Extreme metal isn't easy these days. The blastbeats, subhuman gargles, odes to the Dark Lord, tales of bloodbaths and butchery, and bowel-rattling riffs have all been presented a thousand different ways. Young metal fans scrutinize an avalanche of new bands shrewdly, like case-hardened crime scene investigators that have seen and heard it all before.

Chicago's LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR get around this problem with the choosy way they present the above-mentioned items. Their latest disc, "War Metal Battle Master" is a concept album according to the band, about "solving problems with a big fucking axe". Judging from the sonic wallop the band delivers over eight impressive tracks, the concept works quite well.

LOTM do not subscribe to the tricky, clicky kick drums, guest female vocalists, or cookie-cutter riffs that so many of their tattooed contemporaries employ. Rather, they sound like real live, vulgar, furious, metal-obsessed human beings bashing their instruments into a fine powder. It's an approach that recalls classic bands unafraid to put a little sweat in their sound, i.e. VENOM, IMMORTAL, CELTIC FROST, HIGH ON FIRE, etc. The slit-throat screams of Rathbone are timed appropriately for maximum headbanging shock value, as evidenced in massive texts like "Black Viper Barbarian Clan", a track which alternates a blackened everything-but-the-kitchen-sink pounding with sly, high-powered riffs a la old-school SLAYER. "Assassins of the Cursed Mist" also uses this rise-and-fall-away method of building tension, melting into a HELMET-style rhythm, complete with that tonking drum pattern. The changes come fast and hard, with dark surprises around every corner, and the glossy liner notes are strewn with harrowing etchings of battle scenes as well as a complete set of lyrics.

The overall vibe of the record is that of something creepy, hairy, and blood-soaked standing behind you, breathing down your neck as you listen. The odor of charred, dead bodies seems to float out of your speakers as the disc plays. "War Metal Battle Master" is money well spent for old-school and new-school metal fans alike.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.lairoftheminotaur.com

RELATED ITEMS: LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR - "The Ultimate Destroyer", 2006