One of the better compilations to come along in the last year is a combination of Paradox's final offering of two songs called Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell, and the Arachnid Terror Sampler.  Paradox plays what they call "Holy Black Sludge", and is mixture of sludgey black/death metal.  This is some sub-par stuff that I wish had been put at the end of the disc.  The production level is much lower than the rest of the album.  The band is not bad, but will not "wow" you in the least.  I think the strongest point of the band's presence here is their cool logo and the terrific lyrics in the song "Burning Forever".  They paint a very graphic picture of what a person in Hell is going through.  Here's an example: "Pain's increasing/worms they eat me/they never die/flames they burn/rotting flesh is sliding off me/I cannot die/I'm in hell/I want to die/I gnaw my tongue in agony/cursing heaven."  The end of the song leaves us with that person begging for God to let them die. 

The rest of the album is high quality stuff to say the least.  The band's represented here and their songs are:  Soul Embraced - "Unborn", Sanctifica - "Red Alert", Sorrowstorm - "Chanting the Last Passages", Tortured Conscience - "Internal Torment", Frosthardr - "Unhuman Morbid Fantasy", Ganglia - "Suddenly Destroyed", Oblivion - "Sovereign God", Bleakwail - "Passionate Peace", Encryptor - "Rebrutalization", Frost Like Ashes - "Adorers of Blood", Inversion - "Independence", Kekal - "Mean Attraction", Pantokrator - "Divine Light", and Stronghold - "Tears".  All of the songs are previously released elsewhere, but are for the most part, excellent material from all of the bands covering black metal, death, grind, deathcore, and doom.  My favorite cuts would have to be Frost Like Ashes, Kekal, Stronghold, and Soul Embraced.

The artwork and packaging are simple, but give you all the essential info.  However, the only lyrics printed are for the Paradox songs.  It seems like this is also a limited compilation as the one I have is numbered as #250 out of 500, so if you want this disc you better get it soon.  For ordering info, check out the Tarantula Promotions Website at http://www.tarantulapromotions.com  (Review by Matt)