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Last update : 15/09/2010

This is it... if every good thing comes to an end, I guess this zine could have lived forever! Instead, it might become the mausoleum of mediocrity... But if our english and general reviewing "skills" won't be remembered, we may have discovered a bunch of interesting newcomers. And I'm glad to close this long chapter (22 years?) with a review of one of the most original bands I've heard for ages :

Thanx to Eric "Baygon" and Roberto "Poupats" for starting this thing and, of course Georges for kicking my ass for over 15 years!
Thanx to the bands and labels, special mention to Mike De Coene...
And huge thanx to Asphodel and Alexis for trusting me and ... and ...

Game Over

Steph PTC

New CD
reviews

After thousands mistakes and average english, stupid and aimless reviews and almost twenty years entirely dedicated to underground music PullTheChain (and Toxik Waltz our weekly radio-show for fifteen years) are no longer. We want to concentrate all our energy onto our other main activity: The Metal Méan Festival . Also based on a non-profit basis, the organisation of the fest requires most of our available time. See you there.

More reviews are coming and a final message will be posted very soon!

SHORT REVIEWS

SHENANIGANZ «Open Your Eyes or Cover Your Head» (Silverwolf Productions / Gordeon) : appears to us to have quite a significant amount of not incredibly good metal bands. Shenaniganz are one of those bands playing old school rock and roll metal with strong AC/DC influences. Thus pretty different from the rest of the shit in those pages, this is rock and roll my sixty years old father likes. Taking that into consideration I think I’ll let him review it as well… http://www.silverwolf-productions.com/
http://www.shenaniganz.de
MENDEED «Shadows War Love, The Very Best Of Mendeed» (Rising Rec. / Gordeon) : This one is a strange release, if I’m right Rising Rec. already re-released almost the entire back catalogue of this now dead project. What we get here is a kind of compilation of the band’s previous works. Musically, this English band is a kind of nice encounter between thrashcore and melodic death metal with a modern (almost nu-metal) background. This is not my favourite kind of stuff but Mendeed are way more interesting than most of those nowadays teen-agers bands (perhaps because they are more guitar orientated than anything else and surely because they try to impose their own ideas and don’t always follow the ultra formatted musical paths). http://www.risingrecords.org
SHARP PRACTISE «Radiocity» (Rising Records / Gordeon) This «Radiocity» shall not be air-played a tour weekly radio-show. Sorry but this kind of stuff is simply too far from what I can endure. This is some kind of boring rock ‘n’ roll music with boring guitar solo actions the whole coupled with ultra boring vocal lines. Avoid being given this at all costs. Big shit in a nutshell. http://www.sharppractise.com
http://www.risingrecords.co.uk
TESSMARKA «Tessmarka» (Rising Records) Rock. So many information in just one single word. Unfortunately, we can’t write a one word review isn’t it? As even as rich in meaning this word is, it would leave you a bit in the dark as to exactly what «Tessmarka» is. As I’m a good guy (yes I am) I will go on a little bit more even if this English based act perfectly plays the kind of music I’m unable to endure, I mean some kind of pop rock ‘n’ roll with powerless punk references. Tessmarka are a new band with some conviction…but I just realize you’re not reading anymore …so I think I will also leave it here. http://www.tessmarka.co.uk
http://www.risingrecords.co.uk

P:407 "Themes For The Coming Apokalypse" (Consouling Sounds) : belgian two-piece formerly in The Quiescent (and including Gorath's head Filip Dupont) delivering atmospheric and kinda emotional music using metal as a background. Not much singing probably because it's not the most interesting element here, the mature and melancholic melodies doing most of the job with a superb result. Highly recommended!
http://www.myspace.com/p407
OMERTA "Blacken The Days Of Man" (self) : another belgian band trying to put the land on the map with some very aggressive metalcore with strong death meatl background. Very intense riffing on offer, dual singing (metalcore and grunts). The 6 tracks (+ intro) on offer are full of great ideas and even if metalcore bores you to death, the metal side of things coupled with the energy displayed should convince you Omerta mean business!
http://www.myspace.com/omertametal
ORB OF TORTURE "Cryogenic Cleansing//Four Elaborations Of Cold" (self) : brutal death metal with many american influences and many technical passages. At first, the basic grunts and snare drums give the feeling these 4 tracks are a bit too linear and dull, but a careful listening show some great potential. Moreover, those young dudes are pretty impressing on a live situation. I'm sure a better production would benefit the band big time. I'll keep an eye on 'em for sure.
http://www.myspace.com/orboftorture
GRIM MONOLITH "Mooncrowned" (self) : mix of traditional black metal and viking metal, that sounds like the band hails from scandinavian fields while they're actually from Italy. This album may sound cliché and a real rip-off of some of the work of the biggest grim faces from the North, but it may also be considered as a nice tribute. This album sounds cold and catchy, like in the old days. Is it the promo version, i don't know, but most songs end a weird way.
http://www.grimmonolith.tk/

08/02/2009

MENDEED "Positive Metal Attitude" Rising Records : scottish melodic thrash band (that recently disbanded), offering some kind of thrash Iron Maiden (or early Helloween maybe) with a few metalcore singing and even a few nu metal passages they should have avoided. Despite average production (recorded live in a BBC studio), it seems obvious those guys were rather good and could have gone places. This last release contains 4 "studio" song and 6 "b-sides".
A POETIC YESTERDAY "A Little South Of Zero" Rising records : Another emocore band, alternating unbearable modern hardcore screaming with melodic emotional singing that actually sound good in spite of their trendy nature. The whole album sounds rather catchy and professional but I guess it's been done before and I don't really feel excited with this kind of fashionable stuff.
REVOLTING COCKS "Sex-o Olympic-o" (13th Plane) Those who had the chance of experiencing the last tour of Ministry last year will probably give an ear to this new release, hoping to catch some extra Al Jourgensen genuine work. Unfortunately, Revolting cocks are to Ministry what Bon Jovi is to Morbid Angel. "Sexo Olympico" is a collection of electro, industrial dance tunes I'm totally unable to get into. I'm rather open-minded when it comes to some weird side-projects, but this band belongs to a particular musical universe that my little knowledge can't reach.
DISCIPLINE "Old Pride, New Glory" I Scream records : Holland street-skinners have gathered all the cover tunes they've recorded on a double-cd. The eindhoven four-piece manage to offer a very good tracklist of what have probably influenced them through the years, from old (punk) rock and oï to hardcore and even a bit of hard rock/metal, 30 songs that are covered with the band's very own touch and respect at the same time. Great!
CIVET http://www.myspace.com/civet: this female L-A punk band sounds so mean, with such a dirty attitude, you wouldn't want to meet the band members being afraid of getting crabs! But one quick glance at one single pic prooved me wrong, nice ladies can play raw street-punk and what I've heard so far is a delight! Signed on Hellcat, those girls will go places!
SOCIETYS PARASITES http://www.myspace.com/societysparasites: another huge L-A band on Hellcat. Those guys are more in the fast angry punk in the vein of The Casualties but faster and slightly more hardcore-influenced.
CEREMONY "Still Nothing Moves You" Bridge Nine : Hard to pigeonhole, Ceremony play their own, very personal kind of punkish hardcore, avoiding most clichés of the genre, with some kind of sarcastic Youth of Today kinda vocals and strange breaks and unexpected rhythm decelerations. Obviously, it's quite refreshing hearing the old-school sound used with such a modern approach. Gotta get used to vocals though. Original.
TEARDOWN "Cyanotic" http://www.myspace.com/teardownband : cool female-fronted finnish band avoiding the traditional unbearable clichés of gothic metal, opting for some kind of The Gathering approach, very atmospheric and relaxing, not too melancholic with mature melodies. Surprisingly good!
PAVILLON ROUGE "Mizuage" http://www.myspace.com/pavillonrougetheband Weird french band that play some kind of electro metal, with a bit of black metal here and there. Sounds and mostly artificial drums sound old-dated on purpose resulting in a journey through time (the 80's that is). Kinda if the french band Indochine had gone metal! 2 original songs + a cover ain't enough to really describe what the band really stands for, but it's rather promising anyway (despite the french lyrics).

16/10/2008 :

THIS OR THE APOCALYPSE "Monuments" Lifeforce : very intense, utterly complex and ultra technical screamy post-metalcore, kinda mix between Mastodon and The Dillinger Escape Plan, rather impressive and ultra violent! A very slight melody line seems to hover over the whole mess, but the chaos shines through the intricate song-structures making your head buzz when silence comes!
ARTAS "The Healing" Napalm records : qualified as "modern metal", Artas deliver their own blend of power groove, modern thrash, metalcore and black metal. There is a slight dosis of humor added here and there. Raw vocals remind me of Hate Squad. The whole thing is groovy and the absolute highlight is the cover of "Gangst's Paradise" a kinda hip hop song that get the black metal (among other styles) treatment here. Certainly the best cover this year!!!
WHEN WE FALL "We Untrue Our Minds" I for us records : swedish Hardcore with outbursts of fury balanced with melodic and emotional passages. As most of their contemporaries, the energy and anger is also filled with a touch of melancholy. Fortunately, the "emo" side isn't pathetic and this cd is rather brilliant in the style. I'm no big fan, but it really sound sincere and professional!
SHOCK TROOPERS http://www.myspace.com/shocktroopersItalian thrash/crossover offering fast and crunchy riffing with the late 80's vibe. For fans of Ratos De Porao, Wehrmacht, Holier Than Thou?, D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies. Excellent stuff !!!