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Bacteria13
Hatross Overlord
Joined: 30 Jan 2003
Posts: 2465
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 Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:12 am Post subject: ARCTIC CIRCLE - FORCING THE ASTRAL |
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Arctic Circle - Forcing the Astral
(Profound Lore Records)
Having reviewed AC's demo 'Cult Weapons' back in February '05 I was pleased though not surprised to read that they landed themselves a record deal with Profound Lore. And according to vocalist/guitarist Sean Vermentor, 'Bush Metal' is the cacophonous sound of Arctic Circle, combining all the best (and worse) that black, death & thrash metal have to offer. And while not affiliated with the scandalous Bush administration, Canada's great white bezerkers are no less as lethal.
As much as I tend to use flair, debonair & fancy word-play when describing extreme music the truth is AC deserve all that I (and you) throw at them, be it high praise or an empty bottle. Unlike the boy who cried wolf I really, really mean it this time.
Opener 'Man Must Know' chokes and splutters to a start with obligatory feedback & gutteral screams before not so much blasting as escaping from the speakers. The hilariously titled 'Pull the Knife Outta Me' throbs mercilessly like an eight-inch blade embedded in your skull. 'Horrible, Impossible' is AC's take on doom, and a horrid, rabid beast it is too. The strangely titled 'Dead on Hooked from the Sky' twists and turns, like one of those wierd sci-fi snakes which enters your skull via your ear and sucks the jelly from your brain (no, I'm not getting paid for this). There is some respite with the acoustic 'Arctic Fevers', before 'Aurora Furnace' slowly builds momentum like the count-down of a dirty nailbomb. 'Mirror out the Window' is an out-and-out thrasher, with plenty of cymbal crashing and snare bashing from human tornado Johnny Cloud.
Make no mistake - Arctic Circle is not for everyone. They play a mean, nasty, two-dollar hooker form of metal, which will either have you vomiting with disgust or going back for more. Huge fans of Voivod, they graciously dedicated this album to Piggy & the band, which makes them gentlemen (if snarling, ugly sum bitches gentlemen) in my book.
Want in? Go here for samples:
http://www.arcticcircle.memebot.com/blog/index.html
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