Aeterna Hystoria - Legends of Ausphaal (2010: M & O Records)

Minor league prog/folk
shows its shortcomings throughout,
no hope to change that.

http://www.myspace.com/aeternahystoriaband

Absentia Lunae - Historia Nobis Assentietvr (2009: ATMF)

Fine line splits tune/noise.
Bad sign: first track prompts migraines,
little gain from there.

http://www.myspace.com/absentialunae

Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe II (2010: Roadrunner)

Rob-by-numbers lacks
scare of previous spook shows;
contract fulfilled.

http://www.robzombie.com/store/product/25/Hellbilly-Deluxe-2-Limited-Edition-Deluxe-Box-Set

T. Rex - Futuristic Dragon (2006: Rhino - a reissue/remaster of 1976: EMI)

Great job reissuing
this relic of glam-bam days;
give or take tunes though.

http://www.connollyco.com/discography/trex/dragon.html

Pandemonium - Insomnia (2002: JCM Records)

In Flames fan club give
odd mix for busy riff sets;
budget melo-death

http://www.pandemonium-metal.com/

Strikken - Arcanum (2005: Bare Metal)

Well intentioned but
falls short and painfully flat;
hope live show's better.

http://www.strikken.com/music.html

Defleshed - Under the Blade (2005: Candlelight reissue of 1997: Invasion)

Deathly chugging fits
norm if not wee slow and.... quaint?!?
less caustic - no flaw.

http://www.myspace.com/defleshedsweden

Golden Earring - Bloody Buccaneers (1991: First Strike)

"Radar Love" guys can't
bottle lightning twice; title's
spryer than all songs

http://www.goldenearring.nl/discography/album.php?id=22

Slayer - South of Heaven (1988: Def Jam)

Mix gives layers but
tones lack cohesion/Reign threat;
falls short of the hype.

http://www.slayer.net/us/music/south-heaven

Thy Serpent - Lords of Twilight (1997: Spinefarm)

By the books blackness
with some atmosphere thrown in;
Fine for what it is.

http://www.thyserpent.net/discography.asp

Stratovarius - Intermission (2001: Nuclear Blast)

Hyper-clean and nice,
sounds too safe to register;
big name, small impact.

http://old.stratovarius.com/index2.php?section=discography

Absu - S/T (2009: Candlelight)

Texans hone tech-black
buzzing riffs, whir without quit;
no complaints at all.

http://www.myspace.com/absu

Kittie - In the Black (2009: E1 Distribution)

More clean than growl, song
than snarl, buy-it than bullshit;
decent but not grand.

http://www.kittierocks.com/news

Stephen Pearcy - Stripped (2006: Sidewinder)

Ratt-tracks unplugged like
old dog trying past tricks; old
joints just don't comply.

http://host.pappapak25.com/~stephenp/item_13/Stripped.htm

Jaguar - Power Games (1998: Metal Blade - a reissue of 1983: Neat)

Blunt speed from before
double kicks rolls ran amok;
product of its time.

http://www.jaguar-online.com/?q=node/16

Graveyard Rodeo - Sowing Discord in the Haunts of Man (1993: Century Media)

NOLA sludge hidden
by skatecore shouts, subpar skill;
aged like milk to boot.

http://www.myspace.com/graveyardrodeo

Juliana's Pony - Total System Failure (2000: Zoe)

Alt-girl grown old, pissed
that life's silver spoon tarnished;
buzzing dark and bleak.

http://www.julianahatfield.com/tsf.htm

LeCompt - S/T (1992: Quarry)

Last gasps for Tangier
voice and cast-off Philly friends;
foot short of brass ring.

http://lecompt.com/ecommerce/

Peccatum - The Moribund People (2005: Mnemosyne Productions)

Whiplash tempo-style
swings stay gray in tone throughout;
EP length begs more.

http://www.mnemosyne.no/productions/

Gilby Clarke - Swag (2002: Spitfire)

B-grade rocker gives
heartfelt effort to escape
GnR shadow.

http://www.gilbyclarke.com/discography.html

Metalium - Grounded - Chapter Eight (2009: Massacre)

Slightly more subtle
Dream Evil - still lummox-dumb,
still forgettable.

http://www.metalium.de/disc.html

Dream Evil - In the Night (2010: Century Media)

Power dudes push all
clichés full bore(d); a lyrical
abomination.

http://www.dreamevil.se/