Shihad - FVEY Album Review
20 Aug 2014 // review by CEOMong
I don’t know if it’s all in my head or not, but Jaz Coleman’s influence lends a certain classic element and a brooding depth to this album that breaks away from what has become, in recent times, some would say too radio-friendly jams. There’s a satisfying depth to the album the louder it gets – when isn’t that true for Shihad though, I suppose?
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Tankapalooza Festival, Palmerston North - 28/09/13
29 Sep 2013 // review by CEOMong
12 hours, 27 bands, 3 stages, Willow Park tavern. From the start I was intrigued – “how they gonna make that work?
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Bloodsport – Blackest Darkness Album Review
14 Aug 2012 // review by CEOMong
Short (sub 2 minute for the most part) grunty songs, strong consistent themes and imagery, all in all a very solid offering. At times predictable but also, therefore, reliable.
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Sinate - To The Death Album Review
14 Mar 2012 // review by CEOMong
Damn I’m impressed, this is one cool album – especially as loud as I have it right now. I consider myself lucky to have the privilege to hear something like this, and it’s from Kiwis!
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Akaname - Akaname Album Review
01 Nov 2011 // review by CEOMong
I must say it's rather refreshing to hear an album like this, some real inventive action, and not a single word spoken by a vocalist. Amazing.
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Darklight Corporation - Pitchblack Album Review
25 Jul 2011 // review by CEOMong
Darklight Corporation have packed a fuckload of wicked awesome rocking riffs and varied, yet simple and appropriately-audible lyrics, cool chewy samples and electronic bits strewn in just the right places to keep you guessing – there’s a little bit of everything in here. Not too much of one thing, nor too pushy and repetitive like sooooo many bands these days – varied enough you could listen to this album dozens of times and still not hear everything.
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Antagonist A.D. - Old Bones Make New Blooms EP Review
06 Jun 2011 // review by CEOMong
The latest offering from Antagonist A.D at first listen felt like it was missing something vital.
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Disturbed @ TSB Bank Arena, Wellington - 4 May 2011
08 May 2011 // review by CEOMong
Wifey & I made our way south 200Km from wicked sunshiney weather, to Taxman’s in WellieTron, where it was fully hosing down. Lucky the gig was inside!
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Amos/Anon - TheLachrymist Album Review
24 Jan 2011 // review by CEOMong
CD review – AmosAnon – The Lachrymist An intensely packaged CD, from very cleverly handwritten CD label to subtle supernatural themed liners beckoning further investigation, this is one entrancing album – even before its inserted in the tray. When you do insert the thing, rip it, seed it, and finally play it, you find it’s diverse yet cohesive, every track is subtly different yet linked so smoothly, it’s really well done.
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Barracks - We Are The Lions EP Review
14 Nov 2010 // review by CEOMong
Well balanced and full of hooks, this is a non-stop piece of work, it could easily be something you’d hear out of the states, somehow a real mature but fresh sound too. I really really like it, and I genuinely like it more the more I hear.
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Hellborne - Hellborne Final Gig Review 1 - 3 Sept 10 - The Royal, Palmerston North
07 Sep 2010 // review by CEOMong
I strolled on in to the Royal on a crisp, expectant, and and oddly sober night, one Friday in dirty ole Swamp Central, to find a dedicated, expectant, and impressive crowd. After making the customary exchange at the door, I was the proud owner of a red stamp, and more importantly, Hellborne's final self-titled CD – one with some stunning artwork and even more stunning content.
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Just One Fix - 'Blood Horizon' album review
11 Mar 2010 // review by CEOMong
It’s been what feels like a decade (in reality only a little more than 2 years) since their last offering (The Price Of $ellvation), and let me tell you it’s well worth the wait. JOF sound more mature, polished and evolved, making this a beautifully put together album.
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The Body Lyre - CD Review – The Body Lyre – December Marches
21 Jan 2010 // review by CEOMong
The CD comes beautifully packaged in what, at first glance, looks like a book of poetry, an illusion shattered (or perhaps enhanced) by the randomness of a burnt CD in a Croxley envelope. Out of it.
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Kabanaz - Kabanaz - 'Something New, Something Old, Something Better' album review
22 Oct 2009 // review by CEOMong
A bluesy, Electric 6, Head Automatica, Kings of Leon feel overall, in a truly Kiwi (and therefore better) way. Mostly gravelly, always widely ranging and engaging vox, married up with delicate, dependable and deliberate gax and beasty bluesy bass.
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Interconnector - EP Review – Interconnector (Self-Titled)
19 Sep 2009 // review by CEOMong
Interconnectors’ self-titled, 6-track, self-titled EP, is chock-full of wicked air guitar moments, groovy tweaky choruses, and mellow chewy rhythmic bits all melted together with genuine beasty and grungy rock ‘n f’n roll. A staunch album; it will be staying in my playlist rotation for a long long time to come.
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Subtract - EP Review – Subtract – Winning Hearts & Minds
06 Mar 2009 // review by CEOMong
Shiny yet dirty, like unpolished chrome – a clean sound but with a blunt, dirty, bloody edge. Impressive show by all members, an excellently produced piece of work, balancing all instruments nicely.
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Slave Cadaver - CD Review – Slave Cadaver – Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity
23 Dec 2008 // review by CEOMong
An epic album with amusing soundbytes scattered throughout for a bit of a laugh. Very horror/death metal, growly and thrashy at times, slower tempo and more melodic in other parts.
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Cobra Khan - CD Review – Cobra Khan – Helgorithms
14 Dec 2008 // review by CEOMong
If there is one album you get this summer (or ever), make it this one. Tell your friends.
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Tempo 38 - EP Review - Septic Proof
09 Oct 2008 // review by CEOMong
A well-balanced EP full of tight refrains and solid measured riffs, a staunch album chock-full of punk flavour. I was sold on the first track, each track further cementing the awesomeness.
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Just One Fix - Album Review - The Price of $ellvation
01 Aug 2008 // review by CEOMong
A very metal album, well-tuned and classic. Ample opportunity to get songs stuck in your head (and everywhere else) – and have a bit of a laugh too!
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El Schlong - El Schlong – The Baddies Are Coming
25 Jun 2008 // review by CEOMong
8 fairly long tracks comprise this really rather fine album, laden with toughness, for the most part lighter on the vocals than many other metallers out there. Huge sound from this Wellington-based Dunedin-raised 3 piece, cranking out some tidy and oft delicate tunes.
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Chuganaut - CD Review - Chuganaut - 11:11 ONE
01 Nov 2007 // review by CEOMong
Track 1 – Humain (4.32) Mellow start warm-up action, rolls into a bit of hard axe and stomping bass.
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Antagonist A.D. - Distance EP Review
30 Oct 2007 // review by CEOMong
Tracklist: 1. These Cities, Our Graves (Vocal Remix) 2.
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Black Chrome - Gig Review - Black Chrome - Bar Mode, Palmerston North, 6 October 07
16 Oct 2007 // review by CEOMong
BC cranked out their trademark rock 'n roll to a disappointingly small crowd full of centurions at Bar Mode in Palmy, cranking Swamp Town Blues & Charlie Blow as warm-ups. They then unleashed into a solid set chock-full of classics, and even treated us to a new song; nice intro and some hot breaks, a little slow but a strong and hard vocal performance from Wolfgang makes this new song already one of their best.
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8 Foot Sativa - Gig Review - 8 Foot Sativa - Bar Mode, Palmerston North, 6 October 07
16 Oct 2007 // review by CEOMong
What can I say? The premier metal band of NZ pealed out a solid 45 minute non-stop powerful set of pure molten metal, straight into the adoring ears of the chorus.
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Black Chrome - My Band, Whoa Oah – an interview with Black Chrome, Sept 28th 2007
02 Oct 2007 // interview by CEOMong
Black Chrome is: Wolfgang Blitzer - Lead Gat/Vox Jimmy Snuff - Bass/Vox Von Chrome - Drums/Vox Killer - Rhythm Gat I rocked up to the band’s rehearsal venue to discover only Jimmy knew about the interview … that didn’t stop the band warmly welcoming me into their space to have a beer or two, and some solid yarns over the state of the Palmy music scene, NZ music in general and how we are taught to listen to the same old engineered tunes by fat A&R cats. Love of the music motivates Black Chrome, collectively the members have literally decades of riffs and countless gigs under their belts – a history that has provided them with a sound that is uniquely theirs.
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Kitsch - Gig Review - Valve Bar, 8 Sep 07
01 Oct 2007 // review by CEOMong
Kitsch took the stage around 1am, opening with their blistering radio-friendly anthem “Memory Of Me”. The crowd was immediately owned, and rocked out hard to the too-short 30-minute set, filled with explosive riffs and catchy lyrics.
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Strangers - Gig Review - Valve Bar, 8 Sep 07
01 Oct 2007 // review by CEOMong
This rockin’ local 2-bass 5-piece took the stage at a time that coincided nicely with the locals flooding the bar in anticipation. They opened and continued with tight high-intensity riffs – the only disappointing feature was the tendency of the vocal mix to be a bit off, being swallowed up by the sheer awesomeness and complexity of the axes.
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Take The Willing - Take The Willing – Fight Music
26 Aug 2007 // review by CEOMong
I’ve had mixed up jumbles of songs with names like “I’ll Kill Everyone At This Party” & “At This Moment In Time I’m Popular With A Lot Of Drunk People” stuck in my head for two weeks now, just kicking round in there. Take The Willing are that kind of band.
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