Metal Blade Records – Page 42

Engine – Review

January 1, 2000

Engine idles too closely to Alder’s prog rock background, and when they get “dark and heavy,” they sound like heavy-for-heavy’s-sake riffs Filter woulda tossed.

Six Feet Under – Maximum Violence – Review

September 1, 1999

Maximum Violence is a livelier, meatier, and more interesting record than any of their previous work, but it still lacks true intelligence.

Immolation – Failures for Gods – Review

September 1, 1999

You can always count on Immolation to deliver wretched, mutilated time signatures in the most unique fashion.

The Crown – Hell is Here – Review

June 1, 1999

Extremely brutal songs played tight, fast, melodically, and with crystal clear production, every component pierces like Zeus’ thunderbolt.

Labyrinth – Return To Heaven Denied – Review

June 1, 1999

Labyrinth are quite speedy and focused, rarely ponderous, and quite bent on hair-flipped heroics of a most axe-aggressive nature.

Prophanity – Stronger Than Steel – Review

June 1, 1999

Straight-forward post-Kreator thrash, old-school black metal, noisy evil filled with double-bass thunder, Carcassy vocals, and melodic fretboard flyings.

Spock’s Beard – Day For Night – Review

June 1, 1999

A live and bouncy power chord/keyboard hybrid that sounds like heavy Yes mixed with Kansas, popped fresh with the creative hippy spirit of Phish.

Hecate Enthroned – Dark Requiems – Review

June 1, 1999

Dark Requiems… is a real shame cuz I like Hecate Enthroned. So badly produced, it’s depressing.

Gwar – We Kill Everything – Review

June 1, 1999

There’s the usual goof rock, punk, and speed metal, but there’s hard rock, Iron Maiden, and, um, funk metal in here, too.

Manowar – Hell on Stage Live – Review

June 1, 1999

Even cool guys attending shows just for laughs have had to admit that they went to the lost and found after the show to see if someone had turned their ass in.