Hau/Self Titled/2014 EP Review

  Hau  are  a  duo  from  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  break  beats,  improv,  industrial  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2014  ep.

  A  very  heavy  and  distorted  noise  rock  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodies  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  post  hardcore/metal  in  the  bands  sound  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  industrial  style  screams.

  Most  of  the  tracks  on  the  ep  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  all  have  an  improv  feeling  to  them  and  after  awhile  the  more  spoken  industrial  vocal  approach  becomes  a  part  of  the  bands  musical  sound  and  after  awhile  more  electronics,  break  beats  and  tribal  rhythms  are  added  into  the  songs  and  giving  the  music  more  of  an  underground  industrial  feeling  and  every  song  has  a  very  different  sound.

  Hau  plays  a  very  experimental  style  of  noise  rock  that  also  incorporates  industrial  and  breakbeat  to  create  a  very  original  sound,  the  production  sound s very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hau  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  industrial  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cunts  &  Needles"  and  "Norma".  8  out  of  10. 

Ascendancy Interview

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

We are a progressive/power metal band from the Czech Republic, established in 2009. So far we released one EP and two full-length CDs. For the most part, Ascendancy is the brainchild of our guitarist Libor, who not only wrote all our songs, but also recorded and produced them. So, kind of one head with four handsJ

2.So far you have released an ep and 2 full lengths, how would you describe the musical sound presented on these recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

Our music is based on melodic compositions and hard riffs. Our each album builds on the previous one. CD. On the EP “Primacy of Reason” we were searching for our style and playing with our capabilities, in essence to find what works for us and what does not. So by the time we started working on our debut full-length “Out of Knowhere”, we knew how to approach it and figured out a clear concept which underscores the whole album, that is, as we based our music largely on progressive elements, we came up with a sci-fi tale that goes hand in hand with the music and is told from one song to the next, making the whole thing basically a conceptual album. With our current full-length “The Amazing Ascendancy versus Count Illuminatus”, we kept this approach, with a different theme this time, but there is once again a story the album is telling. The main difference is that while on the previous CD the story was told in clearly separated songs, in this case, the narrative unfolds in one continuous, 21 minutes long, track, formally divided into eight chapters. And I hope the fans of melodic progressive metal will find that to their liking.  

3.The lyrics on the new album talk about the Illuminati, Secret Societies and Conspiracy Theories, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Yes, secret societies and all sorts of conspiracies are indeed a grateful topic to work with, though we personally do not believe in any conspiracy theories. We treat the story of the new album more like a modern fairy tale, based on the age old “good vs. evil” motif, which is blown out of proportion a bit, as we drew inspiration from the world of superheroes and supervillains. We are after all fans of the DC or Marvel comics, of Batman, Superman or Spiderman. We did not however go with the contemporary high-tech superhero imagery, but rather kept it more retro, which translated especially to the album art, which was made to reminisce the aesthetics of the 1970s and 1980s sci-fi movie posters.    

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

Nothing really special. We were looking for an apt name with a good meaning, and “Ascendancy” sounds both sophisticated and cool. And one can also work with it nicely in terms of design.

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 my book, our best show was last winter, when we supported the Czech metal legend Arakain on its 30th anniversary show. There were like 5 000 people in there and a really great vibe. It was simply a blast and the best on-stage experience for me ever. With the release of our current album, we made changes to our stage performance. Simply put, as we tell the story live on stage, we stylize ourselves as the story’s heroes, the Amazing Ascendancy. For that, we have brand new uniforms, which add to our visual show and stage presentation.



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

Not in the immediate future. Our attention was focused on recording the album, plus we did not have a full-time drummer, but now we are ready to roll out. Currently, we are exploring possibilities of playing outside the Czech Republic. Of course, a big tour around Europe would be for now, too costly and with too uncertain an outcome to pull off, so at the moment we are looking into possibilities of going as a support of some big band.  

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

Feedback is very good, but we have to get our music to more fans…build a worldwide reach step by step and offer our music to as much people as possible.

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

Our drummer is involved in two more bands and they are currently touring the Czech Republic. Me and the others also have some other bands because we love music and it’s a kind of relax for us. So nothing fancy, just some small gigs near to our home, for fun and good feeling.

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

Well, doing what we do now, that is, keeping the progressive direction of our music, while adding to it the melodic and compositional richness.  Very soon we shall also release our first videoclip, which looks pretty good and will be an unusual one, and hopefully it will generate more interest in Ascendancy between fans and promoters alike.

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?

There certainly are plenty. I would say Helloween, Nevermore and Symphony X are the really big influences for our music, but it does not end there. Libor, our guitarist and songwriter, has a truly wide range in terms of music taste, from metal over rock and pop to the classical music, which he then channels into Ascendancy. As for me, I listen to pop music nowadays.  

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I like sports, especially football and hockey, and I love the movies. Apart from that, me and Libor are currently involved in building a new professional music studio in our hometown, as we like to be involved in music also in other ways than just as performers.

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

Thanks for the interview. Check out our music and stay tuned for the new video.

Uprising 2/Elitobolaget/2014 CD Compilation Review

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Trident/Jezebel/Elitbolaget/2014 EP Review

  Trident  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "Jezebel"  which  was  released  by  Elitbolaget.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  ep  before  the  music  goes into  a  very  heavy  hardcore  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals  and  the  music  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  thrash  metal  along  with  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  influences  and  you  can  also  hear  melody  in  the  bands  musical  sound  at  times.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  hear  briefly  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  have  a  90's  metal/hardcore  feeling  to  them  when  they  are  utilized  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  a  a  touch  of  d  beat  is  added  into  the  bands  musical  style.

  Trident  plays  a  style  that  mixes  hardcore  and  extreme  metal  together  and  while  there  music  is  not  completely  original  or  even  up  to  date,  I  still  feel  the  band  is  very  good  at  what  they  are  doing,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Trident  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Time  Was  Never  On  Our  Side".  8  out  of  10.    

Superflesh/Love/Elitibolaget/2014 EP Review

  Superflesh  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  metal,  punk  and  hard  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "Love"  which  was  released  by  Elitbolaget.

  An  80's  hard  rock  sound  along  with  some  synths  start  off  the  ep  and  they  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  and  a  few  seconds  later  melodic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the music  has  a  sound  that  would  of  been  considered  mainstream  rock  in  the  80's  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  take  the  song s into  more  of  a  glam  and  pop  metal  direction.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  ep  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  music  progresses  the  band  bring s in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  into  their  80's  orientated  hard  rock  sound  along  with  a  small  amount  of  back  up  gang  shouts  and  at  times  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  70's  influences  being  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  on  the  last  track.

  Superflesh  takes  a  very  mainstream  style  of  80's  metal  and  combines  it  with  the  more  melodic  rock  sound  of  that  era  as  well  as  adding  in  punk  and  alternative  rock  influences  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  humorous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Superflesh  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  metal,  punk  and  hard  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kings  Of  The  Street"  and  "Godzilla  Jesus".  8  out  of  10.
   

  

Dreams Of Victory/Self titled/Metal Scrap Records/2014 EP Review

  Dreams  of  Victory  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  symphonic  form  of  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  ep  which  was released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  Dark  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  violins  that  give  the  music  a  classical  music  feeling  which  leads  up  to  more  of  a  heavy  symphonic  metal  sound  which  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  and  on  the  second  track  the  band  starts  adding  in  more  elements  of  prog  rock/metal.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  mostly  clean  singing  vocals  while  you  can  also  hear  a  few  seconds  of  growls  in  the  background  and  the  vocals  also  gives  the  ep  an  avant  garde  feeling  at  times  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  melodic  progressive  metal  sound  and  after  awhile  female  vocals  can  be  heard  for  a  few  seconds  and  the  last  track  is  all  instrumental.

  Dreams  Of  Victory  plays  a  style  of  progressive  metal  that  is  very  heavy  yet  symphonic  sounding  at  the  same  time  and  they  also  add  in  a  touch  of  gothic  metal  to  add  more  originality  to  their  musical  sound,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dreams  of  Victory  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic,  progressive  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Patroit".  8  out  of  10.  
    

American Heritage/Prolapse/Solar Flare Records/2014 CD Review

  American  Heritage  are  a  band  with  members  from  both  Illinois  and  Georgia  and  play  a  mixture  of  hardcore,  sludge  and  extreme  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Prolapse"  which  was  released  by  Solar  Flare  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals  and  you  can  hear  element s of  both  extreme  metal  and  hardcore in  the  bands  musical  sound  along  with  some  melodies  being  utilized  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  both  80's  and  90's  influences  in  the  bands  musical  sound.    

  As  the  album  progresses  you  can  hear  elements  of  d  beat  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  post  metal  influences  while  some  of  the  alter  tracks  shows  elements  of  post  and  indie  rock  being  added  into  the  music  along  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  vocals  being  utilized  at  times  and  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  find  their  way  onto  the  recording  and  the  last  3  tracks  are  covers  of  Descendants,  Black  Flag  and  Girls  Against  Boys  songs  and  they  take  the  punk  side  of  the  originals  and  add  in  the  heaviness  of  extreme  metal.

  American  Heritage  cover  a  lot  of  ground  with  their  musical  style  combining  elements  of  sludge,  hardcore,  punk  and  post  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violent  and  alcohol  themes.

  In  my  opinion  American  Heritage  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  metal,  hardcore  and  sludge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eastward  Cast  The  Entrails"  "Constant  And  Consuming  Fear  of  Death"  "Hurtin  Crue"  and  "Bulletproof  Cupid".  8  out  of  10.  
  

Nubian Rose/Mental Revolution/Livewire/Cargo Records/2014 CD Review

  Nubian  Rose  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  hard  rock  and  80's  style  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Mental  Revolution"  which  will  be  released  in  November  as  a  joint  effort  between  Livewire  and  Cargo  Records.

  Operatic  female  vocals  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  drum  beats  which  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  melodic  hard  rock/heavy  metal  direction  along  with  some  clean  singing  and  the music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  80's  and  at  times  you  can  also  hear some  synths  in  the  backgrounds  at  times.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  onto  the  album  they  are  in  more  of  a  melodic  musical  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  on  some  of  the  other  tracks  the  synths  start  to  bring  in  elements  of  progressive  rock  along with  a  few  tracks  that  are  more  close  to  AOR  style  hard  rock  than  metal  while  they  also  still  have  songs  that  are  in  that  vein.

  All  of  the  music  on  this  album  sound s like  it  could  off  been  all  over  the  rock  radio  stations  and  MTV  if  it  was  released  in  the  80's  while  the  production  makes  the  songs  have  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  after  a  few  tracks  that  are  in  a  very  hard  and  heavy  musical  direction  the  band  brings  in  a  power  ballad  while  the  last  2  tracks  show  the  band  heading  back  into  more  of  a  hard  rock  direction.

  Nubian  Rose  plays  an  80's  style  of  pop  metal  that  also  takes  in  elements  of  AOR  *0's  melodic  rock  to  create  and  album  that  is  very  retro  and  brings  back  a  studio  that is  very  rarely  heard  in  the  modern  day,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics   cove r   real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nubian  Rose  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  pop  metal  and  melodic  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "War"  "The  Eye"  "Higher"  and  "You'll  Never  Walk  Alone".  8  out  of  10.             

Fuzz Evil/Chiefs/Battleground Records/2014 Split 7 inch Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  7  inch  between  Arizona's  Fuzz  Evil  and  California's  Chiefs  which  was  released  by  Battleground  Records  in  2014  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Fuzz  Evil  a  band  that  plays  a  very  heavy  style  of  psychedelic  stoner  rock.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts off  with  a  very  heavy  sounding  bass  guitar  lead  before  adding  in  some  heavy  and  melodic  70's  style  doom  metal riffs  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  the  song  has  a  very  retro  orientated  feeling  along  with  a  more  modern  day  production  and  dark  lyrics  and  the  guitar  leads  mixed  in  with  the  psychedelic  sounds  add  up  to  the  stoner  vibe  of  the  track.

  Next  up  is  Chiefs  a  band  that  plays  a  very  heavy  style  of  desert/stoner  rock.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  stoner  rock  sound  that  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  after  a  minute  melodic  clean  singing  vocals  are  added  into  the  song  and  when  guitar  leads  are  added  into  the  track  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  70's  vibe  along  with  a  very  professional  sounding  production  and  lyrics  that  cover  a  dark  subject  matter.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  this  7  inch  to  all  fans  of  stoner  rock.  8  out  of  10.    

Metal Machine Interview

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

Csaba Zvekan: Metal Machine was done as a classic metal product packed in a modern package for todays metal World. It’s a more updated version of good old Heavy Metal what your mother used to make back in the days but with a more modern approach.

2.Recently you have released an album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Csaba Zvekan: The production is razor-sharp and with the high pitch vocals it’s like we’re up shattering glass or something.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

Csaba Zvekan: Oh there are many things. Each song is different idea or little story. It spawns from fantasy, heavy metal world, rebellion, evil demons, lost friends, magic, secret societies, drug and alcohol abuse, motorcycle clubs and beautiful girls.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Metal Machine’?

Csaba Zvekan: METAL MACHINE is a shiny, non organic, man made, heavy machinery that once it’s turned on and set in gear it’s like a tank rolling down on stage.

5.On the album you worked with a few session musicians, can you tell us who was a part of the album and also what instruments they played?

Csaba Zvekan: With METAL MACHINE the live line up can change any day and any show. Anybody can be in METAL MACHINE and it will be released probably the last minute before a show starts. This makes things more interesting on who is going to jam this with METAL MACHINE. The same with the records as the focus shall be on the music and not so much on who is performing.

6.Are there any plans in the future to hire a live line -up to do shows or is this strictly a studio project?

Csaba Zvekan: This is everything studio releases and live shows. The line up will change all the time as mentioned above as far as live and recording.

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

Csaba Zvekan: Well, this metal label has existed for almost 25 Years now and was some time in hiatus. Now they found METAL MACHINE and took it under their wings. Thank DREAM RECORDS.

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

Csaba Zvekan: It is absolutely amazing how people are going nuts for this type of music. I mean I have done a lot of staff and releases and in the very short that we have started to promote this record we get tons of requests of all sorts. This has turned out to be a great product.

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

Csaba Zvekan: I am very active with them as well. My idea is to release at least three to four records of various sub genre per year. EXORCISM = DOOM METAL, METAL MACHINE = HEAVY METAL, then I have another POWER METAL product in the pipeline, my first METALCORE and finally a good old school HARD ROCK product  that I am also working on. This is all I do. I sit there in my studio and make metal products then later during the summer I go and perform them on festivals. Let me tell you it’s a lot of fun.

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

Csaba Zvekan: Oh the future to me is unknown as I let myself drift towards it. For me it makes no sense on fantasising what can be in the future. We will see how things will turn out and what comes next. The important thing is what we can achieve today, As yesterday has already past us. Think about it.

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?

Csaba Zvekan: Well first of all I don’t listen to music as I simply don’t have the time for it. After a days of work in the studio your ears are tired and you are done with music until the next day.  The musical influences in this product are an endless collage of pretty much everything from 1974 - 2014. I have tried to pack in the goodies from four decades and make a modern wrapping to it.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Csaba Zvekan: There are two things that I like to do when I am not working with music. I like gardening, especially in a controlled environment like greenhouses, hydra- and aquaponics . The basic art of growing life. The other fascination I have is with embedded programming and electronics. I particular analog and DSP based sound generation. You go figure hahahahaha. Some of my vintage gear comes from the late 70’s and up and is prone to break down. When that happens I mostly know how to repair it.

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

Csaba Zvekan: I would like to thank you for your interest in METAL MACHINE and for your readers. Great questions thank you so much and come out and see us play sometime in the future. Check the band on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MetalMachineBand

Metal Machine/Free Nation/Dream Records/2014 CD Review

  Metal  Machine  are  a  musical  project from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  pure  and  traditional  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Free  Nation"  which  will  be  released  on  October  24th  by  Dream  Records.

  Melodic  high  pitched  Rob  Halford  style  vocals  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier musical  direction  along  with  some  guitar  solos  and  leads  and  the  music  is  very  close  to  the musical  style  you  can  hear  on  Judas  Priest's  "Painkiller"  or  Halford's  earlier  solos  material  while  the  band  update  it  a  bit  by  adding  in  elements  of  power,  thrash  and  speed  metal.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  the  band  also  brings  in  more  of  a  hard  rock  approach  to  heavy  metal  while  also  doing  it  in  a  more  modern  day  fashion.

  As  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  brief  power  ballad  while  the main  focus  remains  on  a  hard  and  heavy  style  of  metal  and  on  the  5th  track  you  can  hear  a  little  bit  of  early  Alice  in  Chains  in  the  bands  musical  style  but  done  in  a  more  true  metal  fashion  while  the rest  of  the  album  goes  back  to  more  of  a  power/heavy  metal  direction.

  Metal  Machine  plays  a  style  of  heavy  metal  that  is  very  close  to  Judas  priest  in  sound  but  more  up  to  date  and  the  song s are  a  perfect  tribute  to  the  legends  of  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  war,  heavy  metal,  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Metal  Machine  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skull  And  Bones"  "Morning  Star"  "Lord  Of  War"  and  "Free  nation".  8/5  out  of  10.            

          

Anatomy Of Habit/Ciphers + Axioms/Relapse Records/2014 CD Review

  Anatomy  Of  Habit  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  metal,  doom  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Ciphers  +  Axioms"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Relapse  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  gothic/death  rock  vocals  and  you  can  also  hear  elements of  post  punk  in  the  guitar  leads  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  the  music  starts  to  get  heavier  along  with  some  industrial,  sludge  and  doom  metal  traces  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  You  can  hear  a  lot  of  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  bands  musical  sound  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  band  starts  adding  in  more  harsh  sounding  screams  while  also  keeping  around  the  melodic  vocals,  both  of  the  tracks  are  20 minutes  in  length  and  also  bring  in  influences  from  a  variety  of  many  different  musical  genres  and  you  can  hear  some  shoegaze  in  the  lighter  sections  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  towards  the  end  of  the  recording  drones  are  added  into  the  music.

  Anatomy  Of  habit  creates  a  very  original  style  of  music  that  takes  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal,  sludge,  hardcore  and  noise  rock  and  mixes it  with the  melodies  of  post  punk,  goth,  death  rock  and  shoegaze  to  create  2  very  dark,  long  and  epic  songs  that  defy  categorization,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  poetic  themes        

  In  my  opinion  Anatomy  Of  Habit  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  metal,  doom  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Then  Window".  8  out  of  10.    

Anguish 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?



After the recording we decided to take a break until the release, mostly because me (Christoffer) and Rasmus had some upcoming gigs with our other band and we also needed to plan the upcoming releases. Anguish also got a new rehearsal place after our last trip to the studio, and we haven't really  got all the equipment we need yet to the new place.



2.You have a new album coming out in November, 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 say that we have more Death and Black Metal influences on the new record, we also did experiment more with synthesizers this time. The vocals are more akin to a black/death metal band than on the first full-length, but i think you could hear that progress from our split with Below, the track Anvil of Worlds.



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



It's more or less the same theme as in Through the Archdemons Head, it's like a sequel. But if you haven't really understood what Anguish's lyrical themes are about, it gathers around Dark Fantasy and Cosmic philosophy.



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



David came up with the name Anguish and from the beginning Anguish had some really sad and depressive lyrics, which is why the name Anguish was perfect. And  when the years passed we leaned towards a more angry and aggressive sound. But the Anguish will always appear itself within the melancholic harmony of the guitars.



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?



The best performance in my opinion was the first gig, our vocalist J.dee were dressed as a reaper, with a scythe in his hand and with a dead fox around his neck while he was drenched in blood.



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



No, we haven't got any plans for gigs yet,  that is for the future to decide.



7.Over the years you have been a part of a couple of splits, what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on these recordings?



Well we never would have accepted the splits unless we didn't like the bands



8.Your last few released came out on Dark Descent Records a label more known for black and death metal, where do you feel you stand among  the other bands that are also signed to the same label?



We fit in well in my opinon, since we aren't traditional doom metal in that sense, we have alot of extreme influences.





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



I think we have atleast as much Death metal as Doom metal fans, which is why we fit with Dark Descent, but the feedback has been great, Matt from Dark Descent has really been good when it comes to promotion.



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



Well it's hard to tell what the futures holds. For now we only compose songs according to the current influences we have, who knows what the influences will be in the future?



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



David nor J.Dee has any real active bands besides Anguish. Me and Rasmus are playing in a band called Acolytes of Moros, a Doom metal band that gets inspiration from the Finnish Doom metal scene. I handle the vocals and bass and Rasmus play the drums. We have a couple of upcoming gigs in Finland with Horse Latitudes, Caskets Open and Garden of Worm. We also plan to record a full-length album during the next year. A split with Church of Void is also recorded and awaits release.



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



Our new music get's inspiration from bands like Mayhem, Autopsy, Asphyx but still with foundation of Candlemass.

I would say that each member as their own taste. We have the same musical taste in way, and totally different in others. I myself enjoy Goth rock, Nordic folk music, Ambient to name few non-metal genres.



13.What are some of your non musical interests?



Occultism, Esoteric explodrations and Nature are some of our common non-musical interests.



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



Thank you for this interview! Siugnah will be watching!

www.darkdescentrecords.com

Palace Interview

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

After the release of `Dreamevilizer` in Sep. 2011 we were on a Europeen tour with PRIMAL FEAR and BRAINSTORM in the beginning of 2012.
19 shows in 10 different countries – what a journey, but it was worth it. We found a lot of new fans and friends.
And we went on playing club shows and festivals in 2012-2013.
This was the same year we found our recent bassman Tom Meyer. The best what could happen to us. Not only a brilliant musician, also a good friend.

2. Recently you have released a new album: `The 7th Steel`, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

‘The 7th Steel’ is the first album we worked together with our producer Gerhard `Gerassi’ Magin from the very beginning. This means he was also involved in the arrangement of the songs. At least he has given us this incredible sound that combines both – modern sound with traditional 80s play alike.

3.Some of the band members have experience playing this style of metal as far back as 1980, what are your thoughts on the way metal has evolved over the years?
For us it never really changes …
We realized very early, that it makes no sense for us to stay on the ball to be popular.
Like in the end 80s/early 90s Guns n’ Roses e.g. were very popular with their LA-Rock.
Then we got this ‘Seattle’ period in the 90s. A very hard time for true metal.
Then new metal came up…
At least we must say, traditional true metal always comes back.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
Our lyrics contain many topics.
"Bloodshed of Gods" has a historical background, which is to be read in the ancient Indian scriptures.
Even religions and God be questioned.
Songs about riots and revolution as with "Under New flag" should not be missed.
"Teutonic Hearts" tells the story of a German patriotic soul.
The theme of justice were packed in the songs "Iron Horde" and "Holy Black Rider".

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Palace'?
We have founded PALACE in 1990. We were looking for a name that was unique, only one word and has no analogy to any other name. Something like QUEEN – and the Queen lives in a Palace…

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Every show w play has something special. Ok, the first time supporting bigger acts like U.D.O. or Grave Digger was a little more special.
… and one show to mention on our tour in 2012. It was a sold out club in Sofia.
Before we started our show the people start clapping their hands and were shouting PALACE, PALACE, PALACE, …. That’s the point where we got goose bumps and don’t stop smiling the hole show.
On stage you could say: Once let them off the leash! We like the stage, the audience, the atmosphere. And we try to give this energy and enthusiasm to the crowd.

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

We are planning to do another tour in the beginning of 2015, but nothing finalized.
We will keep you informed.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of heavy metal?
Especially the new album ‘The 7th Steel’ we got incredible feedback and reviews.
We think 'The 7th Steel' is our best album so far.

9.Are any of the band members involved with any other musical projects these days?
No, we concentrate fully on PALACE!

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

We never think about a special style, we just play. So, we would continue with what we can do best: Teutonic Metal!

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
There is still a big influence from our own youth, when we were listening to Accept, Judas Priest, Running wild, Saxon etc.
Today we also listen to bands like In Flames, Arch Enemy, Powerwolf or Children of Bodom or Within Temptation.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Metal! That’s our life – no time for other interests.

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

Yes, always stay true to yourself. Metal is a big family and we are proud to be part of it.


Axe Crazy interview

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

So, Axe Crazy was formed in 2010 i polish town Lędziny. As you know we chose it’s name from a Jaguar’s song. We play traditional heavy metal so we are associated with the movement called NWOTHM. The Axe Crazy line up is: Michael Skotnicki – vocal, Robson Bigos – guitar, Andrzej Heczko – drums,  Kamil Pieściuk – bass, Adrian Bigos – guitar.

2. In April you had released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Our music is inspired by classic heavy metal from the 80s, so we tried to also sonically refer to this period and get the typical oldschool, and it worked out what we can hear on the EP. But it was our first time in a professional studio J

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

We have a special theme for the lyrics, we write about what we are captured and just come to mind, but rather they are not lyrics about love ha ha J The inspiration sometimes is life itself, sometimes theme of fantasy or sci-fi.

 4. I know that the band name came from Jaguar song, how does this name fit in with your musical style?

Our style is rather classic heavy metal, but fairly fast, with high tempos, just like for example Jaguar’s "Axe Crazy", so we thought the name would fit us well. By the way, we're a little crazy, so everything integrates haha J

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 did have some cool concerts, the best are always the ones where is a lot of people and hot fun under the stage. One of the best was definitely our performance in the Mega Club in Katowice, was perhaps the most professional in terms of the entire luminaire and the club where we were not once near the stage at concerts of the world's top hard rock and heavy metal bands, so play there was a real honor for us. Our stage performance as the music itself also refers to the best times of metal, so it is important to “fire” and movement on stage, appearance of the band and all concert design and effects like lights, smoke, etc.. Obviously we aren’t a band of world-class and we have a limited budget, but we try to do everything to make our concerts even in the slightest resemble the best metal performances.

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

We play concerts as often as possible, and of course we plan them as much as possible, but for now they are rather performances in the vicinity of your place of residence. We'd love to play concerts in Europe or even around the world, go on tour with a band as a support, but this unfortunately need the support from the label or concert agencies.

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

 Actually we signed a contract for the release of our EP “Angry Machines” on vinyl.

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

 It seems to us that the EP collects pretty good reviews and we guess the fans of classic metal like it, at least in most cases. Several record labels also interested in us, so we guess it's not bad :)

9. When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

 Now we working on material for a full length album, the work goes quite well and in the spring we want to again enter the studio and record a full CD. We will stay with our style, which is the classic heavy metal.

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?

Like we said, our inspirations begin at the hard rock of the 70 and end on heavy / power metal of the 80's and 90's. Bands that inspire us are Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Kiss, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, and hundreds of other classics metal bands. Currently we listen music from the 70s and 80s, but also many new bands inspired by those times, that is belonging to NWOTHM.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Each of us has different interests, but we all like girls, party, sports, automotive and porn movies from the 80s hahaha :)

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

Thank you very much for this interview and interest in our music! Greetings to all fans of heavy metal and pretty girls ha ha ha :) Of course invite to our shows and on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/axecrazyband), where you will find informations about our concerts and through which you can order our EP.
STAY CRAZY!
\ m /

Team Data Amplifier Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1. Team Data Amplifier for now is a studio project but I hope to turn it into a live show in time. It actually started as an idea between myself and Andy DeVries a video editor buddy of mine from back in high school. The idea at first was to take ideas that I wrote and he would create video to accompany and visa versa. That is where the idea for the whole Blade Runner theme came from. I have a whole video clip that extends the entire EP. I guess its for the die hard Sci FI nuts like me. After I had written the entire Ep I showed it to Brad Hawes another friend of mine who plays drums on the album. He plays in a bunch of groups off and on including, The Projection People, Butt Funnel, and his main focus is his electronic project Echo Island. He had asked me to master "Hinerval" the new Echo Island full length and that is where Replicant Eyes came up. I sent it to him and like 5 minutes later he signed on to play drums. Up until that point I wasnt really planning to release the EP with a live recording. It was more just something for me to work on creatively but after that the idea of really spending some time recording it seemed more possible.
 Next I asked Dan Eichman who used to play with a group called The Abominable No Men that I recorded a few albums for to play bass. I really loved his playing, very tasteful and solid. Somehow he just seemed to pick the right notes every time.
   Shawn Conrad, the guitarist from a previous band I was in called Take me Tick Tock joined up. That was kind of what I had in mind from the get go. Shawn has a really unique and expressive playing style that he had really developed over the years I had been playing with him. I actually wrote his parts with him in mind, kind of mimicking his playing style. I think he really enjoyed recording those parts, they were tailored for him and he just took the ideas and pushed them 1000%.
 Lastly I asked a super old friend of mine Mike Braeckevelt to join. I used to pay music with him almost 10 years ago and I always missed the way he played. He lives about 3 hours away so I did not think to ask him right off the bat but then I realized with a studio project the distance doesnt play as big of a factor. Its exciting though there is a chance he is going to move to Madison in the spring to attend The Madison Media Institute. I went to that school to learn recording and I work there as an instructor as well as work as a recording engineer at The Blast House where I tracked the EP.

2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
2. The album for me was an effort to make a continuous idea that while pushed different genres kept true to a solid theme. As far as the specific sonic quality I was really just trying to go for a clean sound without having to rely on processing after the fact. I think because of the way the album was written on a computer piece by piece it has a mechanical quality to it. Not that its a bad thing and lots of albums I love have that feel but for the next album I would like to go for a more organic/natural vibe. Its funny you mention a 90s sound. That is pretty unintentional. That is just the music I grew up on so I guess it kind of bled through.

3.The lyrics are based on the movie 'Blade Runner', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this film?
3. For about 6 months when I was around 13 my brothers and sister moved to Louisiana to live with my father while my mother was stationed in Italy for a short term. There was a movie store called slick Sams that you could rent old movies 5 bucks for 5 movies. If I remember right the lunch was like 2.50 at the high school I attended so twice a week I would skip lunch so I could rent movies. It was in one of those batches that I rented blade runner. I remember wanting to see it because the back of the box of Akira a classic anime that pretty much got me into anime said “Makes Blade Runner look like Disney Land.” I read that more as inspired by BladeRunner. After watching it the first time my mind was blown. This was also the theatrical release that had Harrison Fords narration
that he really didn’t want to do and rushed through so it had an extra layer of cheese factor. Since then I have probably watched BladeRunner once a year. I had just watched it again last year and for some reason it had struck a deeper chord. Before it had just been a really cool Sci Fi but this time the themes of Fear, uncertainty of identity, and manipulation really stuck out. This is the backbone of Replicant Eyes. In many ways those same themes parallel issues I see in my life so it’s not entirely written specifically about Blade runner, more of a jumping off point. In all Blade Runner is just a great movie and the visual Fx is amazing especially for its time. The soundtrack is killer too. I do remember when I first saw it thinking it was just like an anime in film version. More like the anime I had been watching had already used Blade Runner as inspiration

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Team Data Amplifier'?

Team Data Amplifier is an uber-literal name: It’s a “Team,” because the group  extends beyond the band members to include visual artists and promotion professionals. “Data Amplifier” means taking information and ideas as far as they can go. So Team Data Amplifier is a collective of people pushing artistic ideas to the extreme.

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

6.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
6. We are working on new music now. The goal is to make the next project a collaberation. I have been super busy so when I find time I write ideas rather than full songs. I would like to push the music further into the realm of Prog. Not so much the music style but to abandon typical song structure. I would also like the next album to more dynamic and spacious.

7.What are some of your non musical interests?
7. I really like video games when I have some free time. Right now I am playing Dark Souls 2 its really good. 

Adrian Weiss Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with your solos project these days?

I released my second full length solo album this July and have been promoting it since through print and online magazines. In September I released the first video clip of the song Camel´s Dance and the second video clip (Song: Awkward Silence) will be released this coming Sunday. I also have some concerts scheduled where I will be playing material from my solo albums. The official release concert will take place on Fr., Dec. 5th 2014 at the Pitcher in Düsseldorf, Germany. I am very honored to present
The Christian-Münzner-Band as well that night.

2. In July you had released your second solo album. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The new album is quite a bit heavier and has more Rock and metal in it than my debut BIG TIME which was much more world music oriented with lots of acoustic arrangements. What both albums have in common is the melody orientation, although the new album also has quite a few riffs that drive the songs as well.

3. All  of your solos work so far has been instrumental, are you open to using any vocals on future releases?

Yes, I am planning also to work with vocalists on my next album. But half the songs I want to keep instrumental, taking turns with the vocal songs. I don´t think that concept has been followed by too many players so far. The idea is to feature different singers I got to know during my 20 years in the music scene.

4. What are some of the concepts and images you bring out with your music?

The concepts of the songs are basically tied to simple situations or feelings, not to any complex plots. For instance “Instant Relief” just describes what I think I hear in the song: Tension or pain, relief and maybe euphoria. The term of the song title as such actually was inspired by a tv add for a headache pill.
On my first album the titles and associations were more positive…”Summer Drive”, “Bright Awakening” etc.

5. Do you feel that working solo gives you a little bit more room to being creative than with a full band?

Yes - and also things can go a lot faster than when working with a band where everyone has a say and gives input. Plus in a band you are always depending on other people. Working alone there is never the excuse of having to wait for someone else. I only get done what I do myself.
And it can be very liberating to follow your own personal musical visions without having other people interfering. So I truly enjoy working on my stuff alone. And I have many years of band experience, so I know the difference.

6. On the new album you had a few quests, can you tell us a little bit more about them and their contributions to the recording?

Well, next to my steady line up (Lars Zeher on drums and Marcel Willnat on bass) there is Demian Heuke, an old friend from my home town who just recently released his first album “Treumal” by the way. He contributed 5 really cool solos on Easy Game. I also want to mention former Necrophagist and Obscura guitarist Christian Münzner who also has released two solo albums entitled Timewarp and Beyond The Wall Of Sleep. As I mentioned above I will be playing live with him on December 5th.
Also Jens Basten from my new heavy metal band Gloryful as well as former Gloryful guitarist Vito Papotto are featured with solos on “Offbeat Frankenstine”.
I also want to mention GUT-guitarist Thorsten Praest, a great jazz and fusion player from my home town Düsseldorf as well as mf-C, Jens Schäfer, Tim Schulte and Mischa Blum who are all featured guest musicians I got to know during my years in the scene.

7.Are you open to working with a label on your solos stuff or do you prefer the self released approach?

I would be open to label if I got a decent offer. But as long as I have the complete financial risk and have to pay for everything myself I don´t want to have to rely on someone else to get the album promoted and distributed. Usually labels want to have exclusive rights to all the music in addition. Plus there are hardly any labels interested in instrumental acts, so to be honest, I didn´t spend much time looking for a label to release EASY GAME.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the new album by music fans?

The reactions from press and fans have been overwhelmingly positive. Germany´s Rock Hard Magazine awarded my new album best self released cd of the month of October this year (2014). But also lots of other zines from different countries wrote excellent reviews. So I´m very happy with the feedback!

9.What is going on with the other full time bands that you are a part of these days?

I have been a full time member of power metal band Gloryful since May of 2014 and we have been quite active playing all kinds of festivals this summer including Out´n Loud, Metalfest Loreley, Dong OA and many others. For me this year has been a blast and there are more shows coming up. We´re working on writing a new album that we plan to start recording sometime next year.
Forces At Work - my progressive metal band I´ve been in since late 2000 - has been very quiet this year, but we´re working on new songs.

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

I think I´d like to learn a little more Jazz, Blues and Fusion stuff and incorporate it into my playing. I love to listen to lots of those fusion players but I understand little about what´s going on a theoretical level. But basically I´m sure my style will stay what it is: Melody driven rock and metal.

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?

My first influences came from bands like AC/DC, Guns´n Roses and Metallica. Later on I got into Petrucci und Dream Theater and a lot of other progressive bands.
Plus of course I´ve been listening to all kinds of great known (MacAlpine, Vai, Satriani, Gilbert, Gary and Vinnie Moore etc.) and relatively unknown guitar players. To name a few of the lesser known people I´m currently into: Demian Heuke, Christian Münzner (who both also played on EASY GAME), Raimund Burke, Paul Wardingham, Hans Van Even, Dennis Hormes and of course Victor Smolski, who I guess is quite famous though and who I had the pleasure to feature as a guest on my first solo album BIG TIME.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Since I spend almost all of my free time involved in making and promoting my music my other interests are quite limited. But I like watching movies and tv-series her and there. I´m also into body weight strength training, which became my sport about two years ago due to the small amount of time and logistics required. I used to do a lot of running as well.

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

Thanks again to the many people involved that made this new album possible! Please give EASY GAME a listen atwww.adrianweiss.bandcamp.com where you can also order the album on cd or as a download !
Check out my current video clip! www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3no7esvaAQ

Also keep your eyes open for my new video clip of the opening song Awkward Silence that will be released at 7 pm on October 19th2014!

In case you happen to be nearby come to see my band at the Pitcher on December 5th 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany where I will be supporting the
Christian-Münzner-Band with its first concert ever!

And thank you for the interest and the interview!

Dissorted/I/2014 EP Review

  Dissorted  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  ep  "I".

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  a  few  seconds  later  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  that  are  very  aggressive  yet  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  you  can  also  hear  back  up  gang  shouts  and  more  melody  being  added  into  the  bands  musical  sound  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  take  the  ep  into  more  of  a  melodic  thrash  metal  direction  and  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  you  can  hear  the  vocals  getting  a  bit  deeper  and  adding  in  a  touch  of  death  metal   while  the  more  melodic  side  of  the  vocals  bring  in  elements  of  power  metal.  

  Dissorted  plays  a  very  old  school  style  of  thrash  that  is  more  on  the  melodic  side  of  things  and  they  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  power  metal  to  create  some  very  heavy  and  melodic  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  political  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dissorted  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eaten  Alive"  and  "The  new  World".  8  out  of  10.

Foreseen Hki/Helskini Savagery/20 Buck Spin/2014 CD Review

  Foreseen  Hiki  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  thrash  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Helskini  Savagery"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  20  Buck  Spin.

  War  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  an  old  school  thrash  metal  direction  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  after  awhile  solos  and  leads  which  also  display  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  on  the  instrumental  which  is  also  utilized  later  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  music  is  very  heavily rooted  in  the  80's  era  of  extreme  metal.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  elements  of  hardcore  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  back  up  gang  shouts  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  the  bands  musical  style  starts  becoming  more  of  a  mixture  of  New  York  style  hardcore  and  bay  Area  thrash  and  they  also  stick  to  the  more  heavier  and  aggressive  parts  of  both  those  musical  genres.  

  Foreseen  Hiki  goes  back  to  the  80's  era  of  hardcore  and  thrash  metal  with  their  musical  style  and  writing  music  that  sound s like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  in  the  80's  and  there  is  never  a  soft  moment  present  anywhere  on  this  recording  along  with  every  minute  and  second  on  this  recording  sticking  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  yet  professional  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violent  and  hateful  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Foreseen  Hiki  are  a  very  great  sounding  crossover  mixture  of  thrash  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Injection"  "Bonded  By  United  Blood"  "Delusion  Of  No  Consequence"  and  "Paving  the  Way".  8  out  of  10.  

Anguish/Mountain/Dark Descent Records/2014 CD Review

  Anguish  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Mountain"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  they  give  the  music  a  very  dark  and  epic  edge  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  getting  more  heavy  and  adds  in  a  doom  metal  sound  that  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  80's  tradition  and  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  in  a  more  aggressive  and  rough  direction  closer  to  first  wave  black  metal  while  they  do  have  their  melodic  moments  at  times  almost  while  the  solos  and  leads  continue  the  dark  and  melodic  tradition  of  epic  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  music  remains  true  to  a  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  doom  metal  musical  style.  

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  acoustic  guitars  which  where  present  on  the  intro  also  make  their  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  in  certain  sections  and  as  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  parts  can be  heard  briefly  and  they  add  more  of  an  occult  and  ritualistic  feeling  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  melodies  also  start  bringing  in  more  of  a  depressive  approach  to  the  riffs  and  solos  and  some  of  the  later  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  organs  which  also  adds  a  psychedelic  70's  feeling  to  the  bands  heavy  doom  metal  sound.

  Anguish  creates  a  very  heavy  and  epic  style  of  doom  metal  that  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  but  sounds  more  modern  and  also  uses  a  more  aggressive  vocals  and  heavier  sound  than  the  older  bands  as  well  as bringing  in  a  darker  atmosphere,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  cosmic  philosophy  and  dark  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Anguish  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  "Makarian  Furnace"  "The  Woven  Shield"  and  "Snowhammer".  8  out  of  10.

Zex/Ragnarock Session/Medusa Crush Recordings/2014 Cassette Review

  Zex  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  metal  and  punk  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  cassette  "Ragnarock  Sessions"  which  was  released  by  Medusa  Crush  Recordings.

  A  70's  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic guitar  leads  before  adding  in  old  school  punk  rock  elements  and  female  vocals  and  back  up  shouts  and  the  band  also  brings  in  influences  from  NWOBHM  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  All  of  the  songs  sound  like  they  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  in  the  70's  and  the  band  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  which  also  shows  the  beginnings  of  early  hardcore  punk  and  speed  metal  at  times  and  the  guitar  riffing  also  bring s in  a  good  amount  of  melody  at  times  along  with  a  great  amount  of  raw  energy.

  Zex  go  back  to  the  70's  era  of  heavy  metal  and  punk  rock  and  combine  these  2  genres  together  to  create  some  very  energetic,  raw,  retro  and  old  school  sounding  music,  the  production  sound s very  old  school  yet  professional  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  rebellious  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Zex  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  metal  and  punk rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Savage  City"  and  "Wild  blood".  8/5  out  of  10.    

Pyres/Year Of Sleep/Medusa Crush/2014 CD Review

   Pyres  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  sludge  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Year  Of  Sleep"  which  was  released  by  Medusa  Crush.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  a  minute  aggressive  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  and  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  hardcore  and  groove  metal  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  70's  rock  influences  into  the  bands  musical  style.

  You  can  hear  quite  a  bit  of  the  southern  metal  sound  of  the  90's  in  the  bands  musical  style  at  times  and  a  few  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length,  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  aggressive  vocals  also  add  melody  into  their  approach  at  times  along  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  while  the  main  focus  remains  more  on  the  heavy  and  aggressive  side  of  things  and  on  the  last  track  a  small  amount  of  crust  and  d  beat  elements are  added  into  the  music.

  Pyres  plays  a  style  of  sludge  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  melodic  yet  progressive  all  at  the  same  time  along  with  a  touch  of  post  hardcore  being  added  into  to  give  the  music  a  more  updated  feeling,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  pyres  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  sludge  metal  band and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deserter"  and  "The  Everbearing".  8  out of  10.