Album Review: Nader Sadek - In the Flesh

There's been some great Death Metal released so far this year, the new Origin album being a particular highlight, but I have to say this has quickly become my new favourite. 

Egyptian born conceptual artist Nader Sadek has assembled a Death Metal supergroup to portray his vision of a world obsessed with consuming petroleum and in turn consuming itself. The roster consists of Flo Mounder (Cryptopsy), Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel) and Rune Ericksen (Mayhem) as well as other guest musicians and the influences and quality of musicianship is clear to see. 

After an eerie intro Petrophilia assaults with razor sharp cold black metal riffs and swamp laden vocals. In fact this album has really turned me onto Steve Tucker as a vocalist, his performance on this whole album is brilliant. Very Dave Vincent circa Domination era Morbid Angel but with more hate and venom. Much of the album actually channels the Domination album by Morbid Angel, with some nice sludgy riffs alternating with more bleak black metal styled ones. The drumming by Flo is brilliant and unrelenting throughout, and Rune Ericksen's influence can be felt with the cold, bleak, digital production as became popular in the early 2000's Black Metal scene, especially with bands on the Moonfog roster. 

Nader Sadek has entered the Death Metal fray swinging. This is such a brilliant album, with a unique vision and impeccable musicianship. It's going to be hard to top for the rest of the year.

Breaking Bad Season 4 Premiere

Having just recently gone through the first 3 seasons of this show with more and more interest the more I saw, I was chomping at the bit to see how season 4 would get under way and well, it's mostly how you would expect it to pan out. That is to say that both Walter and Jesse live and things go back to roughly where they were before, with the pair resuming cooking duties for Gus, it's how things happen that keeps it interesting, if a little uninspiring.

Gale is confirmed dead and we see a little more about him before his demise. Jesse is in shock and next thing he and Walter are back at the lab and in the hands of Mike and Victor. Walter does a decent job of talking his way into staying alive but Gus's disposal of Victor definitely makes it's point but seems a little over the top. Meanwhile we touch base with Skyler, and Hank and Marie, but only briefly.

This episode is all about resetting the boundaries after a massive season 3 which took matters to a whole new level, and it falls a little flat because of this. However now that things are back to a relative status quo, and with Gus nowconfirming he is an absolute headcase, the stage is set for the stakes to get even higher. Can Walter take out Gus and become kingpin? The future of Breaking Bad is still unclear and that's what makes it so exciting to watch.