Reviews by Simon Milburn

Daysend

Severance

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Separating from the rest

It's not uncommon that seeing a band live can change your opinion of them from what you have heard on CD. It is uncommon for the opposite to occur. Having seen Sydney's Daysend a couple of times up here on ...

Frankenbok

Blood Oath

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

One bad apple spoils the bunch

Melbourne five piece Frankenbok have unleashed their sophomore album, and first with their new vocalist Adam B. Metal. For the most part, it is a fairly good and consistent album. Produced by Superhei...

Soundtrack

Freddy vs. Jason

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Ultimate showdown produces diverse soundtrack

Soundtracks are often hit and miss. A lot of the time, they feature a couple of hit singles or prominent songs from the movie with the rest of the track listing featuring music inspired...

Ill Niño

Confession

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Latin laced metal

The brief bio that accompanied the new Ill Niño album states that they have delivered exactly what they promised to with their second studio album… that being to deliver the most accessible as well as ...

Fury

Slavekind

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Thrashing all around Adelaide

Is it me, or is there an increase in interest in thrash metal again? With current bands like The Haunted and Shadows Fall doing their thing, and the reformation of Death Angel and Nuclear Assault among...

Morbid Angel

Heretic

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Death metal legends return in style

Rolling Stone magazine once placed Morbid Angel in their Top 10 Most Important Heavy Bands of All Time list along side the mighty Black Sabbath amongst others. They were right. Since they burst o...

Arch Enemy

Anthems Of Rebellion

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

This could be the sound of Carcass circa 2003

If the idea of a female vocalist fronting a death metal band doesn't appeal to you, then maybe you shouldn't read any further. You'd be missing out though. Give it a chance. Close your ...

Nevermore

Enemies Of Reality

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Poor production hinders an amazing album

Seattle. It's well known for the Space Needle, its atrocious weather, a very high suicide rate and the grunge explosion of the very early 1990s. In fact, those last two points could be corre...

Cult of Luna

Cult Of Luna

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

A step back from the beyond

Hot on the heals of their Earache Records release The Beyond comes the re-issue of the debut self titled album from Sweden’s Cult of Luna. The original pressing of this album was limited to 2000 copi...

8 Foot Sativa

Hate Made Me

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Flying the flag for Kiwi metal

Originally slated as the other overseas act to appear on this years Overcranked festival, New Zealand's 8 Foot Sativa are starting to make a few waves outside of their home country with their debut al...

Japunga

Light At Days End

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Express yourself

If any band was well suited as a support band for the last Soulfly tour, it's our own local three piece Japunga. It's a fair statement to say that they would have been more suited than Karnivool given that Japunga'...

Spineshank

Self Destructive Pattern

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Nice but not really a step forward

Sixteen months is a long time to take to record an album. Even Metallica's 1991 self titled black album took only 9 months. Unexpected events such as a computer crash with 3 months work on it can ...

Farmakon

A Warm Glimpse

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Promising, but needs an injection of originality

Finnish quartet Farmakon have only been together as a group for around 18 months or so, and the UK's Elistist Records, which is a sub label of the legendary Earache Records, were qui...

Nightrage

Sweet Vengeance

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

ATTN: At The Gates fans

Death metal supergroups are not too uncommon nowadays with the likes of Bloodbath and Lockup for example. Nightrage is another one to add to that list. Now, before you simply brush Nightrage off as just anot...

Chimaira

The Impossibility Of Reason

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

It's all about the company that you keep

Chimaira are the self-proclaimed leaders of the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM), which is a movement that also includes bands such as Lamb of God. Following up their 2001 release P...

Tomahawk

Mit Gas

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Pure madness and pure brilliance

Tomahawk have returned. The supergroup which features brainchild Duane Denison (ex-Jesus Lizard) on guitars, Mike Patton (ex-Faith No More, ex-Mr. Bungle) on vocals, Kevin Rutmanis (The Melvins, The...

Deftones

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

More gallop than White Pony

It is within the same heavily textured vein as 2000's White Pony that Sacramento's Deftones have followed up with their fourth album, which is simply self titled. Working once again with Terry Date (Pant...

Post Life Disorder

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Brisbane metal scene vets unlesash long player

In the last few weeks or so, it would seem that 2003 is the year for local metal bands to release their long awaited full length albums. Long time veterans of the Brisbane scene, Post ...

D-Nine

High Binder

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Best album ever recorded for $250

Hard working Brisbane seven piece D-Nine have churned out their debut album High Binder on local label Ward 69 Music which was founded by Kentos and Antz from Hollow and Post Life Disorder respecti...

Fear Factory

Hatefiles

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

For completists only

This album is strictly for you, the diehard Fear Factory fan. So say the liner notes for the second release since Fear Factory's disbandment in March 2002. Hatefiles is a collection of unreleased songs from vid...