Corpsia/Order From Chaos/Grotesque Records/2015 Demo Review

  Corpsia  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Order  From  Chaos"  which was  released  by Grotesque  Records.

 Alarms  and spoken  word samples  start  off  the  demo  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  makes  a  return  on  one  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  musical  direction  along with  some  melodies  that  start  evolving  the  music more  into  thrash  metal  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.

  While  the  vocals  are  mostly  aggressive  you  can  still  hear  a  touch  of  melody  in  the  way  they  are  delivered  and  the  solos  and  leads  also more  in  a  more  old  school  metal  style  when  they  are  utilized  and some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts   that  are  very heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's.

  Corpsia  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  old  school,  aggressive  and  melodic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  demo  while  the  lyrics  cover  violence and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Corpsia  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo. RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Order  From  Chaos".  8  out  of  10.  

 

      

Acero Letal Interview

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

Javier: Acero had its first steps as “LOUD”, a N.W.O.B.H.M-styled band founded by JAG back in 2007. It quickly adopted the ferocity of speed metal and started writing Spanish lyrics instead of English, as well as expanding its musical influences beyond classic British metal, and after all those stylistic changes took place Acero Letal was born.
2014 was the year when things definitely started to climb up for the band. I joined Acero Letal months after the Evil Confrontation gig (Opening for Satan (UK) and Bulldozer (ITA)), while the single was already half-recorded. After a successful –and short- bass and vocals recording session, I personally asked if I also could handle the production duties instead of the original idea, which was working with a pro-studio in Santiago. Two weeks later, and after a shitload of work in little time the single was done. We played a small gig in Valparaíso with the new formation, but it ended being the first and only show with that line-up.
Of course, this DIDN’T stop us in going on with our musical ambitions, so we sent a promo of the single to recognized international heavy metal labels and we quickly got signed. Now, under the support of a record label and being more experienced than before we immediately started working in the pre-production of our debut album, ‘Culto al Trueno’ which we HOPE to release this year or early 2016. It really depends on our inspiration, as we want to beat the single in every possible way.
JAG is the creative force of the band, main songwriter and lead vocalist. I’ll still play bass for studio recording, but we’ll both share the lead and rhythm guitar duties from now on. For our upcoming album we’ll work with drummer Martín Urbina to complete the studio line-up. He may -or may not- join our forces with us as a full member. (I fuckin’ hope so!!) Also, we’re auditioning a very talented bassist for live duties. If we feel he is the right person for Acero Letal, we’ll offer him a full member pact.
The future rests in our hands now.


2. Recently you have released a 2 song single, 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?

Javier: Most of our songs were written back in 2007-2008, so they don’t differ with the past at all. What makes these songs sound “fresh” is our own heavy/speed metal sound. Among a wide palette of production styles that we had in mind for the single, we had to decide what would fit the best for us (that was a very risky task if you ask me). We go from early N.W.O.B.H.M. classic heavy metal to full blast speed ala Savage Grace/Agent Steel from one song to another and even in-between songs. And to make things worse we also like to evoke a 70’s prog rock ‘feel’ and bring Priest/Accept/Scorpions mid-tempo rhythms also. Now, try to make everything sound RIGHT. What a fuckin’ nightmare. HAHA!!


3. This was the first new material to be released in 5 years; can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time period?

Javier: That’s a heavy conversation. Not today –thanks–

Jag: Hah, took so fucking long to make things happen in the right way. It’s part of this journey.


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

Javier: Metal, Rebellion, the Occult. Nothing too fancy nor subjective. Music comes first; lyrics are secondary to the power of our riffs. They’re rather simple, straight to the point. Our message is clear: to glorify the heavy metal life in every possible way.
We hope to write about more “deep” stuff like social issues, history, personal experiences and go beyond of what’s considered typical “metal” lyrics in the future, but it should be a natural process. Honestly, all we want to do today is to share our passion for 70’s and 80’s classic metal with OUR metal.


5. I know that the band’s name means "Lethal Steel" in Spanish, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Javier: It goes perfectly well with our violent, fast, in-your-face heavy metal.


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?

JAG: Every show is the best for me, because you are feeling the old spirit alive in the air. That’s everything to me, it doesn’t have anything to do with the number of people or the sound production for the show, it has to do with the tremendous feeling that means to play alive, it’s unique, always.

 Our stage performance is pure Heavy Metal passion.


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

JAG: Totally, but they aren’t so serious yet because we are 100% focused on our first LP, but then, the time will come and we want to go and play wherever we can.


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

JAG: It’s been fucking awesome, our 7’’ is getting a second press now, and we are damned honored. We just want to keep it real, keep doing honest music.


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

JAG: All the forces here are aiming to serve ACERO LETAL these days.


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

JAG: For a full length release this year I hope, or early 2016. The band’s heading to Speed Heavy Metal in the old sounding vein in the future.


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?

Javier: Maiden (80-84’), Priest (76-84’), Scorpions (75’-82’), Motörhead (77’-86’), Pokolgep, Aria, Rotor, Slayer (83’), Metallica (83’), Saxon (79’-83’), Accept (82’-85’) Agent Steel (early), Savage Grace, Hell (early), Raven, Tank, Jaguar, Satan, Omen (84’), Ostrogoth (83’-84’), Helloween (85’), Running Wild (84’-85’), Onslaught (early), GBH, Darkthrone (late), Metalucifer, Celtic Frost, Venom,..!!!
Spanish acts: Barón Rojo, Gillman, Retrosatán, Cuero y Metal, Metalmorfosis, V8, Rock Dam, BO2, Thor, Muro, Caid Deceit, Hermética, Ángeles del Infierno, Riff, Vixit, Luzbel, Megaton…
…and also lots of 70’s prog-rock!!!


12. What are some of your non-musical interests?

JAG: Reading novels (love dirt realism), use to write some stuff too. I really like Science. I like to share with artist that may not be into musical creation, it’s a very enriching experience.

Javier: I don’t have any interests in life besides music at the moment.


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

JAG: Thanks to all the true Heavy Metal maniacs out there.

Javier: Behold the triumph of classic rock and heavy metal. Keep the RITUAL alive!!

Ultra-Violence/Deflect The Flow/Candlelight Records/2015 CD Review

  Ultra-Violence  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  modern  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Deflect  the  Flow"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Candlelight  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  screaming  vocals  and  melodic  riffs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  mid  80's  extreme  metal  sound  to  the  bands  musical  style.

  Back  up  gang  shouts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the music  at  times  almost  has  a  death  metal  vibe  and  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  some  songs  along  with  a  few  tracks  that  are long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  bring  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  As  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  tracks  and  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  on  the  aggressive  side  you  can  still  hear  a  touch  of  melody  in  the  way  they  are  delivered  at  times  and  they  also  mix  in  a  touch  of  90's  thrash  at  times  while  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling   as  well  as  adding  blast  beats  in  at  times  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  brutal  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  groove  and  black  metal  in  some  of  the  riffs and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Venom's  "Don't  Burn  The  Witch".

  Ultra-Violence  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  aggressive  and  while  it  shows  off  its  old  school  roots  they  also  expand  the  genre  by  adding  in  more  modern  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violent  and  anti  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ultra-Violence  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  and  aggressive  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burning  Through  Stars"  "Lost  In  Decay"  "The  Checkered  Sun"  and  "Dpmt  Burn  The  Witch".  8  out  of  10.    

  

Raging Dead/Born In Rage/2015 EP Review

  Raging  Dead  ate  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  hard  rock,  horror  punk  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  ep  "Born  In  Rage".

  Dark  sound  effects  and  synths  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  ritualistic  chants  and  after  the intro  the  music  starts  getting  a  lot  more  heavy  and  goes  into  a  punk/metal  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  very  aggressive  sounding  screams.

  At  times  the  vocals  can  get  melodic  and  there  are  also  some  back  up  gang  shouts  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  hardcore  and  some  of  the  solos  and  leads  add  a  touch  of  hard  rock  to  the  music  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Raging  Dead  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  horror  punk  and  mixes  it  with  hardcore,  heavy  metal  and  hard  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Raging  Dead  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  horror  punk,  heavy  metal  and  hard  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Awakening  The  Damned"  and  "Nightstalker".  8  out  of  10.

  

Can Of Soul Interview

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

The project was born in 2012.
I had long since developed several ideas, kept them ready to be arranged and recorded, I felt that time was finally come. I didn't want to wait again with the risk of losing the inspiration and the intention of the songs.
I wrote completely free from mind and music compulsion, the songs that MUST sounds different each other ‘cause every one of it keeps a meaning and has a proper feeling. So there are very violent ones, some more introspective, some dramatic and so on.
A few years earlier Silvio Masanotti, that is a well known sessionman and arranger, worked with me on a couple of tracks for another project, and we promised to record something together. We worked in his studio, hope you appreciate the result. The other engine of the project is the drummer Alex Motta, with whom I share different musical situations, the Hard Rock passion and pleasure for experimentation. Then the Doom sound (especially of 70’s) spellbound both of us!

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

Yes of course, the title is “Hearreality”.
The purpose of music content has no predictable lines, totally free to explain different shades and styles.
The sound environment was born in a dramatic bunch of doomin' feelings, but there's also hope at the end.
The paranormal, the Steampunk and the grotesque, intrigue me, that's why I decided to create characters who act in the songs, each of them with different features, that we perceive in the various sounds that characterize the songs. So you can appreciate all my musical influences: Doom, Thrash, Hardrock, Folk, Metal, Electronic, Industrial, and the challenge it’s been to set all of them into the album line of continuity.
To achieve the result I expected, we put in the songs many instruments: cellos, fiddles, sax, synth, percussions, and electric bass and guitars of course.

3.The lyrics on the album have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical content?

We compared with the label several times, and we decided to communicate that it was a concept Sci-Fi; the short summary: A world dying because of the solar radiation hosts a civilization that is looking for new habitable planets to preserve its species. Once identified a "Land", very different compared to our continuum, the aliens get ready for the invasion by extracting and preserving the "souls" from the bodies to accomplish the space leap without damage. On this assaulted planet there are also mystical entities with supernatural powers who will fight alongside the humans to fend off the invaders whose commanders, once defeated, will be imprisoned.
This is only a summary of a few lines, the storyboard is fairly complex and unfolds in different folders.
I wrote the lyrics with the idea that they might not necessarily be read consecutively following the plot indicated. The main challenge: to make enjoyable songs even without being aware of the concept, also listening to them independently. The lyrics are set to be read consecutively following the plot indicated, I tied them in the hard but I also build them to have a own development and meaning.
Each lyric describes the main acting character actions, is intended as the soundtrack of the events discussed in the lyrics.
Every song will have a customized cover, how you can see some have already been published in the web with the song samples, the key images are those where it will start to develop concept and characters.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Can Of Soul"

Well "Hearreality" is basically a Sci-Fi soundtrack.
I am a Sci-Fi fan, so I wanted to develop the themes that were to be represented by an element that did stand out  immediately the space-technologic-esoteric connotation, "Can" of "Soul" is a moniker that binds perfectly to what I intended to discuss into songs.
The name of a project, in my opinion, should always be evocative and interesting. "Can of Soul", I loved it, It was part of the two or three solutions that would allow me to plan and generate not only music but also multimedia programs.
The project was carried out by the possibility of a media evolution, where every song is intended as the soundtrack of the events treated and can then evolve in new directions.


5.While this is a solo project you do have some other musicians on the album, can you tell us a little bit more about them and what there parts where on the album?

Well, Silvio is an amazing guitarist and arranger, he works with several mainstream Italian Rock/Pop artists, and he’s addicted to Rock and Prog Rock. He has huge and long standing experience, so he’s the guitarist that you can listen in all the album songs, different styles, different sounds, but always awesome in my opinion.
Alex Motta is a friend and a musical partner, we share several hardrock projects. He’s a professional drummer, he plays at the top different styles, he hasn't musical preconceptions and I really appreciate that. He played drums and percussions in all the tracks.
Bass guitar players choice was dictated by the friendship that binds us but even because each one of them express different influences with different techniques than the others.
Mik Villa from Why Out, Alessandro “Ajeje” Petrone (that is also the graphic mastermind that designed with me the album cover and booklet layouts), Mauro “Spookie” Bonfanti from Hand of Doom Milan. I choosed the songs that in my mind fit together with their characteristics and I proposed to them. I guess I was right, we made it with energy, joy and satisfaction.
The other guests are important professionals in the national music scene: Daniele Comoglio, Stefano Cabrera, Riccardo Corso, Matteo Trotta, I refer you to their web pages in order to understand their professional skills and to appreciate their curriculum. All of them played in the past or cooperated with Silvio or with me.
Daniele is “The Sax” behind “Mystic”, Stefano and Matteo are the strings instruments in “My Queen”, and Riccardo gave me an amazing guitar solo in “Dealing”!

6.Is there any plans to make this a live band in the future?

It is a project that can be performed live, we are setting the showcase gigs. Many fans and several people have asked us to carry out the live, it is to meet the basic commitments of the major musicians and we're working on.
The primary intent, at this time is to make the video for the first single, I am currently evaluating different solutions.

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

It’s been very interesting and basically worldwide we’ve received good reviews from South America, USA and Europe, the guys, and I in particular, are very proud of the positive consensus. Then we hope that it’ll grow more every day.


8.Are you currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Yes of course, but just for fun. I’m now focused on Can of Soul project, and it takes the most of my free time.


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

I hope to reach the target of making realize the full project with videos and some other surprises that we mean to realize. I hope that the interest around the project will be so big to allow me to complete it, to a full multimedia level.

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?

Black Sabbath without doubt. I am one of those who think that without them the Metal would never be born. Basically I love anything produced the 70s, Bowie, psychedelic culture...  In Hardrock first of all Deep Purple and a little 'less Led Zeppelin. I'm living between two different personalities related to heavy music. The Hardrock one: ACDC / Kiss / B. Idol / Rainbow / A. Cooper... And the heavier one, represented by Doom and Thrash bands of the 80s and 90s.
The singers that I love the most are those that express personality, without any genre bias, from B. Idol to RJ Dio, from John Waite to Chuck Billy, from Huey Lewis to Geddy Lee or Danzig.
I still listening the bands from 70’s, 80’s and something from 90’s, I’m not so excited from current scene.
Nowadays 2000’s bands, in the underground something from: Furyon, The Music (UK), Black Stone Cherry , Havok and Rev Theory, Filter (USA), Airbourne; in mainstream a bit (but really just a bit) of: Nickelback (Chad Kroeger, in my opinion, one of the best voices of 2000’s), Foo Fighters, Disturbed, Mudvayne, SIxx A.M., Wolfmother. I also love two recent albums from a young act: “The Devil You Know” and “13”!!! J

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Well, I always try to train my body and stay fit. I read a lot of books, when I find time of course! As I told before I love Sci-Fi, then action and thriller movies.

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

Thanks so much for your work, I really appreciate it!
I hope I have intrigued your readers.
Support “Can of Soul”, buy “Hearreality”, visit and comment our FB page!
You're great!
www.facebook.com/canofsoul
www.facebook.com/tomas.tomrocker
ROCKAROLLA!
Tom

Membrane/Reflect Your Pain/Arypeek Music/Basement Apes Ind/2015 CD Review

  Membrane  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Reflect  Your  Pain"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Arypeek  Music  and  Basement  Apes  Ind.

  A  very  distorted  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples    and  a  few  seconds  later  melodic  yet  aggressive  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  which  leads  to  more  of  a  noise  rock  direction  that  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  post  hardcore  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  at  times  the  music  brings  in  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  heaviness  of  metal  and  a  touch  of  industrial  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  while  the  whole  album  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction.

  Membrane  plays  a  style of  noise  rock  that  is  very  dark,  slow,  heavy  and  melodic  and  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  post  hardcore  and  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Membrane  are  a  very  great  sounding  noise  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Face"  and  "Lonesome".  8  out  of  10.  

  

Machines Of Indeterminate Origin/Meat Dog/Calculator/2015 Single Review

  Machines  Of  Indeterminate  Origin  are  a  band  from  Hobart,  Australia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  experimental  form  of  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2015  single  "Meat  Dog/Calculator"  which  consists  of  only  2  songs.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  first  track  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavy  sludge  metal  direction  while  still  keeping  around  the  clean  parts  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  in  the  background  and  the  band  also  mixes  experimental  sound s with  the  heavier  parts  before  the  vocals  start  getting  louder  and  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  direction.

  The  second  track  also  starts  out  with  clean  playing  that  also  somewhat  gives  the  music  more  of  an  alternative  and  also  uses  both  open  notes  and  full  chords  and  after  awhile  th e music  starts  to  get  heavy  and  the song  is  mostly  instrumental  while  still  having  an  atmospheric  edge  at  times


  Machines  Of  Indeterminate  Origin   creates  2  tracks  that  are  very  experimental  and  melodic  while  still  having  a  decent  amount  of  heaviness  to  them,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Machines  Of  Indeterminate  Origin  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  or  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  :Meat  Dog".  8  out  of  10.
 

  

Strong Addiction Interview

1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Anssi: It all started nearly a decade ago, when we were just a teenage guys who wanted to make music. We never made any decisions about the musical style or genres which we should follow, so therefore we have managed to create the style of our own. Basically we want to give unique sound for metal music, and an alternate choice against all the clichés which are running the rock/metal scene nowadays.
Sebastian: Our band has a unique authentic music flavored by metal and rock n sweet ambient of space eternal timeless melodies here to eternity. As a singer i always try to create something new that has'nt done before.

2.Recently you have 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?
Anssi: The style of sounds and ambiance on "Anesthesia" is strong, but also soft in a dreamlike way. You can hear the heavy guitar walls, with a strong and ethereal guitar melodies. The vocals in many songs sounds like something you would hear in a dream, with the massive echoes. The production of the ambiance was a big part of the work with Anesthesia. We wanted to shape the sounds to match the visions of the songs, and again we wanted to have rather "odd" sounds than a pop sound which you can find from many new albums. I guess that the bigger investment on sound production differs from what we have recorded earlier.

3.In 2010 you had released an ep but waited until 2015 to put out a full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the 5 year wait?
Anssi: There's many challenges in writing our music, cause there's no certain reference points to get inspiration from. In past five years we have made some 20 songs, and half of them were scrapped, some of them even before we played them live anywhere. I would say that the quality requirement is far more important for us than the high quantity of albums. We also played a lot of gigs in past five years which slowed the writing even more.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Sebastian: I always write lyrics about my life and experiences of my human relations and how i see the world around me. For example those emotions of cold winter nights to hot summer nights to anywhere.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Strong Addiction'?
Anssi: It's a part of human characteristic to create addictions on different things. Many of those things are something that no one really needs, but some "inner voice" makes people reliant on them. Everyone can find their addictions from 'Strong Addiction'.

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?
Anssi: I'd say that the best shows has been those where we can feel that we are one with the audience. When the stage height isn't separating us from the audience there is lots of positive vibes going on. Then we can fully reach them with our music and with our message. I like to go deep into my thoughts while we are playing live. Then I can play some melodies which I wouldn't play otherwise. Other guys are just letting the music flow, and that's really energetic. I guess that everyone are putting their emotions 100% on the show. It's therapeutic in a way I guess.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of alternative and metal?
Anssi: We have received a lot of positive feedback from different people. We are really grateful of it. Of course I hope to spread the word even further!

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Anssi: At the moment we are just focusing on new songs, and I guess we are going to drop a new lyrics video sometime soon. We also sadly parted our ways with our drummer just a while ago, so we are at the moment searching a new one. When we are done with these tasks, we are definitely going to play a lot of gigs with totally new songs!

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future
Anssi: It's good to keep future open in an artistic way. I guess that the ambiance of our next album is starting to be clear. Anesthesia was a bit dark, and as I said "dreamlike", so we could explore other possibilities in our musical style. When I'm writing music, I like to think that it's made for a movie. I can make a movie script in my mind, and think of the scenes and which kind of music would fit in them. So as the Ansesthesia was perhaps a dark sci-fi film, the next album has a lot of different opportunities. Future will show our way.

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?
Anssi: Our influences stem from many different music genres. From Rock, Metal, Grunge,  Ambient, Progressive, Psychedelic, Classical etc. There's even some cinematic features in our music. It's really hard to pick influential bands because there's so many artists who are inspiring us. Personally I listen to many kinds of music, and I also like to compose cinematic ambient music along with the Strong Addiction.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Anssi: I like to do some visual arts, such as digital art and photographing. I also love astronomy, I have read a lot of books about it. It's something I have been interested since I was a kid. I have found a way to create one totality of my interests. For example when I'm editing my photos or making some other form of visual arts, I like to think about different things while working. Sometimes I even think about some big astronomical theories. That is something which then inspires me to make music.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Anssi: I would like to encourage people to search music more widely over genres. Music has become something that media offers with a huge hype and usually it offers too similar artists. That makes music scene a bit monotonous. Music shouldn't be so categorized as it is nowadays.
Sebastian: Keep on following us, cause we are going to hit big soon.

Harmorage 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?

Daniel : Since the recording ended, we tried to prepare the release of the album. Even though, we could give some shows in the near of our city. We recorded a video clip too, which will be launched in the next weeks, and we worked on the next shows to defend “Psychico Corrosif” on stage the best we could.

2.Recently you have 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?

Nicolas : It's a trash metal album with a hoarse and raw French singing. We wanted to modernize our sound. Our wish was to go further in our trash / heavy sound while bringing things from other styles like from punk hardcore, industrial metal as well as Van Halen styled Rock'n'Roll. Despite all that things, it's trully a French Trash Metal album.

3.This is the first album to be released in 8 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

Nicolas : First, we wanted to make some shows to defend our previous record on stage. After that, we decided to create a new album. We wanted to make it in a pure "Do It Yourself" way. It takes us a little time to organize ourselves to be the most effective in all of the production part. We needed to create our own studio before to get in the creative part of the album. That's what we love : all the reflection, the composition, the song-writing to progressively get the concept for the album. Then, we had a new member in : Bertrand takes the follow on drums. All the time after that was for the recording process, mixing, mastering and so on.

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

Daniel : We write a lot around human and the individual. It goes from thoughts and fears to the place the human takes in today’s society. On “Psychico Corrosif”, we choose to explore two aspects. The first is the impact the society has on individuals, and the second is people’s reaction that these feelings can lead to.

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

Nicolas : "Harmorage" is a mix of "Harmony" and "Rage". It's the way we want our music to be. We try to explore ambient based sounds to dissonance, and served by powerful and full-distorted sounds.

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?

Daniel : The stage is really the place our music takes place and gives the best of it. Our performances should be punchy and full of power. We want to create an alchemy between fans and us. The goal is to share great moments with peoples.

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

Daniel : For now we are just starting the promotion of the album. At the same time, we are just starting to look after gigs. First we mainly want to get on tour in France and our neighbouring countries.

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

Nicolas : It’s the first time we release an album worldwide. The first feedbacks are good but it’s too early to get something meaningful.

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

Nicolas : We don’t want to restrict ourselves. We want to get the freedom to explore new sounds. That’s our guideline. I hope we will keep it for the future. Personally, I would like to go further into violence as well as ambiances while keeping in mind that songs must be great on albums, and explosive on stage.

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?

Daniel : We mainly have three influence sources. The first one is in actual metal bands like Children of Bodom, Black Label Society or Die Apokalyptische Reiter. The second one is with old school bands like Slayer or Motörhead, and the last one is with bands from the independent French punk / metal scene, like Lofofora, Black Bomb A and Tagada Jones.
Nowadays, I’m listening to “L’enfant sauvage” from Gojira, “The Gray Chapter” from Slipknot,  “L’épreuve du contraire” from Lofofora and “Confortable Hate” from Black Bomb A.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Daniel : I like art in general. Any kind of art for their freedom of expression purpose. I like history too or simple things like sport for example.

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

Daniel : I would simply thank you for letting us talk about Harmorage.
Nicolas : Yes, thank you.

Steve Von Till/A Life Unto Itself/Neurot Recordings/2015 CD Review

  Steve  Von  Till  is  a  solo  artist  from  California  best  known  for  his  work  in  Neurosis  and  plays  more  of  a  neo-folk  style  with  his  solos  material  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "A  Life  Unto  Itself"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Neurot  Recordings.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  slides  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  Americana  elements  and  a  few  seconds  alter  clean  singing  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  when  violins  are  utilized  they  add  in  elements  of  Celtic  folk  music  along  with  a  touch  of  avant  garde  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  finger  picking  and  full  chords.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  folk  rock  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  electric  guitar  noises  while  the  main  focus  remains  more  on  an  acoustic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  psychedelic  elements  and  guitar  leads  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  synths  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  tragic  atmosphere.

  Steve  Von  Till  stays  away  from  the  more  heavy  and  experimental  sounds  of  his  other  musical  projects  to  focus  more  on  a  dark  and  melancholic  style  of  folk  music  with  his  acoustic  material,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  metaphysical  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Steve  Von  Till  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark,  neo-folk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Your  Wings"  "Night  Of  the  Moon"  and  "Known  But  Not  Named".  8  out  of  10.

      

Deathwish Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Bitty: Well two of us play in a band called Wartorn, Ryan and myself, and I really wanted to do a project like Motorhead style punk, better known as motorcharged or speed punk-n-roll. So I  asked Sam to drum and got SC to play second guitar.

2.Recently you have released an album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording? Aggressive Motorcharged rock n roll!

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?              Well population Zero is just about how irresponsible humans are with things in general, so they definitely should not be working with nuclear power. An easy example is the Chernobyl disaster but let’s also not forget two civilian targets that were hit in WWII.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Deathwish'?
Besides that bad ass movie? (well just the first one) The song “Deathwish”  was written in solidarity with anyone who has ever been bullied. My experience was that I grew up in the 70's and 80's and as a child I had my first episode with mental illness in 6th grade . I was also put in school early so I was already small but being a year younger I was usually the second smallest in most classes. Punk and skateboarding seemed to be a logical salvation at the same time (but also put another target on my back for bullies) Now if there was something that I figured out early on is there is one thing a bully hates more than themselves is someone who won't give up, give in, and stands their ground . Do whatever you can to give them hell!

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance? We played with EYE HATE GOD at No Tomorrow Fest last year. We played Crust stock 2 with Extinction of Mankind and many other rad bands. We played a great show with Agent Orange in Green Bay, WI but we also have an awesome time at smaller shows and I’m really stoked about the upcoming shows and tours.

6. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album? Yea we are touring with MDC, that starts May 1st in Chicago. When we get back we have two weeks off and we tour with RAW POWER. Then we do a couple dates with Dirty Kid Discount and we’ll play Cruststock 3 and tour back home with THE SYSTEM.

7. The album was released on Beer City Skateboards and Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label? Well my old bands Remission, Default and The Droids worked with them years ago and always was a great easy label to work with as the years went by they now do bands like DRI , Die Kreuzen ,Toxic Reasons , Raw Power and MDC . So i feel even though we are a new band we fit in with the label and label mates. I’m old school so these are all the bands I grew up on . Mike does a great job.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of hardcore punk? Well this is a different for me because with this band we can play a total old school punk show and fit in great, but we can also play a total metal show and fit in just as well. It seems to be a win-win in my opinion because I like a lot of different kinds of music.

9. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future? Another LP that will be pretty much if Motorhead was a punk band and not a metal band and wrote a whole record of raging tunes. We play stuff that moves, so more raging rock-n-roll.

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? Well Motorhead  Inepsy, Midnight and Disfear would definitely be influences. I listen to mostly old school punk and Motorhead. Although everyone in the band has a different taste in music .

11. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? Thanks for the interview and see you on the road!

Evil Force/Ancient Spores/Headbanger Force Productions/2014 CD Review

  Evil  Force  are  a  band  from  Paraguay  that  plays  a  mixture  of  speed  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2014  album  "Ancient  Spores"  which  was  released  by  Headbanger  Force  Productions.

  Dark  sounding  synhs  start  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  goes  into  into  a  speed  metal  direction  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  a  few  seconds  later  aggressive  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  giving  the  music  a  thrash  metal  sound  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  aggressive  and  brutal  and  the  vocals  start  adding  in  more  of  a  thrash  sound  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  while  the  music  style  is  played  in  an  80's  style  and  the  production  makes  the  music  sound  more  modern  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  power  metal  while  the  music  is  too  heavy  for  that  category  and  they  also  bring  in  a  brief  instrumental that  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars..

  Evil  Force  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal  that  brings  in  the  more  aggressive  side  of  the  genre  from  the  80's  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  speed  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  metal,  feelings  and  headbangers.

  In  my  opinion  Evil  Force  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  speed  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Speed  Metal  Evil"  "Burning  Steel"  "Headbanger  Force".  8  out  of  10.

 

    

Space God Ritual Interview

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

Currently we are rehearsing new material in preparation for a new album to be released later this year.

2.In November 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?

The new album (From Void to Ocean) is heavy, atmospheric and contains some of our best lyrics to date. We also endeavored to expand on our arrangements so you can hear more complex song structures and orchestrated  passages than previous albums. So far, From Void to Ocean has the best production of the three we have released. We produce all the music ourselves, so we are constantly learning how to make our albums sound better and better.


3.Your lyrics cover a lot of the writings of H.P Lovecraft, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author and also do you have an interest in the authors that have followed in his footsteps?

H.P Lovecraft pretty much invented horror! His stories have monsters, insanity, cults, ritual murder, whats not to love! As a kid, his writing really fascinated and scared me. It exposed me to this world of cosmic horror where man is insignificant in the shadow of mind bend horrors. Can you imagine the effect that had on a twelve year old? As for those who followed him, there are some who have done excellent work like August Derelith, Robert E. Howard and Brian Lumley while there are others who are pretty forgettable. I tend to stick with the Lovecraft himself.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Space God Ritual"?

Space God Ritual's founder, Lee Waldron, came up with the name in high school just before the band was started. I don't know if there is any kind of meaning behind the name other then it sounds cool. Lee's not here to clarify so i'll leave it at that.

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

In the history of Space God Ritual we have played live three times. Each time was during a significant change in sound and direction and the shows were less then excellent. Since that time we have remained a studio band.

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

We would love to play our music live some time in the future. As of now, however, we have no plans to tour or play live.

7.Recently the new album was released on vinyl, can you tell us a little bit more about this version of the album?

Actually our second album, Eldritch Tales is being released and the vinyl are currently available by Kosmik Artifactz/Bilocation records. We have yet to receive our copies of the records, but we know they come in Purple or black and with a gate fold cover. The master sounds really thick and heavy too!

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

So far the feedback has been very positive. Aside from a few lukewarm reviews our albums get some nice praise and we hear some pretty cool feedback from fans.

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

As of now Space God Ritual is the main focus for all the members. There have been a few side projects here and there: Alexander and Brendan play in Booze Lords together. But other then that most other projects have been shelved for the time being.

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

We would like to play a couple live shows and we have our newest album to record which we want to self release on a vinyl format on our own label, Morose Music.

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 listen to all kinds of things from Pentagram to Frank Zappa. Recently i've been on a Manilla Road kick, and John Carpenter just released his first solo album and i've been really enjoying that too. Mainly, influence for us comes from the books we read and metal is a good vehicle to get our ideas out there.



12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

Occultism does play a role in the music in a kind of 1970's horror movie/comic book kind of way. If anything it inspires the sort of hokey atmosphere we try to capture. As for taking part in actual occult practices, we have little to no interest.

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

Thanks for the interview!

Dygitals/Dynamite/Mausoleum Records/2015 CD Review

  Dygitals  are  a  band from  France  that  has  been  around  since  the  80's  and  plays  a  traditional  form  of    hard  rock/heavy  metal and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2015  album  "Dynamite"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Mausoleum  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  80's  orientated  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  back  up  chorus'es  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  heavy  metal  and  they  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  While  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  the  production  and  technology  gives  the  music  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  hair  metal  in  the  bands  musical  style  of  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  while  the  main  focus  remains  on  a  hard  and  heavy  sound.

  Dygitals  plays  a  style  of  heavy  metal   that  is  rooted  in  the  80's  and  has  a  sound  that  brings  in  some  of  the  heaviness  of  traditional  metal  and  the  melody  of  hair  metal,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dygitals  are  a  very  great  sounding  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  "Dynamite"  "Sin  City"  "No  Way  Out"  and  "End  Of  The  Story".  8  out  of  10.   

Boss Kong Interview

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

We are handsome, loud and handsome. Also, we are apes.

2.How would you describe your musical sound?

Like Motörhead butt-fucking the Anti-Nowhere League. On drugs, obviously.

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

Feelings, gentle lovemaking and long walks on the beach.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Boss Kong"/

It’s the name my mama gave me. I’m not sure what inspired her, but let’s just say she was prone to hallucinations.

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

We only play at Humans parties. They’re the only bikers who can afford our exorbitant fee and provide us with the cocaine and bananas we require. But we’re open to any and all outrageous cash offers from interested parties.

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

We plan to do an extensive tour of the Mekong Delta this summer. It’s gonna be called “Vietnam Part 2: Electric Boogaloo.”

7.The new ep was released through Magic Bullet Records, are you happy with the support they have given you so far?

Magic Bullet supports us like a well-made jock strap: In the only place that counts. They could always write bigger checks, though.

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

They fucking love us, of course. They wanna have our hairy ape babies and erect gold statues in our honor.

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

We’ll be heading into your mother to make some “music” as soon as this interview is over. We’re also working on a new song called “Planet Of The Rapes.”

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

The only influence to speak of is The Sweet’s triumphant B-side “Someone Else Will,” the chorus of which is: “If you don’t go down on us, someone else will.”  Beyond that, we listen to Motörhead, Thin Lizzy and Bon Scott-era AC/DC exclusively.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Fucking, fighting and narcotics. Not necessarily in that order.

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

UUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHH!!!

The Lidocaine Interview

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

Eroz  : The band is doing great. We´ve  finally found a line up where all the musicians see same goal.

Anthony  :Musically the band has larger spectrum than ever, and hopefully also larger audience too.

2.Recently you have 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?

Eroz : The sound on the album is very strong and raw. It was very pleasant to be in the studio because  as soon as we started to play something it was already soundwise very close to what I´ve been hearing inside my head. The 3rd album takes us even further to the progressive metal side. You could say that this 3rd album is more heavier but at the same time there´s even more emotion and also more beautiful things going on.

Anthony : Biggest difference is of course the fact that the line up is different from previous albums. But also the songs themselves are more complex and technically more challenging. All over sound and especially guitar sounds are a lot heavier than on  earlier albums.

3.Originally the band was in more of a  rock direction but have evolved into more of a progressive metal style over the years, what was the decision behind going into this direction?

Anthony : I might be the reason why our style has changed because the other guys have always played more or less metal music. I instead have earlier composed music based more on rock music. And as I changed into more metal style it changed the overall sound.

Eroz : Yes, maybe we kind of drifted into more progressive touch. It has not been an intetional move. we´ve just developed along the way as a band and as musicians and we´ve given ourselves the freedom of compose what ever we want to compose. And if the material is good enough then we´ll use it.

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

Eroz : A lot of my lyrics are just basiclly a stories of my own life. Misery is an endless source of good lyrics and melancholic music!

Anthony : I don´t see that we have any common theme in lyrics. I always make music first and if the music is good enough i make lyrics. And it usually takes half an hour for me to make lyrics to a song. For me music comes first. And as we come from Finland it´s obvious that lyrics are usually melancholic and philosophic.

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

Eroz : We needed a name for the band, Anthony brought "The Lidocaine" up. My suggestion was Dirty old fucks, or something like that!

Anthony : At the time when we needed name for the band i happened to watch a crime document on tv and there was a case where somebody had used lidocaine as a weapon and when i heard the word "lidocaine" i instantly  started to taste it as a band name.So no bigger meaning in that, it just sounds good for me.

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?

Eroz : I´ve really enjoyed our record release parties. Itś a wonderful feeling to play new material alive for the audience that´s right there infront of you. On stage we just try to give it all.

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

Anthony : Even though we just released our third album it´s not easy to book gigs or tours. And as we at the moment don´t have any booking agency behind us it´s even more difficult. And the thing that we are not a mainstrem band makes it even harder but we are hopeful for the future.

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

Eroz : Very good! Glad that you asked "Worldwide" since in Finland the press has absolutely  hated our music and in Sweden too! We´ re still waiting for the reviews of our home country.

Anthony : As the earlier albums have been more to the rock scene so maybe the metal music fans have not found us yet but the first reviews of our new album predicts that we could get new fans from metal music fans. We have always got good reviews in UK and Germany and in slavic countries.

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

Eroz  :I think that we´ve found our own way of doing our music and that´s the way that we´re going to keep on doing.

Anthony  :Yes , we have found something original and it might be a good choice to stick to it. But as the spectrum of our inluences is very very wide you never know what comes next. Melody is the most important thing in song writing for me.

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?

Anthony : Most of the influences are somewhere hidden and you can not hear them straight from our music. But they are there obviously. I started listening progressive rock music, then waded through Bowie, punk, alternative, grunge and then eventually metal music. Nowadays i mostly listen to metal music. Melodic death metal is my favorite genre. Bands like Arch Enemy, Opeth, Amorphis, Omnium Gatherum etc.

Eroz : I listen Behemothś Satanist over and over again, that fucking rocks! Bruce Dickinson is my vocal-god.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Eroz : Bowling and drinking beer.

Anthony  : Movies, photography,dogs, brewing home wine and beer, going out to watch gigs, having long discussions with my wife in the middle of the night and listening to strange music at the same time ...and did i say movies.

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

Eroz  : Enjoy The Chicken Cage of HORROR. Let it poison your brains.

Anthony : If you music lovers out there want to hear new music and if you want that somebody makes new music so go and support it. By bying records and getting out to see bands that you have never heard before  you make it possible. Otherwise original music dies. And what is left then ?

Thundersteel Interview

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

Ćebe:
The band started its journey three years ago as four of us got together. Idea was to play music that we all have sympathies for – classic hard rock / heavy metal. Very soon we released our first EP and shortly after gigs started to flow and we`ve got positive responses both from fans and critics here in Serbia. In time to follow we recorded our first full length album which is now available thought out the world. As for continuation we`ll see what future brings.

So far you have released a demo and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

Đubre:
All the musical sound that we made both on demo and album is presented in spirit of classic heavy metal from the eighties.

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

Miloš:
The inspiration I found for this album lyrics came mostly from the inside of my personality. Sometimes I'm too frustrated with the way things are going on in a modern world and usually I just pull it out from modern problems and put it on paper.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Thundersteel"?

Đubre:
The band was named after Riot`s legendary album Thundersteel.

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

Đubre:
Every time we go on stage we try to give our best and deliver pure energy to the crowd. We like for people to feel the vibe and really get into the show, to be a part of it. In last few months we`ve been doing lots of great show and it`s getting better after each time.

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

Ćebe:
Right now in next few months we`ll be promoting our album and we`ll be playing shows around our country. In July we will be playing on Exit festival which is one of major festivals here in south-eastern Europe. As for tour it would be out greatest wish to run one and promote album in Europe but it is still early to talk about it. The complete tour for us would be very much time and money consuming and we all have our daily jobs and obligations here so it is not so easy just to jump in for it.

The new album was released on Tmina Records, can you tell is a little bit more about this label?

Ćebe:
Tmina records is a sublabel of Grom records which is most known and long lived metal label here in Serbia. When it came to releasing our album we had no doubt for right choice.

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

Ćebe:
As for now things started going very nice. Every day we receive some support from people round the world that find interest in our music. We`ve been on many radio stations and some TV shows also. As we are very new band on the scene we expect this to grow much more in future.

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

Ćebe:
Miloš and I are the part of symphonic metal project called Armageddon. Recently we released a live album and we are recording new studio album for this year.

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

Miloš:
I guess we will keep it up this way but changes are something quite positive in career of any band. It all depends who will be the one that pulls the strings as each one of us is completely different. But whatever happens you won’t be disappointed.

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?

Ćebe:
Well it`s hard to say it short as all four of us are completely different guys with different musical interests. While Đubre and Raša are mostly into metal music Miloš and I are progressive rock oriented. However we found ourselves somewhere in between – on classic heavy metal from eighties for which all four of us have sympathies. If I would start to number bands it would take some time as it is not simple as it looks.

What are some of your non-musical interests?

Ćebe:
Well, again on four different sides. While Đubre is always in love with his motorcycle somewhere on the road Miloš is passionate movie lover and enjoys his screen. I on the other hand collect books and comics and Raša is always present when there is time for beer and party.

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

Best wishes from us to all of you and we hope to see you soon live. Stay heavy!

CalatrilloZ/Psalms Of Zahyim/2015 CD Review

  CalatrilloZ  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  operatic  mixture  of  symphonic  metal  and  progressive  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  release d 2015  album  "Psalms  Of  Zahyim".

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  wit h melodic  guitar  leads  that  dominate  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  some  symphonic  elements  and  clean  singing  vocals  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  mixes  both  classic  and  modern  metal  elements  throughout  the  recording.

  Classical  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  an  operatic  feeling  at  times  and  the  music  at  times  brings  in  a  progressive  style  of  power  metal  which  they  also  mix  in  with  elements  of  prog  metal  and  a  more  mainstream  style  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal

  CalatrilloZ  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  symphonic  metal,  opera  and  progressive  rock  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  ow,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  CalatrilloZ  are  a  very  great  sounding  operatic  mixture  of  symphonic  metal  and  progressive  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lords  Of  Misery"  and  "The  psychopath".  8  out  of  10.    

Obsidian Sea/Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions/Serpent Eve Records/2015 CD Review

  Obsidian  Sea  are  a  band  from  Bulgaria  that  plays  a  traditional  form  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  'Dreams,  Illusions,  Obsessions"  which  was  released  by  Serpent  Eve  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  riffs  also b ring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  the  band  uses  are  all  in  a  clean  singing  direction  and  the  solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  also  remains  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  doom  metal.

  While  the  music  is  rooted  in  a  70's  and  80's  style  of  doom  metal  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  whole  album  sticks  to  a  very  slow,  dark  yet  heavy  musical  direction  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Obsidian  Sea  plays  a  style  of  doom  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  70's  or  80's  but  with  more  modern  equipment  and  technology,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mythology,  doom  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Obsidian  Sea  are  a  very  great  sounding  traditional  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album>  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Confession"  and  "The  Fatalist".  8  out  of  10.     

Naive/Altra/2015 CD Review

  Naive  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  trip  hop,  electro  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  release d 2015  album  "Altra".

  Electronic  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  element s of  trip  hop  which  they  mix  in  with  the  heavier  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  take s the  music  into  more  of  a  modern  metal  direction  and  when  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are in  a  clean  signing  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  post  rock  in  their  musical  style.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  atmospheric  and  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  riffs  and  melodies  that  would  be  suitable  for  radio  play  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  some  of  the  heavier  riffs  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  alternative  and  nu  metal  but  done  in  a  more  modern  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  powerful  sound  to  them  and  on  the  last  rack  violins  are  added  into  the  music.

  Naive  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  modern  style  of  metal  which  they  mix  with  trip  hop  and  electro  music  along  with  a  touch  of  alternative  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Naive  ate  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  trip  hop,  electro  and  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Elevate  Levitate"  "Monument  Size"  and  "Altra".  8  out  of  10.
 

  

Killer/Monster Of Rock/Maulsoleum Records/2015 CD Review

  Killer  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  around  for  more  than  30  years  and  plays  a  mixture  of  heavy  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Monster  Of  Rock"  which  will b e  released  in  May  by  Maulsoleum  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  solos  and  leads  that  dominate  throughout  the  recording  and  when  vocals  are  added  into t he  music  they  are  very  rough  but  still  in  a  clean  singing  direction  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  while  the  production  and  technology  gives  the  music  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  a  mid  70's  to  early  80's  style  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  mid  80's  to  early  90's  Judas  priest  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  power  ballad  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  is  added  onto  the  recording  while t he  rest  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  hard  and  heavy  style  of  metal  and  rock  while  the album  does  close  with  another  power  ballad.

  Killer  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  purely  in  the  80's  direction  of  metal  but  done  with  an  updated  take  and  the  us e of  more  modern  equipment,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  rock,  metal,  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Killer  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Monsters  Of  Rock"  "Back  To  The  Roots"  "Forever  metal"  and  "Fake".  8  out  of  10.    

Gothic Fate/Illuminati/Skol Records. 2015 CD Re-Issue Review

  Gothic  Fate  where  a  band  from  Germany  that  played  an  old  school  form  of  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2005  album  "Illuminati"  which  was  re-issued  by  Skol  Records  in  the  year  of  2015.

  A  very  hard,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  that  also  get  very  high  pitched  at  times  and  the  music  also  sounds  very  modern  for  the  era  it  was  recorded.

  You  can  hear  some  elements  of  80's  German  and  American  power  metal  in t he  bands  musical  style  along  with  an  influence  from  Painkiller  era  Judas  Priest  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  power  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  some  aggressive  and  demonic  vocals  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  some  songs  also  have  a  symphonic  and  epic  feeling  at  times  as  well  as  using  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  while  the  main  focus  remains  on  a  heavy  and  melodic  power  metal  style.

  Gothic  Fate  played  a  style  of  power  metal  that  was  very  original  but  still  sounded  very  modern for  the  time  it  was  released,  the production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover  dark,  fantasy,  mythological  and  conspiracy  theory  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gothic  Fate  where  a  very  great  sounding  power  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Enemy"  "Bleed"  "Deny  The  Gods"  and  "Pride".  8  out  of  10.