3 reviews in one! Sorry for the lack of posts, I haven't been able to get on internet, so it's been hard. These are all available to read on metal archives.

Equilibrium's Rekreatur review:

Folk metal has had many faces since one of the pioneers, Windir, came to be. One of the better sides has been Equilibrium. It's safe to say that folk metal is still one of the genres still sticking to it's roots. Equilibrium, circa 2001, has always impressed me, and with this release, I'm sure that the path they are on is a good one indeed. Rekreatur is one of the best folk metal albums since 1184 (Windir, 2001). To be honest, folk metal is probably one of the genres I enjoy most. I listen to many different bands in that genre. I've noticed a trend in folk though: bands usually have one or two good releases and then start to decay. Ensiferum, Eluveitie and Korpiklaani have shown it, but Equilibrium has not.

Rekreatur is the latest addition to the Equilibrium discography and I must say that it's great. I love each of their releases, including their demo, but this one seems to be their best. It brings back the epic sounds of Turis Fratyr and adds the metal aspects of Sagas. It's so well rounded as a folk release. This band, though relatively new has shown to be one of the best folk (or metal for that matter) bands out there at the moment.

The drums in this release followed Polka tempos, waltz tempos and metal ones. The polka tempos gave it a quickened beat and gave the song a mosh feel, while the waltz brought it a dance-oriented feel and the metal gave it an all around epic sound. The music aspect of the release was really good. It was all mixed perfectly and it didn't have that feel that it was trying too hard, which is common in a lot of folk metal, such as some songs where they just talk on and on about the "Glory for their brothers and for Asgard". It brings the same shit, spins it and gives it a new flavor.

Vocally, the album wasn't astronomical. I wasn't impressed with Robse's vocal work. It was truly cut and paste, kind of like what Cradle of filth did with Thornography. I do, however, think Robse is a better vocalist. It has been clear to me that he can do a lot, and I respect him as a vocalist, but on this release, I wasn't too happy. It didn't always fit the mood, especially the growl. To be honest, I had hoped to hear some chants on the music, and maybe some melodic vocals to round the folk aspect. I guess not every folk band can do that, but it would've been nice to hear it.

To end this rant, I think that Equilibrium will bring us more great music and if you haven't heard them do their thing, nows the time to start. I would recommend them to anybody and this album tops their career.

Highlights: Der Wasserman, Aus Ferner Zeit, Fahrtwind, Kurzes Epos

Ozzy Osbourne's Scream review:

You know, I've always been an Ozzy fan ever since I was about 3 or 4 and my father introduced me to him among bands I still love to this day. I remember the awesome guitar riffs thanks to the god of the six string, Randy Rhodes. I also remember the crushing atmosphere of songs like Bark at the Moon and Diary of a Madman. When I think Ozzy, I think nostalgia. I also think of how I began my journey on the metal road that I still walk this day. Nobody hasn't heard of Ozzy Osbourne, especially since hits like Crazy Train, Flying High Again and No More Tears hit the radio, not to mention his media exposure with the Osbourne's Show. The problem is that he's so washed up now that it's tough to listen to him. He broke his neck, struggled with addiction and has had many tough aspects with his life. It's no wonder his music has taken a dive, only he still decided to continue his career. After a long hiatus, Ozzy returned with the sophomoric release, Black Rain. It was a...well...different sound to his melodic heavy metal. I did in fact enjoy the release, but it was way worse than anything that he released before No More Tears.

Scream is the newest addition to the Ozzy discography. I first saw the cover when I logged on to this site about a month ago and all I could say is "goddammit". I then instantly went to youtube and listened to the title track, "Let Me Hear You Scream" and I wanted to vomit. I seriously cried at the fact that Ozzy was this bad. I remember seeing him do live shit last decade and he was horrible at that as well. He's one of the geriatric old men of metal that should have quit, especially concerning his past uses of drugs and hospitalization.

Zakk Wylde was fired in late September 2009, but you know, I really can't tell at all. All the riffs sound exactly like Zakk's. I thought this was horribly ironic. Gus G is a great guitarist and I enjoy a lot of Firewind's music, but on this it seriously sounded like he just tried to mimic Zakk. I even wondered if Zakk would sue him for copyright infringement it was that bad. Ozzy stated that the reason that he let Zakk go was because his music was "beginning to sound like Black Label Society". Now that is a perfectly legitimate reason to fire a guitarist, however, hiring a power metal guitarist and telling him to sound exactly like the previous guitarist is asinine.

Ozzy's vocals are (as always) the central focus of the album. It's slightly better than Black Rain, but it didn't impress me all that much. I thought it basically sounded like a raspy, tone deaf, less melodic Ozzy. Even the lyrics were horrible, not that they were ever amazing. I felt a little less depressed then when I heard Black Rain. Honestly it was mediocre, but it was extremely boring to hear Ozzy say something along the lines of "I am black and I'm bruised, beat up but still I take blows" every song. Yeah, Ozzy, you've dealt with a lot, but you're still a has been.

All in all, I guess I liked the title track a bit, as it's a bit catchy, but other than that, nothing stood out to me due to the fact that I was just so used to the way Ozzy used to sound. Everybody loves the original Ozzy. Diary of a Madman, Blizzard of Oz, Bark at the Moon...all great, all classics. Scream will go down in history the same as Nostradamus did - a crappy attempt to re-energize the band and start a new sound. Well Ozzy, Just quit while you're ahead, so you can at least end your career with some dignity.

Highlights: Let me Hear you Scream

Struck by Lightning's Serpents review:

First thing's first - Wow. Now that I've got that out of the way, I heard about these sludgy, hardcore death metal band when I heard they were lining up behind Weedeater in a new tour. I had never heard the name, so I decided to check them out, and I'm so happy I did. I instantly fell in love with the band. This whole release fit so many sounds that I liked, it was hard for me to put it down for almost a week. I think in the month or two I've had it, all 11 songs on the album have at least 15 plays each in my ITunes.

Serpents is the debut release by this band, and it was an interesting improvement to the scene that they are in. I can say that aside from a few hardcore bands, I detest the scene for the reason that it is just so fucking boring. This band hits sounds that remind me of Samothrace, Nihilist, Malevolent Creation and the Cro-Mags. I was astounded at the immense amount of weird, intense death metal influenced by punk on this record.

For a punk influenced band, the instrumental parts of the record were phenomenal. So much passion was in the music. The guitars fit well with the bass, which was amazingly heard, unlike a lot of death metal or punk. In fact, I think the bass was the highlight of the album. It was really loud, very atmospheric, just all around a lovely sound that just makes you sit back in awe. Drums on the album were slightly easier then I would have put on there though. As a drummer myself, the fills were slightly slower then the average punk plays and the songs themselves follow a sort of doom metal feel at times, but it's a good feel to the album. I'd sit back and chill to this album any day.

Vocals were ASTOUNDING. For a band that uses the crust/hardcore style of singing, it felt so right. I didn't know what to thing when I heard the song "Silent and Still". It was honestly like the Cro-Mags met Kataklysm. It was so crushing, that my chest felt heavy, yet so soothing my spirit felt at ease. I even felt a sense of passion in them that I have not heard in a long ass time. Another good thing about the album is that it's so angry, yet so focused. I hate it when bands just sound like chaotic messes due to their anger, which is why Anaal Nathrakh pisses me off a lot of the time. This band feels so channeled, that it the album is just right.

Highlights: Silent and Still, The Watchful Eye, Widowmaker, Tightening the Noose, Collectors of Teeth