Afterburner

Some musical breakups are permanent, while others are only temporary. The Beatles never reunited; nor did LaBelle (Patti LaBelle's vocal trio with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash). But on the other hand, Blondie reunited 16 years after their breakup. So if the hardcore fans of a disbanded group are hoping for a reunion, they might get their wish or they might not. Sinister's hardcore cult followers got their wish; after parting company in 2003, the Dutch death metal combo reunited two years later in 2005 and recorded Afterburner. Sinister, like so many European death metal units, has had its share of personnel changes; on this post-reunion effort, Sinister's lineup consists of Aad Kloosterwaard on lead vocals, Alex Paul on guitar, Bas van den Bogaard on bass, and Paul Beltman (formerly of the band Judgement Day) on drums. Vocally, Kloosterwaard (who used to be Sinister's drummer) is a definite asset on Afterburner, providing a deep, guttural, and totally menacing growl that says death metal in no uncertain terms. Some will miss former lead singer Rachel Heyzer's contributions, but there is no question that Kloosterwaard gets the job done and growls with conviction. Nothing the least bit groundbreaking occurs on this album; whether this Sinister lineup is pummeling the listener at a fast, medium, or slow tempo, the band's fans have heard it all before. But that doesn't mean that Afterburner isn't exciting. Sinister's performances are predictable, but they are also inspired and focused; for those who have a taste for extreme metal, this sledgehammer of a CD is a good, worthwhile listen. Afterburner falls short of essential, but it's a respectable effort, and Sinister's die-hard fans will be glad to have them back. ~ Alex Henderson