Voivod: Post Society (Century Media)
Canadian progressive thrash legends Voivod history are well know but since the loss of Piggy the band have soldiered on with 2013's Target Earth being the fists album that new guitarist Chewy taking over the six string roll on an album since Piggy's death. Target Earth was something of a reunion album but since then founding bassist Blacky ended his second term in the band and on this EP he has replaced by Rocky who is the latest in a long line of bassists. This EP is a start to Voivod's next incarnation and it's a great place to start with 30 minutes of music that show what Voivod do best. This progressive thrash metal with riffs galore from Chewy who is the ideal choice to take over from Piggy as he hasn't got the same style as the old master but brings his own unique bent to the technical mind bending guitar playing Voivod have always been associated with. Away's drumming is the signal for most of the time changes and he leads Rocky in laying down a gut punching rhythm section that allows Chewy to experiment and frontman Snake to give his trademark scarred vocal delivery. The four tracks range from proper thrash of the title track through to the more progressive touches of We Are Connected with the EP ending with a Silver Machine cover that sounds more like Motorhead than Hawkwind and serves as a suitably heavy but obviously unintended tribute to Lemmy. Voivod were back on form with Target Earth but the new boys are now firmly locked in to the sound and Voivod seem more focused than ever, having never been overly familiar with Voivod my anticipation is high for their next full length. 8/10
Delain: Lunar Prelude (Napalm)
Wow a change in sound sometimes changes how you see a band and as soon as Suckerpunch explodes in all it's electro-dance glory out of the stereo on Delain's newest EP you can't help but hear that this what Delain have been aiming for since their debut. Over the course of their last two albums the electronic elements have increased and Suckerpunch takes them that one step further putting them on a par with Amaranthe. Lunar Prelude is what the title says it is, a prelude to the bands next album, it features two new songs, one alternative version, four live tracks and an orchestral remix of Suckerpunch, the song that is clearly the EP's selling point. Lunar Prelude is the debut of Delian's new guitarist Merel Bechtold, she slots in with ease gelling effortlessly with long term guitarist Timo Somers, this is probably due to her work with Mark Jensen's heavy as lead MaYan project and (Delain tourmate) Anneke Van Giersbergen's Gentle Storm. The rest of the line up remains the same and play with the same amount of skill that has present on all of the bands previous releases with special kudos going once again to singer Charlotte Wessels whose voice has almost diamond clarity and warhead power. This EP is for completists only as it's the first two tracks could be considered new and worth shelling out for but what Lunar Prelude does is give you a hint to how Delain are going to evolve on their next record. 6/10
Hällas: Hällas EP (The Sign Records) (Review By Paul)
If you like your rock set firmly in the psychedelic rock of the 1970s then this four track EP from Swedish outfit Hällas will probably be of interest. Stories of wizards and witches, twin guitars combined with swirling organ, changes of pace and the haunting vocal of Tommy Alexandersson combine for an interesting release. The self-titled second track, clocking in at over seven minutes is the pick with an Opeth style breakdown in the middle of the track which adds atmosphere before the steady riffs pick up again. With more than a hint of early Sabbath and 1970s Scorpions, this is far from unique but it’s decent stuff all the same. 7/10
Friday, 4 March 2016
Thursday, 3 March 2016
Review Number 666: Enzo & The Glory Ensemble, Metratone, God Syndrome
Enzo and the Glory Ensemble: In The Name Of The Father (Symphony Records)
Metal and Christianity are not comfortable bedfellows. If you search for Christian rock and metal bands on the internet, you’ll find hundreds including some that may be a little bit surprising but few that are successful or even well known. The most famous group to bat for the man upstairs remains Stryper supported by Kings X and then individuals such as Dave Mustaine, Blackie Lawless and Neal Morse & co. Some of the music produced by these guys is pretty decent, with Megadeth and WASP’s last releases amongst their best. However, Neapolitan self-styled Christian rock composer Enzo Donnarumma’s symphonic rock project is pretty special, in all the wrong ways.
In The Name Of The Father is a concept which sets into music eleven Christian prayers and biblical psalms in English and concludes with a single original text, Maybe You, dedicated to peace. The release features a wealth of special guests, ranging from the expected (Kobi Farhi of Orphaned Land is hardly a surprise) through to the more surprising; Ralph Scheepers (Gamma Ray and Primal Fear), Marty Friedman and Mark Zonder of Fates Warning all contribute.
First the positives: The symphonic progressive approach with orchestral arrangements, Palestinian folk sounds and choral polyphony is well delivered and at some points quite haunting; for example, the old catholic prayer Glory Be To The Father is beautifully delivered with the addition of female vocal of Amulyn (Whisper From Heaven). And that’s where it ends. I’m afraid that listening to catholic prayers set to speed metal is incredibly uncomfortable and in the main just doesn’t work. The Apostle’s Creed might just be the worst thing I’ve ever heard and The Lord’s Prayer is absolutely dreadful, with the latter akin to that of Cliff Richard’s piece of bilge many years ago. The whole concept is pretty ropey and whilst I’m as liberal as most, this should just do one and never be played again. Why some of those on here have put their names to it I’m really not sure. To quote AC/DC, “If God’s on the left then I’m sticking to the right”. Utterly baffling and confirmation that the Devil really does have all the best tunes. 1/10
Metratone: Eucharismetal (Rockshots)
After the utterly dire offerings of Enzo and his buddies, reviewing another band who are at the forefront of the white metal movement filled me with trepidation, despair and that slight burning feeling that a good old atheist sometimes feels when entering a church. However, stripping Metratone back to their metal basics, it was a pleasure to find that this is an album which really rocks out without slamming you in the face with a copy of the New Testament.
Metatrone (metaphysical throne of God – okay?) has released three full length albums, La Mano Potente in 2005 soon followed by the English version called The Powerful Hand and Paradigma in 2010. The band was formed by Father Davide Bruno (Keyboards, a priest of the Archdiocese of Catania!), Stefano Calvagno (Guitars) and Jo Lombardo (Vocals). According to their press pack their mission has always been playing heavy metal songs deeply inspired by a Christian Catholic view of live and human being, with lyrics in English, Italian and Latin. Eucharismetal features two new band members; Dino Fiorenza (Billy Sheehan, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert) on bass and Salvo Grasso (Hyersonic, DeniedD) on drums. Now I’m not familiar with their earlier works but Eucharismetal contains some exceptional double bass-drumming, impressive vocal hooks, heavy guitar riffs, huge swathes of synths and keyboards and most surprisingly some really astonishing growls courtesy of Father Bruno which wouldn’t be out of place on the latest black metal releases. The growls work well as a contrast to the superb clean voice of Lombardo.
The album features a range of styles with the focus on speed and power metal, Beware The Sailor and Wheat And Weeds, more melodic metal, Latest News From Light, slabs of progressive metal song like Una Parte di Me and more traditional AOR style hard rock, Keep Running, Lascia Che Sia (Let It Be) and In Spirit And Truth. The musicianship is really top quality, whilst lyrically the band don’t shy away from some heavy topics including child abuse on Alef Dalet Mem, religious and Christian fanaticism Molokai (one of the heaviest tracks on this release). Of course, Jesus gets a fair share of the action with the parable of the prodigal son on Latest News From Light and ancient Latin prayer on Regina Coeli (with full god squad effect). Mozart’s Nightmare is the odd one out, a rampaging melodic instrumental which showcases the keyboard prowess of Father Bruno and Calvagno's impressive fretwork.Whilst the lyrical content still makes me feel a bit queasy there is no denying that this is a pretty decent slab of metal, albeit wearing a completely different battle jacket. There are a few power metal fans who would appreciate the breakneck speed of this release. 7/10
God Syndrome: Controverse (Mazzar Records)
1. God Syndrome: an unshakable belief characterized by consistently inflated feelings of personal ability, privilege, or infallibility
2. God Syndrome: an extreme melodic death metal band formed in 2011 in Samara, Russian Federation.
God Syndrome was formed by guitarists Sergey Aksenov and Vitaliy Mitsek. Their first release, an EP Downfall Omen appeared in 2013 with the remainder of the line-up completed by vocalist Pavel Bamburov, bassist Dmitry Kuznetsov and Alexander Krut on drums. Controverse is their debut full release and it’s a pretty impressive debut. Controverse is almost a painting by number death metal release. Massive double bass drumming, pounding bass lines, vicious cutting guitar work and guttural vocals all combine at breath-taking speed to provide 12 tracks of solid music. Underpinning all of this is a melodic edge and some absolutely crushing riffs which make this release both interesting and memorable (think In Flames, Arch Enemy but heavier and you’re in the right territory). Opening tracks Purge and Clan are impressive straight on death metal tracks whilst Five Acts Of Deception is a more complex fusion of styles; the battering of Krut’s drumming a constant but several changes of pace allowing the listener to draw breath. At times 150mph before switching to a more measured melodic breakdown. This is a quite brilliant track which doesn’t let up and oozes real atmosphere.
With almost an hour of music, this is a really top quality release from a band that recently provided support to Marduk in Moscow. Tracks like Dark Sand and Summon The Sun give you little room for breath, explosive from start to finish but all containing that beautifully melodic guitar work that works so well. Underneath it all, there are some massive grooves and hooks which separate this work from the mainstream. Aksenov and Mitesk’s guitar work is impressive, whilst Bamburov’s vocals fit perfectly. As with nearly all bands in this genre, break neck speed requires some contrast and whilst the speed rarely slows, there is a more measured approach at times which demonstrates the quality of the compositions; check out Fire, The Law Of The Betrayed and album closer Hangman Of Atlantis. I am pretty clueless about the metal scene in Russia but being stereotypical for one moment, I would imagine the opportunity and chances to make such incredibly powerful music is more limited than much of the West. If having an unshakable belief in your beliefs is part of the definition of God Syndrome, then the name is well chosen. Controverse is a brilliant death metal release well worth getting involved with. 9/10
Metal and Christianity are not comfortable bedfellows. If you search for Christian rock and metal bands on the internet, you’ll find hundreds including some that may be a little bit surprising but few that are successful or even well known. The most famous group to bat for the man upstairs remains Stryper supported by Kings X and then individuals such as Dave Mustaine, Blackie Lawless and Neal Morse & co. Some of the music produced by these guys is pretty decent, with Megadeth and WASP’s last releases amongst their best. However, Neapolitan self-styled Christian rock composer Enzo Donnarumma’s symphonic rock project is pretty special, in all the wrong ways.
In The Name Of The Father is a concept which sets into music eleven Christian prayers and biblical psalms in English and concludes with a single original text, Maybe You, dedicated to peace. The release features a wealth of special guests, ranging from the expected (Kobi Farhi of Orphaned Land is hardly a surprise) through to the more surprising; Ralph Scheepers (Gamma Ray and Primal Fear), Marty Friedman and Mark Zonder of Fates Warning all contribute.
First the positives: The symphonic progressive approach with orchestral arrangements, Palestinian folk sounds and choral polyphony is well delivered and at some points quite haunting; for example, the old catholic prayer Glory Be To The Father is beautifully delivered with the addition of female vocal of Amulyn (Whisper From Heaven). And that’s where it ends. I’m afraid that listening to catholic prayers set to speed metal is incredibly uncomfortable and in the main just doesn’t work. The Apostle’s Creed might just be the worst thing I’ve ever heard and The Lord’s Prayer is absolutely dreadful, with the latter akin to that of Cliff Richard’s piece of bilge many years ago. The whole concept is pretty ropey and whilst I’m as liberal as most, this should just do one and never be played again. Why some of those on here have put their names to it I’m really not sure. To quote AC/DC, “If God’s on the left then I’m sticking to the right”. Utterly baffling and confirmation that the Devil really does have all the best tunes. 1/10
Metratone: Eucharismetal (Rockshots)
After the utterly dire offerings of Enzo and his buddies, reviewing another band who are at the forefront of the white metal movement filled me with trepidation, despair and that slight burning feeling that a good old atheist sometimes feels when entering a church. However, stripping Metratone back to their metal basics, it was a pleasure to find that this is an album which really rocks out without slamming you in the face with a copy of the New Testament.
Metatrone (metaphysical throne of God – okay?) has released three full length albums, La Mano Potente in 2005 soon followed by the English version called The Powerful Hand and Paradigma in 2010. The band was formed by Father Davide Bruno (Keyboards, a priest of the Archdiocese of Catania!), Stefano Calvagno (Guitars) and Jo Lombardo (Vocals). According to their press pack their mission has always been playing heavy metal songs deeply inspired by a Christian Catholic view of live and human being, with lyrics in English, Italian and Latin. Eucharismetal features two new band members; Dino Fiorenza (Billy Sheehan, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert) on bass and Salvo Grasso (Hyersonic, DeniedD) on drums. Now I’m not familiar with their earlier works but Eucharismetal contains some exceptional double bass-drumming, impressive vocal hooks, heavy guitar riffs, huge swathes of synths and keyboards and most surprisingly some really astonishing growls courtesy of Father Bruno which wouldn’t be out of place on the latest black metal releases. The growls work well as a contrast to the superb clean voice of Lombardo.
The album features a range of styles with the focus on speed and power metal, Beware The Sailor and Wheat And Weeds, more melodic metal, Latest News From Light, slabs of progressive metal song like Una Parte di Me and more traditional AOR style hard rock, Keep Running, Lascia Che Sia (Let It Be) and In Spirit And Truth. The musicianship is really top quality, whilst lyrically the band don’t shy away from some heavy topics including child abuse on Alef Dalet Mem, religious and Christian fanaticism Molokai (one of the heaviest tracks on this release). Of course, Jesus gets a fair share of the action with the parable of the prodigal son on Latest News From Light and ancient Latin prayer on Regina Coeli (with full god squad effect). Mozart’s Nightmare is the odd one out, a rampaging melodic instrumental which showcases the keyboard prowess of Father Bruno and Calvagno's impressive fretwork.Whilst the lyrical content still makes me feel a bit queasy there is no denying that this is a pretty decent slab of metal, albeit wearing a completely different battle jacket. There are a few power metal fans who would appreciate the breakneck speed of this release. 7/10
God Syndrome: Controverse (Mazzar Records)
1. God Syndrome: an unshakable belief characterized by consistently inflated feelings of personal ability, privilege, or infallibility
2. God Syndrome: an extreme melodic death metal band formed in 2011 in Samara, Russian Federation.
God Syndrome was formed by guitarists Sergey Aksenov and Vitaliy Mitsek. Their first release, an EP Downfall Omen appeared in 2013 with the remainder of the line-up completed by vocalist Pavel Bamburov, bassist Dmitry Kuznetsov and Alexander Krut on drums. Controverse is their debut full release and it’s a pretty impressive debut. Controverse is almost a painting by number death metal release. Massive double bass drumming, pounding bass lines, vicious cutting guitar work and guttural vocals all combine at breath-taking speed to provide 12 tracks of solid music. Underpinning all of this is a melodic edge and some absolutely crushing riffs which make this release both interesting and memorable (think In Flames, Arch Enemy but heavier and you’re in the right territory). Opening tracks Purge and Clan are impressive straight on death metal tracks whilst Five Acts Of Deception is a more complex fusion of styles; the battering of Krut’s drumming a constant but several changes of pace allowing the listener to draw breath. At times 150mph before switching to a more measured melodic breakdown. This is a quite brilliant track which doesn’t let up and oozes real atmosphere.
With almost an hour of music, this is a really top quality release from a band that recently provided support to Marduk in Moscow. Tracks like Dark Sand and Summon The Sun give you little room for breath, explosive from start to finish but all containing that beautifully melodic guitar work that works so well. Underneath it all, there are some massive grooves and hooks which separate this work from the mainstream. Aksenov and Mitesk’s guitar work is impressive, whilst Bamburov’s vocals fit perfectly. As with nearly all bands in this genre, break neck speed requires some contrast and whilst the speed rarely slows, there is a more measured approach at times which demonstrates the quality of the compositions; check out Fire, The Law Of The Betrayed and album closer Hangman Of Atlantis. I am pretty clueless about the metal scene in Russia but being stereotypical for one moment, I would imagine the opportunity and chances to make such incredibly powerful music is more limited than much of the West. If having an unshakable belief in your beliefs is part of the definition of God Syndrome, then the name is well chosen. Controverse is a brilliant death metal release well worth getting involved with. 9/10
Wednesday, 2 March 2016
Reviews: Inglorious, Exmortus, Sage's Recital
Inglorious: Inglorious (Frontiers)
Are Inglorious the next big thing? Well or arrows point to yes, with recent tour in support of The Winery Dogs, triumphant sets at Planet Rockstock, up and coming sets at Ramblin Man Fair and heavy rotation of debut single Until I Die on Planet Rock then there shouldn't be anything stopping this UK five piece from making it big. However is all this support warranted for a band on their debut album? Well yes in a way it is, now Inglorious don't do anything new, but with rock music being in what should be it's twilight years does anyone? Inglorious do what they do with a power many bands cannot muster, with a sound akin to Deep Purple, the aforementioned Until I Day which has the spirit of Jon Lord all over it, Led Zepplin on the swaggering Kashmir-esque High Flying Gypsy as well as Aerosmith, Bad Company (Holy Water) and Queen on Inglorious all thrown into sound that harks back to hard rock's 70's glory days.
With Wil Taylor on rhythm guitar, Colin Parkinson on bass and Phil Beaver behind the skins the band have a rock solid foundation of a back line that drive these songs from muddy water blues, to chest beating classic rock over the course of one album. With such a quality engine room you need something special up front and the fretboard fireworks of Andreas Eriksson are a perfect fit knowing just when to go wild with solos and lead breaks that make everything just so much more impressive. Speaking of impressive this band could have all the chops in the world but if the singer sucks then it's all for nothing, thankfully Nathan James has some voice indeed, already doing time with TSO (Trans Siberian Orchestra) and Uli Jon Roth, he is no stranger to performing but his gritty blues inflected vocal delivery is perfect for Inglorious' hard rock style on You're Mine he shows his expansive vocal range, on Bleed For You he gives a ballad performance David Coverdale would be proud of something repeated on Wake which is more Paul Rodgers but just as schmaltzy.
This album styles itself as almost a hard rock greatest hits with many of the songs having those familiar sounds of yesteryear, it's good job that Inglorious perform them with such conviction and talent that they sound new and fresh rather than a stale pastiche. Are they the next big thing? Probably. Do they deserve to be? On the evidence of this debut very much so! 8/10
Exmortus: Ride Forth (Prosthetic)
In a total reversal sound wise now, it's time for warmongering, facemetling death metal from Californians Exmortus. These guys have been a around since 2003 releasing their debut in 2008, not much since then has changed they still ply their trade with brutal, fret destroying technical death metal that owes much to the likes of Chuck Schuldiner's Death and Atheist as well as the German wave of thrash from Kreator etc. Think dual Jackson guitars shredding like bastards on top of bludgeoning blast beats and you won't be far off. Speed Of The Strike is a maelstrom of riffs from the opening seconds and the pace doesn't drop throughout with every song having David Rivera and Jadran 'Conan' Gonzalez battling for six string supremacy while the rhythm section of Mario Mortus and Mike Cosio blast away. Black Sails slows things down, with Maiden-like bass driven gallop albeit with Conan's guttural vocals still keeping the death metal sound. Exmortus have thrash and death in their influences of course this seems to be their bread and butter but also they have liberal uses of traditional metal with the battle metal sound of Manowar influencing the lyrics and the speed metal assault of latter day Priest sneaking in to. Ride Forth is Exmortus' fourth record and it sticks to the formula the band have followed since their inception so if you love technical death metal then Exmortus will gladly rip your face off with this record. 7/10
Sage's Ritual: The Winter Symphony (Self Released)
Do you like guitar solos? Do you like songs about Dragons and Wizards? Do you like the score from Lord Of The Rings? If the answer to all of these things is yes, then you will love Sage's Ritual, this is the projects started by Danish guitar virtuoso Niels Vejlyt who plays guitars, bass, keys and drummer Jakob Vand. Vejlyt also does all the orchestration for this album that is cinematic in scope merging classical music with guitar histrionics in the same way that Rhapsody and Yngwie Malmsteen have made a career from composing. Made up of seven songs including three instrumentals The Winter Symphony is a guitar lovers album, that said he hasn't skimped on the vocals recruiting former Artension and Royal Hunt mainman John West (not that one) to supply the sky scraping singing to the record. The brass tax of the record is that Vejlyt is a superb guitarist, there is no doubt about that but this album does seem to be a showcase for his playing rather than his songwriting which is all well and good as most of these songs are around 4 minutes so it's a bit of singing then widdly guitar solo then back to singing but this is stretched on the instrumentals that feature no let up in the fret wankery and pushes you over the edge on the 20 minute plus title track which sounds like a symphony that has been crashed by an electric guitar. The reason why Rhapsody (or whatever they are both called now) are still going is that behind the technical mastery of their instruments lays songwriting that while cliched is slick and at the forefront. Sage's Recital are trying a bit to hard to be like Rhapsody and are just falling short, songwriting and specialism are hard things to balance and Sage's Ritual seem to be more of Robin Reliant than Porsche 911. 6/10
Are Inglorious the next big thing? Well or arrows point to yes, with recent tour in support of The Winery Dogs, triumphant sets at Planet Rockstock, up and coming sets at Ramblin Man Fair and heavy rotation of debut single Until I Die on Planet Rock then there shouldn't be anything stopping this UK five piece from making it big. However is all this support warranted for a band on their debut album? Well yes in a way it is, now Inglorious don't do anything new, but with rock music being in what should be it's twilight years does anyone? Inglorious do what they do with a power many bands cannot muster, with a sound akin to Deep Purple, the aforementioned Until I Day which has the spirit of Jon Lord all over it, Led Zepplin on the swaggering Kashmir-esque High Flying Gypsy as well as Aerosmith, Bad Company (Holy Water) and Queen on Inglorious all thrown into sound that harks back to hard rock's 70's glory days.
With Wil Taylor on rhythm guitar, Colin Parkinson on bass and Phil Beaver behind the skins the band have a rock solid foundation of a back line that drive these songs from muddy water blues, to chest beating classic rock over the course of one album. With such a quality engine room you need something special up front and the fretboard fireworks of Andreas Eriksson are a perfect fit knowing just when to go wild with solos and lead breaks that make everything just so much more impressive. Speaking of impressive this band could have all the chops in the world but if the singer sucks then it's all for nothing, thankfully Nathan James has some voice indeed, already doing time with TSO (Trans Siberian Orchestra) and Uli Jon Roth, he is no stranger to performing but his gritty blues inflected vocal delivery is perfect for Inglorious' hard rock style on You're Mine he shows his expansive vocal range, on Bleed For You he gives a ballad performance David Coverdale would be proud of something repeated on Wake which is more Paul Rodgers but just as schmaltzy.
This album styles itself as almost a hard rock greatest hits with many of the songs having those familiar sounds of yesteryear, it's good job that Inglorious perform them with such conviction and talent that they sound new and fresh rather than a stale pastiche. Are they the next big thing? Probably. Do they deserve to be? On the evidence of this debut very much so! 8/10
Exmortus: Ride Forth (Prosthetic)
In a total reversal sound wise now, it's time for warmongering, facemetling death metal from Californians Exmortus. These guys have been a around since 2003 releasing their debut in 2008, not much since then has changed they still ply their trade with brutal, fret destroying technical death metal that owes much to the likes of Chuck Schuldiner's Death and Atheist as well as the German wave of thrash from Kreator etc. Think dual Jackson guitars shredding like bastards on top of bludgeoning blast beats and you won't be far off. Speed Of The Strike is a maelstrom of riffs from the opening seconds and the pace doesn't drop throughout with every song having David Rivera and Jadran 'Conan' Gonzalez battling for six string supremacy while the rhythm section of Mario Mortus and Mike Cosio blast away. Black Sails slows things down, with Maiden-like bass driven gallop albeit with Conan's guttural vocals still keeping the death metal sound. Exmortus have thrash and death in their influences of course this seems to be their bread and butter but also they have liberal uses of traditional metal with the battle metal sound of Manowar influencing the lyrics and the speed metal assault of latter day Priest sneaking in to. Ride Forth is Exmortus' fourth record and it sticks to the formula the band have followed since their inception so if you love technical death metal then Exmortus will gladly rip your face off with this record. 7/10
Sage's Ritual: The Winter Symphony (Self Released)
Do you like guitar solos? Do you like songs about Dragons and Wizards? Do you like the score from Lord Of The Rings? If the answer to all of these things is yes, then you will love Sage's Ritual, this is the projects started by Danish guitar virtuoso Niels Vejlyt who plays guitars, bass, keys and drummer Jakob Vand. Vejlyt also does all the orchestration for this album that is cinematic in scope merging classical music with guitar histrionics in the same way that Rhapsody and Yngwie Malmsteen have made a career from composing. Made up of seven songs including three instrumentals The Winter Symphony is a guitar lovers album, that said he hasn't skimped on the vocals recruiting former Artension and Royal Hunt mainman John West (not that one) to supply the sky scraping singing to the record. The brass tax of the record is that Vejlyt is a superb guitarist, there is no doubt about that but this album does seem to be a showcase for his playing rather than his songwriting which is all well and good as most of these songs are around 4 minutes so it's a bit of singing then widdly guitar solo then back to singing but this is stretched on the instrumentals that feature no let up in the fret wankery and pushes you over the edge on the 20 minute plus title track which sounds like a symphony that has been crashed by an electric guitar. The reason why Rhapsody (or whatever they are both called now) are still going is that behind the technical mastery of their instruments lays songwriting that while cliched is slick and at the forefront. Sage's Recital are trying a bit to hard to be like Rhapsody and are just falling short, songwriting and specialism are hard things to balance and Sage's Ritual seem to be more of Robin Reliant than Porsche 911. 6/10
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
Reviews: Beyond The Black, Ethereal Riffian, Wisdom
Beyond The Black: Lost In Forever (Airforce 1 Records) [Review By Paul]
Symphonic power metal? Hmm, often bordering dangerously close to Eurovision and a genre which often either floats your boat or makes you feel a little queasy. There are some pretty sizeable outfits around these days, with the likes of Nightwish and Within Temptation capable of pulling sufficient punters to headline Wembley Arena (no mean feat), BOA and obtain special guest status at Download. So alongside the usual suspects, let me introduce you to Beyond The Black, symphonic metal from Mannheim, Germany. Lost In Forever is their second release, following 2013’s Songs Of Love And Death which substantially raised their profile in their home country and a few of the Nordic/Scandinavian neighbours as well.
Lost In Forever is a release that contains everything you would demand from a symphonic metal outfit; powerful hammering drums, vicious riffs and shredding guitar work, huge hooks and melodies, tsunami sized synths and of course a female vocalist with an absolutely stunning voice. Add in some perfectly decent tunes (which this release has in spades) and you’ve got the whole package. Jennifer Haben is the lead vocalist and she brings real quality to the table. She possesses a cracking range, able to hit the highest of notes and use both power and sensitivity. Check out the aggression in the title track, the calm and control in the ballad Against The World all the all-round performance in Beyond The Mirror. Haben is the obvious focal point of the outfit but is ably supported by a musically excellent band, with particular credit to the impressive guitar work of lead guitarist Nils Lesser. However, the sum of the parts is greater here with a rhythm section of guitarist Christopher Hummels, bassist Erwin Schmidt and drummer Tobias Derer providings a rock solid platform for Lesser and keyboard player Michael Hanser to let loose and compliment Haben.
Yes, the songs are occasionally bit formulaic and cheesy; Halo Of The Dark would rage through the Eurovision qualifiers with its European pomp. Dies Irae motors along with an operatic chorus which raises the blood. Beyond The Black can also rock out, but it’s the atmospheric pieces that really catch the attention; six minute Forget My Name smoulders before building dramatically with Hummels backing vocals adding the grittier edge. A brief piece of acoustic guitar fits well into the middle section.If there’s one complaint, it is probably that the release is just a little too long with 13 tracks and a minute under an hour, creating the risk of repetition and loss of interest. However, this is a release that doesn’t actually do that, with tracks like Burning In Flames and Nevermore holding attention with their sheer quality. What is impressive is the restraint on the often overused tactic of clean female vocals and almost death metal male vocals with it occurring on a mere two tracks, the title track and the majestic Shine And Shade. In a genre which is packed with variable quality, Lost In Forever is a really decent offering and one that deserves to get more attention than it is likely to receive. Highly recommended. 8/10
Ethereal Riffian: Youniversal Voice (Self Released) [Review By Paul]
I’m not sure I’ve got much of a feel for the metal scene in Kiev, Ukraine but you’ve got to suspect that life there is tougher than it is here so full marks for creativity. Ethereal Riffian formed in 2010 and according to their press release has two main objectives: to expand the frames of the listener’s musical perception to shed light on the existence of a subtler plane, whose laws if understood may help to perceive the reality on a deeper level. Okay, glad we cleared that up. So you’ll have guessed that Ethereal Riffian sits in the stoner camp but boy do they sit far away from the usual suspects. Youniversal Voice is a live release and contains tracks from their previous studio albums, Shaman’s Visions and 2014’s Aeonian. Most of the tracks are long with three at over 11 minutes in length; all contain huge slabs of crushing heaviness, abstract and monotone vocals, twin guitar work and shifting time signatures which allows the drumming to become almost free style.
An oscillating chilled out approach makes Youniversal Voice an atmospheric event allowing the listener to transcend into another dimension. With the vocals delivered in the style of a Tibetan monk, repetitive chord construction and a funereal pace at times, I’d expect the majority of the audience to be pretty stoned when listening to these. In fact, the audience response is generally so limited that I guess that’s the effect. Tracks such as Thugdam, Wakan Tanka, March Of Spiritu and Anatman with their changing and intricate sound effects, percussion and rolling guitars and changes in pace and mood, conjure up images of Hawkwind, Sleep and Ohm. The sprawling tracks meander and traverse, remaining incredibly heavy thanks in part to the duel guitars. Music to meditate by? I’m not sure about that but this is some really deep stuff which demands plenty of time and soft furnishings in order for full exploration. It probably isn’t my cup of tea (Chai obvs) but then again, it probably isn’t the choice of many. However, I’m strangely drawn to it, and will give it repeated listens to allow further penetration of the mind. Relax and enjoy. Now, where did I leave my bong? 7/10
Wisdom: Rise Of The Wise (NoiseArt) [Review By Matt]
Hungarian Power Metal anyone? Well why not try Wisdom who are essentially Hungary's answer to Hammerfall with just a bit of Blind Guardian creeping in on the folkier songs like Believe In Me. This five piece play fist in the air metal and on rampaging tracks like Hero and Believe In Me Wisdom are every inch cut from the same cloth as the Swedish masters of power metal, think huge riffs, speedy drums and gang vocals and you get the idea. Rise Of The Wise is the band's fourth full length following such previous releases as Judas and Marching For Liberty and though it doesn't break the mold it delivers good quality power metal the dual guitars, galloping rhythm section and strong vocals with European enunciation are all done well so there is very little to criticise on a performance point of view, the songwriting to while full of cliches about wizards, battles and fantasy, even dabbling with pirate metal on Nightmare Of The Seas, is enjoyable and will appeal to power metal junkies but in a swamped genre Wisdom may find it hard shine. Still this fourth album is a lot of fun and if power metal is your thing then you can do much worse than pick up a copy and fly away on a wave of manly power metal mayhem. 6/10
Symphonic power metal? Hmm, often bordering dangerously close to Eurovision and a genre which often either floats your boat or makes you feel a little queasy. There are some pretty sizeable outfits around these days, with the likes of Nightwish and Within Temptation capable of pulling sufficient punters to headline Wembley Arena (no mean feat), BOA and obtain special guest status at Download. So alongside the usual suspects, let me introduce you to Beyond The Black, symphonic metal from Mannheim, Germany. Lost In Forever is their second release, following 2013’s Songs Of Love And Death which substantially raised their profile in their home country and a few of the Nordic/Scandinavian neighbours as well.
Lost In Forever is a release that contains everything you would demand from a symphonic metal outfit; powerful hammering drums, vicious riffs and shredding guitar work, huge hooks and melodies, tsunami sized synths and of course a female vocalist with an absolutely stunning voice. Add in some perfectly decent tunes (which this release has in spades) and you’ve got the whole package. Jennifer Haben is the lead vocalist and she brings real quality to the table. She possesses a cracking range, able to hit the highest of notes and use both power and sensitivity. Check out the aggression in the title track, the calm and control in the ballad Against The World all the all-round performance in Beyond The Mirror. Haben is the obvious focal point of the outfit but is ably supported by a musically excellent band, with particular credit to the impressive guitar work of lead guitarist Nils Lesser. However, the sum of the parts is greater here with a rhythm section of guitarist Christopher Hummels, bassist Erwin Schmidt and drummer Tobias Derer providings a rock solid platform for Lesser and keyboard player Michael Hanser to let loose and compliment Haben.
Yes, the songs are occasionally bit formulaic and cheesy; Halo Of The Dark would rage through the Eurovision qualifiers with its European pomp. Dies Irae motors along with an operatic chorus which raises the blood. Beyond The Black can also rock out, but it’s the atmospheric pieces that really catch the attention; six minute Forget My Name smoulders before building dramatically with Hummels backing vocals adding the grittier edge. A brief piece of acoustic guitar fits well into the middle section.If there’s one complaint, it is probably that the release is just a little too long with 13 tracks and a minute under an hour, creating the risk of repetition and loss of interest. However, this is a release that doesn’t actually do that, with tracks like Burning In Flames and Nevermore holding attention with their sheer quality. What is impressive is the restraint on the often overused tactic of clean female vocals and almost death metal male vocals with it occurring on a mere two tracks, the title track and the majestic Shine And Shade. In a genre which is packed with variable quality, Lost In Forever is a really decent offering and one that deserves to get more attention than it is likely to receive. Highly recommended. 8/10
Ethereal Riffian: Youniversal Voice (Self Released) [Review By Paul]
I’m not sure I’ve got much of a feel for the metal scene in Kiev, Ukraine but you’ve got to suspect that life there is tougher than it is here so full marks for creativity. Ethereal Riffian formed in 2010 and according to their press release has two main objectives: to expand the frames of the listener’s musical perception to shed light on the existence of a subtler plane, whose laws if understood may help to perceive the reality on a deeper level. Okay, glad we cleared that up. So you’ll have guessed that Ethereal Riffian sits in the stoner camp but boy do they sit far away from the usual suspects. Youniversal Voice is a live release and contains tracks from their previous studio albums, Shaman’s Visions and 2014’s Aeonian. Most of the tracks are long with three at over 11 minutes in length; all contain huge slabs of crushing heaviness, abstract and monotone vocals, twin guitar work and shifting time signatures which allows the drumming to become almost free style.
An oscillating chilled out approach makes Youniversal Voice an atmospheric event allowing the listener to transcend into another dimension. With the vocals delivered in the style of a Tibetan monk, repetitive chord construction and a funereal pace at times, I’d expect the majority of the audience to be pretty stoned when listening to these. In fact, the audience response is generally so limited that I guess that’s the effect. Tracks such as Thugdam, Wakan Tanka, March Of Spiritu and Anatman with their changing and intricate sound effects, percussion and rolling guitars and changes in pace and mood, conjure up images of Hawkwind, Sleep and Ohm. The sprawling tracks meander and traverse, remaining incredibly heavy thanks in part to the duel guitars. Music to meditate by? I’m not sure about that but this is some really deep stuff which demands plenty of time and soft furnishings in order for full exploration. It probably isn’t my cup of tea (Chai obvs) but then again, it probably isn’t the choice of many. However, I’m strangely drawn to it, and will give it repeated listens to allow further penetration of the mind. Relax and enjoy. Now, where did I leave my bong? 7/10
Wisdom: Rise Of The Wise (NoiseArt) [Review By Matt]
Hungarian Power Metal anyone? Well why not try Wisdom who are essentially Hungary's answer to Hammerfall with just a bit of Blind Guardian creeping in on the folkier songs like Believe In Me. This five piece play fist in the air metal and on rampaging tracks like Hero and Believe In Me Wisdom are every inch cut from the same cloth as the Swedish masters of power metal, think huge riffs, speedy drums and gang vocals and you get the idea. Rise Of The Wise is the band's fourth full length following such previous releases as Judas and Marching For Liberty and though it doesn't break the mold it delivers good quality power metal the dual guitars, galloping rhythm section and strong vocals with European enunciation are all done well so there is very little to criticise on a performance point of view, the songwriting to while full of cliches about wizards, battles and fantasy, even dabbling with pirate metal on Nightmare Of The Seas, is enjoyable and will appeal to power metal junkies but in a swamped genre Wisdom may find it hard shine. Still this fourth album is a lot of fun and if power metal is your thing then you can do much worse than pick up a copy and fly away on a wave of manly power metal mayhem. 6/10
Monday, 29 February 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: Devilskin
Devilskin & Skarlett Riot, The Iron Road Evesham
A road trip is always something I welcome on a Saturday especially for gigs, so it was great anticipation and my oldest friend that we packed the car and headed to Evesham in Worcestershire. After some traffic shenanigans we finally arrived at The Iron Road and made our way inside. Now I've never been to The Iron Road before but what a venue it is, a compact pub with a large, well stocked bar and huge burgers named after various rock and roll icons. Ordering a pint of the house ale and a delicious Lemmy burger (covered in JD you see?) we watched England beat Ireland in the rugby, with us cheering for Ireland naturally while the bands got set up on the stage in the corner of the room. So yes the bands that was the reason we were here most notably for the debut UK headline tour of New Zealand outfit Devilskin, having been suitably impressed by their album last year I was excited to see whether the talent shown on the record would translate to the live arena.
First up however were Scunthorpe mob Skarlett Riot who play spiky, melodic heavy rock with a modern edge and lashings of attitude and confidence, led by the bottle rocket of Skarlett on vocals the band blasted away with a set list of 8 songs that started with Divide Us and moved through the ballsy Wake Up, the heavy Adrenaline and the darker Villains that has huge sing along hook. Skarlett has a superb vocal that was a higher octave than that of the headline band, her vocal was very powerful and was a perfect fit for the bands modern hook-laden sound reminding your writer of Paramore's Haley Williams but set to a heavier backing, which is a very good thing indeed. The backing band were also full of sparks with manic drummer Luke smashing along with aplomb, bassist Martin couldn't keep still as he plucked out rhythms galore leaving Danny to stab at his guitar and deliver a killer solo on House Of Cards. With melodic, hook-laden songs, big riffs and a keen ear of melody Skarlett Riot whet the appetite perfectly, a band well worth checking out live! 8/10
Next then it was time for Devilskin, we were lucky to see the band really as their Barrowlands performance had been cancelled due to frontwoman Jennie's flu, but they managed to reach Evesham by way of The Underworld Camden and as the cosy venue became packed full of people and the band made their way to the stage, the young Nic on the drums, the demonic twins of (see the videos of Little Pills and Start A Revolution) Paul on bass and Nail on guitar before the lovely Jennie hit the stage and the band kicked into the excellently named Elvis Presley Circle Pit and then the chunky Vessel which showed Jennie's superb vocals they are strong and resonant, showing no sign of the flu at all, especially on the aggressive, BLS-like Until You Bleed where she was giving guttural roars from the bowels of hell. In fact Devilskin have a distinctly modern sound merging the pinch harmonics of Zakk and co with some more groove based acts like Pantera and even a bit of Disturbed thrown in mainly due to Paul's bass heavy sound and Nail's technical but not always overt guitar wizardry which has much in common with the latter's Dan Donegan. The band were visual with Nail and Paul frequently switching places and moving around the small stage, heads were banging on the strong and emotive Surrender which has great solo too. Then the band did something that was a bit of risk by dropping a cover of Dio's Holy Diver that if I'm honest was far better than Killswitch Engage's retaining the magic of the original but adding the bands heaviness, smiles all round and back into their own stuff with Fade which errs on the side of Alter Bridge or Creed but has a huge chorus that you can't help sing along to. The band were working through their set at a rate of knots, the bass driven Never See The Light coming next giving more chances to headbang with its fast-slow dynamic and dirty slide riff. When the band did stop they were very appreciative of the crowd coming out to see them and seemed to be having a lot of fun on this tour, the crowd were receptive of this and became more so with the double header of latest single Start A Revolution and previous single Mountains which built the crowd up again. Devilskin are really masters of their craft having toiled for so long on the New Zealand scene it was great to see so many out supporting them in Evesham, more call-and-response on Dirt before the main set ended with new song We Rise which bodes well for their second album. A bit of a break a few thank you's, no chance to get off stage due to the sheer volume of people in the venue so it was back into the encore of the groove-laden Little Pills and the snarling Violation. An excellent set and tremendous performance showing that Devilskin are on that upward trajectory towards bigger things. 9/10
That was that with more well wishing and a chance to cool down and have a drink the band seemed happy and the punters too cheered for a good long while after the set before everyone got talking at the back of the venue. This night was one of those gigs where the planets align, two great performances, two amiable and humble bands, a superb rock venue and a welcoming responsive crowd supporting live music. If only all gigs were like this I'd be a happy bunny!
A road trip is always something I welcome on a Saturday especially for gigs, so it was great anticipation and my oldest friend that we packed the car and headed to Evesham in Worcestershire. After some traffic shenanigans we finally arrived at The Iron Road and made our way inside. Now I've never been to The Iron Road before but what a venue it is, a compact pub with a large, well stocked bar and huge burgers named after various rock and roll icons. Ordering a pint of the house ale and a delicious Lemmy burger (covered in JD you see?) we watched England beat Ireland in the rugby, with us cheering for Ireland naturally while the bands got set up on the stage in the corner of the room. So yes the bands that was the reason we were here most notably for the debut UK headline tour of New Zealand outfit Devilskin, having been suitably impressed by their album last year I was excited to see whether the talent shown on the record would translate to the live arena.
First up however were Scunthorpe mob Skarlett Riot who play spiky, melodic heavy rock with a modern edge and lashings of attitude and confidence, led by the bottle rocket of Skarlett on vocals the band blasted away with a set list of 8 songs that started with Divide Us and moved through the ballsy Wake Up, the heavy Adrenaline and the darker Villains that has huge sing along hook. Skarlett has a superb vocal that was a higher octave than that of the headline band, her vocal was very powerful and was a perfect fit for the bands modern hook-laden sound reminding your writer of Paramore's Haley Williams but set to a heavier backing, which is a very good thing indeed. The backing band were also full of sparks with manic drummer Luke smashing along with aplomb, bassist Martin couldn't keep still as he plucked out rhythms galore leaving Danny to stab at his guitar and deliver a killer solo on House Of Cards. With melodic, hook-laden songs, big riffs and a keen ear of melody Skarlett Riot whet the appetite perfectly, a band well worth checking out live! 8/10
Next then it was time for Devilskin, we were lucky to see the band really as their Barrowlands performance had been cancelled due to frontwoman Jennie's flu, but they managed to reach Evesham by way of The Underworld Camden and as the cosy venue became packed full of people and the band made their way to the stage, the young Nic on the drums, the demonic twins of (see the videos of Little Pills and Start A Revolution) Paul on bass and Nail on guitar before the lovely Jennie hit the stage and the band kicked into the excellently named Elvis Presley Circle Pit and then the chunky Vessel which showed Jennie's superb vocals they are strong and resonant, showing no sign of the flu at all, especially on the aggressive, BLS-like Until You Bleed where she was giving guttural roars from the bowels of hell. In fact Devilskin have a distinctly modern sound merging the pinch harmonics of Zakk and co with some more groove based acts like Pantera and even a bit of Disturbed thrown in mainly due to Paul's bass heavy sound and Nail's technical but not always overt guitar wizardry which has much in common with the latter's Dan Donegan. The band were visual with Nail and Paul frequently switching places and moving around the small stage, heads were banging on the strong and emotive Surrender which has great solo too. Then the band did something that was a bit of risk by dropping a cover of Dio's Holy Diver that if I'm honest was far better than Killswitch Engage's retaining the magic of the original but adding the bands heaviness, smiles all round and back into their own stuff with Fade which errs on the side of Alter Bridge or Creed but has a huge chorus that you can't help sing along to. The band were working through their set at a rate of knots, the bass driven Never See The Light coming next giving more chances to headbang with its fast-slow dynamic and dirty slide riff. When the band did stop they were very appreciative of the crowd coming out to see them and seemed to be having a lot of fun on this tour, the crowd were receptive of this and became more so with the double header of latest single Start A Revolution and previous single Mountains which built the crowd up again. Devilskin are really masters of their craft having toiled for so long on the New Zealand scene it was great to see so many out supporting them in Evesham, more call-and-response on Dirt before the main set ended with new song We Rise which bodes well for their second album. A bit of a break a few thank you's, no chance to get off stage due to the sheer volume of people in the venue so it was back into the encore of the groove-laden Little Pills and the snarling Violation. An excellent set and tremendous performance showing that Devilskin are on that upward trajectory towards bigger things. 9/10
That was that with more well wishing and a chance to cool down and have a drink the band seemed happy and the punters too cheered for a good long while after the set before everyone got talking at the back of the venue. This night was one of those gigs where the planets align, two great performances, two amiable and humble bands, a superb rock venue and a welcoming responsive crowd supporting live music. If only all gigs were like this I'd be a happy bunny!
Sunday, 28 February 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: The Cult (Review By Paul)
The Cult – Bristol Colston Hall
When The Cult released the monumental Love in 1985, with the slew of hit singles including “that song”, even they would never in their wildest dreams have thought that over 30 years on packed venues would still be going nuts for them. At a sold out Colston Hall Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy and co delivered a masterclass with a quite fantastic performance. I don’t follow the charts but a quick google suggested that their latest release, the superb Hidden City had not caused as much as a ripple. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to know that it had even been released. Not so inside the lovely Colston Hall, where a decent percentage of the audience had clearly picked up their copy and learnt most of the words. Kicking off with Dark Energy, the band ripped into from the start, with Astbury a whirling insane Jim Morrison infused bundle of crazed energy. Alongside Astbury, the ever reliable and magnificent guitar playing Billy Duffy churned out the riffs and peeled off solos for fun.
A huge roar of approval followed as the first track from Love arrived, the fantastic Rain which saw most of the balcony up on its feet early doors. As Duffy hit the riff on his ever reliable Gretsch Falcon guitars, the temperature increased with the whole crowd singing the chorus. Wild Flower maintained the momentum, the first of three tracks from Electric. Astbury rambled away in between songs, chiding the security and encouraging the younger members in the mosh pit to get involved. I didn’t see too many of the younger generation in the balcony mind, with the average age appearing to be similar to that of Astbury and Duffy, astonishingly both 54 years old. This wasn’t just a walk down memory lane though, with five tracks from the new release weaving their way into the set list. Hinterland, Birds Of Paradise and Deeply Ordered Chaos all slotted in with great ease.
However, the oldies naturally received the biggest response, Sweet Soul Sister generating one of the biggest cheers of the evening. Duffy is a fantastic guitarist, criminally underrated and looking incredibly fit and healthy. Lil’ Devil allowed him to really open up and it was around this point that we twigged that alongside long term drummer John Tempesta and recent addition on bass Grant Fitzpatrick was one Damon Fox on keyboards and rhythm guitar. Who? Well, Damon Fox is the lead player in Big Elf, that’s who. After a storming Nirvana came the moment I had been waiting for; as Duffy cranked out the killer riff to The Phoenix, up I shot, joining in with the rest of those whose dancing days are long behind them but hell did I give a shit? Oh no, The Phoenix is a phenomenal tune and watching Duffy slice that guitar through the air was worth the admission price on its own. Of course, the song that The Cult are most famous for finally arrived with the whole place going nuts as She Sells Sanctuary blasted out. Memories of this track clearing the dancefloor in my youth at the school disco and early forays into night clubs came flooding back. A quick respite before the three track encore pulverised the remains of the crowd. G.O.A.T. was followed by Spirit Walker and then it was last moments as Astbury encouraged and Duffy hit the chords for closer Love Removal Machine.
For a band that have been around close to 35 years, The Cult are just incredible and remain as vital and vibrant today as they did when She Sells Sanctuary crashed into the charts all those years ago. If you get the chance and can tolerate the most insane jibberish of Astbury, then you won’t be disappointed. 9/10
When The Cult released the monumental Love in 1985, with the slew of hit singles including “that song”, even they would never in their wildest dreams have thought that over 30 years on packed venues would still be going nuts for them. At a sold out Colston Hall Ian Astbury, Billy Duffy and co delivered a masterclass with a quite fantastic performance. I don’t follow the charts but a quick google suggested that their latest release, the superb Hidden City had not caused as much as a ripple. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to know that it had even been released. Not so inside the lovely Colston Hall, where a decent percentage of the audience had clearly picked up their copy and learnt most of the words. Kicking off with Dark Energy, the band ripped into from the start, with Astbury a whirling insane Jim Morrison infused bundle of crazed energy. Alongside Astbury, the ever reliable and magnificent guitar playing Billy Duffy churned out the riffs and peeled off solos for fun.
A huge roar of approval followed as the first track from Love arrived, the fantastic Rain which saw most of the balcony up on its feet early doors. As Duffy hit the riff on his ever reliable Gretsch Falcon guitars, the temperature increased with the whole crowd singing the chorus. Wild Flower maintained the momentum, the first of three tracks from Electric. Astbury rambled away in between songs, chiding the security and encouraging the younger members in the mosh pit to get involved. I didn’t see too many of the younger generation in the balcony mind, with the average age appearing to be similar to that of Astbury and Duffy, astonishingly both 54 years old. This wasn’t just a walk down memory lane though, with five tracks from the new release weaving their way into the set list. Hinterland, Birds Of Paradise and Deeply Ordered Chaos all slotted in with great ease.
However, the oldies naturally received the biggest response, Sweet Soul Sister generating one of the biggest cheers of the evening. Duffy is a fantastic guitarist, criminally underrated and looking incredibly fit and healthy. Lil’ Devil allowed him to really open up and it was around this point that we twigged that alongside long term drummer John Tempesta and recent addition on bass Grant Fitzpatrick was one Damon Fox on keyboards and rhythm guitar. Who? Well, Damon Fox is the lead player in Big Elf, that’s who. After a storming Nirvana came the moment I had been waiting for; as Duffy cranked out the killer riff to The Phoenix, up I shot, joining in with the rest of those whose dancing days are long behind them but hell did I give a shit? Oh no, The Phoenix is a phenomenal tune and watching Duffy slice that guitar through the air was worth the admission price on its own. Of course, the song that The Cult are most famous for finally arrived with the whole place going nuts as She Sells Sanctuary blasted out. Memories of this track clearing the dancefloor in my youth at the school disco and early forays into night clubs came flooding back. A quick respite before the three track encore pulverised the remains of the crowd. G.O.A.T. was followed by Spirit Walker and then it was last moments as Astbury encouraged and Duffy hit the chords for closer Love Removal Machine.
For a band that have been around close to 35 years, The Cult are just incredible and remain as vital and vibrant today as they did when She Sells Sanctuary crashed into the charts all those years ago. If you get the chance and can tolerate the most insane jibberish of Astbury, then you won’t be disappointed. 9/10
Saturday, 27 February 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: Symphony X
Symphony X & Myrath, Bristol Bierkeller
So the third and final trip into Bristol in a week that started with death metal, then classic rock and then this was the night that we got our prog on with American kings of aggressive progressive metal (or jock-prog as I've dubbed it) and Tunisian melo-proggers Myrath. Now in what seemed to be a running theme for the week we once again got caught in traffic meaning we missed opening act Melting Space, although with the late opening doors myself and Paul wondered just how long they played for, as we were in the venue about 20 minutes after the doors opened and the band were already at the merch stall. Still we did finally arrive at the venue and after a swift pint nearby we headed in to Bristol's most unique venue an took our place in front of the sound desk.
There was a large crowd gathered for the Tunisians and as they hit the stage with Storm Of Lies the huge waves of keys from Elyes Bouchoucha were immediately engulfing the audience as the bototm end of Morgan Berthet's drums and Anis Jouini's five string bass ploughed a heavy furrow for Malek Ben Arbia to riff along to with his crunchy rhythm playing and clean harmonic leads. Most of the set was drawn from their most recent album Legacy and the crowd were responsive to it despite it only being out for a week at the time of the concert. In fact four of the seven songs were from the new record and do well live especially Get Your Freedom Back and Believer which got the crowd involved. Frontman Zaher Zorgati has a very clear, resonant, melodic voice that soars above the music brilliantly and the whole thing was complemented by the venue's excellent sound, the band were a little static due to spacial constraints and there were tapes used for the harmonies but they did not intrude too much. As I said the crowd were obviously pro-Myrath before they arrived on stage but after their set, that ended with the Eurovision-like (not a bad thing) Duat they had one over many more. A good showing from a band still finding their feet in the UK, but are very experienced. 7/10
Speaking of experience you don't get much more experienced than New Jersey mob Symphony X, who throughout their career (starting in 1994) have moved from a neo-classical band, through a progressive metal band and now into a much more heavier prospect than ever before, a lot of their more recent songs are more thrash-like than anything else, thus why they recently completed an American tour with fellow Jerseyites Overkill. As the intro tape of Overture swirled the three Michaels took to the stage, Pinnella on keys, LePond on bass and band leader Romeo on guitar (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Yngwie Malmsteen) supported by Jason Rullo on drums, the band launched into opener Nevermore which saw frontman Russell Allen storm the stage every inch the rockstar (sunglasses and all) and unleash his mighty pipes. What followed was risky move as the band dove headlong straight into Underworld it became clear that this set would be drawn mainly from their latest album of the same name, something that was backed up by Allen when the thundering Kiss Of Fire came to an end and he did a little speech about leaving it 6 years since they last did a full UK tour and explaining that they were going to play Underworld in full and explaining a little about the concept as the rest of the band watched this mountain of a man give his explanation the crowd were cheering and whooping before they resumed singing every line of every song on powerful Without You.
Yes the audience for Symphony X do seem to be a little, how can I say this? Enthusiastic, to say the least every person in that room knew every line of every song and sang with all their heart, this kind of fandom is usual at prog gigs but Symphony X do seem to attract a rather wide crowd; from the normal D&D playing prog-nerds (like myself), through to the group of heavily muscled weightlifters to my right encompassing cardigan wearing dads and hipsters in their f*cking red trousers! With the emotion of Without You out of the window it was back to rampaging metal assault with Charon and To Hell And Back, the rhythm section of LePond and Rullo thundered with percussive power, the keys of Pinnella were immense but in no way distracted from the heaviness created by the band, while Romeo's guitar playing is otherworldly he solos with a dexterity not seen often. The one thing that struck me about Symphony X that I may have missed last time I saw them is how bloody loud they are, on the heavier songs I was fearing for concussive shock syndrome but it was all part of the bands appeal. Allen is a great frontman welcoming but also terrifying in equal measure especially when he was switching between his good and evil masks in the middle of the set (although the red and black mask did make him look a bit like WWE's Kane).
As Swansong wrapped up the bulk of Underworld the band went back a bit with instrumental Death Of Balance giving Romeo, Pinnella, Rullo and LePond a chance to duel and show their skills before the band went back further to Divine Wings Of Tragedy for Out Of Ashes and Sea Of Lies that ended the main set. There was a pause, rapid cheering a ringing in your ears and then the band strutted back on like conquering kings. The encore started with one of Paradise Lost's best tracks Set The World On Fire (The Lie Of Lies) before the set ended proper with the closing track from Underworld the sublime Legend, finishing the whole story and sending the punters home happy but deaf. Symphony X in full headline mode are a force to be reckoned with and I really hope they don't leave it six years before they do another headline tour, they are band well worth seeing no matter whether you like prog or not, they are fantastic heavy metal band. 9/10
So the third and final trip into Bristol in a week that started with death metal, then classic rock and then this was the night that we got our prog on with American kings of aggressive progressive metal (or jock-prog as I've dubbed it) and Tunisian melo-proggers Myrath. Now in what seemed to be a running theme for the week we once again got caught in traffic meaning we missed opening act Melting Space, although with the late opening doors myself and Paul wondered just how long they played for, as we were in the venue about 20 minutes after the doors opened and the band were already at the merch stall. Still we did finally arrive at the venue and after a swift pint nearby we headed in to Bristol's most unique venue an took our place in front of the sound desk.
There was a large crowd gathered for the Tunisians and as they hit the stage with Storm Of Lies the huge waves of keys from Elyes Bouchoucha were immediately engulfing the audience as the bototm end of Morgan Berthet's drums and Anis Jouini's five string bass ploughed a heavy furrow for Malek Ben Arbia to riff along to with his crunchy rhythm playing and clean harmonic leads. Most of the set was drawn from their most recent album Legacy and the crowd were responsive to it despite it only being out for a week at the time of the concert. In fact four of the seven songs were from the new record and do well live especially Get Your Freedom Back and Believer which got the crowd involved. Frontman Zaher Zorgati has a very clear, resonant, melodic voice that soars above the music brilliantly and the whole thing was complemented by the venue's excellent sound, the band were a little static due to spacial constraints and there were tapes used for the harmonies but they did not intrude too much. As I said the crowd were obviously pro-Myrath before they arrived on stage but after their set, that ended with the Eurovision-like (not a bad thing) Duat they had one over many more. A good showing from a band still finding their feet in the UK, but are very experienced. 7/10
Speaking of experience you don't get much more experienced than New Jersey mob Symphony X, who throughout their career (starting in 1994) have moved from a neo-classical band, through a progressive metal band and now into a much more heavier prospect than ever before, a lot of their more recent songs are more thrash-like than anything else, thus why they recently completed an American tour with fellow Jerseyites Overkill. As the intro tape of Overture swirled the three Michaels took to the stage, Pinnella on keys, LePond on bass and band leader Romeo on guitar (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Yngwie Malmsteen) supported by Jason Rullo on drums, the band launched into opener Nevermore which saw frontman Russell Allen storm the stage every inch the rockstar (sunglasses and all) and unleash his mighty pipes. What followed was risky move as the band dove headlong straight into Underworld it became clear that this set would be drawn mainly from their latest album of the same name, something that was backed up by Allen when the thundering Kiss Of Fire came to an end and he did a little speech about leaving it 6 years since they last did a full UK tour and explaining that they were going to play Underworld in full and explaining a little about the concept as the rest of the band watched this mountain of a man give his explanation the crowd were cheering and whooping before they resumed singing every line of every song on powerful Without You.
Yes the audience for Symphony X do seem to be a little, how can I say this? Enthusiastic, to say the least every person in that room knew every line of every song and sang with all their heart, this kind of fandom is usual at prog gigs but Symphony X do seem to attract a rather wide crowd; from the normal D&D playing prog-nerds (like myself), through to the group of heavily muscled weightlifters to my right encompassing cardigan wearing dads and hipsters in their f*cking red trousers! With the emotion of Without You out of the window it was back to rampaging metal assault with Charon and To Hell And Back, the rhythm section of LePond and Rullo thundered with percussive power, the keys of Pinnella were immense but in no way distracted from the heaviness created by the band, while Romeo's guitar playing is otherworldly he solos with a dexterity not seen often. The one thing that struck me about Symphony X that I may have missed last time I saw them is how bloody loud they are, on the heavier songs I was fearing for concussive shock syndrome but it was all part of the bands appeal. Allen is a great frontman welcoming but also terrifying in equal measure especially when he was switching between his good and evil masks in the middle of the set (although the red and black mask did make him look a bit like WWE's Kane).
As Swansong wrapped up the bulk of Underworld the band went back a bit with instrumental Death Of Balance giving Romeo, Pinnella, Rullo and LePond a chance to duel and show their skills before the band went back further to Divine Wings Of Tragedy for Out Of Ashes and Sea Of Lies that ended the main set. There was a pause, rapid cheering a ringing in your ears and then the band strutted back on like conquering kings. The encore started with one of Paradise Lost's best tracks Set The World On Fire (The Lie Of Lies) before the set ended proper with the closing track from Underworld the sublime Legend, finishing the whole story and sending the punters home happy but deaf. Symphony X in full headline mode are a force to be reckoned with and I really hope they don't leave it six years before they do another headline tour, they are band well worth seeing no matter whether you like prog or not, they are fantastic heavy metal band. 9/10
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
A View From The Back Of The Room: Thunder
Thunder, Colston Hall Bristol
Day two of our trio of gigs across the bridge, this time it was indeed time for something completely different with a night of hard rock lined up in the beautiful Colston Hall. On this night much like the previous one we faced the same traffic problems that had plagued us on our trip to Kataklysm this meant that we were late to the gig, in fact we were very late to the gig as we missed openers King King but by all accounts they were superb. Still there is always next time and on the murmurs I heard talking about the set in the foyer the band will be worth the wait when I eventually do see them. Myself and my good friend Nick forgoed the second support band Terrorvision due to not really having an interest in the band, so we walked into the auditorium as they were wrapping up with Alice What's The Matter? and Perseverance.
The beauty of the Colston Hall when it is not a fully seated venue (lamented by Steven Wilson the previous artist I'd seen here) is that down the front it's hot and sweaty as a rock gig should be, but it means those who prefer seating, like myself, can take a seat at the back and not have our views interrupted by those that want to shake their ass, something that is almost guaranteed with a band like Thunder. With the intro playing and lights swirling it was time, the cheers built and as the lights fixed on the curtain, it dropped, Thunder appeared on stage, there was an almighty cheer. Luke Morely hit the stage first and pumped out the riff for Wonder Days one of the six tracks aired from their most recent album of the same name, the song is a perfect opener in this kind of setting, which could be seen as a sort of comeback for Thunder, with lyrics that talk of the bands early years it took everyone back to the halcyon days when rock was pure and unaffected by popularity and sales but was just about having a good time. This really could be Thunder's mantra, they are all about having a good time and encourage everyone watching to do the same, the heavyweight blues of Black Water came next (also off Wonder Days) and saw frontman Danny Bowes burst into his expert Dad dancing which always brings a smile to your face, after the blues the rock kicked back in with dirty River Of Pain. A small break but not much of one, breath caught and then into the triumphant Resurrection Day which kept the pace fast and powerful and steeped in rock history.
What's instantly noticeable about Thunder every time I see them is how damn good at what they do every member of the band is, special praise goes to Ben Matthews who plays everything from rhythm guitar and keys to cowbell and lead guitar, seeing as the problems in his recent history are well documented he looked happy, healthy and delighted to be performing again. The set slowed and Like A Satellite came next with the crowd singing every single word. Danny had the crowd eating from his hand telling them to be louder with every shout, sometimes just using a hand signal, either way the baying fans obliged in kind. The filthy The Devil Made Me Do It kicked in with Harry James shuffling drum beat driving it in conjunction with Chris Childs' bass, once again the night slowed for the epic Empty City which left the crowd awestruck as it was delivered with the same passion it was sung with when it was written, Bowes not dropping a note in the interim time. At the conclusion there was huge roar from the crowd as 'that' riff kicked in for Backstreet Symphony, cue more Dad dancing from Bowes and another showstopper in I'll Be Waiting before the party began again with newie The Thing I Want telling the tale of women of ill repute, the cowbell driven When the Music Played finished this double header of new songs but then as the acoustic was brought on to Morley's side of the stage everyone new what was coming the slow build, the harmonies and one of the finest key changes in rock and cued the mass sing along of Love Walked In.
This was fantastic stuff indeed the new songs blended well with the classics and the band performed with the same flair and excellence that they have always shown. The main set was rounded out with I Love You More Than Rock N Roll which featured yet more cowbell (obviously they had a fever) after a short gap they came back with the encore of another new track, the cracking Serpentine then with some more call and response it was Dirty Love that finished the show as the crowd erupted for the final time. When Thunder opened for Whitesnake and Journey a couple of years ago nearly everyone agreed Thunder stole the show and seeing them in full flight was a treat indeed, Thunder were fantastic but don't fret if you missed them this time they are coming to both Ramblin Man Fair and more importantly they are headlining July's Steelhouse festival right here in Wales, I suggest you get a ticket as you will not be disappointed, I promise!! 9/10
Day two of our trio of gigs across the bridge, this time it was indeed time for something completely different with a night of hard rock lined up in the beautiful Colston Hall. On this night much like the previous one we faced the same traffic problems that had plagued us on our trip to Kataklysm this meant that we were late to the gig, in fact we were very late to the gig as we missed openers King King but by all accounts they were superb. Still there is always next time and on the murmurs I heard talking about the set in the foyer the band will be worth the wait when I eventually do see them. Myself and my good friend Nick forgoed the second support band Terrorvision due to not really having an interest in the band, so we walked into the auditorium as they were wrapping up with Alice What's The Matter? and Perseverance.
The beauty of the Colston Hall when it is not a fully seated venue (lamented by Steven Wilson the previous artist I'd seen here) is that down the front it's hot and sweaty as a rock gig should be, but it means those who prefer seating, like myself, can take a seat at the back and not have our views interrupted by those that want to shake their ass, something that is almost guaranteed with a band like Thunder. With the intro playing and lights swirling it was time, the cheers built and as the lights fixed on the curtain, it dropped, Thunder appeared on stage, there was an almighty cheer. Luke Morely hit the stage first and pumped out the riff for Wonder Days one of the six tracks aired from their most recent album of the same name, the song is a perfect opener in this kind of setting, which could be seen as a sort of comeback for Thunder, with lyrics that talk of the bands early years it took everyone back to the halcyon days when rock was pure and unaffected by popularity and sales but was just about having a good time. This really could be Thunder's mantra, they are all about having a good time and encourage everyone watching to do the same, the heavyweight blues of Black Water came next (also off Wonder Days) and saw frontman Danny Bowes burst into his expert Dad dancing which always brings a smile to your face, after the blues the rock kicked back in with dirty River Of Pain. A small break but not much of one, breath caught and then into the triumphant Resurrection Day which kept the pace fast and powerful and steeped in rock history.
What's instantly noticeable about Thunder every time I see them is how damn good at what they do every member of the band is, special praise goes to Ben Matthews who plays everything from rhythm guitar and keys to cowbell and lead guitar, seeing as the problems in his recent history are well documented he looked happy, healthy and delighted to be performing again. The set slowed and Like A Satellite came next with the crowd singing every single word. Danny had the crowd eating from his hand telling them to be louder with every shout, sometimes just using a hand signal, either way the baying fans obliged in kind. The filthy The Devil Made Me Do It kicked in with Harry James shuffling drum beat driving it in conjunction with Chris Childs' bass, once again the night slowed for the epic Empty City which left the crowd awestruck as it was delivered with the same passion it was sung with when it was written, Bowes not dropping a note in the interim time. At the conclusion there was huge roar from the crowd as 'that' riff kicked in for Backstreet Symphony, cue more Dad dancing from Bowes and another showstopper in I'll Be Waiting before the party began again with newie The Thing I Want telling the tale of women of ill repute, the cowbell driven When the Music Played finished this double header of new songs but then as the acoustic was brought on to Morley's side of the stage everyone new what was coming the slow build, the harmonies and one of the finest key changes in rock and cued the mass sing along of Love Walked In.
This was fantastic stuff indeed the new songs blended well with the classics and the band performed with the same flair and excellence that they have always shown. The main set was rounded out with I Love You More Than Rock N Roll which featured yet more cowbell (obviously they had a fever) after a short gap they came back with the encore of another new track, the cracking Serpentine then with some more call and response it was Dirty Love that finished the show as the crowd erupted for the final time. When Thunder opened for Whitesnake and Journey a couple of years ago nearly everyone agreed Thunder stole the show and seeing them in full flight was a treat indeed, Thunder were fantastic but don't fret if you missed them this time they are coming to both Ramblin Man Fair and more importantly they are headlining July's Steelhouse festival right here in Wales, I suggest you get a ticket as you will not be disappointed, I promise!! 9/10
A View From The Back Of The Room: Kataklysm (Review By Paul)
Kataklysm, Septicflesh & Aborted, The Fleece Bristol
The first in a number of trips across the bridge in February saw the intrepid trio of Lee, The Ed and me head for a night of brutality at the ever excellent Fleece. An international night of brutality no less. After the inevitable traffic carnage on the M32 we dumped the car and thanked Beelzebub for the tardy housekeeping as doors had not long opened. We joined the end of a reasonably healthy queue and, having grabbed a mandatory pint of Bath Gem, assumed the brace position for the next three hours.
First up, the absolute onslaught of Belgian Death grindcore merchants Aborted (8). A handsome 45-minute set saw the band blitz the venue with their absolute pile driving assault. Led by the relentless founder member and vocalist Sven de Caluwe, the band coerced, cajoled and demanded circle pits, head banging and all out engagement from the crowd as they blasted through tracks from their back catalogue and new release Retrogore. The band have a similar gorefest themed approach to Cannibal Corpse but what impressed me was the sheer energy and drive as they just didn’t let up. Huge slabs of screaming riffage from Mendel Bij de Leij and new boy Ian Jekelis and a battery from bassist JB Van Der Wal and drummer Ken Bendene split skulls, bodies slamming into the Fleece’s pillars at the front of the stage. Aborted made the most of their slot, cramming in tracks and receiving a huge ovation. In fact, it was noticeable that a sizeable number of the crowd left after Aborted concluded their set, with significantly more space in the venue as the evening wore on.
Operatic death metal from Athens? Why the fuck not. Next up on the bill were the Greeks Septicflesh (8), whose last two releases Communion and Titan are epic albums. Dropping their clean vocals (usually provided by guitarist Sotiris Vayenas), the band charged through an eight track set which comprised four from Titan and two each from Communion and The Great Mass. Centre stage, clad in his trademark Predator body armour stood bassist and vocalist Spiros “Seth Siro Anton” Antoniou. Welcoming the crowd as “my friends”, he was a captivating sight, rarely putting more than a couple of notes together but encouraging the crowd to “destroy” at every available opportunity whilst delivering the harsh death vocals synonymous with countrymen Rotting Christ.
Antoniou was flanked by Vayenas and third original member Christos Antoniou, complete with some of the filthiest dreadlocks ever seen whilst the blast beats and astonishing power of drummer Kerim Lechner. With their symphonic backing tapes enhancing their huge sound, more pit action and increased wind milling was in order as Communion, Order Of Dracul and Prototype decimated the audience. Concluding their set with the immense Anubis and Prometheus, all around were astonished faces. I don’t know how often these guys visit the UK, but they are so worth a view.
One of the joys of The Fleece is that the bands have to walk through the crowd to get to the stage. Cue much mirth as with 20 minutes until the start of their set, the individual members of Kataklysm wandered in from their bus clutching their stage clothes in carrier bags and proceeded to get slightly confused about which way to go. It definitely isn’t all glamour, even for 20+ year veterans. Despite their incredibly punishing tour schedule (38 dates across Europe with two nights off; Paris, Bristol, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester in successive nights!!!), all of the bands gave 110%
Headliners Kataklysm (9), the purveyors of the Northern Hyperblast hit the stage with stunning energy, opening with Breaching The Asylum from last year’s magnificent Of Ghost and Gods. Taking the frontman to the extreme, Maurizio Iacono was relentless in his demanding of more action from the intense maelstrom in front of him whilst long term members Stephane Barbe (bass) and guitarist Jean Francois Dagenais destroyed. However, the vital ammunition in the Kataklysm armoury is the blast beat destruction of the double bass drumming, currently dished out without mercy by Oli Beaudoin.
With such a back catalogue to choose from, the band didn’t play it safe, varying tracks from across their releases. As well as the opener, three other tracks from Of Ghosts and Gods featured, The Black Sheep, Soul Destroyer and Thy Serpents Tongue, all of which demonstrated why this band remain as intense as ever. The ferocity in the pit increased as the steamroller maintained momentum; As I Slither and Push The Venom notable for the riotous responses on the floor. Open Scars and In Shadows & Dust upped the temperature further before Crippled And Broken concluded our viewing.
Interestingly the audience had thinned substantially as we headed for the exit just before the conclusion of the set. Maybe the later finish time contributed to it for those reliant on public transport, or maybe it was the effect of three hours of unrelenting death metal or even the fact that even in this extreme genre, the subtle differences between the three bands appealed to different sections of the crowd. Whatever the reason, it was an excellent evening with the inevitable ringing in the ears the following morning.
On a final positive note, full marks to the sound in The Fleece which was magnificent. To be able to pick out the technical elements of three bands who play at break neck speed was excellent and it was brilliant to once again be at a venue that so easily could have been nothing more than a memory.
The first in a number of trips across the bridge in February saw the intrepid trio of Lee, The Ed and me head for a night of brutality at the ever excellent Fleece. An international night of brutality no less. After the inevitable traffic carnage on the M32 we dumped the car and thanked Beelzebub for the tardy housekeeping as doors had not long opened. We joined the end of a reasonably healthy queue and, having grabbed a mandatory pint of Bath Gem, assumed the brace position for the next three hours.
First up, the absolute onslaught of Belgian Death grindcore merchants Aborted (8). A handsome 45-minute set saw the band blitz the venue with their absolute pile driving assault. Led by the relentless founder member and vocalist Sven de Caluwe, the band coerced, cajoled and demanded circle pits, head banging and all out engagement from the crowd as they blasted through tracks from their back catalogue and new release Retrogore. The band have a similar gorefest themed approach to Cannibal Corpse but what impressed me was the sheer energy and drive as they just didn’t let up. Huge slabs of screaming riffage from Mendel Bij de Leij and new boy Ian Jekelis and a battery from bassist JB Van Der Wal and drummer Ken Bendene split skulls, bodies slamming into the Fleece’s pillars at the front of the stage. Aborted made the most of their slot, cramming in tracks and receiving a huge ovation. In fact, it was noticeable that a sizeable number of the crowd left after Aborted concluded their set, with significantly more space in the venue as the evening wore on.
Operatic death metal from Athens? Why the fuck not. Next up on the bill were the Greeks Septicflesh (8), whose last two releases Communion and Titan are epic albums. Dropping their clean vocals (usually provided by guitarist Sotiris Vayenas), the band charged through an eight track set which comprised four from Titan and two each from Communion and The Great Mass. Centre stage, clad in his trademark Predator body armour stood bassist and vocalist Spiros “Seth Siro Anton” Antoniou. Welcoming the crowd as “my friends”, he was a captivating sight, rarely putting more than a couple of notes together but encouraging the crowd to “destroy” at every available opportunity whilst delivering the harsh death vocals synonymous with countrymen Rotting Christ.
Antoniou was flanked by Vayenas and third original member Christos Antoniou, complete with some of the filthiest dreadlocks ever seen whilst the blast beats and astonishing power of drummer Kerim Lechner. With their symphonic backing tapes enhancing their huge sound, more pit action and increased wind milling was in order as Communion, Order Of Dracul and Prototype decimated the audience. Concluding their set with the immense Anubis and Prometheus, all around were astonished faces. I don’t know how often these guys visit the UK, but they are so worth a view.
One of the joys of The Fleece is that the bands have to walk through the crowd to get to the stage. Cue much mirth as with 20 minutes until the start of their set, the individual members of Kataklysm wandered in from their bus clutching their stage clothes in carrier bags and proceeded to get slightly confused about which way to go. It definitely isn’t all glamour, even for 20+ year veterans. Despite their incredibly punishing tour schedule (38 dates across Europe with two nights off; Paris, Bristol, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester in successive nights!!!), all of the bands gave 110%
Headliners Kataklysm (9), the purveyors of the Northern Hyperblast hit the stage with stunning energy, opening with Breaching The Asylum from last year’s magnificent Of Ghost and Gods. Taking the frontman to the extreme, Maurizio Iacono was relentless in his demanding of more action from the intense maelstrom in front of him whilst long term members Stephane Barbe (bass) and guitarist Jean Francois Dagenais destroyed. However, the vital ammunition in the Kataklysm armoury is the blast beat destruction of the double bass drumming, currently dished out without mercy by Oli Beaudoin.
With such a back catalogue to choose from, the band didn’t play it safe, varying tracks from across their releases. As well as the opener, three other tracks from Of Ghosts and Gods featured, The Black Sheep, Soul Destroyer and Thy Serpents Tongue, all of which demonstrated why this band remain as intense as ever. The ferocity in the pit increased as the steamroller maintained momentum; As I Slither and Push The Venom notable for the riotous responses on the floor. Open Scars and In Shadows & Dust upped the temperature further before Crippled And Broken concluded our viewing.
Interestingly the audience had thinned substantially as we headed for the exit just before the conclusion of the set. Maybe the later finish time contributed to it for those reliant on public transport, or maybe it was the effect of three hours of unrelenting death metal or even the fact that even in this extreme genre, the subtle differences between the three bands appealed to different sections of the crowd. Whatever the reason, it was an excellent evening with the inevitable ringing in the ears the following morning.
On a final positive note, full marks to the sound in The Fleece which was magnificent. To be able to pick out the technical elements of three bands who play at break neck speed was excellent and it was brilliant to once again be at a venue that so easily could have been nothing more than a memory.
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Reviews: The Cult, Myrath, Simo
The Cult: Hidden Cities (Cooking Vinyl) [Review By Paul]
The tenth album by British rockers The Cult, Hidden Cities contains all the ingredients required for an album by The Cult; from the swirling boogie of Billy Duffy's guitar work and the thunderous voice of Ian Astbury through to the majestic stomp of latter years and the post-gothic rock from the 1980s, Hidden Cities captures all the elements of a band who remain in as much demand today as they did all those years ago when Love crashed into the charts on the back of the classic She Sells Sanctuary. Whilst the album gives more than a passing nod to the past, there is also a contemporary sound which follows on from 2012’s Choice Of Weapon. Bob Rock returns to add his usual high quality production whilst Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney (and Bob Rock) provide the thumping bass lines, on the first album since 1994 not to feature Chris Wyse.
Dance The Night sits firmly in the Electric period, whilst In Blood is firmly ensconced in the Love era. The drama of Birds Of Paradise allows Astbury to unleash his superb chops whilst Duffy’s underrated guitar work comes to the fore during the powerful Hinterland. It’s not all out guitar work though with some delightful orchestral strings complimenting Deeply Ordered Chaos, while the more traditional stomp, complete with snapping snare and thumping Tom Tom of long serving drummer John Tempesta is served up on Avalanche Of Light. Astbury is on excellent form throughout, with his distinctive deep rich tones dominant. Heathens provides evidence that there is a lot of mileage left in The Cult’s tank, with further fine fretwork from Duffy before the album concludes with the melancholic Sound And Fury. Hidden Cities demands several listens to fully appreciate the subtlety and sophistication which runs through it but boy is it worth it. 8/10
Myrath: Legacy (Nightmare Records)
Tunisian lords of melodic prog/power metal Myrath have taken five years to release their fourth album Legacy but in the interim they have developed their metal meets Arabic influences and have come away with something all the more cinematic and indeed emotive than on any of their previous efforts. Since their third release Tunisia has been involved in some tragedies that I don't need to go into here, meaning that for normal Tunisians life has taken an edge not seen before, this has clearly affected the writing of Myrath who say them selves that: "This album pays tribute to all the victims throughout the world and to all those who fight against all shapes of violence and discrimination." So then with such hard hitting and personal themes present it's up to the music to convey the feeling of hope that Myrath have always focused on.
Luckily this album does its best to inspire hope from the Arabic intro of Jasmin into the first proper track Believer you are sucked into the record that has layer upon layer of Elyes Bouchoucha's keys that come like swathes in and out of each song matching and indeed being bolstered by the live string section that appears on most if not all of the tracks on this record meaning that the whole record sounds just that little bit more ambitious. As there are numerous well crafted orchestrations that create a more vivid soundscape than on previous records, there are the almost defacto Arabic flourishes on the Get Your Freedom Back which borders on electro-pop at times but also more traditional classical sounds making the album more like a score to a blockbuster than a rock record.
That's not to say it isn't a metal album, in fact far from it there are of course metallic sounds with tumbling drum patterns from Morgan Berthet blasting away on the faster tracks, the low frequency rhythms and intricate technical playing of bassist Anis Jouini fleshing out the riffs of guitarist Malek Ben Arbia who brings solid slabs of progressive chords and blistering solos that nuance the songs well without resorting to fret wankery. However the stand out performance has to go to vocalist Zaher Zorgati who has a seriously impressive range, he's bee one of the most important factors on Myrath's albums and Legacy is no different his vocals tell the stories vividly and even when the band edge on euro-pop with the Unburnt or go all over the top on I Want To Die, Zorgati's passion is undeniable. Legacy may be the album to break Myrath to a wider audience, this does seem to be it's intended purpose and hopefully combined with their tour supporting Symphony X many more will discover the progressive, oriental mystique of Myrath. 8/10
Simo: Let Love Show The Way (Mascot)
Well...sometimes a record comes along and really reinvigorates your love for a genre, Let Love Show The Way by American blues rockers Simo is one of those sort of albums. The American three piece are led by singer/guitarist and former wunderkid JD Simo who along with drummer Adam Abrashoff and bassist Elad Shapiro have made a sophomore album that will relight the blues rock fire. The band are friends with blues master Joe Bonamassa (thus signing to Mascot) and have built their status with explosive live shows and this fierce live performance has translated to this record very well indeed, with the rhythmn section hitting you in the guts and Simo's incendiary guitar playing par-excellence. These boys are driven by the power of the blues with nods to ZZ Top, Cream, Rory Gallagher's Taste and even Joey Bones himself coming through the entire album its plain to see why this band have risen through the ranks so quickly. Opening with the SRV shuffle of Stranger Blues and Two Timin' Woman which is built on a cowbell and an attacking guitar pattern, we get more rocky on Can't Say Her Name before the fuzzy I Lied is a showcase for JD's blooze howl.
I personally haven't been this excited about a blues rock album for a while as the band balance both excellently with the propulsive Please showcasing the old school rock n roll edge the band have, before the chest beating Long May You Sail thunders in and could be mistaken for Wolfmother track, then suddenly we find that there is no doubting the bands blues credentials on the sublime I'll Always Be Around and the hazy title track. With virtuoso playing from all concerned but more importantly a hefty dose of quality songwriting although the nine minute showcase of I'd Rather Die In Vain and the 13 minute instrumental Ain't Doin Nothin' are particular highlights if love a good guitar solo or twelve!! Let Love Show The Way is a track that really kicks the blues in the arse at 13 tracks (3 bonus) the album clocks in at around 65 minutes you get real value for money on this record, it's a record that's born in the live era and erupts out of your player with a ferocity that is rare in the modern blues rock scene. 9/10
The tenth album by British rockers The Cult, Hidden Cities contains all the ingredients required for an album by The Cult; from the swirling boogie of Billy Duffy's guitar work and the thunderous voice of Ian Astbury through to the majestic stomp of latter years and the post-gothic rock from the 1980s, Hidden Cities captures all the elements of a band who remain in as much demand today as they did all those years ago when Love crashed into the charts on the back of the classic She Sells Sanctuary. Whilst the album gives more than a passing nod to the past, there is also a contemporary sound which follows on from 2012’s Choice Of Weapon. Bob Rock returns to add his usual high quality production whilst Jane’s Addiction’s Chris Chaney (and Bob Rock) provide the thumping bass lines, on the first album since 1994 not to feature Chris Wyse.
Dance The Night sits firmly in the Electric period, whilst In Blood is firmly ensconced in the Love era. The drama of Birds Of Paradise allows Astbury to unleash his superb chops whilst Duffy’s underrated guitar work comes to the fore during the powerful Hinterland. It’s not all out guitar work though with some delightful orchestral strings complimenting Deeply Ordered Chaos, while the more traditional stomp, complete with snapping snare and thumping Tom Tom of long serving drummer John Tempesta is served up on Avalanche Of Light. Astbury is on excellent form throughout, with his distinctive deep rich tones dominant. Heathens provides evidence that there is a lot of mileage left in The Cult’s tank, with further fine fretwork from Duffy before the album concludes with the melancholic Sound And Fury. Hidden Cities demands several listens to fully appreciate the subtlety and sophistication which runs through it but boy is it worth it. 8/10
Myrath: Legacy (Nightmare Records)
Tunisian lords of melodic prog/power metal Myrath have taken five years to release their fourth album Legacy but in the interim they have developed their metal meets Arabic influences and have come away with something all the more cinematic and indeed emotive than on any of their previous efforts. Since their third release Tunisia has been involved in some tragedies that I don't need to go into here, meaning that for normal Tunisians life has taken an edge not seen before, this has clearly affected the writing of Myrath who say them selves that: "This album pays tribute to all the victims throughout the world and to all those who fight against all shapes of violence and discrimination." So then with such hard hitting and personal themes present it's up to the music to convey the feeling of hope that Myrath have always focused on.
Luckily this album does its best to inspire hope from the Arabic intro of Jasmin into the first proper track Believer you are sucked into the record that has layer upon layer of Elyes Bouchoucha's keys that come like swathes in and out of each song matching and indeed being bolstered by the live string section that appears on most if not all of the tracks on this record meaning that the whole record sounds just that little bit more ambitious. As there are numerous well crafted orchestrations that create a more vivid soundscape than on previous records, there are the almost defacto Arabic flourishes on the Get Your Freedom Back which borders on electro-pop at times but also more traditional classical sounds making the album more like a score to a blockbuster than a rock record.
That's not to say it isn't a metal album, in fact far from it there are of course metallic sounds with tumbling drum patterns from Morgan Berthet blasting away on the faster tracks, the low frequency rhythms and intricate technical playing of bassist Anis Jouini fleshing out the riffs of guitarist Malek Ben Arbia who brings solid slabs of progressive chords and blistering solos that nuance the songs well without resorting to fret wankery. However the stand out performance has to go to vocalist Zaher Zorgati who has a seriously impressive range, he's bee one of the most important factors on Myrath's albums and Legacy is no different his vocals tell the stories vividly and even when the band edge on euro-pop with the Unburnt or go all over the top on I Want To Die, Zorgati's passion is undeniable. Legacy may be the album to break Myrath to a wider audience, this does seem to be it's intended purpose and hopefully combined with their tour supporting Symphony X many more will discover the progressive, oriental mystique of Myrath. 8/10
Simo: Let Love Show The Way (Mascot)
Well...sometimes a record comes along and really reinvigorates your love for a genre, Let Love Show The Way by American blues rockers Simo is one of those sort of albums. The American three piece are led by singer/guitarist and former wunderkid JD Simo who along with drummer Adam Abrashoff and bassist Elad Shapiro have made a sophomore album that will relight the blues rock fire. The band are friends with blues master Joe Bonamassa (thus signing to Mascot) and have built their status with explosive live shows and this fierce live performance has translated to this record very well indeed, with the rhythmn section hitting you in the guts and Simo's incendiary guitar playing par-excellence. These boys are driven by the power of the blues with nods to ZZ Top, Cream, Rory Gallagher's Taste and even Joey Bones himself coming through the entire album its plain to see why this band have risen through the ranks so quickly. Opening with the SRV shuffle of Stranger Blues and Two Timin' Woman which is built on a cowbell and an attacking guitar pattern, we get more rocky on Can't Say Her Name before the fuzzy I Lied is a showcase for JD's blooze howl.
I personally haven't been this excited about a blues rock album for a while as the band balance both excellently with the propulsive Please showcasing the old school rock n roll edge the band have, before the chest beating Long May You Sail thunders in and could be mistaken for Wolfmother track, then suddenly we find that there is no doubting the bands blues credentials on the sublime I'll Always Be Around and the hazy title track. With virtuoso playing from all concerned but more importantly a hefty dose of quality songwriting although the nine minute showcase of I'd Rather Die In Vain and the 13 minute instrumental Ain't Doin Nothin' are particular highlights if love a good guitar solo or twelve!! Let Love Show The Way is a track that really kicks the blues in the arse at 13 tracks (3 bonus) the album clocks in at around 65 minutes you get real value for money on this record, it's a record that's born in the live era and erupts out of your player with a ferocity that is rare in the modern blues rock scene. 9/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)