Psychopathic Daze- Psychopathic Daze

Psychopathic Daze is a metalcore/groove metal band from Chicago. Don't let those tags scare you away, these guys actually show a solid amount of potential on this debut full-length. Blending the crushing moments commonly seen in the groove metal genre with some of the better attributes of metalcore proves to be a successful combination for Psychopathic Daze.

The album is very groove oriented for the most part, that being said the album is also pack full of melody and gives a fairly diverse selection of song structures to keep things interesting enough. The guitar tone is a tad flat for my taste but it isn't distracting enough to throw the album off much. One thing that makes this album standout a bit is it's production. Unlike many bands playing this style with an extremely polished sound, these guys take a different approach with production that is much more raw than the average. Whether this was due to their budget or done on purpose it still makes for a breath of fresh air when compared to the stagnant, overproduced, albums of many bands playing this style today.

The vocals consist mostly of pissed off, mid-ranged screams. The harsh vocals are great but a little more variation wouldn't hurt. Occasionally some clean vocals will make an appearance and although it is rare, when they do show up they are delivered in an excellent manner. One track that seems to stand out the most on this album is "Declaration". This song is a monstrous, mosh pit inducing anthem. It puts all the positive things Psychopathic Daze has going for them on display in a short, four minute time frame. If you are going to test the waters to see if this is something you'd enjoy "Declaration" would certainly be the best place to start.

Overall Psychopathic Daze have delivered a decent debut full-length. I'll be the first to say I'm not the biggest fan of this style of music, but I actually found myself enjoying most of the material here. It's safe to say that if Psychopathic Daze can make it onto my extremely short list of modern metalcore bands I enjoy, that this will most likely fit nicely in the collection of people who actually listen to the style religiously. If you are a fan of groove metal or metalcore this album is definitely worth picking up. For those like me who aren't huge fans, give it a listen anyway. Who knows, you might dig it.

Various Artists- Rebellious Damnation Theories Compilation

Rebellious Damnation Theories is an online exclusive compilation featuring many bands from extreme metal/punk scenes all over the world. Featuring twenty five artists of various styles you are sure to find something here to your liking. All of this is packed into just over an hour of what will be new territory for most metalheads. Like all compilations there are a few duds here, or just tracks that simply don't sit right, but the final product still brings quite a few mosh worthy moments.

The compilation opens up with the monstrous Jugga from Nepal. Their track "Vultures Will Feed" proves to be the perfect way to open the compilation. It comes in, beats the listener down and flees from the scene of the crime. There are plenty of excellent tracks to be found here. One example would definitely be Dementia from Pakistan, a band that plays a healthy blend of thrash/groove metal. These guys have a very professional sound going for them and have fairly developed writing skills. Not long after Dementia's track you have the polar opposite Bvlghvm. Also hailing from Pakistan these dudes pack one heavy as hell punch with their brand of filthy, hate-filled sludge. There are also a few familiar faces to the website that we have covered before. Bands like Sledgehammer Autopsy, Death Inquisition, and Foreskin hold their own up against all the other bands crammed onto this thing.

Naturally, given the fact that the bands are from completely different regions of the world and have completely different recording situations, the sound quality varies a great deal from track to track. This may throw some listeners off but after taking some time to get used to it you adjust and it is barely noticeable. Unfortunately the production value of bands like Chillar Killer and Masturbate take most of the impact out of their music. Playing goregrind with such a flat sound just doesn't workout well, it lacks the punchy tone that this style of music thrives for. Due to this little problem a few tracks towards the middle sort of slow down the pace of the comp.

Overall Rebellious Damnation Theories is sure to introduce anyone who listens to some solid, new bands. These compilation covers touches all the major extreme subgenres. Death, thrash, black metal, crust, sludge, crossover, hardcore, groove, it's all here at one point of another. Definitely worth getting if you're a fan of metal or punk in general. There is a gigantic slew of bands out there just waiting to be heard, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Deep Coma- Despair As You Stare

The schizophrenic duo from Portugal is back again with their first full-length. This album is nearly twice as long as their debut demo. Those familiar with the demo will be happy to know that they are still churning out some very odd sounding metal. After listening to Despair As You Stare one thing is certain, Deep Coma is one of a kind. This is what I imagine a tweeker hearing in their head when they withdrawal after a week long binge.

Overall Despair As You Stare is an extremely aggressive album. While it does still feature plenty of the eerie calm moments that made Down the Gutter so interesting it tends to focus much more on angry, pounding moments. At times tracks will break into a disorienting rage. The previous demo had some moments like this but it no longer seems forced like it did before. One of the highlights of the album is the very interesting cover of the Sepultura song "Refuse/Resist". Deep Coma definitely gave the track a completely different sound. Imagine Sepultura having a recording session shortly after taking an assload of downers.

For the most part the guitars bring forth plenty of chunky grooves. There isn't as much chugging used here as there was on Down the Gutter. The variation of riffs keeps the tracks from dragging like they did previous. This definitely is one of the biggest improvements when comparing this to Down the Gutter. Another major improvement is the vocals, my previous review mentioned that they sounded a bit forced at times. That problem is completely gone on Despair As You Stare, they sound very natural and angry as hell from start to finish. The production on this album is very similar to Down the Gutter. The drums are a bit loud in the mix and the guitar gets drowned out at times. The drums being so loud can be a bit much at times but it doesn't take too much away from the overall quality of the album.

Overall Despair As You Stare is a solid full-length. I can't necessarily say that Deep Coma creates music that is for everyone, but if you are looking for some very odd metal that features a little bit of everything than this is worth a listen. Deep Coma has been working at mastering their sound and Despair As You Stare is without a doubt a step in the right direction. Fans of the previous release will not be disappointed.

237- Dead Risen

237 is a project that consist of Derek Spear (the man who made the recently reviewed album, Shine) and his brother, Dustin Spear. Considering that Derek's solo debut was based around the story of the Shining and looking at the band name here it is obvious that these dudes love the film/book. In late 1994 the band was formed by the brothers and they began covering their favorite metal tracks. Not long after the band started writing their own material. Dead Risen marks the first, and only full-length from the band thus far.

The guitarwork on this record is pretty damn catchy for the most part. Though the album does rely heavily on grooves on occasion things are switched up with a thrashier pace. A good example would be the track "Driven", these moments spice things up a bit and keep the listeners attention from drifting. The instrumental track on the album "Witch Hunt" is quite possibly the best. It features a riff that gets in your ears and lurks around your head for a few days, though this track is extremely simple it just features one of those mindnumbingly memorable riffs that we all know and love. The only thing that may make the playing on this record more interesting would be to incorporate some solos here and there. One thing that is most noticeably different from Shine is the lack of catchy choruses. In a way it can be looked at as a trade off. Shine had some catchy riffs spread throughout but Dead Risen throws out infectious riffs constantly.

Much like Shine, Dead Risen features a drum machine. It is used in a responsible manner and doesn't reduce the quality of the album by much. The machine starts to get a little stale and dull towards the end of the album, aside from that section of dragging it isn't too overwhelming. Even though the bass just follows the guitar for the majority of the playtime it really seems to add a great deal of low end to the overall sound. On the title track it plays a huge role in achieving the heaviness that makes the track so excellent.

Don't expect many surprises when listening to Dead Risen. This is just a solid, straightforward slab of groove metal. If you have heard Shine you should have a fairly decent idea of what to expect out of this. Out of the two this is my favorite but both have their own set of qualities and awesome tracks. Check this out if you are in search of some groovy metal that has the ability to get your head banging.

Derek Spear- Shine

With Shine Derek Spear has set out to make an entire metal album based around the concept of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (and Stephen King's book under the same title). Unlike Spear's previous work with 237 this album takes a slightly slower approach. Filled with tight playing and an abundant amount of grooves Shine is quite the listening experience.

Musically comparing this to something like Fear Factory wouldn't be too far off. The guitar playing focuses on a groove throughout the majority of the playtime. Most of the tracks on Shine come close to or exceed five minutes. The enchanting grooves keep the listening experience fresh and prevent this forty plus minute album from becoming stagnant. Though there isn't much variation in the playing it fits the style Derek is trying to create quite well. The opening track has some excellent qualities. Aside from being the biggest standout track on the album it also employs some odd effects laced with slow riffing that gives off a very eerie vibe.

The vocal performance used on Shine is fairly clean. The style used here is very reminiscent of the latest Kosmokrater release, a sort of menacing snarl. On occasion some actual straight up, clean vocals will be used and it comes out sounding very similar to Ozzy Osbourne. The cleans fit the style quite well and it would be interesting to see this approach used more often on Shine. Catchy choruses aren't hard to find on Shine. The chorus to "The Bad Thing" will echo in your head for hours after listening. The drums on the record are programmed but unlike many bands that use a machine it actually doesn't come out sounding too bad.

Overall Shine not only features a very interesting concept for an album it also features a sound you don't hear that often. Tracks like "Shine" have a very epic atmosphere while songs like "Darkness Falls" are just simple metal songs that are driven by a constant groove. This album isn't by any means groundbreaking but it does what it sets out to do and does it in an entertaining manner. Fans of heavy metal should definitely give this a listen, while it doesn't feature the speed that was used in Derek's past project 237 it makes up for it with great, memorable songs. Shine on, shine on.