EVIL UNITED - USA

EVIL UNITED - Same - MVD  
It is almost a void inside one as a feeling when bands share members or features musicians that are almost nomadic - regardless of the quality of the band. In fact, the better the music and the more interesting the music the more sorry the case becomes. You know them, bands whose members have seemingly no allegiance moving from band to band as if everything is just a buck ore a cheque. Swedish musicians are notorious for changing bands as often as Kiss produces another tacky piece of merchandise junk. Americans musicians are no exception. Here we have Jason McMaster of Dangerous Toys, Broken Teeth, Assalant and more on vocals. The Evil United disc made its way to Metallian Towers a scant one month after a CD by Ignitor featuring none other than Jason McMaster on vocals. How seriously does he take these bands? How seriously should we take these bands?
Things are made worse by how both albums by both bands actually being good i.e. worthwhile. Otherwise, who would care?
Evil United is a heavy metal album leaning power and thrash metal. The vocals are, unsurprisingly, powerful with the higher pitches even more impressive than the lower ones. The guitars scream and the solos are especially noteworthy. Pure metal! Opening track Blasphemer (notice the inverted crosses in the jacket) is not the band’s best however. It, like Speak, has some disharmonic Voivod riffs thrown in for good measure. Much better is a song like Dawn Of Armageddon, which is packed with action and dynamism. Walking To Sodom is likely the best track here after Fifty Year Storm (sic) which exemplifies heavy metal. There is an unfortunate moment when the band does the Pantera as well. For such a young project there are enough good songs and riffs here to convince. This one needs some attention. - Ali “The Metallian”

EVIL UNITED - HONORED BY FIRE - MVD  
The Texas band is back with its sophomore album. Dead Can See opens the flames sounding somewhat like a dated thrashy heavy metal song. It is solid but not overly exciting or new. Caesar offers a South Of Heaven inspired start, is faster and better than the opener. Ripping Flesh is also Slayer inspired, closer to the Divine Intervention style this time. Grave is a short guitar only intermission. Tombspawn is back to the thrash. Ab Initio sounds like an intro wrongly placed in the sixth song position. Viking Funeral is Honored By Fire's single and video. It is midpaced and includes cliche like 'The shield is your religion the axe can be your guide at war'. Mind Over Pain undoes some of the boredom induced by the song before it. It also features a bit of Fear Factory. Ghostcrushed has also moved forward and takes more inspiration from newer bands. The Cottage is unsurprisingly acoustic and runs less than two minutes. Bloody Water speeds things up once again. Two unlisted bonus tracks 28 seconds and 1 minute 46 seconds long close Honored By Fire. The first contains a subliminal message of sorts and the second is kind of experimental. - Anna Tergel