Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Golers/In 'n' Outlaws/2015 CD Review


  Golers  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  extreme  mixture  of  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "In  'n'  Outlaws"  which  will  be  released  in  2015.

  A  very  fast  and  aggressive  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  aggressive  vocals  that  are  heavily  influenced  by  both  hardcore  and  extreme  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  some  high  pitched s creams  being  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the recording  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  bring  in  a  very  vintage  underground  and  brutal  80's  metal  sound  to  the recording.
 
  Punk  rock  influences  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  and  at  times  the  music  almost  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  80's  death  metal  and  the  songs  at  time s also  bring  in  a  touch  of  crust  and  d  beat  with  the  raw  and  aggressive  sections  of  their  songs  and  some  of  the  alter  tracks  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  being  utilized  throughout  all  of  the  tracks and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Golers  plays  a  very  old  school  mixture  of  thrash  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  crust  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  taking  an  old  school  style  and  making  it  sound  more  modern  and  extreme  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  hateful,  alcohol  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Golers  are  a  very  great  sounding  extreme  and  old  school  mixture  of  thrash  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lemon  Eyed  Devil"  "Inbred  Militia"  "Country  Blumpkin"  and  "The  Path".  8/5  out  of  10.

    

Dr.Gloumon/Damaged/2014 EP Review


  Dr.  Gloumon  are  a  1  man  band  that  plays  an  instrumental  and  atmospheric  form  of  progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2014  ep  "Damaged".

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  guitar  lead  which  are  also  a  huge  part  of  the  recording  starts  off  the  ep  which  leads  up  to  a  more  heavier  progressive  metal  sound  and  there  are  vocals  or  lyrics  to  be  heard  with  all  of  the  music  being  instrumental  sound  and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  atmosphere  elements  being  utilized  in  the  background.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  heaviness  being  utilized  in  the  guitar  riffing  while t he  guitar  leads  at  times  bring  in  elements  of  80's  hard  and  progressive  rock  at  times  and  the  clean  parts  also  add  more  melody  into  the  music  which  also  gets  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  parts  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Dr.  Glouman  plays  an  instrumental  style  of  progressive  metal  that  bring s in  a  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  elements  as  well  as  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  atmosphere,  talent  and  skill  to  all  of  the  tracks  and  the  production  sounds very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Dr.  Glouman  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  instrumental  progressive  metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Optimus  Maximus"  "Healing  Time"  and  "Mistakes".  8  out  of  10.    

Whote Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Yes, my name is Thomas Watkiss and at this time I am developing a project called Whote. Whote has two records so far. The first, Align, came out in 2010 and our second, Moons, was just released. The project was intended to only be one record of minimal guitar noise and to be released on vinyl but after doing a
few live shows, the decision was made to continue. In comparison to my previous work, it was an opportunity to move away from the heavily electronic-based Ancestor records (mid-2007 to late-2009) and begin something new based on guitar. I got started early in 2010, invited a friend to contribute some additional textures and the results were brought to form later that year. There is a focus on artwork and visuals, which are arranged and screen printed by myself for each record as well as a video. It was a rather large amount of time and work getting this ship in the water, but here we are.

2. So far you have released 2 albums, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
Align can be briefly described as a stirring and dense mirage of guitar textures—confrontational in its appearance yet skeletal in production. In the spirit of making an energetic debut like Kill ‘Em All or Battle Hymns, it has its anthems. It is a commanding listen for eight tracks and then it enters its own funeral with ‘Asleep in the Last Years of Light’. It was made from the need to focus on guitar, which prior to the record was only used on a few moments in making Silence. After releasing two records prior that were over an hour each and an e.p. which everyone said was too long. I saw a need to work with shorter time frames in
delivering a sense of immediacy. I felt that some of the metal, thrash and rock records that inspired me from a young age mostly clocked in under 30 minutes, and at the time that seemed like a good challenge for a new record. I wanted to “eclipse” the expectation for the second release and I knew it was going to be a length of time until I could, if ever, release it so of course the term ‘Moons’ came to mind. There was a range of sounds from the field recordings that indicated this could be an antithesis of the sonically bright nature of Align by means of dismal atmospheres and but have a similar enough sound that a listener could make an association with the previous record (i.e. ‘Vapors’ and ‘Ocean Burial’). Different than taking the approach of layering sounds as on Align, tried out a few strings and decided on a heavier gauge (17 - 74, meant for
an 8 string guitar) which produced a really dense tone and opened up the range of possibilities. I ended up scrapping the 4.5 hours worth of studio material. Both guitar and bass were recorded through my Acoustic BH600 and a 15” cabinet (the same set-up I use live). Basing the record on feedback, delay and open
notes, the result is very spacious and cryptic and still remains the raw and minimal aesthetic of what Whote centers around.    Recording for Whote II started in January 2013 in a small studio over in Brooklyn.
Initially I wanted to build off of a similar framework as Align and I was able to afford a half-day and just plug in and record. However, for reasons unnecessary to share, I had to hold off working until later in the year which, in turn, allowed me time to regroup, re-write, gather more field recordings and integrate sound from
live shows. Being that the production was done with very few resources it had to be done in phases so this became a record that reflects the timespan in which it was worked on: late 2013, early 2014 and finally autumn 2014. The brass chime sound on ‘Necropolis’ is from the apartment I was in at the time. The bird-sounds were from a field recording I did out close to were I grew up. The shrill sound on ‘An Instrument of Mars’ is from a contact mic on a radial saw blade that was performed live. As for the title, I have always liked how we use the term ‘moons’ as a metaphor in measuring time, ‘many moons ago’ etc. Ironically, Moons took the longest to develop from concept to completion and had to be recorded and released in phases: digital previews, the video, artwork, the black box, the cd and then finally the vinyl. It is largest scale production of my discography.

3.What are some of the themes and concepts you bring out with your musical sound?
All themes evolve from the artwork. With Align the art was inspired by the 2010 storms that summer in New York City. It was the summer that year when ideas for tracks came to mind that included ’Losing the Saved’, ‘Asleep…’ and ‘Son of the Morning’. Ideas like human futility, the loss of relationship with nature, the weakened presence of man in the display of natural phenomena, etc. Tornados touching down on the coast seemed unusual (thats is something only heard of in the mid-west) and I felt that unprecedented moment required artwork to somehow reflect that and in my mind, inspire the basis of a recording. Align
worked from the element of Air and the following years in New York, with the Hurricanes, again, more unprecedented natural phenomena inspired the development of our ‘Water’ record, if you will, Moons.
In the absence of being able to record between 2011 and 2012 I had no other way of developing this project other than visually. I spent the time re-drawing and developing the font, screen printing shirts, developing banners and putting some effort into more of a stage presence.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ‘Whote’?
I was living/working on E. 5th St. before the release of Machine and the phrase “white hour of the end” came to mind. Earlier that year a close relative was found dead on New Years Day and I was just thinking about the incredible sunrise the morning of the incident, of which I did not find out about until later in the evening. I internalize death and try to manifest my understanding through creative means and the track ‘Asleep in the Last Years of Light’ was a direct reflection of this moment and the beginning of the record project itself. But, I did’t want to have the phrase used in communication or have it take up the width of a record cover, plus I thought the abbreviation as moniker was sufficient; one syllable, the h is silent,
rhymes with goat.

5. With this project, you record everything solo, are you open to working
with other musicians?
Whote is a channel for embracing personal darkness and isolation and that premise makes it very difficult to employ others. I sit down and sketch out a diagram of what I envision being the actual item in the hands of the listener and work with sounds until that experience is ready to go to format. Align was a practice of layering and construction where Moons was a exercise in creating a diverse range of atmospheres. I’ve worked with other musicians in the past and working on Whote is a far different approach. I see the bass, guitar and whatever else as instruments as to what is necessary for the track and how it can develop the recording as a whole so its not as if I need to use one to accompany the other. If the moment requires drums or an oboe or whatever, then I will put out a call, but that time has not come yet. Some really exceptional musicians have come forward recently and I’ve considered how to involve them in the future with live shows or maybe contributing to a recording, but I do not see the need to turn this into a band anytime soon. Or ever. On the other hand, the video that was shot for Moons is a realm that is open for future collaborations. I want the next video to work off the sequence of scenes that were revealed in the video and build from the range of ideas presented. It was after the video was shot that I got the inspiration to sequence the record and track titles. With what I’ve sketched so far it is going to take a lot of work in terms of site location, logistics and equipment but I want to produce the next video with as little limitation (and budget) as possible, so I will be taking less control and opening more invitations for the the next one.  

6. What are some of the best shows you have done so far and how would you describe your stage presence?
The show in Vienna, Austria a few years ago was perhaps one of my best. Everything just came together and it was a really good night. Otherwise, I think the last show in New York was up there, measured by the feedback received afterwards. That was a show where I had a video playing behind me of footage taken on recent travels. The last show focused on tracks from Moons of course with one track each from Silence and Machine. The stage presence is accompanied with visuals I’ve tried out over the years, and most recently using banners, screen prints and even making some effort at showmanship and costume. Trying to perform the Ancestor works live was a very desk-bound chore and it is of no interest to me to be behind a desk if I have the opportunity to be on stage. I will usually generate some of the electronic sounds and begin with tracks written for guitar, re-build a of prepared or delayed sound mix and then perform a few tracks on the bass. The last show closed with a new and still untitled piece I’m working on that is done with bass and, surprisingly, an Arturia micro-brute. I will arrange set-lists and rehearse, but I really enjoy having the freedom to work with some level of improvisation and work with the performance as a specific occasion with a given audience in a given space.

7. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
I had initially set a schedule for the release of Moons that would allow for a handful of shows that would ideally work in between the release and the next recording, but being that Moons got pushed back that window closed so, no, I will be getting right back to recording again and will pursue shows after a solid 7”
worth of material is ready. Having been spoiled with a few residency programs, I would prefer if I could work from a satellite location whether it be  France, Reno, Rome or whatever and do region-specific clusters of shows with regional artists. There are invites to play new cities and its getting there that is the difficulty. After some new material is formalized, I will be seeking out opportunities to play live and be able to travel again. Until then, I am just looking forward to getting the vinyls of Moons shipped out and getting back to work on new material.  

8. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label?
Since the release of the Ancestor 7”, I have put zero effort in approaching labels, galleries, or any stable-system based on representation in bringing these works to physical form. Prior to the 7” I spent a few years just making CD-Rs and trading them with friends and after a while, I felt it was time to get serious and press to vinyl. My only interest was in how to get that done exactly and for me, I became very interested in the engineering involved with the process. I just wanted the two tracks “Ancestor” and “Southern Venom/Trail” to be galvanized in the holy format, rather than working this into a sound installation or a picture book as a medium in sharing this work to the world. I understand that is not the approach that is taken by bands or artists and I know that galleries would have just shrugged their shoulders at the idea, but I remembered my DIY values from punk rock prep-school and applied them. That following spring with the mammoth
Gatefold 2LP that I had in my hands, I just got on the phone to distributors, walked them to stores and shipped out copies to the press. Ancestor : Silence got a great response and I just kept releasing records working with the network and system I developed. I’ve traded with labels and have maintained a good
relationship with those I know personally and I am comfortable with that. I am not sure how a label could help in any of the creative vision (you would be paying to press your own release anyway) so I don’t seek that conversation.

9. On a worldwide level, how has the feedback been to your music by dark ambient and drone?
Good, and for several reasons. One is I feel that the artists involved with these fields often times have similar personalities and similar backgrounds. These are artists that are relatively experienced having dealt with and have been in bands from a multitude of genres over the years, primarily orbiting around metal or noise or goth. There is an unspoken but aesthetic common-ground that works outside of limitations set by so many other genres and I think it sets a stage for healthy competition as these fields are constantly evolving whether it be with synthetic or organic instruments. I don’t like, however, how drone/DA bands are immediately taken, or represented even, as being someones “side project” which implies a half-assed hobby when in all actuality the creators are earnestly passionate about, unlike their day job bands. There is something to be said about that. And certainly, for me, that is what I want to hear and be around. The other reason is that there is a growing audience for this music and even though it may not be on the forefront of what the average person is exposed to. When people are turned on to it, they get interested and become supportive. Its an appealing conversation. There is a place for drone in almost every playlist, but at the same time, its not for everyone.  

10. Are you also involved with any other musical projects?
Once or twice a year it seems and its really diverse. I will work with colleagues that range from contemporary artists and electronic musicians for settings that involve format-only collaborations, gallery shows, etc. The good thing about the difficulty to pigeonhole this work is that it opens up invitation to new opportunities, and for me that is exciting. I enjoy being presented an idea and will work with someone in developing a concept. Whote is my only project that is developing an audience and a solid foundation. The momentum with Whote and the motivation I have to develop it, tells me that it is time to focus and keep building.  My approach to the creative process is very long and split into blocks of time; one to create preliminary recordings from sketches and ideas and then after a few months of severance from the process I will edit, re-record, determine formats and how to go about the release. This can go on for a 6 - 8 months. If I am doing two projects, which requires two different sets of gear and pretty much two minds and twice the time, then logistically it doesn’t leave much room for other musical endeavors. Its one thing to show up and jam, but its another to really focus on a project and producing something with any lasting quality. But hopefully some clearings in the calendar will arise in the not-too-distant future to collaborate on something new.

11. Where do you see your music heading into the future?
For the immediate: I am looking forward to getting back to recording. Just sitting down and reconnecting with my instruments. After putting out work on format over the course of seven years I’ve decided that in moving forward, I will not be writing with any consideration of format whether it be LP, CD, clay 78rpm, digital etc. Its whatever serves the moment of recording at this point, and if that is 6 minute or 60 minute pieces, so be it. I’ve taken time off, just so I can prepare to start the process again and just hammer it out. I don’t work from inspiration, I get inspired from the work itself and wherever that leads is the exciting and keeps it always feeling like a new frontier.  None of the material on any previous record was written with any real interest of playing live, but the majority of the new record had that concern in mind, so I will continue to work in that manner. I imagine the recordings as a larger whole where at some point I have to just stop recording and separate what was going to be on this record at the moment, and reserve material for what can be considered on the next one. Anyone who was at the last show in New York may remember what the last 5 minutes of the set, so they are the most qualified to attest to what an hour will feel like with the next recording, and what the next live shows will feel like.

12. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Punk music was core to both my development in youth, just getting into music through skateboarding and reading Thrasher magazine. From the entry-level stuff, I got into Crass, The Exploited, Amebix, Discharge, etc. I got introduced to Punk at a really good moment. Was just going through the remains of my collection a few weeks ago when listening to the test pressings for Moons: Bands like Warcollapse, the first Wolfpack 7”, Counterblast, I still have most of everything released by Profane Existence and Havoc up to the mid-nineties. Nothing will ever replace that era of basement shows and campus auditoriums and I’m happy to have been some part of that then. But, I needed a greater challenge musically and that brings you to Metal. Growing up in Pennsylvania in the early 90s, every small town felt like Death Metal capital of the world, and they would challenge you but you earned your jacket. You couldn’t just like something, you had to defend it. And good things happened: I was introduced to records that changed how I wanted to pursue music that included Beherit’s Oath of Black Blood and Bathory’s Under the Sign… I remember getting those half-size
Relapse magazine/catalogs in the mail, right around the time Mortician’s House By The Cemetery came out and tuning into bands based on their interviews or the 4 word description in the catalog. Records that I got at that time that stood out were In the Woods…Omnio, Amorphis’ Tales and Emperor’s Reverence 7”.  I
didn’t pursue music for several years, but when I finally did, the accumulation of those records and experiences were the underlying influence. For determining what I will listen to nowadays I have this criteria:
If the album cover/promotion does not:
a). Look like a Bev Doolittle ripoff.
b). Have a triangle on/in/anywhere near it.
c). Portray a demon-figure with some sort of fire/explosion originating from in/or around its crotch.
d). Its ok to use the Bathory-font, but not if you also steal their song titles. - then I will consider tuning in.
I go to as many shows as possible but I prefer to just stay in and work. When I do listen to music, its old thrash or 90’s black metal. Celtic Frost, Venom, Mercyful Fate and Bathory get over-referenced as influences, but I think its the lack of production quality and imagination with that stuff is what we all really value at the end of the day. The new Earth record is one of my favorites of recent. Triptykon, Grave Upheaval, Tombs, Nile’s first few records. I heard Pallbearer in the car not too long ago and am getting in to them. Xasthur is/was one of my favorites of recent history, because it brought something authentic to Black Metal from here in America. I went between listening to Bestial Warlust’s Vengance War till Death
and Roxy Music’s Avalon this summer when finishing up Moons. Thats about it.

13. What are some of your non-musical interests?
Making Art and Cooking. Art is work and produced with a similar aesthetic to how I approach sound, but cooking is my way of relaxing and core to my zen. I’ve had the fortune to live elsewhere in the world for a good portion of my adult life and have always put a focus on the kitchen, absorbing culture at the stove. Its the most enjoyable form of non-work I know of and its something to share with others, when I get the opportunity to host.

14. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or
thoughts?
I think that’s about it! It has been a very busy season, more than ever especially in the past few weeks, but thank you for reviewing ‘Moons’ and offering this interview for your readers. Feel free to check us out on www.whote.org and www.thomaswatkiss.net We are sledging forward with this animal.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Michael Jessen Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us about yourself and your musical project?
I have played in a lot of bands and with different artist for 15 years, and all of that time I’ve always been writing music that I’ve tried out with different players/singers.
2 years ago my old band broke up when the lead singer chose to quit...
I decided it was time to pursue and try out my own material, the way I wanted it to be played/sung, and everything the way I wanted.
So I contacted one of my all time favourite singers, Göran Edman, and he agreed to sing on my album.
I started out with 4 songs in 2013 and those 4 songs landed me a recording deal with German label Massacre Records.We then went back to the studio and recorded the rest of the album….

2.Recently you have released a solo album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
I think the album is a great modern take on Classic melodic rock music. A couple of the songs even have a stint of a “singer/songwriter” feel to them.
They’re all songs I could sit down and play on an acoustic guitar with Göran Edman singing right next to me.
 If you take a pot and put Chris Daughtry, Van Halen, Queen, Slash, Nikki Sixx and some of those guys in there, it will all blend into something quite similar to my album.
I grew up listening a lot to Queen and other European hardrock acts of the late 80’s like Def Leppard and Europe.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
I think they’re pretty classic rock themes like life, love, dreams. I love to write songs and lyrics. My guitar can only sound like a guitar, but writing the lyrics it’s possible to express so many different feelings, not only with the voice, but also with words. Writing lyrics is something that I take a great deal of time to do.

4.This is your solo project but you have worked with a full band before, how would you compare the two?
I like playing in bands. It’s a great feeling and the music I write is music for bands. It’s not just 8min guitar solos and stuff like that.
 BUT the great thing about finally doing this solo album, is that I am the master, the ring leader, the dictator… The way the songs sounds in my head, is the way they sound on the record. I tell the drummer how to play, I tell the bass player which guitar parts to dub and when to shut up.
So even though my songs are written to be performed by a band, it’s a great feeling that they sound exactly the way I want them to.

5.What are some of the best shows that you have played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
My favourite shows have been a couple of festivals in Denmark. People at festivals are in such a great mood, ready to have a great musical experience, and there’s always great vibes at festivals...

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
The album have only been released for 11 days, so no touring plans yet, but I really hope to land some festival gigs in the summer of 2015. I dream of playing some of the major European or even American Festivals. I think my music is VERY well suited for rock festivals.

7.On the new album you had a couple of guests, can you tell us a little bit more about them and their contributions to the album?
 The major guest on my album is lead singer Göran Edman. He has played the biggest venues in the world with Swedish guitar legend Yngwie Malmsteen around 1988-1994. He has always been one of my favourite singers, so it was a major thing in my life when he agreed to sing on my album.
 The next big guest on the album is guitar player John Norum who is best known for playing with Europe and recording The Final Countdown. He has also played with Dokken and done many solo albums. He is a great guy and an amazing guitar player. I handed him a copy of the first 4 tracks that landed me the recording deal. He spoke very well of the songs and Görans singing, and he liked the idea of playing on the album.
The piano on the song Prisoner is played by one of my old high-school classmates Morten Dybro. I’ve worked with him on several occasions when I needed some great piano playing. He is one of the most talented musicians I know. He plays in a backing band for solo artists, so he very easy adapts to different styles and genres.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal and rock?
The album has been incredible well received. I’ve received some amazing reviews from Italy, Belgium and Holland, and my mailbox has received fan mail from both Brazil and Jerusalem.
 Getting such a warm response from both fans and critics has gone beyond my expectations.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?
I would love to do some touring this summer, and the record the next album in the autumn/winter og 2015.
Like on this album, I would like to do 1 or 2 collaborations on the album. I have some names in my dreams, so let’s see if they come true :)
 I like playing on other people’s records too, just to broaden my musical horizon, and I hope to be playing or writing with a couple of other guys in the future too...


10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays/
I listen a lot to bands like Sixx AM, Chris Daughtry and Europe. Good quality guitar driven rock’n’roll that never goes out of style.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
I’m a trained Air Traffic Controller and is interested in aviation, computers and anything electric/technical.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I think every single European musical artist have a dream of making it in America, and so do I. I have a big dream of going on a tour with some of the great American artists and bands…
So I hope You, who are reading this, will like/link/share all my social media pages and music videos, and play my songs to all your friends, email the local radio station asking if they would put one of my songs on the air… -thanks for all your support! /Michael

Monday, December 29, 2014

Gypsy/Twisted Levity/Transcending Obscurity India/2014 EP Review


  Gypsy  are  a  band  from  India  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  hard  rock  and heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "Twisted  Levity"  which  was  released  by  Transcending  Obscurity  India.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  old  school  style  heavy  metal  and  hard  rock  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  it  has  a  mid  70's  feeling  at  times  along  with  some  melodic  clean  singing  vocals  and  the  solos  and  leads  continue  the  old  school  and  retro  approach  to  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  that  is  a  very  huge  part  of  the  bands  musical  style.

  Most  of  the  songs  on  the  recording  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  NWOBHM  and  mixes  it  with  the  more  mainstream  style  of  American  heavy  metal  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  hair  metal  and  you  can  hear  traces  of  early  AC?DC  or  later  period  Deep  Purple  in  the  bands  musical  sound  while  some  songs  bring  in  more  of  a  traditional  approach  to  classic  rock  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one of  the  later  tracks  towards  the  end  is  a  power  ballad.

  Gypsy  plays  a  style  of  heavy  metal  and  hard  rock  that  is  very  close  to  the  mid  70's  sound  while  also  bringing  in  a  touch  of  the  80's  as  well  as  being  heavy  enough  for  the real  metal  heads  and  melodic  enough  for  the  more  mainstream  fans  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gypsy  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  classic/hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Shoemaker"  and  "Judgement  Day".  8  out  of  10.

  

Stormhunter Interview

ANSWERS BY STEFAN MULLER

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

We started the recordings in February 2014 and had a few gigs. We deliberately made no plans regarding the release of
the album since we wanted to take the time necessary to record the songs, listen to the raw mix and work on the backing vocals.
Since the other band members were in the studio with their respective bands and Christoph Brandes from the Iguana Studios had a lot of work, it took until August for the final mix to be ready. After that, we took all the steps necessary for the release.
Our bassplayer Fritz set up our facebook page during that period.


2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The musical style on "An Eye For An I" is melodic but aggressive Heavy Metal. Think of the early recordings of bands like Helloween or Running Wild and you get it.
I think the choruses and backing vocals are more elaborated on "An Eye For An I" compared to "Crime And Punishment". We completely reworked some parts while Andreas was already in the studio to record the drums. Maybe our Thrash and Speed Metal influences are more present on the new album, but our style is still the same as on the last albums.

3.The band was broken up for a few years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

After the some line up changes back in 2001/2002, I was the only founding member left in the band. While the others wanted to make more
progressive music, I was still devoted to the "roots" of the band. I decided to fully concentrate on my second band "Dark Assault"(Death/Thrash).
The others continued a short time as Stormhunter before they changed their name to Subsphere and took another musical direction.

I always had some ideas fitting perfectly the Stormhunter style that I couldn't use for Dark Assault. While warming up for recordings of the second Dark Assault demo, I recorded a riff that later became "Prey For Freedom" (on the first Stormhunter album). This was the starting shot for the "resurrection" of Stormhunter.


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

Since the early days of Stormhunter, we covered "Heavy Metal" topics with lots of cliches like Fantasy, Battles as well as socio-critical issues. But people don't seem to notice that side of Stormhunter. When it comes to the lyrics, we are always driven in that "battles, metal, war" corner. The new album contains only one "cliche" track (Of Knights And Men).



5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Stormhunter'?

Our first singer found that name. There is no special meaning to it. I must admit that it's not a very innovative name for a band,
but it's a "typical" name.



6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

This is probably a question to ask our audience rather than us. The show at the Raging Steel Festival in Balingen this year was cool for us. Our gig at the Long Live Metal Festival in 2010 in Belgium was a lot of fun for us, too. We always play to have some fun and stay the same on stage and beside of the stage. The shows are raw and
unpolished.


7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We have two confirmed gigs until now. Since we all have regular jobs, we have no possibility to make a "real" tour. But we are always open to offers in that direction.


8.The new album was self released but the band has been on a label before, are the band members open to working with another label again in the future or do you prefer the DIY method a lot more?

Yes, we are open to work with a label again. We chose the DIY approach because we wanted to be free to release the album as soon as possible
without being dependent on any release plans from labels. Another main reason was the fact, that we paid the whole production ourselves.
Usually, as an underground band, you get a certain amount of CDs that you can sell at your gigs. This amount is not enough to cover the costs of the album production. Although we don't make music to become rich, we cannot afford to loose a lot of money with each new release.
That's why we decided to release the album on our own for now.


9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer album by fans of heavy, power and speed metal?

Since the album is out only since the end of november, we don't have much feedback until then. But the people who bought the album directly from us where satisfied with the album.


10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

The band Bitterness from Andreas (our drummer) and Frank (our singer) will release their new album "Resurrexodus" next February. Nuclear Warfare,
the band of Fritz (our bassplayer) released their album "Just Fucking Thrash" a few months ago. I don't know what's going on with "Karamurat" (another band of Andreas and Frank where Frank is playing bass) at the moment.


11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We already have some ideas for new songs and they follow the same line as the previous material. We do not plan to make major changes since we are making the music we would like to hear ourselves.


12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

It's always hard to hear one's own influences in the music you make. Obviously, there is a lot of Helloween, Gamma Ray and Running Wild.
We listen to all styles of music ranging from Rock to Black or Death Metal. This hasn't changed since the days we discovered this powerful music.


13.What are some of your non musical interests?

I can only speak for myself. I love reading books and meet with friends. But it always leads to something music-related at the end.
I know some of the others like archery and sports, astronomy and cinema.


14.Before we wrap up this interview do you have any final words or thoughts?

I'd like to thank you for the opportunity of this interview. A big "Thank You" goes to the people that support us and the metal scene.
as a whole whilst going to concerts, giving feedback to us after buying CDs etc.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Midnight Bullet Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

After the production of the new album we've been rehearsing the songs and building up the set list for the gigs. However it's been quite calm and loose schedule because we also want to enjoy "the fruits" of our labor. It has been very busy autumn and our album's production was finnished at the end of November so it's nice that the album is coming out next year and we can actually take a little breath for awhile.

2.In 2015 you have a new album coming out, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the album you had released in 2012?

It's very important to us that the sound is clear but also it has to knock you out at the same time. We play some what heavy music but I consider our selves more as a rock band. So to me there is a certain guitar wall that brings the heaviness together but also the riffs are very important. Juuso Turkki did the mixing of our second album and Oskari Hakala-Rahko did the first one. The sound of the album is pretty much how those guys wanted to hear it at the time and I was 100 % confident that they will do a great work, and they did. When we were mixing the album, I was trying to give some advices like what I wanted to hear more. I tried to see the big picture and let the guys do what they know the best. We also tried to reach some live vibe on the second album.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

There are a lot of stories behind the lyrics and mainly all the subjects comes from my (Tuomas) own life. Lose My Face album has a theme which is a fear of making yourself a total fool. It all started by coincidence when I met some people who I know. That little chat made me to think about how some people just takes themselves a bit too seriously. Sometimes it's very good if you can laugh at yourself and you don't have to act anything, you can be yourself. I've always wanted to reach my dreams and at least I don't want to think later that I couldn't have done something just because I didn't want to lose my face. There are also some phrases about right or wrong and justice, like we had on the first record too.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Midnight Bullet'?

There isn't actually any big meaning behind the band's name. I was just collecting some names and words that I wrote down on the paper and eventually just picked one that I wanted to be the band's name. There is something that makes it to sound like rock band's name, so that was fine to me.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Midnight Bullet plays music which has a lot of energy and maybe a bit of aggression. So when we're playing on the stage the performance needs to be eneregetic and we also try to connect with the people on the audience. Usually music and live gigs are healthy way to loose your bad emotions and there's nothing more greater way to make the bad feelings go away than screaming in the live gigs. Sometimes music has helped us through the rough times and it's really great if our music can do the same to someone else. It's really hard to say any particular show that has been over the top. We try to play the best show we can everytime no matter how many people has showed up.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Yes we are planning to play some shows after the release. We all have day jobs so it sets some challenges. We love to play live shows but after all the actuall playing is a very small part of the day. We also do all the bookings by ourself so there is a lot of work to be done. Hopefully people get interested in the band when the new album is coming out and maybe that will help to get some gigs too.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of heavy metal?

The feedback has been very good so far especially with the new album. Faraday Cage was kind of the album that separated people from who liked it to people who didn't. I think that was very positive reaction because it showed that Faraday Cage wasn't just ok album and meaningless. You either liked it or you didn't. You need to get inside when you're listening to Faraday Cage because there are so many things happening. There are a lots of riffs and a lots of different parts in the songs so you really have to concentrate when listening. Lose My Face has more melodic stuff going on and songs are maybe little more simpler as far as riffs are considered. I have to say that I was really happy with both of the albums because we didn't need to push them at any direction. It was just so unpressured process and the albums did turn out to be great because of that.

8.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part off?

Yes we have a couple of other projects going on and Street Revolver is most active one right now besides Midnight Bullet. Like I said that we love to play all kind of music and it's great that we have so many ways (and bands) where we can express ourselves.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We just want to write as good music as we can. It's really hard to set any goals about where we should go. I think we have some unique touch on the songs and the songs turns out to sound like us no matter what. I still believe in albums and not just "the greatest hits". I think Lose My Face turned out to be such a great album because I was inspired after writing another good song, so the album itself kind of guided me through the journey. One major thing that happened with Lose My Face was that Lauri started to write riffs too. It opened my eyes and gave me so many fresh ideas about song writing. The most important thing is that the songs means something to us and then maybe (and hopefully) they can help someone else.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

We like to listen to all kind of music and bands. There are so many influences on the Lose My Face even. Some ideas and influences you can't probably even pick but as a song writer you need to be inspired about something and all those little things makes the song be what it is. The very first album that opened my eyes was Offspring's Smash album. I never knew that I could feel something like that via music when I heard it. So bands like Offspring, Metallica, Motörhead, Devin Townsend, Pantera, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chilipeppers, Misfits etc. have been a great influence on our music.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We like to do some sports. Some of us go to gym to lift weights, someone goes out jogging but sometimes we just like to relax and watch movies on the couch. I (Tuomas) like to cook very much and try different foods.


12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?


Well thank you very much for reading this! Our album titled Lose My Face is coming out on January 16th 2015. Hopefully you like it as much as we do and maybe it can help you through rough times. Believe in yourself and don't be affraid of trying to make your dreams come true. Spread the word, please. Thank you!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Sata kaskelottia Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1. Sata kaskelottia is a heavy four piece rock band from Helsinki, Finland. We have been playing together since 2011 and are publishing our first album on January 1 2015. I guess you can describe our music in terms of stoner or sludge metal with some twist of Finnish vocals but of course it’s not the whole truth. The best way to form your opinion is to check it out for yourself.


2.You have an album coming out during the beginning of the year, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
2. The sound of the album is heavy, brutal and fresh, I guess. We didn’t want to polish it too much so we believe it’s a more honest picture of how the four of us sound like live. If you overproduce your music you are in a danger of losing its soul. We didn’t want to go there.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
3. We try keep some amount of integrity in our songwriting so it’s not about boom shaka-laka and happy-happy joy-joy. Themes could be seen more like a poetry trying to reach some comfort and meanings behind this everyday darkness called life. Ha.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sata kaskelottia'?
4. Sata kaskelottia means ”One Hundred Sperm Whales”. It’s a heavy thing to imagine. And a heavy sound. Of course you can point to Moby Dick also and think of all the meanings surrounding it.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
5. We had a lot of fun last summer playing in the Battle of the Bands in PRKL Club Helsinki. We had some moments there and probably got some new following through the shows. At our best we are energetic and empowering, a fun band to watch. We are still nothing like an 80’s hair metal posers or gothic gloomers. The music comes first.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the album is rleeased?
6. We are playing a record releasing gig in Elmun Baari (downstairs of Nosturi) Helsinki in 29th of January 2015. After we recover from that we will play in PRKL Club Helsinki in 20th of February. Shows in the spring and summer will be announced soon.

7.The album is going to be released on digital format, are there any plans for a vinyl or cd release of the album?
7. No. But we are usually dealing out self-burned CDs at the gigs for people who happen to want them. Sometimes also to people who don’t yet know they want them.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of stoner, progressive and sludge metal?
8. The response has so far been enthusiastic but since the album is not out yet, we hope it is only the beginning. We have been pleasantly surprised by the interest already shown by radio programs in Finland, UK, US, Germany and Spain as well as positive preliminary reviews by some very nice metalzines (like this one).

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9. We have a bunch of new songs in circulation, and so far there seems to be two main “modes” they fit in. One is a groovy riff-based stoner rock-mode and the other is a more complex, progressive metal/rock mode. We are extremely ambitious in exploring ways to expand our musical repertoire, both as individual players and as a band. We are super excited about the new material which will definitely blow minds and ears once we get it done!

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
10. The definite influences that have affected our musical thinking are early Mastodon, Red Fang and Baroness, but there are traces from many other bands and many other music styles. All of us listen to and like different kinds of music. Matti has been listening to Paul Butterfield Blues Band and a very cool new finding called the Anciients. Eetu likes the new Foo Fighters album a lot and on the other hand you can never have enough of a Finnish tango singer Topi Sorsakoski!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
11. We have a broad variation of stuff that we like to do outside music. Eetu is an X-man, Matti is also a writer and has published a couple of books on insects, our drummer Ville is a graphic designer and a yoga instructor, and the bass player Juge is not only a multi-instrumentalist but also a multi-function superman.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12. Go to satakaskelottia.fi or find us on spotify, itunes or amazon and tell us what you think or learn to fly.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Benn Bilinski/Red Valley/2014 Full Length Review


  Benn  Bilinski  is  a  solo  artist  from  the  United  States  that  plays  an  instrumental  and  technical  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2014  album  "Red  valley".

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  to  add  in  more  technical  playing  and  there  are  no  vocals  or  lyrics  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  to  the  songs  they are  presented  on.

  At  times  you  can  hear  element s of  speed  metal  and  progressive  rock  in  some  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  you  can  hear  a  small  amount  of  ambient  elements  being  added  into  certain sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  last  track  also  brings  in  synths  and  NWOBHM  style  guitar  leads.    

  Benn  Bilinski  demonstrates  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  with  his  musical  style  by  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  playing  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  also  bring s in  elements  of  speed,  technical  metal,  progressive  rock  and  ambient  which  all  results  in  a  sound  of  its  own  and  the production  sounds  very  raw  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time.

  In  my  opinion  Benn  Bilinski  is  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  technical/thrash  metal  artist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spirit  Racer"  "Door  Of  the  Panther"  and  "Port  Town".  8  out  of  10.

Stormhunter/An Eye For An I/2014 CD Review


  Stormhunter  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy,  power  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "An  Eye  For  An  I"  

  A  very  melodic  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  solos  that  are  also  a  huge  part  of  all  of  the  songs  as  well  as  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  melody,  talent  and  skill  in  each  track  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  bring s in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  heaviness  of  thrash  metal.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  vocals  but  have  more  of  an  aggressive  edge  than  most  bands  of  this  genre  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  but  has  a  production  that  gives  the  music  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  all  of  the  songs  have  a  very  vintage  German  power  metal  sound  to  them  but  with  more  of  an  American  style  of  heaviness  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  heavy  style  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording.

  Stormhunter  takes  the  most  melodic  and  heaviest  style  of  heavy,  power  and  speed  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Battles  and  War.

  In  my  opinion  Stormhunter  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy,  power,  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Among  The  Blind"  "Tortured  Mind"  "Of  Knights  And  Men"  and  "Spring  Is  In  The  Air".  8  out  of  10.

    

Karma To Burn/Arch Stanton/FABA Records/2015 CD Review


  Karma  To  Burn  are  a  band  from  West  Virginia  that  plays  an  instrumental  form  of  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Arch  Station"  which  was  released  by  FABA  Records.

  Drum  beats  and  distorted  guitar  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  stoner  rock  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  none  of  the  tracks  use  any  vocals  and  lyrics.

  At  times  the  music  has  an  improv  feeling  to  it  along  with  some  melodies  being  utilized  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  70's  blues  rock  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  but  done  in  a  more  modern  and  heavier  fashion  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  bring s in  a  small  amount  of  western  movie  samples  along  with  the  track being  6  minutes  in  length.

  Karma  To  Burn  creates  an  instrumental  style  of  stoner  rock  that  displays  a  great  amount  of  talent,  melody  and  skill  along  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  the  production  on  the  recording  also  sound s very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Karma  To  Burn  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fifty  Seven"  "Fifty  Five"  and  "Fifty  Nine".  8  out  of  10.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Sharrow/Emergence/2014 EP Review


  Sharrow  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  progressive  rock,  alternative  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  ep  "Emergence".

  Experimental  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  elements  of  prog  rock  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  and  after  a  few  seconds  the  music  also  starts  getting  a  lot  more  heavier  and  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  all  4  of  the  songs  which  are  all  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  melody  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  psychedelic  70's  sound  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  instrumental  with  no  vocals  or  lyrics  ever  being  utilized  and  all  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  diversity.

  Sharrow  plays  an  instrumental  style  of  progressive rock  that  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  metal  and  a  touch  of  modern  alternative  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Sharrow  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  progressive  rock,  alternative  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Part  I"  and  "Part  II".  8  out  of  10.

    

In A Nutshell/Quandary/2014 CD Review


  In  A  Nutshell  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  grunge  and  alternative  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Quandary".

  A  very  dark and  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  getting  more  heavy  and  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  more  metal  approach  to  alternative  and  grunge.

  Vocals  when  they  are  added  the  music  enhance  the  grunge  elements  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  at  times  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  power  ballad  towards  the  end  and  when  leads  are  added  into  the  music they  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  all  of  the  tracks  sound  like  they  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  during  the  90's  while  one  of  the  later  tracks  brings  in  a  touch  of  70's  psychedelic  rock.

  In  A  Nutshell  plays  a  very  retro  sounding  mixture  of  grunge  and  alternative  metal  on  this  recording  and  they  have  a  vintage  90's  sound  to  them,  the  production  sound s very  old  school  yet  professional  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  In  A  Nutshell  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  grunge  and  alternative  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Again  &  Again"  "Can't  Wait"  "I  Don't  Care"  and  "Today".  8  out  of  10.  

Saison de Rouille/Deroutes sans fin/2014 CD Review


  Saison  de  Rouille  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  blues  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Deroutes  sans  fin".

  A  very  dark  and  distorted  noise  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  yet  rough  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  and  at  time s the  music  can  be  very  heavy  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  the  music  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  at  times.

  At  times  the  vocals  can  be  very  aggressive  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  heavy  blues  rock  are  added  into  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  some  of  the  more  underground  style  of  industrial  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Saison  de  Roulle  plays  a  style  of  noise  rock  that  they  also  mix  in  with  some  elements  of  industrial  and  blues  which  also  gives  their  musical  style  more  of  an  original  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sison  de  Roulle  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial,  blues  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deroutes sans fin (Lande  II)"  "Impasse"  and  "Sorte".  8  out  of  10.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

MaterDea/A Rose For Egeria/Midsummer's Eve/2014 CD Review


  MaterDea  are  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  symphonic  pagan/folk  metal  and  elvish  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "A  Rose  For  Egeria"  which  was  released  by  Midsummer's  Eve.

  A  very  medieval  and  epic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  which  also  leads  up  to  more  of  a  heavy  symphonic  metal  direction  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  operatic  gothic  female  vocals  which  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  power  metal  and  after  awhile  the  music  also  starts  adding  in  elements  of  progressive  rock.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  utilized  throughout  all  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  elements  of  traditional  heavy  metal  and  when  solos  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  of  a  80's  hard  rock/heavy  metal  sound  into  the  bands  musical  style  while  the  album  still  has  more  of  a  modern  day  sound  that  just  happens  to  be  influenced  by  the  past.

  On  some  of  the  tracks  acoustic  guitars,  flutes  and  violins  that  also  bring  in  elements  of  folk  and  classical  music  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  couple  of  power  ballads   and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  male  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  MaterDea  takes  the  traditional  and  power  metal  genres  and  mix  them  with  symphonic,  folk,  prog,  gothic  and  hard  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  MaterDea  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic,  pagan,  folk  metal  and  elvish  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Whispers  Of  the  Great  Mother"  "Merlin  And  The  Unicorn"  "Land  Of  Wonder"  and  "Haernelneth's  Journey".  8  out  of  10.      

Machine Gun Kelly/Lady Prowler/Beyond Productions/2014 CD Review


  Machine  Gun  Kelly  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  hard rock  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Lady  Prowler"  which  was  released  by  Beyond  Productions.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  bit  of  80's  hair  metal  along with  all  of   the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  continue  the  old  school  hard  rock/metal  sound  of  the  bands  musical  style.

  On  some  of  the  tracks  the  music  brings  in  some  faster  parts  that  have  an  early  speed  metal  feeling  to  them  along  with  some  NWOBHM  elements  while  some  of  the  other  songs  bring  in  elements  of  70's  hard  rock  and  metal  and  while  the  music  sounds  very  old  school  the  production  gives  the  tracks  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling and  as  the  album  progresses  a  power  ballad  that  also  uses  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  following  tracks  see  the  band  returning  to  a  hard  and  heavy  sound.

  Machine  Gun  Kelly  take  the  70's  and  80's  style  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  mix  them  together  while  also  having  more  of  a  heavy  and  raw  edge  than  most  bands  that  mix  these  genres  together,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Machine  Gun  Kelly  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Need  For  Speed"  "The  Hunter"  "Hell's  Inn"  and  It's  A  Jungle".  8  out  of  10.          

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Moonspell Rites promotions/Vol 1 Scorched Earth/2014 COmpilation Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  released  by  the  Moonspell  Rites  label  called  "Vol.  1  Scorched  Earth"  and  we  will  review  the  tracks  one  by  one.

  1.Hyperboarean  brings  us  "Hail  Dystopia"  a  song  that  is  in  a  more  melodic  black/death  metal  direction  and  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  a  very  heavy  thrash  influence  being  thrown  into  the  track.  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls.

  2.Soul  Dissolution  brings  us  "Smell  Of  Freedom"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  clean  playing  and  a  minute  later  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  before  speeding  up  and  adding  in  blast  beats and  fast  parts  that  take  the  song  into  more  of  a  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  grim  screams  and  the y also  mix  in  the  slower  parts  with  the  faster  sections  and  the  song  is  7  minutes  in  length.

 3.  Poisoned  By  Life  brings  us  "Last  Breath"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  a  great  amount  of  distortion  and  reverb  and  a  minute  later  the  music  goes  for  a  slow,  dark  and  heavy  doom  metal  direction  that  brings  in  the  70's  style  melodic  vocals.

 4  and  5.  Ars  macabre brings  us  "Cursed  Paradigm  and  "Illuminati"  2  very  fast  and  aggressive  raw  black  metal  tracks  that bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  high  pitched  grim  screams  and  lyrics  that  deal  with  the  occult  as  well  as  having  their  slow  and  melodic  moments.  

  6.  Hyperboarean  returns  with  "The  Great  Pestilence"  another  song  that  remains  true  to  their  melodic  approach  to  black  and  death  metal  while  also  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  on  the  instruments.

 7.  Leproseey  brings  us  "Essence  Of  Life"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  a  bass  guitar  solo  and  drums  before  adding  in  heavy  guitars  and  blackened  death  metal  growls  and  screams  and  the  song  has  a  very  old  school  death  metal  vibe  to  it.

 8.  Slaughter  Messiah  brings  us  "Black  Speed  Terror"  a  song  that  combines  black  metal  with  an  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  as  well  as  adding  in  German  style  aggressive  vocals  that  where  very  common  in  the  80's.

  9.  Malauriu  brings  us  "Figlio  Della  Croce"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  an  old  school   black  metal  sound  along  with  some  grim  screams  along  with  some  raw  riffs  and  the  track  sticks  to  mostly  a  mid  paced  direction.

 10.  Bone  Fragments  brings  us  "The  Weeds,  The  Reeds  And  The  Muck"  a  song  that  goes  for  more  of  gothic  blackened  doom  metal  sound  bringing  in  keyboards  and  grim  black  metal   screams.

  11.Leproseey  returns  with  "Lawyer  Of  the  Devil"  another  very  dark  old  school  death  metal  track  that  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,  talent  and  skill  on  the  musical  instruments  as  well  as  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts.

  12.  Dawn  Of  A  Dark  Age  brings  us  "The  Last  Prayer"  a  song  that  starts  out  in  more  of  a  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  grim  screams  before  adding  in  some  melody  folk  music,  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements.

  13.  Principity  Of  Hell  brings  us  "Codex  Inferno"  a  song  that  starts  off  with  a  powerful  bass  line  before  going  into  an  old  school  black  metal  direction  that  also  combines  the  first  and  second  wave  styles  together.

  14.  Paimoina  brings  us  "As  Plague  Scourged  This  World  Apart"  a  very  dark  sounding  black  metal  song  that  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  fast  parts,  blast  beats,  raw  aggression  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  grim,  high  pitched  screams.

  15.  Soul  Dissolution  brings  us  "This  Red  Painting  In  The  Skies"  another  slow  and  grim  black  metal  song  that  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  rawness  and  melody  along  with  some  grim  sounding  high  pitched  screams  and  atmospheric  synths.

  16.  Gromm  brings  us  "The  Pest  Of  Black  Metal"  a  very  fast  and  raw  old  school  style  black  metal  song  that  uses  a  great  amount  of  grim  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  tradition.

  17  and 18.  Mass  Hypnosis  brings  us  "God  Complex"  and  "United  State  of  Coma"  2  songs  that  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  thrash  metal  direction  along  with  some  elements  of  industrial  and  the  vocals  are  also  very  aggressive  sounding  that  bring  in  a  heavy  death  metal  sound.

  19  and  20.  Graveyard  Ghoul  brings  us  "Scraping  From  a  Coffin"  and  "Sentenced  To  The  Knife"  2  songs  that  go  for  an  old  school  90's  death  metal  sound  and  also  mix  it  in  with  a  great  amount  of  the  more  darker  and  extreme  sound  of  doom  metal.

  21.  Dunnock  brings  us  "Frost  Covered  Leaves  Beneath  Our  Feet"  a  very  raw,  experimental  atmospheric  and  depressive  sounding  black  metal  track  that  also  brings  in  elements  of  avant  garde  and  ambient  music.

  22. Edenkaiser  brings  us  "Enter  Mephisto"  a  song  that is  in  more  of  a  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams  along  with  a  touch  of  brutal  death  metal.

  23  and  24.  Spiritual  Desecration  brings  us  "The  Death  Of  Christ"  and  "Ceremony  Of  Desecration"  2  songs  that  combine  the  heaviest  elements  of  death,  black  and  war  metal  together  along  with  a  great  amount  of  morbid  sounding  melodies  and  bestial  black/death  metal  growls  and  screams.

  25.  Serepheum  brings  us  "The  Avatar  Ov  Abstract  Horrors"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  melodic  guitar  lead  along  with  some  slow  and  heavy  riffing  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  an  old  school  death  metal  sound  which  they  also  mix  in  with  black  metal.

  26.  La-Ventura  A  New  beginning  brings  us  "Trefoil"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  some  dark  and  melancholic  sounding  keyboards  before  going  into  a  heavier  gothic  metal  direction  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals.

  27.  Putrid  Christ  brings  us  "Raped  In  The  Ruins  of  The  Woods"  a song  that  is  in  more  of  an  old  school  black  metal  direction  bringing  in  grim  screams  and  riffing  that  is  very  raw  and  the  music  also  brings  out  a  vintage  90's  feeling.

  28.  Bone  Fragments  return  with  "Aliens  And  Clowns"  another  very  dark,  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding  gothic  black/doom  metal  track  which  also  brings  in  some  symphonic  elements  and  grim  screams.

  29.  Temple  Koludra  brings  us  "Zornissen"  a  song  that  is  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  atmospheric  black  metal  direction  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  raw  aggression,  melody,  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams.

  30.  Serapheum  return  with  "Serapheum  -Curse  Ov  Serapheum"  a  very  dark,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  song  that  also  brings  in  grim  screams  and  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  death  metal  influences.

  31.  Fathomhell  brings  us  "Serpent  II"  a  song  that  is  in  more  of  a  dark,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  musical  direction  that  also  brings  in  a  very  grim  approach  to  vocals  and  a  decent  amount  of  solos  and  leads.

  32  and  33.  Barzakh  brings  us  "Shadow  In  the  Grief"  and  "She's  Not  Honoured"  2  tracks  that  bring  in  a  very  dark  and  raw  black  metal  sound  that  are  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  tradition  and  also  add  in  elements  of  old  school  death  metal.

  34.  Obsidian  Tongue  brings  us  "Brothers  In  The  Stars"  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  atmospheric  black  metal  song  that  also  brings  in  some  progressive  elements  along  with  some  grim  sounding  screams  and  a  good  touch  of  post  metal.

  35.  ASG  brings  us  "Wounds  From  the  Past"  a  very  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  song  that  brings  in  high  pitched  screams  and  blast  beats  as  well  as  slowing  down  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  quite  a  bit  of  the  90's  Swedish  black  metal  sound  in  the  track.

  36.Endlesshade  brings  us  "7"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  clean  playing  a  minute  later  and  after  awhile  growls  are  added  into  the  music  and  the  song  goes  for  more  of  a  gothic  style  of  doom/death  metal  while  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  more  black  metal  elements  towards  the  end.

 37  and  38.  Kirkebrann  brings  us  "Nat  alt  Dor"  and  "Tepperfall"  2  songs  that  are  in  more  of  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  and  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  and  blast  beats  along  with  a  good  touch  of  melodic  riffing.

  39.  Melkor  closes  the  compilation  with  "Irrlicht  (Ferne  II)"  a  song  that  is  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  dark  black  metal  direction  while  also  bringing  in  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  grim  screams  and  after  awhile  goes  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  violins  being  added  into t he  tracks.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  doom,   death,  gothic,  industrial  and  thrash  metal.  8  out  of  10.