Various Artists / Contaminated Vi
Album: Contaminated Vi   Collection:General
Artist:Various Artists   Added:Mar 2004
Label:Relapse Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2004-03-15 Pull Date: 2004-05-17 Charts: Loud
Week Ending: May 16 May 2 Apr 18 Apr 11 Apr 4
Airplays: 1 1 1 2 1

Recent Airplay
1. May 08, 2010: blood orangeasm across atherton
Much Too Young to Know
4. Jul 02, 2004: Bloodstains Across Atherton
Hatestomp
2. Oct 14, 2004: Unpopular Enough To Be Difficult (sub for Orges)
One Shot, One Kill
5. May 26, 2004: Baptism of Solitude
Scoop
3. Sep 03, 2004: Bloodstains Across Atherton
An Arrogant Breed
6. May 12, 2004: Baptism of Solitude
Lucid Interval

Album Review
Ragnar of Ravensfjord
Reviewed 2004-03-15
This is essentially a comp. of all of Relapse/Release’s current stable, lots of new stuff, some kinda old & some so-to be releases. The 1st disc is all album tracks while the second includes demos, edits, rough mixes. Lots of killer, heavy, experimental & other stuff here.

DISC I
(((((1))))) This one really grows on you - it ended up in my head all day today. Starts hardcore & grind with a blast beat then settles into a weird groove of Neurosis (first few verses vocals) crossed with Pantera (chorus & later verses vocals) . Give it a few spins and I’m sure you love it!
(((2))) Trippy Eqyptian scales (it almost could’ve been Nile there for a second) into massively low-tuned metallic ride of...modern metal. I dunno how else to describe it - not quite death nor doom but still nice.
((3)) Swedish “panic-metal” in that it sounds like the dudes are totally freaking out, somewhere floating around a better version of Converge & bits of that ‘melodic Swedish DM’ sound that’s big ‘with the kids’ these days aka: not too convincing.
(((4))) One of the few, brilliant & actually listenable, tech-DM bands around. ‘Nuff said.
((((5)))) Instrurmental action with slices of late 70’s prog meets mid-late 80’s fusion & a bit of 90’s indie rock. So, let’s say: Jeff Berlin + John Scofield + Shellac = Dysrhytmia. Very, verrry nice!
(((6))) How many time does this damn song have to appear on compilations? Anyway, this is from back when the ‘tech/math metal’ thing was still OK. Lots of scurryying notes, multiple, screwball rhythms & (such. Late-90’s metal mixed with 70’s prog.
(((((7))))) Simple, feedback-laden, almost-bluesy, fucked up & rockin’. Much more intensity than most “heavy” bands.
(((8))) Damn, this is a different-suprisingly political (considering their ‘gore-metal’ like name) & solid low-tuned ‘91-’93 era, mid-tempo death metal not completely crushing but pretty solid.
(((9))) Not quite their best song, but still pretty good, ultra-low end, thudding doom metal (fuck “stoner rock”!) from the masters invoking St. Vitus, Melvins, Sleep (duh!), et. al with a bit of 70’s influeced vox.
(((10))) Bass-heavy, local death metal nutters with a strong Carcass influence, sounding a bit more basic this time (might be the Neil Keron production?). Derrivative as all hell but quite good at that.
((((11)))) OK, THIS is some killer shit! Yeah it’s fuckin’ derrivative but damn ! Disfear = Discharge (d-beats gallore!!!), Skitsystem (same vokalist, duh!), Motorhead, Driller Killer and all that is Swedish & crust. REAL metallic hardcore & kicking your fucking ass!
((((12)))) Neurosis - you can rarely, if ever go wrong with Neurosis. Need I say more? How about slow, psychedelic doom/rock? How about listening to this on repeat for the next day?
((((13)))) Weird, trippy, heavy progged out space-rock with a Neurosis & Hawkwind influence but strangely enough it works. Fuckin’ killer! Too bad they don’t sell as much as that Blood Duster bullshit.
((14)) Abrasive guitars, ping-pinging cymbals from a band that’s supposed to be “the shit” or so they say. Average, boring-ass death metal but thankfully not as annoyingiy techincal than before. Though, even after repeats spins it still spellsout “the Dream Theater of Death Metal”.
(((15))) Standard death metal intro with a tinge of prog to it (or even Megadeth?) mid-tempo to chuggin’ DM with a bearable take on tech-metal. Later-era Death (the band) meets Autopsy?
((((16)))) Superb grindcore from Sweden one of the best of the genre.
((17)) Good riffs but horrid vocals, too much whining!. A band you want to like but their ‘missing element’ looms large. Godflesh with crap vocals.
((((18)))) Very untypical of this label but it’s excellent etheral pop/indie ‘ala Slint meets Azure Ray. The vocals could’ve been a little clearer though.

Disc II
(((1))) Mangled vocals & very claustrophobic feeling, overall. A bit above average, mid-tempo ‘downer-metal’ Eyehategod + Mastadon?
((2)) Mid-tempo to fast grind-tech stuff, it’s a bit overdone & has been done so much already & better.
((3)) A little better & more definitive sounding, as this band started out rather stuck in a field of nearly undiscernable U.S. death metal bands all ending in the suffix “-tion”. Although, this is just a rawer Morbid Angel at mid-tempo. OK, for what it is,
(4) Really stupid-ass, ultra-fast & hardly recognizable cover of Rainbow’s “Kill The King”. When faux ‘white trash’ become heshers...Ugh! Fuck you and your trucker hats, Zeke!
(((5))) Feedback + samples of Tony Iommi talking ‘bout his daze in Sabbath & ‘smokin’ these big bolls uf ‘ash & we’ed smowk eet ‘til it waz time tew goew on staage”. The song? Oh, it’s about hash & it’s tuned low & it’s doomy & sounds like Eyehategod stuck in a vat of molasses & sticky-ass hash.
(((6))) Grind with a nod or two to contemporary fast-core - cool action.
(((((7))))) Fuckin’ CLASSIC California crossover with a pre-grind ULTRA-speed - circa: 1986. Just sell all of your Hatebreed & Madball bullshit and listen to this! DRI + The Accüsed + Bad Brains = FUCK YESSSS!
(((8))) A guilty pleasure for sure. This has to be from Pentagram’s earilest days - (1973-74): Led Zep + KISS (with Gene on vox) + Free + the (long) solos emulate: Jimmy Page, Angus Young, Scott Gorham (Thin Lizzy) & Ritchie Blackmore. AKA: Enough 70’s hardrock to make some people (like Your Imaginary Friend) to cringe or rock out to.
((9)) I wasn’t sure if this was about actual disease or the massive influx of “dis-core” band. (A disease of ‘dis’ bands). Short, messy, ripping & nasty drum machine sputttering, 1990-91 era Swedish DM guitar-laden grind.
(((10))) Weird transition from the previous song but some very nice acoustic guitar playing & ambience from this band feauring a former KZSU DJ. Sounds like an intro from a 80’s speed metal album.
(11) One of those “stoner rock” bands that make no sense whatsoever. Some decent riffs but at closer listen this dude sounds like a rockin’ version of Jon Bon Anchovi. Boogie rock? Nope it's boogie retch!
((12)) Thunderous, rythmic death/grind. Would’ve sounded better if this came out in 1992 or even 1995. Sounds OK on it’s own but not mixed right next to other grind/death. Just kind of ‘there’
(((((13))))) Weird, twisted dark & heavy rock with “lowwww” vocals & lots of bass ‘ala the mighty Killdozer mixed with (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum’s) Nils Frekdahl-like vocals. Could’ve been a Touch N’ Go band back in the 80’s/early 90’s. Fuckin’ AWESOME!!!
(((14))) Doomy & groovy ugliness that really works, even if the vocals sound a tad too like Phil Anselmo for comfort.
((((15)))) Hardcore influenced-grind er...West Coast Powerviolence, baby! Pete sounds like a cross between Steve Von Til (Neurosis) and Eric Wood (M.I.T.B.). One of the best bands this label ever signed.
((((16)))) Unholy fuck, Swedish “scum-rock”, “Oi! crust”?!? Fitting their ugly heads between Swedish crust & AntiSeen! (Gotta love them “Jumpin’” Jeff Clayton-like guttural vocals!) + a bit of ‘Maiden! Works best while under the influence of lots of cheap beer & extreme ‘rasslin’ videos. Rocks like a motherfucker!
((((17)))) Awesome - Philly-based hardcore from the 1986. Raw & fast like it should be! Play this next to Nuclear Assault’s “Hang the Pope”!
((18)) Messy, medicore Swedish grindcore, shut up - already!
(((19))) Nice intro & overall tones sounding a LOT like mid-period Katatonia except these dudes are from North Carolina. Floating between Katatonia, super early material from The Cure and possibly old Paradise Lost. aka: Melodic melancholy with BM vocals.
(20) Nice diggerdoo sounds but the percussion is something that’ll give you tinnitus! Yuck!
((((21)))) Slow, brutal, crashing, bass-heavy like “Cop”/”Holy Money”-era SWANS! Fuckin’ MEAN sounding stuff (but patient with it - short attention-span havin’ fools!) ----- Ragnar of Ravensfjord

Track Listing
 ArtistTrack Name
1. Burnt By the Sun Forlani
2. Mastodon Where Strides the Behemoth
3. Burst Sculpt the Lives
4. Nile Execration Text
5. Dysrhythmia And Just Go
6. Dillinger Escape Plan 43% Burnt
7. Unsane Scrape
8. Skinless From Sacrifice to Survival
9. High on Fire Razor Hoof
10. Exhumed The Matter of Splatter
11. Disfear An Arrogant Breed
12. Neurosis A Sun that Never Sets
13. Alchemist First Contact
14. Dying Fetus One Shot, One Kill
15. Cephalic Carnage Lucid Interval
16. Nasum Scoop
17. Today Is the Day The Descent
18. 27 Matera
19. Pig Destroyer Terrifyer
20. End, the Of Fist and Flame
21. Suffocation Subconsciously Enslaved
22. Zeke Kill the King
23. Bongzilla Hashdealer
24. Uphill Battle Wreck of Nerves
25. Cryptic Slaughter Lowlife
26. Pentagram Much Too Young to Know
27. Agoraphobic Nosebleed Spreading the Dis-Ease
28. Mandible Chatter Tangle in Delirium
29. Alabama Thunderpussy Ol' Unfaithful
30. Gadget Crestfallen
31. Harvey Milk I Do not Know How to Live My
32. Soilent Green They Lie to Hide the Truth
33. Benumb Breathing Life Into Predesti
34. Genocide Superstars Hatestomp
35. Adrenalin Overdose Pope on a Rope
36. Regurgitate Waging War on Benevolence
37. Daylight Dies The Line that Divides
38. Vidnaobmana Skin Strip
39. Halo Filling the Empty Spaces Wit