Superjoint Ritual

You'd have a hard time finding a DVD that is more metal than this. Superjoint Ritual are a force to be reckoned with in the metal world after only one album, and this blistering live show is evidence of that. The band includes, among others, Pantera vein-bulger/vocalist Phil Anselmo, Down/Eyehategod man Jimmy Bower on guitar, and the unlikely Hank Williams III on bass. This DVD includes a refreshingly no-frills live show that clocks in at just over 50 minutes. The band is tight, energetic and heavy; their brand of hardcore-influenced heavy thrash sounds even better here than on their debut, Use Once And Destroy — the sight of all that hair being lashed around only adds to the pure metal enjoyment this DVD holds. The band's tunes are so intense that a live release was a perfect idea; this sort of whiplash-inducing aggro-metal comes across better here than on their studio work. It's a perfect length for a set, and the short interviews between each song add to the enjoyment and provide some breathers. The band's two music videos, for "The Alcoholik" and "Fuck Your Enemy" also appear, the former being a particularly enjoyable romp through B-grade devil madness, alcohol and substance abuse, via the band's jam room and the swamps of the Mississippi. Also, a semi-useful photo gallery is included, worth a few minutes of anyone's time to check out some of the hilarious awake-for-six-days bags underneath the Bower's eyes. (Sanctuary)