Rampage
This End Up
[Unsung Heroes]
The fucking best thing released in a given year! This
band shits all over everyone else. Were I less of a
rationalist, I would suggest that someone "up there"
doesn't want this album reviewed. Twice my reviews
have fallen victim to CPU failures and HD
reformattings. The tape always seems to disappear when
I most want to listen to it. It probably has more to
do with me being a stoner and a schizophrenic, though.
How do I explain this band to the uninitiated? There is a definite nod to the 80s beginnings of death metal (POSSESSED! in particular), but not a heavy-handed retro trip as some have complained about when associated with bands such as EXECUTIONER. There is also an underlying element of humor evident, much in the same way that EXODUS lyrics were both violent and somewhat silly at the same time. Don't let that (or frontman Lord Vic's portrayal of Rampage as something less than serious) fool you. This is a landmark album for the underground. I just don't know of another band that does anything like this. Being from the OLD school (I remember getting the VENOM "Die Hard" single back when IRON MAIDEN was de rigeur), I really appreciate "catchy" thrash and death metal, with hooks and choruses, and this album is chock full of it. You'll find yourself shouting out "SATANIC DEATH!" and "THE GATES OF THE ABYSS!" at the most inopportune moments. And don't let all of my misty-eyed talk of the "goode olde days" scare you off. This work stands up on its own as an example of the newest wave of metal, it just never forgets where it came from. Too many bands seem to think life began with CARCASS, and they lack the background that would enable them to write ORIGINAL music. Luckily, this trend seems to be on the decline. I won't detail this album song by song, because you're going to order a copy, right? Besides, this is the third time I've written this review. Another item of interest is the fact that Rampage has resurrected a song from a defunct Georgia band. Both this song, "Black Mass at the Witches Sabbath", and the rest of the album would have rivaled anything put out in 1985, and they put most things released in 1999 to shame. Enough. Rampage rules. Always have, always will. HAIL S8N!!1111!!!
© 1999 jason gortician
How do I explain this band to the uninitiated? There is a definite nod to the 80s beginnings of death metal (POSSESSED! in particular), but not a heavy-handed retro trip as some have complained about when associated with bands such as EXECUTIONER. There is also an underlying element of humor evident, much in the same way that EXODUS lyrics were both violent and somewhat silly at the same time. Don't let that (or frontman Lord Vic's portrayal of Rampage as something less than serious) fool you. This is a landmark album for the underground. I just don't know of another band that does anything like this. Being from the OLD school (I remember getting the VENOM "Die Hard" single back when IRON MAIDEN was de rigeur), I really appreciate "catchy" thrash and death metal, with hooks and choruses, and this album is chock full of it. You'll find yourself shouting out "SATANIC DEATH!" and "THE GATES OF THE ABYSS!" at the most inopportune moments. And don't let all of my misty-eyed talk of the "goode olde days" scare you off. This work stands up on its own as an example of the newest wave of metal, it just never forgets where it came from. Too many bands seem to think life began with CARCASS, and they lack the background that would enable them to write ORIGINAL music. Luckily, this trend seems to be on the decline. I won't detail this album song by song, because you're going to order a copy, right? Besides, this is the third time I've written this review. Another item of interest is the fact that Rampage has resurrected a song from a defunct Georgia band. Both this song, "Black Mass at the Witches Sabbath", and the rest of the album would have rivaled anything put out in 1985, and they put most things released in 1999 to shame. Enough. Rampage rules. Always have, always will. HAIL S8N!!1111!!!
© 1999 jason gortician