Artist: The Sign of the Southern Cross
Album: Of Mountains and Moonshine
Label: Season of Mist
Websites:

Hailing from North Carolina, the same wonderland that bore Corrosion of Conformity, The Sign of the Southern Cross are the latest in a long line of southern bands who wear their influences on their sleeves and have no problem showing you exactly what they’re made of.  Southern pride aside, this band has the talent to become a household name in the metal community for years to come if they so choose.

The title track begins with a haunting violin and banjo instrumental that leads you to believe that you’re going to be listening to some Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band.  While I’ll admit that I love Skynyrd, fortunately, this band has a lot more in store for you than ripping off one of the all-time great southern rock bands.  “Huck Finn” begins with chainsaw riffing and the rhythm section slogging through the kind of sludge that would swallow up lesser men.  Uldricks’ vocals sound eerily similar to those of Philip Anselmo as he croons with attitude and various personas while the band trudges along in it’s sludge-filled groove.  This one grabs you by the throat and toys with you for a while before it sends you off to run back home to your mommy.  “The South is Rising” has a lot of groove starting out, reminding me of a Down and Alabama Thunderpussy hybrid (not a bad thing, right?)  Spastic vocals mesh well with the heavy as hell groove the band lays down throughout.  The solo is a pure Pantera tribute, and Uldricks makes you believe what the song title infers as his vocals take on a more urgent tone before eventually settling back into the parameters of the fat groove the band has gotten into.

“Weeping Willow” is a haunting acoustic number that has some really soulful vocals: “I’m living life/On borrowed time/I carry the weight of an age/The well’s run dry/Bellies suck the spine/So I drink from the world in your hands/Here on my/Waiting for you”.  As sad and depressing as it is, it’s also quite beautiful at the same time.  Think Pantera’s “Suicide Note Part 1″ meets Alice in Chains’ “Jar of Flies” album.  “Scry” begins with searing riffs and thunderous rhythms, pummeling you while ferocious vocals hit you from all over the place.  It chugs along in a manic groove throughout, breaking you down along the way.  “Eating the Sun” is another sorrow-filled acoustic song to begin, but it eventually transforms into an emotional, upbeat song that really strengthens the album.  “Appointed Reaper” is flat out brutality that pummels you throughout and gives you a change of pace from the stoner metal and acoustic stylings of the rest of the album, and it shows that the band isn’t afraid to mix things up a little.

What I do know after listening to this album is that they sure can play and this is one of my favorite records of 2009.  A few of the songs are a little drawn out for my tastes, but that still doesn’t take away from this great record.  This one can contend with the big boys of the stoner metal genre and I hope that they continue to get better so they’ll become more of a household name sooner rather than later. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Recommended tracks: Huck Finn, The South is Rising, Weeping Willow, Eating the Sun

Track listing:
1. Of Mountains and Moonshine
2. Huck Finn
3. The South is Rising
4. Dead Skies
5. Weeping Willow
6. Hog Callin’
7. Scry
8. Eating the Sun
9. Appointed Reaper
10. Unwelcome in that House
11. Purge
12. Stitch in Time (To Save Nine)
13. Stalking Horse

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Artist: Slayer
Album: World Painted Blood
Label: American
Website:

Slayer is:
Tom Araya – vocals, bass
Kerry King – guitar
Jeff Hanneman – guitar
Dave Lombardo – drums

I might find myself in the minority here, but I actually liked Slayer’s past 2 studio albums, 2001’s “God Hates Us All” and 2006’s “Christ Illusion”.  While I got into Slayer a lot later than most metalheads, I enjoy both their older material as well as the new stuff.  Some fans wish that the mostly forgettable Slayer albums of the 90’s had never come out, and some might even wish the same of the albums that have come out in the 00’s.  But for those who are a bit more open-minded, there’s plenty of ear candy on “World Painted Blood”.

The title track begins with a slowly building riff that twists itself between the rattle of Lombardo’s snare and a native american speaking about the end of the world.  It’s a bit creepy and sets the mood for the whole album. It ends up morphing into blistering thrash with Araya’s trademark ferocious vocals that spew forth more doom and gloom about our eventual demise: “Gomorrah’s dream to live in sin/Has reached its critical mass/Man himself has become god/And laughs at his destruction.”  “Unit 731″ begins quickly and furiously as King and Hanneman trade off searing riffage over the thunder of the rhythm section.  Araya reaches deep into his soul to unleash tortured vocals on your ears while the band takes you through various twists and turns, mixing elements of death metal and thrash and playing with as much speed as anything else they’ve done in the past.

“Snuff” picks up where “Unit 731″ left off, unleashing chainsaw riffing and fretboard domination that sets the tone for the whole band to pummel you.  Anyone who thinks the band has lost a step needs to listen to this track as they prove they’re just as good as ever.  King’s leads are pure showmanship as he rips his way up and down the fretboard, dive bombing you at every turn.  “Beauty Through Order” is a moody motherfucker that slowly works its’ way into your system, reminiscent of some of the slower, gloomier material on “South of Heaven” and “Seasons in the Abyss”.  While “Hate Worldwide” might seem to be a little cartoonish as far as statements go at this point in Slayer’s career, it’s actually a pretty damn good song.  And who can really criticize a band too much for writing a song that sums up their motto?  It begins with a furious torrent of Lombardo’s pummeling drumming, searing riffs and classic Araya vocals.  More Hanneman and King speed demon solos are fired off during the song’s chorus, adding to the circle pit chaos that’s already going on during the verses.  It goes crazy at the end and just ends cold, leaving you begging for more.

“Public Display of Dismemberment” begins with the band pummeling you as they play with fury like the well-oiled machine that they are.  It’s classic fast and furious Slayer.  If you like thrash then you’ll definitely enjoy this one.  “Human Strain” is another slower, doom and gloom track.  If you can picture the soundtrack to the end of the world, this definitely fits the bill.  It also fits with the “South of Heaven” and “Seasons” era material.  “Americon” begins with Lombardo pounding his kit and a memorable riff that hammers your senses.  Araya does well with matching the pace of the music with his vocals.  The line that says “It’s all about the motherfuckin’ oil” is a bit hokey, but the message behind the song and King’s ability to try to capture other countries’ view of America is very appropriate especially considering the events of the past 15-20 years.  This is definitely one of the best tracks on the album.  “Psychopathy Red” begins quickly and furiously as they explode into the type of thrash that made them famous.  The pummeling rhythm section and chainsaw riffs are heavy as hell, with Araya’s psychotic vocals stealing the show on this one.  Very well done, and I like how they get in and make their point and then move on.  There’s no extending the song just for the hell of it.

“Playing With Dolls” is a bit gloomy to begin as Araya spews manic vocals.  If the guy’s vocals hadn’t scared the shit out of you at least once in the past, this look into the mind of a serial killer and his demented delivery might be the one to do the trick.  While slowed down, the track is still heavy and will please those who are open-minded and don’t shut things out that aren’t their normal preference.  There are a few parts where they speed it up, but that doesn’t really fit the mood they try to set, and to be honest, the slower, gloomier mood fits the subject material much better.  “Not of This God” begins quickly as the band charges into battle, pummeling your senses as Araya unleashes furious vocals and the rest of the band continues the punishment.

Thankfully, Slayer didn’t take so long between albums this time.  Hopefully their next album will only be 3-4 years away.  When you’re still at the top of your game you might as well keep putting out good music instead of letting too much time pass between albums.  I’m very happy with this album and can’t find much that Slayer could’ve done better.  This is definitely a contender for album of the year.  Things really haven’t changed all that much for this band as they prove they’re still the kings of thrash metal.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
Recommended tracks: Americon, Psychopathy Red, World Painted Blood

Track listing:
1. World Painted Blood
2. Unit 731
3. Snuff
4. Beauty Through Order
5. Hate Worldwide
6. Public Display of Dismemberment
7. Human Strain
8. Americon
9. Psychopathy Red
10. Playing With Dolls
11. Not of This God

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Artist: Skeletonwitch
Album: Breathing the Fire
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites:

The liner notes to their 2nd Prosthetic Records album quotes the band’s credo and perfectly sumsup what they’re all about: “We’re Skeletonwitch from Athens, Ohio! Drink beer, smoke weed, and eat some fucking pussy!” I couldn’t have said it any better myself. I really thought I was at a Pantera show when I read that. For a band that has the talent and knack to combine thrash, death metal and black metal seemlessly into their own cauldron of doom & gloom, I’d say they’ve done pretty well for themselves 2 albums into their career.

“Submit to the Suffering” kicks everything off with its’ fast-paced, blistering thrash that’s reminiscent of a runaway train that’s headed straight in your direction. “Longing for Domination” chugs along for a bit to begin, then they decide to get serious and proceed to reach through your speakers and kick your ass. The blistering dual guitar attack and throat-scorching vocals are surprisingly matched in intensity by the pummeling assault that the rhythm section has decided to lay upon you.

“Released From the Catacombs” quickly begins as they chug along for a bit, pummeling you with mechanical precision. They eventually speed into full on thrash about a minute in and go absolutely nuts. Instead of being content with just going off for the rest of the song, they slow things down and chug along for a bit and jam out, letting the music breathe a little. “Stand Fight and Die” begins furiously with odd harmonics, then goes right into full on thrash with angry, raspy vocals. They slow it down for a bit and mix in guttural vocals before the anthemic chorus hits you and shows off some of the band’s newfound musical growth. The lyrics are classic as usual as well: “When weapons raise and the blood starts to flow/You stand, you fight, you die.” “Crushed Beyond Dust” quickly begins with the fury of a bull that’s about to charge. They go apeshit about 45 seconds in, pummeling your ears with searing riffs, throaty vocals that drip with pure emotion and the machine-like thunder of the rhythm section. This is the band at their finest, most brutal.

“Gorge Upon My Soul” begins quickly but isn’t nearly as heavy sounding as most of the rest of this record. They eventually make up for that as they make things downright brutal during the second half of the song, putting their trademark speed and fury into a pot and letting it all boil over. “Repulsive Salvation” begins quickly with the thundering rhythm section and throbbing riffs. The throaty, guttural vocals are heavy as hell and they deliver some of the best lines of the band’s existence: “Infested you cry out in ecstasy/Rats and maggots cleanse your flesh.” Sweet! This is just nasty, downright brutal metal.

All things considered, this is a serious album of the year candidate in my book. While I would’ve been perfectly content with a repeat of “Beyond the Permafrost”, I’m thrilled with the growth they’ve shown on this album. Hopefully they’ll continue to push the envelope with every release. Is it safe to say that they’re the heirs to Slayer’s throne? Maybe they’re not there quite yet but I think they’re a good bet to be there someday.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
Recommended tracks: Crushed Beyond Dust, Stand Fight and Die, …And Into the Flame

Track listing:
1. Submit to the Suffering
2. Longing for Domination
3. Where the Light Has Failed
4. Released From the Catacombs
5. Stand Fight and Die
6. The Despoiler of Human Life
7. Crushed Beyond Dust
8. Blinding Black Rage
9. Gorge Upon My Soul
10. Repulsive Salvation
11. Strangled by Unseen Hands
12. …And Into the Flame


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We recently reviewed The Red Chord and The Destro’s new albums. What do you have to do? Take pictures of you and your friends and email us a picture. The most creative, spooky, evil or just plains stupid outfit will win the The Red Chord album. We will compile the pics into our flickr account and share as a widget here on HTPB.

Not dressing up? You can still win and enter for free to win the The Destro album. How cool is that? Where else will you get free shit just for emailing us?

We will announce the winners on Halloween morning! We look forward to seeing your insane outfits. Have fun!

NOTE: Entering the contest automatically enters you into the Metalblade Records & HitThePitBlog Newsletters. But fear not, neither of us spam. Metal blade will tell you whats cool, new different while we will send you two updates a month and will have plenty of chances to win some free swag.

Ok, so this album is not even close to new. It came out in 2007. But one of the things we strive for at HTP is to promote indie bands, and this one fits the bill perfectly. Not only that, but the album is free! Read on for how you can download the album.

Hail To The Freaks is DRC’s first release, and as such it is raw and unrefined in places, but that is part of it’s charm. The music is a mashup of industrial and goth, and sometimes swings more one way on one song, and the other on the next. Electronic sounds mesh with low and distorted bass, haunting keyboards and deep vocals, all converging to make something at times brutal, at times gothic, but almost always beautiful.

Songs like “Fucked It Away” are industrial to the core, and any fan of the genre should immediately feel at home upon hearing  them. During these songs it brings to mind bands like Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM and Rammstein, but does not copy any of them directly. Instead, it uses heavier guitar riffs and gothic elements to create its own being, living and breathing all on its own, without being a parasite on some other, more popular band.

Then there are songs like “Cry”, which are gothic through and trough. Type O Negative is listed as one of the band’s influences, and you can truly see how that works here. Some might say it is a little too much like Type O, but it is good stuff and well worth a listen.

“Flesh Machine” is one of my favorite songs, partially because it is about zombies. There are lots of songs about vampires out there, but not very many songs about zombies, so I gotta love the originality.

Sometimes the songs get a little bit repetitive, or drag on a little too long, but that doesn’t take too much away from the experience. All in all this is a great effort, and I can’t wait to hear their next album they put out, Crown Of Thorns, which came out in 2008.

As I stated, this album is free to download, and you can get your copy here. If you like it, be sure to pick up the follow up album, Crown Of Thorns. So far these are the only two albums they have put out, but count on HTP to let you know when that changes.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Suggested Tracks: “Cry”, “Flesh Machine”, “I Only Bleed For You”

Track Listing:

1. For You
2. Fucked It Away
3. Spread Your Wings
4. Game Of Pain
5. Flesh Machine
6. Cry
7. Hail To The Freaks
8. Here We Stand
9. I Only Bleed For You
10. Shape Shifter
11. Take It All
12. Robotic Thrust
13. The Shadows
14. When You Cum
15. Wasted Tears

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Artist: The Red Chord
Album: Fed Through The Teeth Machine
Label: Metalblade
Website

The Red Chord is part of a long legacy of great bands to rise to prominence out of Massachusetts. In the early 2000’s bands like Killswitch Engage, Unearth and Shadows Fall led an vibrant and creative metal, thrash and hardcore scene within the Commonwealth. The Red Chord made their mark in the hardcore arena to begin, but have since evolved into a bruising death metal band with melodic interludes and all business! Or should I say, they are all bloodshed?

At first blush, “Fed Through The Teeth Machine” could come across as another death metal band pumping out blast beats and layering in vicious vocals. But after several listens I have started to appreciate the envelope they are pushing. For example, 3/4^ths of the way through “Demoralizer” they give the listener an evil melody that fits in perfectly and reminds me a bit of All That Remains with a powerful death metal flare. During “Hymns And Crippled Anthems” there is a dirge where the band slows down the gunfire fest in favor of twinkling string work that slides in nicely. It is a welcomed interlude from the smash mouth, pile driving the listener is assaulted with during 95% of the record.

Let’s be honest, Death Metal is an acquired taste. I like Dying Fetus and Napalm Death, but what is really needed is a band with a big set of nards to push the sounds envelope while keeping it death. The Red Chord has introduced just enough dynamic elements keep it interesting and different, yet appeases the hardcore listeners. “Fed Through The Teeth Machine” is a 2009 Death Metal album. I tend to think they feel like the past is the past, so why not look to the future. I like what I am hearing if the future is in fact- now!

Rating: 8 out of 10, warfare, gore and melody?
Suggested Tracks: “Demoralizer”, “Ingest The Ash”, “One Robot To Another”

Track Listing:

01. Demoralizer
02. Hour Of Rats
03. Hymns And Crippled Anthems
04. Embarrassment Legacy
05. Tales Of Martyrs And Disappearing Acts
06. Floating Through The Vein
07. Ingest The Ash
08. One Robot To Another
09. Mouthful Of Precious Stones
10. The Ugliest Truth
11. Face Area Solution
12. Sleepless Nights In The Compound

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OCTOBER 16, 17 & 18 2009 - THE DCU CENTER & THE PALLADIUM IN WORCESTER, MA

For Tickets: http://www.rockandshock.com/tickets.htm See you there!

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Artist: Doomriders
Album: Darkness Come Alive
Label: Deathwish Inc.
Websites:

If you were unaware of the regular bands that
the members of Doomriders call home,
then you wouldn’t realize that Doomriders is
more than just a mere side project, it’s more like a hardcore supergroup. Granted, I wouldn’t necessarily
classify this as a hardcore record. It’s actually difficult for me to
classify this record into any genre other than the vast umbrella
of hard rock. It changes styles so seamlessly and effectively
that you’d have a hard time classifying it too.

“Fade From Black” slowly builds up, sounding epic in its’ nature,
ultimately wheting your appetite before it flows right into
“Heavy Lies the Crown”, which sounds like old school Mastodon.
It chugs along as they rail away against society’s ills.
It gets angry as they bellow “Pretenders beware/Strike you
down where you stand”.  If you like grooving
hard rock then this will fit the bill for you.  ”Knife Wound” begins
quickly and keeps at that pace for a while, almost sounding
like Pro-Pain with aggressive vocals and heavy, fast paced metal.
They eventually decide to slow it down and grind it out for a while
when the chorus hits, ending abruptly so they can hit you with the
next surprise.

“Come Alive” slowly begins, building up with tribal sounding drums and
energetic riffing.  It gets a burst of energy as searing riffs take over
along with vocals that are reminiscent of Glenn Danzig.  Wow, this is just
a great song that you can easily rock out to.  If this isn’t one of the
best songs you’ll hear all year then you’re obviously not paying
attention.  ”The Equalizer” begins quickly with a ton of energy and angry
vocals.  Hooky and catchy as hell, it gets less aggressive and more
meloidc once its time to unleash the chorus upon you.  It’s a nice song
that you can rock out and groove to, despite introspective lyrics that
might persuade you to dig a little deeper: “Your death starts creeping
up/When your life begins.”  ”Bloodsuckers” is fast paced and full of
angst.  Angry, throaty vocals lead the way as the band unleashes
furious punk on you.  The music isn’t all that complicated but it’s so
damn effective.  And that’s what the majority of this album sounds
like: it’s hard to classify and isn’t complicated but it’s so effective that
I don’t blame them for playing straightforward music instead of trying
to show off.

This is easily one of the best records I’ve heard this year.

Rating: 7 out of 10.
Recommended tracks: Come Alive, Heavy Lies the Crown, Knife Wound,
The Equalizer

Track listing:
1. Fade From Black
2. Heavy Lies the Crown
3. Bear Witness
4. Knife Wound
5. Come Alive
6. Night Howler
7. Crooked Path
8. Lions
9. The Equalizer
10. Night Lurker
11. Jealous God
12. Mercy
13. Night Reckons
14. Blood Avenger
15. Bloodsuckers
16. .
17. Rotter

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(I am reviewing this album as requested by a post in our comments. If you have an album you want us to review, shoot us an email to hitthepit@websiteultra.com and let us know!)

Rosaline is what I would call a punkcore band.  They mix keyboards and jazzy mellow guitar with screaming, grinding riffs and pounding drums. Think of them like Angels And Airwaves meets Killswitch Engage meets Yanni. That’s right, I said Yanni! Combine all this with audio effects, and you get a glimpse of what Rosaline is about. Incidentally, “Rosaline” is an unseen character from Romeo & Juliet, so their name choice may give you a glimpse into how different they are.

First off, the album is a bit short. Nine songs lasting a total of just over 37 minutes. Faithful readers know that I am not a big fan of putting out short cds. Spend another week or two, develop a couple more songs and then finish the album. Don’t rip us off by selling us a half an album at full price. That being said, I will go lenient of Rosaline since they are a new band and just getting momentum going.

Overall their sound is original and works. The angst ridden vocals and melodic bridges are worked to perfection, intertwining to create a fantastically different sound. Their melodies are every bit as satisfying as Angels & Airwaves, and their hardcore roots are just as visceral as bands like Atreyu and Killswitch.

Their flaws come from needles repititions and lengthy artsy interludes. “Pin The Sea To The Wall” has a 42 second “ethereal” guitar riff which is uninspired and pretentious sounding. I get that this is part of their sound, but that is far too long to leave a listener hanging. The riff shows no particular talent or imagination, and a 5 to 10 second bit would have worked far better.

Songs like “The White City” work far better for me. While it still has a repetitive artsy bit(this time at the end), it is far more talent driven and less life draining. I would still have liked it shortened, but I didn’t hate it as much as I did with “Pin The Sea To The Wall”.  The song starts with a kitchy guitar plucking riff and light, airy vocals which in a flash turn into thrashing guitar and guttural vocal belching. This is where their true artistry shines brightest, as the same guitar plucking riff meshes just as beautifully with the harder bits. I absolutely love the way they are able to mesh these two dichotomies.

I get the feeling the band may look on their instrumental tangents as akin to Grateful Dead’s. For me, it comes across as obnoxious and jarring. I love everything else about this band, and if they could lighten up on those repetitive eternities, they might even be one of my favorite new bands. The rest of their sound has everything they need to be successful: originality, passion, talent, emotion and grit. They are both paradoxical and brilliant, and have gotten my attention.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Suggested Tracks: “White City”, “Brother, We’ll Save You Now”,  “A Silver Meridian”

Track Listing:

1. The New Utah

2. Culture Wars

3. Brother, We’ll Save You Now

4. Pin The Sea To The Wall

5. In True Pisces Fashion

6. The White City

7. Polaris

8. A Silver Meridian

9. Children Of Latitude

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