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I've got a scant three short music reviews in, two being EP's and the other being a vinyl edition, but it's the last of the lot really.

Church of Misery - Denis Nilsen EP

Astounding. With a new guitarist (an Aussie in a Jap band. Hrm...) and the tensions rising of a new album, a new EP brings the goods of what's tobe expected. The band had recorded new material in a vintage environment and took their theme of serial killers to a groovier height. Never has this band sounded more 70s.

The 12" starts off with a quote about the serial killer Richard Speck before blasting in with the catchiest bass-heavy groove you will ever hear. "Born To Raise Hell" churns along before breaking into a mid-tempo crunch with singer Hideki's harsh vocals. It pumps through it's verses and hooks before locking into a somber bass groove and mass of doom. And god I love the bass in this band, it's waaaaaay ******** loud and meatier than a cannibal massacre!! Thank god this track will be on the new album, cos' if you're missing it, you're missing a shitload.

Cranley Gardens (Denis Nilsen) is a slower, more bluesy number with a chorus that screams of nightmares.

"YOU'RE ******** MURDERED, OH YOU'RE ********' MURDERED!"

It's easy going but it has a bite all it's own.

The next track? A cover of Pentagram! Hurricane, no less! It's fast as s**t and raw as HELL! One of the best covers this band has done, save for Come Touch The Sky and One Way...Or Another...and well, every other cover they've ever done. They cover good obscure s**t.

The b-side to the vinyl is a 15-minute savage improv entitled "Hymn Of The Satanic Empire". Hideki is doing disturbing spoken-word in pure, unbridled English, the rhythm pounds along, and the solos, my GOD the solos. Tom "Satan" Sutton is really showing his marks in this ******** act.

Oh, and by the way, Church of Misery are a japanese band that play all their songs about serial killers. Imagine Black Sabbath watching waaay too much TruTV and you got it in a nutshell. Oh and the bassist plays right on the neck. I just thought I would mention that.

My verdict: Since it's limited to 500 in Finland and already out-of-print, you'd have to EBay it. Better yet, find someone who has a copy, kill him, and take his record collection while jamming to this. Then when they send you to jail, your wife can have something to listen to during prison shower time.

7/7

Candlemass - Lucifer Rising EP

Okay, they claim it may be the longest EP ever, with two new songs, a re-recorded classic, and NINE live tracks, it clocks in at 72 minutes! For only ten dollars.

While the title of "longest EP ever" is not entirely true. Reverend Bizarre takes that title with Harbinger of Metal (73:59) and Return To The Rectory (74:06) while Sunn O))) creeps in with a 2-disc EP "Oracle", clocking in at 80:55.

But yeah, this EP. If last year's King Of The Grey Islands gave you a teaser for new singer Robert Lowe, then this nearly drives it home! The title track, Lucifer Rising pounds with grinding speed and the chant of Lucifer...Lucifer...Lucifer RISING!!! goes over and over, burning in your very mind. Unbridled DOOM at it's best.

The other new song, White God, is a little slower in the veins of NWOBHM, but still very good.

The re-recording however is of Demon's Gate, originally fromt he first album, with great cheesy vocals and 80s-styled double kick drums. The new version absolutely consumes the original! Lowe's vocals add a sense of unholy despair to this track and the music is in full blasting form thanks to better quality in the instruments, the band, and the studios over the years.

The live set is from a festival in 2007 in Athens, and it's al;most a tear-jerker. Never had aI heard a crowd so INTO a band. they're even singing along to stuff from King Of The Grey Islands!! And while older singer Messiah was kind of flamboyant in his performances, Lowe just sings...and cracks joke about how the guitarist can't hear s**t!

For ten bucks you get an album's worth of music. It's not bad at all.

6/7

Earth - Bees... 2LP BIBLE EDITION

Very nice. Even though it was 24.99, this 2LP housed in an elaborate bible-styled package is very well done. The music itself soudns really great in a vinyl format and the bonus track? Nine minutes of bliss. Shame it couldn't have been longer, but I do recommend this version if you have a player and really want to hear some good stuff.

7/7

That's about it for these reviews. Not much else is coming out. About 5 Acid Mothers Temple releases, a Boris live album, a new Ween release supposedley, maybe the new Church of Misery album, an exclusive Electric Wizard EP at a concert in december. I look forward to the following 10 albums (And 2 live sets) for 2009...

- The new OM record. Hell, even the Live In Japan release.
- Wino's solo record.
- The new Church of Misery if it dosen't come out circa 2008.
- Heaven And Hell's album (May not happen, but if it does...)
- Misfits' new album. (Highly doubtful, but you never know.)
- The new Candlemass (Though I know people who want this moreso than I.)
- The new SunnO))) (Okay, not really.)
- The new Pentagram (Rumored, again. But if so...)
- Orange Goblin's new album (Hopefully, it's better than the last one.)
- Sleep's reunion. I'll get the live bootleg!
- Saint Vitus' re-union! I'll get the live bootleg!