer to maestro Malmsteen himself as far as both the line-up and quality of songs are concerned. Tony Macalpine (guitar/bass), Vitalij Kuprij (keyboards) and Virgil Donati (drums) have created a hit that takes the listeners 15 years back, to the legendary "Trilogy" record. Macalpine, who's famous by "technocratic" playing, has showed himself as a great melodist on "Ring of Fire", his solos are not overloaded by "I am super-mega-virtuoso" stuff and even sound a bit old-fashioned. Keyboards of our renowned compatriot fit all the canons of the "classic" genre and Boals' singing is simply marvelous. He doesn't squeak like on the "Alchemy" album and doesn't moonlight like on "War To End All Wars". It seems like he has become younger, his voice sounds fresh and strong. The material of the disk sticks to Malmsteen's traditions: high-speed songs, a couple of ballads and a few mediocre tunes as is frequently the case in this genre. Four fists solid. (Fireball)

5/5
BON JOVI
One Wild Night (Live 1985-2001)
2001
Island Records
glam
Apparently Jon Bon Jovi thinks that 18 years since the beginning of his career is just the right time to release the first live album. A very arguable statement, I would say, for most Bon Jovi fans already own a couple of live bootlegs or home videos produced earlier. Anyway the disc is out, and the question is whether it's worth buying. I think it is, because "One Live Night" is the best Bon Jovi anthology released so far. The tracks are cuts from various live performances, taken 1985-2001, and all the greatest hits are included. Isn't it nice to have "It's My Life", "Bad Medicine", "Living On A Prayer", "Something For The Pain" and even "Runaway" on a single CD? Add to it raw energy of a concert, and satisfaction is guaranteed. Besides, the CD contains a couple of rare cover versions, namely "I Don't Like Mondays" (Boomtown Rats) performed in duet with its author, Bob Geldof, and "Rockin' In The Free World" by Neil Young, which is alone worth the value of the full-length CD. Keep on rocking with Bon Jovi and let's hope it won't take the band another 18 years to release the second live record. (Maniac)

3+/5
CATASTROPHIC
The Cleansing
2001
Metal Blade
death
The East Coast tends to do them things to you. Your throat gets soar, and you develop a manner of speech close to a young and healthy gorilla (other behavioristic patterns tend to move in the same direction), and then all of a sudden you find yourself playing death metal. Just about a month ago we already had a chance to autopsy an album by a band called Lowbrow, a splendid Hammerheart release made by former members of the legendary Obituary. Well, looks like before kissing its arsehole goodbye this old and honourable 1990ies' act had thoughtfully given birth to a spawn of other death-brigades, which are now awaken from their dormant sleep. Delivered in agony, and rising from the ashes of their disgusting parent, the kids have gathered some force and are now about to unleash it against the world. Catastrophic here is Lowbrow's kid-brother, a kill-machine wheeled by the guitar genius of Mr. Trevor Peres, the man who really does not need any introduction. (I really hope so). Well, the man's new band is surprisingly different from his previous musical experience, with much more primitive and easy-to-apprehend riffs and a heaps more hardcore attitude. The sophisticated age of long palm-muted harmonies is over it seems, and it gives way to the more brutal and simple force. A bit too straight-in-the-face, but still good enough to listen to at least every other week :) (Troll)

4/5
CENTINEX
Hellbrigade
2001
Repulse Records
NWOSDM (New wave o' Swedish death metal)
As some of you, my honoured readers, might already know, Swedish death metal is not exactly the style I get a hard-on to. Rightly or not, but I am not impressed by the Tagtgren Brothers' legacy, and Hypocrisy has never been a name to associate with death metal for me. Then again, gotta admit it, every once in a while this trend does produce some, if not genius, then at least very talented bands. Centinex, for instance. Mean, fast, and Swedish, that says it all. Or, rather, could have said. But there is more to them. They are not just mean. They are very mean. If mean was a boot… no, hang on, I already used this metaphor in some other review, better think of something else. They are mean like… like… well, mean, know what I'm saying. They also sound a bit like Entombed's 'Clandestine', and although they do sound so similar to it to almost become a rip-off, let's face it - 'Clandestine' is just one helluva album to rip off, isn't it? And that, my friends, is already called good taste in the selection of one's musical influences. Besides, whatever, you might steal somebody else's riff, or guitar sound, or rhythm, but what you absolutely cannot steal is the energy, because this has to come straight from the heart. Centinex are not geniuses, moreover, they are probably not good composers either, but they are open and sincere and this buys my judgement. (Troll)

1/5
CLANDESTINE BLAZE
Night Of The Unholy Flames
2001
Northern Heritage Records
true'n'evil black
I don't like to say it but it's true - this review makes no sense at all. Just look at the album cover, read the song titles ("Cross Of Black Steel", "Future Lies In The Hands Of The Strong"), and further comments will not be needed. Fans of true'n'evil black metal will be screaming in joy and rushing to the CD store at once, while others will just be surprised by the fact that somebody still plays this kind of music in the year 2001. OK, I admit that music is secondary when it comes to true'n'evil stuff, but to me old DarkThrone and Mayhem are much truer than this from the point of view of ideology, and this taken aside, there is nothing left. Musically-wise, the record is extremely poor and unoriginal. IMHO, total crap. (Maniac)

4/5
CUSTARD
For My King
2000
BO Records
speed/power
German steel industry workers playing under the funny name Custard have forged their second full-length output obviously targeting lovers of "positive-melodic-heroic-speed-power" metal. They decided not to experiment too much and adopt a straightforward, or narrow-minded, if you wish, approach to making music, which is typical for most coming speed/power bands. As a result, their record is packed with all obligatory attributes of the genre. I mean, hilarious knights with swords, axes and red (?) flags on the cover, heroic symbolism in the lyrics, crushing guitar vs. keyboards duels on the limit of human capabilities, sky-high vocals that have a lot in common with activists of the Italian scene (Skylark, Projecto, etc.), mighty choruses a-la Blind Guardian, and, finally, a tearful but very nice slow tune ("Deliver me") in the middle of the disk, to give a little rest to the listener's ears. And what is the result? Nowadays, as you know, nobody can be surprised by masterful handling of instruments or affection to speed-metal, this genre is hip, after all, and very soon the number of bands playing it will exceed the number of fans listening to it. However, unlike some (or should I say many?) bands these guys can do the most important thing - they write wonderful melodies, within the limits of the genre, of course. Thus, lovers of this kind of music are bound to appreciate this disc, and others: for others access is denied (though: always welcome)! (Fireball)

3/5
DARKANE
Insanity
2001
Nuclear Blast
Swedish deathrash
Appearances can be misguiding, that's a fact, so if you ever hear the beginning of this album, make sure to skip it a couple of tracks forward, for the symphonic intro a-la Greece's Chaostar has in fact very little to do with the lunacy of thrash-death-metal, which will be hammering your head into your shoulders for the rest of the record. To tell you the truth I could never have quite understood people who think that everything has to go at a speed of 100 mph. regardless of its size, weight, and all the other vital statistics. This, imho, becomes especially true, when we are talking Swedish deathrash-bands, who cannot really distinguish between speed and quality, and apparently deem those two terms interchangeable. The result of this is slightly amusing (yet, mostly painful) standard riffs, which would remind you of any other band in that particular country working in the same trend. However, those unfamiliar with the style and those, mostly into the so-called modern-metal might take interest in this record to see what metal exactly was about some ten years ago, for 'Insanity' is a very graphic example of that. (Troll)

4-/5
DARK MOOR
The Hall Of The Olden Dreams
2001
Dreams Arise Records
speed/power
Spanish metal is a unique phenomenon that can be identified seconds after a song begins. Swedes and Finns are distinguished for "Malmsteenism", Italians for back-to-basics speed metal approach and symphonism, and Germans for tried and strict harmonies. As for Spaniards, they're notable for their sincerity and self-sacrificial love of maestros from the above-mentioned nations. They do not produce super hits, but they put their soul in what they do. This goes for Avalanch, Twilight, or Overlife. Dark Moor are typical representatives of their country, though they a distinctive feature, beautiful lady called Elise Martin on lead vocals. "The Hall:" is a considerable step forward in performance and mixing if we compare it to the previous record. Back then the sextet made it clear that it plays traditional "fantasy-metal", I mean, musical fairy-tales about angry and kind gods, dragons, heroes with a customary "sword of steel", etc. The new album features the same tales, and as to the music, it is a bit monotonous, but written with obvious sincerity and diligence. Hits are seen at first sight - "Bells of Notre Dame" and "The Sound of The Blade", the sound is dominated by keyboards, but in my opinion two guitarists are too much for this record: one guitar and keyboards would be quite enough. Speaking about the vocalist, I can compare her with Sinergy's Kimberly Goss, though Kimberly's voice is stronger and more aggressive. I rate this work at four minus and will be anticipating Dark Moor's next release. (Fireball)

unrateble
IRM
Oedipus Dethroned
2000
Cold Meat Industry
noise ambient surrealism
To be honest I am not quite sure why I am writing the review in the first place. Cold Meat Industry releases are normally something seriously abnormal, and thus unrateble and often incomprehensive. You either enjoy that type of music, or you don't. Or else you can only listen to it when in a certain mood or something. Distrubing as they are, IRM and their ilk represent a very unusual form of art, which makes the spectator (listener in that particular case) part of the creative process with the visual images sculptured by your own imagination being an integral part of the sounds coming through your ears. And, consequently, the end result should come out different in each individual case. The rest depends on your own sanity/insanity. With IRM for instance, the mind-drilling space noises and subtle psychedelic, formed a picture of a smashed abandoned planet, with the voices being both cries of agony and the screams of the newborn at the same time. It's also about war. A war with no end, and no victor in sight. A war, where everyone will lose disintegrating the planet and all possible life-forms onto the nuclei level. The future of humankind has been foretold here, and the grim face of fate is nearing upon us. (Troll)

4/5
ISACAARUM
Curbed
2000
Obscene Productions
death gore
This strange mixture of ultra fast death gore metal with the world's champions of black metal perversion from the Finnish Impaled Nazarene could of easily been called just another Czech band out there. And, to a certain extent they are. Based on Czechoslovakia's finest Obscene Productions, Isacaarum may not be the country's smartest band. By the same token, what "smart" has to do with this type of music? Right you are, lads, nothing whatsoever. The only thing that really means something here, is does it rock? And to that, my friends the answer would be a resounding "da!" Not only it rocks, it maims, crushes and fragging kills everything in sight like a supercharged cannonball. Of course parallels with bands like Anal Cunt and the aforementioned I.N. on "Curbed" are more than obvious, but who gives a heck, eh? Besides the guys would definitely win the "ugliest song title contest" with tracks like "Arts of Farts," "Twat Blasting Assassins," and "Ladies' Pussy Bulldozers." Corny? Probably. But talented. (Troll)

unrateable
LS-TTL
(el-es-tee-tee-el)
2000
Dragon Flight Records
minimalistic ambient
You know what minimalism is? Yes, it's when the lesser stuff the better. Well, LS-TTL here (stands for Low Power Schottkey Transistor-Transistor Logic), is minimalism in music, a solo project by Brian Coffee - a computer freak, master of digital coma, and lord of the electronic apocalypse. The whole CD consists of probably no more than a handful of stem sounds, sampled, sequenced and arranged by a brain that cannot possibly belong to a normal human being. Unlike the standard noise attacks, this album remains extremely disturbing and provoking without any harsh sounds, wall-of-noises, and other domineering elements that often would seem to nail right through your nerve system. On the contrary, most of the sonic life-forms dwelling here are seemingly peaceful, but once you are in you cannot get out and you see them coil with a serpentine grace, hissing, staring at you with their cold dead eyes, and mesmerizing you until your mind becomes dissolved in them, your body folds into a cocoon and freezes for a hundred of thousand years... you're dormant... you live a dreamless lethargic sleep... and only a thin stream of consciousness goes through that coma... soon you will join your brothers and sisters and wait for the next victim to get caught in your dark web. (Troll)

5/5
MACABRE
Dahmer
2000
Hammerheart Records
murder metal
Just what exactly would you have expected purchasing a CD by a band called Macabre, which bears the title of a famous serial killer and boasts a total of 26 tracks? Why, of course, meat, gore-metal at its purest, shouldn't it be? Well, not quite, as it appears. The 26-chapter story of the life and crimes of Sir Jeffrey of Dahmer as recited by this Chicago trio has diversity written all over it, varying from standard gore-metal, to Florida death, to black, to nu-metal, to crossover, to Lawnmower Death'ish hardcore, to pagan, to thrash, to traditional styled songs and to whatever. As a matter of fact, I would go as far as calling this the most many-sided album of the new Millennium, if judged by the density of various styles per 1 byte of disk-space. I'm serious though, tracks like 'Jeffrey Dahmer Blues', Joffrey Dahmer and the Chocolate Factory', 'Dog Guts' 'Scub-a-Dub-Dub' and 'Drill Bit Lobotomy' shouldn't really be found on one and the same record. Why? Because they simply don't belong together. Shouldn't belong. But, they do. Somehow. But it's not just diversity either. Macabre are also extremely professional, fabulously funny, and when it comes to producing high-quality storming and catchy riffs they literally have no equals. I hear Nuclear Blast got rid of them once - big mistake on behalf of that label… S (Troll)

5/5
MISANTHROPE
Immortal
2001
Holy Records
progressive melodic death
How many times have you dreamt that you could fly? How many times have you imagined yourself with a pair of beautiful wings folded neatly on your back, standing on the edge of a timeless abyss, breathing in the fresh wind, embracing the eternity of the blue sky ahead of you. You close your eyes but still see the red fire of the sun through your shut lids. Somewhere deep inside your brain you cast a picture of the world as seen from high above, and in your mind you already form your route. You take a few deep breaths, and then spread the feathery cape gleaming against the bright rays and the next instance the earth is far below, so small and so different, from where you see it now. Well, now, you can do it, by just putting in the latest Misanthrope CD into your rack. In fact I've never expected a progressive band to make anything worthy a listen, since most of them, are just so much technique-oriented, their music ends up absolutely soulless and thus boring. Not Misanthrope, though. This French act has been in business for years now, and each of their albums is a sure treat for both their diehard fans and those who are new to their music. The rapid-paced and heavy, yet superbly melodic, the gang's latest 'Immortal', combines majestic beauty and magnificent complexity forming into a queer knot-work of sounds and shapes. Ironically all of that pretty light structure is made of some pretty heavy guitar-craft, harsh and growling roars, gunfire drumming, and pounding bass all driving into a frenzy of speed- and progressive-death metal. C'est magnifique, mes amies! (Troll)

5/5
MEGADETH
The World Needs a Hero
2001
Metal-Is
progressive ole'-school thrash metal
'I'll take you to a place - Where we shall find our - Roots! Bloody Roots!!!' - this call of Max Cavalera from the roaring opener of Sepultura's 1996 'Roots'-album, could quite probably serve as the best epigraph to this CD. Indeed, the experimenting era of 'Risk', a controversial and largely misapprehended release of 1999, is over now, and the two Daves are back to their roots, which are fast, complicated, riff-oriented thrash metal at its finest. The album shoots off with a super-duper technical mid-tempo 'Disconnect' - a 100% Megadeth song with a slightly Metallicish solo, which is followed by the groovy boogie-structured title-track 'The World Needs a Hero', a very strange song, which somehow combines a bass-drum groove, funkish chorus in the fashion of RHCP, and is still amazingly Megadeth. After that each and every track is a friendly kick up the butt of those who had thought the band was no good anymore. The few (all too few unfortunately) spins, that I personally gave to the record so far, are obviously not enough to obtain a full appreciation of it, but are more than sufficient to get you interested, and tease you into listening to it a couple of dozen more times. The absolute highlights of the album are surely 'Return to Hangar' (oh yes, a sequel to that song) and the 'Dead and Fugitive Mind', which would undoubtedly remind you of the 'Sweating Bullets', one of my personal all-time favorites. All-in-all a stormingly heavy album, which deserves nothing less than a fiver from any true metal-head… Now, let's see what Slayer has to say about that… Stay tuned . (Troll)

5/5
OPETH
Black Water Park
2001
Peaceville
melodic black/death
I first encountered this Swedish outfit back in the late 1996 when a friend of mine spinned a couple of their songs on a Candlelight Records sampler, and already then I was totally amazed by the absolute consistency and unprecedented diversity of the band. 'The Apostle in Triumph' and that was the name of the song I heard on that compilation, indeed was a triumph of melody, beauty, and integrity. Now five years and five albums later, I am happy to declare that the band has lost none of those early elements, which made their music so unique and special. 'Black Water Park' is the Tower of Babylon in music with an infinite multitude of seemingly unmixable components, which still come together as one very complex, and equally spectacular structure. Some might think this CD a bit hard to comprehend, but again Opeth have never been about making easy-to-listen-to happy-go-lucky tunes which would gain radio broadcasting or anything. Quite on the contrary, these Swedes take pride mainly in what they are best at, and that is very low-key, probably even mourning flow of sound, which they shape to their caprice, like Michael Angelo, who said once that when he made a statue he simply took a solid rock and then removed everything, which seemed excessive. As a result at the end of the day you get a vibe, a key, which is mainly the song and then you have all of these acoustic bits, piano parts and guitar passages added on to it without any apparent logic, but once again, coming together surprisingly well. And… ahh, for hell's sake you simply have to listen to it, instead of reading this review… ;) (Troll)

1/5
SANITYS DAWN
Chop Copper
2001
Shredded Records
grind punk overload
'And the moral of the story is that bands with no talent can easily amuse idiots with a stupid puppet show!' Damn right, I says. They might go and blow themselves as well, and save our lot a bag of trouble, going through their albums (I dare not call that music) in a desperate determination to find at least a bad reason why we would wanna listen to it. If you ask me, these Germans should not have been ever let anywhere near any musical instrument in the first place. I am not saying that playing grind core is bad or let alone unfashionable, but the point is to do that you have to be real… real… real… good. Now, the Sanity's Dawn dudes, should of better go and pick themselves another occupation, before somebody gets them shot for producing bad music. Everything about that CD sucks ass. The sound, the singer, the music, - every damn little point - sucks. They ain't got no attitude either. Or at least, if they do its unconvincing. The only thing these dudes have mastered is song-titles and funny burps in irrelevant places, which at least shows them as people with a fine sense of humor, and moreover, probably in real life where they don't try to play, they are very nice lads, but that does not make them good musicians - very unfortunately. (Troll)

4/5
SAVATAGE
Poets And Madmen
2001
Steamhammer
progressive heavy metal
Of all the records that I've heard in the past six months this one is the most controversial. Being a massive fan of Savatage I waited for it to come out impatiently, but my first impression from the disc was disappointment. "Poets And Madmen" is a great record, everything is fine with it, if not for one thing - it is not up to the level of Savatage's earlier masterpieces like "Handful Of Rain" and "Wake Of Magellan". First, the music became too heavy, I mean, unnecessary heavy, as heaviness does not add anything to the songs, so why should it be? Second, I respect Jon Oliva, but the voice of Zakk Stevens seems to me stronger and more fitting into present-day Savatage. Third, the story behind the record is the most complicated of all this band has done so far, and it may really take hours to find out what is going on and link the songs with certain moments of the story. Finally, I didn't notice any outstanding compositions on the album, except probably for the first track "Stay With Me For A Little While". Don't think that the criticism above means that "Poets And Madmen" sucks. It is a great progressive heavy metal record with tons of melodies, killer riffs and complicated song structures, but not the masterpiece that I expected from Savatage after "Wake Of Magellan". (Maniac)

3/5
SECRET SPHERE
A Time Nevercome
2001
Elevate Records
power
It’s the first full-length work of the six Italians, who decided to challenge their already famous compatriots from Labyrinth and White Skull. The first spin of this disk produces an impression that Oueensryche’s and Ayreon’s laurels wouldn’t let these guys have a moment of peace, however a bit later I understood that playing progressive was not on their minds; they wanted to create something conceptual and complicated on the traditional power metal basis. Something that requires thinking while listening. As a result we have an album with an avant-garde cover, a saga in four parts with many acoustic fragments and instrumentals. But at the same time the songs are a bit monotonous and heavily-loaded, so you can’t realize weather the work was spoiled by excessive conceptuality or the guys just can’t write hymn-like hits, to which their nationality, chosen style and very good musical abilities oblige them. Nevertheless, the band has a good potential and we can only hope that the musicians will finally decide what music to play before they start recording their next album. Frankly speaking, another strong and original power metal album never disturbs anybody. (Fireball)

4/5
SOULGRIND
Elixir Mystica
2001
Holy Records
black death goth metal
The music of this Finnish quintet (by three fifths consisting of Gloomy Grim people) is pretty unusual I have to say. Their latest, brilliantly produced by the world's most refined 'Holy Records' represents a malignant and, yes, mystic elixir, brewed of some pretty unmixable elements. For instance how would you like a standard New York hardcore riff coming together with deep and ominous growling and a clean female vocals? Can you picture a death-industrial guitar and drums rampage blasting against the Kovenant-like cawking and the aforementioned female singing, which comes together with complex and atmospheric keyboards? Finally have you ever heard typical gothic-rock break out into a black metal blast-beat spree? Well if you would, cannot, and haven't, do yourself a big favour and check out Soulgrind's 'Elixir Mystica'. Slightly reminding their mates from 'Orphanage', the Finns however put yet more experimentalism into their music, thus making it less consistent, but at the same time more diverse. Good music, good production, good sound - good job. (Troll)

5/5
TROLL
Universal
2001
Head Not Found
black nouveau
The more I listen to this CD the less I become sure as to how to rate it. No, seriously, the now suited (and we ain't talking some cheapo gangsta suits either) Nagash and Co. simply keep amazing me. OK, I could live with their new image, in fact, I'd even say that I find it strangely attractive and even more surprisingly evil. That's fine. I can live with the obscure keyboard intermissions, falling somewhere in between Mortiis, Goldie, and Kreuzweg Ost, which come every other track. That's fine too. I could even live with the tongue-in-cheek popular 90ies' sayings encrypted here and there on the CD sleeve. Those are even kind of fun. But, when I come to thinking that this is actually the same band that recorded 'Drep de Kristne' some 5 years ago, this is when the computer inside my head crashes and starts randomly producing irrelevant pop-up comments. At the same time, I couldn't be further away from saying that the changes are for the worse. Not even slightly, sirs. The intense overdriven riffs, which cover everything from Mayhem to Slayer, overwhelming drums, and the crazed ass vocals that rip through the blood-clotted throat of Sinister Minister Twice - all coupled with the subtle schizophrenia of the sampled surrealism in between the songs are just a bit more than a regular brain can take. The Troll has mutated. And what once was a dumb and frustrated trigger-happy thug has now become a sophisticated hi-tech assassin of the new century. Welcome the new millennium! (Troll)

5/5
ULVER
Perdition City
2001
Jester Records
ambient
'That's a fucking gourmet-food restaurant, that's for the chosen' said the guy at the store who sold me the CD. And indeed it is. A lot of water has passed under the bridge ever since Ulver was a synonym for the so-called 'forest-black' and served for many as an example of everything black-metal stood for at the times. Seasons change, however, and these days the band, which was once the quintessence of the true and evil, plays some totally different music, still pretty black at certain points, but hardly ever metal. The daring and experimental form of sonic art, which is now Ulver, is much like a surrealistic journey through a dream, like a flight over the night-lit city, like a thousand colours of red in one drop of wine and a million shadows of blue an eye would flash on a cold winter day. Coming to think of it, I couldn't really say that there is anything black or evil left in Ulver. It's just beautiful. (Troll)

5/5
VADER
Reign Forever World
2001
Metal Blade
death metal
There are certain things in this world that are unchanging and thus seem never-ending. The Sun. The Oceans. Polish Vader is one of those too. For years and years on end the founding fathers of Eastern European death metal have been shelling our wrecked brains with their continuing saga of hate and destruction. Stomping, sickening and desecrating, Vader's latest 'Reign Forever World' will jigsaw right through yer head and split it in half, leaving the bloody traces on the remnants of your body. Lyrics-wise the Poles also stay true to themselves with rage and anger right at the end of their forked tongues, especially in tracks like 'Privilege of the Gods' and 'Lord of Desert'. Once labeled the best Eastern European clone of the almighty Morbid Angel, Vader will hardly ever rid themselves of that tag, but, by the same token, I personally do not see even one good reason why they should. As long as the quality of the music remains at the same level, I'm onboard. And, stealing their own thunder, let the band remain powerful, creative, joyous and free! (Troll)

2/5
ZONATA
Reality
2001
Century Media
power
Unfortunately, this band has nothing in common with last year’s sensation – Sonata Arctica - except the similarity of names. Their first release also dated 2000 contained straightforward power metal decorated by just a couple of Celtic melodies a-la Blind Guardian ’95. The new disk can’t even brag of it. The only thing that really touched me was the cover, a sort of futuristic painting that can be referred to the Italian Renaissance or late 19th century. The main shortcoming of these guys is total absence of wholehearted work. As a result, the impression that I get is that they just decided to cash in on the popularity on the genre, not putting their souls to the music they play. When people do something, all the more music, without emotions, without ardour, without sincerity it stares in the face at once and even Century Media can do nothing in such a situation. This kind of faceless and insipid music can be of interest only for irreconcilable antagonists of the genre as an argument proving that this style is outdated. I personally don’t believe in it. Some musicians are outdated… even before they create something worthy.(Fireball)