Thursday, December 30, 2010

Convalesce - Decisions EP (2009)


When bands are just starting out, often times they will play a style already well-entrenched into the current music fan's consciousness because they want to be noticed.  Sometimes, it's because they simply like the style that's currently popular.  Other times it's simply because that's what they have learned to play and are just trying to do the best they can with what they know while they are developing their style.  The bands that are smart about their early releases wait until they've done some developing of their sound so they can do something that's at least partially original or different so as to stand out from the crowd a bit and to be a bit more memorable from the get-go.  Convalesce is a relatively new band and does just that.

While highly percussive metalcore is nothing new, that style doesn't usually combine crushing heaviness, melody to spare, and that the percussive elements are primary electronic in nature, i.e. high-speed drum rolls or distorted noises that remind one of highly percussive industrial music.  This element is a key part of the Convalesce sound, at least as it pertains to this EP.  The primary hook here is not the "brootal" breakdowns that some metalcore bands are known for, but rather, the interesting way they weave these electronic percussive elements into their sound, which separates them from the average metalcore band.  That's not to say they don't have plenty of breakdown action for the fan looking for that element, because they do, but they strike a nice balance between crushing breakdowns, melodic passages, fast spots with plenty of double-bass drumming, and slower parts that show the bands penchant for layered production and intertwining guitar lines.  This reminds me of a studied version of Kingston Falls, in some ways, though without the overt sense of humor found on that band's debut full-length.


Guitar sound is great overall, with a nice heavy tone during the breakdowns and lower riffing, and clarity enough during the slower sections or more melodic bits that you can tell what's going on without having to turn it way up or listen over and over to figure out what's being played.  As with much extreme music, bass guitar isn't overly distinguishable in the mix, but provides that nice thump in the backdrop here and there, and serves its purpose by serving the songs.  Drumming is well done, with nice transitions between fast sections and various rolls and cymbal works to transition to slower sections or breakdowns.  Breakdown drumming is fairly non-descript, the usual cymbal sound over some thumping double-bass and occasional snare work. Vocals are more than the usual monotonic fare, with high and low-pitched growls/screams in the mix, sometimes with interplay between the two that has a bit of a "call and response" feel to it.


Lyrics are fairly straightforward and understandable, some quite bold in their proclamation of faith, others a bit more personal, written from the perspective of someone struggling with their faith or expressing humility because they know they are fallen.  The strongest track here is the opener, "Enemies", wisely put at the front of the CD to grab listeners and pull them in.  The rest of the tracks are no slouch, to be sure, but "Enemies" is definitely the centerpiece here.  "Unrested" is a strong closer with good melodic elements, a good anthemic lyric, and a fairly thunderous breakdown 2/3 of the way through, followed by a melodic line that helps bring the EP down and to a close.


One of the strengths of this release is also a weakness - the songs all kind of run together.  It's a strength from the standpoint that it doesn't let up, so if you're looking for intensity and non-stop action in your music (ADD, anyone?), this will do it for you.  However, that also works against the songs and the EP because unless you're paying attention to the album and listening intently, it all runs together so much that you might forget there are individual tracks or songs until the EP is done.  This may have been by design, seeing as how there are barely any transitions between songs, so I can't criticize too much, but it seems like with a style as compact and dense as this, a little "breathing room" is a good idea on occasion.  "Efileno" ("Onelife" backwards, perhaps?) appears to try and serve this purpose, but it, too, seems to fade out right into "Shelter" with no real respite moment.


On the plus side, there are moments during the fast sections where I'm reminded of Afterimage - that's a good thing.  They have created a melodic, yet intense style mixing metal and hardcore with great aplomb, so if Convalesce can perhaps increase the divide between the melodic sections and the more heavy, brutal bits, they can have an even more varied and interesting sound overall.  Ultimately, the way this EP is put together with the songs in the set and the intensity presented in this fashion works well.  It's just long enough and has just enough variation to let you know what the band is all about and give you a hint of what they're capable of, without too much left-field experimentation.  I would recommend before the band finishes recording their full-length (which they are purportedly doing as of this writing) that they expand their musical palette enough to make even stronger, more interesting songs.  And I'd say they need to explore and expand the electronic percussive elements even more, because that is the major element that really separates them from the pack.  Otherwise, for 6 bucks, this is a solid contender for your musical dollar.  Recommended.


70/100


Video Review:

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Hguols - Celestial Powers Intervened To True Supremacy (2010)



I love it when artists grow.  Some people would prefer that a band like Metallica would record "Master of Puppets" ten times over and never change.  Those people can listen to "Master of Puppets" over and over again, but for me and the rest of the world, we want progression and evolution in our music.  Hguols has answered the call with their 2nd release of "MIDI Metal" and has proved that not only was that concept not a "one trick pony", but that it's possible it's far more expansive and had more possibilities than some may have considered.  Listeners will be rewarded for growing along with this project, as this sophomore release has more to offer than the debut.


Where "Epitome" was a tad one-sided, content to dwell mostly in the space of tremolo picking with the occasional harpsichord interlude and choral segue, "Celestial Powers Intervened To True Supremacy" has much more to offer, with greater range, more musical expression, more textures and just better overall composition.  Not only that, but the MIDI instrument set is stronger here, so during the slower parts the guitars sounds more realistic, the choral "vocal" sections are beefier and sound better, the harpsichord sounds better this time around, and all the little instrumental flourishes are just more full and rewarding.  In addition, the songs are stronger here, building much more interest from song to song and far more variety overall.  I should also make mention of the symphonic elements - they're more pronounced here, and for good reason - they sound better than before due to the improved "instrument" set.  As a result, there's more bombast, and more pomp and circumstance than on the previous release.


The obvious thing missing here is the traditional black metal vocals to go over this expansive palette of material, but of course, this is an instrumental project.  As such, the listening experiencing is still a tiny bit limited, as the amount of expression possible in this art form sans vocals is limiting.  However, Hguols does a good job of filling that void as much as possible.  Not having vocals doesn't feel as limiting here as it does in some other projects, primarily because the music is varied enough to keep interest all the way through the album.  Though I'd still like to hear this material with a vocal track, I think this CD does a great job of minimizing the fact that there are no vocals.


All in all, this is a step up from the debut and a tour de force of instrumental music.  I'd challenge anyone's preconceptions about instrumental music, and non-traditional metal music to give this CD a try.  Not only does it defy the boundaries of what is known as "metal" music, but it also shows what is truly possible with composition and innovation in this art form.  I'd wager that future projects Tom takes on will continue to expand the "MIDI Metal" art form and perhaps be the spark that triggers a greater flame of musical creativity within technology-based music.  Highly recommended.


85/100


Video review:


"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist!!!

The Gamut is debuting 5 new tracks tonight - 1 track each from the inaugural 5 releases from Intense Millennium Records!  2 cuts from Vengeance Rising, 1 cut from Sacred Warrior, and 2 cuts from Bloodgood!  Most of these songs have been in The Gamut before, but never like this - fully remastered & sounding better than ever!  Plus, all the crazy variety and musical insanity you've come to enjoy, so tune in tonight at 9 PM EST and check it out!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Kekal - Vox Diaboli (Avant-Garde Extreme Metal)
The Choir - Invisible (Alternative Rock)
Godonight Star - Creator (Synthpop)
Sacred Warrior - Children of the Light (Power Metal) - Intense Millennium Records debut!
In the Midst of Lions - Reborn (Deathcore)
Sweet Comfort Band - Haven't Seen You (Classic Rock/Ballad)
Starflyer 59 - Card Games and Old Friends (Alternative Rock)
Elotheos - Heart's Carrier (Melodic Metalcore)
The Clergy - Figure of a Man (Female-fronted Alternative/Punk)
Guardian - I'll Never Leave You (Classic Metal)
Death Is Not Welcome Here - Closer Than You Think (Emo/Modern Rock)
Disaffection - Blind Mind (Thrash Metal)
The Showdown - Cerberus-The Hellhound Awaits (Groove Metal)
Jesus Music - Painless Shame (Retro Pop-Rock)
Vengeance Rising - Human Sacrifice (Thrash Metal) - Intense Millennium Records debut!
Ancient Plague - Supersynchronous (Droning Black Metal)
In Due Time - Bloodgulch (Metalcore)
GlobalWaveSystem - 2cinc! (Industrial)
Daniel Amos - Father's Arms (Classic Rock)
Rehumanize - Kerney Thomas (Grindcore)
Call to Preserve - Hold Fast (Hardcore)
Rob Rock - Judgment Day (Power Metal)
Steve Hindalong - To Hell With the Devil (Acoustic)
Zoo Babies - Bob (Grunge/Groove Rock)
Crimson Thorn - 2nd Timothy 3 (Brutal Death Metal)
Joy Electric - The Harvestry of Ghosts (Synthpop)
Bloodgood - Live Wire (Classic Metal) - Intense Millennium Records debut!
Grave Robber - Tell-Tale Heart (Horror Punk)
Once Nothing - All My Heroes Are Cowboys (Southern Metalcore)
Undercover - Come Away With Me (80s Rock/Ballad)
Eternal Mystery - This Means War (Grindcore)
Haven - I Will Follow (Alternative Rock)
Vengeance Rising - Cut Into Pieces (Thrash Metal) - Intense Millennium Records debut!
Kidnap the Sun - Like a Thief in the Light (Rock/Post-Punk)
The Throes - Eyes Of My Sisters (Alternative Rock)
Your Eyes My Dreams - Treason, War and the Tyranny of Evil Men (Metalcore)
The Constellation Branch - Oneironaut (Indie Rock)
Discern - Your Choice? (Death Metal)
Bloodgood - Anguish and Pain (Classic Metal) - Intense Millennium Records debut!
The Eastern Wave - Chapter 3; Condition: Negative (Indie Rock)
Stavesacre - Devil (Modern Heavy Rock)
Strongarm - Trials (Hardcore)
Hguols - All But Life Was Lost (Instrumental Black Metal)

Check out the re-designed Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player on the front page, link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

"The Gamut" is back tonight!!!

The Gamut returns tonight in full force!  After a 2-month hiatus, the show is finally back to fill your boring Sunday evening with loads of musical enjoyment!  As per usual, we've got a ton of variety this evening and all kinds of great tunes in the show, so tune in!

Tonight's playlist!!!

xDeathstarx - Where Is Your Faith Now? (Metalcore/Hardcore)
Circle of Dust - Onenemy (Industrial)
Disciple - Remembering (Groove Metal)
Human Condition - Triangle (New Wave/Rock)
Inked in Blood - Comatose (Melodic Hardcore)
As I Lay Dying - Nothing Left (Metalcore)
Tourniquet - Ready Or Not (Thrash Metal)
Bloodgood - Eat the Flesh (Classic Metal)
A Hill to Die Upon - We Soulless Men (Melodic Black Metal)
Exeter Flud - You Decide (Alternative Rock)
Means - Connected (Melodic Hardcore)
House of Heroes - In the Valley of the Dying Sun (Progressive Modern Rock)
xLooking Forwardx - The Path We Tread (Hardcore Punk)
Deliverance - Red Roof (Progressive Metal)
Theocracy - Wages of Sin (Power Metal)
The Rekoning - Necessary Violence (Punk Rock)
the Human Flight Committee - She's a Car Destroyer (Indie Rock/Post Punk)
The Burial - Demons Never Sleep (Modern Melodic Extreme Metal)
Teramaze - Unseen (Progressive Metal)
The Dark Romantics - Lonely...Alone (Indie Pop)
Orphan Project - Empty Me (Progressive Hard Rock)
Neon Cross - Frontline Life (Classic Metal)
Monolith - More Than Conquerors (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Michael Knott - Hang Me High (Alternative Rock)
Under Command - Cut Too Deep (Modern Metal/Hard Rock)
The Brothers Martin - The Harsh Effect of Time (Indie Pop/Electronic)
Outlander - Moonchildren (Progressive Hard Rock)
Generation - Still You Died (Industrial)
Hero - Gasoline (Hard Rock/Melodic Metal)
Feast Eternal - An Ember In Ashes (Death Metal)
Emery - Studying Politics (Modern Rock/Progressive)
Utlimatum - Exonerate (Thrash Metal)
Rex Carroll Band - Working Man's Blues (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Narnia - Kings Will Come (Melodic Power Metal)
Morella's Forest - Hang Out (Female-fronted Alternative Rock)
Metanoia - Pain (Death Metal)
Mad At Teh World - Faith Is a Perfect Road (New Wave/Rock)
Crystavox - Paradise (Metal)
Coram Deo - Daylight (Melodic Black Metal)
Consider the Thief - Drink the Sea (Indie Rock)
For Today - Devastator (Metalcore)
Letter 7 - Lifeline (Melodic Metal/Ballad)
Rocketboy - Chaos (Alternative Rock)
Scourged Flesh - Napier (Death/Thrash Metal)
Ruby Joe - Last Chance Johnny (Rockabilly)
Poems of Shadows - Thoughts of Insane in the Dark (Black Metal)

Check out the re-designed Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player on the front page, link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Gamut is returning!

After several weeks of being on hiatus due to a crazy work schedule, The Gamut is finally returning!  The next episode (83rd overall) will be on the air November 14th.  The show will be back in full force a whole month prior to the 2nd anniversary of The Gamut as well, giving me a couple weeks to get back in the swing of things.  I will be taking a couple Sunday nights off during the next 3 or 4 months for holidays, including family Christmas celebrations, as well as due to some business travel, but these should be isolated to 1 or 2 Sundays out of the month rather than weeks on end.  I am happy to say that when the show returns, there is new music I'll be playing that hasn't been in The Gamut before, as well as highlighting the new re-issues of classic Intense Records and Frontline Music titles via Intense Millennium Records!  Thanks everyone for your patience and for encouraging me during this time away - I needed to get away from things for a short while to refresh and renew, and to regain my passion for doing this.  It's truly appreciated!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

"The Gamut" is taking a short hiatus...

The Gamut is going on a short hiatus.  Nothing too long or complicated, just a few weeks to allow me to recuperate from all the stress at work and everything going on.  As I approach the opening of the facility I've been hard at work on with my job, my personal life has taken a major back seat and as such my family has suffered.  As much as I love doing the show, it's time to hang it up for a few weeks to get back to family & get myself back to a more normal work schedule.  I'm hoping that my mid-late October I can be back on track and back at it on Sunday nights.  Until then, thanks to everyone for tuning in & supporting the show - you guys make it all worthwhile!  And remember, this isn't goodbye - I'll see you all again in a few weeks once things are less crazy around my house!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist!!!

No giveaways in tonight's episode, just loads of musical variety like usual!

Tonight's playlist!!!

War of Ages - The Fallen (Metalcore)
Random Eyes - For All the Nations (Melodic Power Metal)
Extol - Inferno (Progressive Black/Death Metal)
How To Avoid Art - Repaid (Industrial)
Betrayal - Retalitory Strike (Thrash Metal)
Anti-Hell Society - PHD Misery (Punk)
Monolith - More Than Conquerors (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Elgibbor - Purity and Blood (Black Metal)
7days - Redeemer (Progressive Metal)
AD - Games of Chance and Circumstance (Progressive Rock)
Adelaide - Request For a Prayer (Deathcore)
Orphan Project - Empty Me (Progressive Hard Rock)
Joy Electric - (I Am) Made From the Wires (Synthpop)
Sympathy - Perfection in Death (Technical Death Metal)
InnerWish - Welcome to my World (Power Metal)
Ultimatum - Gutterbox (Thrash Metal)
The Way - Do You Feel the Change? (Jesus Rock)
Swine Suicide - Howls of Worship (Black Metal)
Walk the Sky - Face to Face (Classic Metal)
Ceasefire - Drug Hypocrisy (Hardcore)
Luminaria - Unreasonably Forlorn Hours (Gothic Metal)
Krig - Mankind Dead Remains (Death Metal)
Sweet Comfort Band - You Can Make It (Classic Rock)
Disciple - Back Again (Groove Metal)
Undercover - Promenade (Alternative Rock)
Darkwater - All Eyes On Me (Progressive Metal)
20/20 Blind - I Am Blind (Hard Rock)
Ancient Plague - 1348 (Ambient Black Metal)
Eternal Ryte - Surrender (Classic Metal)
In Due Time - Death Before Dishonor (Metallic Hardcore)
Rob Rock - Slayer of Souls (Power Metal)
Cast a Fire - Whisper (Calling You) (Modern Heavy Rock/Progressive Metal)
Becoming the Archetype - Self Existent (Progressive Death Metal)
Kinetic Element - Riding In Time (Progressive Rock)
Barnabas - Subterfuge (Female-fronted Progressive Metal)
Generation - Believe in Miracles (Industrial/Metal)
Skymetal - Sepultura (Death Metal)

Check out the re-designed Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player on the front page, link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including Divine Metal Distro, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and

others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + 3 CD Giveaways!!!

The "unofficial" theme of the show tonight is new music!  Most of what you're going to hear is stuff that's relatively new, some of it brand new.  A few items in the show are just new to my collection, either older gems I hadn't acquired until recently or CDs that I just hadn't picked up for one reason or another.  Lots of new stuff in the show, however!

Tonight's giveaways are all about thrash metal!  First giveaway is the demo EP by Divulgence, ready to take over the world with their soon-to-be-released Bombworks debut!  Next, the early thrash demos of Heaven's Force, the "Aggressive Angel" digipak re-issue!  Lastly, the death metal-tinged Transfigural Form release "Blood"!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Impending Doom - There Will Be Violence (Deathcore)
Crystavox - Sacrifice (Classic Metal)
Pope - Within a Great Void (Dark Ambient)
Goredeath - Souls Hacked to Shreds (Death Metal)
Jamie Rowe - Amy (Pop Rock)
Wolves Among Sheep - Oh, My, What Big Teeth You Have! (Melodic Metalcore/Screamo)
The Sacrificed - 2012 (Progressive Metal)
Glamdring - Fallen False Superior (Black Metal)
Veer Chasm - Acher (Industrial)
Divulgence - The Swarm of Eden (Technical Thrash Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Eden In Ruins - The Grave (Doom Metal)
Timesword - A Thousand Year Kingdom (Progressive Metal)
The Juliana Theory - To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children (Emo/Modern Rock)
Whitecross - No Way I'm Goin' Down (Classic Metal)
Heaven's Force - Deliver Us From Evil (Thrash Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Lordchain - Cry (Metal)
System Failure - Building For Insanity (Chaotic Metalcore)
The Choir - Midnight Sun (Alternative Rock)
My Silent Wake - Devoid of Light (Doom Metal)
A Plea For Purging - Shiver (Metalcore)
Titanic - Gods of War (Classic Metal)
The Moshketeers - Posers of Deceit (Thrash Metal)
My Darkest Time - Salt of the Earth (Doom/Thrash/Death Metal hybrid)
Forgiven Rival - The Grey (Melodic Metalcore)
Seven Kingdoms - Somewhere Far Away (Female-fronted Power Metal)
The Rex Carroll Band - Delta Memories (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Transfigural Form - State of Decay (Thrash Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Hundredth - Catalysts (Hardcore)
Admonish - Tower of Strength (Black Metal)
King James - The Frenzy (Metal)
Job - A Psalm For the First Cause and Last Refuge (Doom Metal)
The Color Morale - Close Your Eyes and Look Away (Melodic Metalcore)
InnerWish - Burning Desires (Power Metal)
Metanoia - Enslavement (Death Metal)
Living Sacrifice - Rules of Engagement (Groove/Extreme Metal)
Mortal - Paradigm One (Techno-Rock)
Elotheos - Heart's Carrier (Screamo/Melodic Hardcore)

Check out the re-designed Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player on the front page, link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and

others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + 3 CD Giveaways!!!

Tonight's giveaways are a black metal blowout - first the stunning debut by A Hill To Die Upon, "Infinite Titanic Immortal"!  Next, the instrumental black metal bombast of Hguols' debut "Epitome"!  Lastly, the Sullen Records debut of Willow Mount, entitled "Vanitas"!

Tonight's playlist!!!

As Hell Retreats - Inferior (Deathcore)
Random Eyes - Living For Tomorrow (Melodic Power Metal)
Royal - Lazy/Tired (Female-fronted Indie Rock)
The Scurvies - Nightprowler (Punk)
Krig - God Is Alive (Death Metal)
Ilia - Last Night (Female-fronted Modern Heavy Rock)
The Mourning Dimension - Broken Doorway (Dark Ambient)
The Omega Chronicles - Alpha Destitute (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Asher (CA) - The Shadow Hour (Female-fronted Melodic Metal)
A Hill To Die Upon - Heka Secundus (Melodic Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Illuminandi - Reborn (Gothic/Folk Metal)
Floodline - Innocence Lost (Progressive Extreme Metal)
The Hoax - I'm Sick Of Politics (Hardcore Punk)
Detritus - Let Peace Begin With Me (Thrash Metal)
Mad At The World - M.A.T.W. (Reprise) (Hard Rock/Alternative)
Hgouls - ...of Threnodies Abided (Instrumental Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Arsenal - Turn Around (Female-fronted Commercial Metal)
Convalesce - Enemies (Metalcore)
House of Wires - Busy (Synthpop)
Blessed By a Broken Heart - Show Me What You Got (Modern Commercial Metal)
HB - It Is Time (Female-fronted Melodic Metal)
Halcyon Way - Rise To Revise (Progressive Metal)
Grave Robber - The Night Has Eyes (Horror Punk)
Project 86 - Me Against Me (Modern Heavy Rock)
Oil - Chopping Block (Groove Metal)
Menahem - Angels and Shadows (Progressive Metal)
Willow Mount - Beyond Closed Doors (Ambient Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Monolith - A Faithful Few (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Hero - Immortal (Melodic Metal)
Further Seems Forever - How To Start a Fire (Emo/Modern Rock)
One Eighty - Tick Tock (Female-fronted Ska/Swing)
Northern Ash - Patterns of Decay (Thrash/Death/Black Metal Hybrid)
Inevitable End - The Dreamsight Synopsis (Technical Death Metal)
Eisley - Marvelous Things (Female-fronted Indie Pop)
DigHayZoose - Think About It (Funk/Alternative)
Angel 7 - Power of Belief and Love (Black/Power Metal Hybrid)
Ancient Plague - 1348 (Ambient Black Metal)
After the Order - Stigmata (Alternative Rock)
Scourged Flesh - War Machine (Thrash/Death Metal)
Seventh Avenue - Two Masters (Power Metal)
Spiritual Plague - The Exodus (Modern Heavy Rock)
Sovereign Strength - Half and Half (Metallic Hardcore)

Check out the re-designed Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (http://untombed.com/?page_id=80), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + 3 CD Giveaways!!!

I have 3 CD's to give away tonight!  First, the final release from Metalcore band Alove For Enemies, entitled "Resistance".  2nd is the debut full-length by technical deathcore powerhouse I Built the Cross, called "Bridging the Gap Between Mind and Heart".  Plus I have a copy of the RetroActive Records sampler "A Salute to World-Class Rock"!

Tonight's playlist!!!

As I Lay Dying - Comfort Betrays (Technical Metalcore)
Step Cousin - You Remain (Thrash Metal)
W. - Harvesting (Grindcore)
Sincerely Paul - House Of Fire (Gothic Rock)
Ten-33 - Stop Looking (Hardcore Punk)
Horde - Behold, the Rising of the Scarlet Moon (Black Metal)
Myrath - No Turning Back (Progressive Metal)
Common Yet Forbidden - Still We Remain (Death Metal)
Loudflower - Crime of the Century (Alternative Rock with horns!)
Alove For Enemies - Tread On My Dreams (Metalcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Illuminandi - Poczekalnia (Gothic/Folk Metal)
Rehumanize - Human Quicksand (Grindcore)
Joy Electric - On Being Principally Utopian (Synthpop)
Kekal - Vox Diaboli (Avant Garde Extreme Metal)
Theocracy - Absolution Day (Progressive Power Metal)
I Built the Cross - Head High Heavy Heart (Technical Deathcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Hguols - All but Life was Lost (Instrumental Black Metal)
The Way - Livin' On the Bottle (Jesus Rock)
Starflyer 59 - Who Said It's Easy? (Alternative Rock)
InnerWish - Burning Desire (Power Metal)
Northern Ash - Patterns of Decay (Thrash/Death/Black Metal hybrid)
Jetenderpaul - Chugga-Chugga, Mr. Chomsky (Indie Pop)
Deitiphobia - Have Mercy (Industrial)
Death Is Not Welcome Here - Closer Than You Think (Modern Rock/Emo)
Hortor - Ancient Satanic Rituals Are Crushed In Dust (Black Metal)
Human Condition - Life and Love (New Wave/Rock)
Fires of Babylon - Lazarus Rising (Power Metal) - CD sampler Giveaway!!!
Driver Eight - Strange (Alternative Rock)
Rob Cassels - Battles Won (Jesus Rock)
Means - Connected (Melodic Hardcore/Metalcore)
oraVita - Jesus Send Your Spirit Down (Female-fronted Indie Rock)
Stroghold - Desert Walker (Hard Rock)
Monolith - Across the Baltic (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Bloodgood - Battle of the Flesh (Classic Metal)
Becoming the Archetype - Artificial Immortality (Melodic Death Metal)
Essence of Sorrow - Mind Control (Progressive Metal)
Pantokrator - The Initiation (Death Metal)
Detritus - Point of No Return (Thrash Metal)
Debtor - Failure (Hardcore Punk)
Emery - Disguising Mistakes As Goodbye (Progressive Post-Hardcore)
Goodnight Star - Compu-Friend (Synthpop)
Ethereal Scourge - Hecatombs (Melodic Death Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:
1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD Giveaways!!!

I have 2 CD's to give away tonight! First, a copy of the solo debut from Deliverance guitarist Michael Phillips, entitled "Mirrors Within Mirrors"! This unique debut combines progressive metal, instrumental guitar work, and a host of varying influences for an interesting album. Also, tonight I'm giving away the CD maxi-single of "The Forgotten" by Incrave!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Broken Flesh - Yeshua (Death Metal)
Blushing Well - Simple Dreamer (Alternative Rock)
Figure Four - Silence Expected (Hardcore)
Saint - The Mark (Classic Metal)
Antestor - Gamlelandet (Black Metal)
Eloi - Fool's Parade (Groove Metal)
Floodline - Innocence Lost (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Dumpster - Hell Is Just A Home Away (Alternative Rock)
Mad At The World - It Can't Rain Forever (Synthpop)
Aleixa - Ultradramatic (Female-fronted Techno Rock)
Headnoise - Defiled (Female-fronted Punk)
Veni Domine - Last Letter From Earth (Progressive Metal)
The Empty Cross - Upon the Cross (Slam Death Metal)
Michael Phillips - Nails and Tears (Progressive Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Jesus Music - Misfit Toy (Alternative Rock)
Gray Lines of Perfection - We Won't Fall Again (Screamo/Melodic Hardcore)
Step Cousin - Tears On My Pillow (Thrash Metal)
Kekal - Characteristicon (Avant Garde Extreme Metal)
Dead Artist Syndrome - Heaven (Gothic Rock/Alternative)
Bloodgood - Alone In Suicide (Classic Metal)
the Human Flight Committee - You'll Get It When You're Older (Indie Rock)
Usynig Tumult - Crucified (Black Metal)
A Plea For Purging - Holocausts (Metalcore)
Incrave - A Shadow In the Dark (Melodic/Power Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Kosmos Express - Gone (Alternative Rock)
20/20 Blind - Easier Way (Hard Rock)
xDeathstarx - We Are the Threat (Metalcore/Hardcore)
Every Day Life - The Choice Is Yours (Rapcore)
The Dignity of Labour - Relative (Synthpop)
Extol - Embraced (Progressive Black Metal)
Zaxas - The Anvil (Power Metal)
Eternal Mystery - Breath of Toxins (Grindcore)
Elgibbor - The Seventy Sevens (Black Metal)
Resurrection Band - The Wolfsong (Classic Rock)
Jesus Freaks - Hypocrite (Thrash Metal)
Royal - Cover Me (Female-fronted Indie Rock)
War of Ages - Wages of Sin (Metalcore)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com ! You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo! Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application! Listen in from your Android device via the "A Online Radio" or StreamFurious applications also!

Friday, July 16, 2010

The Constellation Branch - The Dream Life, The Real Life, The Empty Glass (2008)


I like it when art moves me.  It doesn't have to bring me to tears, stir me to action, or challenge my views on anything to do this, but just affect me on some base emotional level.  When a band or artist can do this, it thrills me.  When it happens nearly every time you listen to an album, you've struck gold.  There are a handful of albums that I react to emotionally every time I play them.  Some are old favorites that always bring back pleasant memories when I spin them, and others are just really good albums that command my attention and give me a certain emotional resonance when I listen.  The latter applies to this, the auspicious debut by The Constellation Branch.

What I feel with this album is a complex emotional melting pot.  There's a sense of whimsy, an emotional intensity, but also an emotional disconnect.  There are frantic moments where the music, vocals & lyrics all swell to great effect.  There are also plaintive, more reserved moments where you are gently lulled into a quiet calm, but with an underpinning uncertainty and trepidation as to the calm or it's source.  I realize words pale in comparison, as truly the only way to get a sense of what's really going on is to actually sit down & listen to the album itself.

Musically, this is a feverish blend of indie rock, disjointed pop, post-hardcore, and cracked melodies all rolled into an interesting mix.  The layout of the album into what essentially becomes 3 "suites" really allows the band to take different textures and move through them in varying levels throughout each "suite", and also recall a couple melodic themes in a couple spots.  Guitars resonate with plenty of echo and powerful distortion when called for, and ring with quiet confidence when the pedal is switched back to a cleaner sound.  There are a number of subtle effects going on that don't overpower the guitar feel, just embellish enough to give it texture.  Drum work is excellent, having a wide range of dynamics, using more drum & cymbal variation than most rock bands know (including good use of rimshots in one song), and having enough authority to know when to really go for it, and when to back off & let another instrument take center stage.  Bass work is fine, though not showy or overtly present, content to fulfill its role in being part of the backdrop.  The varying addition of piano, organ, keyboards, strings, and other sounds is quite diverse here, giving the album a much more expansive feel to it than would have been present otherwise.  Vocally, Jordan Cruz is all over the place, from spirited screams and near-banshee wails to smooth-yet-tortured falsetto crooning and singing that carries the emotional feel of the music.


Lyrically, this is a concept album.  It deals with the idea that we as humans (the empty glass) have this ideal of what our lives should be like (the dream life), and then there's reality (the real life).  We as the empty glass try to fill the void we have in our lives with whatever we choose, and  the album sees the writer expressing himself about the search for the "right" thing to fill the void, and the daily struggles & hardships that he faces through this journey.  It's a compelling story, though naturally somewhat fractured (as only befitting the disjointed indie rock of this type), so you really have to listen to it a few times to pick up on all the themes & get a true sense of what the album expresses.  It's a large, sweeping concept that fits the music well in all its emotional ebb and flow.


So how do you possibly score an album that has both had a profound effect on you lyrically & musically, and yet is a debut album by a band that may yet be finding themselves?  I have no choice but to give this album a high score because they are on the mark so much of the time.  There are a couple spots ("Black Hole" for example) where things get a touch too repetitive, but the emotional impact isn't dulled so much by this repetition that it stunts the album.  The recurring musical themes help tie the record together well, and even the "hidden" song at the end, with its super-simple piano line and reverbed vocal is captivating & a good listen every time.  My only fear is that the band won't be able to follow up this near-masterpiece with something quite as strong, and after all the time between releases, it may seem as if the band has lost some steam.  If they can either continue to write songs based around a concept, or if they can write quality "bottle" songs like fellow indie rockers The Human Flight Committee or mewithoutYou, they will have an incredibly bright future.  As it stands, this record is (as of this writing) my favorite indie rock record and a true show of talent for this band.  Essential.


90/100


Video review:

Wintersoul - Frozen Storm Apocalypse (2010)


There's an old adage that older, wiser folks like to use that goes something like this: "Good things come to those who wait."  Thing is, regardless of your age, that can often be true.  It doesn't work in the job market, as waiting around generally means you miss out on opportunities, but waiting on a fine meal to be prepared & cooked can be an experience both excruciatingly long yet ultimately very rewarding.  The dichotomy of this dynamic is what often does in a band or artist when they tease fans with a clip from an up-coming release, only to have its actual "street release" delayed.  When an album has received so much lip service prior to its release that hype becomes hyperbole, meeting expectations can be an insurmountable task.  I believe one Axl Rose, front man of a little band known as Guns 'n Roses can attest to that, given the great chasm between those who love anything he does and worship at the altar of G'n'R, versus those who felt like the seemingly unending wait to finally hear "Chinese Democracy" could never have been worth it, and that the final product was a thundering disappointment.

So where does Wintersoul fit into this picture?  Well, the current musical landscape has the advantage over music lover days of yore, where we have this fantastic invention called Myspace.  It allows us to make a page for our band or art, regardless of how professional or far along we are.  I mean, we can say we are a band and have no songs up, but overnight have hundreds of fans, if we do enough "friend scouting" to drum up the numbers.  Wintersoul has been a member of Myspace since at least 2006, where a couple demo tracks (apparently from the "Dawn of Ice Hearts" demo recordings) were posted.  Once many of us immersed in the "scene" discovered them, it was immediately apparent that this band was going places.  Cool logo, cool artwork on the page, great tunes, good overall sound, and the whole thing had a certain professionalism about it that just made it feel like it was a project that would make waves.  Many of us wondered when a full-length album would be forthcoming.  So we waited.  And waited.  And waited.  3+ years later, we have "Frozen Storm Apocalypse" thrust at us like a bloody sword in the heat of battle, ready to strike at the heart.

Musically, this is a hard hitting release, replete with blast beats & fast complex drumming, fast riffing with some technicality, and aggressive vocals.  The guitars crunch with authority, though they aren't so over the top "brutal" that they lose their melodic quality, which is a nice balance.  The riffing is fast & furious in most spots; indeed, after the intro track, it isn't until the 3rd actual song that things go from hyper-fast to mid-paced.  However, there is melody throughout so it keeps things from turning into a tremolo-picked din.  Bass guitar is actually noticeable in many places, and while not always totally audible or discernable, is well played.  Drumming is intense & incredibly tight; not once did I hear any signs of mistake.  Of course, good editing can give that illusion as well, but this sounds pretty well accurate just from proficiency versus good computer skills.  Drumming sounds good overall, though the ride cymbal kind of gets lost in the mix a lot, and the drumming sounds a touch sterile.  Vocally we have the usual high-pitched raspy vocals found in black metal, though they have a bit more of a death metal tone or feel in places, so the sound is kept a touch more fresh.  There are also female vocals here which end up being a mixed bag.  In places, the sort of dark, echoed sound makes perfect sense & fits well (like in "Shadows of Death"), but they're not always on-point, so occasionally it's as if the vocalist is either not entirely sure of herself, or is just exceeding her ability at times.  Hopefully, if female vocals are to make an appearance on the next album, she will take some time to tighten up her approach and make sure she's on-key more.  In addition, the nice keyboard flourishes here and there are a nice touch, and don't overwhelm the music like some black metal bands allow the keyboards to be - they're kept in a nice layer within the mix.


Lyrically, this is all very metaphorical.  Lots of talk of evil abounding and generally making a nuisance of itself, all within the context of battle and winter themes.  Very little light is shed on things until the end of the album, where a force for good rises up to take on the evil.  It has been hinted at that this is the first of 2 thematic albums, and that this is the first half of the story.  If that's the case, I suspect this volume is the one that shows all the evil in the world, and that part 2 will have a much more triumphant lyrical direction.  As it stands, it's well written and provides sufficient imagery for the themes being conveyed.  I never felt as though the lyrics were too dark or too foreboding - I've read works far darker and more oppressive, even from some of Wintersoul's peers.


At the end of the day, the thing everyone will likely come back with is that this is a fantastic CD for fans of Dimmu Borgir's more well-produced material.  If you are into that style and you haven't already burned yourself out on that, or your A Hill To Die Upon CD, this CD is well worth your time and attention.  I think the biggest drawbacks are it's short length (33 minutes & change after waiting so long?), the less than tight female vocals, the overall lack of variety (very few times where the CD slows down to breathe or change things up), and the fact that the band could potentially be seen or labeled as just a Dimmu Borgir ripoff.  I challenge listeners to look past those similarities, because this is quite a good release, and shows what the group is capable of.  Now I challenge the band to go back to songwriting & crank out another record (hopefully in less time) that will knock our socks off completely.  As it stands, a very solid debut and a bright future ahead for Wintersoul.  Recommended.


78/100


Video review:


Thursday, July 15, 2010

Gig Report - Rex Carroll Band/Unrest In the Midwest 2010

Unrest In the Midwest is a concert event put on by Bombworks Records.  This year saw the 1st Unrest concert, which is an event they hope to carry over into next year and beyond.  The concept is simple: 12 hours, 12 bands, $10.  This is a VERY inexpensive ticket price for the kind of talent being brought in for the event, and a very worthwhile group of bands on the roster.  The event was planned to attract travelers heading to Bushnell, Illinois to the Cornerstone Festival, where several of the bands on the Unrest line-up were slated to play next.

I traveled on Friday, June 25th with a friend.to Keokuk, Iowa where the festival was being held, and met up with Bombworks Records owners Matthew Hunt and Doug George, and met several of the bands.  Three of those bands I had previously seen a week and a half earlier in Omaha on the "Droppin' the Bomb" tour.  The bands all recognized my friend and I and we were welcomed warmly.  After a short stop for a bite to eat, we were on our way to a place called L-Treyns to see the Rex Carroll Band.  The venue was nice - it's an outdoor setup with a covered stage, and a decent sound system.  Rex & bassist Antonio N Avocedo took the stage with Bombworks Records man Doug George filling in on drums.  The band sounded great, and Rex was in fine form, cranking out the guitar parts like it was an extension of himself - he's one of those seasoned professionals that just make it look effortless.  Antonio is a monster bassist, all over the neck, moving around on stage & keeping things interesting.  He was a highlight of the show because he's so animated when he plays, and he interplays with Rex very well.  Doug did a great job on the drums, keeping up with Rex and Antonio and improvising well - he apparently only had about a week to prepare, and only a few hours one day earlier that week to actually practice with Rex and Antonio up in Chicago, so hats off to Doug for doing such a great job!  Overall the set was fantastic, with Rex even doing a nice solo himself that encompassed bits & pieces from several guitar solo tracks he had recorded with Whitecross.

After that, things got interesting.  My friend and I were sitting down at a table at the venue with Doug, Rex, and Antonio just making conversation.  It's kind of surreal sitting and talking with one of your heroes about music & various other topics.  Doug had said his local cover band was playing down the street at another venue (sans him, of course) and asked if we all wanted to check it out, so we all walked down the street several blocks to the other venue where this other duo were playing.  After some prompting from one of the members of Doug's band, Rex got up and went to the stage & fired off several songs off-the-cuff on the acoustic guitar!  It was like something out of a movie.  After playing 3 songs, Rex asked if we wanted to hear some Duane Allman, another guitarist I wasn't familiar with, or Stevie Ray Vaughn.  I yelled "Stevie Ray!!!" at the top of my lungs, and he ripped right into a fantastic acoustic rendition of "Pride & Joy".  After 2 or 3 more songs (this time his Rex Carroll Band originals, including a rousing acoustic version of "Delta Memories"), he sat back down with us.  It was nothing short of magical.  After that, we helped Doug secure some amps and turned in for the night.

Saturday was a fantastic experience.  We got up early & headed out to the venue around 9 AM. Unfortunately, I was unable to help with much of the setup due to being called away by the office, and I had to take a few phone calls related to that.  However, once the event was near ready to go, I was mingling with bands, checking out merch tables, and hanging out in the green room with other "staff" and folks who had all access passes.  The venue is called The Haven (formerly Music @ the Mall) in the Keokuk mall, and it's a nice large room with a decent sized stage setup.  The green room was across the hall in a large, open room that was open for bands to bring in gear, set up and relax, and had a nice setup of food that was brought in to take care of the bands.  Kudos to Matt and Doug for providing healthy food for the bands to eat.

First on the stage was And the Greatest Of These from Sioux City, IA.  I had seen 3 of the members of this band in a previous band called Pagans on Wagons about a year and a half earlier, when they opened a show with Wrench in the Works and For Today.  I was impressed with them at that point, but their female-guitarist and female vocalist impressed me even more this time.  The guitarist (Kate) shredded out solos with authority, and I don't think I've ever heard a woman (Nichole) growl that low before - it was awesome.  Next up was SKIES from Kansas.  They had a pretty typical metalcore sound, but did a good job reflecting that sound.  They played well, overall.  They did have some technical difficulties with their bass rig, which shortened their set, but otherwise, they did a nice job.  Switching gears, next up was Leper, a gothic rock band that is part of the Jesus People USA (JPUSA) group out of Chicago.  They had quite a few technical difficulties during their set, primarily because there was no drummer, so they had a laptop with a sequencer that provided both keyboards/atmospherics and drums.  Part of the time the drums were inaudible, part of the time the keyboards were inaudible.  This actually worked well on the last song, as the keyboards weren't present (but drums were), and it gave a real stark, haunting atmosphere to the closing track of their set.  They had a really passionate set, and they sounded good, despite the acoustics in the venue not quite being right for their brand of atmospheric, reverb & echo-heavy sound.

During the break in sets, I took the opportunity to go check out the merch tables again, and I ran into none other than Jarek (Fire) from Elgibbor!  He had come out to check out the bands and see the event, since he only lives an hour or so away from Keokuk.  He and I had a good chance to talk about Elgibbor and the various projects he had been involved in.  I also got an opportunity to talk to more of the bands and get some merch, which I always try to do when attending these shows - I know how frustrating it is when the door money you take home isn't even enough to pay for gas sometimes.  I also got the chance to meet another one of my heroes - vocalist Nancyjo Mann, formerly of Barnabas.  Matt Hunt (RetroActive/Bombworks) had set up a couple tables with classic Barnabas LPs all over them.  Apparently, he had brought his own set of records for Nancyjo to sign.  He had also brought her copies of all the Barnabas albums released to give to her, because apparently her personal copies had been destroyed via a flood in her home several years earlier.  This was a wonderful thing Matt did for her, and she was very appreciative.  Her eyes welled up with tears, and you could just see how overwhelmed she was with the gesture.  She composed herself and shared some fun stories about Barnabas, and even an interesting bit about the cover art for "Approaching Light Speed" that none of us knew about.  My friend took my picture with Nancyjo, and it was an honor to meet such a legend in the scene.  After a spot of lunch, I ventured back into The Haven for the next set.

Copernicus was up next to bring the heavy, as their brand of breakdown-laden deathcore was not lost on the young crowd at the venue.  I missed the first part of their set due to being out in the foyer talking with Nancyjo, but when I came in they were in full force, firing on all cylinders.  Their set was fun, though their music wasn't quite as memorable as I would have hoped.  But they played well and had good energy, so it was enjoyable.  Next on the stage was punk rockers FBS.  They played a great set, including the title song to their latest release, the 7" vinyl "Live Grenade".  The band quickly ripped through a bunch of songs, barely stopping to take a breath more than once or twice.  They had great energy, sounded awesome, and really impressed me with their set.  Having not acquired any of their material yet, I was sold, and bought both the CD and the 7" release.  Last in the 2nd set was Boarders, all the way from Italy!  They flew to the US to play Unrest, and 3 or 4 other gigs they had booked.  This was quite the honor, being at the front of the stage to hear this band, particularly because they came all this way, but also because they played absolutely brilliantly.  My biggest beef here was that all the "hardcore kids" left before Boarders took the stage, which was both unnecessary and a touch disrespectful.  I understand that old-school heavy metal isn't the thing of a lot of the younger listeners, but as far as this band came, the least they could have done was to stick around and check it out.  Nevertheless, Boarders came on and played a spirited set as if they were in an arena in front of thousands.  They ripped through several cuts from "The World Hates Me", including their cover version of Megadeth's "In My Darkest Hour", and also played a new song not included on the CD.  The band sounded fantastic, and Egidio was on-point vocally, nearly replicating his vocal performance on CD as best he could in a live setting.  It was a fantastic set.

There was a meal break between this set and the next, so we took a little downtime & went to get some food.  Earlier in the day, Doug George had asked me if I would emcee a portion of the event, which I was humbled and honored to do.  I hurried back to The Haven after waiting a bit too long for my food at the local Chinese restaurant, and made my way to the back room beside the stage to get ready to introduce the next groups.  I had the privilege of announcing A Hero Remains, who I had seen in Omaha just a few days before.  They played a great set, and sounded even better/tighter at Unrest than they did in the little Omaha venue.  They played great, and their brand of metalcore sounded great live, especially with all the little audio clips and quotes they use to intro and segue songs.  I then got to introduce Divulgence, who play a progressive/technical form of blackened thrash.  These guys sounded better than in Omaha as well, ripping through their short set with fire and authority.  These guys are so tight, I'm looking VERY forward to their album later this year.  They ended their set with a cover of Megadeth's "Peace Sells" which sounded great.  I was then lucky enough to introduce A Hill To Die Upon, one of the premier melodic black/death metal bands in the scene right now.  They had a few microphone issues, where you couldn't hear Adam's vocals because the mic cut out.  The sound man was on it, though, and eventually got that issue resolved.  Otherwise, they played a blistering set that seemed to please fans in the audience.

Another short break and it was back to the stage to introduce newcomers Kidnap the Sun (just signed to the new Bombworks sister label Increase/Decrease).  They changed things up a bit, playing a sort of melodic screamo rock that was heavy on the fun.  While I think the band relies a bit too much on the autotuner in their set, they played well, had loads of energy, and gave the crowd of kids a real fun time.  They did several songs from their previous EP's, and also some new material they hadn't recorded yet.  I was also privileged to then introduce the Rex Carroll Band, which was a great experience.  As if it were even possible, Rex, Antonio and Doug sounded even tighter at Unrest than they had the evening before, ripping through several great tracks.  The setlist was basically the same, with Rex performing an awesome guitar solo version of "The Star Spangled Banner" along with several album cuts.  He was in fine form again that night, and was all smiles, seeming to enjoy the good response he got from the crowd.  After that, there was a late entry into the show - Crush the Enemy, who was on tour with FBS, got a chance to play a short set of songs.  Someone earlier had told me they sounded like Stormtroopers of Death (hardcore "super group" featuring members of Anthrax and MOD), and while I wouldn't agree with that statement entirely, they did have a great old-school hardcore punk sound to them with a bit of the thrash attitude.  They played several songs off their CD in short order and had tons of energy, sounding pretty tight.  They were fun and enjoyable.  Last but certainly not least, Grave Robber took the stage.  I missed my chance to introduce them, having been out of the room a bit too long, so Matt introduced them instead.  They came in from the back of the venue, plodding around like the zombie's they're dressed as, with Wretched carrying his shovel and thumping it on the floor with every ghoulish step.  It was quite a sight, and prepared everyone for the fun that was about to ensue.  Unfortunately, Grave Robber's set was riddled with mic and sound issues, through the sound man was on tap to try & resolve those quickly.  Once that got ironed out, it was a fun show with the crowd singing along to every "woah-oh-oh" and chorus in the songs.  I got to the front of the stage and was belting out every word I knew, having listened to both Grave Robber discs a number of times.  They included their cover of "Love Hurts", which was a fun treat.  Wretched talked in between each song, sort of taking the audience through a bit of a story, which was a nice touch.  After their set was over, and several of us repeatedly yelled "Encore!", the band treated us to one more song, and then the show was over.  I was glad they played "Burn Witch, Burn", my favorite Grave Robber tune.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience.  I hope Doug and Matt have the ability to put this on again next year, and I hope attendance improves, because it was a great day with lots of great music, and unforgettable experiences.  For those that planned on coming but didn't make it, you guys truly missed out on a marvelous concert event that catered to many tastes and styles, but delivered in spades all across the board.


Video review:

Sunday, June 20, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD & e-book Giveaways!!!

It's gonna be a great show, I have 2 CD's to give away tonight!  I'm giving away a copy of the Christian Metal Fellowship Compilation, Volume II which features some exlusive tracks not found anywhere!  I am also giving away a copy of the full-length album by Venia (FIN) called "Victory By Surrender", a driving female-fronted power metal band.  Plus, I'll be throwing in copies of the digital book "Metal Missionaries" which I recently wrote a review of for my weblog: http://metalfroreview.blogspot.com !

Tonight's playlist!!!

Renascent - Demons' Quest (Melodic Death Metal)
RedSea - Tears of Joy (Bluesy Hard Rock/Ballad)
Seven Angels - Walking All Over the Seas (Female-fronted Power Metal)
Mirror of Dead Faces - The Beginning of Sorrows (Modern Death Metal)
Clash of Symbols - This (Alternative Rock)
Rob Rock - Lion of Judah (Power Metal)
Loudflower - Comfortable Bed (Alternative Rock)
Jetenderpaul - India's Golden Gateway (Indie Pop)
Echoes the Fall - Your Move (Modern Heavy Rock)
Step Cousin - I Don't Need It (Thrash Metal)
Haven - Murder (Power Metal)
Slechtvalk - Mortal Serenity (Black/Viking Metal)
Saint - Crime Scene Earth (Classic Metal)
Glad - Dare To Love (80's Rock)
Erasmus - Nausea (Black Metal)
Templar - Black Scar (Groove/Gothic Metal)
Vector - Scottish Coast (New Wave/Rock)
Dumpster - The Way Is Low (Alternative Rock)
Darkwater - Shattered (Progressive Metal)
Mangled Carpenter - Shadows (Grinding Deathcore)
20/20 Blind - Sleepyland (Hard Rock)
Eternal Ryte - The King (Classic Metal)
P.K. Mitchell - Take My Life (Instrumental/Hard Rock)
King's Crown - Passion Statement (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Venia (FIN) - Broken Chains (Female-fronted Power Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Extol - Tears of Bitterness (Progressive Black Metal)
Kosmos Express - Dreammaker (Alternative Rock)
Menahem - Escape (Progressive Metal)
Convalesce - Enemies (Metalcore)
Divulgence - The Swarm of Eden (Blackened Thrash)
Cast a Fire - Whisper (Calling You) (Modern Heavy Rock)
Klank - Don't Count Me Out (ft. Jim Chaffin & Larry Farkas) (Industrial/Heavy Rock)
Dead Moons Grey - Hazard (Southern Hard Rock)
Seventh Avenue - Terium (Power Metal)
Pastor Brad - Cold Blooded Killer (ft. Ski Kiersznowski) (Metal/Hard Rock)
Exegesis - Almas Mecanicas (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Steve Yost - Petrafied (Classic Rock)
As I Lay Dying - Vacancy (Metalcore)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!  You can also listen to the show on your Android mobile phone via the free StreamFurious application!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD & e-book Giveaways!!!

It's gonna be a great show, I have 2 CD's to give away tonight!  I'm giving away copies of Lengsel's awesome "The Kiss, The Hope" CD, and also the awesome debut album by I Built the Cross, entitled "Bridging the Gap Between Mind and Heart".  Plus, I'll be throwing in copies of the digital book "Metal Missionaries" which I recently wrote a review of for my weblog: http://metalfroreview.blogspot.com !

Tonight's playlist!!!

Drottnar - Rullett (Experimental Black Metal)
Letter 7 - Runnin' (Classic Metal)
The Echoing Green - Like a Child (Synthpop)
Recession - Masterpiece Theater (Chaotic Hardcore)
Echoes the Fall - Things Will Change (This Time Around) (Modern Heavy Rock)
Seven Angels - Faceless Man (Female-fronted Power Metal)
Circle of Dust - Onenemy (Industrial)
Zion - Is It a Crime? (Classic Metal)
Eztra - Bury the Dead (Death Metal)
Aleixa - Be the One (Female-fronted Techno Rock)
Resurrection Band - Amazing (Classic Rock)
Trytan - Deadly Masquerade (Progressive/Classic Metal)
Dark Lay Still - Psalm Which Speaks of Legends (Black/Death Metal)
Eternal Mystery - Portrait of the Human Heart (Grindcore)
Lengsel - The Pale People (Avant Garde Post-Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Saint - The Rock (Classic Metal)
Deitiphobia - target: humanity (Industrial)
After the Order - Alarmed (Alternative Rock)
Transfigural Form - Trapped (Thrash Metal)
Afterimage - Burning Hands (Modern Death Metal)
Anguidara - Operate (Industrial)
Scuplture - Spiritual Matrix (Thrash Metal)
Towne Cryer - Torn (Female-fronted Metal)
Elgibbor - Days of War and Battle (Black Metal)
Erase - Alone (Groove Metal)
I Built the Cross - Minus One Star For Christianity (Technical Deathcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Holy Blood - In the Lake of Fire (Folk/Black Metal)
Mad at the World - Not the Same (Alternative Rock)
The Blood Reckoning - Scourge (Deathcore)
Fires of Babylon - Devilution (Melodic Power Metal)
Every Man's Hero - No One Ever Said a Word (Hardcore Punk)
Bathtub Mary - IOU (Female-fronted Indie-Pop)
The Seventy Sevens - Snake (Alternative Rock)
Blah - Meat Market (Punk)
Divine Fire - Facing the Liar (Heavy Power Metal)
Love Coma - Entertainment Tonight (Alternative Rock)
Rehumanize - Painlife (Grindcore)
Hguols - Celestial Powers Intervened (Instrumental Black Metal)
Virgin Black - In Winters Ash (Gothic/Doom Metal)
Darkness Before Dawn - Material Existence (Modern Death Metal)
Thy Will Be Done - Subversion of the Sleep (Metalcore)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Monday, May 31, 2010

Metal Missionaries book (2010)


This is a first for my weblog.  Normally I try to pick music that I like & really want to give exposure to (I'm a bit of a fan of "the underdog" if it wasn't already obvious!).  Occasionally I'll have a band or label ask for a review, and they'll either send me a digital download or CD to listen to & give my honest opinion about.  If I accept that challenge, I like to think that I'm not just saying nice things to placate them for getting the free stuff, but that I'm giving them honest feedback about what I truly feel about their particular product.  I haven't run across a situation like that where I didn't enjoy the releases in question, nor have I run into a time when I felt like the label or band was asking more of me than I could deliver because I didn't feel I was qualified to make an objective assessment.  The same can be said about this book offering, entitled "Metal Missionaries: The Assimilation of Extreme Christian Metal into the Mainstream Consciousness" - quite the mouthful!


This is an interesting book, with a cool concept.  Interview a bunch of bands and give them the exact same set of questions.  Each band answers the questions in a different way, based on any number of factors.  The list of questions drills down to the heart of what it is to be in a Christian band" and just what focus each band takes on, such as expressing their faith through art, blatant evangelism, or perhaps somewhere in between.  The questions are all well thought-out, and generally elicit very good, often very complete responses.  They are worded in such a way that it's pretty clear what the interviewer/author is asking for.

What I really like about this book is the diversity of bands interviewed.  Not so much from a genre perspective, but more from the vantage ponit that there are "big names" (as big as extreme faith-based metal can be, anyway), and little small bands who are just beginning to make a name for themselves.  There are brand new bands, and seasoned veterans of the "scene" as well.  There are bands who are in it for the art & to please the Lord, and others are out there trying to win souls for Christ.  The musical diversity is good as well, ranging from melodic metalcore & "southern hardcore" bands to brutal death & black metal acts, and some range in between.  The fact that this spread is present means the author took time to really think about the list of bands for the book.  In addition, this book spans America, Europe, Eastern Europe, as well as Central and South America in its span, so the majority of locations where faith-based extreme metal comes from are well-represented.

There are a couple minor quips.  First, the photos used were almost always "stretched" to fit an area, and it looks kind of bad.  They are also usually too small to fit the space, so when stretched also look really pixellated.  If a bit more time had been taken to select or obtain more space-fitting photos, that would have improved the look of the book.  Also, genre-nazis like me will note a couple spots where the genre tags might not be totally accurate.  There are a couple minor grammatical things gonig on, but only the most picky of readers will likely pick up on those bits.  The only other potential complaint is that the spectrum of bands isn't even greater.  In other words, there aren't any "huge" names like Demon Hunter or As I Lay Dying, or any truly obscure bands from the underground.  Again, this is a minor complaint, as the spread is good enough for most fans to get an idea of the diversity of perspectives.

All in all, aside from the minor issues noted above, this is a quality book with a lot of interesting perspective.  Bruce does a good job setting up the interviews with history & background, and his own story in there gives good context as to the kind of outreach that "Christian metal" seeks to be & do.  Despite being in digital form only, I'd say this is probably the best example of a literary work on the subject of more extreme forms of metal with a slant from the Christian faith perspective.  Recommended.


Video review:


Sunday, May 23, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + interview!!!

Tonight's episode is very exciting!  First, I'm replaying an interview I broadcast several months ago with Colin Parrish, guitarist & songwriter for the new band Monolith.  Their debut album just came out on the 22nd of May, so it's a great time to share this with you all again!  Secondly, everything else you hear in the show besides the Monolith & Asher (Colin's former band) songs are new to The Gamut!  Some of it is brand new, other is stuff that's just new to my collection, but everything else is making its debut in The Gamut this evening!

Not only that, but tonight we have 2 CD giveaways - the awesome black metal assault that is Wintersoul, with their debut "Frozen Storm Apocalypse", plus the debut from Sullen Records artists Willow Mount, entitled "Vanitas"!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Hguols - In This Exchange Of Demise (Instrumental Black Metal)
Steve Yost - Petrafied (Hard/Classic Rock)
War of Ages - Eternal (feat. Sonny of POD) (Metalcore)
Pastor Brad - I Live (Hard Rock/Metal)
The Right Wing Conspiracy - Stepped On Your Toes (Grindcore)
Eternal Mystery - Visions of Black (Grindcore)
Ken Tamplin - Livin' For My Lord (Commercial Metal/Hard Rock)
The Lead - Oh No, Not Again (Female-fronted Hardcore Punk)
Wintersoul - Dawn of Ice Hearts (Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Alkemyst - Another You (Progressive Metal)
Impending Doom - More Than Conquerors (Deathcore)
Jacob's Trouble - Wild, Wild Ride (Rock)

Asher (CA) - Exhortation (Female-fronted Melodic Metal)
Asher (CA) interview, part 1
Asher (CA) - The Shadow Hour
Asher (CA) - Fallen
Asher (CA) interview, part 2
Asher (CA) - Paradox
Asher (CA) - Unavoidable
Monolith interview, part 1
Monolith - A Faithful Few (Symphonic Extreme Metal)
Monolith - Call of Wisdom
Monolith interview, part 2
Monolith - Chokehold
Monolith - Break the Cycle
Monolith interview, part 3
Monolith - Golgotha
Asher (CA) - This Burden

Take It Back! - Lost Generation (Hardcore)
Vindex - Far Down Under the Ground (Metal)
Willow Mount - Kingdom of the Night Owl (Black Metal) - CD Giveaway!!!
Sereiah - Devastating Daydream (80s Metal)
The Way Sect Bloom - Subsidize (Techno Industrial)
The Last Hope - Fabrication (Punk)
Soul-Junk - (gimel) the teeth (Indie Rock)
Corrosion Bath - Bile Infusion (Experimental Noise/e-Grind)
Rebelhead - Dreams (Groove Metal)
Elgibbor - Lord Inquisitor (Black Metal)
Philadelphia - Search and Destroy (Classic Metal)
Overture Divine - Only a Man (Progressive Hard Rock)
Mantric - Tower of Silence (Progressive Post-Hardcore/Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

"The Gamut" - tonight's playlist + CD Giveaway!!!

Tonight's theme is a take on the famous words of Mr. Miyagi: "Different, but same."  What we have is 2 different bands, 2 differend styles of music, but the 2 share the same song title.  I'll be playing each pair of these shared song titles back to back, so you can get the contracst of band & style.  It's always a fun time when I'm left to my own devices in coming up with playlists & themes!

Also, tonight we have a CD giveaway - the smokin' new album by Wrench In the Works, "Decrease/Increase".  This is a potent, heavy burst of noisy metalcore that will likely surprise some by how heavy & intense it is!  Tune in to have your chance to win a copy!

Tonight's playlist!!!

Crimson Thorn - Eternal Life (Death Metal)
Adiastasia - Eternal Life (Progressive Metal)
Eternal Ryte - Surrender (Classic/Commercial Metal)
Floodline - Surrender (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Dead Risen - I Am (Death/Grindcore)
In Grief - I Am (Progressive Extreme Metal)
Exeter Flud - Mystery (Alternative Rock)
Letter 7 - Mystery (Classic Metal)
Dead Artist Syndrome - Alone (Gothic Rock)
Harmony - Alone (Power Metal)
Bringing Down Broadway - Destiny (Metalcore)
Scourged Flesh - Destiny (Groove/Thrash/Death Metal)
Stricken - Gethsemane (Groove Metal)
Wrench in the Works - Gethsemane (Noisy Metalcore) - CD Giveaway!!!
Grave Robber - Fear No Evil (Horror Punk)
Watchmen - Fear No Evil (Classic Metal)
Patriarchs - Hope (Melodic Hardcore)
AWAS - Hope (Death Metal)
Deliverance - Deliverance (Thrash Metal)
Sovereign Strength - Deliverance (Hardcore)
Of the Son - Lion of Judah (Metalcore)
Rob Rock - Lion of Judah (Power Metal)
Divine Fire - Out of the Darkness (Power Metal)
Bloodgood - Out of the Darkness (Classic Metal/Hard Rock)
Deitiphobia - Communion (Industrial)
One-21 - Communion (Punk Rock)
Die Happy - Justified (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Extol - Justified (Progressive Black Metal)
MAd at the World - Mad at the World (Synthpop)
Magdalen - Mad at the World (Bluesy Hard Rock)
Divine Symphony - Martyrs (Symphonic Black Metal)
Theocracy - Martyr (Progressive Power Metal)
Orphan Project - Fallen (Progressive Hard Rock)
Asher (CA) - Fallen (Female-fronted Melodic Metal/Ballad)
Sacred Warrior - Famine (Classic Metal)
Indwelling - Famine (Death Metal)

Don't forget to visit the new Untombed website @ www.untombed.com !  You can tune in easily via the web-based player (just go the "Radio" tab), link to the stream via your regular audio player, read album reviews, get music news, and link up to other great resources, including the newly redesigned Divine Metal Distro site, your one-stop source for all things Christian rock and metal!

Alternate links to listen to the stream in a separate player (Winamp recommended, though Real Player, VLC, iTunes and others work as well):
http://207.192.71.70:8000/listen.pls
http://radio.fuhell.com:8000/listen.pls

Here's the link for Windows Media Player:
http://207.192.71.70:8000

Also our stream can now be heard on Nintendo Wii! If you have a Wii, here is what you do:

1.go on the net via your Wii console
2. type "www.Wiihear.com" into your browser address box
3. type "207.192.71.70:8000 into the Search box
4. Click the play arrow

It can take 5-10 seconds to load up & buffer, so please be patient when using this feature :)

You can also stream the station via xyzmp3.com on your PSP, PS3, Wii, iPhone, or even your TiVo!  Plus you can stream the show via your Windows Mobile phone with the free GSPlayer application!