The Eternal Interview

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

Well we have been touring in Australia, we did a national 10th Anniversary tour to celebrate 10 years as a band, we also recorded one of the shows for later release. We also did a national tour with Amorphis which was a great experience being a fan of the band.


2.How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and also how does it differ from past releases?


I think between our first album and now we have done a lot of experimentation with our sound, so before I started to write the new album I looked over our back catalogue and tried to look at the elements that encapsulated our sound. So I would say the new album has sort of rolled all the last 4 albums into one. I'm really happy with the result I think we have managed to really give our fans something that really sounds like THE ETERNAL.

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics you have covered with the new release?

We for me its a very personal album, for the few years I was writing this album I went through a lot of difficult things. We had a very difficult time as a band after our last album UNDER A NEW SUN and felt quite disillusioned with the music business. Even though it was a strong album I think we were at a point where we just didn't know where to take it so it took a lot to pick it up again and focus. I also lost a few very important relationships to me and went through a hard stage of depression. I would safely say it was one of my lowest points and also one of my most self reflective, I had to really look at my self hard. The lyrics of this album really summarise this.

4.The band was originally known as Cryptal Darkness, what was the decision behind the name change and the switch from death metal to gothic metal?

Well I see that band is a different band, a different idea and different direction, just so happens a few of us came over The Eternal when it started. It was a fresh start for me personally and a fresh idea.

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

We just wanted something big and grand, at the time The Eternal seemed like a good idea!


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

Well I think we have a big sound are are rather intense live. I really enjoyed touring with Opeth, Anathema & Amorphis, We toured through America with Tarja which was great fun, I really enjoy the opening or going second on a bill, means you get a chance to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening.

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

We are not sure what is happening next year, we would love to get back to europe and Japan in the next year or so, lets see!

8.The new album came out on Firebox Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

We have worked with firebox in some way since our career started back in 2004. The label (Firebox Records) doesn't really exist anymore but they (Firebox Store) are distributing it. J-P at Firebox Store has worked very hard with us for 10 years. He is a man that has done alot for underground music over the years!


9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer material by fans of gothic metal?

I don't feel we are gothic metal, we don't sing about vampires and roses and shit like that haha It just emotive dark rock and metal. We are trying to connect on a more personal and deeper level. the response to the new album has ben fantastic really. Fans have taken t it really well and the reviews have been great!

10.What is going on with the other musical projects these days that the other band members are involved with?

Our drummer Marty is another Aussie band called Dreadnaught who are very popular here. I am working on my first solo album at the moment in my Kelsonic Studios here in Melbourne. Our guitarist Brad has a blues rock band called OVERLOAD. Our Bass played dave and Myself are also talking about doing a rock thing for some fun, so we all keep busy!

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

New year we have an E.P coming out to celebrate 10 years since we released our first album THE SOMBRE LIGHT OF ISOLATION, we have re-recorded 5 songs from the album. And later in the year a live album from our 10th Anniversary tour from a hometown show in Melbourne. I'm not going to rush into the next album yet. I would expect it will still be dark and emotive, but of course we always try and push the sound a bit further.

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

I don't personally listen to much new music unless I'm engineering it for a client. I am very influenced but classic music and classic production techniques. I still love bands like Anathema and what they are doing these days. But I'm into loads of 70s stuff, when musicians had to actually play! Which is what I like about our new album, very minimal editing, we just played. People seem surprised these days when an artist can play live like it sounds on their album, I think thats the only way it should be!

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

Music and production is what I do, I'm a sound engineer, so when I'm not working on my own music I'm working on other peoples. On a personal level I'm very interested in Buddhism and study that when I get the time.

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

Thank you for your time, we appreciate your interest and to your readers be sure to check out our new album WHEN THE CIRCLE OF LIGHT BEGINS TO FADE, available through firebox.fi

cheers!

Mark Kelson / The Eternal

Doom's Day Interview

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

DooM : Sure, Doom’s Day is a trip back to the old school 70’s/80’s heavy metal era. The lyrics deal with occultism, religion, sacrifices, orgies, addictions and other insanities. All that mixed with thoughts on modern society. For a better idea you can stream our music on:http://prcmusic.bandcamp.com/.

2.How would you describe the musical sound of both albums and also how do they differ from each other?

DooM : First of all, there’s a big step between the first and the second album. The Unholy was a self-made project that I mostly did alone with the help of Antoine Guertin (Aeternam) and Pat Gauvin. We got the deal with PRC Music with it and I’m very proud of this first album.

The Devil’s Eyes is more aggressive and has a better production. David Lizotte (Southern Cross) did an amazing job mixing the whole thing and J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm/Ex Deo) also did an awesome mastering job. Overall it’s the same concept but just bigger and better.

3.The lyrics cover a lot of occult topics, how would you describe your views on Occultism?

DooM : We do have occult topics in our songs but I think we cover much more as I mentioned earlier. Of course, I take my inspiration from many supernatural events or rituals. But at the end, it’s more about storytelling you know. It’s all about our way of life, our beliefs mixed with tons of horror movies, books, music and many other things. I’m more fascinated with anything related to the unknown. Occultism is a part of it but that not all. This is why I love Lovecraft’s work.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Doom's Day?

DooM: The name has many faces and there are some personal stories related to it. But to make it short, when I started the project it was simply called the “Doom Project”. It later turned out to “Doom’s Day” for its apocalyptic meaning.

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?

DooM : We didn’t have time to do a lot of shows because we mostly made two albums back to back. After the Unholy in 2012, the label wanted a second album for the end of 2013. So we put all our efforts into that second release, which is The Devil’s Eyes. We needed more time than was allowed to finish it, so the release date was pushed back to February 2014. We’re really proud of the result. We hope people will like the new stuff.

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

DooM : We’re not touring right now and we don’t have any plans to do it. We’re going to play with Primal Fear in May and maybe a few other gigs during 2014. That’s all.

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

DooM : Generally very good, but I think we’re a love or hate band. We do not belong to a style in particular. We’re mixing classic heavy metal with some elements of doom metal and horror punk. Some purists who are praising top-notch production, specific genres and styles don’t like us. But we don’t give a shit!

8.Are there any other musical projects besides this band?

DooM : Pat Gauvin (bass) and Dominique Verreault (drums) are involved with another band named Netsuzo. It sounds like a mix of Black Sabbath and Deftones. Frank Breton (live guitar) plays with his rock band Truckin’ Outlaws. They’re going to release an EP soon. I’m also currently working on a mythological acoustic & electric doom metal project called Succubus Irons.

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

DooM : We will add new elements to the music for sure, but we’re not heading into a new direction. I’m thinking about using some strings or violins for the next release. They’ll be heard on a song about witchcraft. But mostly we’ll keep everything the way it is.

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

DooM : Many old school bands such as The Misfits, Venom, Mercyful Fate, Cathedral, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Candlemass and many more… Nowadays I listen mostly to the latest Carcass album Surgical Steel and Doyle’s Abominator.

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

DooM : The usual stuff : watching horror movies, reading books, playing video games. Recently I watched the Fangoria’s Blood & Guts with Scott Ian. I played The Last of Us and I’ve read the latest Walking Dead comic book. I think they should end the series now. They’re just starting the same story all over again with new characters.

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

DooM : The Devil’s Eyes will be released on February thought PRC Music so check it out! Thanks for the interview!

Midnite Hellion/Hour Of The Wolf/Witches Brew/2013 EP Review

  Midnite  Hellion  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Hour  Of  The  Wolf"  which  was  released  by  Witches  Brew.

  The  ep  kicks  off  with  guitar  riffs  that  combine  80's  heavy  and  speed  metal  together  while  also  bringing  in  NWOBHM  style  guitar  leads  and  then  the  melodic  vocals  start  to  kick  in  as  well  as  some  back  up  shouts  and  the  music  also  start  getting  heavier  and mixing  in  thrash  influences  while  also  keeping  the  traditional  metal  sound  around.

  As  the  ep  progresses  slower  guitar  riffs  are  added  in  along  with  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  and  the  music  starts  adding  in  influences  from  the  mid  70's  and  brings  an  old  school  sound  to  modern  days,  while  also  bringing  back  memories  of  my  early  days  of  listening  to  metal  and  this  is  also  the  sound  that  later  evolved  into  thrash  a  few  years  later  and  this  band  really  knows  their  old  school  metal  very  well  and creates  a  sound  that  pays  perfect  homage  to  the  metal  legends.


  Song  lyrics  cover  darkness, magick  and  occultism,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  old  school  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  those  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  ep.

  In  my  opinion  Midnite  hellion  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Hour  of  The  Wolf".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.   

Dark Forest/The Awakening/Criz Del Sur Music/2014 CD Review

  Dark  Forest  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  traditional  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "The Awakening"  which  will  be  released  by  Criz  Del  Sur  Music.

  The  album  starts  off  with  some  radio  style  sound  effects  before  adding  in  spoken  word  samples  then  going  into  a  traditional  melodic  metal  direction  along  with  the  guitar  leads  on  the  album  bridging  the  gap  between  heavy  and  power  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  a  a  touch  of  hard  rock,  vocals  that  are used  on  the  album  are  all  clean  singing  and as  the  album  moves  on  you  can  hear  a  lot  of  German  influences  being  added  into  the  music  along  with  a  touch  of  United  States  progressive  metal.  

  When  melodies  are  used  on  the  album  which  is  quite  a  bit  they  bring  back  a  lot  of  memories  of  mid  80's  era  Iron  Maiden  without  being  a  clone  of  the  band,  as  the  album  progresses  there  are  no  influences  in the  music  that  go  pass  the  80's  and  this  album  could  of  easily  been  recorded  back  then  and  once  the  classical  guitars  are  added  into  a  couple  of  songs  of  the  album  the  music  starts  having  a  more  diverse  flavor  to  it  as  well  as  the  closing  song  having  an  epic  quality  to  it  and  it  also  leads  to  the  bass  guitars  getting  more  heavy  and  adding  a  slight  thrash  influence  to  the  music  while  still  being  100  percent  true  metal.

  As  time  goes  on  by  the  band  moves  away  from  the  more  slower  songs  that  start  off  the  recording  and  add  a  little  bit  more  speed  to  the  music  which  brings  in  a  NWOBHM  feeling  but  it  goes  back  to  the  more  traditional  sound  on  later  sounds  and  seem  more  close  to  heavy  metal  than  power  metal  while  still  only  utilizing  that  influence  in  the  vocals.

  Song  lyrics  cover  Mythology,  Poetry,  History  and  Patriotism,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in length.  

  In  my  opinion  Dark  Forest  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Awakening"  "Turning  Of  The  Tides"  "Immortal  Remains"  and  "Sons  Of  England".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Halberd Interview

1.Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before? Halberd band was created in July 2012 in St. Petersburg , as a remake of “Brain's Damage” from Omsk, which was participated by guitarist Denis Ivanov. The musical direction was not discussed because from the very beginning it was decided to play Thrash Metal in its most classical manifestations . For rather short period of time the material was written and musicians started to record their debut EP. The recording was completed in January of 2013 , and in March of the same year another track “The time of temptation” was recorded, with another guitarist from the same “Brain's Damage” Ruslan Tebenkov , who is in the band “Metropolis” ( Omsk) at the present moment . For the year of existence the composition of members in the group changed not once , and eventually the right people were found, and now everybody wants to do our common work , and not to stop at what we’ve already achieved. The group took part in many concerts both local and out gigs . At the moment, the musicians prepare new material and plan to record it soon . What would it be , EP or full-length album, it has not been decided yet , but surely something will come ! New records will be more energetic and powerful, but in general, the group will continue to work in the same direction which was chosen initially . Group structure: Denis Ivanov - guitar Vladimir Govoruhin - guitar Dmitry Zubov - bass Roman Bobrov - vocals Albert Chizhov - drums Daria Erastova – Lyrics 2.How would you describe your musical sound? The first album was created in the style of classic thrash metal. That's why you can feel the influence of the early work of Metallica, Slayer and Kreator. The album includes one instrumental composition and four songs about human sins and injustice in our world. Powerful riffs in harmony with melodic solos , give to the listeners the opportunity to imagine that they are in America of the early nineties . Generally the album could attract the attention of both lovers of classic heavy and slam fans during concerts 3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music? There are themes which must be always reminded. Despite the styles which are close to thrash, the theme of songs can vary and there is a possibility that some of us will have radical new ideas. 4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Halberd? The meaning is a double-edged axe (halberd) and it means not wounds and pain but a powerfull tool for destruction of mind walls which block a way to light, life and freedom from our contradiction and fobias. 5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance? Our band now becomes getting popular so first concerts were visited by people which were interested in thrash before. Performance in Petrozavodsk was well remembered because of young public who were, by the first glance, not familiar to thrash. Their presense was especially pleasant because it shows an interest to style. 6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future? We have plans to attend to metal-festival in Belarus in august so we hope to meet new people who could show us new possibilities for touring. Also we plan travels to Europe next autumn, we hope, with our own concert. 7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of thrash metal? We have just started to bring our music abroad and we wait for awesome results. 8.Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up? Denis Ivanov has another project called “Kronwerk” who position themselves as Russian Crossover Kill Machine. 9.What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases? We will save an atmosphere of 80-s with sound but themes of songs will yell about another problems which can't be ignored. 10.What are some bands or musical styles

that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays? All of us are insane from Big Four, Teutonic Three and, of course, Pantera. These bands are a basis and a target which inspires us. 11.Outside of music what are some of your interests? Playing and listening to music are our only interests. We inspire from other bands songs to create our. 12.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview? All are welcome at our concerts, also you can buy our EP "Ruthless game" athttp://metalscraprecords.com   . And listen to to metal!!!

The Eternal/When the Circle Of Light Begins To Fade/Sombre Light Productions/2013 CD Review

  The  Eternal  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  dark  form  of  gothic  metal/rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "When  The  Circle  Of  Light  Begins  TO  Fade"  which  was  released  by  Sombre  Light  Productions.

  "Circle  of  Light"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  heavy,  dark  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  keyboards  before  adding  in  clean  singing  gothic  rock  vocals  and  you  can  hear  a  mixture  of  clean  and  heavy  parts  being  mixed  together,  after  a  few  minutes  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into t he  music  briefly.  

  "Beneath  These  Waves"  begins  with  drum  beats  and  dark  sounding  guitar  riffs  that  are  mixed  down  low  before  getting  more  powerful  and  heavy  sounding  along  with  some  synths  and  drums  before adding in  vocals  as  well  as  some  melodic  guitar  riffing  and  after  awhile  there  is  a  small  amount  of  clean  parts  being  utilized  before  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads.

  "Motionless"  opens  up  with  dark  sounding  synths  and  a  few  seconds  alter  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  are  added  into t he  music  which  also  leads  up  to  the  vocals  kicking  in  and  halfway  through  the  song  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  in  briefly.

  "Drifting"  starts  up  with  soft  acoustic  guitar  playing  before  adding  in  drums  and  synths  and  a  few  seconds  alter  melodic  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  heavy  guitar  riffs  that  mix  in  with  the  clean  parts  and  towards  the  end  there  are  some  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  utilized.

  "In  Severance"  kicks  in  with  drums  before  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads  and  synths  which  also  leads  up  to  some  vocals  and  after  awhile  heavy  guitar  riffs  start  to  mix  in  with  the  guitar  leads  as  well  as  the  songs  utilizing  some  psychedelic  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  in  the  background and  towards  the end  the  bass  guitars  get  a  lot  more  powerful  sounding.

  "Divided  We  Fall"  comes  in  with  dark  sounding  synths  and  a  few  seconds  later  drums,  clean  guitars  and  melodic  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  as  well  as  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs  shortly  after  that  and  halfway  through  the  song  guitar  leads  are  added  in  with  all  of  the  other  parts.  

  "Yesterday's  Fire"  breaks  in  with  gothic  sounding  synths  and  samples  before  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  70's  psychedelic  rock  sounds  which  also  leads  up  to  some  melodic  vocals  as  well  as  the  guitar  riffing  using  more  melody  and  as  the  song  moves  on  you  can  hear  bass  guitars  in  certain  sections  of  the  music  before  also  adding  in  some  guitar  solos.

  'Carry  Us  Away"  hits  it  off  with  acoustic  guitar  playing  and  drums  while  having  a  70's  rock  feeling to  it  before  adding  in  synths,  bass  and  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  later  guitar  riffs  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music

  "A  Quiet  Death  Of  The  Sun"  is  introduced  with  clean  guitar  playing  along  with  some  drums  and  middle  eastern  sounds  shortly  after  that  which  also  leads  up  to  some  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  vocals  and  towards  the  end  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music.

  "The  End  Of  Everything"  is  brought  in  with  dark  sounding  synths  and  a  few  seconds  later  bass  guitar,  guitar  effects  and  drums  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  which  also  leads  up  to  some  vocals  as  well  as  the guitar  riffing  getting  a  lot  more  heavier  and  you  can  also  hear  the  bass  guitars  for  a  few  seconds  before  psychedelic  elements  start  to  kick  in.

  "Without  A  Trace"  makes  its  way  in  with  heavy  and  clean  guitars  along  with  some  drums  and  post  rock  elements  and  a few  seconds  later  vocals  start  to  kick  in  and  the  song  sticks  to  a  power  ballad  direction  along  with  some  guitar  solos  and  leads  towards  the  end.

  "Dark  Day  Coming"  finds  it  way  in  with  dark and  melodic  sounding  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  synths  and  drums  which  also  leads  to  some  vocals  kicking  in  along  with  some  female  singing  being  utilized  for  a  few  seconds  and  during  the  last  minute  guitar  solos  and  leads  make  their  presence  known.

  "The  Burning  Truth"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  begins  with  distorted  industrial  style  sounds  along  with  some  synths  before  adding  in  drums  and  melodic  guitar  riffing  which  also  leads  up  to  some  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  alter  heavy  guitar  riffs  finally  start  to  kick  in  along  with  a  small  amount  of  leads  and  solos.

  Song  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  The  Eternal a re  a  very  great  sounding  dark  gothic  rock/metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Circle  of  Light"  "Drifting"  "The  End  Of  Everything"  and  "Dark  Day  Coming".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Divine Circles/Oblivion Songs/Paradigms Recordings/2013 CD Review

  Divine  Circles  are  a  1  man  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a mixture  of  neo  classical,  folk,  experimental  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2013  album  "Oblivion  Songs"  which  was  released  by  Paradigms  Recordings.

  "Leaves"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  dark  sounding  violins  and  a  few  seconds  alter  melodic  vocals  become  a  part  of  the  song  and  the  song  sticks  to  a  more  neo  folk  style  direction.

  "Midwest"  begins  with  tribal  style  percussion  and  melodic  vocals  become  a  part  of  the song  a  few  seconds alter  and  the  song  has  a  new  age  shamanistic  vocal  to  it  with  only  vocals  and  percussion  being  present.

  "The  Prayer"  opens  up  with  folk  instruments  and  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  you  can  also  hear  tribal  style  percussion  being  utilized  in  the  background  along  with  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  the  music  is  all  instrumental.

  "Ingenue"  starts  up  with  experimental  sounds  and  tribal  style  drum  beats  that  bring  a  shamanistic  feeling  to  the  music  along  with  some  acoustic  guitar  playing  and  melodic  female  vocals  and  the  song  has  an  alternative  rock  feeling  to  it.

  "Hymn"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the album  begins  with  violins,  drums  and  bass  guitars  which  then  leads  to  melodic  female  vocals  and  the  song  sticks  a  classic  folk  rock  direction  during  its  time.

  Song  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark  and  powerful  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Divine  Circles  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  neo-folk,  experimental  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  artist.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leaves"  and  "Hymn".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Redneck/Possession/Eolin Empire/2013 ZCD Review

  Redneck  are  a  1  man  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  harsh  form  of  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2013  album  "Possession"  which  was  released  by  Eolian  Empire.

  "Possession  I"  opens  up  with  natural  sounding  noises  and  a  minute later  harsh  power  electronics  start  to  slowly  kick  in  and  get  more  loud  and  brutal as  time  goes  on  by  and  towards  the  end  you  can  hear  some  loud  distortion  and  deep  demonic  growls  and   screams.

  "Possession  II"  begins  with  harsh  noises  and  brutal  sounding  power  electronics  and  as  time  goes  on  by  the  music  starts  getting  more  dark  and  experimental  sounding  and  after  10  minutes  heavy  reverb  and  distortion  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  crazy  growls  and  screams.

  Song  themes  cover  possession,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  along  with  bot  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Redneck  are  a  very  great  sounding  harsh  noise  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Possession  II".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Leviathan/Behold To Nothing, Braver Since Then/Stonefellowship Recordings/2014 CD Review

  Leviathan  are  a  band  from  Colorado  that  plays  a  progressive  form  of  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Behold  To  Nothing,  Braver  Since  Then"  which  was  released  by  Stonefellowship  Recordings.

  "Ephermal  Cathexis"  which  is  the  intro  for  the  album  opens  up  with  dark  sound  effects  and  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  synths  to  start  off  the  album.  before  adding  in  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  guitar  leads.

  "A  Shephards  Work"  which  is  also  the  first  real  song  on  the  album  begins  up  with  heavy,  melodic  and  progressive  sounding  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  drums  before  adding  in  bass  guitars  and  melodic  vocals  which  also  leads  up  to  some  guitar  leads  coming  in  and  out  of  the  music  and  the  song  closes  with  spoken  word  parts.

  "Intristic  Contemptment"  opens  up  with  drum  programming  and  clean  guitars  and  you  can  hear  guitar  leads  in  the  background  which  get  even  more  powerful  once  the  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  real  drums  kick  in  in  along  with  some  bass  guitars  before  adding  in  vocals.

  "Overture  of  Exasperation"  which  is  an  instrumental  starts  up  with  synths  and  violins  and  is  under  2  minutes  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  bass  which  also  leads  to  drum  beats  kicking  in.  

  "Creatures  Of  Habit"  begins  with  synths,  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  drums  before  adding  in  vocals  and  getting  a  little  heavier  along  with  bass  guitars,  a  couple  of  minutes  later  there  is  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars  being  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts for  a  couple  of  minutes  before  getting  heavy  again.

  "Solitude  Begets  Ignorance"  starts  up  with  dark  sounding  synths  and  spoken  word  parts a s  well  as  elements  of  electronic  music  and  drum  beats  which  also  leads  up  to  guitar  solos  and  leads  kicking  in.

  "A  Testament  For  Non  Believers"  kicks  in  with  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs as  well  as  some  drums  which  also  leads  up  to  violins  coming  in  before  adding  in  vocals  and  a  couple  of  minutes  later  acoustic  guitars  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  "If  the  Devil  Does'nt  Exist"  comes  in  with  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  and  bass  riffs  as  well  as  some  drums  and  you  can  hear  some  sound  effects  and  a  couple  of  minutes later  spoken  word  samples  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  in  as  well  as  some  guitar  leads,  halfway  through  the  song  melodic  vocals  finally  start  to  kick  in.

  "Magical  Pills  Provided"  breaks  in  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  as  well  as  some  bass  guitars  and  violins  and  a  minute  later  avant  garde  sounds  and  spoken  word  samples  are  added  in  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  shortly  after  that  and  towards  the  end  guitar  solos  and  leads  make  their  presence  known.  

  "Thumbing  Your  Nose  At  Those  Who  Oppose"  hits  it  off  with  soft  acoustic  guitar  playing  and  bass  as  well  as  some  drums  before  adding  in  spoken  word  parts  and  melodic  vocals  and  a  minute  later  bass  guitars  and  guitar  leads  are  added  in.

  "Empty  Vessel  Of  Faith"  is  introduced  with  sound  effects  and  spoken  word  samples  before  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  as  well  as  some  bass  which  also  leads  to  the  guitar  riffing  getting  more  melodic  along  with  some  solos  and  leads,  halfway  through  the  song  clean  guitars  become  a  part  of  the  music.

  "Words  Borrowed  Wings"  is  brought  in  with  violins  and  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  drums  before  adding  in  melodic  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  alter  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  to  come  in  and  out.

  "Bettering  Darklighter"  makes  its  way  in  with  sound  effects  and  samples  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  and  the  song  is  very  short  and  under  2  minutes.

  "Misanthrope  Exhumed"  brings  its  way  in  with  acoustic  guitars  and  tribal  drum  beats  and  a  few  seconds  alter  melodic  vocals  start  to  kick  in  along  with  some  heavy  guitar  riffs  that  also  utilize  some  melody.

  "Beholden  To  Nothing"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  kicks in  with  tribal  style  drum  beats  and  electronic  music  elements  before  adding  in  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  and  a  minute  alter  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars  become  a  part  of  the  song  while  also  remaining  heavy  at  the  same  time  and  as  time  goes  on  by  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  added  in  before  adding  in  spoken  word  parts  later  on.

  Song  lyrics  cover  social,  religion  and  moral  issues,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Leviathan  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  "A  Shephards  Work"  "Creatures  Of  Habit"  "Magical  Pills  Provided"  and  "Beholden  To  Nothing".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.                         

Doom's Day/The Devil's Eyes/PRC Music/2014 CD Review

  Doom's  Day  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  an  occult  mixture  of  heavy  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "The  Devil's  Eyes"  which  was  released  by  PRC  Music.

  "The  Offering"  which  is  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  as  well  as  some  keyboards  which  leads  up  to  the  melodic  vocals  kick  in  along  with  some  aggressive  elements  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music.

  "Cathedral  Of  Lies"  begins  with  heavy  guitar  riffs,  keyboards  and  drums  as  well  as  some  melodic  guitar  riffing  which  also  leads  to  vocals  kicking  in  and  towards  the  end  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music along  with  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars.

  "The  Outsider"  opens  up  with  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs,  keyboards  and  drums  and  a  few  seconds  alter  vocals  make  their  way  into  the  music  which  also  leads  up  to  guitar  solos  and  leads  coming  in  and out  of  the  music.

  "The  Devil's  Eyes"  which  is  also  the  title  track  on  the  album  begins  with  heavy  and  dark  sounding  guitar  riffs  along  with  some drums  and  keyboards  which  leads  up  to  some  vocals  kicking  in    and  a  minute  alter  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  coming  into  the  music.

  "Watery  Grave"  starts  up  with  evil  sounding  keyboards  before  adding in  some  heavy,  melodic  and  dark  sounding  old  school  metal  guitar  riffs  as  well  as  some  drums  before  bring  in  the  clean  singing  melodic  vocals  and  halfway  through  the  song  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  in  briefly  and  also  bring  in  more  classic  metal  elements  and  the  song  closes  with  the  keyboards.

  "Lost  Soul"  kicks  in  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  and  a  few  seconds  alter  vocals  start  to  kick  in  and  a  few  seconds  evil  keyboards  start  to  kick  in  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  the  music  speeds  up  a  bit  along  with  some  guitar  solos  and  leads  which  also slows down  the  music  and  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  "Ave  Satanas"  comes  in  with  soft  and  clean  acoustic  guitar  playing  and  a  few  seconds  alter  keyboards  start  to  kick  in  as  well  as  some  melodic  clean  singing  vocals  shortly  after  that  which  also  brings  in  a  small amount  of  guitar  leads.

  "Crush  the  Cross"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  starts  with  a  bass  guitar  lead  before  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs,  keyboards  and  drums  as  well  as  going  into  a  faster  direction  along  with  some  vocals  and  a  minute  alter  guitar  solos  and  leads  become  a  part  of  the  song.

  Song  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  occult  and  Anti  Christian  themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Doom's  Day  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  mixture  of  heavy  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cathedral  Of  Lies"  "The Devil's Eyes"  and  "Crush  the  Cross".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

El Drugstore Interview

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

Now that Plague Ship is finished we're focused on writing new material. We have about an EP's worth of ideas that weren't finished in time for Plague Ship that we're rounding into form. The plan is to complete an EP using that material and then start working on the next full length immediately. We already have a few ideas for that one as well.

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

It's similar to our first EP but with less improvised elements. That was a big part of our sound when we started out and we've transitioned away from that a little bit. But the material on this record still has that muscular cartoon music vibe that we tend to play naturally.

3.Currently the music is all instrumental are you planning on vocals in the future?

I'd be very surprised but never say never. I used to play in another band with Seth (drums) called East of the Wall, and that band started out as all instrumental and eventually added vocals. But I think that music lent itself better to vocals than the El Drugstore material does. So who knows?

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name El Drugstore?

Ro (bass) and I took a road trip in college and we ended up at this place called South of the Border. It's this crazy Mexican-themed truck stop on the border of North and South Carolina. If you drive on I-95 in that area there are signs for it just about ever mile or so. After seeing so many signs we were so pumped up to finally see it and then we get there and it's a total shit hole. So we're exploring the place and it's just depressing, and we happen upon the gift shop and it's called El Drugstore. We just thought that was some really hilarious Spanglish, and we decided in that moment that some day we would name a band El Drugstore. Many years later when we started jamming with Seth it became obvious that that was the name we had to use.

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

We've had opportunities to play with a lot of awesome bands in our time, and we're extremely grateful for that. Probably the one that stands out the most was a local show we did with Dysrhythmia, Loincloth and our buddies sydbarrett. Dysrhythmia is collectively one of our favorite bands of all time. We weren't too familiar with Loincloth at the time and I'm pretty sure that was their first live show ever, but they absolutely leveled the place. It was really amazing to share a stage locally with so many bands we respect and look up to.

As far as our stage performance, I think the goal is for it to be aggressive and disorienting. There's certainly a physical component to it, but I think we really let the music do the talking for us.

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

Not really. We have a cool local show lined up for our record release that will be with Zevious and some other great bands that we're still determining. We'll probably do something in Brooklyn in the next few months too and then after that we'll see. We all have a lot of stuff going on in our lives outside of music so we really only play live when a really cool opportunity presents itself. 

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

The response has generally been positive. Our music is clearly not for everyone, but it seems like most people who have stumbled upon us have enjoyed what they heard. If nothing else, our music is sort of funny a lot of the time, so you don't necessarily have to love heavy or complicated music to dig what we're doing at least a little bit. Seth still plays in East of the Wall, and our connection to that band through the two of us has given us a nice core group of people who follow pretty much everything the various members of that band move on to. So we really had a leg up even though we don't tour or play out all that much.

8.Are there any other musical projects besides this band?

Right now I'm focusing all my energy on this project. I have a few other ideas I'm kicking around to work on eventually, but for the moment I'm really enjoying focusing my creative energy on one thing. Ro plays a ton outside of this band, but mostly jazz gigs. Seth is still playing in East of the Wall and they are super active, so that takes up a lot of his time. He also has another project in the works with some people who will be familiar faces to those who have followed our lineage.

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

The next EP is going to be somewhat similar since it's going to be comprised of ideas that weren't finished for this album. The full length after that is going to be quite different I think. My goal is for it to be darker and less cartoon-y, but still have it sounds like us. I think the material I have stored up for that record is already moving in that direction. We'll see what actually comes to fruition though. I will be happy with whatever direction our creativity takes us in.

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

There are a ton of bands that we have drawn from individually, but as a band I'd say our biggest influences are Dysrhythmia, Stinking Lizaveta, Breadwinner, The Rollins Band and then a lot of jazz stuff like Ornette Coleman, Rashaan Roland Kirk and Masada. We don't think about any of those things consciously when we're writing but I can hear those elements in our music.

I can't speak for the rest of the guys, but recently I've been listening to a lot of Gorguts, Kayo Dot, Zevious, Otis Redding and Big Business.

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

We're all pretty passionate about craft beer and like to enjoy a nice one during rehearsal. That's about the only place our non-music interests intersect. We're all very different people but we enjoy each others company and enjoy playing together.

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

Thanks for taking the time. Cheers!

Remissions/Survivalist/2013 12 Inch Review

  Remissions  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  12  inch  "Survivalist".

  "Indifference"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  12  inch  opens  up  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  before  speeding  up  and  adding  in  hardcore  style  vocals  and  after  awhile t he  music  goes  into  a  more  mid  paced  direction  and  then  alternates  between  fast  and  mid  paced  sections  as  well  as  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

  "The  March"  begins  with  drums  and  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  a  few  seconds  later  vocals  start  to  kick  in  along  with  a  small  amount  of  noisy  sounding  guitar  leads  in  the  background  which  also  utilize  some  melody  which  is  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  towards  the  end.

  "Fail  Safe"  opens  up  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  that  also  utilize  some  melody  along  with  some  drums  and  guitar  leads  and  you  can  also  hear  bass  guitars  in  certain  sections  of  the  song  before  the  music  speeds  up  and  adds  in  some  vocals  and  towards  the  end  the  music  goes  into  a  more  slow  and  sludge  style  direction.

  "Iron  Cage"  starts  up  with  heavy  bass  guitar  playing  before  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs,  drums  and  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  alter  the  music  slows  down  and  you  can  hear  some  clean  playing  in  the  background  while  also  remaining  heavy  and  the  same  time  along  with  some  stoner/sludge  style  guitar  leads  being  utilized  for  a  few  seconds.  

  "Cluster  Fuck"  kicks  in  with  distorted  guitar  sounds  which  also  leads  to  some  heavy  sludge  riffs  and  drums  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  before  adding  in  drums  as  well  as  going  into  a  more  fast  hardcore  direction  and  adding  in  hardcore  style  vocals  and  you  can  also  hear  bass  guitars  in  the  background  and  towards  the end  melody  is  added  into  the  guitar  riffing.

  "Inheritance"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  12  inch  begins  with  heavy  and  fast  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  hardcore  style  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  alter  bass  along  with  guitar  solos  and  leads  kick  in.

  Song  lyrics  cover  everyday  themes,  while  the production 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  Remissions  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  hardcore  and  sludge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Indifference" "Iron  Cage"  and  "Inheritance".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

         

El Drugstore/Plague Ship/Nefarious Industries/2013 CD Review

  El  Drugstore  are  a  band  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  an  instrumental  form  of  freak  out  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Plague  Ship'  which  was  released  by  Nefarious  Industries.

  "Tell  Them  I  Said  Something"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  clean  yet  distorted  getting  riffs  before  adding  in  drums  and  heavier  guitars  as  well  as  some  bass  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melody  being  utilized  in  the  song.

  "Hipster  Tits"  begins  with   distorted  noises  before  adding  in  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  as  well  as  some  avant  garde  elements  which  also  leads  up  to  some  experimental  rock  style  guitar  leads  which  also  leads  up  to  a  mixture  of  clean  and  heavy  parts.

  "Enthusiastic  Corruption  Of  the  Public  Good"  opens  up  with  heavy  bass  guitars,  drums  and  distorted  amplifier  sounds  as  well  as  some  regular  guitar  leads  which  also  mix  in  progressive  style  guitar riffing  and  towards  the  end  the  music  starts  to  speed  up  in  certain  sections  of  the  song.

  "Fascinating  Underpants"  starts  up  with  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  as  well  as  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  and  halfway  through  the  song  guitar  leads  are  added  in  briefly.

  "By  What  Ill-Begotten   Means  Have  You  Procured  This"  kicks  in  with  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs  which  also  utilize  some  melody  along  with  some  drums  before  speeding  up  and  going  into  a  faster  direction  for  a  few  seconds  before  slowing  down  and  adding in  guitar  leads  and  the  song  closes  with  fast  riffs  and  blast  beats  from  the  drums.

  "The  Natives  Are  Getting  Useless"  comes  in  with  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs  which  also  utilize  some  melody  along  with  some  drums  and  after  awhile  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  song  along  with  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  small  amount  of  fast  riffing.  

  "Tokyo  Assault"  is  introduced  with  tribal  style  drums  before  adding  in  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  regular  drums  and  a  minute  later  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  to  come  in  and  out  of  the  song    

  "Wheel  Of  Sadness"  is  brought  in  with  drums  before  adding  in  some  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  and  bass  riffs  before  alternating  between  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  adding  in  a brief  use  of  guitar  leads.

  "Pandemonium  In  The Box"  makes  its  way  in  with  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs  that  also  utilize  some  melody  along  with  some  drums  and  a  minute  later  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  coming  in  and  out  of  the  song.

  "Steakback"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  begins  with  distorted  amp  drones  which  also  leads  up  to  some  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  along  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  before  getting  heavy  again  as  well  as  the  guitar  riffing  utilizing  some  melody  before  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  solos  and  leads.

  Song  lyrics  are  all  absent  from  the  recording  with  all  of  the  music  being  instrumental,  while  the  production  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  El  Drugstore  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  freak  out  metal/rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tell  Them  I  Said  Something"  "Fascinating  Underpants"  "Wheel  Of  Sadness"  and  "Steakback".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.        

  

Halberd/Ruthless Game/Metal Scrap Records/2013 EP Review

   Halberd  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  thrash  metal  with  elements  of  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Ruthless  Game'  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  "Intro"  starts  up  the  album  with  a  melodic  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  bass  guitars  which  are  also  heavily  influenced  by  thrash  and  after  a  while  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  clean  playing  are  added  in.

  "Wicked  Patterns"  the  first  real  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  heavy  old  school  thrash  metal  guitar  riffs  and  drums  which  also  leads  up  to  some  thrash  style  vocals  that  are  in  between  being  aggressive  and  melodic  and  after  awhile  the  guitar  riffing  starts  utilizing  more  melody  as  well  as  bringing  in  some  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  "Army  Of  Reproachers"  begins  with  heavy  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  which also  leads  up  to  some  thrash  style  vocals  and  melodic  guitar  riffing  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  there  is  a  brief  sue  of  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  utilized.

  "Ruthless  Game"  which  is  also  the  title  track  of  the  album  begins  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  before  adding  in  the  thrash  style  vocals  which  have  a  power  metal  influence  to them  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  aggressive  screams  and  you  can  hear  some  melody  being  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  before  adding  in  solos  and  leads.

  "The  Time  Of  Temptation"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  starts  up  with  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  drums  along  with  some solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later  which  leads  up  to  the  power/thrash  metal  vocals  that  utilize  some  aggressive  screams  as  well  as  the  guitar  riffing  utilizing  some  melody.

      

  Song  lyrics  cover  everyday  themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  ep.

  In  my  opinion  Halberd  are  a  very  great  sounding  thrash  metal  band,  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musicla  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wicked  Patterns"  and  "Ruthless  Game".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.