WRUV Reviews

Perhaps what you’d expect from this Brazilian legend after 45 years of stardom: popular melodies, astounding guest performers, slick production, and trendy arrangements. Also poppy & perhaps a tad plastic.

A celebration of veterans and newcomers to the pantheon of the women of salsa. Uniformly talented vocalists & high energy arrangements. Includes a bonus CD by Yoko, “La Japonesa Salsera,” that is absolutely worth spinning too.

Complete Salsa Divas CD booklet (pdf)

Gorgeous & authentic folk music from the Baul culture of wandering spiritual musicians in Bengal, India, celebrating the mystical traditions of Tantric Buddhism. High quality recordings of this hypnotic, spiritual music.

Video: Paban sings “Bashi to bajish na re”

“Translated from Bengali, ‘Baul’ means ‘mad’ or ‘possessed’… Madhukuri (honey gathering) is the Baul tradition of collecting alms as they travel from shanty town to village and from fair to festival raising their voices in ecstasy and raising ‘honey’ in the spiritual inner trees of their listeners.” - Publisher

Straight out of the how-to-be-like-everyone-else-whoa-is-me indie rock. Which I know a lot of folks do dig. So, let’s see what we have here, some catchy choruses, silly lyrics like “We’d never go home if it was up to me” etc. Take this one to commercial radio and let the sixteen year old girls slurp it through a bendy straw. Flashy geetars, tight jeans, slick and span and all. As a bonus, the insert even comes with a “Fool-proof approach to proposing marriage” and “Pick up lines” like “Do you have any raisins? Well then do you want to come home with me? Well Do you have a raisin not to?” Think about it, even in jest, this is a prepubescent move.

FCC: clean

PLAY: 2, 3, 6, 9

RIYD: MGMT, The Whigs

Soulfly – Omen
released May 25, 2010 on Roadrunner Records

Rating: 3.5/5

FCC OK
Try 1, 2, 3, 4, 7

They say that two points determine a line; three points confirm it. Now, Soulfly’s fourth album in a row with the Cavalera-Rizzo-Burns-Nunez combination solidifies the core of this band. Co-produced by Logan Mader (ex-Machine Head), Omen continues to comfortably reintegrate thrash into their groove-heavy arsenal, and demonstrates how well they have developed.

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Les Discrets – Septembre Et Ses Dernières Pensées
released March 29, 2010 on Prophecy Productions

Rating : 4/5

Les Discrets is a band that has been playing musical chairs with Phest, Amesoeurs, and Alcest via members Winterhalter and Fursy Teyssier. Even Neige has had a hand in this. It stands quite apart of these other projects though, with less of a shoegaze post-black feel and more of an amalgamation of 80s/90s gothic rock, along the lines ofFields of the Nephelim and semi-acoustic atmospheric metal, such as Agalloch.

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Heidevolk – Uit Oude Grond
Released: March 26th 2010 on Napalm Records

Rating: 3.5/5

With their 3rd full-length album released, Heidevolkremains true to their sound of strong baritone vocals as the main component to their music. Native to the Netherlands, the band sings in Dutch, which is a refreshing break from the usual Norwegian/Finnish/Scandinavian vocals in most viking/folk metal bands. Irma Vos shows off his talents with the violin, saving the otherwise lack of atmosphere. Though even with their original qualities, I can’t help but feel that this album is falling into the category of stereotypical viking metal. It’s strong, but not ground breaking in the slightest. I was really hoping that the guitar work would be more creative and inspiring, but the repetitive riffs and lack of diversity drowns the sound out, particularly with the overpowering vocals. Joris Boghtdrincker does rock out with harsh vocals at some headbanging moments in synchronization with a catchy chugging guitar, but just when you’re thinking “Yeah! This is awesome!” they fall back into a droning melody that keeps you thinking it’s leading somewhere, and it never does.

It sounds like I’m bashing the album, but I really did enjoy it. It just was a slight disappointment comparing to their 2 other full lengths, and their masterpiece EP, Wodan Heerst. Heidevolk is still a solid band that I’d recommend to just about anyone, but they didn’t reach their full potential with this album.

Sounds like: Falkenbach, Folkearth
FCC OK
Try: 1, 7, 9, 11

Tracklist:
01. Nehalennia
02. Ostara
03. Vlammenzee
04. Een Geldersch Lied
05. Dondergod
06. Reuzenmacht
07. Alvermans Wraak
08. Karel van Egmond, Hertog van Gelre
09. Levenslot
10. Deemsternis
11. Beest big Nacht

Review written by LaiLaiHei for MindOverMetal.org

Karma To Burn – Appalachian Incantation
released April 30, 2010 on Napalm Records

Rating : 4.5/5

Riffs. Riffs riffs riffs. Oh, and some more riffs. This is the foundation laid by the resurrected West Virginians Karma to Burn, who have found a home playing American-bred metal on an Austrian label. Having released a DVD commemorating their reunion tour just last year, they ride that crest to their fourth full-length album, Appalachian Incantation, produced by Scott Reeder of Kyuss.

After an acrimonious breakup with their vocalist on their eponymous Roadrunner debut back in 1997, Karma to Burn torched both of those bridges. They kindled a deal with Spitfire for their next couple, but stayed all-instrumental. While this has largely been their preference, I think their decision to slowly reintroduce singers is wise.

Lead single “Waiting on the Western World” easily stayed with me stronger and longer than anything else on first listen, helped by the voice of Daniel Davies from Year Long Disaster (son of Dave Davies, from my personal favorite of the British Invasion: The Kinks). But if you can get your hands on a first-pressing of Appalachian Incantation, it includes the bonus Cat Got Our Tongue EP, which features remasters, rerecordings, and the song “Two Times” with none other than John Garcia (Kyuss, Unida, Hermano).

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John 5 – The Art of Malice
released May 11, 2010 on 60 Cycle Hum Records/Rocket Science Ventures

Rating : 3.5/5

John 5 is a jack-of-many-trades when it comes to guitar. We just heard some of his work on Rob Zombie’s Hellbilly Deluxe 2 earlier this year, although that album wrapped up recording in 2008 (the year his fourth solo effort, Requiem, was released). I was apprehensive approaching The Art of Malice because I have not seen a color scheme like this since Jack Johnson’s Curious George soundtrack. Thankfully, it is virtuosic yet listenable, humorous and heavy, with a unique stamp that is nearly complete.

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Warbeast – Krush The Enemy
released April 27, 2010 on Housecore Records

Rating : 4/5

In the words of producer/label president Philip Anselmo (Down, ex-Pantera), Warbeast epitomizes ‘the DFW [Dallas/Ft. Worth] thrash metal’ sound. For those whose memory/knowledge stretches to decades back when Gammacide and Rigor Mortis were laying waste to Texas, this will be a breath of fresh air. Too bad it’ll come from the backswing of a battle axe about to embed in your skull.

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