SONIC OBLITERATION VOL. II
Various artists
Black Mark / Utopian Vision
The second installment of Canadian talent shows that the great white North has more to offer than just Hockey, beer and Pamela Anderson. Acts like SOLUS, INNER THOUGHT and MUNDANE show just how good they are outside of a live setting and should make people ponder as to why they haven't been snapped up by major labels yet. With twelve tracks in all the canuck talent doesn't stop their. JAWW's «Wasted Faith» is capable of breaking jaws with it's heaviness and even Toronto's all girl band JANE DOE show that metal shouldn't just be restricted to men. Outside of a couple of tracks needing a little more time in the studio this compilation has something to offer to fans of almost every metal genre and since it's supposed to be priced cheaper than most CD's it's going to be a bargain to pick up. (Alex Ristic)

HOT RECORDS COMP. CD VOL I
«The Rape Of The Holy Trinity»
Hot Records
This is a compilation featuring many Hot Records bands, in all their glory and malevolence.  We see tracks from DODHEIMSGARD, AURA NOIR, OLD MAN’S CHILD, DIMMU BORGIR, ENTHRAL, MUNDANUS IMPERIUM, COVENANT, STARKNESS and NOCTURNAL BREED. Each band varies immensely, so it seems individual descriptions would be a waste of space.  But I can tell you that the compilation is cohesive and totally underground.  Check out the tracks from DIMMU BORGIR and DODHEIMSGARD (and from NOCTURNAL BREED and STARKNESS as well - Herr). (Andy Harris)

NIGHT PASSAGES
«Demixed»
Dorobo Productions
This is a four band CD compilation offered by the unique offices at Dorobo. This volume includes the ambiental settings of RYOJI IKEDA, Thomas Koner, LUSTMORD and Bernhard Gunter.  These four compositions all work rather well as a whole, due to their bleak and monotonous natures.  The timing of these tracks range from eight minutes to a total of twenty minutes.  I find the entirety of this production to be a masterful work of art, as it stretches new definitions in music and provides the listener with an array of sludge-like monotony that leaves one gasping for release.  The four bands on this release have taken up the opportunity to utilize the raw wire footage presented on Alan Lamb's «Night Passage» session tapes and re-mix LAMB’s sounds into the finalized and unique settings found on this collaborative compilation (a very unique idea and de-mix of LAMB’s work).  This work should not pass by any fan dedicated to ambiental experimentation, as this release will prove to be a added treasure to your musical archives.  This remarkable anthology also comes with a beautiful packaging and layout (which is a custom at Dorobo). (Mike Riddick)

IDENTITY 3D
various artists
Century Media
Here we have a very low-priced CD sampler coming out of the Century Media office.  This disc should give the buyer an overall perspective as to what bands Century Media is currently working with.  There is a wide variety of music herein, which I find to be rather odd for any sort of label, as there tends to be material ranging from sell-out poseur metal to quality underground styled bands.  The decent tracks worth mentioning come from ARCTURUS, ROTTING CHRIST, SENTENCED, MOONSPELL, SAMAEL and THE GATHERING. Unfortunately, I feel rather sorry to see ROTTING CHRIST and ARCTURUS signed to a label like this (as they don't seem to click with the rest of the bands), and it is particularly embarassing to see such bands contained in a package that features a box of movie popcorn on the CD disc.  How absurd!  I mean, the whole old-style theatre concept of this Identity 3D compilation is nice, but it totally annihilates the atmosphere of quality bands that shouldn't be presented on cheese like this.  Though I have some problems with this disc, I still think it is well worth the price and it is certainly worth a good deal to fans who are interested in what Century Media produces. (Mike Riddick)

A TRIBUTE TO JUDAS PRIEST
«Legends Of Metal»
Century Media
I was honestly quite surprised to find that Century Media was able to get all of these old school bands to perform on this tribute album.  Here we have some classic bands as HELLOWEEN, TESTAMENT, FATES WARNING, MERCYFUL FATE, OVERKILL, and the German legends KREATOR.  Though I was never really into JUDAS PRIEST, I do think the bands herein have done a fine job of covering many of their classic titles such as: «Tyrant», «Rapid Fire», «Exciter» and «Burnin' Up».  This is a pretty decent compilation and I highly recommend it to any fanatic of JUDAS PRIEST.  (Mike Riddick)

[TRANSMISSION 01.97]
"Binary Application Extension"
Genocide (Culture Shock Magazine)
Here we discover the first in a series of compilation CDs to be released by America's leading electronic experimental publication, Culture Shock.  It is my contention that this disc acts as the pinnacle saviour to death industrial music!  For a time it seemed the industrial scene was growing stagnant and repititive.... however, Culture Shock succeeds in bringing you some of the most innovative and devoutly interesting bands of this decade. The bands featured herein are most certainly the ones to lead industrial music into the next millenium.  Groups like IMMINENT STARVATION, NOISEX, db. F, P.A.L., MORGUE, etc... all contribute with spectacularly unique and powerful songs-mixes.  This is bound to become a cult item so pick it up with your copy of Culture Shock before they are all gone! An added bonus is the amazing cover-layout graphic work by S.alt of the Ant-Zen label (Germany)!  (Mike Riddick)
 
GOLDEN BALLADS - 2: MUSIC PAUSE compilation
Metal Agen Records
rating: 5 of 6
Quite good compilation from Metal Agen Records. It includes "calm" songs (I wouldn't dare to call all of them as "ballads") from bands, which belong to various metal genres - from rock'n'rollish FOXY TRICKS, alternative NICKLAUS and hard rock TOLERANCE to NOKTURNAL MORTUM (black metal godz from Ukraine - third album out soon!), doomy GORESLEEPS and Belorussian pagan doom metallers GODS TOWER. Most of tracks, featured on "Music Pause" are really worth attention, such as "Mama" (?) by TOLERANCE, END ZONE's classical re-arrangement of "Thalatta", "Cloudberry Rainbow" by SKYTHRONE and aforementioned NOKTURNAL MORTUM & GODS TOWER. ADOLF CASTLE also contributed rather interesting song - you see, I never considered Dee Troy as a real "singer" with his eunuch-sounding comedic voice, but it seems that this guy can sing quite good when he wants to. "Vilissa" proves it. As a conclusion - "Music Pause" is interesting compilation, however it has one shortcoming: all tracks were already featured before on official albums, so you won't find anything new here... Anyway, check it out. (Herr Stalhammar)