Desert Storm/Omniscient/Blindsight Records/2015 CD Review

  Desert  Storm  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Omniscient"  which  was  released  by  Blindsight  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  70's  rock  and  a  few  seconds  alter  vocals  that  are  both  aggressive  and  melodic  are  added  into t he  music  and  they  also  give  the  recording  a  groove  metal  feeling  and  the  guitar  riffing  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  You  can  hear  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  at  times  along  with  the  album  bringing  out  a  southern  metal  vibe  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  small  amounts  of  clean  playing  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  are  also  a  few  tracks  that  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  As  the  album  progresses  clean  singing  can  be  heard  at times  along  with  music  also  adding  in  elements  of  psychedelia,  blues  and  folk  music  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  even  more  elements  of  stoner  and  70's  rock  and  some  of  the  alter  tracks  also  bring  in  small  amounts  of  acoustic  guitar  playing.

  Desert  Storm  remain  true  to  the  stoner  rock/metal  sound  of  previous  recordings  while  also  adding  in  psychedelic,  blues  and  folk  music  elements  to  take  their  musical  style  into  a  different  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  and  stoner  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Desert  Storm  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  stoner  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Queen  Reefer"  "Home"  "Bandwagon"  and  "Collapse  Of  The  Bison  Lung".  8  out  of  10.        

Bleeding Eyes/Gammy/Go Down Records/2014 CD Review

  Bleeding  Eyes  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal, s toner  rock  and  metalcore  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2014  album  "Gammy"  which  was  reelased  by  Go  Down  Records.

  Clean  playing  which  is  all  used  on  later  tracks  as  well  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  few  seconds  later  melodic  leads   are  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  for  more  of  an  aggressive  doom/sludge  metal  direction.

  On  the  later  tracks  spoken  word  samples  are  added  in  some  parts  and   the  vocals  in  the  beginning  have  a  hardcore  feeling  to  them  while  they  start  bringing  in  high  pitched  screams  on  later  songs    and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  some  sections  of  a  few  tracks  also  bring  in  psychedelic  elements.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  stoner  rock  influence  and  shouting  vocals  start  to  kick  in  and  some  of  the  tracks  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  along  with  some  traces  of  post  metal  and  a  heavy  metalcore  influence  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  small  amount  of  ethnic  instruments  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  track  that  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  that  is  brings  in  a  few  seconds  of  blast  beats.

  Bleeding  Eyes  takes  doom  metal,  sludge,  stoner  rock  and  metalcore  and  combine  them  to  create  an  album  that  is  very  dark  and  heavy  while  also  being  very  melodic  and  having  traits  that  would  appeal  to  pot  smokers  and  people  that  take  lsd  or  mushrooms,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  drug  themes,    

  In  my  opinion  Bleeding  Eyes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom  metal,  sludge,  stoner  rock  and  metalcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kevin's  Space"  "A  Fist  Full  Of  Dynamite"  "Demon  Haze"  and  "GAMMY".  8  out  of  10.     

Taken By The Sun/Self Titled/2015 CD Review

  Taken  By  The  Sun  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a mixture  of  doom  metal,  post,  progressive  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2015  album  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  starts off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  and  a  minute  later  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  are  added into  the  music  along  with  some  post  rock  style  melodies  before  going  into  more  of  an  extreme  metal  direction  and  adding  in  high  pitched  screams  that  mix  hardcore  and  sludge  together.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  heavier  parts  bring  in  a  very  heavy  doom  metal  influence  into  the  bands  musical  style  and  at  times the  vocals  also  have  a  melodic  edge  to  them  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  post  metal  sound  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent mixture  of  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  shoegaze  and  progressive  elements  are  added  in  more  along  with  a  few  tracks  that  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  brings  in  acoustic  guitars.

  Taken  By  The  Sun  plays  a  modern  style  of  post  doom  metal  that is  very  heavy  and  dark  yet  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  also  adds  in  progressive  and  shoegaze  elements  which  makes  their  songs  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Taken   By  The  Sun  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom  metal,  post,  progressive  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demons  Tempt  The  Dying  Man  With  Crowns"  "Detached"  and  "Ornaflux".  8  out  of  10.    

Roadhog/Dreamstealer/Stormspell Records/2015 CD Review

  Roadhog  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  hard  rock  style  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Dreamstealer"  which  was  released  by  Stormspell  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  old  school  heavy  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  vocals  that h ave  a  power  metal  edge  to  them  along  with  some  back  up  gang  shouts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  used  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  true  80's  metal  style  to  the  recording.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  both  the  riffs  and  solos  and  while  the  music  is  mostly  in  a  true  metal  direction  you  can  hear  elements  of  hard  rock  in  the  bands  musical  style  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  you  can  hear  some  elements  of  NWOBHM  along  with  a  touch  of  early  80's  speed  metal  and  the  whole  album  sticks  to  a  hard  and  heavy  direction  throughout  the  recording  with  no  soft  parts  ever  being  utilized.

  Roadhog  plays  a  style  of  heavy  meta;  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  have  songs  that  sound  like  they  could  off  easily  been  recorded  and  released  during  that  time  frame  along  with  a  touch  of  hard  rock,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  yet  professional  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Roadhog  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "On  The  Witches  Path"  "Poison  Man"  "Taste  Your  Sin"  and  "Run  From  the  Devil".  8  out  of  10.   

Cromlech Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band these days?
Well first of all we just release some fantastic looking Conan themed shirts and longsleeves available on our bandcamp! We have tons of material written for the second album – in fact, the riffs and structuring are almost done at this point, we are now working on lyrics, vocals, solos, and layering. We are bringing back a reworked old song, Lair of Doom. The other new material is even more varied and intense than Ave Mortis was – we have songs ranging from extremely slow and crushing doom, blistering power/thrash, Greek black metal inspired riffs, and of course a backbone of monumentally epic passages lifted straight from the pages of Bathory. As on Ave Mortis, both Kevin and Roman will be contributing to vocals, but rather than having them dominate songs, we will be using their vocals to better effect by having them handle appropriate sections within each song.

2.A year ago 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?
Well, the past releases were just more poorly recorded and performed versions of the stuff now present on Ave Mortis. That was the first album which received a proper studio treatment. As for the music, we strive to present an ancient, heroic, epic sound without sacrificing any of the heaviness or aggression that typically happens when bands start adding 17 million layers of choral vocals and keyboard orchestras.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
In keeping with the all conquering muscularity of the music, we explore heroic exploits from fiction, history, and the tales that fall somewhere in between.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cromlech"?
Well, a Cromlech is an ancient stone tomb, particularly of Pictish origin. We felt it went well with the ancient, untouched sound we present. It also happens to be the name of a great Solstice tune, which didn't deter us.

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?
Well as I said we've only played small local shows. However one of the most memorable ones by far was playing with the mighty RAZOR - yes that RAZOR - during a prostate cancer fundraiser festival called "Headbanging for a Cure" which goes on every other year or so here. And on that note, we'd like to add that dying with a sword in your hand means you have nothing to worry about from prostate cancer! Another funny story was at the last show we played we brought a pretty large fog machine… we weren’t aware that the venue lacked adequate ventilation for that machine. We ended up accidentally filling the entire venue with choking thick fog, so thick you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, which hung around for a good 5-10 minutes or so while we were playing our set. It was like a sensory deprivation experiment or something.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Not really. Playing a few more local shows.

7.The last album was released on My Graveyard Productions, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
I wish we could, but for My Graveyard Productions; Guiliano: if you’re reading this, we love you, we understand, and we just want you to come home! But seriously, we haven’t heard from him in almost a year. Hopefully that just means he is selling so many CDs he can’t even take a break. Maybe by the time we get to Italy we will be pre emptively elected Emperors of Rome.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of both doom and heavy metal?
Pretty awesome, overall. There's been some "these songs are way too long" and a bit of "these guys try to play way too many different styles" but for the most part it's been nothing but resounding HAILS echoing across the mountaintops.

9.What is going on with the other band 'Into Oblivion' these days which also has 3 of the same members?
Same as Cromlech - playing local shows, writing new material for an upcoming released.

10.When can we expect another album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Our next album will likely be out in 2016. We have tons of material written for the second album – in fact, the riffs and structuring are almost done at this point, we are now working on lyrics, vocals, solos, and layering. We are bringing back a reworked old song, Lair of Doom. The other new material is even more varied and intense than Ave Mortis was – we have songs ranging from extremely slow and crushing doom, blistering power/thrash, Greek black metal inspired riffs, and of course a backbone of monumentally epic passages lifted straight from the pages of Bathory. As on Ave Mortis, both Kevin and Roman will be contributing to vocals, but rather than having them dominate songs, we will be using their vocals to better effect by having them handle appropriate sections within each song.

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?
Well, I think I just answered the questions about the newer music above, and as for what I've been listening to lately - Nokturnal Mortum, Helstar, Saint Vitus, the Conan soundtrack, Terraga, Sor, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Dark Angel.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Rock climbing, hanging out with my black-headed caique, god-tier campfire starting, and crushing lesser nations in Civilization V.

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

New Gods/Gods Of Punk/Distro-y Records/2014 7 Inch Review

  New  Gods  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  garage  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  7  inch  "Gods  Of  Punk"  which  was  released  by  Distro-y  Records.

  A  very  old  school  punk  rock  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  vocals  that  are  both  aggressive  and  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  70's  or  early  80's  while  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  up  to  date  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  even  more  of  a  melodic  punk  rock  sound  to  the  7  inch.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melodies  and  garage  rock  elements  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  with  the  longest  one  being  around  3  minutes  and  there  are  no  soft  or  weak  parts  ever  present  in  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  New  Gods  go  back  to  the  early  days  of  garage  rock  and  hardcore  punk  and  combine  them  together  with  more  of  a  modern  take  on  the  genres,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  New  Gods  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  garage  and  hardcore  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Killer  Creep"  and  "Meat  grease".  8  out  of  10.

   

  

Crows/Better Off Dead/Distro-y Records/2015 LP Review

  Crows  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  very  heavy  form  of  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Better  off  Dead"  which  was  released  by  Distro-y  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  guitars  a  few  second s later  that  evolve  into  more  of  a  hardcore  direction  along  with  some  screaming  vocals  and  a  few  seconds  later  melodies  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  thrash  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  guitar  leads  and  spoken  word  samples  while  some  of  the  faster  sections  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  crust  punk  and  d  beats  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  is  9  minutes  in  length.

  Crows  plays  a  style  of  hardcore  that  is  very  heavy  and  old  school  while  also  bringing  in  a  touch  of  thrash,  d  beat  and  crust  which  also  makes  them  a  little  bit  more  heavier  than  most  bands  of  this  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  social  problems  of  Irish  Culture.

  In  my  opinion  Crows  are  a  very  great  sounding  hardcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dead  Air  (Roseburg)"  "Power  Trip"  "Guilt  Trip"  and  "Death  Crownado".  8  out  of  10.

    

Rats Blood/Low Life/Distro-y Records/2014 LP Review

  Rats  Blood  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  hardcore  punk  with  elements  of  d  beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Low  Life"  which  was  released  by  Distro-y  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  aggressive  crustcore  style  vocals  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  d  beats  along  with  the  speed  of  hardcore  punk  which  is  also  more  in  a  Swedish  style  and  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  extreme  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  with  the  longest  one  being  over  2  minutes  and  they  also  at  times  bring  in  early  80's  style  hardcore  punk  guitar  leads  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction  along  wit h a  good  mixture  of  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  never  a  soft  moment  present  on  the  recording.

  Rats  Blood  takes  a  very  old  school  style  of  hardcore  punk  and  mixes  it  with  crust  and  d  beat  to  create  some  very  raw,  heavy  and  aggressive  music,  the  production  sound s very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  negative  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rats  Blood  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  hardcore  punk,  crust  and  d  beat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dog  Days"  "Not  Giving  Up"  "Bottles"  and  "Meltdown".  8  out  of  10.

   

Winterage Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
 After the recording of the album, we've started working very hard to get the band going in the rehearsal room: we are aware of the importance of bringing on stage a sound which doesn't disappoint those who have listened to the album, and that is not easy, given the complexity and abundance of elements we have stuffed into it!


2.You have a new album coming out in February, 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?
 Well, the first thing we need to say about “The Harmonic Passage” is that it is meant to be more than just symphonic metal, it's meant to be a real merging of symphonic elements in metal music and of metal elements in symphonic music: we wanted to create a different  sound, fully balanced between the energy of Power Metal and the emotional charge of Symphonic music. Well, I think we kinda managed!
But the album is not limited to just that balance of sound: we wanted to introduce more musical elements to make every song different from each other, and produce a variety of atmospheres and feelings to follow throughout the album, to suggest different landscapes and situations and to better accompany the stories told through the lyrics.
Compared to our old recordings, this is much more complex and mature: the great contribution of singer Daniele Barbarossa has changed everything, and his great skill allowed us to bring our songwriting to a new level. We should, however, not forget the great work done by our violinist Gabriele Boschi with the orchestral arrangements: this makes up most of the new sound we are so proud of.


3.The band has been around since 2008 but so far has only released an ep, single and a full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap between releases?
 We first needed to get the line-up together, to make my and Gabriele and Dario's idea real.
When we first managed, in 2009, we recorded our first EP, but we felt something was still missing. That something was the presence of a strong, steady and original voice to back up all of our music, and that's what we found back in 2011, after a bit of struggle, in Daniele.
We first recorded a single, in 2012, to test the new line up, and then started the long work on the new album. Composing the songs, rehearsing them, arranging the orchestral parts, recording, mixing and mastering everything, and here we are: 2015! It took a while, but it was worth it, and were planning to do more soon!


4.In 2012 you had released a single that was a part of a horror movie soundtrack, can you tell us a little bit more about the film you had recorded the song for?
 Extreme Jukebox is a 2013 indipendent horror film, directed by Alberto Bogo in Genova, which has seen the collaboration of several known italian rockers as actors and sountrack musicians, the likes of Pino Scotto and Sadist.
The film is a successful fusion of slasher-horror and rock-comedy genre, and it won a special award at the Parma Music Film Festival.
The director first heard us at a gig in Genova, and immediately asked us to compose a song for the film soundtrack: it wasn't easy to produce a sound so different from our typical one, but we did it and we're very satisfied with our single.


5.According to the press release, there was a whole symphony recorded on the album, was that done by the band themselves or did you have some outside musicians?
Our violinist Gabriele studies at the Niccolò Paganini Conservatory in Genova, where he got in touch with a lot of valid and enterprising young instrumentalists.
When we first thought about this ambitious orchestra project, we started to think about the possible components of our orchestra, and we found out we had more friends than we thought to have.
Our orchestral parts were recorded by a real orchestra, made up by 20 strings, 10 brasses, 5 woodwinds, harp, harpsichord, classical guitar and several male and female lyrical singers, and every one of them has wanted to contribute freely to this project, making it very precious not only for its musical value but also for the beautiful collaboration between tens of unselfish artists.




6.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
Most of our songs, in the best Power Metal tradition, are inspired by the fantasy tales of great writers of the past and present, but some of them are rather inspired by certain feelings or states of mind which we wanted to express through music.
The main leit-motif of the album lyrics and music is the journey through fantasy lands and epic tales of books and legends, and the reasons why we all, sooner or later, enterprise such a journey.


7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
I remember sharing the stage with the amazing Folk Power Metal act Elvenking in Rome, and also in Brescia at the Colony Club we've played together with the Spanish Power Metal band Dark Moor: these are both bands whose first works laid the foundations of Power Metal, and it's great to have the possibility of playing with them.
We are usually very passionate about playing live, and we totally commit to sound good and lively when we do. We are now working on our live sound, and we can predict it will be pretty much like train in your face!

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
 We're starting to set up some nice gigs, in and out of Genova, and we're planning to do many.
We hope to get in touch with a lot of good bands to play with: remember that music is about people!!

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of symphonic and power metal?
 The first EP was very well received by the fans of this genre, but as you can guess it was the work of very young and unexperienced musicians: now the music is better and we have a good label to rely on, and the first feedbacks are already very good. But let's wait for the album release to talk!

10.The new album will be released on Nadir Music, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
 Nadir Music is a music label which also has recording studios, and they provide recording, mixing, mastering and promotion services all together.
It's made up by honest and experienced people, who have worked with it for a lifetime.
Among them we want to thank our great sound technician Tommy Talamanca, who has helped us in any possible way: he also happens to be the guitarist in one of the main italian Death Metal acts, Sadist!

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Well, we actually don't know where the band is headed, but we know where we want it headed. We want to do more albums, and more gigs, get better and bigger. We're not gonna stop here.

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 first and greatest influence is and will always be Rhapsody of Fire: their powerful and dreamy music has signed the path of our boyhood, and I don't think anyone who is going to make Symphonic Power Metal will ever manage to avoid the Rhapsody influence.
Other bands have given us a lot of sparks, like Haggard, Turisas, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica.
On the other side, great symphony composers of the last three centuries were a major influence of everything we did. Also folk and traditional music has been an influence, since traditional instruments were used more than once through the recording to create certain atmospheres.



13.What are some of your non musical interests?
 I think most of us carry an interest in nature and its beauties: Daniele is a scuba diver, while Gabriele and I are more interested in mountain and forest trekking, anyway nature has  been a strong inspiration in our work, it's someway always present in our music.
Most of us are also interested in cinema: films and soundtracks have inspired us a lot.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
What could we say? Thank you for giving us this space, guys!
Everyone remember, The Harmonic Passage will be out on February 2, 2015. Check it out in all digital and real-life stores, and get to know a little of ourselves and the way we see the world!
Stay Winter!

Auron/Self titled/Metal Scrap Records/2015 CD Review

  Auron  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and progressive  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  A  very  hard,  heavy,  melodic  and  symphonic  progressive  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  after  awhile  solos  and  leads  which  also  bring  in  some  elements  of  neo-classical  are  added  into  the  music  and  at  times  clean  playing  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  acoustic guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  they  use  remain  true  to  an  80's  style  of  progressive  heavy  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the  keyboards  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  70's  progressive  rock  elements  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks  sound  like  they  could  off  easily  been  recorded  and  released  in  the  80's  or  early  90's  along  with  a  few  ballads  while  most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  harder  style  of  metal  along  with  a couple  of  instrumentals  while  a  later  song also brings  in  a  few  seconds  of  spoken  word  parts  and  towards  the  end  the  music  starts  adding  in  more  modern  prog  metal  elements.  

  Auron  plays  a  very  melodic  style  of  progressive  heavy  metal  but  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  but  done  with  a  more  up  to  date  approach,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  which  are  written  mostly  in  English  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  being  written  in  Russian  and  they  cover  real  life  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Auron  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  progressive  heavy  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Word  And  Deed"  "Stranger"  "Moonlight  Trail"  and  "Auron".  8  out  of  10.   

Black Pussy/Magic Mustache/Made In China Records/2015 CD Review

  Black  Pussy  are  a  band  from  Portland  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner  pop,  psychedelic  rock,  metal  and  weedgazer  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Magic  Mustache"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Made  in  China  Records.

  Psychedelic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  minute  that  mixture  goes  for  more  of  a  70's  doom  metal  sound  along  with  some  stoner  rock  style  vocals  which  they  also  mix  in  with  the  psych  elements  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  of  a  70's  hard  rock  feeling  to  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  few  tracks  that  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  organs  while  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  has  a  shoegaze  feeling  at  times  which  gives  the  retro  nature  of  the  recording  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  pop  and  blues  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Black  Pussy  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  has  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  also  mixes  in  elements  of  shoegaze,  psychedelia  and  pop  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  drugged  out  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Black  Pussy  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  pop,  psychedelic  rock,  metal  and  weedgazer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Into  Your  Cosmic"  "For  The  Sake  Of  Argument"  "Butterfly"  and  "Magic  Mustache".  8  out  of  10.  

 

            

Domination/Doom In Nation/2015 Full Length Review

  Domination  are  a  band  from  Argentina  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  call  conceptual  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  "Doom  In  Nation".

  Door  knocking  and  spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  melodic  power  metal  direction  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  they  also  add  clean   playing  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  add  in  modern  prog  metal  elements  into  some  of  the  heavier  direction  while  also  having  an  atmospheric  background  at  times.

  Actual  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  solos  and  leads  that  are  more  rooted  in  an  early  80's  traditional  metal  sound  and  a  great  amount  of  dystopian  style  intros  can  be  heard  before  the  beginning  of  a  few  tracks  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  symphonic  elements  and  some  of  the  heavier riffing  brings  in  a  touch  of  thrash  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  tracks  also  start  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  soem  acoustic  guitars  at  times  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  has  Ralf  Scheepers  from  Primal  Fear  and  they  also  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Accept's  "Metal  Heart".

  Domination  combines  the  traditional,  power  and  progressive  metal  genres  together  to  create  their  own  style  of  conceptual  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Bolshevik  and  Communist  Revolution  in  Russia  during  1917.

  In  my  opinion  Domination  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy,  power  and  progressive  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Harder  Than  Steel"  "The  Red  Era  Begins"  "The  Mission"  and  "Bring  Me  Peace".  8  out  of  10.

    

Detente/Recognize No Authority/Xtreem Music/2015 CD Compilation Review

  Detente  where  a  band  from  California  that  played  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  style  of  thrash  metla  for  their  time  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  double  album  compilation  which  was  released  in  2015  by  Xtreem  Music  and  contains  their  1985  album  "Recognize  No  Authority"  their  demos  and  also  some  demo's  from  Catalepsy  a  thrash  band  that  was  formed  after  the  break  up  of  Detente.

  Demonic  voices  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  aggressive  thrash  metal direction  along  with  some  vocals  that  are both  aggressive  and  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  after  awhile  backup  gang  shouts  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  solos  and  leads  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  spoken  word  samples.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  power  and  speed  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  few  bass  guitar  leads  along  with  the  guitar  riffing  and  leads  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  As  the  album  progresses  there  is  also  an  instrumental  track  which  shows  the  band  demonstrating  their  talent  and  skill  as  musicians  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  traditional  metal  elements  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  demo  tracks  bring  out  more  of  a  raw  and  NWOBHM  style  sound  while  still  having  a  great  amount  of  speed  and  thrash  metal  elements  and  there  are  also  a  few rehearsal  and  live  tracks  and  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  also brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  87  and  89  demo tracks  show  more  of  a  melodic  side  than  the  1985  album  while  still  having  a  very  raw  thrash  metal  feeling.

  Detente  played  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  was  very  heavy  and  aggressive  for  its  time  while  also  having  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  post  album  demo  tracks  also  have  more  of  a  melodic  style  that  is  very  close  to  the  singer's  later  band  Fear  Of  God,  the  production  sound s very  professional  for  the  era  it  was  recorded  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  hateful  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Detente  where  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  aggressive  thrash  metal  band  for  their  time  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Russian  Roulette"  "Holy  Wars"  "Wasted  Time"  and  "Loves  Death.

  Next  up  is  Catalepsy  another  band  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  form  of  power/thrash  metal.

  A  very  raw,  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  their  side  of  the  split  along  with  some  female  vocals  that  are  both  rough  and  melodic  at  the  same  time  as  well  as  adding  a  touch  of  power  metal  to  the  bands  musical  style  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the music  they  remain  true  to  the  80's  style  of  metal  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  You  can  hear  a  lot  of  traditional  metal  elements  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  second  demo  also  shows  the  band  adding   in  hard  rock/metal  elements  into  an  old  school  power/thrash  sound  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  as  well  as  adding  in  back  up  gang  shouts  at  times  and  also  they  also  close  the  compilation  with  a  cover  of  Janis  Joplin's  "Piece  Of  My  Heart".

  Catalepsy  played  a  mixture  of  thrash  and  power  metal  that  had  the  perfect  balance  between  melody  and  heaviness  for  their  time  while  also  being  very  aggressive,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  self  released  demo's  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Catalepsy  where  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  power  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evil  Within"  and  "Who  Can  You  Trust".      

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  power  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  these  2  underrated  bands.  8  out  of  10.  



  

Kooba Tercu/Self Titled/Spinalonga Records/Body Blows Records/2015 12 Inch Vinyl Review

  Kooba  Tercu  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  alternative  metal,  punk,  experimental  and  psychedelic  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2015  album  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Spinalonga  Records  and  Body  Blows  Records.

  Tribal  sounding  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  alternative  rock  elements  being  added  in  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  a  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  which  also  leads  up  to  some  distorted  guitar  rhythms  that  also  have  a  noise  rock  feeling  and  after  awhile  clean  singing  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  A  good  portion  off  the  tracks  bring  in  elements  of  experimental  rock  along  with  some  electronic  music  elements  and  after  awhile  a  good  amount  of  90's  alternative  metal/rock  influences  are  added into  a  good  portion  of  the  songs  along  with  some  high  pitched  sludge  screams  while the  cleaner  sections  also  bring  in  an  ambient  feeling  at  times.

  As  the  album  progresses  guitar  leads  and  punk  rock  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  music  quite  a  bit  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  added  into  both  the  riffing  and  solos  as  well  as  a  touch  of  early  90's  post  hardcore/indie  rock  and  all  of  the  songs  are  very  diverse  and  stick  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  Kooba  Tercu  takes  element s of  sludge,  punk,  experimental,  alternative,  metal,  and  psychedelic  rock  to  create  an  album  that  sounds  very  original  and  hard  to  categorize,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  with  a  90's  feeling  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kooba  Tercu  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of   sludge,  alternative  metal,  punk,  experimental  and  psychedelic  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Elephant"  "Squirting  Squad"  "Unaboom"  and  "Sonique".  8  out  of  10.

          

Furyon Interview

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

Well. Mainly organising the players in Furyon. Working out live sets and planning on shows.

2.You have a new album coming out in January, 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?

It's a little more melodic than the first album really. That might possibly be vocally. There is more single type songs on this album were 'Gravitas' held more lengthy songs.

3.This is to be the first album to be released in 3 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

We lost two guitars players basically. The original band members. Not all at the same time but it really hindered Furyon for a while. That is the main reason for the time lost. Or gained, however you want to look at it.

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

Again some of the lyrics are full of angst and reflect on troubled times. Some on the thoughts of people's behaviour in the music business. And some on people that have done simply wrong doing. Then some on beliefs, faiths and views on the World and life beyond.

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

It's a warrior name.

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

Bloodstock, Download acoustic was fun. Holland is good. And our home town has seen some great nights.

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

Yeah we are planning on it, to tour UK and Europe.

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

The label has just re opened by our Manager. It was his label and, still is.

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

We received so far. Just hoping the 2nd album hits the same place!

10.Are any of the band members involved with any other musical projects or bands these days?

Yes. 2015 should hold a few surprises on that front.

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

Well we hope to start on a 3rd album and keep on keeping on. We want to reach more fans and get out and tour more when possible and financially viable. This is the thing, a band really needs all the stars to line up sometimes to really make it all work properly. People seem to think a band can just  drop everything And go and tour. I only that was the way it could be.

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?

So many really .. From stoner bands like Redfang to old skool Ozzy and Sabbath. Alterbridge have always been a nice influence for Furyon but not for sound reference but the intricate style.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

 No doubt some things that are not meant to be mentioned here. Having fun as much as possible. Gym. We all like to watch movies ( who doesn't )

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

We hope you all enjoy the new album and hope to see you in 2015

Agatha 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?
“Gravis Atque Gravior” was recorded in may 2014 in Rome at Hombre Lobo studio. It’s the studio in Italy we love most, where our good friend  Valerio works, and where we recorded also our previous album Goatness. It’s always a crazy experience recording with him, first of all because the studio is in a squat, and then because it’s always very punk. Just to know: the first day we arrived at 18, we set everything, and then he said: ok, now play a little and we do the sounds. It was midnight. Well that night we recorded all the drum parts till the morning.
Why it took so long from the recording to the release? This time we wanted to find some really cool labels to release our record, labels we really enjoyed and that’s way it took so long. And when we finally found all of them, and they were eight, it was a big work making everything go together. But at the end we’re really satisfied, of the record, the labels, the artwork and everything. Ah, yes, and of course in the meantime we played live a lot, as usual
The record was released in May 31 2014 and then we toured a lot during the summer, played some cool festivals, we opened for the Fluff Fest in Chezch Republic, we’re soon playing in a Festival in Sweden and another one in France.
So, we don’t get bored, that’s sure.

2.In May 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?
With agatha we exist since 2003: we started as a three piece band, guitar, bass and drums. We played like this until 2010 when we decided we wanted to continue in two, also because we wanted to change from what we were doing. Our musical references were evolving and we wanted to play heavier stuff. We released at that moment “Goatness” and it was really different from what we had been doing before: slow riffs, heavy atmosphere and growly voices. Now we’re still in this mood, and our new album it’s a sort of evolution in this way: we found our sound and our direction and I personally think that this album is more complete than the prevoious one.

3.This was the first album to be released in 3 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
Ahahah this is a really funny question because in the middle of these three years we… had a baby!hehehe. “Goatness” was released in 2010. Then we did a big tour that summer, we went to Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Danemark and other places, then we came back and in october Claudia discovered that she was pregnant. She played till her six month of pregnancy, then she had to stop. Leo was born in July, and of course we waited a while. She was back playing when he was 6 months old, and then we started composing the songs for the new album, in summer we did another big european tour (this time with the baby! The youngest punk touring ever), in December we did another winter tour with a really cool band from Belgium called Severe (this time without the baby because it was too cold for touring with him) and then 2013 arrived and in May we recorded “Gravis atque gravior”



4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
I think that the lyrics of “Gravis atque gravior” make a change from our previous albums. Before i really liked to write ironical lyrics, some tongue-to-cheek lyrics, also because the mood of our previous releases was like that. “Goatness” was a sort of transition a think. Heavy sound but still ironical lyrics. With this records i felt I wanted to write more serious and personal stuff. As the atmosphere were heavier, I thought that the lyrics too had to reflect this kind of mood. There’s a song about punk and diy, there’s one about death and the end of life we will all have to face, there are also some more militant songs, about feminism, feminicide and freedom from age/gender/sexual orientation stereotypes…

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Agatha'?
When we chose the name we liked it for different reasons, but mostly for the way it sounded

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?
As you might have noticed reading my other answers, we do love playing live. We adore touring, it’s part of our essence as a band. We’re a punk diy band and we exist for playing diy shows, for travelling with our music, for getting in touch with different people and different countries. We truly believe that punk music is more than music and this is because it’s made of connections between people. We met the radest people from all over the world in these ten years and I think we will continue doing this as long as we can. Of course now we can’t tour as we would like, we both have regular jobs and there’s Claudia’s baby, but we still do a lot of shows. I’m still part of a collective organizing shows in squat of Milano, so our normal life is also connected to all this. So I personally can’t name one. Of course opening the Fluff Fest this year was rad, but also doing our release party in a tiny squat with all our friends moshing with tropical flowers and a sun umbrella, or playing in Bologna at the Antimtvday Festival, which was one of the biggest italian diy Festivals, or playing at the Puntala in Finland in 2009, or opening for some band we really like as Kylesa and Dark Castle in 2010.
I would describe our performance in one word: loud!

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
As always we do have touring plans, the problem is that life is shitty and we can’t tour all the time because of our jobs. But we already have so really cool shows already booked till summer 2015: we’re playing again in a festival in Sweden, then in a festival in the South of France and then some other cool stuff in Italy.
Our big big plan for this summer is to come to the States and Canada tat the end of August. We’re focusing on it, and we really would like to.

8.The last album was released on Chaos Rural Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Meeting Chaos rural was one of those incredible meeting diy permits you. When we were looking for labels Mathieu contacted us saying that he really enjoyed “Goatness” and he regretted that he didn’t helped us at that time and that he wanted abolutely release our new record. So everything started. And it was really cool working together on this project from one side to the other of the ocean. And it was really funny after month of mails in english to discover that we were both more comfortable with french!  I really hope to meet them soon in the real life after all these month of virtual conversations.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of sludge, doom metal and punk?
Well the record is having good feedback and we’re really happy. We hope also that in the future i will have more!

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We’re actually not thinking a lot about the future. We’re enjoying playing this record live so we’re not composing new stuff. So I have no idea now what we will have in our crazy heads when we will have to start thinking at the new album!! Surprise!

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?
We both, Claudia and me, have really wide listening's and because of this we both have two another bands where we do totally different stuff. Claudia plays drums in Peublo People, an indie-new folk band and I play bass and sing in The Smudjas, an emo-punk rock. This is because, as I was saying before, we listen really to a lot of stuff. We both have listened to a lot of nineties noise (Unsane. Shellac, Uzeda)l, then to a lot of metal (Slayer, Iron Maiden, Metallica), then Claudia likes a lot of new wave-dark-grunge stuff (Nirvana, Siouxie and the banshee, Alice in Chains) and I am more from the hardcore-punk scene. I think that the bands that influence and have influenced more Agatha are Kylesa, Eye Hate God, Tragedy, His Hero is Gone, Sleep, Om, Catharsis.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Our life is mostly into music, and when we’re no into music unfortunately we have to work (I’m a teacher and Claudia is a web designer) so we don’t have a lot of time left. As I told before I’m part of a feminist collective organizing shows and other stuff (vegan dinners, art projects, workshops) and Claudia is a full time

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

Winterage/The Harmonic Passage/Nadir Music/2015 CD Review

  Winterage  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "The  Harmonic  Passage"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Nadir  Records.

  Dark  and  melancholic  sounding  violins  start  off  the  album  giving  the  music  a  classical  music  feeling  and  after  awhile  flutes  find  their way  onto  the  recording  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  medieval  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  for  more  of  a  power  metal  direction  while  also  mixing  in  the  symphonic  elements  of  the  intro  and  some  of  the  faster  parts  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Vocals  when  they  are  added  into  the  music  all  power  metal  style  singing  and  the  music  also  has  a  folk  metal  feeling  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  that  are  utilized  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  power/speed  metal  while  the  synths  also  bring  in  progressive  rock  elements  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  part  and  as  the  album  progresses  operatic  female  vocals  can  be  heard  on  a  few  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  couple  of  power  ballads  and  instrumentals while  one  of  the  tracks  also brings  in  more  of  an  aggressive  vocal  approach.    

  Winterage  plays  a  style  of  power  metal  that  is  very  heavy,  melodic  and  modern  sounding  which  they  also  mix  in  with  symphonic  and  folk  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  fantasy  themes  as  well  as  being  written  in  both  English  and  Latin.

  In  my  opinion  Winterage  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  power  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Harmonic  Passage"  "Son  Of  Winter"  "Victory  March"  and  "Awakening".  8/5  out  of  10.

   

  

In Other Climes Interview

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

We did a European tour last november. All the shows were great especially in France where we didn't play for a while.
We played new songs and the answer was really positive. We also already started to write new songs for, we hope, an upcoming split cd.



2.In February 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?

This album is once again different from the others and got more hardcore and punk influenced stuff.
Catchy chorus and rock'n'roll solos are still there, but it was done in a different way, with songs done
for live acts. The main thing on this record is that everything was done by ourselves. We did everything
on it : recording, mixing and mastering. It was important to us that the record sounds exactly the way
we wanted, and we are really happy of the result.



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

The album talks about everything from love to hate, from good memories to bad ones.
We are really proud of it because there’s a lot of cool punch lines, simple and easy to remember.



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'In Other Climes'?

There no specific meaning but If i had to give you a meaning, it will be "it's how we see the things".
We always try to renew ourselves on each album, still keeping the essence of In Other Climes and
we do what WE love and what WE want to do, not what others want.



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?

Stage is the most important thing to us from the beginning. It's our battlefield, where we all love
to be and why we all make music. On stage there's no cheating, you only have 30 minutes
to kick ass people and it's what we like. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but whatever
it happens, we always want to make better, even if the show was a pure mayhem.
Concerning the best shows we ever had, i will tell you Wolfsburg and Braunschweig (Germany),
Krakow, Zlotow, Poznan (Poland), Rouen, Limoges, Paris (France) and all the shows we did during
our Brazilian tour. It was a really good experience, very different from USA.



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

We have 2 European tours planed for february and may, few weekend shows and festivals.



7.In September you where a part off a split with 'Confronto', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

We are really big fans of Confronto from the beginning. We met them back to 2008 while touring with our friends Paura (BR).
We did an insane show all together in a small and packed venue in Poland. A really good moment. Since, we did few shows
together and became friends. Last year, Felipe sent me an email asking me if we were interested to make a split cd with them,
I said "yes of course, lets do it !"

 

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

Feedback is being bigger everyday from everywhere in the world and we are really stocked.
Most of the shows and tours we make are really good and the audience is more and more
reactive to our shows, intense pit with everybody's screaming for our right to party.
That's the only rule ah!



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

Fuck the future !



10.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?

We are all listening different kind of music. It goes from Electro or Alternative rock, to Black Metal and Grindcore.
But we all love Metal and Hardcore, fast and groovy rythms, catchy chorus, and heavy breakdowns.
While we were writing to the new album, we were listening to the same bands than ever, Metallica,
early Gallows stuff, Madball, Kickback, Cancer Bats, and many other good bands out there.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Music is our life. Its all about writing, touring, playing, traveling and meeting people.



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

Thanks for the interview. Stay tuned for the upcoming album, music videos and tours.
See you in the pit! 

Halshug/Blodets Band/Southern Lord/2015 CD Review

  Halshug  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  mixture  of  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Blodets  Band"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Southern  Lord.

  A  very  distorted  reverb  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  aggressive  crust  direction  along  with  some  hardcore  style  shouts  and  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  old  school  d  beats  and  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  all  of  the  riffs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  raw  aggression.

  Solos  and  leads  when  they  are  utilized  remain  true  to  a  crustcore  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  are  also  very  short  in  length  with  the  longest  one  being  a  little  over  3  minutes  along  with  the  faster  sections  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Halshug  plays  a  style  of  crust,  d  beat,  and  hardcore  that  is  very  raw  and  heavy  as  well  as  being  very  old  school  and  there  is  never  a  soft  or  weak  moment  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  themes  along  with  the  song s being  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Danish.

  In  my  opinion  Halshug  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  crust,  d  beat  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Inferno"  "Blodets  Band"  and  "Total  Destruktion".  8  out  of  10.  

Snow Burial Interview

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


We are a three-piece band from Chicago that plays heavy and loud music.  There are elements of post-metal, sludge and math-rock throughout the songs, but, really, we just play what we collectively like.  We're all veterans of the midwest music scene and since forming in 2012 we've been working hard to kick ass live and record some cool songs.


2.So far you have released 2 demo's, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

The first release, Oxblood Siren, was intended to be a demo but while we were in the studio we realized that the quality was far above what we expected and decided on the spot to make it 'officially' an EP.  Big time thank you to Shane Hochstetler of Howl Street Recordings for that - we love that place.  The record is made up of the first round of songs we got to jam and write together.

The second EP, Oxblood Tides, is only different in that we had been writing and playing out together for longer. The more you play and write with each other, the more you pick up on what ideas suit each other's style.  You also get better at being in the studio together, so the end product can often end up feeling a lot better even though it's the same guys in the same studio with the same equipment and the same budget.

In a lot of ways they combine to be one album.  Well, one literal way in that we printed up CD's containing both.  It seemed silly to print two different packages when both fit on one disc.


3.On the fb page you refer  to your musical style as 'hipster doom', can you tell us a little bit more about that tag?

Ha! We adopted that after someone on reddit used that as an insult in reference to a video of ours.  Most people never notice.  Honestly we have no idea what "hipster" doom would sound like.  We've got some "doom-y" parts, but those could just as easily be described as sludge or whatever.  There are too many sub-categories in music...
 

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

Most of the lyrics are pretty abstract.  Some are meant to evoke a specific image, some are intentionally creepy and others are just what we felt like shouting about.  For example, "Liars" has some political commentary about surveillance and corruption, but "Burned" is meant to create William Gibson-esque images.  There is no edict within the band about taking a stance or literary references.  We're just as likely to come up with an abstract concept-piece as we are to yell about injustice.


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

We liked the imagery and it's not taken.  That last bit is the hardest nut to crack.


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

Our two favorite shows are probably our last one in Chicago with As Hell, Nonagon (both from Chicago) and Tyranny is Tyranny (Madison) followed by our last show in Milwaukee with Vega, Zebras and Northless.  Great crowds, great bands.  For our shows we commit to leaving every ounce of energy we can onstage.  Never feels right if we walk off calm and collected.  It's a conscious effort, but it's honest. None of us have ever been the type to stand still and shoegaze (even when playing shoegaze).


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

Absolutely!  We're playing Bobby McGee's in late february with a ton of other bands as part of The Metal Experience podcast's event and we're going to hit the road in April for several out-of-town dates throughout the midwest.


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


Labels today are in a funny place.  It's so much easier to demo, record and distribute these days that bands often need exposure/marketing more than anything else.  A lot of that you can do yourself, but it seems like established labels can offer a lot help there.  We're happy doing our own recording, finding art, printing merch, all that. Booking bigger and better shows and getting more ears would be great.  Finding a label for us would really be one that could help out with that piece of it best.


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

Pretty great?  We haven't had the chance to play anywhere but the midwest yet, but we've been in touch with folks all over the world via the internet who have offered nothing but nice words so far.  Well, I guess there was that one redditor, but that's how the internet goes...

Overall everything has been pretty excellent.


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

This summer!  We're going back into record our first "full length" at Howl Street in March.  This time around we're planning on a Vinyl pressing which forces a certain amount of editing on song length and quantity.


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?

There are a TON of bands that we'd all list as influences, but the most obvious influences for me are probably Isis, Mastodon and the Melvins.  Going further down that rabbit hole you can probably include Mogwai, Deftones, Neurosis, Rush, etc, but that can get cumbersome.

In the world of "heavy" I've been enamored with Generation of Vipers latest record. I've also been listening to a lot of the Meters and Chris Smither, neither of which are metal... Andrew's been listening to some Tidal Arms and Brandon's been digging some M83.  Beyond that there are so many dope bands in Chicago that we get to see like Swan King, War Brides, and Electric Hawk.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?

We all love to eat, cook and drink.  There's been such an incredible amount of excellent food and great beer that's shown up over the last few years that it's amazing we haven't given ourselves cardiac disease.  Chicago's fortunate to have so many great restaurants and immigrant neighborhoods where you can get an amazing variety of food.  Add in the explosion of great breweries nearby and it's easy to get swept up in it all.

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


We're super excited to record and hit the road again.  Thanks so much for the interview!
-Ben

Discourse Interview

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

We have a record coming out in late January on Closed Casket Activities. We're playing some fests and most likely touring a good bit off of it in the Spring.

2.You have a new album, coming out this year, how would 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?

It's more focused and straight-forward than our previous stuff.

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

It's maybe half personal stuff, half political. Losing friends & family to drugs & depression, animal rights issues, the police, religion, etc

4.All of the band members are straight edge, do you feel being sober makes you more motivated to write and play music than some of the bands that drink or do drugs?

No, I would never make that generalization.

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

It doesn't have any special meaning.

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

I don't know what you mean about stage performance. Some recent highlights have been FYA Fest 2013 & 14, Rain Fest 2014, and the tour we did with Code Orange and Twitching Tongues.

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

Nothing set in stone yet. We'll be touring around Rain Fest again, and playing New England Metal/Hardcore Fest.

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

Seems like people in Germany and Japan dig our band. I send shirt orders to those countries fairly regularly.

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

Songwriting isn't my department. Hopefully it sounds more like Turmoil.

10.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?

We all dig the early Victory catalogue, plus Indecison, Turmoil, Botch, Coalesce, Cave In, etc.

New bands I fuck with - Criminal Instinct, Angel Du$t, Heavy Chains, Freedom, Modern Pain, Society Sucker

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Skateboarding.

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

Thanks to Justin at Closed Casket. Crush all fakes.