Covered In Black: An Industrial Tribute to AC/DC – Review February 1, 1997 Cleopatra’s latest excursion is Covered In Black. It features industrial bands that have somehow missed AC/DC’s tried and true formula.
Arcturus – Aspera Hiems Symfonia – Review February 1, 1997 Combining the vicious passion of black metal with the darkly atmospheric feel of doom, Aspera Hiems Symfonia lashes and caresses like the cold wind.
Anti-Matter Compilation – Review February 1, 1997 Previously unreleased stuff from Quicksand, Supertouch, Farside, and Strife, as well as a live version of “Don’t Gotta Prove It” from CIV.
UK Subs – Occupied – Review February 1, 1997 Here comes #15 from the snotty punk Brit boys UK Subs. All the fans out there who thought you’d never hear another good UK Subs album, tune in.
Acid Bath – Paegan Terrorism Tactics – Review February 1, 1997 Blending sludge and swamp grooves with death and noise, Acid Bath usually stay within the boundaries of melodic, ploddingly heavy, almost spiritual ugly rock.
Tizzy – Befriend Us – Review February 1, 1997 The music is tight and well-produced, but ultimately, there’s too much gloss and not enough tension.
The Valentine Six – “I Saw a Ghost Face” / “Always is My Name” – Review February 1, 1997 “I Saw a Ghost Face” combines Nuggets and compilation-quality murky Southern ranchabilly vocals with spaztic sax jazzabilly. Well done.
The Suicide Machines – The Suicide Machines/ Humble Gods split – Review February 1, 1997 The Suicide Machines are less annoying than NOFX and less soulful than Operation Ivy or Rancid. They’re tight and aggressive, but lack dimension.
The Sugar Freaks – “Summertime” – Review February 1, 1997 Two girls and a guy play kitschy garage rock with an Undertones (prolonged adolescence) mentality. Dionysus knows that 7″s are an end in themselves.
The Stallions – “I Love the USA!” – Review February 1, 1997 Hard-hitting, Stooges-inspired jackhammer punk rock. It’s the “real thing,” but these four songs offer nothing with any staying power.