First off let me tell you that many of the tracks on this 2 CD Nuclear Blast compilation were previously unreleased and hadn't planned on being released but some are going to be released on future albums from the bands. Even though some are going to be released that still leaves you with a few that aren't getting released EVER, so that makes this compilation well worth your dollars.
Right inside the case you'll find a comprehensive explanation of each of the bands styles and also where they're from. There is also a Nuclear Blast poster inside along with info on how to order various merchandise.
Well the first CD starts out with the song "Against Widows" by Amorphis off of "Elegy." This track definitely shows the best in Amorphis with its great playing and absolutely wonderful grunting and clean vocals. Following Amorphis comes the Swedish death metal act, In Flames doing "Episode 666" off of "The Jester Race." Raging with anger this is one of the best tracks on the first CD. Next up is DarkSeed playing "Self Pity Sick" from "SpellCraft." This is not a bad song but it seemed a little too like pop music to me. After that you are treated to the truly great black/death/doom metal of EverEve. They do the song "Autumn Leaves" off of their debut "Seasons." More black/death than doom but you can still hear the doom influences. Standard Black vocals mixed in with death and some clean. A true gem of a song. Up next is Peter Tagtgren from hypocrisy's solo project, Pain. A little too much techno influence for me, but if you into driving electronic beats you'll like it. Next is Therion doing "In The Desert of Set" off of the "Theli" CD. Therion actually used a choir and a symphony in the production of "Theli." The production is perfect and the choir fits in superbly. Mostly clean vocals with put over top of a memorable melody. I love this guy's vocals! Masterpiece. Following Therion is Crematory doing "Faces" off of their CD entitled "Live." Great Goth parts mixed in with upbeat, synth heavy, Death metal parts. After that is a live version of Meshuggah's "Sickening" from "Destroy Erase Improve." Thrash metal, suprisingly reminded me of Pantera. Not bad at all. Next is GoreFest doing "Tired Moon" off of "Soul Survivor." Sort of thrashy with great death vocals. The music and vocals match perfectly, which makes this track great. Next up is Dreadful Shadows doing "Chains" from the "Buried Again" CD. Melancholic, though it does get somewhat speedy in some sections. After that is Slapdash doing "Kill Yourself" from the "240.25 (Actual Reality)" CD. Blazing fast speed/thrash at its best! If your into headbanging this is the song to do it to. Need I say more? Next is Mortification doing "Northern Storm" off of "Envision Evangelene." You'll never miss the "negative" subject matter that these traditional metalists shy away from. Memorable Melodies but the song seems too long and gets often gets tiresome. Next up is Pyogenesis doing "Working Man" from the "Unpop" CD. I'm not into this Alternative/techno/hardcore stuff so this band got the worst reaction out of me, but if thats your style you may want to look into this band. Last on the first CD is Left Hand Solution doing "Thorns" from the "Fevered" Album. They play a sort of Gothic/Doom style with clean vocals over top done by a female. The first part of the song is too popish for me, but it later gets better by throwing in a major dose of doom style riffs. Unfortunately, they go back to the pop/goth style which I feel brings down the song. The second CD, to me, is definatly superior to the first one. It starts off with Withered Beauty, the side project of the doom band Forlorn, doing "Immortality is Mine." The track starts off with Black metal and the for a moment switches to a memorable spoken part, which was the highlight of the song to me. A great start to this half of the compilation. Next is a re-recorded version of "Roswell 47" by Hypocrisy from the "Abducted" album. I personally disliked the vocals but the music was definatly killer. Up next is the absolutely great "Master of Disharmony" from the mighty Dimmu Borgir. Truly great symphonic Black metal. Next is another Black metal masterpiece from the great Satyricon. They do "Forhekset," which means bewitched, from the "Nemesis Divina" album. Another great black metal track, can we go for three? We sure can, next up is Dissection doing "Where Dead Angels Lie" from the EP of the same name. Easily my favorite song on this compilation. The beginning of this track and Satyricon's track are so alike I got sorta mad at my CD player for playing Satyricon twice in a row! Dissection are at their best on this track, this WILL make your ears bleed! Aggressive black metal at its finest. Next is Dismember doing "Hill 112." I'm a fan of Dismember so I had high hopes, but I was sort of disappointed. The production seems muddled and fuzzy, and overall not good. This did not seem like the Dismember I knew and loved. After that is Disgust doing "The Last Embrace." Too industrial for me, and it got tiresome. Next is Benediction doing "Riders of the Storm." Memorable riffs and half- grunt vocals, a great addition to this compilation, even though the song does get tiresome after a while. Up next is Night In Gales doing "SlaveSun." The rasped vocals didn't seem to fit well with the upbeat, gothish music. Next is The Abyss, featuring all members of Hypocrisy, doing a remastered version of "Satan's Majestic Empire." Production isn't great even when remastered, but they still get their evil message across. Utterly evil vocals, some of the best I've heard in a Black metal band in a while, and wonderfully black music, that unfortunately due to bad production almost seems as if its in the background. All together a great track. Next up is Monstrosity doing "Slaves and Masters." This is your standard Death metal, sort of tiresome. Sounds exactly like the new Cannibal Corpse. Not really anything new to add. Next is the thrash/death style of Sinister who plays "Bastard Saints." Nice and Heavy straight between the eyes death. Good song, but it loses your attention and you feel yourself drifting away not listening to the music after a while. Next is Brutality doing "Certain Annihilation." Average Death metal with bad production, OK but not much better. Next is Kataklsm doing "Rays of Ra." Brutal death riffs, great vocals, beautifully done. 'Nuff said. Last but greatest, is Disbelief doing "God?" They obviously saved the best for last here! Brutal and aggressive death to the extreme!! When this band's debut album comes out I definatly will be getting it. Best Death I've heard in a while. And that brings us to the end of this review of "Death ...Is Just the Beginning IV." All in all a great compilation CD that I encourage all to get!
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