CoC : Various - Feuersturm Vol. II: The Ultimate Storm : Review

Various - _Feuersturm Vol. II: The Ultimate Storm_
(Century Media, 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)

Whether you can call this compilation "good" depends on how you define "good" in the context of a 2CD sampler. It is a given that this provides you with 27 tracks of metal; it is a bonus that a large majority of these tracks are from bands I enjoy or whose music is worth knowing about, like it or not. Though a Century Media sampler, this features tracks from many labels -- Necropolis and Nuclear Blast in particular seem to have had a substantial stake in it. All positive so far; here are some of the snags. Virtually none of these tracks are from albums not already out and none are unreleased. As a consequence, there is no incentive to buy this as anything but a sampler. This claims to be a definitive black metal compilation -- it is not advertised or intended as simply a metal compilation. Quite honestly, this seems to me false advertising. Cryptopsy, Hypocrisy, Witchery -- these are not black metal bands. They may be good and I definitely think they are more than worthy of a place on a sampler, but to call them black metal is like calling Morbid Angel "The Godfathers of Black Metal": it's a way to falsely make them trendy, it's a tactic intended only to shift units. Since the task of constructing a definitive black metal compilation is near impossible, with all the different labels the various bands are on, I am not really criticizing Century Media et al. for failing, but for trying and presuming they had succeeded. Overall, this is a metal compilation and it is a good one. It pits newer bands, many of whom I was pleased to have the chance to sample, against more established acts (some in a category I would term "essential") very well and thus is a wide reaching sampler which will probably lead to some good money spent and saved. Bands featured include: Cryptopsy, Dawn, Gorgoroth, Cradle of Filth, War, Ancient Rites, Mork Gryning and Limbonic Art, among nineteen others.

(article published 16/1/1999)

ALBUMS
7/6/1998	P Azevedo		Various - Peaceville X
5/4/2007	Q Kalis		Various - Defaced and Split
15/4/2007	Q Kalis		Various - Fine-Tuned Disasters
8/1/2009	C Drishner		Various - Anthrosphere Volume 1
2/4/2010	Q Kalis		Various - Rising of Yog-Sothoth: Tribute to Thergothon
20/11/2000	A McKay	2	Various - Dead Zeppelin - A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin
12/8/2001	A McKay	2	Various - Brazilian Assault
15/1/2000	M Noll	2	Various - A Tribute to Accept
14/7/1997	A Wasylyk	3	Various - The Kanada Compilation
25/5/2000	A Bromley	3	Various - Power From the North
12/8/1999	A McKay	3	Various - A Tribute to Hell: Satanic Rites
12/8/1999	P Schwarz	3	Various - ECW Extreme Music
17/1/2004	A McKay	3.5	Various - Defenders of Metal Volume 1 - The Seduction
26/3/2003	X Hoose	4	Various - Covered in Blood: A Tribute to Slayer
13/3/2001	A McKay	4	Various - Chamber Metal: Neo-Classical Metal Guitar
11/6/2008	Q Kalis	4.5	Various - Bajo el Signo de la Violencia: Tribute to Masacre
12/8/2000	A McKay	5	Various - Raise the Flag of Hate: A Tribute to Kreator
15/6/1999	P Azevedo	5	Various - Psyclone Sinphonies
1/1/1998	A Wasylyk	5	Various - A Declaration of Independence
5/2/1997	A Bromley	5	Various - Frozen Dawn III
16/1/1999	P Schwarz	5	Various - Roadkill
17/6/2008	Q Kalis	5.5	Various - Extreme Metal Inside
12/4/2002	B Meloon	6	Various - Czech Assault
14/1/2002	A Wee	6	Various - Hellion Promo Vol II
25/10/2000	A McKay	6	Various - Gateway to Hell 2: Tribute to Slayer
12/8/1999	G Sanchez	6	Various - Lobot Manual
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	6	Various - Blackened III
1/9/1998	P Azevedo	6	Various - High Radiation 4
19/5/1999	G Sanchez	6.5	Various - Extreme America 3
15/6/1999	A Wasylyk	6.5	Various - Beauty in Darkness Vol. 3
20/11/2000	A McKay	6.5	Various - In the Sign of the Horns - A Tribute to Venom
13/3/2001	A McKay	6.5	Various - Overload 2: Tribute to Metallica
10/1/2001	A McKay	6.5	Various - Scream Forth Blasphemy: A Tribute to Morbid Angel
24/2/2007	K Sarampalis	7	Various - Metal Message Vol III
4/7/2007	Q Kalis	7	Various - Aural Holograms Vol. I
7/10/2007	Q Kalis	7	Various - Rise of the Eastern Blood
16/11/2003	X Hoose	7	Various - Japanese Assault
27/5/2003	A Wee	7	Various - The Obsolete View
7/11/2005	N Shahpazov	7	Various - The Wood Brothers
19/10/2004	P Azevedo	7	Various - Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal
14/1/2002	A McKay	7	Various - Colorado Colossus
12/8/2001	V Eldefors	7	Various - Triarchy of Vasconia
20/11/2000	G Sanchez	7	Various - Economi$ed
25/10/2000	A McKay	7	Various - King Diamond Tribute
7/7/1999	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Death... Is Just the Beginning 5
19/5/1999	A McKay	7	Various - Straight to Hell -- A Tribute to Slayer
1/1/1998	A Gaudrault	7	Various - Masters of Misery - Black Sabbath: The Earache Tribute
1/1/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Untitled (ten)
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Statements of Intent
7/6/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Call To Irons: A Tribute to Iron Maiden
7/6/1998	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Voyager: 10 Years Nuclear Blast
14/3/1999	A Bromley	7	Various - Black Mark Tribute II
14/3/1999	A McKay	7	Various - In Conspiracy With Satan
1/10/1998	P Schwarz	7	Various - Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4
1/10/1998	A Cantwell	7	Various - Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2
1/9/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Call on the Dark II
1/9/1998	B Meloon	7	Various - Bestial Sampler: 1997-1998
14/7/1997	Z Tsarfin	7	Various - Awakenings: Females in Extreme Music
12/8/1996	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Black Mark Attack
9/6/1996	S Hoeltzel	7	Various - Nordic Metal: A Tribute to Euronymous
14/3/1996	A Bromley	7	Various - Identity II
18/4/1996	N Bassett	7	Various - In Memory of Celtic Frost
31/3/2003	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - Svartmetall Compilation 2001
29/5/2003	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Victory Through Total Domination: Compilation No. III
10/1/2005	T DePalma	7.5	Various - Listen Without Distraction - A Tribute to Kyuss
9/8/2008	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Metal Message IV
17/9/2008	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - My Own Wolf: A New Approach to Ulver
8/3/2007	J Ulrey	7.5	Various - Intoxicated Vol. 4
9/1/2007	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Hauautagused Karjed Vol. II: Estonian Extreme Metal Compilation
19/5/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Freak Animal Zine #11 CD
12/8/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Needlepoint
25/5/2000	A Bromley	7.5	Various - Panther: A Tribute to Pantera
25/10/2000	A Cantwell	7.5	Various - World of Pain -- A Tribute to Sepultura
25/10/2000	A Cantwell	7.5	Various - Jump in the Pit -- A Tribute to Testament
19/10/2001	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Beauty in Darkness 5
12/4/2002	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - The Bells of the Mystical Empire
29/12/2010	C Drishner	8	Various - Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft - Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear
13/5/2001	A Wee	8	Various - The Return of Darkness and Hate
13/5/2001	A McKay	8	Various - Requiems of Revulsion: A Tribute to Carcass
20/11/2000	G Sanchez	8	Various - Coalescence
12/8/2000	A McKay	8	Various - Curse of the Demon: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate
15/1/2000	P Azevedo	8	Various - To Magic...
9/12/1999	P Schwarz	8	Various - 21st Century Media Blitz Vol. 2
19/5/1999	P Azevedo	8	Various - Where We Go, Others Can Only Follow...
14/3/1999	G Sanchez	8	Various - WWF - The Music Vol. 3
17/11/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - Earache Unplugged 2
5/2/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - The Absolute Supper
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Sepultural Feast: A Tribute to Sepultura
7/6/1998	B Meloon	8	Various - Until the End of Time
19/11/1998	A Bromley	8	Various - GRRRR!!: Extreme Music From Vancouver
16/1/1999	P Schwarz	8	Various - Wardance
16/1/1999	A Cantwell	8	Various - From Kaamos to Midnight Sun -- Finnish Metal Compilation
1/9/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Fiesta Comes Alive!
1/10/1998	P Schwarz	8	Various - Amduscias
7/6/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - The Ozz-Fest: Live
13/5/1997	P Azevedo	8	Various - Out of the Dark Live Compilation
14/3/1996	N Bassett	8	Various - With Us Or Against Us
26/12/2006	Q Kalis	8	Various - All My Dead Friends
25/3/2007	Q Kalis	8	Various - Fuck the Modern World
13/6/2008	Q Kalis	8	Various - Might Is Right: Nordic Warchants II
22/6/2008	Q Kalis	8	Various - ...Where Tattered Clouds Are Stranding
24/7/2007	Q Kalis	8	Various - Might Is Right - Nordic Warchants Pt. I
31/8/2003	J Montague	8	Various - Barbaric Onslaught (Australian Metal Attack)
5/4/2003	P Azevedo	8	Various - Better Undead Than Alive
20/4/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Various - Noise.IL
28/1/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Various - A Reassuring Voice on the Television
13/2/1999	A Cantwell	8.5	Various - Full Moon Productions Sampler CD
19/5/1999	A Cantwell	8.5	Various - Chords of the Grave
19/5/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - To Live Is Ever to Be in Danger
15/6/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - Smells Like Team Spirit III
9/12/1999	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Never Give In: A Tribute to Bad Brains
5/3/2000	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
14/12/2010	N Shahpazov	8.5	Various - Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings
12/8/2001	A Wee	9	Various - Black Metal Blitzkrieg
12/8/1999	A McKay	9	Various - White: Nightmares in the End
1/9/1998	P Schwarz	9	Various - Statements of Intent
14/7/1997	A Bromley	9	Various - A Black Mark Tribute
13/5/1997	S Hoeltzel	9	Various - World Domination II
2/1/1997	A Wasylyk	9	Various - Beneath the Icy Floe: A Projekt Sampler V.4
12/8/1996	G Filicetti	9	Various - ...And Even Wolves Hid Their Teeth
17/7/1996	A Bromley	9	Various - Beauty In Darkness
17/1/1996	G Filicetti	9	Various - Four Ways To Misery
25/10/2000	A McKay	9.5	Various - Root of All Evil 2000 2nd Anniversary Sampler