The truth behind the delay on that Wintersun album

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Tormentress – ‘Thrashing Disorder’ EP, Sick Chainsaws; 2009

Briefly pushing aside any obvious yet relevant comments on extreme metal’s chauvinist tendencies or the current wave of retro-thrash, Singapore’s Tormentress deliver a consistently strong record which could stake out interest from the old school if not reopen gender debates. Considering the number of token feminist bands who place emphasis on ideology over musicianship, such observations do not come lightly.

Metal “Tourism”?

More so a very brief comment on the relationship of music (metal) and whatever aids it may have take to express feelings towards one’s own culture and where the individual stands; than an outright complaint of “selling out” as the above heading may indicate.

“Tourism”, with its implications of commercial backing; is used primarily in this instance to suggest an underlying concept of cultural celebration within a respective place of origin that seems present in the marketing and promotion of particular bands around the globe; which we shall look at later on in this post.

Rules of Black Metal, no.265

While we’re trailing the globe

…here’s something I found earlier!

Forbidden – ‘Omega Wave’, Nuclear Blast; 2010

 

After more than a decade since their previous full-length ‘Green’, California’s Forbidden have returned with their newest offering ‘Omega Wave‘ along with a re-energized thrash spirit. Perhaps testament to the adage that haste makes waste (however stretched that may be), it is encouraging to hear that the band have not only ditched the grunge rock influences found on their 1997 LP but have brought back an anger and bitterness considered more than essential to thrash metal.

Proud to be a Metal Chick

Razorwyre – ‘Coming Out’ EP, Self-released; 2009

Previously known as Gaywire in reference to the tongue-in-cheek spirit of much traditional metal, New Zealand’s Razorwyre come as an energetic band of youngsters dedicated to the original way of heavy metal. Whether or not this is due to their country’s social conditions, where metal looks to be a music tied with the working class; it consistently stands that the band are enthusiastic about what they do and how they choose to do it.