JUSTIN’S METAL REVIEWS W/C 15/8 10

KATAKLYSM / HEAVEN’S VENOM

One of my favourite albums of last year was the side project featuring a couple of Kataklysm members Ex Deo and now that they are back in their day job, the Canadian Melodic Death Metal masters have returned with another fantastic album.

All the track filled with raw energy, brutal Death Metal, flavoured with a touch of Melody, just as I like it and as the enigmatic opening track “A Soulless God” fills my ears its clear that this going to be one hell of an album.  The follow up track “Determined (Vows Of Vengeance) is a thunderous monster that just cannot be ignored and “Faith Made Of Shrapnel” is just as good as are “Push The Venom” and “Hail The Renegade”, not to mention the brutal “Numb And Intoxicated” or the brilliant “Bind Saviour”.

All in all this is a very fine album, all the tracks are top notch and this CD deserves to be heard and I for one will make sure it is, so do yourself and the band a favour and buy yourself a copy, this is not an option, its tonally essential if you’re a Metal fan.

WEBSITE      http://www.kataklysm.swizcorp.com & http://www.nuclearblast.de

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 50 mins + 11 BRUTAL TRACKS

SPIRITUAL BEGGARS / RETURN TO ZERO

Take two members from Arch Enemy anther two from Firewind, a Keyboard player from Opeth, put them together and you’ve got a new Spiritual Beggars album, modern Classic Rock at its utmost best.

If you like Classic Purple, Uriah Heep and Whitesnake you are going to totally adore this CD, the blues soaked vocals of Apollo are rich and full, similar to early David Coverdale, Michael Amott’s guitar is as always, inspired and full of great riffs and Per Wiberg’s Hammond organ is a joy to behold, together they make tracks like “Lost In Yesterday”, “Concreter Horizon” and “Star Born” totally essential listening.  If you’re looking for a slower, more haunting number then “Spirit Of The Wind” is the track you’re after while, “Chaos  Of Rebirth” and “Believe In Me” are more up tempo Classic Rock with a capital C that deserve your attention.

Overall this is a very fine CD and I for one am glad that the 5 year hiatus is over, this CD is proof that that this sort of music done with passion and conviction can be just as viable now as it was 30 years ago and not just some musicians trying to relive the past, go and buy this great CD, you will not be disappointed and you can be sure I will be playing tracks of this on my shows.  As a bonus the limited edition has a Uriah Heep cover on it “Time To Live”.

WEBSITE      http://www.myspace.com/spiritualbaggars

TOTAL PLYAING TIME = 57 mins + 13 TRACKS