專輯：Eye of Ra
公司：Concrete Lo-Fi Records
年份：2006
樂風：Sludge Metal
「溶解熔岩死亡按摩」，怎樣聽都像摔角招式，還是英文名MOLTEN LAVA DEATH MASSAGE順耳。簡單介紹他們不簡單的來頭：三個未過二十的學生2004年碰頭合成這團岩漿，年間演出多次，以活力十足的台風揚名。至06年中，在練習室花了兩個月時間，即場收音完成"Eye of Ra"九曲，最大功臣是結他手兼歌手Indrayudh Shome，一手包辦錄音、混音和後製，成果幾達專業級數，就連發行都是經自己的Concrete Lo-Fi Records，而他是全團最年輕一員，當時還未成年。專輯封面則出自低音結他手Benjamin Gargon。
內頁團員合照中，三人身上所穿分別是HIGH ON FIRE、LED ZEPPELIN和SLEEP。正好是樂團風格指標。相當意外，因為在這200X年頭，差不多年紀的香港少年不是追隨CHILDREN OF BODOM類melodic death，就是TRIVIUM類metalcore，或因老外的背景和喜好，三人選擇就是那麼「異於常人」：是death但沒有melodic，找到core但找不到metalcore，並不獨沽一味，入耳是sludege(core)、(classic/sludge) doom、death、metal、hardcore、stoner，及IRON BUTTERFLY式heavy rock和THE DOORS的迷幻。團名起得匹配，他們正和岩漿一樣，時而緩緩進迫，時而洶湧奔騰，像序曲"Death is Never Sated"，簡單而美秒的結他和弦，取而代之是怒吼重搖滾的"Bayonet"，全長半小時就是這樣一直跌蕩下去。雖然Shome嗓子比不少這類型歌手更有技巧 － 只是間中顯其年紀之嫩 － 器樂佔了專輯絕大篇幅，中間一連幾首皆是演奏曲目，延長的sludge riff與thrash和stoner交替，其中尤以再加迷幻的"Adam's Fieldtrip to Hell"為佳。過了三首到幾近死金之"Axe of the Occult"，才再聽到Shome的聲音，第九首同名主題曲則肯定是最好，除了速度是專輯之末，還有靡爛結他和Shome的沉重吼叫，徹頭徹尾地sludge。當然還有可盡善之處，但已屬香港本土一級之列和被海外認同，好些網上銷售點已在售賣"Eye of Ra"，提及他們的網頁也日多，路線不是這麼冷門的話，理應已成功了。
有三次因香港金屬出品雀躍不已。第一次是1994的AZYLUM "Are We Born To Suffer"。第二次是HYPONIC 2005年的"The Noise of Time"。MOLTEN LAVA DEATH MASSAGE "Eye of Ra"是第三次。音樂認知完全與年齡不乎，態度比不少長輩還要堅定還要長遠，有這樣的潛質，期望有看到他們於亞洲獨立音樂界闖出頭來的一天。
Album: Eye of Ra
Label: Concrete Lo-Fi Records
Year: 2006
Genre: Sludge Metal
"Molten Lava Death Massage" can only be something from a wrestling ring. A legend in short? 3 students, 1x years old. Met in 2004, went through numerous gigs, famous for energetic stage presence. DIYed the 9 songs of "Eye of Ra" mid 2006. Everything from live recording in rehearsal room, to mixing and mastering, all handled by Shome the guitarist/vocalist as well as the youngest amongst the three. With artwork by bassist Benjamin Gargon. Then you got one of the best offerings from Hong Kong metal in years. Distributing by Shome's own Concrete Lo-Fi Records.
Easily found out in the booklet 2/3 of the band are non-Chinese. The tees they wore: HIGH ON FIRE, LED ZEPPELIN and SLEEP, pretty much summed up what they are about. With a surprise. Possibly due to taste diversity, possibly there's a big difference in musical perception between westerners and Chinese. 99% local teens into metal about their ages will either go for CHILDREN OF BODOM style European melodic death metal, or metalcore of the American gang headed by TRIVIUM. The lava kids' choice was "paranormal": there is death but not melodic, core yet not metalcore. That's sludege(core), (classic/sludge) doom, death, metal, hardcore and stoner all in one piece, with pieces of IRON BUTTERFLY heavy rock and psychedelic of THE DOORS.
Perhaps the band made up the name on purpose. Not only an unbeatably good name, but also a precise description of their sound: sludgy yet eruptive like lava. Lots of dynamics and contrasts. What hides behind the deceptive beautiful intro "Death is Never Sated", is harsh rocker "Bayonet". Shome's voice is actually ahead of the pack, better than many in the same field, but most of the album relies on musicians not the singer. After the second song is a series of instrumentals comprised of sludge riff, thrash beat and stoner groove. Later half of "Adam's Fieldtrip to Hell" is a wonderful trip on drugs. Miss Shome's voice? Through three of those the almost death metal "Axe of the Occult" kicks in, and you have him again. The title track as well as the last track is no doubt the best: slowest, deepest, sludgiest, all you need for depression and oppression is here. Though still distant from perfection, dare to say this band is an local ace. And they are gaining international reputation that "Eye of Ra" is now available at many online vendors, with increasing number of websites mentioning their names and deeds. Just blame their style being too unpopular in the local scene. They deserve more than what they have.
Definitely the most satisfying local metal experience since AZYLUM "Are We Born To Suffer" (1994) and HYPONIC "The Noise of Time" (2005). MOLTEN LAVA DEATH MASSAGE, one of the "next big things" in HK metal scene you shouldn't/couldn't miss.