U.D.O: Decadent (AFM)
Udo Dirkschneider will be forever known as the voice of Accept. His unique growling delivery on the German thrashers early catalogue quite rightly sit in the category of metal classics. Restless And Wild and Balls To The Wall are top quality and created the blueprint for a million other bands. Since Udo left Accept in 1987, he has carved out a career with his own band, U.D.O and has delivered an impressive 14 albums, as well as fitting in a brief reunion with Accept in the mid-90s. Decadent is album number 15, and contains very few surprises. Opener Speeder is a no-nonsense head down thrasher, with Dirkschneider’s vocals instantly recognisable. The title track is also a decent tune, with chugging riffs and a catchy chorus which you can’t help but bang your head to. The album features some fine drumming from Sven Dirkschneider, yes, son of the main man and recently seen helping out the mighty Saxon at the tail end of their Warriors of the Road tour. However, after the opening salvo, the quality tails off dramatically with some tepid tracks which do little to get the blood pumping. House Of Fake is average at best, Mystery tries it’s best to build some atmosphere but falls flat with some ridiculously rubbish vocals in the middle section. The worst is still to come though and after the tired and flat Pain with a quite horrible spoken section, an absolutely dreadful ballad Secrets In Paradise had me reaching for the off button. With his original band having released two stunningly good albums in Blood Of The Nations and Stalingrad and a very respectable 2014 release in Blind Rage, the quality of the song writing between the two bands is noticeable. Unfortunately for U.D.O, Accept win by a country mile. Oh, and the cover is dog shit too. 4/10
Lord Dying: Poisoned Altars (Relapse)
Portland outfit Lord Dying’s sophomore release is a gritty, sludgy slab which will have you banging your head within minutes. A blend of Crowbar, COC and their ilk, Poisoned Altars comes at you from the opening bars and refuses to let go. Huge riffs crash out of the sky, combining with a real pummelling from the rhythm section of Rob Schaffer and bassist D. Capuano. Vocalist E. Olsen has a powerful delivery and combines his guitar work with C. Evans to hit the listener with a real riff heavy assault. The Clearing At The End Of The Path combines some of New Orleans finest with a massive dose of Sabbathesque doom. There is little original here but if you like your metal down tuned and as heavy as a 747 carrying a blue whale then this will get you interested in seconds. Tracks like A Wound Outside Of Time and An Open Sore leave little to the imagination; they just grab you by the head and kick away until you beg for mercy. It is a merciless onslaught of heaviness which many try but few succeed with. Lord Dying are one of the latter bands and whilst they are unlikely to suffer from a high profile in the UK any time soon, they certainly catch the attention with their ball breaking in your face approach. Good stuff 7/10
Mechina: Acheron (Self Released)
I admit I knew very little about this band. A quick search on the interweb advised me that Mechina is a four piece outfit established in Illinois in 2004, who comprise Joe Tiberi (guitars, programming), David Holch (vocals) David Garvin (drums) and Steve Amaranos (bass) and who have managed to create a real kaleidoscope of sound. The music is a real mix of styles, with blast beat drumming combining with electronica, thrash type guitars and several symphonic elements. Earth Born Axoim is an early example of this heady mix, with deep choral vocals supporting an operatic female lead; on top of all of this there is the narrative of the album which establishes the album in a futuristic setting. Vanquisher opens with a female character wailing whilst another vocal adds an Eastern element to the already crowded pot of sound. String sections fight with power riffs from the guitar work of Tiberi and the death metal vocals of Holch. Some of the drumming in this track is off the chart (although much of it sounds pretty well programmed to me) before it fades with some delicate keyboard and synth work that segues into On The Wings Of Nefeli. This track has a real Eastern feel to it, taking the best of bands like Khalas and Orphaned Land and combining it with the brutality of Behemoth. This is Mechina’s fifth full length release and as you work your way through it you realise that they have managed to create a reasonably unique style which is going to divide opinion. If you like a bit of symphonic metal combined with death vocals and elements of thrash then you might dig this hard. However, if you don’t like multi-layered elements to your music this may do little for you, as there are textures and layers galore. The Halcyon Purge changes direction again with a sci-fi Devin Townsend style opening before the sound of Garvin’s double bass drum take up the charge; Holch’s vocals gradually warm on you, although this track also contains a vocal sampling which reminds me massively of Linkin Park with clean vocals duelling with Holch. It is an acquired taste as the clean vocals sound totally programmed and add little to the track. Lethean Waves introduces some monastic chanting into the equation, with haunting synths and melody creating an atmospheric piece which swirls and builds with additional choral elements. It’s a quite beautiful piece but it doesn't actually go anywhere. A lengthy seven minute track, Ode To The Forgotten Few begins with some delicious piano work, and a female vocal which provides contrast to the death metal vocals of Holch; it is symphonic ala Nightwish and Evanescence, cascading ivories backed by chopping strings. And it is rather decent, albeit a little ponderous at times. Back to full speed for the final couple of tracks with The Hyperion Theory commencing at full pace, briefly drawing breath with more dramatic strings before some bombastic machine gun drumming and Holch’s brutal vocals combine with powerful guitar work from Tiberi and Amaranos. This is all out power metal for a time, before taking some short pauses; not that anyone told Garvin as he continues to batter the shit out of his kit as if his life depended on it. Album closer The Future Must Be Met has a sombre feel to it, closing this grandiose album in a death scene Sci-Fi style; all pensive synth and strings. So, is it any good? Well, this is my overall problem. It is excellently produced, it has a wide range of styles and elements to it and after a couple of listens it demands further listens. Having said that, I'm not convinced that this isn't a bit of a mixed bag with large swathes of programming leaving you unconvinced. Maybe it really is the marmite album of 2015. 7/10
Friday, 13 February 2015
Monday, 9 February 2015
Reviews: Diablo Blvd, Night Demon, Profane And The Sacred
Diablo Blvd: Follow The Deadlights (Nuclear Blast)
Follow The Deadlights is Belgian rockers Diablo Blvds third album, their first in five years and it opens with some huge percussion from Kris Martens before the guitars kick in with some chunky six string work from Andries Becker and Dave Hubrechts on the opening track Beyond The Veil which powers straight into Rise Like Lions, with these two tracks the band smack you across the face with their strong writing and playing and arrangements that have a real sense of immediacy to them. The band successfully merge melody with heaviness, something that is hard to do, but they put an emphasis on propulsive, rhythm heavy rockers featuring some powerful percussion, hard rocking riffs and Alex Agnew's Baritone croon that evokes Volbeat's Michael Poulsen. With these ten hard hitting songs, the band aim straight at radio-airplay meaning that for the most part and especially on the title track, they sound a lot like American alternative metal heavyweights Shinedown, bringing that bands knack for huge hooks, catchy choruses and also chest beating anthems. This album is filled with some great tracks; We Are Legion is an arena track with a chant-along chorus, the faster paced Peace Won By War has more of a classic metal sound, End Of Time shows off Agnew's strong growls, before the album ends with a the DJ baiting Stone Souresque ballad Inhuman. Follow The Deadlights is a dark but uplifting album that means these Belgians have enough songs to challenge the radio dominance of Shinedown and their peers. 7/10
Night Demon: Curses Of The Dammed (SPV)
So lets address the elephant in the room here Night Demon sound like Diamond Head, exactly like Diamond Head. This three piece have the riffs of Brian Tatler coming from Brent Woodward and the vocals of Sean Harris coming from bassist Jarvis Leatherby who also gallops as you would. The band have managed to merge NWOBHM with some of the swaggering hard rock that Tatler and co did so well. With some good guitar work and a strong rhythm section the band move between Diamond Head on Screams In The Night, Run For Your Life and Livin' Dangerous and Angel Witch with the occult lyrical content on Killer, Satan and Curse Of The Damned which is driven by Leatherby's bass and Dustin Squires drumset. As I've said the spirit of Diamond Head looms large and these Americans play their trump card to it's fullest and for all the blatant ripping off they do, they play well and they've written an album that harks back to a much more fun time in music. Nothing fancy but a great retro throwback for fans of the NWOBHM era. 6/10
Profane And The Sacred: Chapter 1: A Long Time Coming (Cargo)
London based stoner rockers Profane And Sacred were formed in 2010 and as their album title suggests this debut album has had a long gestation period but was it worth it? Well the dark acoustic opening of Bench brings to mind Alice In Chains if they came from a swamp in Alabama, the tension builds and as the reverb brings in the thick soupy guitars, the slow, creeping, deafening plod of the rhythm builds into some guitar playing Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein would be proud of, these head crushing guitars come from Luke Alleeson and Rick Spooner with Alleeson also providing the Southern, whiskey drenched howl that make the band sound like a stewing pot of the stoner riffage favoured by Down, Corrosion Of Conformity and perennial Southern underground sensations Alabama Thunderpussy in places, with some sludge of Crowbar and doom of Sabbath and fellow countrymen Orange Goblin thrown in. Big riffs are the order of the day and Spooner and Alleeson provide in abundance with the aforementioned Bench providing 8 minutes plus of mind expanding, brain melting, hammering riffs. This continues throughout with the more immediate Bleed That Stone sounding like it could have come off NOLA with it's hammering rhythm from Rob Taylor (bass) and Kieran Smith (drums) also see Weather The Storm and You Know, before topping all the tracks off with some shouting that sounds like Anselmo in full aggro mode. There has been a lot of time to perfect these songs and it shows they are all considered, planned and delivered in such a way that they still have that jam room feeling to them, they sound organic and gives the record a live in the studio feel, admittedly that studio should ideally be in the swamps of Louisiana and be littered with beer cans, bourbon bottles and King Size Rizla, but with the bookending of two of the more expansive sounding tracks, A New Leaf ends the album in a bass and guitar hazy, trip. Profane And The Sacred are stepping into what has always been exclusively American territory and rather than sneaking in unnoticed these Brits have decided to walk up and kick the door in on the the Yanks playing them at their own game and doing a damn fine job too. Crank it up, grab a beer, hail the leaf and let them take you into their house of riffage!! 9/10
Follow The Deadlights is Belgian rockers Diablo Blvds third album, their first in five years and it opens with some huge percussion from Kris Martens before the guitars kick in with some chunky six string work from Andries Becker and Dave Hubrechts on the opening track Beyond The Veil which powers straight into Rise Like Lions, with these two tracks the band smack you across the face with their strong writing and playing and arrangements that have a real sense of immediacy to them. The band successfully merge melody with heaviness, something that is hard to do, but they put an emphasis on propulsive, rhythm heavy rockers featuring some powerful percussion, hard rocking riffs and Alex Agnew's Baritone croon that evokes Volbeat's Michael Poulsen. With these ten hard hitting songs, the band aim straight at radio-airplay meaning that for the most part and especially on the title track, they sound a lot like American alternative metal heavyweights Shinedown, bringing that bands knack for huge hooks, catchy choruses and also chest beating anthems. This album is filled with some great tracks; We Are Legion is an arena track with a chant-along chorus, the faster paced Peace Won By War has more of a classic metal sound, End Of Time shows off Agnew's strong growls, before the album ends with a the DJ baiting Stone Souresque ballad Inhuman. Follow The Deadlights is a dark but uplifting album that means these Belgians have enough songs to challenge the radio dominance of Shinedown and their peers. 7/10
Night Demon: Curses Of The Dammed (SPV)
So lets address the elephant in the room here Night Demon sound like Diamond Head, exactly like Diamond Head. This three piece have the riffs of Brian Tatler coming from Brent Woodward and the vocals of Sean Harris coming from bassist Jarvis Leatherby who also gallops as you would. The band have managed to merge NWOBHM with some of the swaggering hard rock that Tatler and co did so well. With some good guitar work and a strong rhythm section the band move between Diamond Head on Screams In The Night, Run For Your Life and Livin' Dangerous and Angel Witch with the occult lyrical content on Killer, Satan and Curse Of The Damned which is driven by Leatherby's bass and Dustin Squires drumset. As I've said the spirit of Diamond Head looms large and these Americans play their trump card to it's fullest and for all the blatant ripping off they do, they play well and they've written an album that harks back to a much more fun time in music. Nothing fancy but a great retro throwback for fans of the NWOBHM era. 6/10
Profane And The Sacred: Chapter 1: A Long Time Coming (Cargo)
London based stoner rockers Profane And Sacred were formed in 2010 and as their album title suggests this debut album has had a long gestation period but was it worth it? Well the dark acoustic opening of Bench brings to mind Alice In Chains if they came from a swamp in Alabama, the tension builds and as the reverb brings in the thick soupy guitars, the slow, creeping, deafening plod of the rhythm builds into some guitar playing Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein would be proud of, these head crushing guitars come from Luke Alleeson and Rick Spooner with Alleeson also providing the Southern, whiskey drenched howl that make the band sound like a stewing pot of the stoner riffage favoured by Down, Corrosion Of Conformity and perennial Southern underground sensations Alabama Thunderpussy in places, with some sludge of Crowbar and doom of Sabbath and fellow countrymen Orange Goblin thrown in. Big riffs are the order of the day and Spooner and Alleeson provide in abundance with the aforementioned Bench providing 8 minutes plus of mind expanding, brain melting, hammering riffs. This continues throughout with the more immediate Bleed That Stone sounding like it could have come off NOLA with it's hammering rhythm from Rob Taylor (bass) and Kieran Smith (drums) also see Weather The Storm and You Know, before topping all the tracks off with some shouting that sounds like Anselmo in full aggro mode. There has been a lot of time to perfect these songs and it shows they are all considered, planned and delivered in such a way that they still have that jam room feeling to them, they sound organic and gives the record a live in the studio feel, admittedly that studio should ideally be in the swamps of Louisiana and be littered with beer cans, bourbon bottles and King Size Rizla, but with the bookending of two of the more expansive sounding tracks, A New Leaf ends the album in a bass and guitar hazy, trip. Profane And The Sacred are stepping into what has always been exclusively American territory and rather than sneaking in unnoticed these Brits have decided to walk up and kick the door in on the the Yanks playing them at their own game and doing a damn fine job too. Crank it up, grab a beer, hail the leaf and let them take you into their house of riffage!! 9/10
Another Point Of View: Saxon (Live Review By Paul)
Saxon: 02 Academy, Oxford
Back in December Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler experienced a life threatening brain haemorrhage which resulted in the band postponing the conclusion of their Warriors of the Road tour. Thankfully, Nigel appears to be on his way back to health. Thanks to Brett, the opportunity to catch the band with stand in drummer Sven Dirkschneider at the 02 in Oxford remained and we headed East to see how the band had coped with the disruption and the re-jigging of personnel.
Once again the 02 had an early curfew as the gig was on a Friday night and so we arrived too late to catch German outfit Beyond The Black, although this wasn't really an issue for us as we’d seen them at Bristol in late November 2014 on the original leg of the tour. We did arrive in time to catch one of Musipedia's faves, Hell doing their stuff. Sticking with the same set that they delivered on the original tour, Hell (6) struggled with a number of technical demons, most noticeably a lack of guitar sound early in the set and then some quite frustrating microphone difficulties with Dave Bower’s head microphone cutting out completely with three songs to go. Despite these problems, Hell have been around long enough to deal with such problems and provided a thoroughly entertaining 40 minutes. The frustration was obvious with Andy Sneap particularly irritated. As the venue slowly filled towards the end of Hell’s set, it was also clear that the majority were only there for the headliners with limited audience response to the theatrics unfolding in front of them. Hell did manage to obtain a very healthy cheer at the end of what must have been a difficult set. Having seen these guys destroy in the past, this was slightly below the standard we've come to expect.
Bang on 8pm the strains of AC/DC’s It's A Long Way To The Top... hit the PA, with the now very busy Academy bursting with anticipation. Blasting straight into Motorcycle Man, Saxon (9) proceeded to deliver yet another masterclass in how to work a crowd, supplemented by their massive back catalogue of quality metal anthems. Biff was in fine form, engaging with the crowd from the off, encouraging regular audience participation which is an easy thing to do with tracks such as And The Bands Played On, The Power And The Glory and Dallas 1pm which arrived early in the set. Our review of Saxon at Bristol in November 2014 provides a detailed breakdown of the set list but suffice to say it was classic after classic. So, what about young Dirkschneider? Well, I'm pleased to report that, with one or two exceptions, Udo’s boy did well, working with Nibbs Carter’s cavalier bass lines to underpin the excellent fretwork of founder member Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt. There were a couple of moments where the odd fill was missed, but overall Sven managed to keep the heavy metal thunder flowing. Biff, always the focal point was on blindingly good form; his voice is top drawer and he remains capable of hitting all the notes. The classic tracks flowed, with the crowd demonstrating their appreciation of the old school stuff which included The Eagle Has Landed, Crusader, 20,000 ft and Never Surrender. As always, main set closer Princess Of The Night provoked a massive response before the closing hat trick of Wheels Of Steel, Strong Arm Of The Law and the anthem Denim And Leather left everyone content and happy as they left the venue to brave the bitterly cold evening. I think I've said before that you rarely get a bad Saxon show, and this was no different. A full two hour set crammed with classic after classic. Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish and once again a demonstration of a band who are always worth seeing when they tour.
Back in December Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler experienced a life threatening brain haemorrhage which resulted in the band postponing the conclusion of their Warriors of the Road tour. Thankfully, Nigel appears to be on his way back to health. Thanks to Brett, the opportunity to catch the band with stand in drummer Sven Dirkschneider at the 02 in Oxford remained and we headed East to see how the band had coped with the disruption and the re-jigging of personnel.
Once again the 02 had an early curfew as the gig was on a Friday night and so we arrived too late to catch German outfit Beyond The Black, although this wasn't really an issue for us as we’d seen them at Bristol in late November 2014 on the original leg of the tour. We did arrive in time to catch one of Musipedia's faves, Hell doing their stuff. Sticking with the same set that they delivered on the original tour, Hell (6) struggled with a number of technical demons, most noticeably a lack of guitar sound early in the set and then some quite frustrating microphone difficulties with Dave Bower’s head microphone cutting out completely with three songs to go. Despite these problems, Hell have been around long enough to deal with such problems and provided a thoroughly entertaining 40 minutes. The frustration was obvious with Andy Sneap particularly irritated. As the venue slowly filled towards the end of Hell’s set, it was also clear that the majority were only there for the headliners with limited audience response to the theatrics unfolding in front of them. Hell did manage to obtain a very healthy cheer at the end of what must have been a difficult set. Having seen these guys destroy in the past, this was slightly below the standard we've come to expect.
Bang on 8pm the strains of AC/DC’s It's A Long Way To The Top... hit the PA, with the now very busy Academy bursting with anticipation. Blasting straight into Motorcycle Man, Saxon (9) proceeded to deliver yet another masterclass in how to work a crowd, supplemented by their massive back catalogue of quality metal anthems. Biff was in fine form, engaging with the crowd from the off, encouraging regular audience participation which is an easy thing to do with tracks such as And The Bands Played On, The Power And The Glory and Dallas 1pm which arrived early in the set. Our review of Saxon at Bristol in November 2014 provides a detailed breakdown of the set list but suffice to say it was classic after classic. So, what about young Dirkschneider? Well, I'm pleased to report that, with one or two exceptions, Udo’s boy did well, working with Nibbs Carter’s cavalier bass lines to underpin the excellent fretwork of founder member Paul Quinn and Doug Scarratt. There were a couple of moments where the odd fill was missed, but overall Sven managed to keep the heavy metal thunder flowing. Biff, always the focal point was on blindingly good form; his voice is top drawer and he remains capable of hitting all the notes. The classic tracks flowed, with the crowd demonstrating their appreciation of the old school stuff which included The Eagle Has Landed, Crusader, 20,000 ft and Never Surrender. As always, main set closer Princess Of The Night provoked a massive response before the closing hat trick of Wheels Of Steel, Strong Arm Of The Law and the anthem Denim And Leather left everyone content and happy as they left the venue to brave the bitterly cold evening. I think I've said before that you rarely get a bad Saxon show, and this was no different. A full two hour set crammed with classic after classic. Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish and once again a demonstration of a band who are always worth seeing when they tour.
Review: Venom (Monster Review By Paul)
Venom: From The Very Depths (Spinefarm)
Way back in the early 1980s, a black metal band from Newcastle blew the rock world apart. The album was Welcome To Hell. The band was Venom. Over the next few years, Venom tore up the rule book with a combination of satanic themed, thrash infused punk. They courted the media, performed limited but legendary gigs (ask Brett Perry about the 7th Date Of Hell gig at Hammersmith Odeon) and generally told the establishment that this was what they were about. Despite the fact that their music was never polished, the number of bands who cited them as an influence is legion. Over the years they developed cult status, in spite of some absolute shite that they produced in the 1990s. The popularity of the Venom t-shirt sits alongside the Ramones, Motorhead, GNR and Iron Maiden; unlike the latter two bands, they didn't shift anywhere near the volume of albums.
Their 14th album, From The Very Depths, which was always the introductory line at their gigs is a statement of intent and one of their finest works since the very early releases. Kicking off with intro Eruptus, Cronos, Dante and Rage launch straight into the title track which is absolutely bonkers heads down thrash. Powerful double bass drumming, demonic riffs and of course the snarling guttural delivery of Cronos’ vocals. From The Very Depths powers along like a run-away race horse, solos peeling your face off whilst the rhythm section anchors the track with a ball breaking battery. No let up after this face melter with the huge punk spiked The Death Of Rock And Roll powering along. Cronos’ bass pounding away. The lyrics, as with all Venom releases verge on the preposterous with some dubious rhyming (Kid Creole with Rock n’ Roll?) but hey, this is legendary stuff. Who gives a fuck! Smoke is slower, with more grit that a Rhondda Council snow truck and huge riffs which wouldn't be out of place on a Crowbar or Down album; sludgy and dirty.
Back to a kick in the face with Temptation, pile drivingly heavy, massive hooks and powerhouse drumming before the brilliant ode to the times before Venom, Long Haired Punks which is just so entertaining. This is absolutely classic Venom with galloping bass lines, shredding and furious drumming and Cronos’s delivery as savage as ever. Manic laughter and brilliantly ridiculous rhyming, Long Haired Punks is the absolute essence of Venom. Killer guitar work combining with the powerhouse rhythm section and Cronos snarling and laughing all over it. Awesome stuff. Stigmata Satanas is possibly the heaviest track on the album, with a chugging riff which you can’t help but nod along to whilst the Devil possesses Cronos' soul again as he spews forth his satanic bile in a biblical style.
Whilst Venom is indeed a legendary, historic outfit who have created a genuine niche in the annals of heavy metal music, there was a time when their playing was not particularly impressive. However, the arrival of Dante and Rage has upped the level of quality, and advanced from 2011’s Fallen Angels. More massive riffs in the next track, Crucified, which slips back into the sludge factory with some disgustingly dirty chords and an irresistible beat. Evil Law has an atmospheric but disturbing intro before building with a Slayer type construction with more of the huge power chords and a combination of old school black metal combined with the intestines of Kirk Windstein, such is the demonic nature and pure sludge of this track. Grinding Teeth provides a huge slab of Motorhead speed metal whilst the demonic overtures return as Ouverture builds into the epic Mephistopheles, an ode to the German demon, featured in Faust’s legends. Wings Of Valkyrie brings the album to a fitting close, massive bass lines combining with pummelling drums to completely finish you off. However, there is also the bonus of a live recording of Rise, which has some of the most brutal riffage you’ll hear this year. This is a blistering album which has all of the edge and aggression that made Venom such a shock to the metal establishment all those years ago. Now, where the fuck are those UK dates? 10/10
Way back in the early 1980s, a black metal band from Newcastle blew the rock world apart. The album was Welcome To Hell. The band was Venom. Over the next few years, Venom tore up the rule book with a combination of satanic themed, thrash infused punk. They courted the media, performed limited but legendary gigs (ask Brett Perry about the 7th Date Of Hell gig at Hammersmith Odeon) and generally told the establishment that this was what they were about. Despite the fact that their music was never polished, the number of bands who cited them as an influence is legion. Over the years they developed cult status, in spite of some absolute shite that they produced in the 1990s. The popularity of the Venom t-shirt sits alongside the Ramones, Motorhead, GNR and Iron Maiden; unlike the latter two bands, they didn't shift anywhere near the volume of albums.
Their 14th album, From The Very Depths, which was always the introductory line at their gigs is a statement of intent and one of their finest works since the very early releases. Kicking off with intro Eruptus, Cronos, Dante and Rage launch straight into the title track which is absolutely bonkers heads down thrash. Powerful double bass drumming, demonic riffs and of course the snarling guttural delivery of Cronos’ vocals. From The Very Depths powers along like a run-away race horse, solos peeling your face off whilst the rhythm section anchors the track with a ball breaking battery. No let up after this face melter with the huge punk spiked The Death Of Rock And Roll powering along. Cronos’ bass pounding away. The lyrics, as with all Venom releases verge on the preposterous with some dubious rhyming (Kid Creole with Rock n’ Roll?) but hey, this is legendary stuff. Who gives a fuck! Smoke is slower, with more grit that a Rhondda Council snow truck and huge riffs which wouldn't be out of place on a Crowbar or Down album; sludgy and dirty.
Back to a kick in the face with Temptation, pile drivingly heavy, massive hooks and powerhouse drumming before the brilliant ode to the times before Venom, Long Haired Punks which is just so entertaining. This is absolutely classic Venom with galloping bass lines, shredding and furious drumming and Cronos’s delivery as savage as ever. Manic laughter and brilliantly ridiculous rhyming, Long Haired Punks is the absolute essence of Venom. Killer guitar work combining with the powerhouse rhythm section and Cronos snarling and laughing all over it. Awesome stuff. Stigmata Satanas is possibly the heaviest track on the album, with a chugging riff which you can’t help but nod along to whilst the Devil possesses Cronos' soul again as he spews forth his satanic bile in a biblical style.
Whilst Venom is indeed a legendary, historic outfit who have created a genuine niche in the annals of heavy metal music, there was a time when their playing was not particularly impressive. However, the arrival of Dante and Rage has upped the level of quality, and advanced from 2011’s Fallen Angels. More massive riffs in the next track, Crucified, which slips back into the sludge factory with some disgustingly dirty chords and an irresistible beat. Evil Law has an atmospheric but disturbing intro before building with a Slayer type construction with more of the huge power chords and a combination of old school black metal combined with the intestines of Kirk Windstein, such is the demonic nature and pure sludge of this track. Grinding Teeth provides a huge slab of Motorhead speed metal whilst the demonic overtures return as Ouverture builds into the epic Mephistopheles, an ode to the German demon, featured in Faust’s legends. Wings Of Valkyrie brings the album to a fitting close, massive bass lines combining with pummelling drums to completely finish you off. However, there is also the bonus of a live recording of Rise, which has some of the most brutal riffage you’ll hear this year. This is a blistering album which has all of the edge and aggression that made Venom such a shock to the metal establishment all those years ago. Now, where the fuck are those UK dates? 10/10
Thursday, 5 February 2015
A View From The Back Of The Room: Shattered Skies
Shattered Skies, Severed Illusion & Shadows Of Serenity, The Gryphon, Bristol
Having only recently listened to Shattered Skies' debut album, I was excited to see that they were doing their first headline tour of the UK stopping off in my favourite drinking establishment in Bristol The Gryphon. So a short jaunt to Bristol with an old friend was in order to catch this band that impressed me so much on record. As we entered the venue we went upstairs into what was essentially a small room with a drumkit at the end, this gave the entire evening a feeling of bands playing in your front room.
Shadows Of Serenity
First up were metalcore band Shadows Of Serenity who had a prowling vocalist screaming his head off while the band laid down a thick metalcore riffs and beatdowns. With their mix between brutality and melody Shadows Of Serenity are a good watch especially because their frontman is affable, funny and totally mental creating a one man mosh pit and then trying to do a frontflip and destroying a mic stand (for someone who is of my size this is no mean feat). Definitely worth a watch and a band that could go on to do well with the right support run. 7/10
Severed Illusion
They paint themselves as a hardcore band which immediately pushed me away; not my kind of music at all I'm afraid. However when they merged their Hatebreed style hardcore punk metal beatdown with what can only be described as progressive rap metal with rapid fire vocals and screams; I felt the walls of the already small room closing in. In a certain place and time this would be great but here they did seem slightly out of place. 5/10
Shattered Skies
So the main event and this Irish four piece arrived on stage and the intro Collapse Of Man started up before the band exploded The End And The Rebirth which kicked things off with their djenty palm muted guitar riffage and got every head nodding from the off. Jim Hughes' 6-string bass was the main rhythm punching you in the guts, while working with Ross McMahon's technical drumming to create the muscular riffs that Ian Rockett can add his amazing guitar solos and melodies, now as the song began, Sean Murphy's sang the first lines and then nothing, the mic had failed but with a bit of jiggery-pokery the sound came back meaning that Murphy's excellent clear, melodic voice was audible and singing with passion. As I said in my album review Shattered Skies are a very technical and progressive band but they also write some fantastic songs, keeping up the pace they moved straight into 15 Minutes before harking back to their Reanimation EP on Beneath The Waves which merged from their heaviness and melody brilliantly, things slowed a little on Attrition from the same EP adding light and shade to proceedings. More technical issues with the mics throughout meant that Murphy's voice dropped in and out, due to the size of the venue though and my proximity to the front (something that happens not very often) I was still able hear him. Into the thumping technical power of Show's Over and the band were wrapping up but not letting the pace drop at all, the band were going for the throat with their heaviest tracks, impressing the surprisingly large crowd as they did. Finally unfortunately it was time for the final track and as the piano intro of As The Seas Divide built up into the the strongest song as the night and as the first verse started once again the mic totally went kaput so with a quick switch to Rockett's second vocal mic and we were back on course for a song that is a natural finale sending the crowd home very happy indeed. Shattered Skies are an amazing band playing very technical modern metal with lashings of musicality, they know how to win over a crowd and they are humble about the fandom that has quite rightly evolved around them. In future I'm sure I'll be looking back on this as a the flashpoint for something much bigger. 9/10
Having only recently listened to Shattered Skies' debut album, I was excited to see that they were doing their first headline tour of the UK stopping off in my favourite drinking establishment in Bristol The Gryphon. So a short jaunt to Bristol with an old friend was in order to catch this band that impressed me so much on record. As we entered the venue we went upstairs into what was essentially a small room with a drumkit at the end, this gave the entire evening a feeling of bands playing in your front room.
Shadows Of Serenity
First up were metalcore band Shadows Of Serenity who had a prowling vocalist screaming his head off while the band laid down a thick metalcore riffs and beatdowns. With their mix between brutality and melody Shadows Of Serenity are a good watch especially because their frontman is affable, funny and totally mental creating a one man mosh pit and then trying to do a frontflip and destroying a mic stand (for someone who is of my size this is no mean feat). Definitely worth a watch and a band that could go on to do well with the right support run. 7/10
Severed Illusion
They paint themselves as a hardcore band which immediately pushed me away; not my kind of music at all I'm afraid. However when they merged their Hatebreed style hardcore punk metal beatdown with what can only be described as progressive rap metal with rapid fire vocals and screams; I felt the walls of the already small room closing in. In a certain place and time this would be great but here they did seem slightly out of place. 5/10
Shattered Skies
So the main event and this Irish four piece arrived on stage and the intro Collapse Of Man started up before the band exploded The End And The Rebirth which kicked things off with their djenty palm muted guitar riffage and got every head nodding from the off. Jim Hughes' 6-string bass was the main rhythm punching you in the guts, while working with Ross McMahon's technical drumming to create the muscular riffs that Ian Rockett can add his amazing guitar solos and melodies, now as the song began, Sean Murphy's sang the first lines and then nothing, the mic had failed but with a bit of jiggery-pokery the sound came back meaning that Murphy's excellent clear, melodic voice was audible and singing with passion. As I said in my album review Shattered Skies are a very technical and progressive band but they also write some fantastic songs, keeping up the pace they moved straight into 15 Minutes before harking back to their Reanimation EP on Beneath The Waves which merged from their heaviness and melody brilliantly, things slowed a little on Attrition from the same EP adding light and shade to proceedings. More technical issues with the mics throughout meant that Murphy's voice dropped in and out, due to the size of the venue though and my proximity to the front (something that happens not very often) I was still able hear him. Into the thumping technical power of Show's Over and the band were wrapping up but not letting the pace drop at all, the band were going for the throat with their heaviest tracks, impressing the surprisingly large crowd as they did. Finally unfortunately it was time for the final track and as the piano intro of As The Seas Divide built up into the the strongest song as the night and as the first verse started once again the mic totally went kaput so with a quick switch to Rockett's second vocal mic and we were back on course for a song that is a natural finale sending the crowd home very happy indeed. Shattered Skies are an amazing band playing very technical modern metal with lashings of musicality, they know how to win over a crowd and they are humble about the fandom that has quite rightly evolved around them. In future I'm sure I'll be looking back on this as a the flashpoint for something much bigger. 9/10
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Reviews: Angra, Scanner, Visigoth
Angra: Secret Garden (earMusic)
So the Brazilian purveyors of progressive/power metal return with their first album since 2010's Aqua and much like 2001's Rebirth it features yet another vocalist in the shape of Rhapsody Of Fire and Vision Divine man Fabio Lione who continues the trend for excellent vocalists set by former singer Ed Falaschi (who notably took over from original vocalist Andre Matos). The music happily is the same with the bands dynamic brand of progressive/orchestral/power metal, Lione's vocals soar over founder member Rafael Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro's guitar chug and the technical rhythm section, with Newborn Me setting out the stall, before Black Hearted Soul echoes Lione's day job with it's cinematic feel before he can really loosen his pipes on the dark, ballad supreme Storm Of Emotions and Violent Sky which starts off with a percussive verse and builds to a hard hitting chorus. It is almost uncanny how well Lione fits into the band but he is not alone as the the title track just has the enchanting vocals of Simone Simons and Crushing Room has the Valkyrie like pipes of Doro Pesch duetting with Lione. Angra have always been painted as a power metal band but many forget just how progressive they can be and on Upper Levels this is most evident as it has elements of Dream Theater and indeed the classic era of progressive rock and they have always incorporated the music of their heritage to their tracks to with Final Light having the Brazillian percussion throughout. Angra have returned in fine style with Secret Garden, they seem to have their mojo back and as Silent Call finishes the album in acoustic style Angra have once again proved why they deserve their place in the upper echelon of the power metal spectrum. 8/10
Scanner: The Judgement (Massacre Records)
Scanner are a German power metal band with a very turbulent history, splitting and reforming twice in their 25+ year career. The only original member is guitarist Axel 'A.J' Julius but the song as they say remains the same, Teutonic power metal with galloping tracks, aggressive guitar riffs and sledgehammer rhythm section. From F.T.B Fuck The Bastards through to The Legionary there is no let up in the pace, every song is fuelled by A.J and Andreas Zeidler's twin guitar attack, Jonathan Sell's bass and the destructive drumming of Patrick Klose and topped by Efthimios Ioannidis' soaring vocals and gang chants. This is perfect German power metal for fans of Helloween and Accept, but the band widen their remit a little with Warlord which is by far the heaviest song on the record moving into thrash for a bit, while Eutopia is a swaggering hard rock track, Battle Of Poseidon is an epic track that really ramps up the drama before Pirates echoes Rockin' Rolf and Running Wild. Like I said Scanner have had a turbulent history with the band starting and stopping throughout their career, but they do seem to gel as a unit on this record so here's to a more stable and successful future for this talented band. 7/10
Visigoth: The Revenant King (Metal Blade)
Bursting out of Salt Lake City Visigoth are a heavy metal band steeped in retro classic metal riffs and clad in leather jackets. Taking their name from a Germanic tribe, the waft of German metal is present but for the most part this is the kind of guitar heavy retro metal that The Sword and indeed Grand Magus bring to the table, with some great guitar riffs, rumbling bass licks, tumbling drums and a booming singer the band play some very strong metal starting with powerful title track, then the twisting Dungeon Master is full of pace changes and has some awesome solos, Mammoth Rider has stomps like it's animal namesake and gets your fist pumping in unison with the songs rhythm before speeding up and then slowing down again in to a doom laden final part. The rhythm section is heavier than an anvil in a safe on Mars, the guitars provide a laser guided axe attack moving between the NWOBHM-like riffage and searing solos. The vocals too are amazing, powerful, sonorous and reminiscent of Magus' J.B, especially on Blood Sacrifice. As with many bands that hark back to the early 80's the lyrics are occult and fantasy based with Iron Brotherhood, Creature Of Desire and the finale of From The Arcane Mists Of Prophecy all sound like they are straight from the pages of Heavy Metal magazine and conjure up images of axe wielding warriors, leather clad women and desolate wastelands. If you love your metal full of masculine, chest beating battle anthems, you still wear tight spandex and sneakers and you have the Sign Of The Hammer tattooed on your heart then Visigoth will be right up your street, drawing from Manowar (Iron Brotherhood is pure DiMaio), Grand Magus and indeed Manilla Road, who the band cover on the speedy Necropolis. With classic metal throughout and just a hint of doom Visigoth have produced a superb debut album for old school metal meatheads like myself!! 9/10 :
So the Brazilian purveyors of progressive/power metal return with their first album since 2010's Aqua and much like 2001's Rebirth it features yet another vocalist in the shape of Rhapsody Of Fire and Vision Divine man Fabio Lione who continues the trend for excellent vocalists set by former singer Ed Falaschi (who notably took over from original vocalist Andre Matos). The music happily is the same with the bands dynamic brand of progressive/orchestral/power metal, Lione's vocals soar over founder member Rafael Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro's guitar chug and the technical rhythm section, with Newborn Me setting out the stall, before Black Hearted Soul echoes Lione's day job with it's cinematic feel before he can really loosen his pipes on the dark, ballad supreme Storm Of Emotions and Violent Sky which starts off with a percussive verse and builds to a hard hitting chorus. It is almost uncanny how well Lione fits into the band but he is not alone as the the title track just has the enchanting vocals of Simone Simons and Crushing Room has the Valkyrie like pipes of Doro Pesch duetting with Lione. Angra have always been painted as a power metal band but many forget just how progressive they can be and on Upper Levels this is most evident as it has elements of Dream Theater and indeed the classic era of progressive rock and they have always incorporated the music of their heritage to their tracks to with Final Light having the Brazillian percussion throughout. Angra have returned in fine style with Secret Garden, they seem to have their mojo back and as Silent Call finishes the album in acoustic style Angra have once again proved why they deserve their place in the upper echelon of the power metal spectrum. 8/10
Scanner: The Judgement (Massacre Records)
Scanner are a German power metal band with a very turbulent history, splitting and reforming twice in their 25+ year career. The only original member is guitarist Axel 'A.J' Julius but the song as they say remains the same, Teutonic power metal with galloping tracks, aggressive guitar riffs and sledgehammer rhythm section. From F.T.B Fuck The Bastards through to The Legionary there is no let up in the pace, every song is fuelled by A.J and Andreas Zeidler's twin guitar attack, Jonathan Sell's bass and the destructive drumming of Patrick Klose and topped by Efthimios Ioannidis' soaring vocals and gang chants. This is perfect German power metal for fans of Helloween and Accept, but the band widen their remit a little with Warlord which is by far the heaviest song on the record moving into thrash for a bit, while Eutopia is a swaggering hard rock track, Battle Of Poseidon is an epic track that really ramps up the drama before Pirates echoes Rockin' Rolf and Running Wild. Like I said Scanner have had a turbulent history with the band starting and stopping throughout their career, but they do seem to gel as a unit on this record so here's to a more stable and successful future for this talented band. 7/10
Visigoth: The Revenant King (Metal Blade)
Bursting out of Salt Lake City Visigoth are a heavy metal band steeped in retro classic metal riffs and clad in leather jackets. Taking their name from a Germanic tribe, the waft of German metal is present but for the most part this is the kind of guitar heavy retro metal that The Sword and indeed Grand Magus bring to the table, with some great guitar riffs, rumbling bass licks, tumbling drums and a booming singer the band play some very strong metal starting with powerful title track, then the twisting Dungeon Master is full of pace changes and has some awesome solos, Mammoth Rider has stomps like it's animal namesake and gets your fist pumping in unison with the songs rhythm before speeding up and then slowing down again in to a doom laden final part. The rhythm section is heavier than an anvil in a safe on Mars, the guitars provide a laser guided axe attack moving between the NWOBHM-like riffage and searing solos. The vocals too are amazing, powerful, sonorous and reminiscent of Magus' J.B, especially on Blood Sacrifice. As with many bands that hark back to the early 80's the lyrics are occult and fantasy based with Iron Brotherhood, Creature Of Desire and the finale of From The Arcane Mists Of Prophecy all sound like they are straight from the pages of Heavy Metal magazine and conjure up images of axe wielding warriors, leather clad women and desolate wastelands. If you love your metal full of masculine, chest beating battle anthems, you still wear tight spandex and sneakers and you have the Sign Of The Hammer tattooed on your heart then Visigoth will be right up your street, drawing from Manowar (Iron Brotherhood is pure DiMaio), Grand Magus and indeed Manilla Road, who the band cover on the speedy Necropolis. With classic metal throughout and just a hint of doom Visigoth have produced a superb debut album for old school metal meatheads like myself!! 9/10 :
Reviews: Dethlehem, Starblind, The Cyon Project (Review By Stief)
Dethlehem: Destroyers Of The Realm (Self Released)
Kicking off with Knightmare, Dethlehem immediately show their melodic skills,The guitars of Hildor Anduv and Bovice supporting the vicious growls and roars of Brutalitus The Bloodbeard, giving you a good taste of what to expect. Although brutal, there are a few 'softer' interludes which include some great solos and piano skills. The band seem to sail the spectrum of heavy music, from the previously mentioned brutality to the use of strings and keyboards which give the songs a fantastical appeal, some songs akin to In Flames in places. The band have the comedic aspect of the album pinned down as well through the use of skits, three in total, which tie the album's story together, an adventure in which the band travel to stop Knightmare using Brutalitus' cursed sword to destroy the world. There are plenty of references to Lord Of The Rings, Princess Bride and pretty much any role playing game trope you can think of, one character even making reference to the 'level 7' enemy he fought before and the narrator telling us that the band 'don't play on easy difficulty'. Although almost childish in places, with characters such as 'Dildo Huggins', and more than a few gratuitous fart and burp jokes, the band definitely pull it back with the music, some of the more epic tracks including the nine minute Shadow Remnants Of The Guardian Shield. Overall it feels as if we're being given a Dungeons and Dragons session hosted by a group of brutal musicians, and I wouldn't change a thing 7/10
Starblind: Darkest Horrors (Stormspell)
The first full album from the Swedish quartet and from opening track Ascendancy onwards, it's obvious that Starblind wear their inspiration very much on their sleeves. From the galloping bass to the brilliant solos, the band show their NWOBHM chops. Each song is a trip through classic heavy rock, from Zackarias Wikner's excellent drumming to the guitars of Johan Jonasson and Björn Rosenblad, the quick-paced bass of Daniel Tillberg to the wailing vocals of Mike Stark. Throughout the album, Stark seems to channel all the greats, from Dickinson to Halford. Although his voice is great, there are times when it seems a little too much, his wails almost grating against the clean vocals in Ascendancy and Blood In The Night. This isn't to say his voice isn't good though, the same wailing working perfectly well in later tracks such as I Stand Alone, a very Maiden-esque track. Generally, it's a brilliant album with some great harmonies, blistering solos and you can tell great things are going to come from this band 8/10.
The Cyon Project: Tales Of Pain (Self Released)
Yet another first full album, this time from Italy's The Cyon Project. Starting off with Joe, a Morricone-esque guitar track that gradually builds up to cinematic proportions before resetting itself and building up again to a crescendo of guitars and chanting. Like most of the album, second song Cheesy Song is a great example of heavy rock. The use of strings in certain songs, such as Phantom Limb and Rulemaker give a refreshing outlook on the hard rock sound. The rumbling bass of Mad Mike and drums of Nicola Palma work brilliantly with Fabio Cyon's guitarwork and Marco Priotti's vocals walk the border of soulful and rough, both being used in equal amounts to great effect, especially in songs such as Hourglass, where it's completely soulful to John Ryder, where it's borderline-Hetfield. All in all, a great album with some awesome heavy rock and a Monty Python (Mr Creosote) reference can never go amiss. 7/10
Kicking off with Knightmare, Dethlehem immediately show their melodic skills,The guitars of Hildor Anduv and Bovice supporting the vicious growls and roars of Brutalitus The Bloodbeard, giving you a good taste of what to expect. Although brutal, there are a few 'softer' interludes which include some great solos and piano skills. The band seem to sail the spectrum of heavy music, from the previously mentioned brutality to the use of strings and keyboards which give the songs a fantastical appeal, some songs akin to In Flames in places. The band have the comedic aspect of the album pinned down as well through the use of skits, three in total, which tie the album's story together, an adventure in which the band travel to stop Knightmare using Brutalitus' cursed sword to destroy the world. There are plenty of references to Lord Of The Rings, Princess Bride and pretty much any role playing game trope you can think of, one character even making reference to the 'level 7' enemy he fought before and the narrator telling us that the band 'don't play on easy difficulty'. Although almost childish in places, with characters such as 'Dildo Huggins', and more than a few gratuitous fart and burp jokes, the band definitely pull it back with the music, some of the more epic tracks including the nine minute Shadow Remnants Of The Guardian Shield. Overall it feels as if we're being given a Dungeons and Dragons session hosted by a group of brutal musicians, and I wouldn't change a thing 7/10
Starblind: Darkest Horrors (Stormspell)
The first full album from the Swedish quartet and from opening track Ascendancy onwards, it's obvious that Starblind wear their inspiration very much on their sleeves. From the galloping bass to the brilliant solos, the band show their NWOBHM chops. Each song is a trip through classic heavy rock, from Zackarias Wikner's excellent drumming to the guitars of Johan Jonasson and Björn Rosenblad, the quick-paced bass of Daniel Tillberg to the wailing vocals of Mike Stark. Throughout the album, Stark seems to channel all the greats, from Dickinson to Halford. Although his voice is great, there are times when it seems a little too much, his wails almost grating against the clean vocals in Ascendancy and Blood In The Night. This isn't to say his voice isn't good though, the same wailing working perfectly well in later tracks such as I Stand Alone, a very Maiden-esque track. Generally, it's a brilliant album with some great harmonies, blistering solos and you can tell great things are going to come from this band 8/10.
The Cyon Project: Tales Of Pain (Self Released)
Yet another first full album, this time from Italy's The Cyon Project. Starting off with Joe, a Morricone-esque guitar track that gradually builds up to cinematic proportions before resetting itself and building up again to a crescendo of guitars and chanting. Like most of the album, second song Cheesy Song is a great example of heavy rock. The use of strings in certain songs, such as Phantom Limb and Rulemaker give a refreshing outlook on the hard rock sound. The rumbling bass of Mad Mike and drums of Nicola Palma work brilliantly with Fabio Cyon's guitarwork and Marco Priotti's vocals walk the border of soulful and rough, both being used in equal amounts to great effect, especially in songs such as Hourglass, where it's completely soulful to John Ryder, where it's borderline-Hetfield. All in all, a great album with some awesome heavy rock and a Monty Python (Mr Creosote) reference can never go amiss. 7/10
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Reviews: Blind Guardian, Arcane, Kattah
Blind Guardian: Beyond The Red Mirror (Nuclear Blast)
Five years since Blind Guardian's last opus At The Edge Of Time and once again the German masters of symphonic metal return with another album of cinematic, orchestral metal mixed with classic German speed metal. The album is a concept piece and direct sequel to my favourite album Imaginations From The Other Side, so as you can imagine (no pun intended) I was very exciteted to see how this concept was going to progress. Things have changed a lot since Imaginations... for both the band and the concept, the band have become much bigger sounding act tahn they were back then, bolstered by modern techniques to create more bombast than ever before, which suits this album down to the ground as the world the album concept is based in has become a much darker place as the brooding electronically tinged Sacred Mind shows this means that things are heavier and the use of electronics is present throughout. Much like on their previous album At the Edge Of Time the album again starts off with the longest and most epic song; this time its the sprawling The Ninth Wave that begins as a film score before its electronic middle section makes everything more evil sounding and allows André Olbrich to show his six string skills on the fantastic solos that don't outstay their welcome in their ferocity. So far so good then, with Blind Guardian coming out of the blocks with a song full of atmosphere and drama, the first track is in direct opposite to the rampaging Twilight Of The Gods which harks back to Blind Guardian's early years with Marcus Siepen's rhythm guitars driving the riffage along with Frederik Ehmke's blast beat drumming and Barend Courbois' guest bass all combing to bring the speed. At The Edge Of Time is a song possibly left off the last album that moves from a creeping beginning into a majestic middle section with the huge orchestras and choirs Blind Guardian have always been known for. Hansi Kürsch's voice is once again majestic, he truly is one of the best vocalists in the world not just in the metal genre but in music in general, he shines throughout this record hitting highs, mids and lows with perfection. In my last review I said that fellow Germans Orden Ogan had laid down the gauntlet for Blind Guardian in this early year power metal battle but I think Guardian may just pipped them despite entering the fight second, Guardian are just untouchable in terms of musical scope, easily moving from speed metal on Ashes Of Eternity and Holy Grail, through symphonic metal on The Throne, adding their trademark folk elements on Prophecies, the obligatory orchestral, piano ballad on Miracle Machine before once again another nine minute plus epic ends the album in true baroque style. Blind Guardian have yet again outdone themselves with another album of amazing music that only they seem to be able to produce!! 10/10
Arcane: Known/Learned (Self Released)
Arcane are an Aussie prog metal band and Known/Learned is their second album and it is ambitious in it's concept, this is a massive double album one half is the more metallic side and the other is the more natural acoustic side. The band are from the more modern, intense style of progressive music favoured by their countrymen Karnivool and also Americans Tool see the final part of Final Burden for evidence of Maynard and Co. The bands sound is characterised by the unrelenting repetitive riffage, euphoric choruses, atmospheric keys, mechanical percussion and complex song structures all of which are characteristics of modern progressive metal, luckily Arcane seem to do all of these things brilliantly. The band are all superb musicians with Matthew Martins pianos, keys etc providing the ethereal backdrop of melodies that work in tandem with the Michael Gagan's amazing and in places heavy as f**k lead guitar work, see Impatience & Slow Poison which builds from a piano led beginning before exploding into it's finale. The haunting Known is the shortest song acting as bridge between the epics that surround it but shows off Jim Grey's amazing and yet harrowing, emotive vocals, a theme that continues on Nightingale's Weave which is a starts slow before once again exploding and leading into the relaxed, atmospheric jazzy Eyes For Change, then Black Coulson shows off his percussive skills on the intro to Keeping Stone: Water Awake before it changes into it's cinematic last quarter. The first disc finishes with the 23 minute Promise (Part 1) which is the amalgamation of everything previously heard in one heroic song full of time changes ending the first disc with impressive scope.
By comparison to the first, the second disc is sonically quieter but no less powerful as the the other part, in fact it is more affecting than disc 1 as the band strip back their sound to show off how good they are in a natural non electric environment and also it lets their songwriting skills and especially Grey's lyrics sparkle. Promise (Part 2) is the perfect companion to it's bigger brother and once again it's Grey who shines with his acoustic guitar and amazing vocals being fleshed out with Gagen's mandolin and yet again more organs and keys from Martin. Coulson has a percussive shuffle on Unturning. As I've said this side of the record is much more ambient and emotive than it's predecessor but the two tie together to form a cohesive musical journey building you up with the rockier side before bringing you down with it's acoustic second side. This album can be seen as concept or a journey and the second disc completes the tale with the excellent Keeping Stone: Sound On Fire which follows on from Keeping Stone: Water Awake, then the almost choral Learned finishes the journey on a restrained plaintive. Opeth tried something similar to this with Damnation and Deliverance a few years ago, having a harder and a softer record, the idea worked but whereas they were two separate albums. Arcane's effort is a lot more coherent with both records being part of a whole overarching concept. The scope of this album is too big to take in in one sitting but after repeated it listens it reveals it's treasures, this is a stunning piece of work that at times is difficult but more than worth it if you give it the time it needs. 10/10
Kattah: Lapis Lazuli (Bakerteam Records)
Brazilian band Kattah have carved a bit of a niche for themselves as they play some classic sounding metal but based around Arabian themes (which seems odd for a South American band but still). As is the norm with most Brazilian trad metal bands the shadow of Maiden looms large, much of this is due to Roni Sauaf's Dickinson-like vocals; he is really the dead ringer for Bruce vocally and can match the man himself note for note from the air raid siren shrieks to the snarled mids, however there are also elements of Geoff Tate in the vocals too with the very high shrieks he can hit. However the metallic backing is a lot heavier than the normal Maiden fair with Behind The Clay especially sounding like Bruce's solo albums more than his day job. Much of this may be due to the influence of producer Roy Z who produced Dickinson's last three albums all of which were very heavier than Maiden but had the distinctive melody too. The guitars bring heavy riffs throughout and the band have distinctly progressive feel to their music with the Arabian elements at their best on Apocalypse, Rebirth Of The Pharaohs but for the most part the album is full of muscular progressive/power metal, with time changes galore, some bass galloping and a singer who apes one of the best singers in the game to a tee. Lapis Lazuli is a good sophomore album from these Brazilians who clearly wear their influences emblazoned for all to see, a lot of the time this would be a bad thing but Kattah play so well that you enjoy this album for what it is, imagine if Maiden just continued with the Egyptian theme of Powerslave for the rest of their career and you wouldn't be far off. This my friends is a good thing 8/10
Five years since Blind Guardian's last opus At The Edge Of Time and once again the German masters of symphonic metal return with another album of cinematic, orchestral metal mixed with classic German speed metal. The album is a concept piece and direct sequel to my favourite album Imaginations From The Other Side, so as you can imagine (no pun intended) I was very exciteted to see how this concept was going to progress. Things have changed a lot since Imaginations... for both the band and the concept, the band have become much bigger sounding act tahn they were back then, bolstered by modern techniques to create more bombast than ever before, which suits this album down to the ground as the world the album concept is based in has become a much darker place as the brooding electronically tinged Sacred Mind shows this means that things are heavier and the use of electronics is present throughout. Much like on their previous album At the Edge Of Time the album again starts off with the longest and most epic song; this time its the sprawling The Ninth Wave that begins as a film score before its electronic middle section makes everything more evil sounding and allows André Olbrich to show his six string skills on the fantastic solos that don't outstay their welcome in their ferocity. So far so good then, with Blind Guardian coming out of the blocks with a song full of atmosphere and drama, the first track is in direct opposite to the rampaging Twilight Of The Gods which harks back to Blind Guardian's early years with Marcus Siepen's rhythm guitars driving the riffage along with Frederik Ehmke's blast beat drumming and Barend Courbois' guest bass all combing to bring the speed. At The Edge Of Time is a song possibly left off the last album that moves from a creeping beginning into a majestic middle section with the huge orchestras and choirs Blind Guardian have always been known for. Hansi Kürsch's voice is once again majestic, he truly is one of the best vocalists in the world not just in the metal genre but in music in general, he shines throughout this record hitting highs, mids and lows with perfection. In my last review I said that fellow Germans Orden Ogan had laid down the gauntlet for Blind Guardian in this early year power metal battle but I think Guardian may just pipped them despite entering the fight second, Guardian are just untouchable in terms of musical scope, easily moving from speed metal on Ashes Of Eternity and Holy Grail, through symphonic metal on The Throne, adding their trademark folk elements on Prophecies, the obligatory orchestral, piano ballad on Miracle Machine before once again another nine minute plus epic ends the album in true baroque style. Blind Guardian have yet again outdone themselves with another album of amazing music that only they seem to be able to produce!! 10/10
Arcane: Known/Learned (Self Released)
Arcane are an Aussie prog metal band and Known/Learned is their second album and it is ambitious in it's concept, this is a massive double album one half is the more metallic side and the other is the more natural acoustic side. The band are from the more modern, intense style of progressive music favoured by their countrymen Karnivool and also Americans Tool see the final part of Final Burden for evidence of Maynard and Co. The bands sound is characterised by the unrelenting repetitive riffage, euphoric choruses, atmospheric keys, mechanical percussion and complex song structures all of which are characteristics of modern progressive metal, luckily Arcane seem to do all of these things brilliantly. The band are all superb musicians with Matthew Martins pianos, keys etc providing the ethereal backdrop of melodies that work in tandem with the Michael Gagan's amazing and in places heavy as f**k lead guitar work, see Impatience & Slow Poison which builds from a piano led beginning before exploding into it's finale. The haunting Known is the shortest song acting as bridge between the epics that surround it but shows off Jim Grey's amazing and yet harrowing, emotive vocals, a theme that continues on Nightingale's Weave which is a starts slow before once again exploding and leading into the relaxed, atmospheric jazzy Eyes For Change, then Black Coulson shows off his percussive skills on the intro to Keeping Stone: Water Awake before it changes into it's cinematic last quarter. The first disc finishes with the 23 minute Promise (Part 1) which is the amalgamation of everything previously heard in one heroic song full of time changes ending the first disc with impressive scope.
By comparison to the first, the second disc is sonically quieter but no less powerful as the the other part, in fact it is more affecting than disc 1 as the band strip back their sound to show off how good they are in a natural non electric environment and also it lets their songwriting skills and especially Grey's lyrics sparkle. Promise (Part 2) is the perfect companion to it's bigger brother and once again it's Grey who shines with his acoustic guitar and amazing vocals being fleshed out with Gagen's mandolin and yet again more organs and keys from Martin. Coulson has a percussive shuffle on Unturning. As I've said this side of the record is much more ambient and emotive than it's predecessor but the two tie together to form a cohesive musical journey building you up with the rockier side before bringing you down with it's acoustic second side. This album can be seen as concept or a journey and the second disc completes the tale with the excellent Keeping Stone: Sound On Fire which follows on from Keeping Stone: Water Awake, then the almost choral Learned finishes the journey on a restrained plaintive. Opeth tried something similar to this with Damnation and Deliverance a few years ago, having a harder and a softer record, the idea worked but whereas they were two separate albums. Arcane's effort is a lot more coherent with both records being part of a whole overarching concept. The scope of this album is too big to take in in one sitting but after repeated it listens it reveals it's treasures, this is a stunning piece of work that at times is difficult but more than worth it if you give it the time it needs. 10/10
Kattah: Lapis Lazuli (Bakerteam Records)
Brazilian band Kattah have carved a bit of a niche for themselves as they play some classic sounding metal but based around Arabian themes (which seems odd for a South American band but still). As is the norm with most Brazilian trad metal bands the shadow of Maiden looms large, much of this is due to Roni Sauaf's Dickinson-like vocals; he is really the dead ringer for Bruce vocally and can match the man himself note for note from the air raid siren shrieks to the snarled mids, however there are also elements of Geoff Tate in the vocals too with the very high shrieks he can hit. However the metallic backing is a lot heavier than the normal Maiden fair with Behind The Clay especially sounding like Bruce's solo albums more than his day job. Much of this may be due to the influence of producer Roy Z who produced Dickinson's last three albums all of which were very heavier than Maiden but had the distinctive melody too. The guitars bring heavy riffs throughout and the band have distinctly progressive feel to their music with the Arabian elements at their best on Apocalypse, Rebirth Of The Pharaohs but for the most part the album is full of muscular progressive/power metal, with time changes galore, some bass galloping and a singer who apes one of the best singers in the game to a tee. Lapis Lazuli is a good sophomore album from these Brazilians who clearly wear their influences emblazoned for all to see, a lot of the time this would be a bad thing but Kattah play so well that you enjoy this album for what it is, imagine if Maiden just continued with the Egyptian theme of Powerslave for the rest of their career and you wouldn't be far off. This my friends is a good thing 8/10
Tuesday, 27 January 2015
Another Point Of View: Slipknot (Review By Paul)
Slipknot: Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
The return of the nine, albeit in edited form, seven years after they all but destroyed the venue, is likely to have been the hottest ticket in Cardiff this year. Selling out in just a few hours, anticipation for this event (yes, event rather than gig) was high and arriving into the City Centre at just after 17:20 it was no surprise to see the maggots out in force. In fact, wherever you looked, youngsters in Slipknot t-shirts were in full view. It is no secret that I detest the MIA. A shed with all the sound quality of a biscuit tin, gestapo trained security and all the usual crap that comes with these franchised shitholes in terms of catering (£4.50 for a 330ml Carlsberg anyone?). However, I've had far worse Christmas presents than the ticket that my lads got me for this gig and although none of the bands on the bill sit in my regular play list, it was difficult not to have a sense of excitement as we entered an already busy arena.
First up were King 810 (5) from Flint, Michigan. King 810 has received substantial media support from the team at Metal Hammer, and their 2014 release, Memoirs of a Murderer featured in a number of the top ten’s submitted for our end of year poll. Led by vocalist David Gunn, King 810 kicked off their set with energy and aggression, pounding out some vicious riffs in classic nu-metal style. As their set progressed, and with a strong reception from the masses, Gunn got into his stride, stripping his top half to reveal a ripped torso, which received some excited cheers from the ladies in the crowd. However, although I can see why they appeal to the type of crowd that was gathered, I struggled to maintain attention for more than a couple of songs. Granted, I'm not a big nu-metal fan, but more importantly I always want variety in my metal, which is where I struggled. King 810 sound the same in every song and in Gunn have an earnest vocalist who has difficulty singing. In fact, his delivery is just pretty grim at times. King 810 are a real Marmite band. Unfortunately, although I love Marmite, King 810 did absolutely nothing for me although they did get a decent reception. Maybe its me!
The last couple of Korn albums have completely passed me. However, on the four previous occasions I have seen them live, including their past headline show at the MIA, they have been pretty impressive. Tonight was no different and for an hour Korn (9) absolutely owned the arena. Aided by a clever and subtle light show and ample room to move around, including plinths at the rear of the stage, the Bakersfield outfit were primed to destroy from the starting gun. Opening with Twist, the band charged into Here To Stay which had the arena bouncing. On stage, Head and Munky delivered some quite chilling riffage, heads banging and marking their own piece of the stage as their own. Right Now got the audience singing along whilst Love & Meth, Falling Away From Me and Good God maintained the momentum. Fieldy thumped his bass in his unique style, driving the deep, throbbing pulse of the band and combined with drummer Ray Luzier who put in a masterful performance. As always, Jonathan Davies holds your attention, with even his microphone stand gaining a cheer when it was brought out. As the bagpipes blasted out to signal Shoots And Ladders, Davies and the rest of Korn were clearly having a blast, with huge grins on their faces. Davies' voice was on top form, and as the curved ball of Y’all want a Single crashed in, the entire arena joined in with the admittedly difficult refrain required, “Fuck that, Fuck that”. Suddenly it was time for the sledgehammer finish; Head tapped out the opening bars to Freak On A Leash, Jonathan Davies sang “go!” and the MIA lost its shit. As Luzier concluded the song with a mini solo, he then segued nicely and tapped out the intro to a song that is 20 years old; the mighty Blind. Oh my god! The place went ballistic with pits breaking out all around; old school metal heads, the usual meatheads stripped to the waist, hipsters and others all having a damn good time and ensuring that Jonathan Davies and co. left the stage applauding the Cardiff crowd.
A relatively short wait with an elegant and ornate curtain covering the stage as the crew prepared the set for the arrival of the headliners. Say what you like about Slipknot but they do not do bad shows. A decent if slightly patchy fifth album late last year was well received and built the anticipation for this tour. At 9:20pm the lights dipped, the strains of XIX blasted out of the PA (much improved sound for the entire night by the way) and then Slipknot (10) were there, hitting their stride from the off with Sarcastrophe. Corey Taylor takes centre stage, delivering his vocal and coercing the crowd. The set was impressive with a spectacular light show, a huge devilish goat head and walkways at the rear but without feeling overly lavish and never distracting from the quality of the music. Yes, it is raging aggression which at times merges into a wall of noise but some of Slipknot’s stuff is top drawer. For example, take the next two tracks: The Heretic Anthem and My Plague. As the huge Mick Thomson (still the most sinister member of the band in my opinion) and Jim Root (complete with Cristina Scabbia in the wings) prowled stage left and right, swapping the flanks at will whilst cranking out those bone crushing demonic riffs.
New track The Devil In I kept the momentum high, with Sid Wilson running all over the place, across the back walkways and leaping back onto his decks. Meanwhile, the insanity continued on either side of the stage with the mental percussion and backing vocals of Chris Fehn and the clown Shawn Crahan as their hydraulic platforms elevated and descended whilst always spinning. First sing-a-long of the night duly arrived in the shape of Psychosocial. The intensity continued with The Negative One before Corey, who pleasingly kept the narrative short all night, shouted out “Eeyore” as Root and Thomson once again ground out the riffs. Meanwhile Craig Jones, in the spiked gimp mask, kept a low profile at his decks whilst pulling the strings to the layering that provides Slipknot with their unique sound. As the band powered through Liberate And Purity, you suddenly realised that it wasn't Joey on the drums but Jay Weinberg. Such is the quality of Weinberg’s drumming, it was impossible to tell the difference. Weinberg played a stunning show, his machine gun assault relentless and combining with Alessandro Venturella, the UK bassist who maintained a low profile whilst still contributing to the overall atmosphere with fist pumps and the occasional foray up and down the walkways.
Just in case there was any slacking off, the band hit the crowd with four absolute piledrivers: Before I Forget, fans favourite Duality, a rare treat with Left Behind and then Spit It Out, complete with the traditional “jump the fuck up” which caused havoc to my torn knee ligament. I got down there but then could hardly get back up! Custer closed the set and allowed the audience a breather before the final three songs completed the destruction. Sic opened the encore, before the anthemic People=Shit pushed the buttons to absolute chaos. Unsurprisingly, the killer strains of Surfacing concluded proceedings. As the crowd streamed out of the MIA, I reflected on the power and professionalism of a band whose path has been chaotic and unpredictable since the day they got together. At times the band look totally unhinged on stage, and there has to be some tension between Taylor and Root as a result of their Stone Sour split; however, tonight they proved that, in the live arena, few if any bands around can live with them.
The return of the nine, albeit in edited form, seven years after they all but destroyed the venue, is likely to have been the hottest ticket in Cardiff this year. Selling out in just a few hours, anticipation for this event (yes, event rather than gig) was high and arriving into the City Centre at just after 17:20 it was no surprise to see the maggots out in force. In fact, wherever you looked, youngsters in Slipknot t-shirts were in full view. It is no secret that I detest the MIA. A shed with all the sound quality of a biscuit tin, gestapo trained security and all the usual crap that comes with these franchised shitholes in terms of catering (£4.50 for a 330ml Carlsberg anyone?). However, I've had far worse Christmas presents than the ticket that my lads got me for this gig and although none of the bands on the bill sit in my regular play list, it was difficult not to have a sense of excitement as we entered an already busy arena.
First up were King 810 (5) from Flint, Michigan. King 810 has received substantial media support from the team at Metal Hammer, and their 2014 release, Memoirs of a Murderer featured in a number of the top ten’s submitted for our end of year poll. Led by vocalist David Gunn, King 810 kicked off their set with energy and aggression, pounding out some vicious riffs in classic nu-metal style. As their set progressed, and with a strong reception from the masses, Gunn got into his stride, stripping his top half to reveal a ripped torso, which received some excited cheers from the ladies in the crowd. However, although I can see why they appeal to the type of crowd that was gathered, I struggled to maintain attention for more than a couple of songs. Granted, I'm not a big nu-metal fan, but more importantly I always want variety in my metal, which is where I struggled. King 810 sound the same in every song and in Gunn have an earnest vocalist who has difficulty singing. In fact, his delivery is just pretty grim at times. King 810 are a real Marmite band. Unfortunately, although I love Marmite, King 810 did absolutely nothing for me although they did get a decent reception. Maybe its me!
The last couple of Korn albums have completely passed me. However, on the four previous occasions I have seen them live, including their past headline show at the MIA, they have been pretty impressive. Tonight was no different and for an hour Korn (9) absolutely owned the arena. Aided by a clever and subtle light show and ample room to move around, including plinths at the rear of the stage, the Bakersfield outfit were primed to destroy from the starting gun. Opening with Twist, the band charged into Here To Stay which had the arena bouncing. On stage, Head and Munky delivered some quite chilling riffage, heads banging and marking their own piece of the stage as their own. Right Now got the audience singing along whilst Love & Meth, Falling Away From Me and Good God maintained the momentum. Fieldy thumped his bass in his unique style, driving the deep, throbbing pulse of the band and combined with drummer Ray Luzier who put in a masterful performance. As always, Jonathan Davies holds your attention, with even his microphone stand gaining a cheer when it was brought out. As the bagpipes blasted out to signal Shoots And Ladders, Davies and the rest of Korn were clearly having a blast, with huge grins on their faces. Davies' voice was on top form, and as the curved ball of Y’all want a Single crashed in, the entire arena joined in with the admittedly difficult refrain required, “Fuck that, Fuck that”. Suddenly it was time for the sledgehammer finish; Head tapped out the opening bars to Freak On A Leash, Jonathan Davies sang “go!” and the MIA lost its shit. As Luzier concluded the song with a mini solo, he then segued nicely and tapped out the intro to a song that is 20 years old; the mighty Blind. Oh my god! The place went ballistic with pits breaking out all around; old school metal heads, the usual meatheads stripped to the waist, hipsters and others all having a damn good time and ensuring that Jonathan Davies and co. left the stage applauding the Cardiff crowd.
A relatively short wait with an elegant and ornate curtain covering the stage as the crew prepared the set for the arrival of the headliners. Say what you like about Slipknot but they do not do bad shows. A decent if slightly patchy fifth album late last year was well received and built the anticipation for this tour. At 9:20pm the lights dipped, the strains of XIX blasted out of the PA (much improved sound for the entire night by the way) and then Slipknot (10) were there, hitting their stride from the off with Sarcastrophe. Corey Taylor takes centre stage, delivering his vocal and coercing the crowd. The set was impressive with a spectacular light show, a huge devilish goat head and walkways at the rear but without feeling overly lavish and never distracting from the quality of the music. Yes, it is raging aggression which at times merges into a wall of noise but some of Slipknot’s stuff is top drawer. For example, take the next two tracks: The Heretic Anthem and My Plague. As the huge Mick Thomson (still the most sinister member of the band in my opinion) and Jim Root (complete with Cristina Scabbia in the wings) prowled stage left and right, swapping the flanks at will whilst cranking out those bone crushing demonic riffs.
New track The Devil In I kept the momentum high, with Sid Wilson running all over the place, across the back walkways and leaping back onto his decks. Meanwhile, the insanity continued on either side of the stage with the mental percussion and backing vocals of Chris Fehn and the clown Shawn Crahan as their hydraulic platforms elevated and descended whilst always spinning. First sing-a-long of the night duly arrived in the shape of Psychosocial. The intensity continued with The Negative One before Corey, who pleasingly kept the narrative short all night, shouted out “Eeyore” as Root and Thomson once again ground out the riffs. Meanwhile Craig Jones, in the spiked gimp mask, kept a low profile at his decks whilst pulling the strings to the layering that provides Slipknot with their unique sound. As the band powered through Liberate And Purity, you suddenly realised that it wasn't Joey on the drums but Jay Weinberg. Such is the quality of Weinberg’s drumming, it was impossible to tell the difference. Weinberg played a stunning show, his machine gun assault relentless and combining with Alessandro Venturella, the UK bassist who maintained a low profile whilst still contributing to the overall atmosphere with fist pumps and the occasional foray up and down the walkways.
Just in case there was any slacking off, the band hit the crowd with four absolute piledrivers: Before I Forget, fans favourite Duality, a rare treat with Left Behind and then Spit It Out, complete with the traditional “jump the fuck up” which caused havoc to my torn knee ligament. I got down there but then could hardly get back up! Custer closed the set and allowed the audience a breather before the final three songs completed the destruction. Sic opened the encore, before the anthemic People=Shit pushed the buttons to absolute chaos. Unsurprisingly, the killer strains of Surfacing concluded proceedings. As the crowd streamed out of the MIA, I reflected on the power and professionalism of a band whose path has been chaotic and unpredictable since the day they got together. At times the band look totally unhinged on stage, and there has to be some tension between Taylor and Root as a result of their Stone Sour split; however, tonight they proved that, in the live arena, few if any bands around can live with them.
Monday, 26 January 2015
Another Point Of View: Solstafir (Review By Paul)
Solstafir – The Exchange, Bristol
In a small venue in Bristol an incredibly polite Icelandic man asks the 100 or so members of the audience if they would be kind enough to “put your hands up if you've seen us before”. Welcome to Solstafir, a metal band from Reykjavik who have been plying their art for the past 20 years. For the majority of us, it was only with the release of last year’s beautifully crafted Ótta that the Icelanders crossed across our metal radars. With tracks laden with the melancholic flavouring of The Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, The Fields of the Nephilim, the despair of Joy Division and a fair dollop of Scandinavian metal, Solstafir delivered a perfectly paced 90 minutes with a cross section of their back catalogue. The majority of the set was built on tracks from their last two albums, Svartir Sandar and Ótta, neatly sandwiched between opener Kold and closer Goddess Of The Ages, both from third album Kold.
The band make a substantial sound for a four piece, relying on samples and tapes for some of the more intricate and complex passages in their play but at no time allowing this to distract from playing of the members on stage with some heavy riffage from guitarist Sæþór MarÃus "Pjúddi" Sæþórsson and front man Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason, as well as traditional Icelandic banjo at the middle part of the set, alongside the steady rhythm section of Svavar "Svabbi" Austmann and stand-in drummer Karl Petur Smith who does a sterling job, showing his quality throughout. The main focal point of Solstafir remains Trggvsason, who writhes, gyrates and squirms throughout the set, his voice ranging from hushed tones through to a forceful angst ridden cry as the emotions peak in tracks such as Lágnætti. Tryggvason also appears genuinely delighted to see a reasonable audience and thanks us profusely several times for joining them. His humour is well received and, similar to many of the bands from the Northern hemisphere, full of self-depreciation about the fact they sing in their native tongue, it their cowboy image and the absence of anything interesting in Iceland apart from volcanoes and the odd glacier.
As the set moved toward its conclusion, we were offered a couple more songs rather than the obligatory encore. Now, whilst this was partly due to the layout in The Exchange which would have necessitated the band leaving through the audience and then having to come back through them, it was also a welcome move which I for one fully endorse. As Addi announced the bad news that they only had one more song to play, he quickly raised spirits by introducing Goddess Of The Ages, all 14 minutes of it in a glorious finale full of musical peaks and troughs culminating in a convulsing finish which earned a massive roar of approval from the assembled throng. A quite brilliant set, from a band that offer so much more at a time when the metal world is stagnating with repetition and mediocrity. 9/10
In a small venue in Bristol an incredibly polite Icelandic man asks the 100 or so members of the audience if they would be kind enough to “put your hands up if you've seen us before”. Welcome to Solstafir, a metal band from Reykjavik who have been plying their art for the past 20 years. For the majority of us, it was only with the release of last year’s beautifully crafted Ótta that the Icelanders crossed across our metal radars. With tracks laden with the melancholic flavouring of The Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, The Fields of the Nephilim, the despair of Joy Division and a fair dollop of Scandinavian metal, Solstafir delivered a perfectly paced 90 minutes with a cross section of their back catalogue. The majority of the set was built on tracks from their last two albums, Svartir Sandar and Ótta, neatly sandwiched between opener Kold and closer Goddess Of The Ages, both from third album Kold.
The band make a substantial sound for a four piece, relying on samples and tapes for some of the more intricate and complex passages in their play but at no time allowing this to distract from playing of the members on stage with some heavy riffage from guitarist Sæþór MarÃus "Pjúddi" Sæþórsson and front man Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason, as well as traditional Icelandic banjo at the middle part of the set, alongside the steady rhythm section of Svavar "Svabbi" Austmann and stand-in drummer Karl Petur Smith who does a sterling job, showing his quality throughout. The main focal point of Solstafir remains Trggvsason, who writhes, gyrates and squirms throughout the set, his voice ranging from hushed tones through to a forceful angst ridden cry as the emotions peak in tracks such as Lágnætti. Tryggvason also appears genuinely delighted to see a reasonable audience and thanks us profusely several times for joining them. His humour is well received and, similar to many of the bands from the Northern hemisphere, full of self-depreciation about the fact they sing in their native tongue, it their cowboy image and the absence of anything interesting in Iceland apart from volcanoes and the odd glacier.
As the set moved toward its conclusion, we were offered a couple more songs rather than the obligatory encore. Now, whilst this was partly due to the layout in The Exchange which would have necessitated the band leaving through the audience and then having to come back through them, it was also a welcome move which I for one fully endorse. As Addi announced the bad news that they only had one more song to play, he quickly raised spirits by introducing Goddess Of The Ages, all 14 minutes of it in a glorious finale full of musical peaks and troughs culminating in a convulsing finish which earned a massive roar of approval from the assembled throng. A quite brilliant set, from a band that offer so much more at a time when the metal world is stagnating with repetition and mediocrity. 9/10
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