Audio-Visuals

RECOLLECTION: RELAPSE VIDEO COLLECTION
Directed by various
(Relapse)
As advertised, ReCollection compiles a plethora of music videos made by representatives of Relapse's varied roster. The kind of extreme heaviness Relapse specializes in—death metal, grindcore, metalcore, prog metal, etc.—wins most of its converts through live performance; as such, most of the bands opt for clips that show off their concert prowess, even if the song over the images is a studio recording. This approach can also keep costs low, and it's pretty obvious most of these budgets were in the Roger Corman range.

Most of the metalcore bands sound alike—it would difficult for a newbie to tell the difference between Benümb, Uphill Battle, Brutal Truth and the Dillinger Escape Plan if not for the visuals. Thus, the more distinctive and adventurous bands make the keepers: Sabbath-worshipping power trio High On Fire's "Hung, Drawn and Quartered," Southern devil Alabama Thunderpussy's "Motor-Ready," occult death metal mainstay the Deceased's "Elly's Dementia"(in which the burly powerhouse of a singing drummer sports T-shirts for both 70s schlock horror flick The Omen and early 80s L.A. Goth crew 45 Grave, which tells you where the band is coming from) and thrashcore goof Blood Duster's vicious Limp Bizkit send-up "Pornstorestiffi." Relapse star Neurosis gets two clips, "Locust Star" and "Under the Surface," both of which spotlight its violent avant death metal onstage. Also benefiting from a pair of spots is Finland's metal giant Amorphis; 1999's high budget, angst-ridden "Divinity" (which wouldn't sound out of place on alternative rock radio) and 1994's occult progressive death metal "Black Winter Day" (probably the only purely conceptual video here) show just how radically the band has evolved in its decade of existence. My favorite piece, though, is "First Contact," from Australia's much-lauded Alchemist. Both the clever video, which mixes alien abduction footage with shots of the band playing under liquid lights, and the aggressive, bombastically catchy psychedelic thrash of the music make it clear why Alchemist is building such a buzz in the metal underground.

Since the music is more the focus than the images, ReCollection serves also as a sampler of the label's roster, a sort of visual companion to Contaminated 2.0. If you're curious what Relapse or the underground metal universe have to offer, this is a good place to start exploring. Michael Toland [buy it]