Weekly album analysis, week eight

Will probably be another short one, as I don't think I've actually listened to much music this week. I may be mistaken though... Also, I'm going to start making 8tracks mixes of the stuff here to put on the end.

To listen to tracks off these albums, check out the mix here . Note that to fulfil the website's licensing requirements, I've added bonus tracks by Steven Wilson and Sol Invictus.

ACxDC - A Sign Of Impending Doom [2005]

Yeah, this is a 2-minute EP, so to be honest there isn't much to say about it. 2 tracks, one of which also appears on the excellent 'He Had It Coming' EP. ACxDC are one of the powerviolence bands who should definitely have released more. With this, however, one can't question the musical quality on display, but with ONE MINUTE of new music, you have to question whether it's really worth it. [6/10]

*********************ALBUM OF THE WEEK***************************************

Fuck On The Beach - Power Violence Forever [1998]

Power violence forever indeed. This Japanese band has long been one of the major purveyors of Japanese punk (along with the more obvious likes of S.O.B.), and this is probably their best-known album. And for good reason - it's an aural assault from start to finish, yet being varied enough in drum patterns and the like to keep things interesting. Probably falls just short of powerviolence 'classic' status, but it's on a par with many albums which are there. [9/10]

Magrudergrind - Religious Baffle [2003]

This is one of Magrudergrind's earlier releases, but you wouldn't be able to tell, such is the level of songwriting maturity on here. Sure, at 12 minutes long, one has to question whether so much 'going slowly' is necessary - and indeed, it sometimes drags - but this is still very worthwhile. As I said, 12 minutes - what have you got to lose? [7/10]

Mystic Force - Shipwrecked With The Wicked [1990]

Progressive power metal is a genre that I've only recently become better acquainted with, but I think I know enough of the genre to say that this is a little hit-and-miss to say the least. There are some absolute crackers on here ('Awakened By The Dawn', 'Silent But Deadly'), but the weaker tracks are really weak, often with nothing to draw the listener in whatsoever - and to pick two of the weaker ones to open and close your album is suicide. [5/10]

Slipknot - Slipknot [1990]

No, not the shitty nu-metal band, this Slipknot are a crossover thrash band who certainly play more than respectable crossover thrash. This was their only release - and it wouldn't be nearly so well-known, I bet, if it wasn't for the notoriety of the other Slipknot, but it's pretty good, and certainly for a time when thrash, and particularly crossover, was in the process of going down the drain for most of the 90s. [8/10]

Vicious Rumors - Soldiers Of The Night [1986]

Vicious Rumors are one of those USPM bands that it took me ages to check out due to my relative noobiness with regards to power metal. And of them? Well, they're good fun, but I can't afford this album the god-tier status that many seem to - they write a chorus, a hook really well, but when it comes to writing music of real substance, it's sadly lacking. Catchy, but often superficial. [6/10]