Circle II Circle/Seasons Will Fall/Armoury/2013 CD Review

  Circle  II  Circle  are  a  band  from  Florida  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  progressive  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Seasons  Will  Fall"  which  was  released  by  Armoury  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  dark  sound  to  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they h ave  a  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  old  school  power/progressive  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  in  the  riffing a s  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  while t he  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  bring  a  power  ballad  feeling  to  the  recording.

  Vocals a re  all  clean  singing  power/heavy  metal  vocals  which  go  back  to  the  classic  metal sound,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it w here  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Circle  II  Circle  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  power/progressive  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diamond  Blade"  "End  Of  Emotion"  "Sweet  Despair"  and  "Omly  Today".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Raedon Kong Interview

 1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
We are Raedon Kong, a two piece soon to be three piece, experimental, heavy, psychedelic, progressive, melodic rock band from Lafayette, Louisiana. We are a guitar player (Stephen Sheppert) and a drummer (Dave Leonard)…we both sing, though Stephen takes on lead vocals-he’s got a better voice than I haha!  We also incorporate synth textures via a roland PK-5A pedal, similar to Geddy Lee’s setup.  The bass signal is the result of a signal splitter through a series of octave/distortion pedals to add low end.  We write a lot of music, that’s our main focus right now, just writing more ideas.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Our sound is, from what we think as well as feedback from others, a hybrid cross pollination of heavy bands like Yob, Isis, Neurosis, Mastodon, Zeni Geva and a lot of King Crimson, so a lot of early prog vibes going on in there as well in terms of structure and flow..i’ve even heard references to bands like Big Black, Fuckin Champs, The Police, Sonic Youth ..

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
As far as lyrics go, we write a lot about man’s nature as well as personal perspective, inner turmoil, brooding ,existential type subject matter  also some political stuff, nothing preachy, just writing’s on the wall kinda stuff, metaphorical mostly, creating apocalyptic scenes via lyrics.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Raedon Kong came from Rae Dawn Chong, the daughter of Tommy Chong. She was in some cool movies back in the 80’s.  Commando is the one that comes to mind.  Stephen came up with it, and we agreed that it sounded huge, so we kept it.

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

We actually haven’t played that many shows, but my most memorable one would be a skate bowl jam on Mardi Gras(Fat Tuesday) in 2012 in Lafayette.  It was rad to be rocking out to a bunch of local rippers jammin down in front of us.  That was awesome!!

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

No touring plans right now, if something arises in the future we’ll see but we’re pretty much locals due to jobs, bills and family life but we are open to possibilities.

7. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

Honestly we don’t know much about record labels or what they really do for bands.  We’ve talked about getting onto a record label and getting a demo/press kit together.  It would be really cool to get onto a label that could do things for us that we could not manage on our own, but in today’s environment it’s not necessary.  A band can generate their own buzz and do their own thing without the help of a label.

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

We get really positive feedback from everyone that hears our music.  Many people from other  countries have responded positively to us, so it’s reassuring to us that our music is striking chords within people everywhere. It’s a good feeling to know that the result of our efforts and passion is inclusive not exclusive.

9. Are there any other musical projects or is this a full time line up?

Raedon Kong is full time number 1 project/band/group whatever you want to call it.  There have been some side projects here and there but they never measure up so they fizzle out.

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

Well our newer material will be approaching or should I say going back to a more technical  vibe…not for the sake of exhibition, but we have things to say and these ideas come up and this is where we are at right now…we try to always have some kind of melodic purpose in our music and the newer material will be no exception to that, but I’ll say this, we have some really inspired material that we’ve tapped into. Definitely some new doors opening up.

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

We grew up listening to all sorts (classic rock, 80’s radio hits, got into Iron Maiden and Metallica somewhere in the mid 80’s).  (Dave )- In the 90’s I was listening to things like Samhain, Napalm Death, Confessor and early Corrosion of Conformity, 80’s era punk and Hardcore(American European Japanese) as well as getting back into earlier things like early Rush albums and a lot of jazz and fusion music at this time…started getting into Black Sabbath…now I listen to anything that anyone wants me to hear.. as well as all of those things that came before. (Stephen)  Luckily my Dad was a musician with diverse musical taste, I was exposed to a lot of Pink Floyd, Sabbath, Miles Davis, Zappa, just about everything.  Then hair metal bands like Whitesnake, GNR, Steve Vai and Motley Crue came around.  After grunge, record labels like amphetamine reptile, hydrahead, relapse, etc. had tons of interesting bands covering the avant-garde spectrum.  Dazzling Killmen, Keelhaul, Zeni Geva, Hammerhead, early Today is the Day, Coalesce and Dillinger Escape Plan hit pretty hard.  

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

 Skateboarding is a passion in our lives.  Also family stuff like growing gardens, raising families, etc.

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

 Thanks for the interest in our music and for this interview. We hope those that have come to like our music will tell their friends about us and we really appreciate all of the feedback we’ve received so far, it’s inspiring  thanks.

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Hatriot Interview

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

The album, “Heroes or Origin” just came out on Massacre Records and we are working hard to get the word out, trying to let all the fans know about it.  We are also working on getting a full time booking agent to put Hatriot out on the road.  We are ready to get out there and push this thing to the people.



How would you describe the musical sound of the new album?

I tell people that this is a heavier version of Exodus, sort of like ‘Tempo Of The Damned’ but more intense and more brutal.  It is definitely thrash metal, there’s no doubt about that, but there are some extreme metal influences thrown in there as well, and a lot of that has to do with how young my band mates are.  They have a whole other batch of influences that we put into our thrash metal.  It is fucking heavy stuff!



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

I am a dark and sinister type of guy when it comes to lyrics.  I write about anything that intrigues me, and that is usually horror movies, zombies and vampires, school shootings, suicide bombers, and things like that.  You will never get a love song from Zetro, unless it is a song about no love.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

The word Hatriot comes from the Exodus song ‘Scar Spangled Banner,’ where I say “I’m no patriot, just a hatriot.”  The word means a person who loves their country but disagrees with the government and the way things are handled in politics.  I felt that it was a very strong and powerful term, plus it ties this band to my days with Exodus, so it seemed like the perfect name for a brutal thrash metal band.



What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We have done a handful of shows here in California and those have been mainly with bigger national bands like Testament, Forbidden, and Death Angel.  They were obviously very good shows to play and we were honored to be on the bill and in front of those bands’ fan bases.  Our stage performance is very intense.  We don’t stop and chit chat between songs or anything like that.  We start the show and pummel the crowd the entire set without stopping.  Our show is all about intensity.


Do you have any touring plans for the future?
We are working on that now actually.  Our management has been talking with some agents and there are some leads coming in.  A lot more offers should come in once we see how many records are selling.  It is our goal to get to as many places around the world as possible.  There are metal heads in every corner of the earth and I plan on reaching as many as we can.


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

It has been amazing.  The fans of what I did with Exodus back in the day are rejoicing over Hatriot.  I didn’t go soft on them.  I may be 48 years old but I thrash harder than anybody.  The feedback has been great and we have been receiving stellar reviews in the press as well.  Everyone is hearing this album and realizing that it isn’t a gimmick with my kids in the band and it isn’t some half ass side project.  Hatriot is the real deal and we are set to destroy.


Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Nope.  Hatriot is all I am doing from now on.  Dublin Death Patrol is basically over with.  I wrote some lyrics for the past couple Testament albums but I think I am done with that too.  I am devoting all my energy to Hatriot and it is my goal to make this band a big name in the metal world.  It will happen you can mark my words.

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

I would say it is only going to get heavier.  Hatriot is already well into the second album as far as writing goes, and it is a continuation of what we did on ‘Heroes Of Origin.’  I truly believe that is our signature sound and we are going to continue down that path with future records.


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

As far as me personally I love all the old classic hard rock and metal, bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon, Dio, Black Sabbath, UFO, and the list goes on.  I like a lot of modern bands of today as well, such as Shadows Fall and Slipknot.  I think they are fucking great.  As for the bands’ influences, you have to remember the guys in Hatriot are a lot younger, so they are into more extreme music.  Kosta loves the Florida death metal scene, bands like Death and Malevolent Creation.  My sons are into modern extreme death metal.


Outside of music what are some of your interests?
I’m a family man first and foremost.  I have an amazing girlfriend and she and her sons live with me, so I do the father figure thing at home and that is a very cool thing.  I am also into football and other sports.  Right now I am on a health kick, basically trying to get in shape for the tour, so I am into running and working out.  I am an avid horror movie fan and I watch as many as I have time for, and I am actually adding classic horror characters to my tattoos.  I am working on a classic horror sleeve right now.


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

I just want to thank you for the interview and thank all the fans for sticking by me and for following all the chapters in my career.  Hatriot is going to be a strong force in heavy metal for many years to come and I owe it to the fans more their support.  I can’t wait to see you all on tour!  Cheers - ZETRO

The Omega Experiment/Self Titled/Listenable Records/2013 CD Review

  The  Omega  Experiment  are  a  band  from  Michigan  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  experimental form  of  heavy/power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2013  album  which  will  be  released  by  Listenable  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  some  fast  drumming  and  blast  beats  being  used  briefly,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  progressive  and  experimental  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from s low  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  progressive,  experimental,  heavy  and  power  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  post  metal  elements  and  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  some  soft  and  clean  playing  in  addition t here  are  a  great  amount  of  non  metal  influences  in  the  songs,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  and  progressive  sounding  heavy  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  briefly  and  use  full  chords  to  add  more  variety  to  the  recording..

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  traditional  metal  vocals  which  use  some  power  metal  elements  at  times  along  with  some  spoken  word  elements  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls  that  bring  in  a  death  metal  influence,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  The  Omega  Experiment  are  a  very  great  and  original  sounding   experimental  and  progressive  metal  band  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  that  is  very  different  and  experimental,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stimulus"  "Furor"  "Karma"  and  "Terminus".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Ion Vein/IV v 2.0/Mortal Music/2012 EP Review

  Ion  Vein  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  very  modern  form  of  power/progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  ep  "IV  v  2.0"  which  was  released  by  Mortal  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  not  much  in t he  way  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing t hat  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  power  and  progressive  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  thrash  and  speed  metal  influences,  while the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads, a s  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they are  only  used  briefly  on  the  last  song  and  they  use  full  chords  to  add  more  progressive  metal  touches  to  the r ecording.

  Vocals  range  from  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  to  some  more  aggressive  shouting  parts  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can h ear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Ion  Vein  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  day  hybrid  of  power  and  progressive  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Fools  Parade".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

   

    

Kemilon/Twisted Storm/Maple Metal Records/2012 CD Review

  Kemilon  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Twisted  Storm"  which  was  released  by  Maple  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  synths  being  a  very  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  progressive  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  power  and  progressive  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars a re  very  melodic  and  progressive  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  with  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  screams  being  utilized  on  one  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  heavy  metal  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t his  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  

  In  my  opinion  Kemilon  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  power  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Gates  Of  Heavy  Metal"  "Sons  of  Lies"  "Warriors  Of  Space"  and  "Twisted  Storm".  RECOMMENDED  BUY. 

Eclipse Prophecy/Days Of Judgement/Maple Metal Records/2013 CD Review

  Eclipse  Prophecy  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Days  Of  Judgement"  which  was  released  by  Maple  Metal  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on t his  recording,  while  the  synths  when  they  are  utilized  bring  a  very  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  progressive  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  modern  day  power  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  in  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  power  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  some  deep  demonic  growls  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  fantasy  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  adding  a  modern  day  touch  to  the  power  metal  genre  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Eclipse  Prophecy  are  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  "Under  Shadow"s  Veil"  "Circle  Of  Torments"  "Legions  Of  The  Cross"  and  "Inferno".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.