Lollipop Magazine

Embodyment – Songs For The Living – Review

March 22, 2004

Embodyment have grown from a metalcore band into a smart, well-oiled radio rock machine that, unlike most of this mold, refuses to dumb down to their audience.

Dream Theater – Train of Thought – Review

March 22, 2004

The band’s strength lies in majestic melodies and carefully thought-out instrumental passages. Here, both are abandoned to cram in boiling rage, from gorilla stomps to guitar hero shreds that leave no lasting impression.

Pestilence – Consuming Impulse – Testimony of the Ancients – Review

March 15, 2004

As part of the early-’90s jazz/death movement, Pestilence left behind four albums of pure progressive mindfuck that easily shames anything “technical” today.

Helmet – Unsung: The Best Of (1991-1997) – Review

March 15, 2004

A long overdue retrospective of one of the most influential heavy bands of the last decade. This chronicles the almighty Helmet through their full-lengths Strap it On, Meantime, and (the criminally underrated) Aftertaste.

Exhorder – Slaughter in the Vatican/The Law – Review

March 15, 2004

Formed in the mid-to-late ’80s, Exhorder are credited with starting the “Southern trendkill” style of thash-hardcore-sludge insanity eventually carried on by the likes of Crowbar, Eyehategod, Soilent Green, Down, and – of course – Pantera.

The Wage of Sin – A Mistaken Belief in Forever – Review

March 8, 2004

The sophomore outing by all-girl hardcore act The Wage of Sin is much better than their debut, The Product of Deceit and Loneliness. While still hardcore rooted, there’s a much more pummeling, anthemic flow this time around.

Zyklon – Aeon – Review

March 8, 2004

Samoth and Destructhor have created a record where the songs have self-contained logic, the guitar tones are robust and bottom-heavy, and where Trym’s drum vibe is thick and warm.

With All Sincerity – The Age Where Nothing Fits – Review

March 8, 2004

With All Sincerity are a death metal band in a hardcore band’s body. The band reeks of metal music, but delivers the metallic edge with a hardcore stomp.

Ulver – A Quick Fix of Melancholy – Review

March 8, 2004

Quasi-classical orchestration and operatic divas create beautiful and nightmarish arias. It’s all irresistibly sinister.

Manowar – The Dawn of Battle – Review

March 8, 2004

A gap-bridging affair reaching back to last year’s Warriors of the World and forward to Fire & Blood, an upcoming performance DVD with a trailer here.