Lollipop Magazine

Enslaved – Isa – Review

September 30, 2005

Heaps of praise for this forward-thinking original Norse black metal “Viking” band, Enslaved, now with three beloved, multi-dimensional albums in a row.

Entombed – Unreal Estate – Review

June 13, 2005

In 2002, much respected-metal veterans Entombed played as the pit orchestra for some kinda fuckin’ ballet. This is the CD document of that live extravaganza.

Callenish Circle – Forbidden Empathy – Review

June 13, 2005

Two discs of tedium and mediocre metal.I expected more from Callenish Circle. Both Flesh Power Dominion and My Passion Your Pain were fast, thrashy metal albums at their finest.

Grand Magus – Wolf’s Return – Review

June 8, 2005

Swedish doom rock done right. Strong, clear production. Unlike a lot of “stoner rock” stuff, this has energy, strong vocals, and a few melodies will stick.

Octavia Sperati – Winter Enclosure – Review

June 7, 2005

Female-fronted Gothic metal is as common as a cold, and even good bands are a dime a dozen, cuz a sweet voice and some plodding riffs are about all it takes.

Chuck Schuldiner – Zero Tolerance – Review

May 30, 2005

Many fans will force themselves to sit through these two discs out of respect for Chuck, but the man deserves a much better retrospective than Zero Tolerance.

Over Mars – Affliction, Endocrine, Vertigo – Review

May 12, 2005

Sparse, dark, piano tinkling and a guitar noodle that creeps in periphery. The droning thunder is front-loaded, so you can chill by CD’s end.

Debris Inc – Review

March 28, 2005

Stoner doom too stoned to try very hard or produce very well. Respected musicians from St. Vitus, Trouble, Eyehategod/Superjoint/Crowbar, Goatsnake/Obsessed.

Slumber – Fallout – Review

March 16, 2005

Doom, with no apologies for atmospheric keyboards, angelic counterpoint to the monster bellow, and piano and acoustic guitar tinkering amidst droning guitar.

Dismember – Where Iron Crosses Grow – Review

December 1, 2004

Still got that “classic” Swedish death sound: Unmistakably gnarly guitars, fuzzy production, semi-melodic riffs (but not Gothenburg melodic), and quick tempos.