MORPHINE KILLER – released their Nightmares EP back in October of 2009, on Final Breath Records. What makes this duo of Belle Roka, ( Vocals, Keyboards) and Eski, (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums) stand out is their undying Extreme Metal delivery… which is all structured and written quite well on the five songs heard on this Nightmares EP. Morphine Killer has incorporated all the dark ambiance within their heavy riffs and cyclone guitar leads… just one listen to Clutching Defeat should make the non-believers fall to their weakened knees. Eski exhalts his no compromise Extreme vocals to a prolific level of Metal Grind purity.
With Eski and Belle sharing vocal duties, it’s soft harmony and a swift, crushing extreme blow to my Metal ears that keeps me coming back for more. Morphine Killer has incorporated a mix of Metal genres into their one-two Extreme thunder strike… with convincing and serious results. I have posted the song Pride Comes Before A Fall, on April 15, 2010, realizing that Belle’s luringly tender vocals sucks me into the Extreme Metal explosiveness that their music brandishes. Listening to this Morphine Killer – Nightmares EP is like entering valley of the Extreme Metal grooves, not one song replicates the other, each Metal corner turned seems to be better than the last.
One listen to Home and I can envision Morphine Killer opening for Kittie… and that would be a killer show of Metal proportions. Can I make a fair comparison of Belle Roka to Morgan Lander of Kittie? I certainly can, despite each being unique vocalists… this comparison is a compliment to both of these Metal divas. The influence nod to Classic Rock icon Heart is posted on Morphine Killer’s myspace music page… and I can understand why, each time I hear Belle sing. What is refreshing about Morphine Killer is that they apparently are climbing the Metal ladder the old school way, with their obvious musical talent guiding them each Extreme step of the way.
She’s Slipping Away opens up with a Traditional Metal approach, doom ridden riffs and thunderous drum beats are sewn with a quaking bass that only becomes more deliriously addicting once Belle begins to vocalize the lyrics. Oh, yes, you better watch your Metal back however, the semi-growling and sneering backing vocals are evident courtesy of Eski… dark, creepy and a necessary Metal musical additive. I’m a sucker for the emotions that a keyboard can bring to music. Belle adds just this to She’s Slipping Away, with melancholy atmospherics in the background.
In Silent Agony concludes this Nightmares EP and does so with an Extreme Metal exclamation point. Eski is showcased on vocals throughout In Silent Agony, jumping out from the onset like a catastrophic furnace blast… no warning… and I’m not running, just consumed with Extreme satisfaction, Metal be thy name.
We live on a planet where there are quite a few Metal bands doing their thing and going with the flow… Morphine Killer is doing their thing alright, only their sound and diversity pushes them out in front of the up and coming Metal pack. Anytime a young Metal band creates quality songs through musical talent, while embedding slivers of Old School, I’m going to Metal endorse them to the fullest. It should not take the Metal world too long to grasp with their ears what Morphine Killer is creating here, a Metal sound that encompasses the dark and the light… which makes this Metal fanatic Extremely pleased with their discovery.
* You can purchase Morphine Killer – Nightmares EP directly on the Morphine Killer website or at Amazon.com.
MORPHINE KILLER – Official Website
Stone.
I’m always looking for good deals on my Heavy Metal Music purchases, from albums, CD’s to memorabilia and books. Upon one of my recent stops into a local thrift store, I happened upon quite the Heavy Metal find indeed, for the ripe price of fifty cents. Yes, fifty cents. The find you ask? Well, none other than The Rough Guide To Heavy Metal – and it is quite the book for me. (This book is a 1st printing, printed in 2005 by Rough Guides). While perusing the book aisle at this thrift store, the image of none other than Ozzy Osbourne caught my eye. What is this? I could not believe what I had found! Knowing immediately too, that any book in this thrift store is only fifty cents… I was Metal stoked. As a bonus, this book stared right at me in gem mint condition as well. As I picked it up and browsed through it’s Heavy Metal filled pages, it was obvious to me that the previous owner of this book never bothered to read it. As crisp of a new book you will find. Life is a sweet journey sometimes, especially when you can stumble on a 410 page book, when you least expect it, that is dedicated to your favorite music genre… Heavy Metal.
I really get a kick out of Alexi Laiho, his lead vocals and lead guitar play are extreme to the Metal maximum. I know that sounds rather yahoo, only there is no other way to really explain it. I like this guys style, he is hell bent on playing some of the fastest Thrash Metal Music out there. On the new Children Of Bodom album, Skeletons in the Closet, (released on September 22, 2009), there are seventeen cover songs. Of the bands and musicians that are covered here, there is one song that I simply cannot get into or simply stomach. Hey, one lousy song out of seventeen isn’t too shabby. Consider the fact, that I really like the other sixteen songs on Skeletons in the Closet and I declare this album a Metal winner. Let’s cut to the Metal chase here and I’ll just state that the cover of the Britney Spears song, Oops… I Did It Again is equally lame as it is annoying. I have never been intrigued by Britney Spears, nor do I give her even one millionth of an ounce of respect for any music she has done in her life.
I am a Slayer fan. Have been since I first held onto the Show No Mercy album and stared at the artwork in frozen awe. I bought that Slayer album back in 1984, back when I was picked on for the music I liked by the kids wearing turtle necks, with a stupid alligator on them. The Izod kids… they were so convinced that Slayer was not going to be around in five years. That same Izod crowd all were convinced that Metal Music was for the troubled kids, listening to Slayer is what made us trouble. Really, that junk was thrown at me about Slayer and I never flinched. It’s funny now as I look back on those ridiculous high school years, the hurtful remarks and snotty attitude that I put up with from so many of my peers are now a humorous memory for me. I’ve turned out alright for myself since 1984, I am proud of my life’s accomplishments thus far. I’m not about to reveal every good deed I have done throughout my life, it really would be boring to read. Being a Slayer fan and fan of Metal Music is a part of me, take it or leave it.
Contrary to so many of the Izod kids, the religious right and the PMRC, (The Parents Music Resource Center), I and countless other Slayer fans never became Satanists or serial killers. Nope, the Thrash Metal of Slayer never made me commit a crime. I know this probably disappoints some of the Izod crowd out there, yet Slayer never influenced me to become a lifetime criminal. To compare Metal Music to violent behavior is such a waste of time, there is no correlation. Drugs and/or mental illness is the obvious incubus for violent behavior. How do I know, you may ask? Well, for one, Charles Manson was a Beach Boys fan… Thrash, Death and Black Metal never existed when Charles Manson was roaming the streets. Anyone would be wrong to connect The Beach Boys to violent behavior as well. To say that even The Beach Boys provokes violent behavior is ludicrous and/or irrational. What type of Metal Music did Al Capone listen to? How about Napoleon Bonaparte? I have made my Metal point here… feels good too.
I always express just how thankful I am that so many veteran Metal
So, tomorrow I will make my 
Metal Odyssey’s Metal Album Recommendation For Your Halloween Listening Enjoyment: OBITUARY – DARKEST DAY – These Death Metal Legends are not fooling around with their June 30th, 2009 release. Darkest Day is without Metal hesitation, one of my top three albums of 2009… spanning all the Metal genres.
Plus, the Grim Reaper wants to warn you all… the brand new SLAYER album World Painted Blood gets released on Tuesday, November 3rd. I am counting down the minutes in my Metal mind to this great moment in Slayer history.
Slayer. Thrash Metal Legends without any doubt in my Metal mind. I caught onto Slayer from the very beginning. I ordered Slayer’s first album, Show No Mercy, through mail order – direct from Metal Blade Records, back in 1984. Since then, Slayer has been a band that I uphold as one of the greatest Thrash Metal Bands ever, (if not the greatest).I have seen Slayer live in a small club setting back in the late 1980’s, a fortunate Metal experience that I will never forget. Yes, Slayer is a core favorite of mine and that will never change.
The Book Of Slayer covers the band from it’s infancy in 1981 to present day. Anecdotes, interviews, tons of photos and details abound and it is 100% Slayer. Plus there are four feature articles included about Slayer, from past issues of Revolver. Revolver documents Slayer throughout their entire career in excellent Metal fashion. Kerry King, Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman, Dave Lombardo and Paul Bostaph are all included in the story telling and interviews. This is one Slayer collectible worth picking up – the content within it’s pages and Slayer knowledge you will gain is well worth the $5.99 cover price. New fans can catch up on some great Slayer history and veteran fans should find it hard to put down. I know I will be taking it with me just about everywhere.
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