Versital - A New Millennium (1999)

 Cost: $2.00

Progressive metal with a lot of cues from '90s Queensrÿche and Fates Warning. It's not a big surprise given the genre and time this came out, but some of the songs lean a bit too much into '90s rock for my taste. "So Long" almost sounds like a grungy/hard alternative Alice in Chains sort of song with distorted vocals. On the other hand, the heavier tracks are almost in power/progressive metal territory, and many of the guitar solos have obvious classic metal influences, so it's perhaps a bit of a shame they didn't keep up the heaviness consistently.

I've just realized when putting this away on the shelf that I already have the band's first self-titled album, but I had zero recollection of how it sounded or where or when I got it (while it seems a bit heavier in terms of overall songwriting, there is also far more emphasis on acoustic guitar passages--even a full on ballad track.  But I think that dynamic also makes it the more interesting album).

Italian Experiences Vol. 2 compilation (1998)

 Cost: $2.00

Obviously as the title suggests, a compilation of Italian bands. Mixed genres and no extreme metal but I believe this is the most metal focused of the three volumes.

1. Deadline - Flight of a Free Man

Solid heavy/power metal with galloping parts. The accent and overenunciation of some words makes the singer sound somewhat Japanese to me.

2. Xteria - Tutto Normale

The initial keyboards make you think this is going to be overly sweet, even pomp rock stuff, although the choruses end up being quite classy prog metal.

3. Fucktotum - Zingara

Rumbly stuff with whispered main vocals that I think was intended to be a sort of avant-garde thrash. It kind of is to a certain extent, but the groovy main riff and aggro backing vox make it just as much groove metal. I had much higher hopes considering the band name.

4. Sisthema - The New Commandements

Groove metal with a slightly industrial edge from the riffs and distorted vocals.

5. Porco Del Reato - Il Mondo Abbandonato

Some sort of modernized stuff, mixing DJ effects/scratching, industrial, groove metal, and hardcore elements.

6. SI.S.M.A. - Breeding Rage

Nu. The accented rap-talking vocals are actually kind of amusing for one listen through and the song vaguely reminds me of Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Give It Away."

7. Arcadia - Tool

Begins and ends with a bouncy groove metal riff, although after about a minute they switch to more Metallica-like thrashing, including a ballady "Sanitarium"/"Nothing Else Matters" part. Also has whispered vocals in certain spots.

8. The Piazza - Dreamlike Vision

Definitely punkish but rather than energetic or spastic, it's very laid back. A mix of punk and '90s alternative rock?

9. Hiroshima Mon Amour - Lontani Da Una Città Di Luce

Some sort of minimalist take on '80s new wave music, but then has somewhat neoclassical-sounding sections.

10. Veil of Maya - Is Your Life

Progressive/power metal with some OK if overzealous shredding and a decent mellow bridge, though the unpolished vocals and poor mix make this seem rather amateurish.

11. Marutied - God Will Kill You

Punk.

12. Frozen Child - Here Comes the Absent

Darkwave/gothic.

13. Anthem - Sweet Moon

Booklet confirms this is the same Anthem that was pre-Ivory and put out some power metal demos. However, this quirky instrumental with some speedy shredding is definitely more like some sort of progressive metal. Not terrible but probably not the most flattering track for a compilation with only one song by them.

14. Clench - I Hate the World

Not as angsty as you would expect from the title. Intially I was just going to call this some kind of slow groove metal, although if you look past the vocals, there are some stoner rock/alternative and even some Sabbathy sensibilities here too. Still doesn't help that much.

15. Nomad Barbie - Special K

Some electronic/industrial stuff, might have been somewhat catchy without the spoken vocals.

16. Daimones - The Sword of Shannara

By now I was thinking Deadline wouldn't have any real competition on this comp., and then this came up.  Galloping riffage segues into speed/power metal, maybe a bit reminiscent of late '80s Running Wild.

17. Betelgeuse - Escape from Reality

More speedy power metal. The high vocals are the most charismatic out of any bands on the comp., and the guitarwork seems to be the most proficient. Unfortunately, at a bit under 3 minutes, the song is the second shortest on the comp., and after nearly a minute of epic intro stuff, it feels very rushed and unsatisfying. I will say the twin axework at the end is probably the best part of the entire CD, though.

18. Stomp - Luce Lieve

Some sort of downtuned rock.

Flower Travellin' Band - Satori (2004)

Cost: $2.00

 

This is the naughty Radioactive Records bootleg CD, although I can't complain for the price. My first exposure to Flower Travellin' Band must certainly have been the cover on the first Outrage album. I was also familiar with some of Joe Yamanaka's solo material from Japanese TV shows and movies, but I didn't know about the connections to FTB until much later.

As with a lot of their material, a considerable chunk of this album is psychedelic/prog rock, which while atmospheric and pleasant enough from musical/historical perspectives, is a bit too outside of my scope of interest to make me want to actively seek it out. However, when they decide to get dark and heavy, the spots of doomy proto-metallic brilliance on here are unbeatable. That  riff in Pt. 3 (I originally heard it in the reworked "Hiroshima" where it is equally awesome) absolutely obliterates any other kind of "psychedelic" heavy music I've ever heard. It's exactly what so many stoner, drone, and sludge bands claimed to offer but never delivered on. The riff beginning at about 4 min. into Pt. 4 also gives me strong Priest Rocka Rolla vibes (coincidentally, they also use a harmonica). Great find.

Summer's End - Summer's End (2005)

 

Cost: $2.00

This CD is available for trade.

Not one of my best scores. I was already cautious since the pumpkin-headed character on the back insert and on the inner layout immediately brought to mind AFI and the Disturbed mascot, not exactly the listening experience I was looking for. One of the members had a classic Slayer swords logo shirt on in the band pic, so I felt slightly guilted into buying it. I was realistically expecting something punkish, perhaps even tolerable crossover or grind.

And of course it's just metalcore. The harmonized twin guitar runs are reminiscent (and probably inspired by) Swedish melodic DM, but with the chuggy breakdowns and screamy vox, I'm reminded as much of a mix of As I Lay Dying and Atreyu styles with some Avenged Sevenfold guitarwork sensibilities as I am of a Slaughter of the Soul influenced band. I should also stress that I've seen confused claims online that this mixes horror punk and metalcore. I hear zero discernible horror punk or horror influence in the music itself. Michale Graves contributes lyrics and vocals to a track, and that seems to have been exaggerated to a ridiculous extreme. I welcomed his clean vocals just as something to break up the tedium of the samey tracks, but the music isn't any better for having him involved.

Damn the Machine - Damn the Machine (1993)

 

Cost: $2.00

Not a priority purchase for me even at two bucks, but it was in such good condition for a major label release, I snagged it. It even includes the original questionnaire postcard so you can let A&M Records know about your favorite radio stations and TV shows! 

Quite mellow '90s prog metal with a certain Chris Poland on guitars. Nothing offensive to note here and it's quite accessible in a positive way, and avoids being too self-indulgently quirky or complex. I suppose the downside is that it's less immediately interesting and metallic than something like '90s Fates Warning or Gar Samuelson's Fatal Opera. It was fine to have it on in the background while doing menial home office stuff, but time will tell if I'm inclined to revisit it at all.

Hate - Intense (1997)

Cost: $1.00

 

I'd like to think that bargain bin diving for so many years has given me a keen intuition based on subtle visual cues when browing through lots of inexpensive CDs. But it's largely a moot point. Because they're all so cheap, I pick up discs I highly suspect will be crap anyway just to be on the safe side. I have to pat myself on the back for this one, since I knew it wasn't going to be just plain death metal as Metal Archives claimed.

I was right, but rather than the groove metal I was expecting, I was surprised to find out it's actually a mix of both (Brutal groove metal?  Groovy death metal?). Let's not pretend I'm particularly interested in a lot of the groovy and chuggy riffs here, but the guitar tone is nice and deathy, and the main vocals are mostly deathlike growls, although there is some aggro stuff.  So the groove metal element I typically find most offensive is largely toned down here, and with the death metal riffage and influences here, I can tolerate it.

Shallow Grave - The Fields (2009)

Cost: $1.00

This CD is available for trade.

 

Low expectations going in on this one.  I was expecting deathcore based on the logo and songtitles, and in hindsight, that may have been preferable... The band pic is very unflattering, with the members decked out in odd costuming (such as spiked respirator style masks) more appropriate for an industrial/cyber black metal/cybergoth group. Sadly, this mixes all of the worst heavy music trends of the last 30 years, primarily nu-metal and chugging -core, with groove metal style aggro vocals. Not something I'd consider to be metal and not of much interest to me.  The last track is a minimalist ballad with flamenco-style guitar playing, and I liked it the most just for giving me a break from the toughguy vocals and bouncy rap stuff.