Brutally vicious
Nicholas Adam Chupka | Derwood, MD | 12/30/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Four and a half stars
I love brutality, I really do...I mean, at least in metal. Still, it's got to be the right kind of brutality. See, I also like melody, so when I want brutality, I want it to be of the coherent kind.
Enter Lair of the Minotaur. LOTM is almost like the brother of Mastodon who's been going progressively more insane since contracting rabies some fifteen years ago.
Indeed, the production here dates the album well before its actual 2004 release. Even the riffs recall early to mid 90s Slayer riffage; especially of the knife-slowly twisting, grinding kind. In fact, if it weren't an obvious rip-off, many of these songs would look visually perfect with the band headbanging in front of the pyramids in Egypt.
What Carnage lacks in contemporary flair is more than made up for with the uncompromisingly intense music. Carnage seems less a combination of doom, thrash, and stoner metal than an elixir of each sub-genre's darkest and most evil manifestations. The flesh holding this skeleton together, to bring back the Mastodon reference, is the reliance on instrumental syncopation. It's not that this is rhythmically precise music, but the ultimate driving force is the close to tribal pulse of the songs.
I must admit, I was not anticipating such a captivating experience when I first saw the cover of this album. To expect brutal death metal of the incoherent kind would almost be a given. LOTM, however, proves to be just one more uniquely menacing metal outfit festering in the depths of the underground. Fans of brutally apocalyptic music played with progressive intent will love this EP."
Holy crap
E. Roberts | Canton, MI United States | 05/25/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"these guys don't mess around. dirty, raw, pissed, mythologically based themes, a real character of a vocalist. Like a cross between Cronos over the top evil approach, Araya's shout etc., and Tom Warrior's guttural stuff. It's great to hear a metal band with a vocalist I really like, the guy's got persona going here.
The music is metal. That's about the best way to put it, I suppose. It's got some blastbeats, sludge, thrashing rhythms, etc. A nice spread of song writing, though I wish there were more tracks like 'The Wolf'. It rules.
Anyways, I recommend it. Not the worst thing you could do."
Wow, this is serious
electric doom | United States | 01/08/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I know other reviews have said it, but I'll repeat it once again, these guys do not mess around. Why did I repeat it? It had to be done to get the point across. This is a seriously intense album. I see the sound being compared to many different things, and the comparisons are very justified, but to be honest, this is all those and more. These guys really have something exciting and new here.
The actual sound of this is very intense. The riffs are heavy, the tempo is fast and the vocals just shred through the airwaves. There is plenty of technical proficiency for any of the music snobs out there as well as a great dirty sound for those who aren't. The recording quality is pretty raw on this. There is a bit of an echo throughout, but that is exactly what is called for with something like this. It isn't something that should have some crystal clear sound, because that would totally wreck the attitude that is involved with this.
The lyrics are another story on this. With other bands that try to enter the territory that the lyrics and song titles cover, it all comes off as somewhat cheesy and laughable. Lair of the Minotaur don't give room for that. The lyrics are full of gore and aggression, no pussyfooting around on this, they go straight for the jugular and just completely mutilate it like no other band that has entered the realm of minotaurs, serphants, and wolves with other mythological themes. There is nothing short of power with the lyrics.
Lair of the Minotaur really strike it hard with this, their debut full length. The music and the lyrics are nothing short of brutal and aggressive. I really can't find any gripes with this at all, but it isn't anything completely legendary, at least not yet (it could still grow on me more, but it has had lots of time), which is what is required for a five star rating, but it doesn't fall very short of that at all. If they improve off of this for their next one, their next one will be legendary, because this comes very close."
