COMPILATION TAPE/CD REVIEWS

ITALIAN EXPERIENCES III (Italy)
Path Of Experiences Records, 2002
12 Italian bands presenting a track each that mostly sings in Italian. This CD came to the wrong place. I didn't know there are so many bands like The Path (the band I reviewed in issue #1, which sounded like bands here that are also Italian) The bands here play rock, modern hardcore, etc of the types that I don't listen to. The bands may be good but they are not my fave. They are Dianira, Living Dream, Falling Silence, Spellcraft, Ali Perdute, Gamila, Kardia, Fucktotem, Nuclear Devastation (the only grindcore band here. Why are they here??), Meschalina, Bright Corner, and Hollywood Vampyres. The booklet is thick, with band picture, logo and bio. I can only hear Fucktotem (dark rock) and Hollywood Vampyres (just because they are fast). Taste the 'Italian experience' but surely not for metalheads.
1.5/5-Syukri

GUITARS THAT RULE THE WORLD (Taiwan)
Compilation CD
Magnum Music, 2002
The bands/artists featuring in this compilation tries to show how good they are by using the guitars. Only the guitars speak in this CD as most of the songs are instrumentals. Many great riffs and solos can be heard in either thrash or heavy metal. Since this CD in Chinese and not written in English, I can only describe it referring to the track number. The first track one is OSIRIS with its thrash violence (killz!), the second track is a heavy metal like those Malmsteen songs, the third track is also thrash (just okay), the fourth one is speed/heavy metal song (great solos), the fifth one is a country song, the sixth track is less the speed of the forth but it is still interesting, the seventh one is a normal rock ballad, the eight one is a rock like those in Steve Vai I guess, the ninth track is industrial song (Depeche Mode with guitar?), the tenth track brings back the speed and heaviness (yeah!), then it's continued by VA (melodic heavy metal) and the CD ends with an industrial song titled "UFO" which the guitar plays for 10 seconds. Another good sampler from Magnum but I am only into those heavy and speed stuffs.
c/o magnum@magnum.com.tw
3.5/5-Syukri

METAL LEGION (Singapore)
Sonic Wave, 1998
I think Malaysian bands have an edge over bands from Singapore in terms of sound quality and song structure. This CD consists of 5 bands from Singapore with 2 tracks each and only Rudra stands out in Sound Quality and song structure, proper audible parts and defined music. Their song Aatma (meaning Soul in Hindi) is an awesome track which starts off with a tabla (Indian classical percussion instrument) and guitar as intro. Rudra has its roots in India no wonder their songs always revolve around Gods and Godesses (India has truckloads of them!), leaving that aside they are very good musicians and composers. Amongst the other 4 bands, I really could not differentiate between them as they all sound  the same (Thrash/Death). Nothing great about this compilation besides Rudra. So if you've already heard Rudra this is not for you, if you havent heard Rudra yet go out and buy an Album of theirs not this Compilation.
(p/s editor~ This compilation is quite old, released somewhere in 1998/99 and I think it is sold out except for the tape version)
1/5-Shahenil

METAL TREASURE ATTIC 2 (Taiwan)
Compilation CD
Magnum Music, 2001
A fine compilation of Taiwanese bands, maybe not all but mostly I guess hailing from Taiwan. This is the first release that I got from Magnum Music and I am very impressed with the quality they presented in both the music and also the packaging (thick and great looking booklet!). Most of the writing in the CD is in Chinese but there's English translation for the band and track title. The CD starts with SERAPHIM (the Taiwanese band that I have been waiting to hear all the years since the creation of Steel Madness. Melodic black/power metal). Next DRAGON GLORY with its catchy power metal (the vocal can be improved though) and then continued by BLUE MOON (another speed power metal. Killer music, great vocals!). Y2K then changes the mood with its 9 minutes rock ballad (some good guitars can be heard but not my type). ANUBIS shocks me with the old Metallica-sounding intro before continuing in the melodic black/thrash metal style. I am back in my mood now and MORPHEUS (Blind Guardian?) continues to please me. Again, heavy/power metal but with much better vocals than Blue Moon. BLACK FORCE plays thrash metal (just okay musically. The vocalist can sing in both harsh and high pitch power-metal like vocals). SHO N' TELL is a duo Caucasian band (thrash metal with harsh industrial -like vocals but sounds like a one-man band with drum machine although using a real human drum). The CD spins for almost 50 minutes and ends with CILIA (soothing gothic metal/rock with female voice). The bands here are quite amusing with great guitar works, except for a few which is not the type of music I like but that is a small reason for you to not get a copy of this CD.
c/o magnum@magnum.com.tw
4.5/5-Syukri

RESURRECTION OF THE GODS 2
Underground Metal Attack From China
Mort Productions, 2003
Another metal from China! Only 11 (new) bands this time and you should check them out! Except for RITUAL DAY which now has an album out, where did the bands in the first volume go? I am dying to hear the new output from the bands in the first volume, now add another 11 to the list. I was too brief in my last review so now I will change that. Just like the previous, the songs (and also the band's name) are in Chinese (except for Hyponic) but with English translation of the track title. I still don't like this style. They can write these in Chinese but should write the words in English wording beside translating them. There are some words in the booklet written in Chinese which I don't know what it means but everything else is in English. And again, no band contact address. The bands in the CD; NETHER FLUTE "The Warrior Story"; the song already suggest their music. Power metal usually uses such topic in their song. On listening for few seconds, I thought they are playing thrash (due to the intro). The music is great except for the vocals which I am not really fond of. : SPLIT EDGE "Steel Heart"; another power metal. Its starts with screams like I used to hear in METAL CHURCH. From that I start to headbang, punching my fist in the air until the 4 minutes end! : FROZEN MOON "Fate"; gothic doomy black metal with female vocals and keyboards. Just fine except for the keyboard which getting on my nerve sometimes. The male vocalist is screaming and moaning at the same time. He really needs some aspirin. Not an insult but a compliment! Just don't get yourself to psychiatric ward. : DOOM BLADE "Blood Sacrifice"; atmospheric black metal. Some female vocals, the keyboards are not harming my ears. This is pretty good. 6 unboring minutes. 'They bring doomsday on stage...'. I can see why. They are 6 members, and that can destroy the stage in those small nightclubs. : SAGA "Triumph"; classical power metal. The lead vocal is a female with a nice voice. The solos are great, just like other bands in this style. The song is about the Chinese Red Army 1934-1935. I guess it's a patriotic song? A headbang-able patriotic song!: ABYSS "Abaddon Search"; dark death metal. Dark, as they use some haunting keyboard and female background vocal. A mid-pace death metal song.: HYPONIC with "Metamorphosis"; this is the song which Shanu (Steel Madness contributor) reviewed that make me anxious to hear it. "Metamorphosis" shows the band become heavier and much more doom metal. Very deep growl, dark and doomish. This year should unleash their new material and this is a very tasty preview. : REGICIDE "Criminal Jail"; brutal death metal. DISGORGE, DEVOURMENT, BRODEQUIN, DYING FETUS, DEEDS OF FLESH, INTERNAL BLEEDING (should I add more?). Great song but I think the drum is too fast which makes it sound like a drum machine. They need to find the right sound. : DEADLY SINS "Awake Inner Evil", another brutal death metal but with a bit DEICIDE in it. This is better than the previous band. : OPERATING TABLE "Cerebrotomy", the last band and another brutal death metal. This is the best death metal in this CD. Perfect sound, musically a perfect mix of everything that makes a good death metal anthem. At the end of this CD I realized (and maybe you too), the band is grouped and arranged according their metal style.
c/o Mort Productions; wang@areadeath.net
4.5/5-Syukri

SOUTHERN ABYSMALL HELLFIRE (Philippines)
Compilation CDr
Davao Death, 2003
They promise to send the cover but I still haven't received it until the time of doing this review. I can only tell you about the bands; HUMAN MASTICATION (grind/death), FUNEBRAL (fast black metal), FATAL DESASTER (good death/grind, the sound is better than the rest), AL IBLIS (featuring "Al Nakbah" taken from "Hasmadat Goyem"), DYSENTERY (brutal death), ARMOR PIERCING (death/hardcore), LORD CHAIPAS (doom/stoner rock). Except for FATAL DESASTER, the sound for other songs is quite bad. As for the interesting bands; check out FUNEBRAL, FATAL DESASTER and especially LORD CHAIPAS. I did discover more good bands beside AL IBLIS and now you know so I suggest you get the band's release.
2.5/5-Syukri

STORM OF NEBIULA 2002 (Malaysia)
Nebiula Productions, 2002
I am bit late on reviewing this CD. This is another volume of Storm Of Nebiula compilation series and this features tracks from the label's present and upcoming releases. Well, most of them have been released (it's me that is late in reviewing them). Unlike the previous volume, this one feature less exclusive tracks.7 bands, 11 tracks. A track each from Damien (from their debut MCD, band with members of Sil Khannaz), PYRON (from the debut EP) and VOCIFERATION ETERNITY (from the latest cass.EP). Others present 2 tracks; MANTAK (from debut cass.LP), AS~SAHAR, MESMERIZED and RASPATUL. The last three are exclusive, not yet released tracks. A bit info about them (review on other bands, you can read elsewhere in this zine); As~Sahar is still As~Sahar like you heard in "Intifada". Mesmerized no longer uses Jaie (Sil Khannaz's vox) as the vocalist. Jadam sings this time. The two tracks here are a bit eerie and darker which is much better than the debut CD and of course thousands of times better than the remix he did for some metal songs. RASPATUL is from Singapore playing death thrash. Sometimes it reminds me of their local Brutal Fear (r.i.p.) but only a little bit. I like to hear more from this band. Grab this CD if you want to hear Mesmerized and Raspatul.
3/5-Syukri

STORM OF NEBIULA 2002 (Malaysia)
Nebiula Productions, 2002
WHOA!!!! This is one Asian Compilation thats gonna BLOW YOU AWAY. Some of the BEST Asian Mights (7 Bands - 11 Tracks) from Malaysia and Singapore show just what and how Metal is supposed to be. Other (poseur) Asian bands who are more towards the "glory" scene of metal should learn something from these bands. As Sahar (Death/Black), Vociferation Eternity, Mantak (Death), Pyron (Death) and Raspatul are Awesome, each perfected in its own style belting out tracks that'll make you wonder where these guys were for so long. Nebiula Records (nebiula@mailexcite.com) sure does a great job every now and then by showcasing these talented bands in their compilations. Vociferation Eternity's - Chant of Sadness is a perfect blend of Death/Black metal, one of the best songs I have heard from any Asian Band yet also As Sahar's - Polisi something.. I think it means FUCK THE POLICE (YEAH FUCK 'EM). A new band Raspatul (Thrash/Death) also promises us some good music in the near future with their tracks Menghitung Ajal and A.O.D. Also Mantak and Pyron seem to be promising. This Compilation is HIGHLY recommended to anyone who hasn't experienced the Asian Might yet and to those who have, this definitely is a collectors item. A professionally released CD with an informative inlay and stuff clocking 55 mins with 11 tracks.
5/5-Shahenil