Apostle Of Solitude/Of Woe And Wounds/Cruz del Sur Music/2014 CD Review

  Apostle  Of  Solitude  are  a  band  from  Indiana  that  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Of  Woe  And  Wounds"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Cruz  sel  Sur  Music.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  getting  even  more  heavier  and  also  adds  in  some  clean  singing  vocals  as  well  as  having  a  more  traditional  and  epic  approach  to  doom  metal  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  both  slow  and  mid  paced  parts.

  The  music  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  80's  era  of  doom  metal  while  the  production  gives  the  music  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  few  long  and  epic  in  length  tracks  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  70's  rock/metal  feeling  to  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  one  of  the  songs  before  making  a  return  back  to  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction.

  Apostle  Of  Solitude  creates  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  with  their  approach  to  doom  metal  as  well  as  making  each  track  have  a  very  epic  sound  and  they  bring  back  a  lot  of  heaviness  to  this  musical  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  oppressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Apostle  of  Solitude  are  a  very  great  sounding  traditional  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blackest Of  Times"  "Die  Vicar  Die"  "This  Mania"  and  "Luna".  8  out  of  10.

  

Mausoleum Gate/Self Titled/Cruz del Sur Music/2014 CD Review

  Mausoleum  Gate  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  classic  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2014  album  which will  be  released  in  October  by  Cruz  del  Sur  Music.

  Evil  sounding  laughs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  keyboards  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  going  for  more  of  a  melodic  NWOBHM  influenced  sound  as  well  as  adding  in  solos  and  leads  along  with  some  traditional  metal  style  vocals  and  there  is  also  a  brief   use  of  middle  eastern  style  scales  being  utilized  briefly.

  All  of  the  sounds  are  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  70's  to  early  80's  era  of  heavy  metal  before  there  where  any  sub  genres  which  leads  up  to  more  of  a  pure  form  of  heavy  metal  while  you  can  also  hear  some  elements  of  hard  rock  in  the  bands  musical  style  as  well  as  a  very  dark  and  evil  atmosphere  being  evoked  throughout  the  recording.

  Melletron's  and  organs  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  psychedelic  and  occult  rock  at  times  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  few  very  long  and  epic  in  length  tracks  as  well  as  adding  in  small  amounts  of  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  album

  Mausoleum  Gate  plays  a  very  ancient  form  of  heavy  metal  that  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  70's  and  early  80's  era  of  the  genre  taking   the  early  occult  rock  of  early  70's  and  mixing  it  with  the  true  metal  sound  of  the  mid  70's  and  early  80's  along  with  a  very  evil  atmosphere  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  old  school  yet  professional  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Hell  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mausoleum  Gate  are  a  very  great  sounding  classic  heavy  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Magic  Of  The  The  Gypsy  Queen"  and  "There  Must  be  Demons".  8/5  out  of  10.     

Northern Crown Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Sure! We’re a pretty new band, formed in January of 2013. After some lineup shuffling, I started writing for this record in October of 2013 with the intent of it being a solo release. I ended up having a great crew of collaborators and guest musicians from really cool bands joining for this release.

2.You have a new ep coming out in October, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

To me, the record is classic heavy metal mixed with doom metal with a bit of a modern sheen on it.

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

The lyrical topics are all very personal to me. Broadly speaking, each song is about a particular event in my life.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Northern Crown'?

The name comes from the constellation Corona Borealis, which literally means Nothern Crown.

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

The band/lineup has changed substantially since the last show, so it’s not really relevant to what we’re doing now. I’ve been told my presence on stage is “scary”

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

Geographic realities are making it difficult for us to play shows right now. If pieces fall into place, we’d like to play this songs live for sure.

7.On the ep, you did a cover of Candlemass's  "Crystal ball" what was the decision behind doing your own version of this song?

Candlemass is one of my absolute favorite bands and that song is just so HEAVY and EPIC...I thought it fit in well with what we’re doing...and our singer, Frank, is somebody that can pull off a dramatic song like that convincingly.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We’re still early in the process, so no label interest yet. If signing made business and creative sense, this sure. That being said, I really enjoy the DIY process.

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

Ask me this again in a few months. All the response so far has been really positive, but it also hasn’t been widely distributed yet.

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

We’ll still be writing epic, emotional songs, although I will be adding a couple more up-tempo tracks on the next release.

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

The biggest influences on this band are Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Dio and My Dying Bride...I look at Northern Crown as me attempting to play the style(s) of music that those 4 bands represent.

Lately I’ve been listening a lot of the retro sounding rock/metal coming out of Sweden….bands like Witchcraft, Graveyard and Horisont. It’s a cool sound. Also, for some reason, Edge of Sanity “Crimson” has been on constant repeat in my car lately.

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

While there’s a bit of a spiritual bent to the lyrics, there’s no particular occult influence on the music.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

I’ve produced a few bands over the last year, although I guess that’s a musical interest. I’ve been pretty successful as a software engineer. Huge video game nerd and I spent quite a bit of time in the gym or running.

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

Thanks for taking the time out to talk to us! The debut EP will be out on October 14, will be available on CD and all the typical digital outlets (Bandcamp, CD Baby, Amazon, iTunes).

Come check out our social medias:

http://music.northerncrownband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCrownDoom

https://twitter.com/NrthrnCrownDoom

http://northerncrownband.com/

ssSHEENSss Interview

H:Harri Pikka (lead guitar)
M: Mikko Kiri (vocalist)


1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
H: Since the recordings of Strapping Stallions at Encrypt studio in spring 2014 we've mixed the album with Tomas Skogsberg, sealed the record deal with Soulseller Records and got the amazing artwork from Markku Metso. Currently we're busy setting up the promo for Strapping Stallions, rehealsing and playing live.


2.You have a new album coming out in October, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
H: Just got the first review of the album from undergroundmusickzine.blogspot.pt,   They said we're  a "very  great sounding  mixture  of  hardcore  punk,  stoner,  garage  and  and  classic  rock. ssSHEENss  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  energy  with  their  musical  sound  taking  the  heaviness  of  metal,  the  rawness  of  punk  and  garage  and  the  melody  of  classic  and  gothic  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own". I think that's a pretty solid description about  Strapping Stallions. It's definitely a golden classic album!


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
 
M: Lyrics come from everyday life mainly. The good things that make life worth living for, and all the shit you have to deal with to go on. Being arrogant enough and possessing a big heart inside your chest. Music and writing has always been a some form of therapy for me. And it really helps the performing in live situations to really "sing like I mean it". Screaming my lungs out smothers the flame. Teemu (guitar player) has made some lyrics for us also, he is more of a storyteller then I am.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'ssSHEENSss'?
M: Teemu (guitar & backing vocals) invented the name, he's some sort of a movie junkie. I think the very first name for the band was "Dipshits", and the music was supposed to be very fucking raw hardcore punk. Did not turn out that way. Dipshits was also already taken as a band name, which we figured out later too.
 


H: Teemu called me and talked me about his band idea, "Psychedelics" it was called. Later the name transformed into Sheens. I think Sheens first came from the family Sheen / Estévez. The first logo I ever drew was a snake hissing the band name with lots of letter S's. We released the first album under the name Sheens. After that I came across with lots of bands with the same name. So I think ssSHEENSss came from the snake hissing, Sheen family members and from all the cool things the letter S represents: sound, sex, smoke, space, satan, soul, snakes, sauna etc. The more the merrier!


5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
H: There's always a slight feeling of danger when we play live. Best so far have been Hamina, Kotka and Helsinki gigs. Show at a surprise birthday party in a biker club was also awesome!
 
M: All the gigs have been great. I don´t know about the one in Mikkeli last year, we were all so wasted we don´t remember anything. The show was pretty mad I guess.


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


M: Yes, there are gigs coming. Only in Finland for now, but we got high expectations.


7.On the album you did a Joy Division and ZZ Top cover, what was the decision behind doing your own versions of their songs?
H: Joy Division thing happened between long period of time. We had a song called "Solarium" which is basically the music you hear on our "Love Will Tear Us Apart" cover. Somehow I started to play  melody line that was almost identical to Joy Division song. So we twisted our own song into a cover version with the lyrics and main melody theme. It's very recognizable when the chorus kicks in. To me the beginning of our version pure Slayer, Dead Skin Mask-style guitar riff duel. We had a very strong vibe when recording the basic tracks with drummer Juho. First words from the controlling room were something that included "Sepultura" and stuff. 


H: ZZ-Top cover was more straight forward: we just recorded it in the studio. Mikko did awesome vocal lines there!




8.The album is coming out on Soulsteller Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
H: Jorn is a very cool guy, haven't met him in person yet, our relationship is on a virtual level at the moment. Soulseller has a lot of cool bands on their roster and it seems Soulseller is just getting the motör going. Lewis & The Strange Magics is very good!


9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal and rock?
H: Feedback has been good. Lots of headbanging and dancing at our shows.


10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
H: I have a long history playing death metal so I can easily slip into more heavier stuff. There's lots of electro music men in ssSHEENSss also so it's a wide autobahn for us. I'm really starting to find 80's rock, so welcome big choruses.
 
M: There will be big choruses and sweat and blood and tears.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
H: At the moment I'm headbanging to the Killer Be Killed album. Max Cavalera and Troy Sanders really delivering it! I'm really liking Dave Elitch's drum work and Greg Puciato's feeling on vocals. Just got speakers installed to my kitchen also so heavy cooking going on. Some Billy Idol, Derek & The Dominos, Judas Priest, Mastodon, Jimi Hendrix and lots of Bon Scott AC/DC in my stereos at the moment. Of course I've been listening to the ssSHEENSss Strappin Stallions master we it got from Audiosiege! 


For me influental bands in the early days have been Jean-Michel Jarre, Entombed, Carcass, Morbid Angel, Bob Marley, ZZ-Top, Metallica. As a teenager I got into Black Sabbath and other early 70's rock, a little older I really got into Danzig, Josh Homme related bands, Fu Manchu and Nick Cave. Most kicks a still get from the darker side of music, the minor triad. I'm working in a music library and I have some serious delta blues and ambient dudes as colleagues, great fun!


M: I don't think we want to name any specific bands. I'm pretty sure the album speaks for itself.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?
H: sports, movies, allotment garden, fishing, family and friends.
 


M: bodybuilding, Harley Davidsons, guitars, amps, pedals, bicycles, skateboarding, eating and drinking... just generally speaking.


13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
H: Thanks for the interview! You can find new ssSHEENSss album Strapping Stallions through Soulseller Records and your local record store, our debut album you can find at  www.stabbingrecords.bandcamp.com. Cool videos from ssSHEENSss are in youtube.Come see, hear and feel us play live! Party on, love and respect!


M: Thank you.

Manu Armata Interview

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

Since the recording of the new album we've bin busy with the release, making new merch, booking shows and creating a video clip.

 

2.In September you have a new album coming out , how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past? I would describe the sound as brutal/aggressive no nonsense Hardcore. The new record does not differ much in essence in comparison to the old ones but is more mature sound wise. We've grown more as a band making better songs, playing tighter and giving a better vocal performance.

 

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

On the new recorded I tried giving the lyrics a more positive tone although I just could not do this with every song. I always draw inspiration from everyday live and the things happening around me in this world. For instance 'Self-Reliant' is a song about believing in yourself and not giving up no matter what other people say or do, while 'Torn' is about the current state the world is in right now economically, the environment, religion wars etc.

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Manu Armata'?

Manu Armata is a Latin expression dating from the middle ages. It literally means 'armed hand' or going to battle with sword drawn.

The inspiration is like we deliver 'battle' on stage and consider our music the weapon we've drawn.

 

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?

We're a very energetic live band and always give 110%. Some of the best shows we're on trips to Poland and our unofficial CD release :-)

 

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

Yes we have but are working on a lot of them @ the moment.

 

7.The new album is coming out on Beatdown Hardwear Records, how did you get in contact with this label, and also how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

The support has bin great! Toni from BDHW contacted us after he heard the songs from the new record and he let us know he wanted to work together on the release.

BDHW does a lot of promotion and support, we're really stoked and honored to be on the label!

 

8.on a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of hardcore?

The feedback has bin great, getting a lot of positive feedback.

 

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

We're always developing in song writing just trying to be as brutal/grooving/tight/fast and good as we can be. Making every next release we do the best we can.

 

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

The NYHC sound has had a great influence on our music next to alot of the HC/punkrock bands from the 90's. We also like listening to some metal.

Nowadays it still alot of HC, Punkrock :-)

 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Working out, hanging with friends, listening to music, visiting shows, stuff like that

 

 

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

Thanx for the interview, check out BDHW!

See you on stage!!

 

My Own Ghost/Love Kills/Secret Entertainment/2014 CD Review

  Mt  Own  Ghost  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  pop,  gothic,  indie  rock  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Love  Kills"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Secret  Entertainment.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  synth  along  with  spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  gothic  metal  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  melodic  female  vocals  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  album.

  The  music  the  band  plays  sounds  mainstream  enough  to  be  played  on  the  radio  and  the  synths  that  also  bring  in  an  80's  style  industrial  goth  feeling  to  the  music  while  the  melodies  bring  in  elements  of  alternative  and  indie  rock   and  there  are  a  good  mixture  of  both  power  pop  ballads  and  more  harder  tracks  throughout  the  recording.

  A  good  amount  of  melodic  guitar  leads  and  solos  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  electronica  and  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  male  vocals  for  a  few  seconds  and  at  times  you  can  hear  elements  of  post  rock  in  the  bands  musical  style

  My Own  Ghost  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  diversity  with  their  musical  style  bringing  in  some  heaviness  from  the  more  mainstream  side  of  metal,  the  depressive  atmosphere  of  goth  and  the  catchy  riffs  of  pop  music  along  with  a  good  dose  of  electronica  and  indie  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  poetic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  My  Own  Ghost  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  pop,  goth,  indie  rock  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crimson  Ground"  "Crystal  Ball"  "Mute"  and  "Intoxicated".  8  out  of  10.    

Society Sucker/Self titled/Get This Right Records/2014 EP Review

  Society  Sucker  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  very  heavy  form  of  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2014 ep  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Get  This  Right  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  brutal  hardcore  musical  direction  along  with  some  shouting  style  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  you  can  hear  a  lot  of  East  Coast  90's  elements  in  their  musical  style  as  well  as  the  heaviness  of  extreme  metal.

  The  music  sticks  mostly  to  a  slow  to  mid  paced  musical  direction  while  they  do  speed  up  a  bit  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  band  only  uses  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  melodies  to  focus  more  on  a  true  form  of  hardcore  and  all  of  the  songs  are  very  short  in  length  with  the  longest  one  being  close  to  3  minutes.

  Society  Sucker  go  back  to  the  brutal  days  of  mid  80's  to  early  90's  style  hardcore  and  while  the  music  is  not  very  original  the  band  still  demonstrate  the  ability  to  pull  off  this  style  very  well,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Society  Sucker  are  a  very  great  sounding  hardcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burdened"  and  "Powerless".  8  out  of  10.

      

Northern Crown/In The Hands Of The Betrayer/2014 CD Review

  Northern  Crown  are  a  band  from  Florida  that  plays  a  very  epic  form  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "In  The  Hands  Of  The  Betrayer"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

   A  very  dark  and  heavy  80's  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts  along  with  some  psychedelic  sounding  synths  being  used  at  times  and  after  awhile  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  The  solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  are  more  in  the  80's  epic  doom  metal  tradition  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  cover  of  Candlemass   "Crystal  Ball"  which  they  make  sound  more  different  than  the  original  version  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  there  is  also  a  brief  instrumental   along  with  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts before  the  last  song  which  sees  the  vocals  making  a  return.  

  Northern  Crown  goes  back  to  the  80's  style  of  epic  doom  metal  and  brings  in  elements  of  70's  psychedelic  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Northern  Crown  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Hands  Of  the  Betrayer"  and  "To  Thee  I  Give  An  Orchard".  8  out  of  10.    

Chainfist/Scarred/Mighty Music/2014 CD Review

  Chainfist  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  mixture  of  hard  rock,  thrash  and    heavy  metalmetal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Scarred"  which  will  be  released  by  Mighty  Music.

  Dark  sounding  clean  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  a  brief  spoken  word  part  which  leads  up  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  melodic  yet  aggressive  vocals   and  the  music  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  groove  and  thrash  along  with  a  slight  death  metal  feeling  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  more  commercial  and  mainstream  approach  to  metal.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  enhance  the  melodic  elements  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  spoken  word  parts  also  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  spoken  word  parts  also return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  after  awhile  the  band  starts  to add  more  clean  playing  to  some  of  the  songs  as  well  as  bringing  in  a  couple  of  power  ballads  while  the  main  focus  remains  on  a  hard  and  heavy  sound.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  variety  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  the  main  inspiration  is  metal  you  can  hear  a  bit  of  alternative,  hardcore,  nu  metal  and  hard  rock  in  the  bands  musical  sound  as  well  as  the  combining  old  school  styles  of  metal  with  the  more  modern  style  of  the  genre  and  they  add  in  a  great  amount  of  heaviness  to  their  melodic  sound.

  Chainfist  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  variety  with  their  musical  sound  combining  many  different  styles  of  metal  together  ranging  from  the  extreme,  melodic  and  mainstream  variations  of  the  genre  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  political  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chainfist  are  a  very  great  sounding mixture  of  thrash,  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Scars  Of  Time"  "Another  Day  in  Hell"  "Know  Your  Fate"  and  "Mass  Frustration".  8  out of  10.
  

Lucifer's Fall Interview

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

1.Lucifer's Fall was formed in 2013 as a traditional doom/metal solo project. The band consists of myself (Deceiver - Vocals, Guitar & Bass) and Unknown Unnamed (Drums). I wanted to record some music that sounds like it was recorded in the 70's/80's with the only recent influences being bands (mostly Traditional Doom) who think along similar lines. I also wanted to write songs that were more direct and to the point than my other band Rote Mare. As my drumming skills are pretty much non-existant I enlisted the services of Unknown Unnamed and Lucifer's Fall was born.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the album and also how does it differ from your previous demo and single?

2. The musical sound of the album as stated before is very much influenced by 70's and 80's metal and doom. Some influences people might be able to pick are Reverend Bizarre, Arkham Witch and Mercyful Fate. Bands like early Savatage and Trouble have always been a big influence on me but I'm not sure if any of that shows through in Lucifer's Fall. The album differs from the demo in that the demo also has The Mother Superior playing guitar and contributing vocals. The demo is also much rawer and less precise. It was basically a rough rehearsal recording with vocal overdubs. (very under rehearsed). In fact the album could have been a bit more rehearsed also....but we're pretty happy with it.

3.Both of the members are also a part of Rote mare, what are some of the things you are able to do with this band that you are not able to do with your other project?

3. The challenge of Lucifer's Fall is to write songs which stay completely loyal to the traditions of 70's/80's doom and heavy metal. Keeping the singing style clean apart from the odd scream here or there was a very important rule to keep. I guess Lucifer's Fall is quite uptempo with much shorter songs when you compare it to Rote Mare. With Rote Mare those self imposed limitations of Lucifer's Fall do not exist. Rote Mare also has a traditional base but has more wide ranging influences.

4.Your lyrics cover a good amount of satanic and occult topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

4. Satanic and occult topics go very well with this type of dark music. I've always liked writing stories about people succumbing to temptation and greed and selling their soul to the devil. Having said that the lyrics I write are not Satanic. I like to try and write from someone else view. The song Deceiver is written from the devils point of view. How can I tempt this person using their greed to become my slave etc.. The song A Sinner's Fate is written from the point of view of an accused witch. Whether or not they are a witch is irrelevant. It's about the horror of being burnt at the stake. I'm not a religious or spiritual person and don't believe in god or the devil but I guess I've always enjoyed the darkness and imagery of the occult. 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Lucifer's Fall'?

5. At its most basic level I just thought wow that is a really cool name for a band. I guess seeing the amazing work of Gustave Doré and in particular the piece which I've used for the album cover was a big inspiration for the name. The idea for the song Lucifer's Fall came first though. Written from the point of Lucifer and how he might feel after being cast down from heaven. After writing it I was so happy with the song that I thought that would be a great title track and also a great band name.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding your line up again in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?

6. I guess expanding the lineup is on the cards if the cd goes well. It may even happen anyway. I'd at least like to get a live lineup going for gigs.

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

7. We haven't played any live shows.

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

8. Nothing planned yet but as I said above I'd like to get a live lineup going in the future.

9.The new album was released on Rootedoom  Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

9. Rotedoom Records is basically my own label formed to release Rote Mare and Lucifer's Fall. We also released Dire Fate (Melbourne traditional doom band) on a split with Rote Mare. As a label we are not looking for other bands to release.

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

10. So far from what I've seen the feedback has been great. I've received a number of compliments and a few good reviews and sold more than I expected in the first few weeks of it's release. The support is much appreciated!

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

11. I'd like to keep true to the basic influences shown on the first album. I want to keep it raw and aggressive and keep away from that overproduced sound that so many modern bands have. Any progression shown will be more to do with trying to improve my performances as a singer and guitarist mainly. The first album was written and recorded very quickly. I don't want to think about the songs too much. I just want to write music with feeling and energy.

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

12. My biggest influences are 70's rock bands, early 80's metal bands and many recent traditional doom bands. I love Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Pentagram, Angel Witch, Raven, Mercyful Fate, Saint Vitus, Trouble, Cirith Ungol, Reverend Bizarre and The Lamp Of Thoth. There are many others far too numerous to mention. Some recent albums that I am really enjoying are Pilgrim - II Void Worship, Helstar - This Wicked Nest, The Order Of The Solar Temple - ST, Unsilence - A Fire On The Sea, Reclvse (demo) and Eldritch Rites - Night Of The Witchgrinde

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

13. Music is my main non musical interest.... I really enjoy reading. I also like keeping up with what's going on in the world of science. Politics and world affairs interest me but also make me fucking angry....

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

14. I’d just like to say thanks very much for this interview and also thanks to all the people out there who have supported Lucifer’s Fall by either buying, listening or reviewing the album. Thanks also for some of the kind words people have said about this project. Cheers and DOOM ON! 

Osmium Guillotine Interview

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

Mainly gigging! Getting out there and playing to new people to help promote the album. We also played a special show to celebrate the 5th anniversary since the band’s formation in June 2014 and recorded the whole set which we plan to release as a live album later this year. We’ve also had a few radio appearances and have the recordings from an on-air live session which we’ll also release very soon.

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

I’d always just consider it ‘traditional heavy metal’, obviously inspired primarily by the 70’s and 80’s, there’s elements of thrash, doom, punk, folk… It’s hard to really pigeonhole the album to one genre, as I think it differs from one song to the next.

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

The lyrics range from serious topics involving war (Such as Martyrdom and D-Day) and the current state of the country (City of Chaos), to more tongue-in-cheek fictional/fantasy stuff (Like in Goomba and Hobgoblin). Another song (Phobophobia) is all about the fear of fear itself, which is a genuine phobia.

4.When I listened to the new album it had a pure 80's metal sound but had more punk and classic rock than what those bands where doing back in those days, do you feel this makes you stand out?

Hopefully so, I personally listen to a variety of styles of music both in and outside of the metal/rock genre, collectively as a band we all have different tastes so I think that all comes into play when writing music. I find it more interesting to challenge ourselves as a band and keep doing something a little different from the last. If we write a fast thrashy song, we’re quite likely to follow it up with something a bit slower and doomier.

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?

In the past we’ve played alongside the likes of Dennis Stratton and Blaze Bayley (former Iron Maiden guitarist + vocalist respectively), so obviously being a massive Maiden fan those shows were great fun. It’s hard to really describe our own stage performance, I’d say we just like to go up there and have fun with it, although we take the music seriously we still like to have a laugh, I think an audience can always tell when the band doesn’t look like they’re enjoying it, and it makes the crowd enjoy it less as a result. I love playing live so I’m always happiest when I’m rocking out onstage!

6.Do you have any live shows or tours lined up for the new album?

As I mentioned we played a bunch of shows around the time of the album release, we’d love to do a full proper UK tour but we need to work out a viable way to balance it around everyone’s jobs! (Unfortunately we’re not in a position where we can make enough money from just playing music!).  Our bass player, Dan Thurgood, is unfortunately having to leave the band at the start of September as he is relocating up North and unable to continue writing and rehearsing with the band, so we’re taking a little break from gigging until we can confirm a new bass player and get them up to speed on the new material, but of course once that’s sorted we intend to be back gigging more than ever!

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

Yeah it’s a label set up and run by Peter Ellis (Vocalist of the band Monument), it’s still a relatively label set up to help and promote the ‘British Metal Revival’ bands, like ours, playing traditional heavy metal!

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

We’ve had really positive reviews and great feedback from our fans which has been awesome. We’ve also had a lot of merch orders from overseas, so it’s great to know that people out there in the world are discovering us and digging what we do! Hopefully we’ll eventually be able to get out and play some gigs abroad, that would be great.

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

Well, who knows! Obviously we’ll still be primarily traditional heavy metal but I’m always open to injecting some new styles into anything we do. One of our more recent songs we’ve written is our longest to date and has a bit more of a progressive edge to it, and Pete has recently written a song which has a more darker lyrical tone than any we’ve done before.

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

Influences would include the obvious ones such as the likes of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Motörhead, Megadeth, Metallica, etc… Nowadays I tend to find myself listening more and more to bands who we’ve gigged with or I’ve seen locally, check out Kaine, Yak Attack, Death Ape Disco, Earthmass, Austere, Herida, Three Thrones… And I suppose I should give a cheeky plug to my ‘other’ band, The Tickturds!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

That’s quite a hard one to answer as most of the stuff I do is related to music!

Obviously I enjoy movies and beer (as some of the lyrics in our songs would tell you!), and also in true ‘Bruce Dickinson’ style I’ve actually taken a few flying lessons in the past which is certainly something I’d like to get back into.

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

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to check us out and reading this interview, keep supporting local and underground music by attending your local venues and buying merch as that’s the future of music! And we hope we’ll see you at a venue in the near future!