This week docweasel.com resident Metal expert Vile picks the most destructive bands of 2002. Click the album titles for his original reviews.
Essential Metal of 2002
2002 started out a little shitty, but quickly turned out to be a great year for Metal and a tremendous year for Relapse Records, they had a ton of great releases in 2002 and they’re probably laughing their fucking asses off right about now. We had releases from some of the masters of this genre, each new CD somehow topping the next. Being a drummer, I was repeatedly impressed by the level of drumming being raised album after album this year, groundbreaking shit. Damn, what a great year to listen and enjoy the great musical genre of metal! First, let’s start out with pure shit, then move on to better things released in 2002.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2002: (TIE)
In Flames – Reroute To Remain BUY IT
Soilwork – Natural Born Chaos BUY IT
Both bands used to be at the top of their game, and now both bands sound nothing like they used to. What the fuck happened? Yes, In Flames actually used to play Death Metal! HUGE disappointments.
VILE’S TOP 10 PICKS OF 2002:
Fuck this was hard, especially in the top 5. Many albums started out at the top in the beginning of this year, but just got pushed down by other albums. In an earlier review I said “it would be extremely difficult for any other band to overcome [Nile] for “Album Of The Year”. Fuck, that was an idiotic statement. Why didn’t I receive any email about that comment? It’s a damn good CD, but others were obviously better. Another thing, I should have reviewed a lot more CDs…I didn’t review any of the CDs in the fucking top 5! I’ll make it a point not to do that this year. Anyway, I wouldn’t focus too much on the order or numbering, just because one CD is at the bottom doesn’t make it a piece of shit, any album on this list is definitely worth purchasing. Again, this was difficult, but here we go.
10. Hate Eternal – King Of All Kings
This is one of those CDs you put in when you want to destroy. Derek Roddy was obviously destroying his drumkit on this recording, so why don’t you join in by destroying the person sitting nearest to you right now? And to all the Hate Eternal-bashers : why hate Hate Eternal? This is a great release!!! Recommended Track : “Beyond Redemption”. BUY IT
9. Lord Gore – Autophagous Orgy
How can you not like a band that uses samples from ‘Return Of The Living Dead’? Can’t wait for their next release, which will have a cover that is just as extreme as this one is. Recommended Track : “LORD GORE”. BUY IT
8. Necrophobic – Bloodhymns
Like the review says, this one grew on me quite a bit. I LOVE IT. Recommended Track : All of them! BUY IT
7. Origin – Informis, Infinitas, Inhumanitas
This is still one of the most extreme albums I’ve ever heard. John Longstreth can blast like a muthafucka. Relentless. Recommended Track : “Portal” BUY IT
6. Nile – In Their Darkened Shrines
Also, I’m tired of all the fucking Nile-bashers. Fuck them. Nile is a good fucking deathmetal band, in my opinion. And this is a good fucking deathmetal CD. Recommended Track : Song Of The Year, “Unas, Slayer Of The Gods”. BUY IT
5. Dark Tranquility – Damage Done
THIS is how you play Melodic Death Metal. FUCK, this is good. Glad to see that DT went back to the sounds of their earlier albums. Recommended Track : “Hours Passed In Exhile”. BUY IT
4. Impaled – Mondo Medicale
After hearing this CD, I started making huge attempts at trying to find and join a band so I could try my damnedest at writing and playing music like this. Everything about this band I love; the use of samples, the naming of their guitar solos, the lyrics, the catchy songs. Carcass worship. I’d say Impaled are the best of the Carcass clones, not because they are carbon copies of Carcass, but because they take everything great about Carcass and improve in certain areas. Their best CD yet. Recommended Track : “Raise The Stakes”. BUY IT
3. Opeth – Deliverance
Another great release from Opeth, although not their greatest. But who gives a fuck? It’s a good CD! Definitely better than their last one! Opeth are an amazing band, they don’t disappoint. Recommended Track : “A Fair Judgment”. BUY IT
2. Bloodbath – Resurrection Through Carnage
And THIS is how you play Death Metal. I thought about having a tie for first place, then realized that ‘Resurrection Through Carnage’ is beaten, but JUST BARELY!! Considered by many to be THE best Death Metal release in YEARS. To Bloodbath : MAKE ANOTHER CD, DON’T GIVE UP ON THIS PROJECT!!!! Great band, great CD. Recommended Track : ALL OF THEM!!!!!! BUY IT
1. Cephalic Carnage – Lucid Interval
It took two times of watching Cephalic Carnage perform in front of me to realize just how great this band truly is, and ‘Lucid Interval’ is not only their greatest album yet, but the album of the year. The writing and experimenting here is amazing, some tracks were written, some improvised. Also, those “bass explosions” you hear on some songs sound fucking AWESOME on a great stereo system. I read they even used sounds at high frequencies only perceivable by dogs. Why? I don’t know. But is this CD great? HELL YES. BUY THIS CD RIGHT FUCKING NOW. Recommended Track : ALL OF THEM!!!!!!! BUY IT
There you have it. I suggest you buy all my 10 choices right now, if you haven’t already. And if you haven’t, you’re really stupid.
Vile
Currently Annoying Neighbors With : Cephalic Carnage – ‘Lucid Interval’