Cycle of Pain - Cycle of Pain (2009)

 

Cost: $2.00

This CD is available for trade. 

Bought this one without really knowing what it was, figuring it would probably be groove metal or modern thrash based on the band name. I didn't have super high expectations to begin with, but learning it was the band of the longtime Black Label Society didn't help, and seeing some of the guest musicians really didn't help (they include Korn's drummer, Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory, and a Cypress Hill guy who raps on one track). 

Yet it still didn't even manage to meet my severely lowered expectations. The guitar sound is relatively heavy I guess, and contains a little bit of the Southern/groove metal approach I was expecting, but the songs come off more as slightly Sabbath-influenced hard alternative type of stuff than anything metal. I even wasted time relistening to 2 or 3 early tracks to make sure I wasn't being overly biased. I'm honestly shocked the band made it onto Metal Archives sounding like this. Even "Cycle of Pain," the most superficially aggressive track with screamy vox, feels more on the side of hard alternative than groove metal.

They show greater musical diversity towards the end of these album, and these tracks are the most interesting. "I See Heaven" is a serviceable mellow ballad. Egypt starts out with a decidedly Eastern flair (that's far more Indian than Egyptian) and segues into a somewhat progressive sounding track. Some of the guitar during the faster sections are the closest the CD ever gets to real metal. 

When I noticed almost 3 minutes left on the last track when the music initially ended, I suspected there was going to be some sort of hidden track or skit that would be the highlight of the album. I was right, but even I was not expecting the silly Rocky-themed tune "Mick Do I," complete with a bad Mickey Goldmill impression and a decent Rocky Balboa one. It's far more creative than any of the regular music here. Sadly, even so, it doesn't really justify spending two bucks.

Voodoo Lordz - Life's Games (2003)

Cost: $1.99

Wasn't sure what to think of the band name. Especially with that spelling, I was prepared for the worst, but it ended up being better than I expected. The majority of the disc is a mid-paced brand of thrash that reminds me of the the more laid-back approach a lot of US bands took in the mid-'90s without totally abandoning thrash for groovier Pantera-esque pastures. Most of the tracks don't have much of a detectable groove metal influence, and I consider that a huge plus. On the downside, this is definitely not all that '80s sounding, and I would have preferred more speed and aggression. I found the main vocals a bit strange, as there's somewhat of a talk-singy and amateurish aspect to them, but they also have some sort of affectation at the end of words that give them an almost Mustaine-like vibe (this is especially evident in "Fire in the Hole"). The middle 3 tracks are all decent enough where I felt I got my money's worth, with "Jekyl's Hyde" being my favorite.

Notice how I only said "the majority of the disc" above? According to the liner notes, 4 of the tracks were originally by a band called Wild Eyed Gypsy, which I assume was their previous band. 3 of these are songs that are mostly in line with the rest of the album, but do feel groovier and more rock-ish in approach. The other track is the closer "Road Rage," a fun HC/punk-inspired tune with angry vocals that ends up being the catchiest song out of everything.

Not going to pretend this is a great CD, but it's a decent indie release, especially for the price.

Lapse of Irony - Between Dreams & Dread (2004)

 

Cost: 99¢

 

The front cover and band name definitely gave off more of a metalcore vibe, but I felt better about buying it when I saw the band was listed as "atmospheric progressive metal/rock" at Metal Archives. Even with some vague idea of genre, I was still taken aback at how lightweight this was overall. It's certainly not devoid of metal influence, but even the sections with heavier guitars (the best is probably the latter half of "The Haunting") exist to serve the atmosphere, rather as a driving force in the music. The female vocalist does an admirable rock, and for something more on the atmospheric rock side, it's fine.

 

I suspect this has quite a few similarities to The Gathering's later non-metal material, but having never heard any of that stuff, I can't be sure. There's still enough in common with Nighttime Birds where I think they're an appropriate comparison, although Lapse of Irony are nowhere near as gothic-tinged and residually doomy as that album.