Denied/Let Them Burn/Sliptrick Records/2013 CD Review

 
Denied  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  power  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Let  Them  Burn"  which  was  released  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  power  and  thrash  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing, while  the  lead   guitars  are  very  melodic  and  old  school  sounding  power/heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  bring  a  power  ballad  feeling  to  the  album.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  power/heavy  metal  vocals  with  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls,  spoken  word  parts  and  back  up  shouts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes  with  a  touch  of  occultism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Denied  are  a  very  great  sounding  power/thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  the  musical  genre,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Judas  Kiss"  "Garden  Of  Stone"  "Lessor  Son" and  "In  Hell".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Majesty Of Revival Interview

 1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

- Hey! At this moment we are about to finish the record of our second full-length album. It must be out soon. Also we're getting ready for few performances. In general, work is in full swinging :)

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?

- The album sounds more heavier than the last. It builts on strong heavy and rocky riffs. The sound  of album is remotely similar to Sympnohy X in 2002-2007 period.

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

- Themes that affecting life and death, self-perfection, feelings, emotions about the world around. In ballads the text often wrights on a love themes




4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

- I was looking for the band name that can submit our music and our band as well, also to set us up to a good path. I reckon the name Majesty of Revival is what we want.

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


- I can't allocate any performance. We always were warmly accepted by the audience, but particularly unforgettable was not yet. I wonder it's because of permormances only in Ukraine. We hope to make a tour beyond our country.
The performances is ordinary. As Symphony X, Dream Theatre and Stratovarius has. But we have some interesting ideas about show;)


6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

- Recently we signed a contract with tour agency which we'll announce soon.We  have  negotiation about tour but for the time being we don't know yet.

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

- Excellent! We didn' expect such feedbacks. The second album will consolidate our reputation and bring us to the new level

8. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

-After the second release's out we are going to give a lot performances. Next album will be done within a year or two. Until that maybe we'll release an Live record, but it's not what we can talk about now.

9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

- We're recording the second album of PowerSquad, I wonder about few performances. What about Grotesque Orchestra — we're in studio on weekends:) Currently Konstantin has many performances with Sunrise and W.Angel's Conquest. I don't know anything more about that, you should ask him. I and Oleksa also working at his own project, it'll be interesting thing. And I don't know anything about projects of the rest members of the band.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

- The band influenced by such bands as: Time Requiem, Symphony X, Kenziner, Rhapsody, UDO etc. Definitely each member listen to something he likes more. Personaly, at this time I listen the classical music, a lot of jazz/fusion, and Symphony X of course :)

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

- For my part, my cheif interest is family, design, books...But the most time takes music.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

- Thank you for your good questions and special thanks for our fans for their support. Stay heavy \m/

Damnation Angels Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Well since the recording of Bringer Of Light and signing with Massacre Records we took some time to tie up some loose ends such as finding a good manager as well as promotion and re-mastering the album ready for the release on Feb 22nd. In more recent time we have been making preparations to begin rehearsal for our upcoming UK tour in March/April and brewing possible world tours. As always there's new material in the works too.


2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous recordings?

Will: The main difference between Shadow Symphony and Bringer Of Light production wise is the weight of the mix. We made a very deliberate attempt to try and steer away from the generic power metal/symphonic standard and style of production which is a little thin for our taste. So to counter that we made sure to have a very big drum and guitar sound to match the orchestra and also made sure one did not bury the other. We also wanted a very clear loud, dare I say it almost "poppy" vocal mix to make sure they were very clear in the mix. I think we did a pretty good job. Musically the album is far more advanced and expressive than anything we've done before and I think we found our own sound too.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores

Will: We explore a lot of things ranging from the human spirit to war related things like for instance Pride (The Warrior's way) to what we leave behind when we die, Shadow Symphony. Some times I'm influenced by past events or even films or books but most of the songs are original fictional stories so to speak.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Will: It came from reading and being interested in Illuminati conspiracy, the whole demons and angels apocalyptic theme.

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

I would like to think our stage performance is very intense and energetic with a very bombastic rock feel as we all love bands such as Bon Jovi, Metallica and Maiden etc that mixed with a passionate theatrical feel. Every show is a good show, highlighting one is difficult but I'd say one we did in 2010 in London comes to mind, it was PelleK's second show with us and we headlined the Purple Turtle in Camden, it was a great night.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

Will: Well as mentioned we have a two week UK tour coming up in March/April and we are currently working on booking a US tour for September around the time we play Progpower USA. We are also hoping to add European tour dates and summer festivals between now and the year end.

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

Will: The feedback has been exceptional, we've had very positive reviews from fans and reviewers alike. When we released the Pride (The Warrior's Way) promo video
last March is exploded with views and comments from all over the world. The feedback has been incredible really and with the album just released it's been topping charts on Amazon etc so it's all going very well.

8. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Will: We have new material in the works and without giving to much away we are going to be moving further away from what is seen as traditional symphonic and power metal. Taking a simpler song writing approach to maximize sound but without compromising that Damnation Angels epic style of sound.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Will: We're influenced by a wide array of bands from different genres etc I never take influence directly from specific bands but I'm mainly influenced by film score music
and traditional heavy metal. The last few albums I've had in heavy rotation are Anthrax - worship music, Wintersun -time 1, the first four W.a.s.p albums and Metallica - the black album.

10. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Will: Me and my brother John Graney (the drummer) are big into our weight lifting, mma and I'm also a big football fan, Up the Owls and all that! I know everyone in the band enjoys their gaming too. Music has consumed most of my life at the moment, working on various projects etc that I don't actually have much free time, but I can't complain about that can I!

11. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Just to thank you guys for taking the time to ask the questions and the fans for reading them. Also just to generally thank our fans for their constant support and stay posted for future tours and music. See you all on soon!

Devil to Pay/Fate Is Your Muse/Ripple Music/2013 CD Review

  Devil  To  Pay  are  a  band  from  Indiana  that  plays  a  mixture  of  southern  rock,  metal,  and  sludge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Fate  Is  Your  Muse"  which  was  released  by  Ripple  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  southern  rock,  metal  and  sludge  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing   at  times,  while the  lead  guitars  are  blues  rock  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  hard  rock  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  reincarnation,  reality  and  fantasy  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.  

  In  my  opinion  Devil  To  Pay  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  southern  rock,  metal,  and  sludge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this b and.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Prepare  To  Die"  "Already  Dead"  "Black  Blue  Heart'  and  "Tie  One  On".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.
  

Midnight Idols/Sworn To The Night/Metal On Metal Records/2009 CD Review

  Midnight  Idols  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  mixture  of  NWOBHM  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2009  album  "Sworn  To  The  Night"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the recording,  as  for t he  synths  when  they  are  utilized  briefly  they  bring  a  very  sound  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  NWOBHM  and  old  school  power  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  classic  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  heavy  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  dark,  heavy,  old  school  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Midnight  Idols  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  NWOBHM,  classic  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beyond  The  Darkness"  "Satan's  Lullabye"  and  "Necropolis(City  Of  The  Dead)".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.       

Compendium Of Metal Vol 4/Metal On Metal Records/2011 CD Compilation Review

  This  is  a  review  of  their  4th  volume  of  "Compendium  Of  Metal"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records  which  was  released  in  2011  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  Starting  of t he  compilation  is  Heathendoom  with  "An  Angel,  A  Demon  And  A  Dying  God"  another  heavy  and  melodic  song  from  this  power/doom  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Wishdoom  with  "Up  The  Hammers"  another  long  and  epic  song  from  power/doom  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Catch  22  with  "Power  Revolution  Mad"  another  great  song  from  this  technical  speed/thrash  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Meliah  Rage  a  legendary  melodic  thrash  metal  band  with  their  song  "Invincible"  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sounding  song.

  Next  up  is  Bitter  End  a  little  known  technical  sounding  thrash  band  from  the  early  90's  with  the  song  "No  Law".

  Next  up  is  Frankenshed  with  "Metal  Nation":  another  fast  and  heavy  melodic  power/thrash/speed  metal  song  from  this  band.

  Next  up  is  Battlerage  with  "The  Devil's  Wings  Brings  Fire  From  Hell"  another  fast  and  heavy  song  from  this  true  metal  band.

  Next  up is  Outrage  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  thrash  ans  first wave  black  metal  with  their  song  "Rigor  Mortis".

  Next  up  is  Mortalicum    with  "Black  Flame(The  Sinister  Priest)  another  heavy,  dark  and  epic  song  from t his  traditional  doom  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Ragenheart  with  "Child  Of  Rage"  another  melodic  and  epic  song  from  this  heavy/power  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Nomad  Sun  with  "Wings  Of  Golgotha"  a  very  long  and  epic  in  length song  from t his  traditional  doom  metal  band.

  Next  up  is  Skelator  with  "For  Death  And  Glory"  a  very  long  and  epic  in  length  song  from  this  speed/power  metal  band.

  Closing  this  compilation  is  Fallen  Angels  with  "Legacy  Of  Pain"  another  heavy  and  old  schhol  sounding  song  from  this  thrash  metal  band.

 In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  power, thrash,  speed  and  doom  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED     

Compendium Of Metal Vol. 3/Metal On Metal Records/2019 CD Compilation Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  2010  compilation  "Compendium  Of  Metal  Vol  3"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Opening  up  the  compilation  is  Mortalicum  with  "Inner  Peace"  a  very  dark  and  heavy  doom/power metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Ragenheart  with  "The  Amulet"  a  very  progressive  sounding  power  metal  in  the  old  school  direction.

  Next  up  is  Nomad  Sun  a  band  that  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  doom  metal  with  a  live  version  of  "Empyrean  Fade".

  Next  up  is  Fallen  Angels  a  band  that  mixes  technical  thrash   with  death  metal  with  their  song  "The  Gates  Of  Irony"  a  very  old  school  metal  song.

  Next  up  with  Skelator  a band that  mixes  speed  and  power  metal  together  with  a  demo  version  "Birth  Of  Steel".

  Next  up  is  Heathendom  a  band  that  combines  power  and  doom  metal  together  with  their  epic  song  "Endistancement  By  The  Null  Postion"  a  very  heavy,  atmospheric  and  melodic  sounding  song.

  Next  up is  Wishdoom  a  band  that  mixes  traditional  metal  with  doom  on  their  song  "Guardians  Of Steel"  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sounding  song.

  Next  up  is  Catch  22  a  band  that  plays  a  very  technical  form  of  thrash/speed  metal  with  their  song  "The  Haunting"  a  very  heavy  and  old  school  sounding  song.

  Next  up  is  Brutal  Hand  with  "Earth"  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  power/progressive  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Frankenshed  a  band  that  mixes  neo  classical  with  power,  speed  and  thrash  metal  with  their  song  "The  Haunting".

  Next  up  is  Sesta  Marconi with  "Rock  And  Roll  Voodoo  Style"  a  song  that  mixes  hard  rock  with  doom  metal.

  Next  up  is  Battlerage  a  band  that  combines  heavy  and  power  metal  together  with  "Battlefield  Belongs  To Me"  a  very  old  school  demonstration  in  true  metal.

  Next  up  is  Midnight  Idols  with  "Necropolis(City  Of  The  Dead)"  a  song  that  combines  NWOBHM  with  power  metal.

  Next  up  is  F.K.U  a  band  that  plays  a  very  heavy  and  old  school  mosh  pit  orientated  form  of  thrash  metal  with  "Phantom  Killer  Attack".

  next  up  is  Metal  Law  with  "Metal  Law"  a song  continuing  their  hybrid  of  heavy  and  power  metal  together  in  the  old  school  tradition.

  Closing  the  album  is  another  track  from  Frankenshed  called  "Evil  Shred  Part  3"  with  a  great  amount  of  guitar  solos.

  In  conclussion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  power,  speed,  thrash  and  doom  metal.  RECOMMENDED.  

  

Compendium Of Metal Vol. 2/Metal On Metal Records/2008 CD Compilation Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of a  2008  compilation  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records  and  we  will  review  the  bands  one  by  one.

  Starting  off  the  compilation  is  F.K.U  a  band  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  thrash  metal  and  they  bring  us  "Twitch  Of  The  Thrash  Nerve"  and  "Horror  Metal  Moshing  Machine"  with  both  of  the  songs  being  old  school  slam  dancing,  moshing  thrash  metal.

  Next  up  is  Midnight  Idol  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of   NWOBHM influenced  heavy/power metal bring  their  2  songs  "Bloodied  And  Alone"  and  "Sworn  To  The  Night" which  are  in  the  more  melodic   metal  direction.

  Next  up  is  Battlerage  a  band  that  mixes  heavy  and  power  metal  together  with  their  2  songs  "War  Machine"  and  "Blessed  By  The  Axe"  which  are  in  the  old  school  true  metal  vein.

  Next  up  is  Sesta  Marconi  with  Skeleton's  Party,  a  very  old  school  sounding  power/doom  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Rachel's  Coven  a  band  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  power  metal  with  their  2  songs  "Reign'  and  "Straight  Between  The  Lies" which  are  very  melodic  sounding  with  some  70's  sounding  organs.

  Next  up  is  Brutal  Hand  a  band  that  mixes  heavy,  progressive  and power  metal  together  with  their  2  songs  "Blood  Thirst"  and  "Out  Of  Time" with t he  songs  being  heavy,  dark  and  old  school  sounding.

  Next  up is  Catch  22  a  band  that  plays  a  very  technical  of  power/thrash  metal  with  their  song  "T.F.A"  a  very  old  school  sounding  thrash/speed  metal  tune.

  Next  up  is  Heathendom  a  band  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  doom/power  metal  with  their  song  "Prescience  Of  The  End"  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  song.

  Next  up  is  Nomad  Sun  with  "Seven  Noes  In  Black"  a  more  traditional  sounding  doom  metal  song.

  Next  up  is  Fallen  Angels  a  band  that  combines  technical  thrash  with  death  metal  with  their  song "Slaves  In  Worlds"  a  song  that  is  very  heavy  and  old  school  sounding.

  Next  up  is  Metal  Law  a  band  that  combines  traditional  and  power  metal  together  with  their  song "Open  The  Gates  Of  Hell"  a  very  old  school  sounding  classic  metal  song.

  Closing  the  compilation  is  Skelator  a  band  that  mixes  speed  and  power  metal  together  with  "Stormbringer  And  Mournblade".

  In  conclusion  i  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  power,  thrash,  speed,  and  doom,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.



  

Ragen Heart/Self Titled/Metal On Metal Records/2010 CD Review

  Ragen  Heart  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  power/progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2010  album  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

 Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  no  fast  playing  or blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  progressive  sound  to  the  album,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  power  and  progressive  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and full  chords  to  add  more  epic  qualities  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals,  while t he  lyrics  cover  Greek  Mythology  and  Religion,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  and  professional  sound  where you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Ragen  Heart  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  power  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Child  Of  Rage"  "Spartan"  "Talos"  and  "The  Amulet".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Brutal Hand/Purgatory's End/Metal On Metal Records/2008 CD Review

\  Brutal  Hand  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  progressive, heavy  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2008  album  "Purgatory's  End"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  sound  to  the  album,  as  for  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  heavy,  power  and  progressive  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  heavy/power  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  metaphysical  and  heavy  metal  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Brutal  Hand  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  progressive,  heavy  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Six"  "Karma"  "Earth"  and  "Metal  Rules".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Fragment Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the project for those that have never heard of you before?

   "I started this project in June 2006 we're in 2013 & "Temporary Enlightenment" is out now ! The goal with fragment. was to learn & manage to produce my music by myself & after 7 years of hard work i think i'm starting to reach this goal."

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

   "fragment. musical sound is stuck between the sky & the ground, that's what i'm trying to do with... a "sweet massiveness"."

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

"I tried to catch & translate moments & experiences of daily life. There is no concept, it works like instantaneous pictures, exploring every side of human feelings, for example 'cold monsters' talks about feeling like an ant surrounded with buildings: these 'cold  monsters made of steel and glasse' cities can be frightening sometimes, or 'shield', 'just for today' & 'from this moment' are about being a father. fragment.'s lyrics just talk about life, there is no original concept in it.”

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

    "I like the idea of that tiny piece or part working for a 'humanly' unconceivable whole, besides, the word sounds good to me as well in French as in English."


5. Currently there is only one member in the band are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you choose to remain solo?

   "It will definitely remain a solo project..."

6. The new album came out on OPN Records. how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

"I contacted them 3-4 years ago for the 'Home' EP & they decided to release it, which came out in 2011. We then started to build an understanding partnership, they proposed a fair deal to me & they worked hard to get the best result.”
“It's a small structure, smaller than an independant label & they seem to be the  only ones willing to work with an unbankable project, so i wish we'll work together again..."

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

   "Well, honestly I don't know, maybe it's a bit too soon to talk about a 'worldwide feedback', but the first ones are positive."

8. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this full time?

   "Right now i'm working on a new project called FINSTERNIS with Xavier Theret (vocals) from NEIGE MORTE band & ex-OVERMARS band member. I'm very excited about this project; a 50 minute EP has been recorded and there now remains the lyrics to be written then the vocals to be recorded. It's going to be cool !"

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

   "Actually i really don't know... Maybe to more electronic / shoegaze sounds, because i've just finished alternative versions of 'Temporary Enlightenment' which are taking a more electronic direction..."

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

    "The fragment. project was born of the idea of mixing my two initial influences: GODFLESH & LOW, though i like loads of various styles like TERRA TENEBROSA, UNISON, ROLLINS BAND, FEVER RAY, FEAR FALLS BURNING, CULT OF OCCULT, TRICKY, BLUT AUS NORD, SIGUR ROS, LEVIATHAN, MY BLOODY VALENTINE... to name only a few"

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

    "My wife & kids & close friends, mainly."

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

    "Thanks you very much John for the interest & support you've shown to fragment."

Nachtgeschrei Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Hi there. We are currently a little busy, as our fourth album “Aus schwärzester Nacht” is about to hit the stores. It’s the first album with our new singer Martin LeMar, so we are pretty excited about how this one will be received.

It’s a very special album for us and feels even like a little “combeback” after about a year of struggling. Now the mixed and mastered tracks are all at the CD manufacturer and we are eager to hit the road for our tour of club shows in April.


2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it
differs from previous releases?

It’s alive. It’s fiery, passionate and energetic. The most important difference is of course our new singer Martin, who has a bit of a different voice than our old singer had. With Martin we are able to do things that we couldn’t do before.

But apart from his really powerful voice, we also tried to make it a really rocking and fierce album with songs that we will love to play live. We still have the same concept of archaic folk and strange instruments meeting full-on amplified, heavy rock but also tried out some new elements and ideas. This time, we left some edges a bit rougher, while on the previous records, we smoothened out all the cracks. I have the impression that it has come out as an album that lives, breathes and goes wild.


3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores
with the new release?

There isn’t one topic that spans over the whole record, but several ideas. From a retrospective I would say that this album isn’t as introverted as our last record “Ardeo” was. It has some bold and strong messages and a good spirit. We still got some of that in-deep and personal stuff going on but also a lot of reassuring and vivid songs.

I got the impression that this is our “album with attitude”. Last year, when our old singer Hotti had left the band we needed this defiant “never say die” outlook more than ever. Now perhaps the songs can do the same trick for others.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

“Nachtgeschrei” translates to something like “screams in the night” or something similar. We found this name strangely fitting and appealing and are stuck with it forever since…


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

Apart from huge festival stages I’d certainly say the tour with Subway to Sally in 2011. These guys are really big over here, so it was a most amazing experience to accompany a band that is as exciting, professional and yet nice and down to earth.


6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

We are doing a little club tour to present the album in April. In summer, we are booked for some pretty cool festivals, ranging all the way from folk to gothic via strange hippie events. We are pretty excited about getting on the road again and to meet all the wonderful bands and people at concerts and festivals.


7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans
of metal, rock and folk music?

With every album, we got a little more feedback from all over the world. Apart from our releases in Germany our first Album was released in Russia and Taiwan as well and we still get very positive feedback from over there. On the whole we are very surprised that we receive such positive resonance from all over the world especially as we have German lyrics exclusively.


8. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

When we started Nachtgeschrei, we had a pure folk side project. But that has been put on ice for quite some time, so we are currently only focusing on Nachtgeschrei. Our drummer Stefan sometimes helps out with other bands and projects, though.


9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Vegatarian progressive grindcore perhaps? No, frankly I don’t know. Live’s a journey, and I’m curious to find out where this road will take us. Does that answer your question?


10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your
newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

All musicians take a lot of pride in saying “wow, I’m sooo unique.” Especially rock bands fall in this category.

But I really feel that, since this is our fourth album, we pretty much have found our way, our music and our sound. We know better how we work as a band and how to make the different pieces fit together. I’m sure there will be some influences of other groups in our music, but to be honest, I don’t realize that anymore. Sometimes you say like “that idea reminds me off…” or “this is our *insertbandname* riff” but then someone else adds vocals, or folk instruments or whatever and suddenly it sounds all new.


11. Does Paganism play any role in your music?

Depends on your definition of paganism, I would say. Pagan is to me neither a style of music nor a label for “cool” but a set of mind and a way of seeing the world. Nature, man and how everything is related. Recognising the divine in the living things around you.

While we had some explicit pagan themes in the past, we now address this topic more subtle. I tried to smuggle in a few ideas, but we are not a pagan-themepark-act. If you find the idea appealing, here you go. If you don’t feel that way, you can still enjoy the whole package. So no “Odin”-chants or no rants against Christianity, I’m afraid.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

I’m a little of an outdoorsy person, so I enjoy activities in the nature like hiking, riding or skiing. I recently picked up traditional archery.

Apart from that, I just try to do what feels right for me. No agenda here.


13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing it good. If a thing’s worth doing it good, it’s definitely worth fighting for.

Thanks for the interview, has been a pleasure. Keep on rocking and check out our new album “Aus schwärzester Nacht” - out March 22nd.

Metal Law/Lawbreaker/Metal On Metal Records/2008 CD Review

  Metal  Law  are  a  band  that  mixes  old  school  traditional  metal  with  modern  day  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2008  album  "Lawbreaker"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced   to  fast  drumming with  no  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  synths  when  they  are  utilized  bring  a  progressive  feeling  to t he  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow, mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  melodies  and  influences  from  modern  power  metal,  while t he  lead  guitars a re  very  melodic  sounding  heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for t he  classical  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  epic  elements  to  the  album.

  Vocals a re  mostly  clean  singing  heavy  metal  vocals  that  utilize  some  gruff  elements  at  times  as  well  as  some  demonic  growls  being  used  on  a  couple  of  songs,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  everyday,  rock  and  heavy  metal  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.  

  In  my  opinion  Metal  Law  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  old  school  metal  and  modern  power  metal  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crusaders  Of  Rock"  "Heroes  Never  Die"  "Metal  Law"  and  "Heavy  Metal  Is  Forever".  RECOMMENDED  BUY. 

Battlerage/True Metal Victory/Metal On Metal Records/2011 CD Review

  This  is  the  3rd  review  of  an  album  from  "Battlerage  called  "True  Metal  Victory"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records  during t he  year  of  2011  continuing  the  heavy/power  metal  sound  of  previous  recordings.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  heavy  and  power  metal  together  while  also  using  some  melody  as  well  as  faster  riffing  that  almost  goes  into  thrash/speed  metal  mode, while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power/heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when t hey  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  bring  more  epic  elements  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  heavy  metal  vocals  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  continue  the  dark,  fantasy  and  true  metal  themes  of  the  previous  recordings,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful, heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Battlerage  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  heavy/power  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Return  Of  The  Axe  Men"  "Raw  Metal"  "The  Serpent's  Slumbers"  and  "Warlock's  Epitaph".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.   

Battlerage/Blood, Fire, Steel/Metal On Metal Records/2009 CD Review

  This  is  another  review  of  an  album  from  Chile's  Battlerage  continuing  their  own  brand  of  true  metal  which  combines  traditional  and  power  metal  together  with  the  album  being  called  "Blood,  Fire,  Steel"  which  was  released  in  2009  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of the  guitars   and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  traditional  and  power  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  adding  a  modern  touch  to  the  genre  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  classic  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  traditional  metal  clean  singing  vocals  along  with  some  back  up  shouts  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  fantasy  and  true  metal  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  with  the  last  song  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Battlerage  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  true  metal,  you  should c heck  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Devil's  Wings  Bring  Fire  From  Hell"  "The  Blind  Dead"  and  "True  Metal  Victory".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Battlerage/The Slaughter Returns/Metal On Metal Records/2008 CD Review

  Battlerage  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2008  album  "The  Slaughter  Returns"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow, mid  paced  drumming  to  fast  playing  with  no  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

   Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  traditional  and  power  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  the  riffing as  well  as  some  speed  metal  elements,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  traditional  metal  guitar  solos   and  leads.

Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  heavy  metal  vocals  with  some  back  up  shouts  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  some  high  pitched  power  metal  screams  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  spoken  word  part,  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  and  heavy  metal  topics,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  epic,  and  professional  sound  to  it  where you  can  hear  all  of the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

In my  opinion  Battlerage  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  heavy  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "By  Steel  I  Reign  Supreme"  "Grind  Their  Bones"  "Metal  Slaughter"  and  "Blessed  By  The  Axe".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

In The Silence/A Fair Dream Gone Mad/Sensory Records/2013 CD Review

  In  The  Silence  are  a  band  from  Sacramento,  California  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  metal  with  some  gothic/doom  metal  influences  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "A  Fair  Dream  Gone  Mad"  which  was  released  by  Sensory  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  no  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from s low  to  mid  paced  progressive  metal  riffs  that  take  some  influences  from  the  more  extreme  genres  as  metal  as  well  as  having  a  good  amount of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  progressive  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  progressive  elements  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  In  The  Silence  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark/progressive  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ever  Closer"  "Beneath  These  Falling  Leaves"  "Endless  Sea"  and  "Your  Reward".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Cough/Windhand/Reflection Of The Negative/Relapse Records 2013 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Virginia's  Cough  and  Windhand  called  "Reflection  Of  The  Negative"  which  was  released  by  Relapse  Records  in  2013  and  we  will  start  of  the  review  with  Cough  a  band  that  plays  a  heavy  mixture  of  drone,  doom  and  sludge.

  Drums  are  all  slow  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording,  while  the  synths  bring  a  psychedelic  feeling  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  are  all  slow  and  heavy  riffs  that  combine  doom,  drone  and  sludge  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion  behind  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  sounding  sludge/doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  sludge  screams  with  some  spoken  word  samples  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  metaphysical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it h as  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  dark  sound  with  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  

  In  my  opinion  Cough  are  a  very  great  and  heavy  sounding  hybrid  of  drone,  doom  and  sludge  .

and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Athame".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  Next  up  is  Windhand  a  band  that  plays  a  very  psychedelic  form  of  sludge,  doom  and  drone.

  Drums  are  all  slow  playing  with  no  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  their  side  of  the recording.

  Rhythm  guitars are  all  slow  and  heavy  riffs  that  combine  doom,  psych,  sludge  and  drone  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while t he  lead  guitars a re  very  psychedelic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals a re  all  clean  singing  doom  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for t he  production  it h as  a  very  strong,  powerful,   heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording

  In  my  opinion  Windhand a re  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  doom,  drone  and  sludge and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  music  genre,  you  should  check  out t heir  side  of    of  the  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Shepard's  Cook".  RECOMMENDED.

  In  Conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  album  and  I  would  recommend  it  to   all  fans  of  doom,  drone  and  sludge.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Sacred Gate/World Without End/Metal On Metal Records/2012 CD Review

  Sacred  Gate  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  traditional  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "World  Without  End"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

 Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  traditional  and  power  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into t he  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when t hey  are  utilized  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  add  more  classic  metal  influences  to  the  recording.

  Vocals a re  all  clean  singing  heavy/power  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes  with  some  of  the  songs covering  satanic  and  religious  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Sacred  Gate  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  heavy  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Creators  Of  The  DownFall"  "The  Realm  Of Hell"  "In  The  Heart  Of  The  Iron  Maiden"  and  "Heaven  Under  Siege".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Attacker/Giants Of Canaan/Metal On Metal Records/2013 CD Review

  Attacker  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that  has  a  history  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  with  a  musical  style  I  would  describe  as  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Giants  Of  Canaan"  which  was  released  by  Metal  On  Metal  Records.

  Drums range from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  powerful  sound  to  them,  as  for t he  synths which  are  only  used  on  the  intro  they  bring  an  ambient  feeling  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range from  slow,  mid  paced,  to  fast  power  metal  riffs  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for t he  classical  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  variety  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  with  a  brief  use  of  back  up  shouts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  fantasy  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Attacker  are  a  very  great  sounding  power  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Giants  Of  Canaan"  "Washed  In  Blood"  "Born  Into  Battle"  and  "The  Glen  Of  The  Ghost".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Majesty Of Revival/Through Reality/Metal Scrap Records/2012 CD Review

  Majesty  Of  Revival  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo  classical  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Through  Reality"  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  symphonic  and  classical  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they h ave  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  power  metal  riffs  that  are  more  in  the  modern  direction  with  some  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads mixing  in  some  neo  classical  elements,  as  for  the  classical  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  progressive  touches  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  with  some  a  brief  use  of  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  where  you  can h ear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Majesty  Of  Revival  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  neo  classical  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Self  Control"  "The  Code"  "Magnalia  Dei"  and  "Reality".  RECOMMENDED  BUY/

Ion Vein Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Sure! We just played the legendary Metro in Chicago on Feb 9th, which was awesome,
and we're preparing for a few more live dates as well as getting back in the studio to finish vocals for the remaining six tracks for the album.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer release and how it differs from previous recordings?

Well, it's certainly heavier but I guess the best way to put it is that it's a bit more to the point and in-your-face! We just started focusing more on the songs and really taking the
time to dissect them for what worked, what didn't, how it flowed, and how the energy felt playing them and what the fans would feed off of. We still wanted to keep the progressive elements and dynamics of the first two albums but they're a bit more subtle at times on the newer material.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

The lyric themes on IV v2.0 along with the rest of the tracks for the album pretty much all deal with personal struggles and life in general, how it affects us, and how we can overcome and triumph in the game of life. We truly hope listeners can take some positive energy from the songs and also use it to uplift and motivate them if they ever need a little kick start.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Well, speaking of "positive energy," that's essential where ION VEIN came from....it was inspired by the hopes that our music will send a charge of energy through your body when you hear it and inspire or just make you feel good.

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

Since this line-up has only been together for three shows dating back to the beginning of 2012, I'll just talk about them but they were all killer in their own right! Our first show was Feb 2012 and we opened for Testament at a club that holds about 800 people and it was pretty amazing. The next show was in Sept 2012 opening for Symphony X which was very cool as well and the most recent show was the one I mentioned earlier at the Metro in Chicago which we headlined so we had a full stage for a change. Our show is high energy, we love to feed off the crowd and just have a great time up there, we really love playing live and look forward to doing much more of it when the full album is released!

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

We don't have anything concrete right now but most certainly would like to get out for some type of touring when the album is released both here and abroad. Our dream is still to get over to Europe and South America to play so we're hopeful that happens this time.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer music by fans of power and progressive metal?

It seems to be quite strong, we've gotten a lot of very positive reviews from around the globe indeed but I'm sure many are waiting for the full release so let's hope it continues to build and blow up when that happens. :)

8. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

Let's see....Chuck has done several different studio projects ranging from jazz to metal, the most recent being for a progressive band called Fire Garden. Scott recently did vocals for a band called Within the Fire on their 4 song release and has done few shows with them, he's also working on finishing the final Enertia album. Rob and Rich (Knight our touring guitarist) are working on some new Twelfth Gate material and recorded with a project called Scar, Inc. I was reunited with my old bandmates in Latent Fury and we're slooooowly trying to re-record our 3 song demo from 1991 along with several other tracks that we never had a chance to record.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

The music for the next six songs (twelve total) has already been recorded and continues on the path of what we've released on IV v1.0 and IV v2.0 with a few more dynamic and progressive twist but will certainly round out the album quite well. Moving forward, I see us continuing with the heavy side of our sound and being song focused but also taking more chances and reaching for some things that we haven't achieved yet whether it be an "opus" or just some whacked out jazz-metal-djent fusion track or something...haha...the sky is the limit and with the model of releasing tracks or groups of tracks as they happen, we can certainly experiment a bit more if we'd like.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I think the early influence of bands like Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, Priest, Fates Warning, and Dream Theater are still buried deep within us but newer stuff like Meshuggah, Lamb of God, and Opeth certainly provide a different take to the classic influences we've got and also maybe push us to try new things.

Let's see....well the last Evergrey and Symphony X were just on the player but I've also been listening to Alter Bridge and the Tremonti solo album, along with stuff like the latest Testament, Mastodon, Periphery, and Heaven & Hell....damn, I think I need to go CD shopping! haha

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?


I absolutely love to travel, experience new things and soak up historical places, it's definitely one of my favorite things to do outside of playing or seeing live music. I also love NFL football, NHL hockey, and also enjoy movies and reading but I don't really get to partake in the latter too often.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

I just want to say thank you so much for the support, we certainly appreciate it, and
thanks to everyone that checks out this interview, our music, we are greatful for all
of you and hope to see you on the road soon....cheers!