by
Bill Vogel III
Prelude... Greetings to thee, all my dark minions. It is time for the shadows to fall, and beginning of a new Dark Age. Let us enter STRANGER AEONS. Enjoy, tribe. Hail Darkness, and God. Again, there were delays. I won't bore you with that. There will be a reward for your patience, there are again extra reviews for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Grit your teeth, and DARE it! There was no November issue. In the news*** ARMOURED ANGEL, the Death Metal band, is currently in the studio finishing up work on their next, and long awaited, opus. It should be released on Repulse Records shortly. INCUBUS, the infamous Death Metal band, has reformed under the new moniker of INCUBUS RAGE and have resigned with Nuclear Blast Records. SAVATAGE has also signed to Nuclear Blast Records. KARMA TO BURN will be releasing their new self titled CD soon on MIA Records. STUCK MOJO's new CD is titled "Hvy 1." Death Metal fiends DISINCARNATE have signed with Nuclear Blast Records. This band features Death Metal guitar hero James Murphy, who has played with such acts as KONKHRA, TESTAMENT, and OBITUARY. Expect a new album very soon. OBITUARY is working a new opus. PRIMER 55 will be releasing their debut CD in January 2000 on Def Jam Records. Their style is a mix of Hardcore and Rapcore Metal, and their debut will be titled "Introduction To Mayhem." DEFENDER's new CD is called "They Came Over The Northern Pass." The new Best Of/Rarities CD by ANTHRAX is called "Return Of The Killer A's" and features classics from both the John Bush and Joey Belladonna eras of the band. It has the difficult to find, and very cool, cut "Bordello Of Blood" which was on the soundtrack for the movie of the same name. U.S. CRUSH has signed to Immortal Records. The new, self-titled KARMA TO BURN Cd is one Psychedelic, heavy slab of pure instrumental savvy that amazes. Fans of Doomy, heavy rock will dig this one. I did. Tour dates for FULL DEVIL JACKET follow: Date Location Venue 12/12/1999 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre 12/14/1999 Omaha, NE Ranch Bowl Entertainment Center 12/15/1999 Madison, WI The Annex 12/30/1999 Fern Park, FL The Station 12/31/1999 Fern Park, FL The Station METHODS OF MAYHEM sucks. Among the other terrors in this issue are REVIEWS of the following albums: BABYLON WHORES................."King Fear" SODOM.........................."Code Red" GODGORY........................"Resurrection" SLIPKNOT......................."Slipknot" DEAD HORSE....................."Peaceful Death And Pretty Flowers" EVENSONG......................."Path Of The Angels" GARDENIAN......................"Soulburner" LYNCH MOB......................"Smoke This" These are CDs that are certified to brutalize without remorse, or mercy. I offer only the best, never less. Welcome to Stranger Aeons. The days are strange... Farewell. //////William the Bloody [a.k.a. Bill Vogel III] November 13, 1999 A.D./////// ***Hellion Crew*** This section has ten (or more) new or classic Cds that I think are cool. They are in no particular order. 1. "A Wax Box To Put Your Frankenstein Heads Into" by Full Devil Jacket [A killer MiniCD of raging Darkmood Powercore...reminds me of a whacked mix of Pantera and Creed. Except HEAVIER!] 2. "Make Yourself" by Incubus [Funky Rapcore Metal a nice amount of crunch.] 3. "S&M" by Metallica [Not super original, but good.] 4. "Issues" by Korn [A pretty cool CD.] 5. "Famous Monsters" by Misfits [The Horror Punk masters return with this glimmer of darkness.] 6. "Calculating For Infinity" by Dillinger Escape Plan [Some of the heaviest Punk that you'll ever hear. Awesome!] 7. "Rusted Angel" by Darkane [Killer Black/Death Metal.] 8. "They Came Over The High Pass" by Defender [Edgy and cool Death Metal on Necropolis Records.] 9. "Introduction To Mayhem" by Primer 55 [Hardcore meets Rapcore Metal in an aggressive attitude.] 10. "WHVN" by Will Haven [Intensely psychotic Noise Metal with an artsy flavor.] 11. "Tales From The North" by White Skull [Old Style Death Metal mixed with 80's Euro Hair Metal. Weird but good.] 12. KARMA TO BURN [Heavy, Psychedelic Rock...really cool.] 13. "Goodbye Cruel World" by Brutal Truth [A double CD set of brilliant live, rare, and best material from the band that made Grind truly great. Here's the Brutal Truth...these freaks are the true Kings Of Grindcore.] ***Age Of The Blade*** More, more Metal news... ANY GIVEN SUNDAY soundtrack/// Features songs by HOLE and KID ROCK. Staind/// Tore-up the stage on a recent episode of HBO's concert series REVERB. COMBAT Records Reissues/// Expect more classic Metal reissues next year from such bands as DARK ANGEL, DEATH, and many more. Vader/// Vader has signed to Metal Blade Records. Incubus/// The first single from their new CD, "Make Yourself," is "Pardon Me." Abandoned/// This band has been described as a cross between MESHUGGAH and CROWBAR. Abandoned has been signed to Pavement Records also. Demigod/// Is no longer with Repulse Records. Slipknot/// Starts touring the U.S. in January. Psychrist/// Are finishing up work on their next CD, "Embrace Rapture in Disgust." They recruited some new members after Dan and Yuri left. Two of them coming from the now defunct DYING EMBERS and the new vocalist, Wes. Smashing Pumpkins/// Will release their new CD, "Machina," early in Y2K. ///Bill Vogel III December 5, 1999 A.D. ***Tongue Lash*** This section contains quotes from songs, bands, band members, books, movies, TV, etc. "Your Beauty Makes Me Feel Alone, I Look Inside But No One's Home." -----from "Screamager" by Therapy?. "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look long into an abyss the abyss also looks into you." -----from "Beyond Good And Evil" by Friedrich Nietzsche. "I'm Waiting For A New Dark Age." -----from "Edge Of Darkness" by Carcass. "Man is the cruelest animal." -----by Friedrich Nietzsche. "When All Is Said And Done, There's No Love Lost." -----from "No Love Lost" by Carcass. "All great things must first wear terrifying masks in order to burn itself into the minds of humanity." -----by Friedrich Nietzsche. ***Soulgrind*** This section contains album (Cd) reviews. Enjoy... "'King Fear' by Babylon Whores" by Bill Vogel III December 8, 1999 A.D. From a northern land of darkness called Norway comes a fiercely malevolent Gothic Metal called Babylon Whores. Their new CD, aptly titled "King Fear" [Necropolis Records], is a fearless slab of heavy dread that far surpasses anything similar in the genre. In the early days of the Babylon Whores manifestation they were a Death Rock band, but since then they have went the way of a highly skilled Gothic Metal that is truly remarkable. Every tracks rocks, but my favorites include "Radio Werewolf," the dread filled "Hand Of Glory," "Errata Stigmata," and "Skeleton Farm." The track that I most enjoyed though was the darkly poetic "To Behold The Suns Below." It appeals to the darkness within me, like a black light on a distant horizon. Overall, this is a brilliantly done Gothic Metal album and the best release that Babylon Whores has ever done. It is a definite requirement for those who are of the Darkness. Stay evil. Farewell Sunlight. Related Bands: Cemetary, Human Drama, My Dying Bride, Anathema, Paradise Lost, Type O Negative, Sorrow, Cathedral, Sundown, Moonspell, etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Peaceful Death And Pretty Flowers' by Dead Horse" by Bill Vogel III December 2, 1999 A.D. Greetings y'all. There isn't anything better for a rebellious soul than a heavy Southern band. One such band is the infamous Dead Horse, and thanks to Relapse Records we now have a remastered version of their epic release "Peaceful Death And Pretty Flowers." This classic opus de force features several bonus cuts, and was reissued at the same time as another Dead Horse CD, "Horsecore" [Relapse Records]. These Texas boys have a very unique style. It is a strange saturation between sludgy Death/Grind Metal and catchy, avant-garde Punk Rock. Big, loopy Psychedelic guitar licks freely mix with highly distorted, angry Grindcore. There are both clean and growled vocals, and humor as well as tempestuous tempo shifts are employed to heighten the wrecking effect. Imagine a fusion of NIRVANA and BRUTAL TRUTH, and that will give you a rough idea of how cool DEAD HORSE truly is. There is a range of moods here. The brutal wallop of songs such as "Peaceful Death," "Eulogy," and "Snowdogs" fit sweetly next to heavy but wacky tracks such as "La La Song." And it all works perfectly. Added tracks include such demo gems as "Turn," "Rock Lobster," and "My Dog The Prophet." Overall, this is a GREAT reissue that I was anxious to get. I highly recommend this to any and all Metal freaks. Get it. After all, who doesn't smile a little when they hear the Dead Horse sarcastic catch phrase "Satan Kissed My Dog?" Stay evil. Farewell. Related Bands: Nasum, Motorpsycho, Nirvana, Brutal Truth, Entombed, Blood Duster, etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Resurrection' by Godgory" by Bill Vogel III October 29, 1999 A.D. Greetings, and a hellish All Hallow's Eve. The third release by the amazing band Godgory, titled "Resurrection" [Nuclear Blast Records], is easily one of the finest Metal releases of the year. The style perpetrated by Godgory is a tightly honed brand of Melodic Death Metal that is beautiful yet brutal, and it obliterates similar bands such as IN FLAMES. Godgory's basic sound consists of lower melodic portions which are then pummeled by blastbeats and heavy instrumentation. The vocals range from dreamy, whispered growls to brutal, deep growls and clean vocals. They also use superbly played acoustic guitars and ethereal church organs. "Resurrection" is a fantastic mutilation of styles that leaves the listener in total awe of Godgory. It is simply amazing... Every song rocks, but I especially enjoyed: the soft, dark melancholy of "Resurrection," and the whacked Death/Thrash cut "Crimson Snow." "Resurrection" is low and powerful, the lyrics state "No More Tears For Me...I Will Be Once Again." "Crimson Snow" is this totally tripped?out, frenzied assault that shreds and gives you a huge adrenaline rush. The guitars pound and grind, and the vocals are an insanely cool growl. This song is brilliant, as is this entire Godgory CD. Evil was never this cool! My other favorite tracks include "Waiting For Lunacy To Find Me," "My Bad Dreams," and "Adultery." This is an excellent CD. At first appearances this CD may not look as exciting as some of the others because the packaging is simple and concise. But don't let looks deceive you. This CD is a solid powerhouse that won't disappoint. Overall, this is Melodic Powerdeath Metal that is at once catchy as it is brutal. It should appeal to Deathers, Blackers, and EXTREME Metal fanatics. The lyrics are like sheer, dark poetry. Get it. Stay evil. Hail Darkness. Related Bands: In Flames, Arch Enemy, Carcass, Pyogenesis [early], Samael, etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Smoke This' by Lynch Mob" by Bill Vogel III December 8, 1999 A.D. The latest opus by the reformed, and much changed, Lynch Mob is a totally new road for the band. The "Smoke This" [Koch Records] CD is a Rapcore Metal onset that is different from the current crop of KORN clones out there. They mix a sometimes silky smooth, sometimes street savvy, vocal rap with a thundering rhythm section and the intricate guitar leads of George Lynch. While being totally different to previous works "Smoke This" is a cool CD, and far better than the former incarnations of this outfit. There are some really great songs here. From the savvy smack of "Smoke This" to the guest vocal of Brian Hacker on the blistering "When I Rize." "Get It Together" is the only ballad, and it reminds me of Savatage. Overall, this is a great release. It may not appeal to old Lynch Mob fans, but it does cut some new ground for this band. Stay evil. Later. Related Bands: Rage Against The Machine, Incubus, Kid Rock, Shootyz Groove, Dog Eat Dog, Madball, Clawfinger, Candiria, Etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'SLIPKNOT' by Slipknot" by Bill Vogel III November 17, 1999 A.D. A week ago was my birthday, and the day after was simply horrid. The only good thing that happened to me was that I got to listen to the wicked new CD by Slipknot. This angst ridden Aggro Metal outfit's debut, titled "SLIPKNOT" [Roadrunner Records], is a brilliant example of modern Metal at its best. Their style is an intense hybrid of Industrial, Death, Punk, Rapcore, and whacked?out Moodcore Metal that makes the current favorites of the genre totally irrelevant. Songs such as "(Sic)" and "Wait And Bleed" pummel with a relentless frenzy that relishes its own ugliness. Then comes the humorous yet brutal "Eyeless" which sarcastically states "I Can't See California Without Marlin Brando's Eyes." Those are a few of my favorite cuts. Another is "Surfacing." Its intensity and brutality has a subtle and catchy charm to its sheer aggression. One line says, "I Am The Push That Makes You Move." It kills, and it's that simple. Overall, this CD strikes the perfect balance between aggression, skill, and intellectual meandering. Check out one of the best new bands of 1999, and best releases of the year. This band is pure intensity. GET IT! Slipknot kills. Stay evil. Later. Related Bands: Lungbrush, Entombed, Konkhra, Spineshank, Soulfly, Dead Horse, Dillinger Escape Plan, Jesus Martyr, Soulstorm, Mortal Reign, Misery Loves Co., Haunted, Motorpsycho [U.S.A.], Fear Factory, Godgory, Etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Soulburner' by Gardenian" by Bill Vogel III December 16, 1999 A.D. Ever wondered what happens when Progressive Metal is crossed with Death Metal? The resulting explosion would be Gardenian, and their new and very cool CD is called "Soulburner" [Nuclear Blast Records]. It is a diverse and eclectic mix, reminding me of Dream Theatre in one breath and Entombed in yet another. It is an amazing CD. Some songs, like "Small Electric Space," are pure Progressive Metal slabs. Others, such as "If Tomorrow's Gone" and "Chaos In Flesh," hybridize the two styles...using the best aspects of each genre. All of the songs are really great, but I especially enjoyed "Tell The World I'm Sorry." It perfectly fuses power and pain into a cacophonous musical macabre. This band DESTROYS! They also use some Brutal Death vocals for added effect, which interplay well with their clean and normal Death growls. It all works well, leaving a truly unique and powerful artistic creation. In summary, this is a brilliant opus that will appeal to Death Heads [like me...GRRRRRRRrrrrrrrr], Progressive Metal fanatics, and the EXTREME Metal maniacs also. Get it, and be awed. Stay evil. Hail Darkness. Related Bands: Dream Theatre, Pyogenesis, Hypocrisy, Death, Cancer, Entombed, Carcass, Pain, Malediction, Evereve, Etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Code Red' by Sodom" by Bill Vogel III December 17, 1999 A.D. Greetings. The return of the mighty Sodom is one that most fans of Armageddon Thrash have been waiting to witness. Armageddon Thrash, for the uninitiated, is the verge between Thrash and early German Style [Old Style] Death Metal. Bands that define this subgenre would be acts such as SLAYER, BATHORY, early KREATOR, OBLIVION, and SODOM. The main differences between Death Thrash and Armageddon Thrash [a.k.a. Holocaust Thrash] are that the latter has a raspy/shrill vocal style and very Technical instrumentation. The vocals are often clean with just a little guttural rasp, and the guitars and rhythms are precisely played and placed. Sodom is one of the best at this, and their new CD "Code Red" ?Pavement Records] does not disappoint. From the opening licks of the title track through such rippers as "What Hell Can Create," "Tombstone," "The Vice Of Killing," and "The Wolf & The Lamb" this CD murders beautifully. It rips, slashes, and kills without mercy. This is an excellent CD. Overall, this is a truly apocalyptic slab of music. It is not one to be missed. Get it. Stay evil. Later. Related Bands: Dark Angel, Slayer, Kreator, Devastation, Deceased, Oblivion, Bathory, Death, Sacrifice, Anacrusis, Etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. "'Path Of The Angels' by Evensong" by Bill Vogel III December 8, 1999 A.D. It has been aeons since I have heard any truly great Doomdeath Metal. Well, this CD sates that hunger. The new CD by the band Evensong, called "Path Of The Angels" [Displeased Records], is a subtle and ferocious mixture of Gothic elements, clean female and male vocals, symphonic interludes, and Doomdeath Metal (vocals and instrumentation). The result is a powerful and beautiful cacophony of woes. It is stunning, eclectic, and as heavy as hell itself. My favorite tracks include the melancholic "The Fall Of Archaic Heaven," "Oblivion," "Evensong," and the title track as well. Another excellent cut is the serenely oblique "Requiem For A Wingless Bird." Every track is cool. Overall, this is a divinely dismal release that is required for all Doomdeathers and extreme Metal fanatics. Get it, and be CRUSHED! Stay evil. Farewell Sunlight. Related Bands: Paradise Lost, Anathema, Enchantment, Cathedral, Ceremonium, Salem, Evoken, Sorrow, Soulstorm, Trouble, etc. Keep the faith, and the AGGRESSION. Piece. Email address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Provided courtesy of Stranger Aeons. Copyright 1999. *** Full Access *** This is where you find out where and/or how to get Stranger Aeons magazine. On the World Wide Web: http://www.student.nada.kth.se/~d90-two/music/stranger_aeons/ or http://huizen.dds.nl/~pax/metal.html or https://members.tripod.com/strangeraeons/index.html On Compuserve: Go Rocknet Browse or Search Library 8 (Heavy Metal) Then Retrieve or View ***ATTENTION*** Hate Box is looking for a new assistant to do the mass emailings for it, the Death/Grind Metal List, and my various other scribings. Please apply through email at: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com LifeEraser@aol.com I can pay you nothing, but you will have my undying gratitude. Thanks. *** Metal Slag *** More Metal news than one person can stand in one issue! Sentenced/// Expect a new CD very soon. Armored Saint/// Their new CD is almost finished, expect it out soon on Metal Blade Records. Eyehategod/// Has a new CD out titled "Southern Discomfort." Dope/// If you dig heavy Industrial Punk Metal with Marilyn Manson style vocals, try the band DOPE. Their new CD, called "Revolutionaries And Felons," is a killer slab. Besides really cool original tunes it also features a whacked, and very rockin', cover of a N.W.A. song. Transport League/// Will be releasing their new opus, "Satanic Panic," soon on Pavement Records. Stay evil. Hail Darkness. Stranger Aeons/// We're still evolving here. Please send comments and responses. All input is gladly welcomed. Let the stones fly. Later. Record Labels/// Would you like to have your items promoted through Stranger Aeons? Contact us. All Metal is welcome. You can email me at this Internet address: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com Thank you. Later. December 22, 1999 A.D. ***Eye Tripz*** These are the best videos of the month. 1. "Pardon Me" by Incubus. 2. "Voodoo" by Godsmack. 3. "Falling Away From Me" by KoRn. 4. "Only" by Anthrax. 5. "Push It" by Static X. 6. "No Leaf Clover" by Metallica. 7. "Guerrilla Radio" by Rage Against The Machine. 8. "Cailin" by Unwritten Law. 9. "Bleed" by Soulfly. 10. "Nobody's Real" by Powerman 5000. *** Rogue's Gallery *** I still claim all rights to the names "Angst Industry" and "Hate Box," and to the concept. Old issues of it can be downloaded, and distributed under the same rules as Stranger Aeons. Writers: B. "William the Bloody" Vogel III Editors: Bill Vogel III (Managing Editor) Layout Design by B. Vogel III Coverpage Design by B. Vogel III Published by Bill Vogel III Produced by Anarchy Productions (TM.), in cooperation with Death Jam (TM.), Night-Creatures, and The D.E.A.D. Ones (TM.). Legal Junk: This is copyrighted material. It may be distributed freely, as long as it is in its complete and original format, or credit is given for quoted portions. We are not liable for changes made by idiots after they get it or if they misinterpret it. Note*** If you have a magazine and would like to use portions of Stranger Aeons, contact me. All scrivener's errors (typos) are the sole responsibility of me, B. Vogel III. Any flak directed at other writers should be sent to me...I do not want my friends besieged by silly crap. My views do not necessarily reflect those of Rocknet, Compuserve, Prodigy, America Online, the World Wide Web, Internet, the other writers, my friends, my church, my family, Jimi Hendrix, James Hetfield, Glenn Danzig, or anyone else. So there. :) Note to Pro-Censorship types: Bite me. Beware of people who can do nothing but gripe, whine, and moan...by writing or speaking trite, naive, and idiotic crap (i.e. certain members of the U.S. Congress, and most of the White House). Finished December 22, 1999 A.D. STRANGER AEONS////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////STRANGER AEONS --- | | Bill Vogel III | * | Of * | | * Stranger Aeons Magazine ------------------- Death/Grind Metal List | * WBV * | Rapcore Metal List ------------------- Spitting Blood [Death/Doom/ * | | * Black/Grind Compilations | * | List] | | Coming Soon: Industrial |III| Metal List | | ----- STRANGER AEONS Email: StrangeAeons@compuserve.com LifeEraser@aol.com STRANGER AEONS////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////STRANGER AEONS