Reviews by Simon Milburn

Time in Malta

A Second Engine

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Hard rockers mixing it up to keep it interesting

For anyone who likes the diversity of the songs that the Foo Fighters have recorded during their career, if you add some hardcore and emocore influences to that mix, then you’d p...

Dark Tranquillity

Damage Done

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Leading the way in darkness

Hailing from Gothenburg Sweden, melodic death metal six piece Dark Tranquillity follow up their 2000 release Haven with Damage Done, which further progresses and showcases why this has been a much anticipa...

Segression

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Aussie metal vets don't quite cut it this time

Returning with their fourth album are our very own Segression, who are probably our most well known metal band around at the moment, both inside and outside of our shores. Once again co...

Fear Factory

Concrete

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

For diehards only

The best kept secret of Fear Factory’s career, which spanned more than a decade, included four full length albums (excluding remix albums), and saw them grace our shores numerous times, has now been posthumous...

Godflesh

In All Languages

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

A fitting end to an amazing band

Recently disbanded industrial metal pioneers Godflesh, formed by original Napalm Death guitarist Justin Broadrick in 1988, release their definitive collection spanning their twelve releases whilst sig...

Rabies Caste

Let the Soul Out and Cut the Vein

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Middle East x Russia = industrial metal

It’s not everyday that you hear of a Russian native band that is now based in Israel who actually gets signed to major metal label. Well, enter noisecore three piece Rabies Caste. They ar...

Decapitated

Nihility

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Brutal original death metal from Poland

Every once in a while, a band comes along that does something different to what is considered common place in their genre. Death metal, although nowhere near as popular as it was a decade ago, ...

Bison

Architect of Sound

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Surprise act comes up with the goods

I managed to catch Melbourne’s Bison here mid last year as the national support act for the Brisbane stop of the (hed)p.e. tour. After their set, my immediate impressions led me to the merch...

Jerry Cantrell

Degradation Trip

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Trip at the brain

For former Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, the title of his latest solo album, Degradation Trip, is more than appropriate. It more or less describes the period of his life in which it took shape. He virtua...

Soulfly

3

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Too tribal for it's own good

In a little less than two years since their sophomore release Primitive, Soulfly return with their third album of tribal metal, simply titled 3. This time around sees Soulfly front man Max Cavalera produc...

Sentenced

The Cold White Light

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Progression is not a dirty word

Some bands will consistently churn out the same product release after release. For others, they will progress and experiment with different musical styles throughout their career. In the case of Finlan...

36 Crazyfists

Bitterness the Star

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Emo with unique vocals

What do Alaska and a Jackie Chan movie have in common ? The answer is 36 Crazyfists who originated from Alaska and acquired their name from a Jackie Chan movie. Originally formed in 1994, Bitterness The Star ...

Skinlab

reVoltingRoom

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Slick production almost too good

San Francisco Bay area metal band Skinlab, have finally released their much anticipated and much delayed third album entitled reVoltingRoom. Once again between releases, they have had a lineup chang...

Earth

The Bleeding Fields

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Awesome Swedish death metal from Melbourne

The Bleeding Fields opens with the title track and straight away gives a good indication of the influences shared by this Melbourne band. Swedish death metal bands like Entombed, Dismember...

Coal Chamber

Dark Days

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

The downward spiral...

After several name changes and delays, Coal Chamber's third long player Dark Days has finally been released. However, a mere four weeks ago after an on stage incident between Coal Chamber guitarist Meegs Rasc...

Blackshine

Soulless & Proud

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Solid rock'n'roll to be proud of

My how things change. Originally formed in 1988 under the moniker Hetsheads, this four piece made quite a name for themselves in the underground death metal scene. Over time, their material became l...

Hellspawn

Lords of Eternity

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Aussie black metal

Black metal is not something that Australia is well known for. With only a couple of bands coming to mind in Destroyer 666 and Astriaal, Hellspawn are a newcomer to the scene assembled by drummer-come-vocalist Ma...

Truth Corroded

Begin

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Socially aware metal from South Australia

After supporting various international bands such as Strapping Young Lad and Vision Of Disorder, Adelaide quartet Truth Corroded deliver their 11 track debut album. It has been a while comi...

Stuck Mojo

Violate This

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Originators of rap metal empty the vaults

Rap-core. Is it current ? Yes. Is it new ? No. Some may think that bands like Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park are at the forefront of this movement, but in reality it started with bands like St...

Novembre

Novembrine Waltz

By Simon Milburn | 01 January, 2005

Doom metal Italia

After some interruptions that would have allowed this album to see the light of day earlier in the year, Italian doom metallers Novembre return with their latest release Novembrine Waltz. The departure of their ba...