I’m sure somewhere there is a group of people who always thought to themselves, “You know what? The music in Super Mario is okay, but it’d be awesome if it were metal!” Happily, Metroid Metal is there to cater to that group of people. Classic themes and background music from all your favorite Nintendo and Super Nintendo games get a theatrical metal treatment and turn from digitally produced background music to human produced background metal. It’s simply an anonymous sound. There is nothing wrong with Varia Suite but there is nothing remarkable about it. It’s like a Star Wars tribute band. Certain people will love it and the rest of us will ignore it. If you’re a metalhead looking for something to occupy a hole in your CD rack then go for it. If you’re a normal, rational human being that hasn’t beaten a Super Mario game 14 times then leave this album alone.

(Silent Uproar Records, 1408 Whitman Dr., Concord, NC 28027)