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REVIEWS: Slaves of Society
thelefthandpath.com
SPECKMANN!!! The master, unsung, living abroad and back on stage touring, writing, releasing music still potent as the politics at home grow more absurd. Or just more absurdly tolerated. Twenty years on with two albums seemingly impossible to live down, Master's scathing 10th album sees the band at its strongest in years. Their state of mind spelled out immediately in the album's cover, the meaning no deeper than that metalized rendering of citizen qua cum-receptacle at the feet of our Great Architects of Change. The disc's eleven tracks regain a certain focus and clarity to heighten that aggression as Speckmann, guitarist Ales Nejezchleba and hammersmith Zdenel Pradlovsky continually pound out speed metal timed with machine gun rhythms backing bass guitar purring like a jet-black dragster and lyrics voiced raw and dripping, at each turn demonstrating that not all the old lions age so poorly. With songs battling an imbalance of recognition, hype and influence, the moniker answers peers and offspring together in signature twists delving briefly into pinch-groove riffs ("The Last Chapter"), accents of modern Death Metal ("The Room With Views") and straight-forward thrash scored with blood and sand on the backs of the masses and those chosen to represent them. On these formulas they improve with proven simplicity, the production thinner than what's demanded by many of the genre's younger following, but with nothing softened in the delivery and paired together with the recent re-release of their first two LPs on CD, may at last see Master regain throne.
[Todd DePalma]
 
kvltsite.com
Master - Slaves to Society
By Sriram Bharadwaj
Saturday, 10 November 2007

Master will go down in death metal annals, along with Monstrosity and Deceased as perhaps the band that was most undeservedly underappreciated by the hordes subscribing to said form of music. Speckmann's influence on the death metal of the late '80s was quite possibly as profound as any allegiance that has been sworn to Possessed, Slayer and early Death. Abomination, Death Strike, Funeral Bitch and consequently, Master have played no small part in forging death metal, then in its tumultuous adolescence, into the malignant force that it became in the early '90s. Grudgingly, I will concede that Speckmann too had his troughs, the mid '90s yielding a couple of nondescript slabs of plastic that bafflingly had the Master logo slapped onto them. However, Speckmann was far from out. A couple of line-up changes were made, the early '80s Discharge discography was pushed back into the tape recorder and a few more feet of beard added. The end result of a revitalized Master was 2005's "almost there" effort Four More Years Of Terror. The past 2 years seem to have been spent by Paul Speckmann (bass/vocals), Alex Nejezchleba (guitars) and Zdenek Pradlovsky in honing the portentous potential of Four More Years of Terror into a brutally precise and effective murder weapon.

Slaves To Society is easily Master's best album since 1991's On the Seventh Day God Created...Master. Everything that constituted classic Master is back on Slaves To Society, from the dizzying velocity of the riffs hewn from the ripest orchards of the hardcore/crossover movement of the '80s (primarily Discharge and the Cro-Mags), to Speckmann's razor edged, bile-spewing vocal delivery and cantakerous, socio-politically charged lyrical work. No time is wasted in iterating the course of action on this album, with The Final Skull's opening riff straightaway summoning the corpses of the '80s crossover giants to do their hyperspeed bidding. It's a declaration, both of intent and of return, by Speckmann and Co. The rest of the album follows through magnificently, pushing already insane levels of adrenaline soaked metal mania into overdrive. The title track (with a slight modern touch ala gratuitous use of the bane of Unique Leader-era death metal, the pinch harmonic, on the main riff), signals the start of the middle of the album and pushes it immediately into mosh territory. The solos are much better thought out and played out than any other Master album I can remember, including the S/T. The production on this album is brilliant, with fat guitar tones, THE best bass sound in any Master album ever (alas, Speckmann has confirmed what we always knew but only spoke of only in hushed tones.And that ofcourse is that, in Speckmann's own words "Burns was a homo when it came to bass") and a delectably organic drum tone. The songs get a bit longer towards the end of the album and exhibit the more distinct death metal face of Master's music, as compared to the snarling hardcore overtones of the preceeding material in the album. Remnants of Hate, The Last Chapter and World Police (the last being the longest track on the album at 6:04) all display the kind of misanthropic, blasting, Venom and Slayer born thrash-taken-to-the-next-level riffing that was prevelant on Unreleased 1985 Album era Master, and that made Master the force-du-jour among discerning death metal fans of the late '80s.

In essence, this is a return of unprecedentedly ass owning proportions from Master. And while Speckmann may never attain the stature of a Chuck Schuldiner or the notoreity of a Dave Vincent, he will continue to reign supreme in the memoirs of true death metal connoissuers as one of the most enduring legends of the genre. A must have!!

4/5
 
diabolicalconquest.com
Master - Slaves To Society

Paul Speckmann - Bass/Vocals
Ales Nejezchleba - Guitars
Zdenek "Zdenal" Pradlovsky - Drums

Always outspoken and disarmingly candid, Paul Speckmann's belligerence and boisterousness has not attenuated with the passage of time. On Master's umpteenth outing, Slaves To Society, this bellicose brazenness manifests itself in gratuitously explicit form- an act of fellatio clumsily censored by a superimposed “banned by society” bar. The none-too-subtle and clumsily-positioned tag, which utterly fails to obscure the bawdy imagery, is a concise and damning indictment of current policing and censorial procedures- the truth is in plain view, why bother tucking it (sloppily) under the rug? Master have always been a singularly unique proposition, an unabashedly political band that dodges the perilous pitfalls of sermonizing CNN Metal and total anarchic nihilism. A salvo against complacency, lassitude and hypocrisy, Master are first and foremost a commitment, a call-to-arms, an incitement. It also helps that they've regurgitated forth some of the most impassioned, incendiary death/thrash ever.

After having lost their way somewhat in the Let's Start A War/Faith Is In Season years, Speck unveiled a frighteningly immediate and awesomely spirited outing with last year's Four More Years Of Terror (as with all his pronouncements, Speck is not shy with his intentions). This record surpasses even that monument of malevolence, a breakneck exultation of all that is Master, Funeral Bitch and Death Strike. Unreservedly Speckmann from first note to last, this somehow manages to infuse new vitality into a formula that seemed to be wearing threadbare in Master's years in oblivion. If Four More Years Of Terror didn't completely dispel any of your reservations, Slaves To Society assuredly will. Speck has returned from his songwriting nebula, and this is surely the BEST Master album since On The Seventh Day ..., and each subsequent spin suggests that this one even eclipses said masterwork to rank alongside Master.

If this is your virgin experience with the band, enjoy the initiation, it is a baptism into a long and fulfilling relationship. All the requisite accoutrements of a Master record are accounted for- the doggedly single-minded beats, the non-stop, primal Discharge-flavored riffs, the gravel-throated, strained and severe vocals, the unashamedly caustic lyrical matter, the infectious holler-along hooks, the neck-snagging rhythms and deliberate, pronounced pacing. Speck has developed a style that remains affirmatively first-wave in approach, wielding the simplistic and frank formula to songcraft that has been his muse from his earliest days, but he welds this sensibility with a more contemporary feel for rhythmic phrasing and breaks that, to my mind at least, should assure considerable crossover appeal with a younger demographic.

Take the opening barrage of “The Final Skull”, for instance, which couples a mind-melting Discharge-esque main riff with throbbing, pounding kick drums and a devastating break, or the title cut (which is even accented with pinch harmonics, the soup-du-jour of all young rapscallions), a perfect synthesis of sinewy hardcore and vintage Master moves, the likes of which can be identified in everything from Terrorizer to Nasum. Consolidating this transition into greater accessibility is a heightened sense of melody- the solos that punctuate the record are succinct and tuneful, while “Cheater” even features hyperspeed harmony sections. Make no mistake, Master are still one of the most unforgiving propositions in death metal, but this time around the martial severity is expressed in (slightly) more approachable form. All of this, of course, crystallizes into what is surely the best death metal album of 2007 thus far, and a landmark in one of the most storied careers in heavy music.

nin chan, 9,3/10
 
Unholycult.com
Master - Slaves To Society
(Album of the Week 8-3-10-7)
A large grin crossed my face when Young, a 37 year old Christian Republican family man, that had given up listening to Metal said, “What band are we listening to… Its heavy and modern, but has an Old School feel.
Smirking I replied, “This is the new Master album called ‘Slaves To Society.”
“Yeah,” he replied. “This music reminds me of 84 when I first heard “Chemical Warfare” cause it’s fucking raw and mean. Master huh; leave it to Speckmann to still be killing us all after something like 25 years… FUCKING MADMAN!”
Truer words could not have been stated, but before I get to the meat of this critique I am compelled to emphasize that ‘Slaves To Society’ is essential.

Right when “The Final Skull” blasts into gear your ears are riding a sonic rocket of nihilism on CD. Paul Speckmann’s fingers rumbling across that buzzing distorted monster bass is amazing. Whether playing fast, technical, or jamming during chromatic interludes, the lower frequencies are a rolling mesmerizing signature balanced perfectly with the other instruments. It’s like hearing Steve Harris on steroids. The drumming on ‘Slaves To Society’ is sensational, but what makes this fact is how Zdenek Pradlovsky does NOT simply mash-n-bash blast beats for speed/filler. Instead, ears are treated to amazingly controlled footwork, unique tight fills, super human rolls, and a precision that is stellar. He sounds like a 1000 horses stampeding in harmony over a stadium full of politicians… Fuck, if I was learning to play drums, Pradlovsky would be my hero. Guitar solos rip-n-careen from all directions in squealing carpal tunnel inducing rage. Riff after violent riff tumbles out of Alex Nejezchleba’s guitar like cars spilling off a crumbling Minneapolis bridge. And each riff gets stuck in your head cause they’re instantaneously catchy and righteously pulsating.

I don’t usually discuss lyrics in critiques cause they are mostly redundant fodder about rape, gore, and homicide with a bit of Odin thrown in for pseudo creativity. On ‘Slaves To Society,’ Speckmann again proves topics about pernicious politics and automatons is starkly more relevant and brOOOtal than odes to Satan. Enhancing this fact are Speckmann’s vocals, which are utterly spiteful in a tone and growl as captivating now, as it was in 1985. When he bellows through his gravel throat “Society’s already dead” it comes across contemptuously truthful. Surely ‘Slaves To Society’ is what an anarchist plays while constructing a bomb.

Youth is raw rage with a naivety about life and politics molded into a sense of ageless indestructibility. Few are able to channel that passion into a meaningful artistic career, for too often integrity is bartered for bong hits and a sofa, an unemployment check, a mortgage, social status, and a trophy wife. Everyone sells out in a capitalist world, but few keep their integrity, which is why Master is an essential paradigm for what is right about Metal music and life. ‘Slaves To Society’ is gritty, brilliant, and profound. This is SpeckMetal! This is Master, and you will succumb to its sublime irreverence!!!!

By Mike Lidia

 
Legacy Magazine
MASTER „Slaves To Society“
(Twilight)
Ich habe schon fast das Gefühl, dass meine vielen guten Bewertungen zur Farce werden, aber der diesmonatige Soundcheck ist derart stark besetzt, dass daran gar kein Weg vorbei führt. Und auch das Death Metal-Urgestein MASTER macht da keine Ausnahme. Kaum zu fassen, wie unbeirrt Paul Speckmann trotz zahlreicher Rückschläge seinen Weg geht. Dabei spielt es für ihn keine Rolle, ob er in Chicago oder wie seit einigen Jahren in Tschechien stationiert ist. Auch "Slaves To Society" strotzt wieder vor simplen Death-/Thrash-Krachern, die völlig schnörkellos auf den Punkt kommen und absolut keine Gefangenen machen. ´Langsam´ ist dabei fast völlige Fehlanzeige, MASTER hauen auf die Fresse, und das nur mit wenigen Unterbrechungen. ´Back To The Primitive´ im positivsten Sinn! Viel mehr gibt es auch gar nicht zu sagen, MASTER sind MASTER, und das ist auch gut so. Es gibt zwar immer wieder Leute, die behaupten, früher wäre alles besser gewesen, aber das ist zumindest in Bezug auf "Slaves To Society" völliger Unsinn. Die Scheibe knallt von vorne bis hinten, die Songs sind eingängig, und der olle Paul präsentiert sich gesanglich in bester Form. Fett!
(MAW) 12/15 Punkte
 
visions-underground.com
Master "Slaves To Society" 12.6.2007
Man könnte ja meinen, es würde irgendwann mal langweilig werden, wenn eine Band über zwanzig Jahre lang Album um Album veröffentlicht und sich dabei entwicklungstechnisch gesehen kaum vom Fleck bewegt...Es wird aber einfach nicht langweilig – jedenfalls nicht bei Master! Deren neues Album „Slaves To Society“ ist einfach genauso alte Schule wie es sich für ein Death-Metal-Urgestein gehört!
Mit “The Final Skull”als Opener marschiert ein alles einstampfender und brutaler Song voran, der wieder auf ein gutes Album hoffen lässt – was mit „In Control“ direkt bestätigt wird, denn hierbei donnert es einem noch brachialer um die Ohren, als man erwartet hatte! In einem bösen Stakkato-Gewitter wettert Paul Speckmann mit den treibenden Instrumenten um die Wette, dass es eine Freude für jeden Nacken ist, und dem auch der darauffolgende Song „Beaten For The Possibility“ in nichts nachsteht. Diese drei Songs bilden einen klasse Einstieg in das Album durch die Master-typische Formel, die neben sehr variablen Ideen für ihre Songs immer fantastische Melodien mit rhythmischer Raserei verbinden – und das klappt bei ihnen einfach immer, wie man auf „Slaves To Society“ und natürlich den ganzen Vorgängern dieses Albums anhören kann. Aber zurück zu den neuen Songs! Beim Titelstück „Slaves To Society“ fühlt man sich dann endlich wie zu Hause angekommen – mehr nach Master können Master nicht klingen! Dagegen wird man von den Nachfolgern „Cheater“ und „The Darkest Age“ sehr überrascht. Ersteres fällt vor allem im Refrain eher in die Rock´n´Roll-Schiene und erinnert mich durch Speckmanns super gerotzten Gesang doch etwas an Motörhead´s Lemmy, was auch nochmals bei „Remnants Of Hate“ der Fall ist – und super in die Songs reinpasst, denn es verleiht ihnen noch einen Tick mehr Dynamik und fügt sich gut in die Melodien ein. Von „The Darkest Age“ wird man eher insofern überrumpelt, als dass es einen eben nicht erst überrumpelt – hä? Ja! Denn es beginnt zunächst schleppend und mit brüchigerem Gesang, gefolgt von interessanten Breaks im Tempo – finster und genial! Ebenfalls absolut hörenswerte Songs sind sowohl „The Room with Views“, der sehr rhythmisch durchläuft und für den ich eine Bang-Prognose von 100 Punkten vergebe, weil er so rumpelt, als auch das Presswerk „Remnants Of Hate“, das einem nicht mehr aus dem Ohr gehen kann durch seine böse hämmernden Riffs. Beängstigend gut ist hier auch das Gitarrensolo, das sich durch dunkle Rhythmuswolken schneidet, wie eine Sirene! „The Last Chapter“ beginnt hingegen mit etwas völlig neuem, nämlich ungewöhnlich nach Südstaaten-Metal klingenden Gitarrenparts, die einen interessanten, sich wiederholenden Bruch innerhalb des Songs abgeben. Schön schmutzig! Der Abschlusssong „World Police“ verbreitet nicht nur textlich, sondern in erster Linie klanglich eine apokalyptisch anmutende Stimmung, die einen etwas verstört alleine lässt, sobald das Album durchgelaufen ist...Aber dagegen hilft nur eins: Macht das Album wieder von vorne an! Master sind sich treu geblieben und verdienen für ihr neues Album (wieder mal) allerhöchsten Respekt! „Slaves To Society“ wird für alle Death Metal-Fans eine lohnende Investition sein!
Rebecca Rey/V.U., 10/10
 
schwermetall.ch
Master - Slaves To Society (2007)
Was hat der gute Paul Speckmann in seiner musikalischen Laufbahn nicht schon alles erlebt? In zahllosen Bands aktiv sah er Musiker kommen und gehen, Plattenfirmen kommen und gehen, Erfolge und Misserfolge kommen und gehen - und so weiter und so fort. Noch nicht gegangen ist er selbst - seit weit über zwanzig Jahren ist er inzwischen im Geschäft - mal besser, mal schlechter, mal hier, mal da. Zu einem echten Durchbruch hat es aber bislang nicht gereicht - auch nicht mit seinem Kronjuwel, Master. Zur ewigen Untergrundikone verdammt tingelt man also durch die Lande und unterhält das geschmackvolle Publikum mit Auszügen aus seiner beachtlichen Diskographie. Und um diesbezüglich für stetigen Nachschub zu sorgen, wirft man mit "Slaves To Society" dieser Tage den fünften regulären Langspieler des neuen Jahrtausends auf den Plattenmarkt.
Und wieder besinnt man sich auf seine Stärke, die darin liegt, simple Riffs geschickt aufzubereiten und eingängige Klanghaken daraus zu schmieden, die so leicht nicht aus den Gehörgängen zu putzen sind. Vom ersten Ton an überfordert man den Hörer kompositorisch nicht mit komplexen Komplexen, sondern fädelt homogene Klangelemente auf den roten Faden, wie die Perlen einer Kette. Im eigenen Interesse hält man seine Stücke nachvollziehbar und ordentlich thrashig lässt man die Todeswalze mal gemächlich, mal schwungvoll vorwärts rollen. Was man selbstverständlich vergebens sucht, ist Hochglanz. Es hätte auch verwundert, wenn der Meister seine wunderbar schmutzige Kunst des Musizierens beiseite gelegt und auf dem schwermetallischen Luxusliner angeheuert hätte. So rutschen hier und da sogar leichte Anleihen aus dem Crossover durch das geordnete Chaos von Speckmann's Truppe, die sich um Konventionen bekanntermassen ja nur wenig Gedanken macht. Als einziges schwererwiegendes Manko fällt auf, das aus den elf kleinen Glanzlichtern trotz vorhandenen Potentials kein wirkliches Meisterwerk hervorstechen mag und man sich scheinbar etwas in Zurückhaltung übt - vielleicht bündelt man seine Kräfte ja bereits jetzt für das nächste Album? Angesichts der durchweg im weit überdurchschnittlichen Bereich angesiedelten Stücke kann aber auch das den positiven Eindruck nicht zerstören und "Slaves To Society" allzu weit abrutschen lassen.
Lange Rede, kurzer Sinn: Master bleiben ein Eckpfeiler des schwermetallischen Untergrundes und haben mit "Slaves To Society" ein volles Pfund am Start.
Bluttaufe, 11/13
 
metalmessage.de
MASTER
„Slaves To Society“
Es ist schlicht und ergreifend als purer Wahnsinn zu titulieren, was der gute alte Paul Speckmann für dieses neue Hammeralbum auf elf starke Song-Beine gestellt hat. Der Master-Tieftoner und -Grummelsänger gilt mittlerweile als Genre-Urgestein. Und während andere Death Metal-Kapellen mit den Jahren immer mehr Zähne verlieren, beißen Master mit „Slaves To Society“ kraftvoller als je zuvor zu. Das tschechische Treiber-Trio um den langbärtigen Todesblei-Obermeister legt auf diesem neuen Werk die unbändigste Spielfreude vor, die man sich in diesem Genre überhaupt heutzutage noch vorstellen kann. Und Paule gab alles. Dickes Lob steht jedoch auch Gitarrist Ales Nejezchleba zu, denn der Mann lässt die Finger wie rotierende Zentrifugen über die sechs Saiten fliegen. Hat wohl Amphetamine vom Fass verabreicht bekommen, der Kerl. Herrlich zügellose Thrash-Schlagseiten zieht auch der irre taktgenau draufhauende Trommler Zdenek „Zdenal” Pradlovsky auf. Master in Reinkultur eben – nein, mehr noch, eine besessene Knüppeltruppe, die hierfür glatt über sich selbst hinausgewachsen ist. Sozial- und gesellschaftskritisch wie eh und je sind die Lyriken auf „Slaves To Society“ ausgefallen – worüber alleine schon Liedertitel wie beispielsweise „The Darkest Age”, der Titelsong, „World Police”, „In Control” oder auch „Beaten For the Possibility” adäquat Auskunft geben.
Markus Eck, 8/10
 

graveconcernsezine.com (english)
 
REVIEWS: Four More Years Of Terror
metal-observer.com
MASTER
Four More Years Of Terror
MASTER is a veteran act in the Extreme Metal scene, releasing albums since 1990 ensure them that status. The main man behind MASTER is an individual named Paul Speckmann. Sometime ago Paul Speckmann packed his stuff and moved from the US to The Czech Republic. If you read the lyrics of “Four More Years of Terror” it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be moving back home anytime soon. The whole record reeks of distrust against the US and their role as world police. I don’t know if it’s right to say that he hates the US but at least he has some serious issues with his former country, I reckon this record could be a hit in Iran.
Now that you know what the lyrics are all about, let’s move onto the music. The music on “Four More Years Of Terror” is a mixture of Old School Death Metal and Thrash, no blast beats here. As much as I like blast beats, a record can be as satisfying without the use of that beat, “Four More Years of Terror” is an example of such a record. I have to admit that I haven’t been following the career of MASTER at all. I have noticed them through the years, read some interviews and that kind of stuff, but I’ve never given any of their albums a proper listen, until now that is. Since I’m not familiar with MASTER’s music I have to rely on other reviewers when it is said that MASTER still plays the music they started out with, only better this time around.
Blast free it is but “Four More Years Of Terror” is still an upbeat record. The bass drums are pummelling forth most of the time, giving the music some serious drive. The overall drum playing might be considered straight forward for those who hold a band such as CRYPTOPSY as their favourite Death Metal act. I think it fits the music bloody well. One good reason for that is the excellent mix which lets every instrument take part. Since Mr. Speckmann is both main man and bass guitarist we are even let to hear how a bass guitar sounds like. I guess it’s a bit easier to get an audible bass in this kind of Death Metal than in the one that relies on speed. The vocals of Mr. Speckmann has as much in common with Thrash Metal as it has with Death Metal, one could argue that it sound more Black than Death Metal too. In other words we are not treated with Chris Barnes type of growling here. Let’s just call it extreme vocals.
I read in some review that MASTER’s music was reminiscent of HELLHAMMER, the band you’ve heard about but not actually listened to. That is the case for me at least. The bottom line is, however, that MASTER doesn’t play what one would call modern Metal, other than the production values that is. Another sign of quality is that the lengthy playing time doesn’t work against the record; it’s been quite a while since I heard a record of this length that didn’t bore the hell out of me. It’s kind of strange actually since most of the songs are quite similar. I guess that cleverly placed solos, good riffs and ditto song writing is the reason for that.
I’ve listened to the record several times, I mean like ten times plus. At first I didn’t find anything special but repeated listens opened the record up for me. It may be that I’m a bit slow here since the music can’t be said to be overly complex. As I mentioned previously most of the songs are carved out from the same well of inspiration. Even tough “Four More Years of Terror” must be considered being really consistent I have managed to come up with some songs that I like more than the rest. These songs are; “All We’ve Become”, “Does One Feel Pain” and “Hell Probably Win”. “All We’ve Become” is my favourite simply because it has that little extra; it sounds like MOTORHEAD doing Death Metal. “Does One Feel Pain” is another favourite because it contains some really good Death Metal riffs. What I’m thinking about here is the breakdown from pummelling Thrash riffs to good old Death Metal riffs; it really stands out when played in this context. “Hell Probably Win” is my last favourite simply because it has a tremendous drive, head banger friendly to the core.
Fans of Old School Death Metal should take notice and invest in “Four More Years of Terror”. If that’s the kind of music you’re after I can’t see you going anywhere wrong with this release. Be sure to check out the link for “Betrayal”, it’s the least you can do; recommended then.
ARVE, 8/10
 
BW&BK Magazine [Can]
MASTER
Four More Years Of Terror (Twilight)
Semi-notorious death metal underdog Paul Speckmann is back with his latest incarnation of Master, a band most known for early '90s Nuclear Blast output. Thing with Master is they've always been more about the poverty-line drunken death metal; there's more of a Motorhead vibe here than there is, say, Internal Bleeding. And although this album drags on way too long, there's tons of wildly frantic drumming, solid death metal riffs and hilariously caveman-esque vocal grunts to keep ya entertained. The lyrical content is
resolutely and explicitly (this ain't poetry) anti-USA, a given considering Speckmann has packed his bags and now calls the Czech Republic home, where he found his two new back-up guys for this round of Master. And no doubt this guy is for real: he's got the Master logo tattooed on the top of his right hand!
Greg Pratt [7/10]
 
S.O.D. Magazine [USA]
MASTER
Four More Years of Terror
Twilight-Vertrieb
Taking its name from the Black Sabbath album "Master of Reality," Master kicks the door down with its latest epic, Four More Years of Terror. Master plays a combination of dirty, gritty Thrash and Death Metal. The band's roots are in NWOBHM (mastermind Speckmann once fronted War Cry), and on this latest release its roots stand proud and drive the music well. There's a bit of Motorhead chugga-chugga going on here, with vocalist/bassist Paul Speckmann out front with a set of gravel-laden pipes
and a thumpa-thumpa bass. Churning out some solid hooks and riffs is guitarist Alex "93" Nejezchieba. Rounding out the cast is drummer Zdenek Pradiovsky, whose Thrash-driven style complements the guitar chops and the gritty vocals. Songs are tight and brisk and the production is solid. The recording is clear, giving each instrument enough room to spread its acute stench quite nicely. Lyrically, Speckmann gets downright political. The CD title refers to President Bush's present reign on the "War on Terror." Tracks spew out views about political indoctrination ("Shoot to Kill"), the United States ("Can the US be so Great?"), and George Bush himself ("Line to Kill").
Conservative fucks need not listen. It's very hard nowadays to find a solid Thrash/Death Metal hybrid that plays old school - we're talking before the advent of pristine Death Metal in the mid-1980s. If you crave that rough-and-tumble sound, then Master's Four More Years of Terror makes for essential listening.
(OR) 8/10 Skulls
 
RockHard Magazine
MASTER
Four More Years Of Terror
(Twilight)
(61:09)
Schon die beiden neuen Tracks auf der kürzlich erschienenen "Masterpieces"-Compilation zeigten, dass Paul Speckmann nach 25 Jahren Karriere noch mal klarmachen will, wo der wahre Old-Old-School-Death-Metal-Hammer hängt. Und das klappt exzellent. "Four More Years Of Terror" spielt im Titel wohl auf die zweite Amtsperiode derBush-Administration an und enthält vordergründig stumpfe (die Zahl der Breaks kann man generell an einer Hand abzählen), aber genau auf den Punkt hämmernde Death-Thrash-Attacken mit der üblichen Motörhead-Kante. Das Tempo ist mit herrlicher Penetranz fast durchgehend im klassischen Achtziger-Jahre-Rübenschwenker-Thrash-Beat, es gibt Doublebass satt, und Paule elcht herrlich asozial durch die Gegend. Last but not least schleudert sich der im tschechischen Exil lebende Ami mit seinen Kollegen einige der geilsten Simpel-Riffs seit Jahren aus den miefigen Ärmeln (wer bei ´Line To Kill´ nicht vor Freude seine Bude zerlegt, muss komplett taub sein). Die kleine, aber feine Zielgruppe kann sich schon mal den Staub von der Kutte klopfen.
Jan Jaedike
8,5/10
 
Legacy Magazine
„ ... zusammen mit der neuen Bolt Thrower läutet „Four More Years Of Terror“ endlich mal wieder eine gute Zeit für alle Todesblei-Fetischisten ein. Ultratight, musikalisch über alle Zweifel erhaben ... „
„… along with the new Bolt Thrower „Four more years of terror“, there will finally be a good time for all Death lead-Fetishists. Super tight, musically untouchable…“
15/15
 
*M E T A L A G E M A G A Z I N E*
MASTER
„FOUR MORE YEARS OF TERROR“
TWILIGHT
Dieser Paul Speckmann ist schon eine coole Backe: Bringt ein old school Brett nach dem anderem raus und hat sich seit gut 20 Jahren keinen Millimeter verbogen, wenn es um die musikalische Ausrichtung seiner diversen Projekte und Bands geht. MASTER ist natürlich nach wie vor die Hauptband und mit vorliegendem neuem Studioalbum „4 More Years of Terror“ legt der Vollbärtige Exil Ami mal wieder ein Brett vor, daß sicher 99% der Leser begeistern wird. Das Zauberwort heißt natürlich auch hier (wie immer) OLD SCHOOL, sämtliche 13 Stücke auf dem Album hätten auch Mitte/Ende der 80er veröffentlicht werden können! Diesmal erinnern einige Songs („Race to Extinction“, „Shoot to Kill“, „Betrayal“) gar an die Frühwerke von SEPULTURA („Shizophrenia“) und SACRIFICE („Torment in Fire“), wenngleich man natürlich alleine aufgrund von Speckmanns Organ immer weiß, welche Truppe hier am aufspielen ist. Alles also wie gehabt? Nicht ganz, denn diesmal hat die
Scheibe wohl zum erstem mal in der Karriere von MASTER einen absolut tödlichen und druckvollen Sound, will heißen: Die Produktion ist Heavy as Hell und macht so Mörder-Geschosse wie „Hell Probably Win“ oder „To Fight and Die“ zu gnadenlosen Schädelspaltern. Wer generell auf die 80er steht und sich an old schooligem Deathrash nicht satt hören kann, ist mit dieser Scheibe definitiv gut bedient!
NOTE: 2,0***
 
aberration-online.de
Master
"Four more years of terror"
(Twilight)
ET: 21.11.2005
Good old Paule Specky ist wieder auf den Beinen. Paul Speckmann hat Master einmal mehr aktiviert und endlich auch mal ein akzeptables Album in der Pipeline. Bisher war da eher gähnende Langeweile. Anno 2005 aber will es Paule nochmal wissen und knallt uns 13 old scool deather um die Ohrwasch`l, das es jedem alten Fan der Anfangstage nur feucht um die "Gucker`l" werden kann. Da Ami-Paule wohl in Tschechien zu Hause ist, hat er auch seine Mannschaft daher, die übrigens echt fit ist - klasse Jungs - klassische 3er Besetzung, nun bereits das 8.Album und ein gelungenes dazu, dürfte in erster Linie den Chef zufrieden stellen. Aber ich glaube, das werden deutlich mehr Freunde werden! (Tino)
***** (5 von 5)
 

metal-observer.com (english)
metal-observer.com (german)
burningmisery.com (english)
chokingonbile.com (dutsch)
metal.de (german)
Metalius.de (german)
eternitymagazin.de (german)
nocturnalhall.com (dutsch)
nocturnalhall.com (english)
metal-inside.de (german)
blooddawn.de (german)
powermetal.de (german)
vampire-magazine.com (english)
metalspheres.de (german)
schwermetall.ch (german)
bruview.de (german)
deadfall.org (german)
ancientspirit.de (german)
heavyworldonline.de (german)
soulburner.de (german)
isk.int.ba (bosnian)

 
REVIEWS: Masterpieces
 
RockHard Magazine
PAUL SPECKMANN
Masterpieces
(Twilight)
(55:40)
Paul Speckmann ist seit fast 25 Jahren für manche Strategen der Godfather des Death Metal, für ´ne Menge andere Leute hingegen eine an Selbstüberschätzung leidende Nervensäge. Objektiv gesehen hat der Kerl seit 1981 eine Menge Spuren in der Szene hinterlassen, sich jedoch in endlos vielen Projekten verzettelt. Das mit typischem Speckmann-Understatement betitelte Masterpieces fasst 16 Tracks aus beinahe all seinen Karriere-Stationen (u.a. Master, Deathstrike, Abomination, Solutions und Martyr) in remasterten Versionen zusammen. Eine gute Idee, die auch diversen Bootleggern etwas Wind aus den Segeln nehmen sollte, die in den letzten Jahren immer wieder halbgare Releases des Amis veröffentlichten. Zudem gibt es zwei neue, erstklassige Master-Granaten. Da die Speckmann-Truppen eh fast alle gleich klingen, ist es nicht weiter schlimm, dass im Booklet der CD nicht mal vermerkt wurde, welcher Song von welcher Band stammt. Roher Old-School-Death-Thrash für alle Zeitgeist-Ignoranten.
Jan Jaedike
 
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metal-inside.de (german)
metal-dungeon.de (german)
powermetal.de (german)
behind the veil (english)
 
REVIEWS: The Spirit Of The West
 

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REVIEWS: Lets Start A War
 

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REVIEWS: Unreleased 1985 Album
 

voicesfromthedarkside.de
MASTER
Unreleased 1985 Album
(From Beyond Productions)
32:23min
I honestly never thought that this so much traded recording over the years which has incontestably influenced a bunch of
Thrash / Death acts on this planet back at thattime would finally surface officially, but From Beyond Records has done it.
Al lbloody fuckin' power to them for such a miracle! If you are familiar with early MASTER, then you already know this recording and you do know how deathly it is over the course of the seven tracks, yes deathly heavy to the bone, a barrage of relentless, ripping riffs and leads courtesy of Mittelbrun, a rhythm section which leaves you breathless from the first seconds with Bill Nychau "Schmidt" pounding his drums like crazy (after all he created a somewhat unique style used by many later - the famous MASTER beat) and Speckman torturing his bass, the whole thing being surrounded by ultra venomous vocals from the same Speckman. Seven classic tunes non stop with 'Master' and 'Mangled Dehumanisation' (a DEATH STRIKE tune re-recorded) being my all time faves, two deathly monsters! Their material could be described more or less a mixture of early SODOM, early DEATH, early VENOM and POSSESSED. For those who know MASTER only through their self titled album from '90, well it's quite close sounding as it was the same line up but the '85 recording is undoubtely more raw, crude and savage. As for the others being only familiar with their later recordings, it's simply not the same MASTER as Paul Speckman never managed to recapture that unique style of songwrting despite its numerous attemps through a nearly 20 years career. As a bonus, four tracks taken from '91 and '93 demos have been added but while they can sound enjoyable to a person who doesn't look for something ass kicking, to me they sound boring and utterly forgettable but I don't care, all which counts is the '85 recording. Get this album at any price because that '85 album deserves the cult tag and a place in the pantheon of Thrash / Death Metal for sure. It also exists on vinyl for the collectors. Essential!
Laurent Ramadier
 
http://www.metal-observer.com
http://www.diabolicalconquest.com
 
REVIEWS: On The Seventh Day God Created... Master
 

MASTER
On The Seventh Day God Created... Master
(Nuclear Blast 1991)
Mnogo "die hard" ljubitelji i fanovi Death Metala ne znaju ko je Master, a kamoli ko je Paul Speckmann, iako je to èovjek/bend koji veæ 24 godine radi, operira i djeluje u undergroundu. Prvi put sam èuo za Master preslušavajuæi jednu staru Death Metal kompilaciju, nekima poznata pod imenim "Death...is just the beginning". Ta kompilacija je sadržila Master i Black Sabbath obradu "Children of the Grave". Ova kompilacija i zastupljeni bendovi - Defecation, Benediction, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra i mnogi drugi, najbolje pokazuju kvalitet tadašnje Death Metal muzike. A Master predstavlja krunu svega toga.

Prvo što me je zapanjilo na ovom izdanju, je dupla papa bubnja, pa i cijeli bubanj. Bubnjarski rad na On The Seventh Day God Created... Master predstavlja cjelokupnu srž benda Mastera - agresija, žestina, brzina i totalno rasulo. Rad duple pape se može samo opisati kao rad M-60-ke i Sijaèa smrti; jednostavno ne prestaje ta nevjerovatna brzina, konstantna je i manijakalna. Sav bubnjarski rad je odraðen maksimalno dobro, precizno i smišljeno. Predstavlja jedan napredan vid sviranja bubnjeva za to vrijeme, iako su Mike Smith i Pete Sandoval veæ tada nadmašili sve granice u sviranju bubnjeva. Ipak, Aaron Nickeas je uradio nešto što samo mogu opisati kao savršen i iznad svega imponirajuæi rad.

Kad èujete gitare, to æe vas podsjetit malo na Obituary i Death, ali to možda i zato što su John Tardy (Obituary) i Paul Masvidal (Cynic/Death) gostovali na ovom albumu. Ali jasno je kada èujete te slave riffova i duple pape da je ovo nešto najbolje iz tog vremena, uz neke "poznatije" bendove. Genijalna je pjesma broj 8 - "America the Pitiful"; riffovi ugledani na amerièku himnu, i tekst koji s pravom ismijava i kritizira tadašnje amerièko društvo i politiku. A toga se i tièu tekstovi Mastera - smrt, religija i politika. Master služi kao kritika i ogledalo suverenom amerièkom, ali i svjetskom društvu.

Bend je najbolji primjer zašto toliko bendova je tada kopiralo Master (iako su bili uvijek underground), i zašto mnogi i dan danas kopiraju Old School Death Metal, pa tako i Master. Ako još uvijek nemate predstavu kako zvuèi Master, onda jednostavno preslušajte jedan od gore navedenih bendova, ali zašto se zadovoljiti time, kada jer original mnogo bolji?
Grind Bastard
 
REVIEWS: Speckmann Project - Speckmann Project
 

Speckmann Project - Speckmann Project
(Nuclear Blast 1992)
The tale behind this rather obscure album’s release is a convoluted morass of record label drama, groundbreaking music, and an unwillingness to compromise. It’s called “Speckmann Project” because it contains rerecorded songs from Chicago death metal master Paul Speckmann’s (bassist and vocalist on this album) bands Master, Funeral Bitch, and Deathstrike, and it was intended to be Master’s debut ‘90 full-length after seven years of existence in one form or another. Unfortunately, Markus Staiger, the boss of German record label Nuclear Blast, didn’t like the album’s sound, so a quite weaker-sounding collection of songs was released instead. Thus, the album that was to be “Speckmann Project” languished in the vaults for two years, before it was officially released by Nuclear Blast in ‘92 under the Speckmann Project moniker.

Many of the songs on this forty-two minute outing date back to 1983, making Master/Speckmann Project/Funeral Bitch/Deathstrike (name-change mania!) officially the oldest death metal band in existence. One would naturally expect a huge punk/thrash influence given the date at which these songs were written, and indeed Speckmann Project owe a substantial debt to crossover thrash bands like Discharge and D.R.I. The riff work here manages to be very visceral and violent while maintaining a strangely ambient feel; this is accomplished through use of what I like to call “orbiting riffs”, where guitar parts are composed by literally orbiting around a chord (i.e. moving away from a tonal center to nearby notes and moving back to the center again; this approach was pioneered by U.K. thrashers Discharge on their “Why” EP and taken to the next level by bands like Master). These oscillating sections are linked by violent chromatic bashing and swiftly burning jagged fragments of guitar solos and drum fills. Master (or Speckmann Project, if you prefer) put together these admittedly simple components into epic and lengthy compositions. While a standard verse/chorus/verse structure is utilized, the space in between the predictable sections is rife with experimentation and chaos.

Paul Speckmann’s vocal performance is deserving of a special mention: he viciously snarls his way through surprisingly lucid socially-conscious lyrics. Through anti-political diatribes and gore-filled mediations on mortality and decay, a highly-developed philosophy of cynicism, youthful idealism, and extreme realism emerges, pledging its allegiance neither to the liberal or conservative sides of the political spectrum. Through this intelligent lyrical approach, the Speckmann Project manages to avoid coming off as mindless gore-hounds or angsty whiners.

Through determination, musicianship, and sheer force of will, Chicago residents vocalist/bassist/songwriter Paul Speckmann, drummer Aaron Nickeas, and guitarist Jim Martinelli managed to craft a high-speed thrashing death metal masterwork that serves as an ideal introduction to the diverse catalog of Paul Speckmann’s musical projects and underground death metal in general. I obtained a mint-condition copy of this album for two U.S. dollars (something like .5 Euros, I think) through an online used-record dealership, but you may have to work a bit harder to get yourself a copy. Trust me, it’s well worth the effort; there’s only a handful of death/thrash albums better than this forgotten tome of acrimony.
9,5/10 Review by Seker
 
REVIEWS: general
 

thrashmageddon.com
Master, when you look in the Webster's dictionary for the word underrated, you might as well change the meaning to Master. Well, you might be asking why underrated? I'll tell you why, look up people's top 50 DM albums and you would hardly see a Master album in sight. Even our beloved "KILLERZ OF DEATH TOURNAMENT" does not have it. [Yes, kulty, I know the reason why?. They are going to be outclassed by the other heavy hitters on that list]. I am not writing this review as a Master campaign, it's too late for that. These are just observations that I see/read when it comes to Speckmann and his work. One article I read had Master playing a gig in the middle of winter, 10 people, might be 20 the most showed up [need to dig that article to verify], you would expect the band to just pack it up. But no, Speckmann and his merry men played it like there were 1,000 in the audience. This is one thing I have always liked/admired about Speckmann, "determination". They will play their best, 10 or 1,000 people in front of them. Ok enough of the ramblings/bitchin and on to the review.

First I will discuss the production on this album. If you like you're Death Metal sounding like it came from the late 80's early 90's, then you are in luck. Speckmann bass sound is one of the best compared to previous Master albums. Nice "chunky" bass sound, "fat" guitar tone. I'm talking about the sound, I do not want the "Obese Society" to go after me when describing the production on this album. Drum sound compliments the rest. It's not to overpowering compared to the latest DM releases out there. It has that old school feel/sound to it. Riffs are heavy, solos are right on the money. You will not hear guitar wankery for the sake of being "technical". The guitar player is no Masvidal, but you hear influnces going back to "Seventh Day" album. Speckmann's bass playing really shines out on this one. He's no bass extraordinaire like a DiGiorgio, but he can hold his own weight.

Listen to track 8 "The Room With Views", I guess you will feel the same if you have been ignored/underrated all this years. If you like your Death Metal in your face, no bull none sense, this album is for you. If you are in North America the chances of you seeing them live is slim. Mr. Speckmann has been hibernating in Europe for the last few years. Come on Paul,do a North American tour. As my buddy "TC" said "many of us (yes, old narrow-minded metalheads)" likes our Death Metal the old school way.

Bustdace, Rating: 8 / 10
 

Nihilistic Holocaust
MASTER (Usa) Master Lp’90 Nuclear Blast.
MASTER=Paul Speckmann. It is just a useful reminder for the ones who would have forgotten. And if I ask you what bands like X-ECUTIONNER (pre OBITUARY), PESTILENCE, and generally the majority of the death metal bands born in the end of the 80´s have in common, what is the answer?...... Yes, they all have taken the MASTER demos as a big inspiration, as well as the stuff of SLAUGHTER, POSSESSED and DEATH. As a matter of fact Paul Speckmann already released 2 demos under the moniker MASTER in 1983, and was himself strongly influenced by.... yes you get it: MOTÖRHEAD. So, I ant to say to every little motherfucker around who pretends that MASTER never was really a major influence in the creation of death metal to fuck off deeply (Yeah, I´ve heard such ignorant persons...). But come back to the music. As a matter of fact, Paul Speckmann was occupied with his other bands ABOMINATION and DEATHSTRIKE and remained in the underground when he finally got a deal with Nuclear Blast in the end of the 80´s. Then he was able to release his first album under the cult name MASTER, and what an album! Argh! If you like it strong, straight in your face, with sound that only Paul Speckmann knows to produce and a drums that’s almost crust, then why the hell haven’t you already got this album in your collection? The highlights of this cult piece of vinyl are songs like "Pledge of allegiance" where Paul is mocking on his country, the USA, really fun to read these lyrics nowadays with the actual situation in Iraq... Songs like "Funeral bitch" or "Mangled dehumanization" will stick in your mind until you blow your head off with a gun! ha! Personally, I enjoy more the "Funeral bitch" version on the solo album of Paul called SPECKMANN PROJECT, in all humility! Ha! Otherwise, after a not so needed bass solo, Paul plays one of the best BLACK SABBATH covers I have ever heard: "Children of the grave"... Fuck, it’s totally "materized", and it fucking rule. Once you hear this cover you immediately feel how much BLACK SABBATH was and remains extreme. After this cult piece of vinyl, Paul continued with MASTER, and released several albums, whose "On the seventh day... God created MASTER" is maybe the best (and features Paul Masvidal on guitar-ex DEATH, CYNIC). He keeps on releasing albums nowadays that aren’t so godly nor so thrilling than this one. But the guy deserves an immense respect for what he has done for the scene, and for always having sticked to his roots, and also for being the "Lemmy" of Death Metal. Brutal, primitive, efficient and true to the bone.

Nathaniel.

 

amazon.com
Death Strike - Fucking Death
One of those rare underground metal releases that might please quite a few metal fans today,
Ah, Paul Speckmann. The unheralded king of Chicago thrash metal in the mid-80s. Then his journey into the unheralded Death Metal arena in the early 90s didn't win him any favors within "mainstream" Death Metal circles. Maybe it was Speckmann's inability to play record company politics that forced his bands (Abomination, Master, Death Strike, and a few others) further into the trenches of the underground. In 1985 Speckmann's "Master" signed a record deal with the Thrash friendly Combat records and even recorded an album only to have it never released by Combat. Luckily Germany's Nuclear Blast Records took pity on Speckmann and not only released a few Master releases in the early 90s but also released (re-released?) this 1985 effort.

Speckmann (bass/vocals), Chris Mittlebrun (guitar), Kirk Miller (guitar), John Leprich (drums) comprise the entire Death Strike group. The lyrics are huge departure from the mid-80s norm of trying to have cartoonishly sounding Satanic lyrics or lyrics focused on flames and abstract death. The lyrics instead deal more with social/political issues and have a paranoid fascination with nuclear war (just like most people in 1980s and some bands like Nuclear Assault). The Death Strike sound is best explained as a cross between Venom, Motorhead, early-Slayer, Dark Angel, Celtic Frost, and some more punk influences. The album indeed almost has a Crossover aspect to it. So the sound crosses the sounds of the N.W.O.B.H.M., Thrash, Crossover, Doom and proto-Grind sub-genres. Muddied chugging guitars, super low bass guitar, and hammering mid-tempo double bass with the most dramatic drum strokes characterize this hilariously titled album.

The album has a very muddied production but is suprisingly crisp when it comes to the drums and the vocals. The drum intro to "Pervert" just proves this even more. Indeed the overall production might be this albums most interesting about it because it draws a valid comparison between Death Strike and another band from their neck-of-the-woods that has started to re-gain some recognition recently: Repulsion. It is short but certainly worth a listen because of its significant contrasts to the conventional Thrash metal sound of the day.

By Zander Haberstaft (Miami, Florida)
 
 
LIVE REVIEWS:
 
 

Konzert: Master, Bitterness @ Crash, Freiburg
Band(s): Master, Bitterness, Deaf Aid
Datum: 08.02.2008 Stadt: Freiburg

.: MASTER :.
Nun war es an der Zeit, den speckigen Bass auszupacken und sich den mittlerweile ewig langen Rauschebart aufzudröseln [vergesst den Weihnachtsmann!], denn jetzt lautete die Devise „Speckmetal pur“. Etwas mehr als eine Stunde folgte eine kleine Geschichtsstunde in Sachen Old School Death Metal, da Paule bei der Geburt dieser Musikrichtung quasi Pate stand. Gewohnt schnörkellos, geradlinig und direkt ging es daher auch bei den Songs von MASTER zu, bei denen Speckmann ganz klar im Vordergrund stand, während seine zwei Mitstreiter Alex und Zdenek an Gitarre und Schlagzeug zwar eine überaus solide Leistung ablieferten, aber definitiv nicht im Rampenlicht standen. In selbigem befand sich wortwörtlich Paul, der immer wieder durch witzige und ironische Ansagen sich selbst und andere auf die Schippe nahm, aber aufgrund seines brummeligen Genuschels wohl nur von den wenigsten Zuschauern überhaupt verstanden wurde. Zu den Adressierten gehörte auch der Mischer, der sich zwar Mühe gab, aber den Sound auch bei MASTER nicht wirklich retten konnte, sodass der Gesang viel zu leise war und auch Paul seinen Gitarristen auf den Monitorboxen nicht gut zu hören schien. Egal, mit „Slaves To Society“ und „The Final Skull“ gab es die Vollbedienung und gleichzeitig besten Songs des aktuellen Albums, während auch einige Uralt-Kompositionen wie „Funeral Bitch“ vom Debüt abgefackelt wurden, das für einige Bewegung im Publikum sorgte. Wer modernen, innovativen und ausgeklügelten Death Metal suchte, war definitiv fehl am Platz, denn hier regierte schlicht und einfach die Knüppel-aus-dem-Sack-Taktik in ganz großem Maße, was ja auch nicht verkehrt ist, da man – wie auch bei den Kollegen von BOLT THROWER – einfach weiß, was einen erwartet. Zum Schluss gab es eine ganze Menge Applaus, sodass sich Paul mit seinem ergrauten Haupthaar artig bedankte und der Auftritt von MASTER in Freiburg ein würdiges Ende fand.
Enttäuscht war sicherlich niemand von MASTER und von diesem Abend, aber irgendwie war dieser Gig auch wieder einmal die Bestätigung dafür, dass zwar fast jeder, der sich mit dieser Musikrichtung beschäftigt, Paul Speckmann und MASTER kennt, aber nicht viele die Alben tatsächlich im Schrank stehen haben. Schade eigentlich, denn nach einem Vierteljahrhundert extremer Musik ist es schon merkwürdig, dass MASTER immer noch lediglich Underground-Status haben und ihre liebe Müh und Not haben, selbst einen kleinen Club bis zum Anschlag zu füllen, während etliche andere und jüngere Bands viel schneller deutlich bekannter wurden. Das scheint Paul allerdings nicht die Bohne zu stören, sodass dies sicherlich nicht der letzte Auftritt seiner Band in unseren Breitengraden gewesen sein dürfte.
soulsatzero

Autor: Alexander Eitner [soulsatzero] | 09.02.2008 | 12:48 Uhr

 

Master, Nebukadnezza, some other bands, 2008-02-04

17/03/08 || MaxVonLaibach

Where and when: Camden Underworld, London, England, 2008-02-04.

As I tend to drink heavily during most of the concerts I go to, I’ve decided to stay sober on this one. The reasons for this were manifold: I wanted to save some money for merchandise, prove to myself that I can still have fun without beer and, most importantly, I have just recovered from a terrible hangover.
I’ve missed the first band completely, as I decided it was a better idea to stay and chat with a few people outside. But i’ve managed to get in for the second band, which was called Hebrew Slaughter, or Sarmatian Holocaust or something like that. It might not have been bad, but the guy at the knobs seemed like he had no idea whatsoever about what he was doing, thus spoiling any serious attempt ar reviewing the gig. The whole thing sounded like a guy being killed by a chainsaw, with the occasional drumkick heard in the background. Far from impressed, I went out for a cigarette.
Next band on schedule was Nebukadnezza, which sounds awfully trve and unfriendly, at least to me. Luckily, they turned out to be an oldschool thrashing threesome, and quite a good one as well, from what I could gather from directly under the stage. It was the simple, heavily hardcore influenced kinda thrash. As I joined the moshing I suddenly bumped into something soft. I looked around and realized that about half the people in the pit were chicks. Now, there’s few things better than a moshpit during a thrash gig, and one of them is definitely bumping into some nice tits while moshing in a thrash gig. All in all, the guys deserve a solid 7 outta 10 for their concert.
Finally, the moment we all have been waiting for. Mr Speckmann appeared with his bass and awesome beard and announced that they’ll be starting soon. A few minutes after that, all hell broke loose. The band played a good mixture of old and new stuff, all sounding the way death metal is supposed to sound- fast and heavy. No wankery, simple riffs backed with pounding drums and supplemented with the “Lemmy’s growl” brought out from the bottom of Speckmaster’s bowels. Again, the pit started almost instantly as the audience responded to the power of the music. Best thing of all, these guys are very down to earth. No “Trver than thou” bullshit, no growling in between the songs, they let the music speak for itself. Specklord lead the fray with his fantastic beard and the jokes he would occasionally tell the public, before jumping again into the fast-fingered bass lines and the trademark grunts that screamed MASTER! to us all. While Master on record is simply a good, original band, onstage they become really fucken incredible. They blew me away. They thrashed my ass to pieces. They truly dominated that night.
9/10
 

metal-rules.com
Headbangers Open Air Vol 9 - 14-15 th July 2006
The last band in warmup was the legendary Master from Chicago (or from Czech rep.) Anyway, Paul Speckmann and the rest of Master played one hour of their death metal and the did not disappoint me. Maybe too much of new songs which I did not recognise but even those new songs were easily recognised as classic Master styled death metal. Simple and crushing songs. And Speckmanns voice is still brutal, one of the best in death metal!
Oh yes, Paul Speckman is Master! The drummer and the guitar player did their jobs well but it wasn't a surprise, but instead it was that people were watching the whole hour. A very brutal outfit if you compare them to the other bands here but the deadly art this legend showed was something you're not seeing every year. They played many new songs and a few legendary classics and everything was perfect. Probably even the highlight of the whole festival for me. There were two (or was it even three) mike stands on stage and when one of them wasn't acting loud enough, Paul automatically changed to the other one with some funny words to get everything coming out with the full force. Speeches he made were very furious and some targets were old record company officers. Before the show Paul was busy in his merchandise desk while trying to eat his steak: everywhere there were fans taking pics with them with the Master, some buing records and the rest asking autographs. I hope mr. Speckman was able to eat his meal while it was still warm.

 
 
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