CoC : Various - Out of the Dark Live Compilation : Review

Various - _Out of the Dark Live Compilation_
(Century Media, 1997)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)

Six bands, six examples of some of the best European metal being made today. Each band plays two tracks, for a total of over 60 minutes, and the live sound on this CD is as good as it gets. So let's move on to the important part, which is who plays what, and how. The opening tracks belong to the Portuguese band Moonspell, who play their classic "Vampiria" from _Wolfheart_ and "A Poisoned Gift" from _Irreligious_. As usual, the guitars aren't too brilliant, but the songs were well chosen (even though I'd rather listen to "Alma Mater") and the overall performance is very solid. Next comes the true highlight of the whole CD: The Gathering, from Holland. Words fail to describe just how excellent they are live, from every band member playing perfect and with an amazing sound to Anneke van Giersbergen's awesome femme vox - and she doesn't miss a single note. They play "Leaves" and "Eleanor" from _Mandylion_. Samael, from Switzerland, take over next, and they sound as good and powerful live as one would expect - they play "My Saviour" from _Passage_ and the older "Mask of the Red Death", taken from _Ceremony of Opposites_. The Finnish band Sentenced come next with "Bleed" from _Down_ and "Dance on the Graces" from _Amok_. I never was much of a fan of theirs, but their performance seems perfectly reasonable. Rotting Christ play "The First Field of the Battle" (not much of a good choice, in my opinion) and "King of a Stellar War", both from the Greek's last album _Triarchy of the Lost Lovers_. They don't seem to play too tight live, but it's not bad either, and the second track is still quite good. The finishing act belongs to Crematory, from Germany, who rather disappointingly have chosen "Ist Es Wahr" from their self-titled album and the not-so-bad "Eyes of Suffering" from _Transmigration_. Being a keyboard-based band, their live sound is similar to the album's. So, if you don't know most of these bands, you really should buy this digi-pak; if you do know them, well, either you enjoy live albums a lot or you don't. As far as I'm concerned, The Gathering's remarkable performance is enough to make this album worth it, even though the second half of this compilation is quite inferior to the first.

(article published 13/5/1997)

ALBUMS
29/12/2010	C Drishner	8	Various - Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft - Gate 1: Yogsothery - Chaosmogonic Rituals of Fear
14/12/2010	N Shahpazov	8.5	Various - Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings
2/4/2010	Q Kalis		Various - Rising of Yog-Sothoth: Tribute to Thergothon
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17/9/2008	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - My Own Wolf: A New Approach to Ulver
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5/4/2007	Q Kalis		Various - Defaced and Split
25/3/2007	Q Kalis	8	Various - Fuck the Modern World
8/3/2007	J Ulrey	7.5	Various - Intoxicated Vol. 4
24/2/2007	K Sarampalis	7	Various - Metal Message Vol III
28/1/2007	Q Kalis	8.5	Various - A Reassuring Voice on the Television
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10/1/2005	T DePalma	7.5	Various - Listen Without Distraction - A Tribute to Kyuss
19/10/2004	P Azevedo	7	Various - Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal
17/1/2004	A McKay	3.5	Various - Defenders of Metal Volume 1 - The Seduction
16/11/2003	X Hoose	7	Various - Japanese Assault
31/8/2003	J Montague	8	Various - Barbaric Onslaught (Australian Metal Attack)
29/5/2003	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Victory Through Total Domination: Compilation No. III
27/5/2003	A Wee	7	Various - The Obsolete View
5/4/2003	P Azevedo	8	Various - Better Undead Than Alive
31/3/2003	P Azevedo	7.5	Various - Svartmetall Compilation 2001
26/3/2003	X Hoose	4	Various - Covered in Blood: A Tribute to Slayer
12/4/2002	B Meloon	6	Various - Czech Assault
12/4/2002	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - The Bells of the Mystical Empire
14/1/2002	A Wee	6	Various - Hellion Promo Vol II
14/1/2002	A McKay	7	Various - Colorado Colossus
19/10/2001	Q Kalis	7.5	Various - Beauty in Darkness 5
12/8/2001	A McKay	2	Various - Brazilian Assault
12/8/2001	V Eldefors	7	Various - Triarchy of Vasconia
12/8/2001	A Wee	9	Various - Black Metal Blitzkrieg
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
13/3/2001	A McKay	4	Various - Chamber Metal: Neo-Classical Metal Guitar
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
20/11/2000	A McKay	2	Various - Dead Zeppelin - A Metal Tribute to Led Zeppelin
20/11/2000	A McKay	6.5	Various - In the Sign of the Horns - A Tribute to Venom
20/11/2000	G Sanchez	7	Various - Economi$ed
20/11/2000	G Sanchez	8	Various - Coalescence
25/10/2000	A McKay	6	Various - Gateway to Hell 2: Tribute to Slayer
25/10/2000	A McKay	7	Various - King Diamond Tribute
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
25/10/2000	A McKay	9.5	Various - Root of All Evil 2000 2nd Anniversary Sampler
12/8/2000	A McKay	5	Various - Raise the Flag of Hate: A Tribute to Kreator
12/8/2000	A McKay	8	Various - Curse of the Demon: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate
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25/5/2000	A Bromley	7.5	Various - Panther: A Tribute to Pantera
5/3/2000	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Holy Dio: Tribute to Ronnie James Dio
15/1/2000	M Noll	2	Various - A Tribute to Accept
15/1/2000	P Azevedo	8	Various - To Magic...
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9/12/1999	A Bromley	8.5	Various - Never Give In: A Tribute to Bad Brains
12/8/1999	A McKay	3	Various - A Tribute to Hell: Satanic Rites
12/8/1999	P Schwarz	3	Various - ECW Extreme Music
12/8/1999	G Sanchez	6	Various - Lobot Manual
12/8/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Needlepoint
12/8/1999	A McKay	9	Various - White: Nightmares in the End
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15/6/1999	P Azevedo	5	Various - Psyclone Sinphonies
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15/6/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - Smells Like Team Spirit III
19/5/1999	G Sanchez	6.5	Various - Extreme America 3
19/5/1999	A McKay	7	Various - Straight to Hell -- A Tribute to Slayer
19/5/1999	G Sanchez	7.5	Various - Freak Animal Zine #11 CD
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19/5/1999	A McKay	8.5	Various - To Live Is Ever to Be in Danger
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14/3/1999	A McKay	7	Various - In Conspiracy With Satan
14/3/1999	G Sanchez	8	Various - WWF - The Music Vol. 3
13/2/1999	A Cantwell	8.5	Various - Full Moon Productions Sampler CD
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16/1/1999	P Schwarz	8	Various - Wardance
16/1/1999	A Cantwell	8	Various - From Kaamos to Midnight Sun -- Finnish Metal Compilation
19/11/1998	A Bromley	8	Various - GRRRR!!: Extreme Music From Vancouver
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
1/10/1998	P Schwarz	8	Various - Amduscias
1/9/1998	P Azevedo	6	Various - High Radiation 4
1/9/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Call on the Dark II
1/9/1998	B Meloon	7	Various - Bestial Sampler: 1997-1998
1/9/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Fiesta Comes Alive!
1/9/1998	P Schwarz	9	Various - Statements of Intent
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	6	Various - Blackened III
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Statements of Intent
8/7/1998	A Wasylyk	8	Various - Sepultural Feast: A Tribute to Sepultura
7/6/1998	P Azevedo		Various - Peaceville X
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
7/6/1998	B Meloon	8	Various - Until the End of Time
1/1/1998	A Wasylyk	5	Various - A Declaration of Independence
1/1/1998	A Gaudrault	7	Various - Masters of Misery - Black Sabbath: The Earache Tribute
1/1/1998	A Bromley	7	Various - Untitled (ten)
17/11/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - Earache Unplugged 2
14/7/1997	A Wasylyk	3	Various - The Kanada Compilation
14/7/1997	Z Tsarfin	7	Various - Awakenings: Females in Extreme Music
14/7/1997	A Bromley	9	Various - A Black Mark Tribute
7/6/1997	A Bromley	8	Various - The Ozz-Fest: Live
13/5/1997	S Hoeltzel	9	Various - World Domination II
5/2/1997	A Bromley	5	Various - Frozen Dawn III
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2/1/1997	A Wasylyk	9	Various - Beneath the Icy Floe: A Projekt Sampler V.4
12/8/1996	A Wasylyk	7	Various - Black Mark Attack
12/8/1996	G Filicetti	9	Various - ...And Even Wolves Hid Their Teeth
17/7/1996	A Bromley	9	Various - Beauty In Darkness
9/6/1996	S Hoeltzel	7	Various - Nordic Metal: A Tribute to Euronymous
18/4/1996	N Bassett	7	Various - In Memory of Celtic Frost
14/3/1996	A Bromley	7	Various - Identity II
14/3/1996	N Bassett	8	Various - With Us Or Against Us
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