Reviews
from "Doom Generation" & "Oh Say Can You Scream"
Rip
N Tear
www.ripntear.net
V/A - Oh Say Can You Scream? Screaming Ferret Wreckords Vol 1 (Screaming Ferret)
This ten-song comp from Screaming Ferret gives a good sampling of what this little label is capable of. The production is fantabulous, and so are most of the bands. Meliah Rage has a sound eerily similar to old Testament, complete with Practice-era Chuck Billy shouting vocals, Distrust combines death and hardcore for a sound reminiscent of later Sepultura (although before it sucked), Red Right Hand has a sound that is melodic and groove-laden, Candy Striper Death Orgy delve into the realm of classic speed punk, Cold Blooded and Tearabyte are both like bizarre blends of old thrash and power metal with bouncesque moments, however the music isn't hindered, nor does it fall into that "rap crossover" realm that was okay when Ice-T and Mike Patton did it, but sucks when guys like Korn try it. In fact Tearabyte has an Anthrax flavour to it. Disdain is fun but clinched-sounding, with its wonderfully grunt-along-to tune "Reign of Terror" full of bass and guitar riffs straight out of Seasons In The Abyss. Suicide Contest revives a forgone musical era with the bluesy "Ballad of Lew Proudfoot (Manhunter)," who's no Davy Crocket. Recognizer farcically melds rap, rock, punk and sing-along choruses in a musically basic but comedic ditty. The oddball of the label seems to be Comadose who utilize scratches, samples and drum tracks in a way that is contradictory with the old-school feel that much of the album provides. (Weez Graybiel)
Metal Crypt & Metal on Tap
www.metalcrypt.com www.metalontap.com
Tearabyte – Doom Generation (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Tearabyte is a band that was formed in 1998 in Los Angeles after the death of a band named Prime Evil. After playing the LA music scene for a while they recorded this album and then disbanded. This however was not the end of the band as they reformed after moving to Dallas TX. They are currently writing and recording the follow-up to Doom Generation as I write this with a release scheduled early in 2002. Ok, enough with the background you are probably wondering what you can expect from this band. Tearabyte play a form of thrash/speed metal hybrid that reminds me slightly of the old Bay area band Vio-lence. There are some pretty good riffs and hooks scattered throughout the album but unfortunately not enough of them. The vocals are pretty damn good considering the genre. The vocals remind me of another band but for some odd reason I can't place it. If you have or plan to get this album and can figure out who the vocalist sounds like let me know…this is driving me nuts… . The biggest problem I have with this album is the song structure, which sounds a little disjointed at times and seems not to flow very well. Don't get me wrong the album is not horrible by any means it just feels a little rough around the edges but nothing that can't be worked on. There are some pretty good ideas here with a little work and polish this is definitely a band to keep an eye on. I think the next album will be the deciding factor on whether they can take it to the next level or be denigrated to obscurity. I am really hoping for the former. You can find more info on the band at their official website at www.tearabyte.net (Mystophales)
Anti Music
www.antimusic.com
V/A - Oh Say Can You Scream? Screaming Ferret Wreckords Vol 1 (Screaming Ferret)
Personally I love compilation discs, often times you can find little hidden treasures on such CD’s. Independent record companies have found them to be a valuable vehicle for exposing their artists. Alas, it worked again as I had only been familiar with only one band featured on this disc, and only because we recently received their full length CD to review. “Oh Say Can You Scream” is the perfect title for this collection as the disc features music from a wide cross section of the metal underground. Meliah Rage kick things off with a full throttle speed metal tune that easily measures up to anything put out by the major players in the genre. Distrust goes them one heavier with “Breaking the Pain Barrier” a no-holds-barred death metal symphony. Red Right Hand’s “Good Day To Die” is good old fashioned power metal with a head banging riff that gets your blood pumping. Candy Striper Death Orgy offer up their tune “Atomictivity”, a classic speed metal bone crusher that would do Death Angel proud. Cold Blooded are death metal heavy weights in the making. Their contribution here, “End it All”, should grab any serious death metal fan by the balls and have them screaming for mercy. Tearabyte’s “Doom Generation” features some killer guitar riffing and Motorhead-esq vocals, very cool stuff. Disdain’s “Reign of Terror” intro guitar riffs takes you back to the days when Sabbath reigned supreme, then they kick into a metal march reminiscent of early Anthrax or Exodus. Recognizer has a more nu-metal feel to them during the verses than take on a semi-punk stance for the choruses. Comadose is the only band featured here to venture into the rap-core genre, if that’s your bag then these guys have a lot to offer and can stand toe to toe with any other rap-core group on the scene. Suicide Contest’s “Ballad of Lew Proudfoot (Manhunter)” is a hodgepodge of styles from the classic 70’s sounding guitar solo to the punkish verses and power metal riffs; it’s good stuff. Serious fans of “heavy” metal should definitely check this compilation out; it’s a strong collection of songs from some kick ass metal bands that you might not know about. If you know someone who has been hanging out at the mall a little too much, it might also be a good idea to pick up a copy for them so they can hear what they’ve been missing. Think of it as a public service, we can’t have people going around thinking Limp Bizkit is metal, can we? Show them what the real deal is all about. (Anti-guy)
Harderbeat - Nov 2001
www.harderbeat.com
This band kicks ass with, what I call, hell thrash metal. For rock and roll at its finest, they played several tracks off the very excellent, Doom Generation including personal favorite, “Screaming Pig F#*ker From Hell.” They also debuted a lot of new material from their forthcoming CD due in January, and broke out some Motorhead, Metallica and Iron Maiden. Not a bad choice, although given that singer/bassman Al Mead played with the infamous GG Allin for a while, it would have been cool to hear “Drink, Fight and F#*k,” which Tearabyte has been known to do. The band returns to Graffiti’s on Dec. 15 with The Filthy Skanks and Evil Twin. (John Binder)
Harderbeat - July 2001
www.harderbeat.com
Well I’ll be. Band’s CAN still put out albums that slam without sounding like a fourth rate KoRn rip-off. Tearabyte is here! Get used to the name, 'cuz, it’s what the scene needs. Raw ass 80’s heavy - as-a-really-heavy-thing type - METAL. No, they don’t sound like “nu-metal.” They don’t sound like Pantera. They have a mesh of a lot of those Bay Area and even Florida bands we all knew and loved in the age of integrity where metal was concerned. All hail the old school of thrash. The new teachers are here, and they are Al Mead (bass/vox), Dave Bolch (guitar) and Paul Schlieger (drums) - collectively known as Tearabyte. Learn that name; you’ll need to know it. (Matt Amyx)
www.ripntear.net
V/A - Oh Say Can You Scream? Screaming Ferret Wreckords Vol 1 (Screaming Ferret)
This ten-song comp from Screaming Ferret gives a good sampling of what this little label is capable of. The production is fantabulous, and so are most of the bands. Meliah Rage has a sound eerily similar to old Testament, complete with Practice-era Chuck Billy shouting vocals, Distrust combines death and hardcore for a sound reminiscent of later Sepultura (although before it sucked), Red Right Hand has a sound that is melodic and groove-laden, Candy Striper Death Orgy delve into the realm of classic speed punk, Cold Blooded and Tearabyte are both like bizarre blends of old thrash and power metal with bouncesque moments, however the music isn't hindered, nor does it fall into that "rap crossover" realm that was okay when Ice-T and Mike Patton did it, but sucks when guys like Korn try it. In fact Tearabyte has an Anthrax flavour to it. Disdain is fun but clinched-sounding, with its wonderfully grunt-along-to tune "Reign of Terror" full of bass and guitar riffs straight out of Seasons In The Abyss. Suicide Contest revives a forgone musical era with the bluesy "Ballad of Lew Proudfoot (Manhunter)," who's no Davy Crocket. Recognizer farcically melds rap, rock, punk and sing-along choruses in a musically basic but comedic ditty. The oddball of the label seems to be Comadose who utilize scratches, samples and drum tracks in a way that is contradictory with the old-school feel that much of the album provides. (Weez Graybiel)
Metal Crypt & Metal on Tap
www.metalcrypt.com www.metalontap.com
Tearabyte – Doom Generation (Screaming Ferret Wreckords)
Tearabyte is a band that was formed in 1998 in Los Angeles after the death of a band named Prime Evil. After playing the LA music scene for a while they recorded this album and then disbanded. This however was not the end of the band as they reformed after moving to Dallas TX. They are currently writing and recording the follow-up to Doom Generation as I write this with a release scheduled early in 2002. Ok, enough with the background you are probably wondering what you can expect from this band. Tearabyte play a form of thrash/speed metal hybrid that reminds me slightly of the old Bay area band Vio-lence. There are some pretty good riffs and hooks scattered throughout the album but unfortunately not enough of them. The vocals are pretty damn good considering the genre. The vocals remind me of another band but for some odd reason I can't place it. If you have or plan to get this album and can figure out who the vocalist sounds like let me know…this is driving me nuts… . The biggest problem I have with this album is the song structure, which sounds a little disjointed at times and seems not to flow very well. Don't get me wrong the album is not horrible by any means it just feels a little rough around the edges but nothing that can't be worked on. There are some pretty good ideas here with a little work and polish this is definitely a band to keep an eye on. I think the next album will be the deciding factor on whether they can take it to the next level or be denigrated to obscurity. I am really hoping for the former. You can find more info on the band at their official website at www.tearabyte.net (Mystophales)
Anti Music
www.antimusic.com
V/A - Oh Say Can You Scream? Screaming Ferret Wreckords Vol 1 (Screaming Ferret)
Personally I love compilation discs, often times you can find little hidden treasures on such CD’s. Independent record companies have found them to be a valuable vehicle for exposing their artists. Alas, it worked again as I had only been familiar with only one band featured on this disc, and only because we recently received their full length CD to review. “Oh Say Can You Scream” is the perfect title for this collection as the disc features music from a wide cross section of the metal underground. Meliah Rage kick things off with a full throttle speed metal tune that easily measures up to anything put out by the major players in the genre. Distrust goes them one heavier with “Breaking the Pain Barrier” a no-holds-barred death metal symphony. Red Right Hand’s “Good Day To Die” is good old fashioned power metal with a head banging riff that gets your blood pumping. Candy Striper Death Orgy offer up their tune “Atomictivity”, a classic speed metal bone crusher that would do Death Angel proud. Cold Blooded are death metal heavy weights in the making. Their contribution here, “End it All”, should grab any serious death metal fan by the balls and have them screaming for mercy. Tearabyte’s “Doom Generation” features some killer guitar riffing and Motorhead-esq vocals, very cool stuff. Disdain’s “Reign of Terror” intro guitar riffs takes you back to the days when Sabbath reigned supreme, then they kick into a metal march reminiscent of early Anthrax or Exodus. Recognizer has a more nu-metal feel to them during the verses than take on a semi-punk stance for the choruses. Comadose is the only band featured here to venture into the rap-core genre, if that’s your bag then these guys have a lot to offer and can stand toe to toe with any other rap-core group on the scene. Suicide Contest’s “Ballad of Lew Proudfoot (Manhunter)” is a hodgepodge of styles from the classic 70’s sounding guitar solo to the punkish verses and power metal riffs; it’s good stuff. Serious fans of “heavy” metal should definitely check this compilation out; it’s a strong collection of songs from some kick ass metal bands that you might not know about. If you know someone who has been hanging out at the mall a little too much, it might also be a good idea to pick up a copy for them so they can hear what they’ve been missing. Think of it as a public service, we can’t have people going around thinking Limp Bizkit is metal, can we? Show them what the real deal is all about. (Anti-guy)
Harderbeat - Nov 2001
www.harderbeat.com
This band kicks ass with, what I call, hell thrash metal. For rock and roll at its finest, they played several tracks off the very excellent, Doom Generation including personal favorite, “Screaming Pig F#*ker From Hell.” They also debuted a lot of new material from their forthcoming CD due in January, and broke out some Motorhead, Metallica and Iron Maiden. Not a bad choice, although given that singer/bassman Al Mead played with the infamous GG Allin for a while, it would have been cool to hear “Drink, Fight and F#*k,” which Tearabyte has been known to do. The band returns to Graffiti’s on Dec. 15 with The Filthy Skanks and Evil Twin. (John Binder)
Harderbeat - July 2001
www.harderbeat.com
Well I’ll be. Band’s CAN still put out albums that slam without sounding like a fourth rate KoRn rip-off. Tearabyte is here! Get used to the name, 'cuz, it’s what the scene needs. Raw ass 80’s heavy - as-a-really-heavy-thing type - METAL. No, they don’t sound like “nu-metal.” They don’t sound like Pantera. They have a mesh of a lot of those Bay Area and even Florida bands we all knew and loved in the age of integrity where metal was concerned. All hail the old school of thrash. The new teachers are here, and they are Al Mead (bass/vox), Dave Bolch (guitar) and Paul Schlieger (drums) - collectively known as Tearabyte. Learn that name; you’ll need to know it. (Matt Amyx)
