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Second Shadow - Line Up-Execution Style - 2005 - Murdered Records

Track Listing
1. Torture
2. Line Up (Execution Style)
3. Murder V2.0
4. Third Floor Malevolence
5. Hands Of Murder
6. Mind Devoured

What does Morbid Angel, In Flames, and Bloodbath all have in common? Do you give up yet? The answer is a band that incorporates the best elements of many greats in the business today. Speed, melodies, brutality, aggression, and death. For all of this you only need to look in one place, the Norwegian aggressor known as Second Shadow.

The band was formed during the fall of 2003. The executors, who call Vennesla, Norway home, are Jon Vassbo (Vocals), Preben Mosfjell (Guitars), Rames Argento (Bass), and Stig Reinhardtsen (Drums). After a multitude of concerts and an enormous following, the band decided it was time to hit the studio in 2005, thus this six song EP was born. The studio choice was made and Jailhouse Studio was the site. Line Up (Execution Style) has been released on Jon Vassbo’s own label, Murdered Records.

From the intro, one can only think Morbid Angel, however they mix the speed and aggression they bring into play and improve it by adding an unmistakable and catchy melody. Now that they have to fill the big boots to kick your ass, are they up for the task? Now on we go to the title track. “My world is filled with too much ignorance”, how can a song with this line in it be a bad song? As we enter the third song, we hear a dialogue they included. This dialogue sums up a band that is seemingly obsessed with death and murder. Good old fashioned horror movie fans I bet. Just when you think the death and murder thing may have gotten to be too much, comes a ray of light in “Mind Devoured”. An excellent song that is well written as well as well preformed and makes this EP killer.

I am in no way saying this is a bad album. What I am saying is that I must be in a certain mood to listen to stuff like this on a daily basis. However, when I am in that mood, and since Morbid Angel has decided to stop gracing us with good metal, I’ll go past Bloodbath and pick up Second Shadow. These guys released a very worthy and memorable album. Nicely done guys!



--IcedMojo 1.12.06

Maximum Metal Rating Legend - Full Details
5 Excellent - Buy it and say a prayer to the metal gods that you were tuned on to this masterpiece. A classic.
4-4.5 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a clunker or a lacking somewhere to keep it from perfection. You won't feel bad about dropping some bones on these.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler. This is the OK range where you'd search for the record on sale or used.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio. Could show skills but be dull overall. Redeeming qualities for indy bands are effort and passion. Majors that don't try or suck outright end up here.
2-2.5 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors. There is much better metal out there.
1-1.5 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible or an otherwise waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.


All reviews for this band:
CD
 TITLE BAND
DOR
 REVIEWER DATE
Line Up-Execution StyleSecond Shadow
2005
IcedMojo3/30/2006


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INTERVIEW BAND INTERVIEWER DATE


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