The Birthday Massacre, The Fleece, Bristol
After hearing that The Birthday Massacre were doing a tour and playing what seems to be the Musipedia's second home for gigs, Bristol, Me, Nicola and Dan jumped at the chance to go see the
Canadian Darkwave sextet.
Walking into the Fleece, we are greeted by the dirty synth-tinged sounds of Stereo Juggernaut (7) of whom we only manage to catch a few songs. Definitely one to keep an eye on. After a sound check, The Dead Betas (4) enter the stage dancing to Haddaway's What Is Love. However, this is the highlight of their set. Their sound may be to some people's taste, but their synth-punk noise isn't great, at times sounding like a bad tribute act to the Sex Pistols. Overall, slightly disappointing.
The same can be said about Among The Echoes (6) visually covering the musical spectrum from death metal to goth to Bono. Musically, the band are great, but lead singer Ian Wall's vocals are just lacking for want of a better word. His voice never seems to rise above the rest of the band's sound, and when it does, makes every song sound like a dirge. Essentially, they make you think that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Finally The Birthday Massacre (9) enter the stage and break immediately into Broken, alleviating any worries that tonight was a waste. The band are constantly engaging, lead singer Chibi joking with guitarist Rainbow, the entire band working together like a close-knit family. The main thing I seem to notice about the Birthday Massacre is that there's very little banter between each song. A few words, the odd joke then the band blast into yet another classic.
Chibi's vocals are great, moving from haunting clean vocals to sinister growls effortlessly, all fitting perfectly with the synths of Owen on keyboards. It's all brought together by Falcore's lead guitar, Rhim's percussion and the aforementioned Rainbow who also provides the backing vocals on most songs. The band's sound is tight, and apart from some technical difficulties with Rainbow's guitar at the beginning of the set, and one occasion in which Chibi's microphone seemed to cut out, the band blow us away, the crowd bouncing and swaying to every song. An excellent finish to a somewhat mixed bag of a night.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Saturday, 8 October 2016
Reviews: Van Der Graaf Generator, Red Fang, Dynazty
Van Der Graaf Generator: Do Not Disturb (Esoteric Recordings)
The VDGG are a different beast to the one that arrived with huge dollop of weirdness back in 1967, the line up has remained reasonably consistent since 1968, really only decreasing to the three piece they are now. The saxophones of Dave Jackson that were used liberally in the early years have all but been replaced, but the constant presence that is Peter Hammill remains at full strength. His guitar, piano, keys and of course vocals are the major elements of the band, the vocals particularly are what separate them from many of the other 'prog' bands out there at that time. His languid, slightly aggressive, vocal delivery is is trademark, only truly being echoed by the vocals of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson (but his lower register not the Air-Raid siren highs).
Do Not Disturb is the bands 13th album overall and it has claimed to be their last, so how does it measure up to their legacy. Well the record sees VDGG in reflective, sombre mood, no they've never been the most upbeat of bands as much of their back catalogue is from the darker end of the musical spectrum but Do Not Disturb seems to be more reflective than ever, almost like the band are coming to terms with their legacy. Hammill once again becomes the ultimate narrator for the lyrics while the music from himself, drummer Guy Evans and organist/bassist Hugh Banton is as off-kilter, technically impressive, aurally striking and downright weird as normal, but as I've said this time wrapped in a bittersweet coating.
Evans' drumming is frenetic, evocative and scientific, with Banton's organs taking up the slack left by Jackson's departure more so on this record than ever before, they are keys to the more orchestral offerings such as Alfa Berlina. The combination of the insistent drums, overwhelming organs, mellifluous guitars, introspective pianos and Hammill's unique vocals means that Do Not Disturb is a more vicious beast than previous efforts, it has a defiance that screams VDGG are not going down without a fight. As is normal the record is a melting pot of genres with jazz cutting into the proggier than thou rocker (Oh No I Must Have Said) Yes, Canterbury folk on Forever Falling, flagrant Floydisms with Brought To Book all of which leading to the finale of Go which suddenly casts the dark cloud over the record in it's closing moments. If as Hammill says this is the final VDGG record then it's a triumphant and fitting end to this always interesting, never compromising, influential group. 8/10
Red Fang: Only Ghosts (Relapse)
Three solid years of touring have paid dividends Red Fang sound at their best, honing their impressive live talents and putting them down on record for the first time. Flies is a pounding hard rocker that takes the Motörhead style of raw speed and fuzz riffs, the dual vocals coming into their own while a few psych elements creep in with the synths. On Cut It Short they add some groove with throbbing bass and a start stop rhythm relies heavily on the clean vocals and it's to its benefit, there's a touch too of grunge to the track, it also has a great break in the final third with excellent drum fills on the track that sounds a lot like QOTSA.
It leads into the feedback filled Flames which serves as an outro that builds into the down-tuned disconcerting aggressiveness of No Air. Red Fang have always had more of a hard rock sometimes punkier sound than many of their contemporaries it shows on the riotous Shadows and the snotty Not For You both of which have a D.I.Y ethos, albeit with better production values. Only Ghosts is the strongest effort from Red Fang yet moving away from the Mastodon style in their early sound and fleshing out to broader boundaries. A strong return from Red Fang especially if you love your rock/metal chocked full of riffs. 7/10
The VDGG are a different beast to the one that arrived with huge dollop of weirdness back in 1967, the line up has remained reasonably consistent since 1968, really only decreasing to the three piece they are now. The saxophones of Dave Jackson that were used liberally in the early years have all but been replaced, but the constant presence that is Peter Hammill remains at full strength. His guitar, piano, keys and of course vocals are the major elements of the band, the vocals particularly are what separate them from many of the other 'prog' bands out there at that time. His languid, slightly aggressive, vocal delivery is is trademark, only truly being echoed by the vocals of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson (but his lower register not the Air-Raid siren highs).
Do Not Disturb is the bands 13th album overall and it has claimed to be their last, so how does it measure up to their legacy. Well the record sees VDGG in reflective, sombre mood, no they've never been the most upbeat of bands as much of their back catalogue is from the darker end of the musical spectrum but Do Not Disturb seems to be more reflective than ever, almost like the band are coming to terms with their legacy. Hammill once again becomes the ultimate narrator for the lyrics while the music from himself, drummer Guy Evans and organist/bassist Hugh Banton is as off-kilter, technically impressive, aurally striking and downright weird as normal, but as I've said this time wrapped in a bittersweet coating.
Evans' drumming is frenetic, evocative and scientific, with Banton's organs taking up the slack left by Jackson's departure more so on this record than ever before, they are keys to the more orchestral offerings such as Alfa Berlina. The combination of the insistent drums, overwhelming organs, mellifluous guitars, introspective pianos and Hammill's unique vocals means that Do Not Disturb is a more vicious beast than previous efforts, it has a defiance that screams VDGG are not going down without a fight. As is normal the record is a melting pot of genres with jazz cutting into the proggier than thou rocker (Oh No I Must Have Said) Yes, Canterbury folk on Forever Falling, flagrant Floydisms with Brought To Book all of which leading to the finale of Go which suddenly casts the dark cloud over the record in it's closing moments. If as Hammill says this is the final VDGG record then it's a triumphant and fitting end to this always interesting, never compromising, influential group. 8/10
Red Fang: Only Ghosts (Relapse)
Three solid years of touring have paid dividends Red Fang sound at their best, honing their impressive live talents and putting them down on record for the first time. Flies is a pounding hard rocker that takes the Motörhead style of raw speed and fuzz riffs, the dual vocals coming into their own while a few psych elements creep in with the synths. On Cut It Short they add some groove with throbbing bass and a start stop rhythm relies heavily on the clean vocals and it's to its benefit, there's a touch too of grunge to the track, it also has a great break in the final third with excellent drum fills on the track that sounds a lot like QOTSA.
It leads into the feedback filled Flames which serves as an outro that builds into the down-tuned disconcerting aggressiveness of No Air. Red Fang have always had more of a hard rock sometimes punkier sound than many of their contemporaries it shows on the riotous Shadows and the snotty Not For You both of which have a D.I.Y ethos, albeit with better production values. Only Ghosts is the strongest effort from Red Fang yet moving away from the Mastodon style in their early sound and fleshing out to broader boundaries. A strong return from Red Fang especially if you love your rock/metal chocked full of riffs. 7/10
Dynazty: Titanic Mass (Spinefarm)
Swedes Dynazty (terrible spelling) play a direct, punchy style of power metal that uses synths and electronics to bolster their sound. The Human Paradox starts the album off with the Rob and Mike's dual guitars powering the track along with the pulsing electronics, a fantastic opening song that hooks you into Dynazty's sound. It's really a sign of things to come as the rest of the album continues in a similar way, they sound a lot like Amaranthe and the more modern releases from legend Stratovarius, George's double kick drums and Johnathan's bass driving the songs with a bounce but it's really the synths that give this album it's incredible sound, it's in your face and direct with every song just ramped up to maximum, much of this is due to frontman Nils' impassioned vocals that can melt the hearts of the hardest naysayer and it's all bolstered by Pain's Peter Tägtgren production, he's the reason this album is heavy and danceable.
The solos fly between the two guitarists but they never intrude on a great chorus, songs such as Roar Of The Underdog merge both impressively it's a chest beating track with a one-against-all theme to it. The title track and Keys To Paradise continue with the theme of the record managing to meld Maiden with electro excellently, Keys To Paradise also acknowledging the influence of Symphony X, finally the band ease off the gas on the chugging I Want To Live Forever which is a dramatic middle to the record and the last track The Smoking Gun is an orchestral climax worth waiting for. Titanic Mass is a great power metal album and one that makes me very excited to see them later this month! 8/10
Friday, 7 October 2016
Reviews: The Radio Sun, Anciients, Fallen Temples
The Radio Sun: Outside Looking In (Melodic Rock Records)
The Radio Sun are an Australian AOR band that are trying to compete with the huge rise in Scandinavian melodic rock that has been on the rise since the millennium. Luckily TRS have maintained their high strike rate from their debut and second record. The songs hark back to the glory days of AOR when Journey, Reo Speedwagon, Night Ranger all ruled the airwaves but they add bands such as Firehouse, Trixter and Mr Big to the mix due to the sublime vocal harmonies and guitar driven nature of the songs. The opening few songs are all bouncy radio bothering melodic rock driven by a steady rhythm section and huge vocal hooks. The guitars are clean and biting, blending with the keys that are obligatory in this kind of music.
All the instruments are vital to the sound with nothing taking precedence until the sparkling guitar solos of course but even then the rigorous rhythm keeps beating. Guitarist Stevie Janevski is also in Aussie power metal band Black Majesty this link is evident on the rockier strains of One Of These Days. What I love about this band that all of their songs are bright, sunny and upbeat even on the more romantic numbers such as the title track they have a hopeful outlook. They've managed to bring in a couple of guests to with Nelson six stringer supplying a solo to Falling For You and ex-Danger Danger vocalist duetting with Jason Old on Wink & A Smile.
It's the kind of AOR I love unashamedly bright and breezy but with a solid level of musicianship underpinning it. Chock full of melodic rock anthems, fist clenching rockers such as Bulletproof and saccharine ballads like Baby Blue, Outside Looking In is the fine third album from this Australian band who have taken what they have done before and refined it yet again. They make it sound easy and it's a triumph yet again. 8/10
Anciients: Voice From The Void (Seasons Of Mist)
I'll admit I've never heard of Anciients but this Canadian act touted a progressive metal band and it's hard to argue because this second full length is full of complicated musicianship, intense time changes and big slabs of heaviness. The band sound a lot like Mastodon they have a percussive force that rivals Brann Dailor and co. They also have the dual guttural clean vocal sound of the Atlanta band with guitarists/vocalists Chris Dyck and Paul Cook both sharing vocal duties. The cleans have the Southern drawl to them but the guttural roars sound a lot like his Opethness Mr Akerfeldt.
This album has rock hooks slipped into overarching heaviness, Buried In Sand is a testament to this with classic rock guitar solos coming after a slow sludge metal build before Mike Hannays' drums power the middle section while Boons bass keeps the pace until the track explodes into its most melodic part. Driven by hard rock melody, overshadowed by metallic heaviness and underpinned by groove Voice From The Void lives up to billing as a hotly anticipated release, it's music packed with riffs, shifting time signatures and intense guitar workouts. If you worship at the altar of Mastodon and yearn for Opeth to return to their Blackwater Park days then Anciients will fulfil those desires with gusto. 7/10
Fallen Temples: The Future We Left Behind (Self Released)
The Radio Sun are an Australian AOR band that are trying to compete with the huge rise in Scandinavian melodic rock that has been on the rise since the millennium. Luckily TRS have maintained their high strike rate from their debut and second record. The songs hark back to the glory days of AOR when Journey, Reo Speedwagon, Night Ranger all ruled the airwaves but they add bands such as Firehouse, Trixter and Mr Big to the mix due to the sublime vocal harmonies and guitar driven nature of the songs. The opening few songs are all bouncy radio bothering melodic rock driven by a steady rhythm section and huge vocal hooks. The guitars are clean and biting, blending with the keys that are obligatory in this kind of music.
All the instruments are vital to the sound with nothing taking precedence until the sparkling guitar solos of course but even then the rigorous rhythm keeps beating. Guitarist Stevie Janevski is also in Aussie power metal band Black Majesty this link is evident on the rockier strains of One Of These Days. What I love about this band that all of their songs are bright, sunny and upbeat even on the more romantic numbers such as the title track they have a hopeful outlook. They've managed to bring in a couple of guests to with Nelson six stringer supplying a solo to Falling For You and ex-Danger Danger vocalist duetting with Jason Old on Wink & A Smile.
It's the kind of AOR I love unashamedly bright and breezy but with a solid level of musicianship underpinning it. Chock full of melodic rock anthems, fist clenching rockers such as Bulletproof and saccharine ballads like Baby Blue, Outside Looking In is the fine third album from this Australian band who have taken what they have done before and refined it yet again. They make it sound easy and it's a triumph yet again. 8/10
Anciients: Voice From The Void (Seasons Of Mist)
I'll admit I've never heard of Anciients but this Canadian act touted a progressive metal band and it's hard to argue because this second full length is full of complicated musicianship, intense time changes and big slabs of heaviness. The band sound a lot like Mastodon they have a percussive force that rivals Brann Dailor and co. They also have the dual guttural clean vocal sound of the Atlanta band with guitarists/vocalists Chris Dyck and Paul Cook both sharing vocal duties. The cleans have the Southern drawl to them but the guttural roars sound a lot like his Opethness Mr Akerfeldt.
This album has rock hooks slipped into overarching heaviness, Buried In Sand is a testament to this with classic rock guitar solos coming after a slow sludge metal build before Mike Hannays' drums power the middle section while Boons bass keeps the pace until the track explodes into its most melodic part. Driven by hard rock melody, overshadowed by metallic heaviness and underpinned by groove Voice From The Void lives up to billing as a hotly anticipated release, it's music packed with riffs, shifting time signatures and intense guitar workouts. If you worship at the altar of Mastodon and yearn for Opeth to return to their Blackwater Park days then Anciients will fulfil those desires with gusto. 7/10
Fallen Temples: The Future We Left Behind (Self Released)
Fallen Temples are the band formally known a Tidal. A favourite here at MoM towers, since the Tidal debut album they have shrunk down to a three piece but the groove is still strong with these ones. Taking their cues from Clutch, Mastodon, obviously Sabbath along with nods to Soundgarden, this is groovy, heavy rock music, that has some stoner elements to it. With thundering rhythm section from the Joe's, Stirland (drums) and Lewis (bass) tracks like Cut The Wire rumble along underpinning the heavyweight power of the band as guitarist/vocalist Adam Vaughan riffs with a technical panache to throw in flourishes of heroism on The Hunt but also keeps the riffs flowing.
His vocals too are spot on for the music, they are strong and clean and on the Touching The Void they have some grit to them too. This is one of the best tracks on the four track EP with a great rhythm riffage from Lewis, expressive drumming from Stirland and some searing lead guitars but they flex their muscles on the final track Eternal Drift which slows things down and adds some genuine feeling to the chorus. Fallen Temples brilliantly rise from the flames of Tidal with a sound that is similar but one that takes them to the next level in their evolution. I just have one question, when's the full length guys? 8/10
His vocals too are spot on for the music, they are strong and clean and on the Touching The Void they have some grit to them too. This is one of the best tracks on the four track EP with a great rhythm riffage from Lewis, expressive drumming from Stirland and some searing lead guitars but they flex their muscles on the final track Eternal Drift which slows things down and adds some genuine feeling to the chorus. Fallen Temples brilliantly rise from the flames of Tidal with a sound that is similar but one that takes them to the next level in their evolution. I just have one question, when's the full length guys? 8/10
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Reviews: Truckfighters, Re-Armed, Veilburner (Reviews By Rich)
Truckfighters: V (Fuzzorama Records)
Sweden's Truckfighters are one of the most revered stoner rock bands out there at the moment with an impressive back catalogue and a reputation as one of the best live bands in the genre. Two years after 2014's Universe this fuzzed out three piece return with their aptly titled fifth album V. Truckfighters don't stray too far from the riff driven fuzzy sound they have established on previous records but this album has a much looser almost jam session feel to it.
There is very much a Tool vibe and a grunge influence displayed on songs such as The Contract and on the mammoth opening song Calm Before The Storm as well as Truckfighters trademark riff assault on Hawkshaw and The 1. This is easily the most mature record by Truckfighters to date which whilst carving a path forward doesn't betray the roots of the band. Fans of the band will lap this album up as will fans of the desert/stoner rock genre. 7/10
Re-Armed: The Era Of Precarity (Saarni Record)
Finland's Re-Armed return with their third album The Era Of Precarity and pick up where they left off with another album chock full of apocalyptic themed catchy death/thrash anthems. The Era Of Precarity wastes no time in getting things going. Including the atmospheric yet epic intro Nova Ordo Seclorum we are subjected to a barrage of twelve sharp and aggressive songs all of which are at a nice duration and are varied enough to retain your interest throughout.
The albums run from aggressive yet hook driven thrashers such as Through The Barricades and Riot Act, the mid-paced groove heaviness of Evolve Cycle and Cursed Beyond Belief to the all-out speed assault of Three Headed Beast. Re-Armed seem to improve album to album with this their most accomplished and enjoyable work to date. Although not groundbreaking it is a vastly enjoyable 44 minutes of speed and aggression with enough hooks and melody to make a lasting impression. 8/10
Veilburner: The Obscene Rite (Self Released)
Veilburner are not a band for the faint of heart or for those with a short attention span. This two piece from Pensylvania mix a number of musical styles together which results in a sound that is chaotic, confusing and at times damn frightening. As a first time listener of this band it was certainly an interesting experience. Veilburner at their core play black metal in the vein of bands such as Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord. Add into the mix some death metal, industrial, prog and psychedelic sounds and you have Veilburner. They are also very reminiscent of some avant garde black metal bands such as Arcturus and Dodheimsgard.
Even with such a plethora of different sounds going on this album is still cohesive but maybe not so memorable. This is an album that demands several listenings for it to really click. The performances on the album are incredible with all instruments handled by Mephisto Deleterio and vocals by Chrisom Infernium with a range from black metal screams, guttural death metal growls to some impressive clean vocals. With so much going on even in the space of a single song this can be overwhelming for the average listener and this album will only appeal to those who like their music complex and challenging. 7/10
Sweden's Truckfighters are one of the most revered stoner rock bands out there at the moment with an impressive back catalogue and a reputation as one of the best live bands in the genre. Two years after 2014's Universe this fuzzed out three piece return with their aptly titled fifth album V. Truckfighters don't stray too far from the riff driven fuzzy sound they have established on previous records but this album has a much looser almost jam session feel to it.
There is very much a Tool vibe and a grunge influence displayed on songs such as The Contract and on the mammoth opening song Calm Before The Storm as well as Truckfighters trademark riff assault on Hawkshaw and The 1. This is easily the most mature record by Truckfighters to date which whilst carving a path forward doesn't betray the roots of the band. Fans of the band will lap this album up as will fans of the desert/stoner rock genre. 7/10
Re-Armed: The Era Of Precarity (Saarni Record)
Finland's Re-Armed return with their third album The Era Of Precarity and pick up where they left off with another album chock full of apocalyptic themed catchy death/thrash anthems. The Era Of Precarity wastes no time in getting things going. Including the atmospheric yet epic intro Nova Ordo Seclorum we are subjected to a barrage of twelve sharp and aggressive songs all of which are at a nice duration and are varied enough to retain your interest throughout.
The albums run from aggressive yet hook driven thrashers such as Through The Barricades and Riot Act, the mid-paced groove heaviness of Evolve Cycle and Cursed Beyond Belief to the all-out speed assault of Three Headed Beast. Re-Armed seem to improve album to album with this their most accomplished and enjoyable work to date. Although not groundbreaking it is a vastly enjoyable 44 minutes of speed and aggression with enough hooks and melody to make a lasting impression. 8/10
Veilburner: The Obscene Rite (Self Released)
Veilburner are not a band for the faint of heart or for those with a short attention span. This two piece from Pensylvania mix a number of musical styles together which results in a sound that is chaotic, confusing and at times damn frightening. As a first time listener of this band it was certainly an interesting experience. Veilburner at their core play black metal in the vein of bands such as Deathspell Omega and Blut Aus Nord. Add into the mix some death metal, industrial, prog and psychedelic sounds and you have Veilburner. They are also very reminiscent of some avant garde black metal bands such as Arcturus and Dodheimsgard.
Even with such a plethora of different sounds going on this album is still cohesive but maybe not so memorable. This is an album that demands several listenings for it to really click. The performances on the album are incredible with all instruments handled by Mephisto Deleterio and vocals by Chrisom Infernium with a range from black metal screams, guttural death metal growls to some impressive clean vocals. With so much going on even in the space of a single song this can be overwhelming for the average listener and this album will only appeal to those who like their music complex and challenging. 7/10
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Reviews: Sahg, Drunkard, Axxion
Sahg: Memento Mori (Indie)
Norwegian band Sahg have been around since 2004 and they released an album every 2 or 3 years, each one mixes doom, stoner, psych, space and prog rock and their fifth is no exception. I would say that if there were any differences to this record from previous ones is that Memento Mori has a darker more somber tone. The album was released on frontman/guitarist Olav Iversen's 39th birthday and deals with the subject matter echoed by the title, (Remember, You Must Die - Latin Ed), it's an album drawn from Iversen's grieving process over some of his influences such as Bowie and Lemmy.
The feedback drenched Black Union is the start of this record, it's an unsettling one with touches of Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd, but the crushing slow doom is washed away by Devilspeed which is the proto-thrash of Lemmy and co. Iversen is a versatile vocalist and guitarist and Memento Mori is yet another album that has a fusion of styles to it, the funeral doom of Take It To The Grave, the stoner Sabbath worship on the progressive Sanctimony and haunting Katatonia-esque (Praise The) Electric Sun. Sahg return with a strong album that continues the rich vein they have been mining for a good few years now. 7/10
Drunkard: Inhale The Inferno (Metal Age)
Drunkard are here to thrash till death and they sit comfortably in the blitzkrieg thrash style of bands such as Sodom, Destruction and Tankard. The Thessaloniki trio released their previous album in 2009 so there has been a long time that one and this record but they don't see to have lost a step. The core three piece of Kostas (drums), John (guitar) and Savvas (bass/vocals) are augmented by numerous guitarists adding the lead guitar to the record.
The lead guitars do seem to be a bit supplementary to the band's sound, except on the solo happy Project Satan, but for the most part it's all about the riffs, the blastbeats are supersonic, the grinding bass becomes a lead instrument along with the distorted rhythm guitar to bring big breakdowns to Exterminate To Ashes but also the cutting riffage of Luxuria Divine which has all three men going at a warp speed especially Kostas' drums. With the growling vocals of Savvas, Drunkard have a Teutonic sound to their thrash metal it's loud and dirty and violent, pulling no punches. This Greek trio know how to thrash and they proceed to rip your throat out on every single song. Pure thrash fury! 7/10
Drunkard: Inhale The Inferno (Metal Age)
Drunkard are here to thrash till death and they sit comfortably in the blitzkrieg thrash style of bands such as Sodom, Destruction and Tankard. The Thessaloniki trio released their previous album in 2009 so there has been a long time that one and this record but they don't see to have lost a step. The core three piece of Kostas (drums), John (guitar) and Savvas (bass/vocals) are augmented by numerous guitarists adding the lead guitar to the record.
The lead guitars do seem to be a bit supplementary to the band's sound, except on the solo happy Project Satan, but for the most part it's all about the riffs, the blastbeats are supersonic, the grinding bass becomes a lead instrument along with the distorted rhythm guitar to bring big breakdowns to Exterminate To Ashes but also the cutting riffage of Luxuria Divine which has all three men going at a warp speed especially Kostas' drums. With the growling vocals of Savvas, Drunkard have a Teutonic sound to their thrash metal it's loud and dirty and violent, pulling no punches. This Greek trio know how to thrash and they proceed to rip your throat out on every single song. Pure thrash fury! 7/10
Axxion: Back In Time (High Roller Records)
Canadian's Axxion released their debut record in 2013 and it was a glorious retro filled feast for those that love bands such as Judas Priest, Tokyo Blade, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Canada's own Exciter. It's shameless NWOBHM styled metal with shrieking vocals from Dirty D Kerr, furious axe from Sir Shred, a galloping rhythm section made up of the recently joined Jason Decay (of Cauldron fame) and Alison Thunderland who smashes her drumkit to pieces on tracks such as Highway Knights.
The albums title is perfect to describe the music here in, it's the D.I.Y style of metal from the early 80's and that translates to the analogue production of this record too. Back In Time picks up where it's predecessor leaves off with super fast proto-thrash and hard rocking tracks such as All Bark No Bite. If you like your metal strictly old-school, squeezed into leather trousers, high tops and bullet belts then Axxion will take their place in your favourite bands. 7/10
The albums title is perfect to describe the music here in, it's the D.I.Y style of metal from the early 80's and that translates to the analogue production of this record too. Back In Time picks up where it's predecessor leaves off with super fast proto-thrash and hard rocking tracks such as All Bark No Bite. If you like your metal strictly old-school, squeezed into leather trousers, high tops and bullet belts then Axxion will take their place in your favourite bands. 7/10
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Reviews: Epica, Steven Wilson, Raveneye
Epica: The Holographic Principle (Nuclear Blast)
"The holographic principle is a property of string theories and a supposed property of quantum gravity that states that the description of a volume of space can be thought of as encoded on a lower-dimensional boundary to the region—preferably a light-like boundary like a gravitational horizon. First proposed by Gerard 't Hooft, it was given a precise string-theory interpretation by Leonard Susskind who combined his ideas with previous ones of 't Hooft and Charles Thorn"
How does this translate into symphonic metal I hear you ask? Well Epica have always been much more than a mere symphonic metal band, their use of cinematic arrangements as counterpoint to the metallic backing. The brainchild of Mark Jansen and Simone Simons Epica seem to get more and more exciting and adventurous with every album.
Steven Wilson: Transience (KScope) [Review By Paul]
Steven Wilson is not one to rest on his laurels. Aside from working on the follow up to 2015’s stunning Hand. Cannot. Erase and the highly anticipated Blackfield V, he’s found time to release Transience, a 14 track “taster introduction” to his work. I suppose it could be classed as a greatest hits package, save for the fact he doesn’t have “hits”. The album contains tracks from all of his solo releases, starting with 2008’s Insurgentes (Harmony Korine, Significant Other and the title track) through to this year’s mini-album 4 ½ (Happiness III). The album features the talents of Nick Beggs, Guthrie Govan, Adam Holzman and Marco Minnemann and focuses on the softer, more acoustic side of Wilson’s work. Interestingly, the three tracks from 2011’s Grace For Drowning are much easier to listen to here, standing proudly independent of probably the most difficult of Wilson’s albums. Postcard for example, with its beautiful synth work and melancholic vocal just soars. Ever the perfectionist also adds his cover of Alanis Morrisette’s Thank You, which first appeared as a single in 2003 but more recently surfaced on Cover Version. It’s a quality album, and if you don’t know Mr Wilson’s work, a perfect introduction to one of the most incredible musicians of all time. 8/10
RavenEye: Nova (Frontiers Records) [Review By Paul]
Few albums can have been more anticipated than the full debut of RavenEye, the power trio formed in 2014 by super blues guitarist Oli Brown and I can honestly say that the wait has been thoroughly worth it. Last year’s EP Breakin’ Out whet the appetites but the main course is a much more satisfying dish. Brown and his trusty lieutenant Aaron Spiers (bass and backing vocals) are now completed by drummer Gunnar Olsen and have delivered 11 tracks of absolute quality rock. From the raging opener Wanna Feel You through to the much calmer closer Eternity, there isn’t a duff track on the album. The style is pretty straight forward, but oh so much more complex when you peel away the layers. Subtle time changes and styles underpin an album that reeks of excellence.
We know that Brown is an excellent guitarist but his work here shows a maturity that can only come with the practice and effort gained from the extensive and no doubt exhausting touring schedule these guys have put in over the past two years. Nova hints at some of the influences within the band whilst retaining its own individuality. Nowhere is this more apparent than on Supernova, with its huge Alice in Chains/Soundgarden feel somehow comforting and reassuring. However, the RavenEye stamp is clear on every track; this is no tribute album. The musicianship is tight and the production of Warren Riker excellent. Having heard most of these tracks in the live arena, its already clear these guys can cut it live. I’m looking forward to seeing the guys again in Cardiff at the end of the month. A stunning debut from one of the UK's most exciting bands. 10/10
"The holographic principle is a property of string theories and a supposed property of quantum gravity that states that the description of a volume of space can be thought of as encoded on a lower-dimensional boundary to the region—preferably a light-like boundary like a gravitational horizon. First proposed by Gerard 't Hooft, it was given a precise string-theory interpretation by Leonard Susskind who combined his ideas with previous ones of 't Hooft and Charles Thorn"
How does this translate into symphonic metal I hear you ask? Well Epica have always been much more than a mere symphonic metal band, their use of cinematic arrangements as counterpoint to the metallic backing. The brainchild of Mark Jansen and Simone Simons Epica seem to get more and more exciting and adventurous with every album.
The lyrical concepts they deal with mean that the albums have to be played repeatedly to let you hear every nuance, every change of pace every instrument and folks there are a lot of those on this record, even on more stripped back songs such as Once Upon A Nightmare which pairs Simons' soaring soprano with a solitary piano the full live orchestra the band have enlisted for this record stir in the background, the orchestral elements arranged by keyboardist Coen Janssen.
On the more full flight songs such as Edge Of The Blade they have the the full orchestral backing and the PA'dam Chamber Choir to contribute the backing vocals, this means the distinctly Maiden like track is bolstered tenfold by the classical instrumentation. The choir are also a major part of Beyond The Matrix topping the swaying music below. In contrast to Simons' angelic vocals both Jansen and drummer Ariën van Weesenbeek provide the harsh grunts and roars, witnessed at their most visceral on the antagonistic Divide And Conquer. On the electrified side of things Jansen (guitar), Weesenbeek and Rob van Der Loo (bass) are the storming engine room.
Theblast beats coming from Weesenbeek are intense with Jansen and Van Der Loo riffing like mad on Universal Death Squad and The Cosmic Algorithm which also displays the lead guitar prowess of Issac Delahaye who also contributes mandolin, balalaika, bouzouki, ukulele bolstered by Jack Pisters' sitar to the Eastern influenced Dancing In A Hurricane. At 12 tracks on the normal release, the special edition takes it to 17 with lots of bonus alternate versions, this record can be a lot to take in especially the final 11 minute title track which serves as fitting, ambitious end to this record, but give it the time it deserves and it will reveal itself to be one of the most majestic albums of the year. 9/10
Steven Wilson is not one to rest on his laurels. Aside from working on the follow up to 2015’s stunning Hand. Cannot. Erase and the highly anticipated Blackfield V, he’s found time to release Transience, a 14 track “taster introduction” to his work. I suppose it could be classed as a greatest hits package, save for the fact he doesn’t have “hits”. The album contains tracks from all of his solo releases, starting with 2008’s Insurgentes (Harmony Korine, Significant Other and the title track) through to this year’s mini-album 4 ½ (Happiness III). The album features the talents of Nick Beggs, Guthrie Govan, Adam Holzman and Marco Minnemann and focuses on the softer, more acoustic side of Wilson’s work. Interestingly, the three tracks from 2011’s Grace For Drowning are much easier to listen to here, standing proudly independent of probably the most difficult of Wilson’s albums. Postcard for example, with its beautiful synth work and melancholic vocal just soars. Ever the perfectionist also adds his cover of Alanis Morrisette’s Thank You, which first appeared as a single in 2003 but more recently surfaced on Cover Version. It’s a quality album, and if you don’t know Mr Wilson’s work, a perfect introduction to one of the most incredible musicians of all time. 8/10
RavenEye: Nova (Frontiers Records) [Review By Paul]
Few albums can have been more anticipated than the full debut of RavenEye, the power trio formed in 2014 by super blues guitarist Oli Brown and I can honestly say that the wait has been thoroughly worth it. Last year’s EP Breakin’ Out whet the appetites but the main course is a much more satisfying dish. Brown and his trusty lieutenant Aaron Spiers (bass and backing vocals) are now completed by drummer Gunnar Olsen and have delivered 11 tracks of absolute quality rock. From the raging opener Wanna Feel You through to the much calmer closer Eternity, there isn’t a duff track on the album. The style is pretty straight forward, but oh so much more complex when you peel away the layers. Subtle time changes and styles underpin an album that reeks of excellence.
We know that Brown is an excellent guitarist but his work here shows a maturity that can only come with the practice and effort gained from the extensive and no doubt exhausting touring schedule these guys have put in over the past two years. Nova hints at some of the influences within the band whilst retaining its own individuality. Nowhere is this more apparent than on Supernova, with its huge Alice in Chains/Soundgarden feel somehow comforting and reassuring. However, the RavenEye stamp is clear on every track; this is no tribute album. The musicianship is tight and the production of Warren Riker excellent. Having heard most of these tracks in the live arena, its already clear these guys can cut it live. I’m looking forward to seeing the guys again in Cardiff at the end of the month. A stunning debut from one of the UK's most exciting bands. 10/10
Monday, 3 October 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin, Electric Citizen, Poseidon, Lacertillia, The Globe Cardiff
My fist gig for a while and on paper it looked like an absolute blinder, four riff hungry stoner/psych/doom bands together in one show. Doors opened early and by 7pm local noise merchants Lacertillia (7) came Crashing Into The Future with their psych influenced stoner metal, the five piece played a set drawn from their EP and full length debut and barely stopped for breath due to the shortness of their set. As normal vocalist Matt was quickly topless and throwing himself around the floor of the venue as they blasted through their set. Every time I see Lacertillia they get better and even in a short set they make an impact, well worth catching again.
Next up were London sludge merchants Poseidon (6), they were plagued by some serious sound problems for the beginning of their set meaning that they struggled to get into the set, but once they started properly their thick, sludge riffage couldn't fail to get your head nodding, Poseidon were probably odd band out on this bill, crushingly heavy and drenched in feedback and discord, a few of the crowd struggled but most reacted to the aural battering the band gave The Globe. What was noticeable in the crowd was the sheer mix of punters, the beard to hair ratio was definitely in favour of beards, but along with the normal cast of Sons Of Anarchy, there were those that had hardcore punk shirts, more mainstream rock and also a surprising amount of fleece wearing oldies, that did seem to spend most of the gig going back and forth to the bar looking slightly bemused by the noise coming from the stage.
As the PA pumped out Clutch and Mastodon almost exclusively we waited for the main support, now I'd seen them before supporting Wolfmother on their last UK tour, but as good as they were they were let down by the sound a little, unfortunately when the Cincinnati, Ohio foursome took to the stage in The Globe, there was a similar problem. The vocals of Laura Dolan were muffled by the riffs of her husband Ross' guitar, Randy Proctor's bass and Nate Wagner's drums, things weren't starting well but Electric Citizen (7) took it in their stride and after the first song the vocals were sorted meaning that you could hear Laura's harmonious wails over the Sabbath worshipping music. I've bandied this term around but when I say Sabbath worship, I mean it, many of the songs they played were so similar to the originators of heavy metal that for those of us well versed in the Birmingham legends we were playing spot the riff. They got a rapturous reception at the climax of their set and served as the ideal aperitif for the headliners.
So the changeover and the classic "Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock N Roll)" burst out of the PA and Ben, Joe, Martyn and Chris took to the stage, Ben booming his greeting as they kicked into Scorpionica, Joe's guitar cut out four bars in leaving just the bass and drums with Ben's booming voice. There wasn't a quick fix so with apologies the rest of the band left the stage and there was a noticeable lull. Finally after a few minutes there was a chord and life an bang Orange Goblin (8) returned at full pelt, it meant a truncated set but as the ploughed into The Devil's Whip, Saruman's Wish, Made Of Rats, the evergreen Some You Win, Some You Lose and The Filthy And The Few we got the classic Orange Goblin staples but the band did seem a little more loose than normal, the sound problems continued with feedback on the mic, but most of the crowd couldn't care less they banged their heads, pumped their fists and threw their horns to They Come Back (Harvest Of Skulls) and Quincy The Pigboy. The crowd was reasonably big for a Sunday night but the sound issues found them a little muted at the beginning however by the time Red Tide Rising came to finish Goblin had the crowd eating out of their hands. I've seen this band so many times and they always give 110% but there was a little ring rust tonight, still like I said no one else gave a shit and partied until their necks hurt and that folks is what it's all about.
My fist gig for a while and on paper it looked like an absolute blinder, four riff hungry stoner/psych/doom bands together in one show. Doors opened early and by 7pm local noise merchants Lacertillia (7) came Crashing Into The Future with their psych influenced stoner metal, the five piece played a set drawn from their EP and full length debut and barely stopped for breath due to the shortness of their set. As normal vocalist Matt was quickly topless and throwing himself around the floor of the venue as they blasted through their set. Every time I see Lacertillia they get better and even in a short set they make an impact, well worth catching again.
Next up were London sludge merchants Poseidon (6), they were plagued by some serious sound problems for the beginning of their set meaning that they struggled to get into the set, but once they started properly their thick, sludge riffage couldn't fail to get your head nodding, Poseidon were probably odd band out on this bill, crushingly heavy and drenched in feedback and discord, a few of the crowd struggled but most reacted to the aural battering the band gave The Globe. What was noticeable in the crowd was the sheer mix of punters, the beard to hair ratio was definitely in favour of beards, but along with the normal cast of Sons Of Anarchy, there were those that had hardcore punk shirts, more mainstream rock and also a surprising amount of fleece wearing oldies, that did seem to spend most of the gig going back and forth to the bar looking slightly bemused by the noise coming from the stage.
As the PA pumped out Clutch and Mastodon almost exclusively we waited for the main support, now I'd seen them before supporting Wolfmother on their last UK tour, but as good as they were they were let down by the sound a little, unfortunately when the Cincinnati, Ohio foursome took to the stage in The Globe, there was a similar problem. The vocals of Laura Dolan were muffled by the riffs of her husband Ross' guitar, Randy Proctor's bass and Nate Wagner's drums, things weren't starting well but Electric Citizen (7) took it in their stride and after the first song the vocals were sorted meaning that you could hear Laura's harmonious wails over the Sabbath worshipping music. I've bandied this term around but when I say Sabbath worship, I mean it, many of the songs they played were so similar to the originators of heavy metal that for those of us well versed in the Birmingham legends we were playing spot the riff. They got a rapturous reception at the climax of their set and served as the ideal aperitif for the headliners.
So the changeover and the classic "Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock N Roll)" burst out of the PA and Ben, Joe, Martyn and Chris took to the stage, Ben booming his greeting as they kicked into Scorpionica, Joe's guitar cut out four bars in leaving just the bass and drums with Ben's booming voice. There wasn't a quick fix so with apologies the rest of the band left the stage and there was a noticeable lull. Finally after a few minutes there was a chord and life an bang Orange Goblin (8) returned at full pelt, it meant a truncated set but as the ploughed into The Devil's Whip, Saruman's Wish, Made Of Rats, the evergreen Some You Win, Some You Lose and The Filthy And The Few we got the classic Orange Goblin staples but the band did seem a little more loose than normal, the sound problems continued with feedback on the mic, but most of the crowd couldn't care less they banged their heads, pumped their fists and threw their horns to They Come Back (Harvest Of Skulls) and Quincy The Pigboy. The crowd was reasonably big for a Sunday night but the sound issues found them a little muted at the beginning however by the time Red Tide Rising came to finish Goblin had the crowd eating out of their hands. I've seen this band so many times and they always give 110% but there was a little ring rust tonight, still like I said no one else gave a shit and partied until their necks hurt and that folks is what it's all about.
Reviews: Possessor, Psychework, Druaden Forest
Possessor: Dead By Dawn (Self Released) [Review By Rich]
London-based three piece Possessor unleash their second self-released album Dead By Dawn and what a glorious racket this album is with a fantastic mix of sludge, doom, thrash and classic heavy metal. Something along the lines of Electric Wizard and Black Sabbath played at three times the speed. There's a very old school vibe to this album with a wonderfully raw and unpolished sound to it with the guitar sounding especially fearsome, distorted and dirty. All instruments are nice and clear though the vocals do get a bit lost in the mix though this adds to the old school charm of the album.
Opening song Afterburner gets things off to a cracking start with a nice horror movie sample before a truly savage riff that goes straight for your jugular. Other highlights include the groovy swagger of Scorpion Swamp, the punked up rock 'n' roll of Terror Tripping and the catchy yet vicious Without Warning. This album is definitely one to be played loud with beer in hand and head banging away. This is one awesome fuzzed out trip into hell. 8/10
Psychework: The Dragon’s Year (Ranka Kustannus Oy) [Review By Paul]
Despite their awful name and a dreadful album cover, The debut album from Finland’s Psychework is a reasonable piece of work. Full of melodic and symphonic rock, harmonies and some pretty strong vocals from singer Anthony Parviainen, The Dragon’s Year is thematically based on the singer’s fight with leukaemia. Once you know that, the lyrics take on a totally different meaning and it's hard not to embrace tracks with titles like Bullet With My Name and Hand On Heart. It’s not original by any means with Hand On Heart reminiscent of the pomp of Helloween and many of the operatic elements of the album echoing Avantasia, Nightwish and the like. Add in the drama of Tate era Queensryche and you get the picture. Musically it's a decent effort if you like dramatic melodic rock, Otto Narhi’s layered keyboards probably the stand out performance, most notably on closing track Vale Of Tears. 7/10
Druaden Forest: The Loremaster’s Time (GS Productions) [Review By Paul]
As you might expect with an outfit named after the forests of Gondor through which the Rohirrhim rode, Druaden Forest’s music is fantasy themed melodic death metal. Produced, written and fully performed by Fin Ville ‘Kalma’ Palloven, The Loremaster's Time is a complex and intriguing release, following quickly on the heels of Path Of The Dead, which arrived in March 2016. With huge riffs, skin crawlingly death vocals snarling all over it and underpinned by some haunting keyboard and synth work, it stands apart from many in the genre. The title track is an absolute beast, crushingly heavy yet delicately light at times, Palloven’s disturbing vocals prompt nightmares. Most of the album tilts towards atmospheric epics, lengthy compositions that wend and weave their way around. The Whispering Moon is a typical example, pounding drums underpinning an eerie keyboard riff whilst guitars thrash and vocals echo. It is sinister stuff and the fact that it is all generated by one musician is quite surreal. 7/10
London-based three piece Possessor unleash their second self-released album Dead By Dawn and what a glorious racket this album is with a fantastic mix of sludge, doom, thrash and classic heavy metal. Something along the lines of Electric Wizard and Black Sabbath played at three times the speed. There's a very old school vibe to this album with a wonderfully raw and unpolished sound to it with the guitar sounding especially fearsome, distorted and dirty. All instruments are nice and clear though the vocals do get a bit lost in the mix though this adds to the old school charm of the album.
Opening song Afterburner gets things off to a cracking start with a nice horror movie sample before a truly savage riff that goes straight for your jugular. Other highlights include the groovy swagger of Scorpion Swamp, the punked up rock 'n' roll of Terror Tripping and the catchy yet vicious Without Warning. This album is definitely one to be played loud with beer in hand and head banging away. This is one awesome fuzzed out trip into hell. 8/10
Psychework: The Dragon’s Year (Ranka Kustannus Oy) [Review By Paul]
Despite their awful name and a dreadful album cover, The debut album from Finland’s Psychework is a reasonable piece of work. Full of melodic and symphonic rock, harmonies and some pretty strong vocals from singer Anthony Parviainen, The Dragon’s Year is thematically based on the singer’s fight with leukaemia. Once you know that, the lyrics take on a totally different meaning and it's hard not to embrace tracks with titles like Bullet With My Name and Hand On Heart. It’s not original by any means with Hand On Heart reminiscent of the pomp of Helloween and many of the operatic elements of the album echoing Avantasia, Nightwish and the like. Add in the drama of Tate era Queensryche and you get the picture. Musically it's a decent effort if you like dramatic melodic rock, Otto Narhi’s layered keyboards probably the stand out performance, most notably on closing track Vale Of Tears. 7/10
Druaden Forest: The Loremaster’s Time (GS Productions) [Review By Paul]
As you might expect with an outfit named after the forests of Gondor through which the Rohirrhim rode, Druaden Forest’s music is fantasy themed melodic death metal. Produced, written and fully performed by Fin Ville ‘Kalma’ Palloven, The Loremaster's Time is a complex and intriguing release, following quickly on the heels of Path Of The Dead, which arrived in March 2016. With huge riffs, skin crawlingly death vocals snarling all over it and underpinned by some haunting keyboard and synth work, it stands apart from many in the genre. The title track is an absolute beast, crushingly heavy yet delicately light at times, Palloven’s disturbing vocals prompt nightmares. Most of the album tilts towards atmospheric epics, lengthy compositions that wend and weave their way around. The Whispering Moon is a typical example, pounding drums underpinning an eerie keyboard riff whilst guitars thrash and vocals echo. It is sinister stuff and the fact that it is all generated by one musician is quite surreal. 7/10
Sunday, 2 October 2016
Reviews: Crobot, Tyketto, Desert Near The End
Crobot: Welcome To Fat City (Wind -Up Records)
Once again letting their freak flag fly. Pennsylvania psychedelic heavy rockers return with their second full length and as the title track kicks off the record you hear that very little has changed musically. The colossal groove of the Figueroa brothers bass and drums lay down funky, pumping beat on songs such as Easy Money, which also has some parping Blues harp on it with the harmonica reappearing on Steal The Show.
Theater Of War kicks you in head from minute one and doesn't let up pairing power metal technically and death metal ferocity, think early Iced Earth playing with Kreator, adding in a touch Behemoth and you'll see why these Greeks are an impressive prospect. The record is the third by the band and continues their concept based around the existentialist storyline that "tells the story of a man who awakes by the sea with no memory and wanders inland, in search of the sun, and himself."
Once again letting their freak flag fly. Pennsylvania psychedelic heavy rockers return with their second full length and as the title track kicks off the record you hear that very little has changed musically. The colossal groove of the Figueroa brothers bass and drums lay down funky, pumping beat on songs such as Easy Money, which also has some parping Blues harp on it with the harmonica reappearing on Steal The Show.
The hip shaking rhythm section is the anchor for Chris' guitar which can riff like crazy on the frantic rockers such as Temple In The Sky but also he flutters over the the more sparse, trippy songs such as Moment Of Truth as well as switching between two styles on Hold On For Dear Life that shifts from stomping doom to ethereal psych. Crobot's sound is bolstered by the versatile vocals of Brandon who hollers and croons adding to the loud soft dynamic and conducting the freak outs that take place at every turn of this album.
They say the second album is the difficult one, well not for Crobot, they have come back with a storming second shot and one that will see them really establish themselves as a potent force on record as they are on stage. 8/10
Tyketto: Reach (Frontiers)
Tyketto: Reach (Frontiers)
Danny Vaughn and co return with their first record since 2012's Dig In Deep and it's normal service resumed with a mix of massive AOR hooks, country flavour and funky rockers such as Big Money and I Need It Now both showcase hip shaking swagger. Tyketto have always been a lot different to many of the 80's groups, I've always found them to be in the same category as Tesla, a band with a hardcore fanbase, a few big hits over the pond but one that are overlooked.
Like Tesla they have a strong blues base that shows through on the smoky Remember My Name. Vaughn's vocals are excellent throughout adding grit to Kick Like A Mule but also packing soul on the acoustically driven Circle The Wagons. Reach is nothing new for Tyketto, the harder songs are good but like with a lot of bands of their ilk the over reliance on mid paced and slow balladeering gets a bit wearisome. For fans it's great but it won't win round any new fans for the band. 6/10
Desert Near The End: Theater Of War (Total Metal Record)
Desert Near The End: Theater Of War (Total Metal Record)
Theater Of War kicks you in head from minute one and doesn't let up pairing power metal technically and death metal ferocity, think early Iced Earth playing with Kreator, adding in a touch Behemoth and you'll see why these Greeks are an impressive prospect. The record is the third by the band and continues their concept based around the existentialist storyline that "tells the story of a man who awakes by the sea with no memory and wanders inland, in search of the sun, and himself."
The furious blastbeats take centre stage on Faces In The Dark, like a Bofors cannon pumping 40mm shells into your earholes. The drummer is a machine but he backs a band that all play with intensity from the raspy, baritone vocals and the inflammatory guitar playing the shred with force breaking out of the riffs for severe solo sections and crushing breakdowns at the end of Point Of No Return, moving to pure death/black metal on the ferocious Under Blackened Skies and adding more of the Iced Earth progressive touches to the speed metal barrage. The strong end to the record comes with At The Shores which slows the pace and displays the cleaner vocal passages, it sounds exactly like John Schaffer and co in full flight.
Theater Of War has encouraged me to seek out the previous albums from Desert Near The End (who's odd name also comes from their concept) it's an intense listening experience that will appeal to a wide audience due to its breadth of metal sound. 9/10
Saturday, 1 October 2016
Reviews: Feeder, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard, Those Damn Crows
For the first time in a long time we get to review three bands that hail from God's Country and our home base of Wales.
Feeder: All Bright Electric (Cooking Vinyl)
When Feeder first burst onto the music scene in the late 90's early 2000's (straight out of Newport) many lumped them in with many of the angsty post-grunge acts around at the time, they were even dubbed the British Smashing Pumpkins for their abrasive, distorted rock. However as a kid and then a teenager growing up then their angst ridden but upbeat rock was something we Welsh could cling on to, they were from Newport and they were ours.
Happily this appreciation was shared and converted into mainstream success on Echo Park and tracks such as Buck Rodgers and Just A Day were endlessly repeated on Kerrang. On the other hand Feeder always showed signs of breaking out of the pigeonhole. In more recent years their releases have been more sporadic and critically mixed despite them producing excellent music moving away from the grunge ethos and adding more acoustics and strings, this shift in their sound means that they moved out of the consciousness of the wider public. They opted to go on a hiatus in 2013 as frontman Grant Nicholas grew more weary of the fame and perceived disappointment that they were not the band they once were. (They were they just weren't writing 'hits' but still had fantastic songwriting). In that time both Nicholas and bassist Taka Hirose completed solo albums but in 2015 the two reconvened with drummer Karl Brazil to record their ninth studio album.
Happily this appreciation was shared and converted into mainstream success on Echo Park and tracks such as Buck Rodgers and Just A Day were endlessly repeated on Kerrang. On the other hand Feeder always showed signs of breaking out of the pigeonhole. In more recent years their releases have been more sporadic and critically mixed despite them producing excellent music moving away from the grunge ethos and adding more acoustics and strings, this shift in their sound means that they moved out of the consciousness of the wider public. They opted to go on a hiatus in 2013 as frontman Grant Nicholas grew more weary of the fame and perceived disappointment that they were not the band they once were. (They were they just weren't writing 'hits' but still had fantastic songwriting). In that time both Nicholas and bassist Taka Hirose completed solo albums but in 2015 the two reconvened with drummer Karl Brazil to record their ninth studio album.
All Bright Electric is probably the band's strongest work for a long while, mature and emotive it still maintains the high level of songwriting and lyricism the band have made their key feature but the music behind it is excellent, the acoustic influences are flowing as are the nods to quiet/soft grunge thing they started with but All Bright Electric is more layered than that strings and synths sit on top of Hirose and Brazil's rhythms. Hirose taking most of the slack allowing Nicholas to be more expressive with his guitar, I'm not talking fret melting solos but he is adding the harmonic touches used by Anathema and Steven Wilson playing what is necessary for the song rather than just riffs for riffs sake.
Sometimes the guitar is relegated and they lead with a piano and synths, Infrared-Ultraviolet is one such song sticking in the Anathema/Radiohead sound while the processed beats of Divide The Minority take the song into the Wilson camp. As far as the tracks on this album go, they showcase Feeder at their most creative and confident Universe Of Life is a strong lead single and starts the album with a self-assured fuzzy note before Eskimo changes the sound a little adding dark psychedelia to the pot, Paperweight is jangly percussive punk and Oh Mary is echoing, subversive ballad.
Nicholas has said he finally feels comfortable as a singer and I have to agree as his vocals are great, impassioned and defiant in equal measure. I was expecting to dislike this record and worse I was expecting to just let it pass me by, but I'm glad I made the time to listen to it, it's a record that rebirths Feeder as a band able to cope with the changing music scene and produce music that far outshines their commercial and critical heyday, the critics will change but talent is forever and Feeder have managed to adapt their talents to new soundscapes. Welcome back you've been missed! 9/10
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard: Y Proffwyd Dwyll
Welsh doomsters MWWB are the newest in a long line of British doom metal acts, but they add an otherworldliness to their sound due to the haunting female vocals that drift dreamily over the crushing riffs below it. The music is disconcerting, undulating and filled with feedback, spiralling organs and down tuned rumbling. Gallego sits in the centre of the album as a punching instrumental that has fuzzy synths infecting it.
Nicholas has said he finally feels comfortable as a singer and I have to agree as his vocals are great, impassioned and defiant in equal measure. I was expecting to dislike this record and worse I was expecting to just let it pass me by, but I'm glad I made the time to listen to it, it's a record that rebirths Feeder as a band able to cope with the changing music scene and produce music that far outshines their commercial and critical heyday, the critics will change but talent is forever and Feeder have managed to adapt their talents to new soundscapes. Welcome back you've been missed! 9/10
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard: Y Proffwyd Dwyll
Welsh doomsters MWWB are the newest in a long line of British doom metal acts, but they add an otherworldliness to their sound due to the haunting female vocals that drift dreamily over the crushing riffs below it. The music is disconcerting, undulating and filled with feedback, spiralling organs and down tuned rumbling. Gallego sits in the centre of the album as a punching instrumental that has fuzzy synths infecting it.
The bass and guitars work in unison with a low fidelity force that is at its best on the grunting title track which just goes and goes with discord that morphs into the eerie string laden middle eight before smashing back into the thunderous riffage. The band hail from North Wales (thus their album title which translates to The Prophet Fraud) and they have channeled the sparseness of the North Wales countryside into their sound. Playing this on a dark night in their native Wrexham you'd probably wee yourself, but that's the point like any good horror film it gets under your skin and grips you.
Osirian has more than whiff of London Lords of doom Electric Wizard and like their fellow wizards they are uncompromisingly heavy, their songs creep, crawl and rumble without letting up at all. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard have probably the most apt name for their sound with paeans to magic, mystery and marijuana driven by monstrous bastard riffs. Impressive outright heaviness. 8/10
Those Damn Crows: Murder And The Motive (Self Released)
Welsh hard rockers Those Damn Crows are taking on the Yanks at their own game, the Bridgend band have produced a debut album that will be a must have for fans of bands such as Nickelback, Shinedown, Seether and Alter Bridge, while also taking some influence from Volbeat. It's radio bothering hard rock bolstered by the heavy hitting riffs and big choruses. The Fighter has both of these in droves a fast head banging riff and a confrontational hook before it grooves out towards the end.
Welsh hard rockers Those Damn Crows are taking on the Yanks at their own game, the Bridgend band have produced a debut album that will be a must have for fans of bands such as Nickelback, Shinedown, Seether and Alter Bridge, while also taking some influence from Volbeat. It's radio bothering hard rock bolstered by the heavy hitting riffs and big choruses. The Fighter has both of these in droves a fast head banging riff and a confrontational hook before it grooves out towards the end.
Shane's vocals are simply excellent packing enough grit into the melodic sheen to give tracks like Don't Give A Damn some real Black Stone Cherry Southern sounding guts. Killing Me meanwhile is a drumming masterclass with percussive drive. Like I've said TDC are a band to give the Americans a run for their money, even trying their hands at an emotive rocker on Blink Of An Eye and they pull it off as this song would sound perfect blaring out of a US radio station while you cruise to your lost lover.
This record is hard rock with post-grunge gloss of the early millennials, this sound is witnessed on One Of These Nights' crunchy distorted riff but they also have bouncy classic rock or Aerosmith and G'N'R in the form of the almost throwaway but defiant Rock N Roll Ain't Dead. It's the record has a professional gloss and you wouldn't think it was debut, its a confident and assured album from band who's star burning brightly. Murder And The Motive is a top flight debut from these Welsh rockers, showcasing the talent of yet another British rock band at the apex of their talent. 8/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)