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» Final Breath » Discography » MIND EXPLOSION - CD reviewsMetal Domination (http://www.metaldomination.com)From the first second of the cd's first songI knew what was going to follow..A death/thrash MASSACRE!Many influences from old Metallica,Kreator and Sodom..but more expanded.!Also death metal elements (at the gates)of the swedish kind are add to the final result.The also use some clean vocs on the some tracks...and i must say that they fit perfeclty!the only negative of ther album is the cover,which I find it a kind o childish.8,5 out of 10 (Marios Maravelias) (I would grade them with 9 but i want them to try for more cause hell! they are talented!) Tartarean Desire (http://www.tartareandesire.net)"The German five-piece death / thrash metal act Final Breath is the latest addition to the Nuclear Blast stable but this is not their debut album. The band actually formed in 1993 and released their full-length debut in the year 2000 through the Massacre partner label Gutter Records. Final Breath sound very much like Swedish bands of the genre such as Soilwork and Darkane but perhaps with a somewhat less thick sound wall and more varied tempos. If you enjoy those bands you will probably want to at least see what Final Breath is all about. With this album they deliver ten tracks of razor-sharp riffs, relentless thrashy metal and raging growling vocals. The only problem that the band still suffers from is that they often fall into the same riffs over and over again but when you get to hear Final Breath at their best such as in the seven minute opus "Break Down" they are really great. Another thing that they should stay away from is slower passages if they do not find a way of making them sound good. Right now they only fill out empty space but that is unfortunately almost always the case with extreme metal bands. Not the most amazing death / thrash release I've heard but still a most decent collection of intense and furious metal with a modern day feeling and a solid production courtesy of Andy Classen. Stand-out tracks: "Break Down", "To Live And To Die", "Careless".7 out of 10 points Flesh Rites (http://www.fleshrites.com)Thrash attack is back!!! This time done by the german FINAL BREATH. This german metallers formed in 1993. After two years they recorded their first demo called "Soulchange" in 1995. In 1997 they edited their Mini Cd called "End of it all". After this releases they edited their first official full lenght album called "Flash-burnt crucifixes" in 2000 via Gutter Records/Massacre. In august 2000 they entered the studio Stage One with Andy Classen to record the follow up of "Flash-burnt crucifixes" but this time without any contract with any label. When they have recorded the drums, guitars and bass section, the singer Michael Imhof left the band and were replaced by Jürgen Aumann, a more agressive singer more in the vein that the music needs nowadays. This album is full of agression, specially with the title track called "Mind explosion" with rage and furious riffs, blasting drums in a SLAYERish vein changing to a more European style. On some songs they collide from the US thrash bands to a more European thrash band but not as agressive and damned as their antecessors, this time more melodic. The quality of the band is really goos with technique and clear ideas. I think about BLUDGEON said to be the thrash album of the year and, being different than this one, I prefer this album than the BLUDGEON one, it has more melody, the vox is really agressive and the guitar section has a really good overall. But don't expect something really original, all in this album is really invented, but if you like to have some fun, to break your neck and move your hair yo have a really good oportunity to ckeck this out with good songs like the fast "Break Down", the agressive "White prison", changing to a more melodic lines in "Nondescript" or the most melodic songs by far of all the album "To live and to die", or "When love turns to hate" sounding a bit death metallish. Nothing new but a good release to enjoy with your friends having some beer or whatever. Hehehe!!!Xtreem Music (http://www.xtreemmusic.com)The new record by this German band surprised me a lot. Their previous record "Flash Burnt Crucifixes" was a rather average release, not very good, not bad, but this second album, this time under Nuclear Blast Records is much more aggressive and varied. Their style can be described as Thrash Metal with lots of rhythm changes and certain similarities with bands like SLAYER (there is a vocal part in the first part of the 3rd song that's very in the vein of Araya and then all the song continues in the same vein). There are even some elements of Death Metal, but just sometimes and in some of the songs ("When The Love Turns To Hate"). The production from Andy Classen is also something noticeable over here as it sounds completely heavy and powerful. There are some melodic touches in some of the songs that make them feel a bit more varied. A good record that will please each and every fan of the Thrash Metal style.7,5 out of 10 points (Toni) Live 4 Metal (http://www.live4metal.com)After spending an evening listening to and then reviewing nothing but melodic Metal, I really needed to get my sugar levels up and Final Breath provided the perfect tonic. No fancy descriptions or long winded build up needed. This thrashes like fuck... and then some. If you loved The Haunted's debut or Machine Heads Burn My Eyes, then this is for you. A subtle intro proceeds the title track which is a total dandruff shaker. Furious riffs, furious rhythms and without doubt, very furious vocals. The urge and necessity to crank up the volume also forces your face into uncontrollable grin mode and your feet move into satanic foot tapping mode (hey what else can I call foot tapping to make it sound interesting?) It is impossible to sit (or stand) still whilst listening to this. From such a breathtaking opening salvo, things just get better and better. Break Down surpasses anything the mighty Slayer have recorded in recent years. It owes a lot to the Thrash Titans, in particular the guitar sound, but clocking in at just under 7 minutes, it's an epic in it's own right. It's unrelenting throughout and must leave drummer Heiko Krumpholz completely exhausted when/if they play it live. It's not all heads down material. Nondescript utilizes a humungous groove and lays down another selection of exceptional riffs. And that's the key to the albums success. The pace and intensity changes throughout. And although clocking in at just under 50 minutes, the sound never drags and the thought of boredom never enters your mind. It is without doubt one of the greatest "modern day" Thrash releases. I'm sure Final Breath would be perfect openers for the forthcoming Kreator, Destruction tour. Someone have word please.(Steve) Riot Distribution (Australia)Wow! What a suprise this was! Im not fimiliar with this band at all but after listening to 'Mind Explosion' they are well worth investigating. German band Final Breath are a very heavy extreme death/thrash band that demonstrate extreme aggression. As most are well aware, there are tonnes of death/thrash bands around but none do it this way or this good! 'Mind Explosion', 'Break Down' (which reminds me of old Slayer) and 'When Love Turns To Hate' are all excellent tracks as are 'White Prison' and 'Killed By Lust'. Excellent band - Excellent album! Check em out!Bloodcifery (http://www.bloodcifery.com)If there were a band to win the 'most horrendous artwork ever' prize, amongst the nominates ones, these German people could be in a privileged place. It hurts just by looking at it. The content is what really interests us (although cries out for the skies, I have to say) and at this point takes our time. Get ready for a merciless old school Thrash Metal attack, being Slayer their greater influence (listen to the opening track and you'll realize why). Kreator, Sodom and the whole German old school is taken into account for filling in such a characteristic sound, but this becomes less important in comparison to the 'slayeristic' riffs, heartbreaking voices and fast parts including that classical 'tupa-tupa' drum beat style. From my point of view, the band provides nothing new. Final Breath is not original (I'm not even looking after it), but what they do is well done, getting a demolishing and overwhelming sound that smashes right in your face like a left-hand crochet. Since reminiscences of classical death are found as well, precisely of one of the paradigms and creators such as Death of the gone Schuldiner, the band does not only performs Thrash Metal. In some songs, this influence is fully appreciated and gives more quality to the recording. The problem of these kind of bands lies in releasing any other work but they go unnoticed and finally the band disappears. I can't really understand it (well, yes but …) cause theirs is a good quality, maybe it's just a matter of image (damn, what an artwork!), marketing, who knows! Then, summing up, buying this album is just a matter according to your priorities. It's a really good album. Your choice!!(Pinhead) Primus (http://home.primus.com.au)It's really annoying that this band reminds me so much of someone but I can't think who! I know that in a couple of months I'll pull out an album to listen to purely by chance and instantly realise who I'm trying to think of. Anyway, Germany's Final Breath have come up with one of the best albums I've heard this year. Full-on rampaging death/thrash which is heavy as Hell and perfectly produced. Elements of Morbid Angel, Kreator, Metallica, Slayer and the melodic side of Cannibal Corpse's riffs combine to make the ten tracks a welcome breath of familiar yet presently uncommon intense heavy death/thrash.Torturous and harsh but strong vocals compliment the music which steamrolls from one pounding riff to another. The title track is a little reminiscent of Slayer circa "South Of Heaven", while "White Prison" calls to mind Metallica's "Harvester Of Sorrow". Variation is included through slower tracks like "Break Down" and "When Love Turns To Hate". Occasional modernish grooving parts remind me of Pantera or Biohazard and overall "Mind Explosion" is very catchy and melody-driven without losing intensity or impact. Once again, Final Breath are a band like Angel Corpse, Arch Enemy or The Forsaken who, if they started around ten years ago would be hailed nowadays as Gods. I strongly recommend "Mind Explosion" as a purchase if you love heavy old-school death/thrash and feel like a good headbang. You won't be disappointed! (Raymond Lacken) Metal Invader (http://www.metal-invader.com)Germany has a long established history in producing good Thrash bands. If you look back in the 80's the most importand thrash bands came from Geramny and perhaps a couple from the UK. Anyhow, enough with the prologue... Here we 've got a relatively new band with a couple of previous semi-pro releases, getting a release from the mighty Blast. And the people are not suckers, the know a good band when they hear one. FINAL BREATH are a bunch that plays brutal death/thrash at high speed, with a LOT of aggression. From the furious opener, "Under Pressure" the listener is attacked with an unbelievable ferocity, that does not cease until the album's through. This band seems to have studied albums like "extreme agression" inside and out, and just turbocharged their performance and here they are. Extremely Agressive, Extremely good !!!4,5 out of 6 points (Manolis) Tombstone (http://www.tombstone.gr)The guys are from Germany (I think) and they are playing thrash metal with many death metal elements, especially in the attitude. They have the aggressiveness of a death metal band and their vocals are not completely clear, but their music is closer to bay area thrash metal. There are some good songs in the album but not all the songs are of the same quality. For one good song you'll also get another one that's mostly indifferent or a repetition of another idea explored in a different way. The overall quality is just above average but the good songs of the album are a sign of great talent and potential. I guess that with hard work they will be able to deliver an album full of good songs which will be the one to bring the band to the next level, move them a step forward towards their greatest goal. The production could also use some improvement since it is not as clear as required.8 out of 10 points |
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