Interview with Michale Graves, Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff
Our friend Liz got to do an interview with her teenage idol Michale Graves at Fuel Rock Club just before his first sold out gig at the venue.
MG: You'll have to speak up a little as I'm getting old and my hearing really is not the best.
MoM: Weren't you like 19 when you joined the Misfits?
MG: I was essentially 20, I auditioned for them on the eve of my 20th Birthday.
MoM: Pretty good way to end your teens, the reason why I'm doing this is because your voice is the soundtrack to my teenage years. So it's incredible for me to be sitting here.
MG: I hear that alot and it's very impactful even now, I remember my teenage years and I remeber how music and things like that got me through and how important it was
MoM: When i would listen to it I would feel a protection around me, Scream especially reminds me of my final day in high school.You were saying about emotion and the one thing I've noticed is that a lot of your work is very emotional very romantic does that inspire you? Are you a hopeless romantic?
MG: Yeah I am a hopeless romantic, which is both good and bad for me
MoM: Do you ever get writers block?
MG: I think so yeah, I get writers block when, if you'll forgive me, my flesh wants to write but my soul doens't have anything so my brain just tells me I can't write anymore, so I need to mesh to get that out, soemtimes you just have to wait for creativity to strike
MoM: I know that you've worked with Marky Ramone and Peter Steele, who's the most interesting person or the person you've learnt the most from?
MG: Dave Mustaine alkways come to mind, he was at an interesting part of his life and career and so was and I was a young man, when Dave and I were able to hang out we would have these conversations that really revealed things that had an increible impact on my young mind and where I was at that age, he was like a Yoda figure, the way he acted with other people was different to the way he acted with other people which made me feel special.
MoMs: Are you working on and album at the moment?
MG: No, no I'm not, I've written so much that I think it's time I focus on performing, their are songs I've forgotten I've written and I don't get really concentrate on them until I feel I need to. In a way I am working on new material and when I'm back as myself at home all of these experiences will resonate and I'll create through that.
MoM: Have you seen much of Wales?
MG: No we haven't seen anyhting yet, but we are hoping to when we come back at the end of the week to see some stuff
MoM: Well when you come back I'll take you up to Castell Coch which is like a castle in the woods on a hill
MG: That's great I love it, that would be really great, thank you.
MoM: Final question is a strange one as we're from Wales and there are more sheep than people what is your favourite sheep?
MG: The Llanwenog sheep I like the three of them together
MoM: Thank you very much for your time
MG: No problem at all, that was great conversation, thanks
Wednesday, 7 February 2018
Tuesday, 6 February 2018
Reviews: Painted Black, Blood Red Saints, The King Lot, Desolate Pathway (Reviews By Paul)
Painted Black: Raging Light (WormHole Death Records)
Painted Black, the Portuguese quintet who released their debut album in 2010, deliver their latest opus which is a confident, eclectic and mature hour of lengthy, intricate death and doom melancholy which immediately provides the listener with comparisons with Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Swallow The Sun. Three years since their Quarto Vazio EP, Raging Light is a contrast of twists and conflicting moods, with progressive undertones which spar with heavier and more base instincts to superb effect. Crammed full of shade and light, crushingly heavy mixing with a fragility which also brings German maestros Ahab to mind, the title track and the following Dead Time both capture the attention immediately.
The guitar work of Luís Fazendeiro and Gonçalo Sousa is elegant and at times stunning, underpinned by a solid rhythm section. Vocalist Daniel Lucas has an impressive range, wandering between furious death metal roar and the heartfelt, clean melodies, which drip with sorrow and melancholy. Each track contains something different whilst retaining the essence of the band and the astonishing closing Almagast, a 17-minute behemoth of a track, is just stunning. 8/10
Blood Red Saints: Love Hate Conspiracies (NEH Records)
Newcomers to the AOR scene, (as a band although they are all veterans of the scene) British outfit Blood Red Saints have put together a rather neat release. Crammed full of the melodic rock that is more polished than my forehead, this is a classy release which will go down superbly well at HRH AOR. With perfectly crafted harmonies, and the vocals of Pete Godfrey providing a cross between Jon Bon Jovi and Steve Overland, every track just ticks the AOR boxes. It’s smooth, stylish and doesn’t overdo it. The power ballad Wake Up hits the spot, whilst pacier rockers like opener Another Freak allow the harder edge of the band to cut through. At 48 minutes it might be a little too long, but other than that if you like your rock with a poodle perm, faded denims and the best of Def Leppard is in your album collection, this is for you. 7/10
The King Lot: A World Without Evil (Crown Jewels Records)
This is the sophomore release from Scots The King Lot. The band’s sound is centred in the hard-melodic rock category, with their clean vocals and melodious harmonies combining with radio friendly tracks. The band are a three-piece and make a decent noise for their number, certainly with the fluidity and polish of bands with many more members. It’s not ground breaking or remarkable but if you enjoy music that has a poppy undercurrent but also adds a little steel then this may be of interest. Jay Moir makes a decent debut on guitar and vocals whilst Jason Sweeney and Chris Gillon provide the supportive rhythm section. The songs range from the impressive title track through to the Bon Jovi saccharine coated All I Want, the sleazier Lonely and the traditional melodic blueprint of Hearts On Fire. These guys appear live at Fuel on 16 Feb and at HRH AOR a few days later. 6/10
Desolate Pathway: Valley Of The King (WormholeDeath Records)
This is a re-release of the 2014 debut from Desolate Pathway, the project formed by Pagan Altar’s Vince Hempsted. A classic British heavy doom release, the album is full of melancholic riffs, thunderous drums and a haunted vocal reminiscent of the early works of Swedish Doom fathers Candlemass. With themes of fantasy, magic and adventure, Desolate Pathway take the best of Candlemass, Queensryche, Iced Earth and Manowar and meld them into a majestic opus that at times is crushingly heavy. The title track sets out the stall impressively and the stomp of Forest Of Mirrors conjures up the image of being lost amidst curtains of green nestled within vast mountain ranges. Supported by drummer Mags and bassist Jaeme Somerville, Hempsted created a perfect release full of imagery which most metal fans love. Season Of The Witch and the epic Last Of My Kind (The Ring Keeper) certainly hit the spot whilst the Sabbath pounding of King Of Vultures is immense. Stunning work. 8/10
Painted Black, the Portuguese quintet who released their debut album in 2010, deliver their latest opus which is a confident, eclectic and mature hour of lengthy, intricate death and doom melancholy which immediately provides the listener with comparisons with Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Swallow The Sun. Three years since their Quarto Vazio EP, Raging Light is a contrast of twists and conflicting moods, with progressive undertones which spar with heavier and more base instincts to superb effect. Crammed full of shade and light, crushingly heavy mixing with a fragility which also brings German maestros Ahab to mind, the title track and the following Dead Time both capture the attention immediately.
The guitar work of Luís Fazendeiro and Gonçalo Sousa is elegant and at times stunning, underpinned by a solid rhythm section. Vocalist Daniel Lucas has an impressive range, wandering between furious death metal roar and the heartfelt, clean melodies, which drip with sorrow and melancholy. Each track contains something different whilst retaining the essence of the band and the astonishing closing Almagast, a 17-minute behemoth of a track, is just stunning. 8/10
Blood Red Saints: Love Hate Conspiracies (NEH Records)
Newcomers to the AOR scene, (as a band although they are all veterans of the scene) British outfit Blood Red Saints have put together a rather neat release. Crammed full of the melodic rock that is more polished than my forehead, this is a classy release which will go down superbly well at HRH AOR. With perfectly crafted harmonies, and the vocals of Pete Godfrey providing a cross between Jon Bon Jovi and Steve Overland, every track just ticks the AOR boxes. It’s smooth, stylish and doesn’t overdo it. The power ballad Wake Up hits the spot, whilst pacier rockers like opener Another Freak allow the harder edge of the band to cut through. At 48 minutes it might be a little too long, but other than that if you like your rock with a poodle perm, faded denims and the best of Def Leppard is in your album collection, this is for you. 7/10
The King Lot: A World Without Evil (Crown Jewels Records)
This is the sophomore release from Scots The King Lot. The band’s sound is centred in the hard-melodic rock category, with their clean vocals and melodious harmonies combining with radio friendly tracks. The band are a three-piece and make a decent noise for their number, certainly with the fluidity and polish of bands with many more members. It’s not ground breaking or remarkable but if you enjoy music that has a poppy undercurrent but also adds a little steel then this may be of interest. Jay Moir makes a decent debut on guitar and vocals whilst Jason Sweeney and Chris Gillon provide the supportive rhythm section. The songs range from the impressive title track through to the Bon Jovi saccharine coated All I Want, the sleazier Lonely and the traditional melodic blueprint of Hearts On Fire. These guys appear live at Fuel on 16 Feb and at HRH AOR a few days later. 6/10
Desolate Pathway: Valley Of The King (WormholeDeath Records)
This is a re-release of the 2014 debut from Desolate Pathway, the project formed by Pagan Altar’s Vince Hempsted. A classic British heavy doom release, the album is full of melancholic riffs, thunderous drums and a haunted vocal reminiscent of the early works of Swedish Doom fathers Candlemass. With themes of fantasy, magic and adventure, Desolate Pathway take the best of Candlemass, Queensryche, Iced Earth and Manowar and meld them into a majestic opus that at times is crushingly heavy. The title track sets out the stall impressively and the stomp of Forest Of Mirrors conjures up the image of being lost amidst curtains of green nestled within vast mountain ranges. Supported by drummer Mags and bassist Jaeme Somerville, Hempsted created a perfect release full of imagery which most metal fans love. Season Of The Witch and the epic Last Of My Kind (The Ring Keeper) certainly hit the spot whilst the Sabbath pounding of King Of Vultures is immense. Stunning work. 8/10
Reviews: Venom Prison, Stone Leaders, Purest Of Pain, Death Keepers
Venom Prison: Animus - Deluxe Edition (Prosthetic Records)
Animus the debut album from Cardiff based extreme metal band Venom Prison was first released in late 2016 and since then Venom Prison have gone on to have major festival appearances at Download and on the main stage at Bloodstock, they have won ‘Best New Band’ at the 2017 Metal Hammer UK Awards and toured with Suicide Silence and Aversions Crown, Gorguts and Fallujah, on top of that their take-no-prisoners attitude to sexism, fascism and general injustice has seen them become flag bearers for those with liberal sensibilities showing that music is the best form of protest. Their debut covers subjects such as social Darwinism, misogyny, rape culture and the rejection of religion and even in this repacked form has enough bile and aggression to make you sit up and take notice, the album has been re-released to coincide with Venom Prison's support slot on Trivium's European tour along with Power Trip (and Code Orange in the UK).
The Deluxe Edition of this album comes with 5 bonus live tracks, including live favourite Babylon The Whore, taken from their debut EP as recorded on their Sacrificial Summer tour in August 2017. They really do a lot to capture the absolute primal aggression this band have while performing live, having seen them do their stuff on a stage (and also I've been told about their now legendary 'house party' gig) these live tracks capture the sonic assault but as for the visual one you'll have to imagine that yourself. The album itself has not changed, their is no need for a remaster or remix as the original was tweaked to the point of pain gripping your throat tightly from the opening distortion Syllogism which has a bass and drum thump that is dynamited out of your memory as Abysmal Agony beats you to a pulp with a barrage of riffs and Larissa Stupar's ultra-violent vocals.
From here there's not a moment wasted for a riff, breakdown, lead break or a chance to get the head banging, fist pumping or the hair windmilling. Venom Prison have taken an old school route to their death metal sound Animus is an unshakeably aggressive record based upon the early days of death metal, there's nothing core or melodic here just nasty, snarling death metal that bears it's teeth at anything in it's past. If you missed out on the record the first time round do yourself a favour and pick up the deluxe edition, then see this band live! 9/10
Stone Leaders: Stone Leaders (Self Released)
If you saw the name Stone Leaders you'd probably be expecting some Southern swagger and a bit of blues rocking. You know some meat to go with your potatoes? However Stone Leaders are a complicated dish, it's Heston Blumenthal in musical form with a progressive prowess that anyone who has heard Haken would recognise but also a metallic toughness associated with Dream Theater or Symphony X. They are one of these bands that don't need long winded songs either as Shot By Lies brings, choppy ever changing riffs, swirling Jon Lord organs and even some funk to proceedings, like Haken they enjoy experimenting with the boundaries of the genre, while Box Of Time is a riff centric hard rocker, Toxic Guide is a well executed ballad that has drama, pathos but also full of technical wizardry.
In the last third of the album this Croatian band turn themselves into a more modern, almost psychedelic act with Seeker and Gravity both adding some Leprous-like percussive complexity, repetitive crackling guitar riffs and buzzing sequenced synth. This record was such a surprise that I had to re-listen to it a few times, I was expecting tough gritty swap riffs and what I got was a prog album that evolves as it moves through 12 tracks, yes there is a little sag in the middle (sometimes in progressive music fatigue can set in) but I really enjoyed this record, from top to bottom it's wonderfully performed, well crafted and vividly produced to make for a pleasing listening experience. 9/10
Purest Of Pain: Solipsis (Self Released)
Many of you may have seen guitarist Merel Bechtold jumping around on stage with Dutch symphonic metal act Delain, she is one of the most recent members of that band but aside from the bouncy metal of Delain she clearly has a darker side as this debut from her other band Purest Of Pain shows, if you want the anthemic joyous pomp of Delain look elsewhere as Solipsis, their debut record, takes its cues from the Gothenburg scene with At The Gates, Soilwork both mentioned in the press along with Arch Enemy and Children Of Bodom. The guitar playing of Bechtold and Michael van Eck is truly a homage to that golden age of Swedish melo-death with thrashy riffs combining with breakdowns as chunky as a Yorkie and lead flourishes that add technicality, pair this with groove-laden bass from Frank van Leeuwen and double kick drums on steroids from Joey de Boer (also Delain).
At 14 songs this album may be a little too long for some listeners especially towards the end with one or two of the songs getting a bit bloated and samey, however after a seven year gestation period you can't blame them for trying to get as many songs on here as possible and for the majority of the record the songs whizz past in flurry of complex heaviness and melodic emotion, a real D.I.Y effort the album was produced and written by Bechtold (although E.M.D.R was written by van Eck), the lyrics came from vocalist J.D Kaye who has monstrous screams and a deep baritone clean and van Leeuwen designed the artwork. Solipsis is a particularly engaging melo-death record that really knows how to balance the beauty and the brutality, if the most recent In Flames albums have left you cold check out Purest Of Pain for your fix. 8/10
Death Keepers: Rock This World (Fighter Records)
Now it's time for muscular metallic hard rock from Barcelona, Death Keepers are what would happen if Hammerfall played early Bon Jovi, it's heavy metal from the glory days of 80's metal bringing in NWOBHM, sleaze and glam metal for one big retro revival. The trouble is Death Keepers aren't that good, the songs are very generic, Fire Angel especially goes on and on and on (also for pronunciation fans it'll be hell), but the most of it is run of the mill stuff, there's very little much I can say about this to be honest it really didn't do much for me, there's no bad playing involved that's all perfectly competent but nothing really jumps out at you. 5/10
Animus the debut album from Cardiff based extreme metal band Venom Prison was first released in late 2016 and since then Venom Prison have gone on to have major festival appearances at Download and on the main stage at Bloodstock, they have won ‘Best New Band’ at the 2017 Metal Hammer UK Awards and toured with Suicide Silence and Aversions Crown, Gorguts and Fallujah, on top of that their take-no-prisoners attitude to sexism, fascism and general injustice has seen them become flag bearers for those with liberal sensibilities showing that music is the best form of protest. Their debut covers subjects such as social Darwinism, misogyny, rape culture and the rejection of religion and even in this repacked form has enough bile and aggression to make you sit up and take notice, the album has been re-released to coincide with Venom Prison's support slot on Trivium's European tour along with Power Trip (and Code Orange in the UK).
The Deluxe Edition of this album comes with 5 bonus live tracks, including live favourite Babylon The Whore, taken from their debut EP as recorded on their Sacrificial Summer tour in August 2017. They really do a lot to capture the absolute primal aggression this band have while performing live, having seen them do their stuff on a stage (and also I've been told about their now legendary 'house party' gig) these live tracks capture the sonic assault but as for the visual one you'll have to imagine that yourself. The album itself has not changed, their is no need for a remaster or remix as the original was tweaked to the point of pain gripping your throat tightly from the opening distortion Syllogism which has a bass and drum thump that is dynamited out of your memory as Abysmal Agony beats you to a pulp with a barrage of riffs and Larissa Stupar's ultra-violent vocals.
From here there's not a moment wasted for a riff, breakdown, lead break or a chance to get the head banging, fist pumping or the hair windmilling. Venom Prison have taken an old school route to their death metal sound Animus is an unshakeably aggressive record based upon the early days of death metal, there's nothing core or melodic here just nasty, snarling death metal that bears it's teeth at anything in it's past. If you missed out on the record the first time round do yourself a favour and pick up the deluxe edition, then see this band live! 9/10
Stone Leaders: Stone Leaders (Self Released)
If you saw the name Stone Leaders you'd probably be expecting some Southern swagger and a bit of blues rocking. You know some meat to go with your potatoes? However Stone Leaders are a complicated dish, it's Heston Blumenthal in musical form with a progressive prowess that anyone who has heard Haken would recognise but also a metallic toughness associated with Dream Theater or Symphony X. They are one of these bands that don't need long winded songs either as Shot By Lies brings, choppy ever changing riffs, swirling Jon Lord organs and even some funk to proceedings, like Haken they enjoy experimenting with the boundaries of the genre, while Box Of Time is a riff centric hard rocker, Toxic Guide is a well executed ballad that has drama, pathos but also full of technical wizardry.
In the last third of the album this Croatian band turn themselves into a more modern, almost psychedelic act with Seeker and Gravity both adding some Leprous-like percussive complexity, repetitive crackling guitar riffs and buzzing sequenced synth. This record was such a surprise that I had to re-listen to it a few times, I was expecting tough gritty swap riffs and what I got was a prog album that evolves as it moves through 12 tracks, yes there is a little sag in the middle (sometimes in progressive music fatigue can set in) but I really enjoyed this record, from top to bottom it's wonderfully performed, well crafted and vividly produced to make for a pleasing listening experience. 9/10
Purest Of Pain: Solipsis (Self Released)
Many of you may have seen guitarist Merel Bechtold jumping around on stage with Dutch symphonic metal act Delain, she is one of the most recent members of that band but aside from the bouncy metal of Delain she clearly has a darker side as this debut from her other band Purest Of Pain shows, if you want the anthemic joyous pomp of Delain look elsewhere as Solipsis, their debut record, takes its cues from the Gothenburg scene with At The Gates, Soilwork both mentioned in the press along with Arch Enemy and Children Of Bodom. The guitar playing of Bechtold and Michael van Eck is truly a homage to that golden age of Swedish melo-death with thrashy riffs combining with breakdowns as chunky as a Yorkie and lead flourishes that add technicality, pair this with groove-laden bass from Frank van Leeuwen and double kick drums on steroids from Joey de Boer (also Delain).
At 14 songs this album may be a little too long for some listeners especially towards the end with one or two of the songs getting a bit bloated and samey, however after a seven year gestation period you can't blame them for trying to get as many songs on here as possible and for the majority of the record the songs whizz past in flurry of complex heaviness and melodic emotion, a real D.I.Y effort the album was produced and written by Bechtold (although E.M.D.R was written by van Eck), the lyrics came from vocalist J.D Kaye who has monstrous screams and a deep baritone clean and van Leeuwen designed the artwork. Solipsis is a particularly engaging melo-death record that really knows how to balance the beauty and the brutality, if the most recent In Flames albums have left you cold check out Purest Of Pain for your fix. 8/10
Death Keepers: Rock This World (Fighter Records)
Now it's time for muscular metallic hard rock from Barcelona, Death Keepers are what would happen if Hammerfall played early Bon Jovi, it's heavy metal from the glory days of 80's metal bringing in NWOBHM, sleaze and glam metal for one big retro revival. The trouble is Death Keepers aren't that good, the songs are very generic, Fire Angel especially goes on and on and on (also for pronunciation fans it'll be hell), but the most of it is run of the mill stuff, there's very little much I can say about this to be honest it really didn't do much for me, there's no bad playing involved that's all perfectly competent but nothing really jumps out at you. 5/10
Monday, 5 February 2018
Reviews: Joe Satriani, Legend Of The Seagullmen, Mother Misery, Phillip H Anselmo (Reviews By Paul)
Joe Satriani: What Happens Next? (Legacy Recordings)
The guitar legend is back with a new album which unsurprisingly shreds, rocks, rolls and stops at all stations in between. The king of the arpeggio tapping has hit another rich vein of form. What Happens Next is a thoroughly enjoyable release with opening track Energy setting the scene with its high pace and rampant guitar lines. Satriani has kept it simple this time around, enlisting Glenn Hughes on bass and Chad Smith on drums. Yeah! It’s a supergroup in anyone’s money. Catbot follows, a humorous stomp intertwined with some quite magnificent axe work. At the age of 61, Satriani is an artist who I’ve flirted with from time to time without ever getting past first base. Surfing With the Alien has just passed its 30th anniversary. Just pause and let that think in for a minute.
The stunning Thunder High On The Mountain allows a more measured approach, whilst Headrush does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s fast, furious and underlined by an almost jazz frisson with Hughes and Smith clearly relishing the opportunity to open up. Hughes’ thunderous bass lines which bounce all over this bad boy are something else. With over 10 million albums sold, Satriani is a legend in the true sense of the word, a virtuoso whose playing is something out of this world. The title track is a blues soaked melancholic track, smooth and well-paced, whilst the scratchy Super Funky Badass is, well, you can probably work it out. 16 albums now under the belt, What Happens Next is a demonstration of a guitarist and colleagues who just purr. This is a quite brilliant piece of work. 8/10
Legend Of The Seagullmen: S/T (Dine Alone Records)
Singing psychedelic rock with a cinematic twist, Legend Of The Seagullmen (LOTS) have finally released their debut album, and it is one crazy barnacle soaked beast. The band comprises Danny Carey of Tool, Brent Hinds of Mastodon, Dethlok and Zappa Plays Zappa bassist Pete A Griffin alongside Jimmy Hayward on guitar, David ‘The Doctor’ Dreyer, synth player Chris Giovanni and guitarist Tim Dawson. Songs of shipwrecks, giant mutant squid and epic tales fill the eight tracks. The galloping We Are The Seagullmen and the abstract The Fogger start proceedings in impressive style before the haunting Shipswreck complete with Judas Priest style riffs.
Curse Of The Red Tide begins slowly before cascading into a massive beast whilst the title track is a ripping punk fused stoner ride, worthy of Rob Zombie or Zodiac Mindwarp in their heyday. There’s a rockabilly groove to this one. The Orca, complete with whale communication effects, salutes this majestic creature, the largest of the dolphin family, whilst commenting on the horrors of captivity. Never go to a marine park; these intelligent mammals belong in the oceans not a tank. Penultimate track on this insane nautical ride, Rise Of The Giant tells the tale of a giant squid destroying downtown Hollywood. Musically, this is one crazy album, riffs a plenty, crashing drums and at times verging on spine crushingly heavy. It’s a complete smorgasbord of nuttiness and well worth a listen. 8/10
Mother Misery - Megalodon (Transubstans Records)
I’d never heard of Mother Misery. They have been around since 1998 and hail from Sweden. Megalodon is their fifth full release and is a decent ten tracks of hard rock. It doesn’t rip up any trees but is sufficiently competent to encourage you to maintain your listening. Ashes Of Your Crown is a typical track, with neat guitar work from Thomas Piehl and John Hermansen who also doubles up on vocal duty. At times it swings directly into AOR territory, with the harmonies adding to the melodic sound. The title track, named after a prehistoric shark isn’t as ferocious as you might expect but it does the job. Overall, Megalodon is an okay album which doesn’t do much to either excite or disappoint. 6/10
Philip H Anselmo & The Illegals: Choosing Mental Health As A Virtue (Season Of Mist)
I struggle with Phil Anselmo. Massively. His boorish behaviour over many years wears thin and the last show I saw with Down he was a shadow of his Pantera-self. This is the sophomore release from Philip H Anselmo & The Illegals and it is just staggeringly heavy. Anselmo rages with volcanic anger on opener Little Fucking Heroes and it rarely comes up for air from thereon in. Insane drumming, disjointed time sequences, face peeling guitars and screaming vocals combine to produce an aborted vomit noise which sounds like Napalm Death having sex with Converge. I must admit it took a lot of fortitude to sit through this much aggression. My speakers turned bright red like a ginger in the midday sun. It was bloody horrible. You’ll love this or hate it. I’m in the latter. Dire. 3/10
The guitar legend is back with a new album which unsurprisingly shreds, rocks, rolls and stops at all stations in between. The king of the arpeggio tapping has hit another rich vein of form. What Happens Next is a thoroughly enjoyable release with opening track Energy setting the scene with its high pace and rampant guitar lines. Satriani has kept it simple this time around, enlisting Glenn Hughes on bass and Chad Smith on drums. Yeah! It’s a supergroup in anyone’s money. Catbot follows, a humorous stomp intertwined with some quite magnificent axe work. At the age of 61, Satriani is an artist who I’ve flirted with from time to time without ever getting past first base. Surfing With the Alien has just passed its 30th anniversary. Just pause and let that think in for a minute.
The stunning Thunder High On The Mountain allows a more measured approach, whilst Headrush does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s fast, furious and underlined by an almost jazz frisson with Hughes and Smith clearly relishing the opportunity to open up. Hughes’ thunderous bass lines which bounce all over this bad boy are something else. With over 10 million albums sold, Satriani is a legend in the true sense of the word, a virtuoso whose playing is something out of this world. The title track is a blues soaked melancholic track, smooth and well-paced, whilst the scratchy Super Funky Badass is, well, you can probably work it out. 16 albums now under the belt, What Happens Next is a demonstration of a guitarist and colleagues who just purr. This is a quite brilliant piece of work. 8/10
Legend Of The Seagullmen: S/T (Dine Alone Records)
Singing psychedelic rock with a cinematic twist, Legend Of The Seagullmen (LOTS) have finally released their debut album, and it is one crazy barnacle soaked beast. The band comprises Danny Carey of Tool, Brent Hinds of Mastodon, Dethlok and Zappa Plays Zappa bassist Pete A Griffin alongside Jimmy Hayward on guitar, David ‘The Doctor’ Dreyer, synth player Chris Giovanni and guitarist Tim Dawson. Songs of shipwrecks, giant mutant squid and epic tales fill the eight tracks. The galloping We Are The Seagullmen and the abstract The Fogger start proceedings in impressive style before the haunting Shipswreck complete with Judas Priest style riffs.
Curse Of The Red Tide begins slowly before cascading into a massive beast whilst the title track is a ripping punk fused stoner ride, worthy of Rob Zombie or Zodiac Mindwarp in their heyday. There’s a rockabilly groove to this one. The Orca, complete with whale communication effects, salutes this majestic creature, the largest of the dolphin family, whilst commenting on the horrors of captivity. Never go to a marine park; these intelligent mammals belong in the oceans not a tank. Penultimate track on this insane nautical ride, Rise Of The Giant tells the tale of a giant squid destroying downtown Hollywood. Musically, this is one crazy album, riffs a plenty, crashing drums and at times verging on spine crushingly heavy. It’s a complete smorgasbord of nuttiness and well worth a listen. 8/10
Mother Misery - Megalodon (Transubstans Records)
I’d never heard of Mother Misery. They have been around since 1998 and hail from Sweden. Megalodon is their fifth full release and is a decent ten tracks of hard rock. It doesn’t rip up any trees but is sufficiently competent to encourage you to maintain your listening. Ashes Of Your Crown is a typical track, with neat guitar work from Thomas Piehl and John Hermansen who also doubles up on vocal duty. At times it swings directly into AOR territory, with the harmonies adding to the melodic sound. The title track, named after a prehistoric shark isn’t as ferocious as you might expect but it does the job. Overall, Megalodon is an okay album which doesn’t do much to either excite or disappoint. 6/10
Philip H Anselmo & The Illegals: Choosing Mental Health As A Virtue (Season Of Mist)
I struggle with Phil Anselmo. Massively. His boorish behaviour over many years wears thin and the last show I saw with Down he was a shadow of his Pantera-self. This is the sophomore release from Philip H Anselmo & The Illegals and it is just staggeringly heavy. Anselmo rages with volcanic anger on opener Little Fucking Heroes and it rarely comes up for air from thereon in. Insane drumming, disjointed time sequences, face peeling guitars and screaming vocals combine to produce an aborted vomit noise which sounds like Napalm Death having sex with Converge. I must admit it took a lot of fortitude to sit through this much aggression. My speakers turned bright red like a ginger in the midday sun. It was bloody horrible. You’ll love this or hate it. I’m in the latter. Dire. 3/10
Sunday, 4 February 2018
The Spotlight: Interview With Black Moth (Interview with Dom McCready By Paul)
Interview with Dom McCready drummer of Black Moth
MoM: Let’s start at the beginning. How did Black Moth come about?
DM: Most of the members of Black Moth were playing together in a band beforehand. We found that our tastes and what we wanted to do musically were gradually getting heavier. Eventually it reached a critical mass where we realised we were not the same band anymore and had to form a new one.
MoM: What are your best and worst memories of the early days of the band?
DM: Well I was partying a lot back in those days so can't say that my memories are all that clear! We did a disastrous European tour way back in our earlier days where our van broke down three times. To make one show we had to get a taxi like 80 miles either way with all our gear. Was worth it in the end though as the crazy Europeans loved it. On the last show of the tour they just wanted let us off stage and we ended up having to repeat songs! Can't say I have any particularly bad memories due to always being drunk. But when our long time keyboard player left us it was initially quite hard. But ultimately probably did us a favour!
MoM: Listening to the band there are a myriad of influences in the mix. Everything from The Stooges, Sabbath to Siouxsie and even Mastodon. How do you channel all of those influences in your song writing?
DM: I don't think it's something we consciously do. We never approach song writing saying things like "Oh we want this song to be sabbathy" or anything like that. We just write what feels good and fun to play. The influences of the different members are so wide and varied that its kind of impossible to write like that. We just do our thing.
MoM: The Killing Jar was your first album and received very favourable reviews. Casting your minds back to 2012, how happy were you with it?
DM: For me personally I found it very hard to listen to that record. I'm a perfectionist and I also find it very hard to listen to anything I wrote as I doubt myself a lot. At the time I wasn't super happy with it and thought we could do a lot better. Now I can go back and enjoy it for what it is. You have to let go ultimately.
MoM: You then released Condemned To Hope, which I think was a bit more accessible on first listen. It was the first release I picked up by the band. Was there a deliberate change of direction?
DM: There was no deliberate change of direction but we did recruit second guitarist Nico into the band which brought his influences into the melting pot. So I think it was just natural for the songs to have taken a slightly different vibe. Ultimately as a band we don't want to stagnate, I would always want to be evolving and enjoy that each album is quite different to the last.
MoM: Roger Dean was responsible for the artwork on Condemned To Hope. He’s produced some fine art for bands such as Yes, Asia and the legendary cover for Never Turn Your Back On A Friend by one of my faves, Budgie. How did this come about?
DM: I think we just reached out to him is all. Apparently he only works with bands he liked but luckily he liked us and agreed to do it which was pretty mind blowing. Definitely a unique and awesome opportunity to be a part of.
MoM: I first saw you at Temples Festival in Bristol in 2014 where you received a great reaction and then followed it up with a slot at Damnation in your home town. What can you remember about those gigs?
DM: I remember Temples being very hectic, we had to drive all the way down to Bristol play the show and then head straight back to Leeds as Nico had work that evening (such are the drawbacks of balancing working life with being in a band). I remember it being a great crowd and the festival seemed really cool but unfortunately we didn't get to stay and experience it. Was very sad to hear of its demise as a festival. Playing Damnation was fantastic. It's overall my favourite metal festival and the fact it's in Leeds made us very proud to play at it. Apparently the room was so packed out that people couldn't get in to see us!
MoM: I’m ashamed to say I missed your set at Bloodstock last year but I understand you received a very good response. How was it for you?
DM: If Damnation is my favourite indoor festival then Bloodstock is absolutely my favourite outdoor one. Absolutely amazing atmosphere and general vibe of that festival, I go every year as a customer anyway. So obviously it was again a huge honour to be playing, we were given a really great slot as well. Even though we clashed with Testament lots of people came to watch us anyway watch was great.
MoM: Let’s have a look at the latest release, Anatomical Venus. It’s a superb album, and as you’ve said in your promos your heaviest offering to date. Was it a conscious decision to ramp up the riffs?
DM: Again we never really make conscious decisions like that when we are writing, we just always do what we enjoy. After all if we don't enjoy playing it then what is the point!? But part of it being heavier than the last two my have had something to do with the fact that Nico left the band and we recruited Federica. Her influences are generally more metal than Nico's were and she has previously toured in thrash metal bands.
MoM: I think it’s an album that you have to devote a bit of time to listening to but the rewards are substantial if you do. Is that a fair view?
DM: I'm not sure I really get what you mean, surely any album requires time listening to? But if that means that after listening to it for some time you still want to go back to it then that is always a good sign for a record.
MoM: You’ve moved to Candlelight Records from Spinefarm. Tell us a little bit about this move. What does it give Black Moth?
DM: We've been talking to those guys for a couple of years but they were always waiting to here some new stuff. So in the end we went ahead and recorded the album and then sent them a copy. They loved it and wanted to bring us on board. Hopefully it will give us a wider reach with things like day one distribution. Ultimately moving to a larger label brings with it the bigger influence of that label.
MoM: You played with some of our favourite British bands before Christmas including The Pearl Hearts and the mighty Orange Goblin who are blistering live. How did they go?
DM: Playing with the Goblin is of course a massive honour. We have all been listening to that band since we were kids really so it was fantastic. The show was at electric ballroom which is a venue I love already, we played there with L7 a couple of years ago. The crowd was totally packed out with plenty of people there to see the Moth as well.
MoM: You now head out on tour in the UK in February. What can we expect from Black Moth in the live arena this time around?
DM: From guitar tones, to the songs themselves this is the heaviest Black Moth has ever been live. So expect that, as well as the raucous rock n roll party we bring to every show. See you on the road!
MoM: Let’s start at the beginning. How did Black Moth come about?
DM: Most of the members of Black Moth were playing together in a band beforehand. We found that our tastes and what we wanted to do musically were gradually getting heavier. Eventually it reached a critical mass where we realised we were not the same band anymore and had to form a new one.
MoM: What are your best and worst memories of the early days of the band?
DM: Well I was partying a lot back in those days so can't say that my memories are all that clear! We did a disastrous European tour way back in our earlier days where our van broke down three times. To make one show we had to get a taxi like 80 miles either way with all our gear. Was worth it in the end though as the crazy Europeans loved it. On the last show of the tour they just wanted let us off stage and we ended up having to repeat songs! Can't say I have any particularly bad memories due to always being drunk. But when our long time keyboard player left us it was initially quite hard. But ultimately probably did us a favour!
MoM: Listening to the band there are a myriad of influences in the mix. Everything from The Stooges, Sabbath to Siouxsie and even Mastodon. How do you channel all of those influences in your song writing?
DM: I don't think it's something we consciously do. We never approach song writing saying things like "Oh we want this song to be sabbathy" or anything like that. We just write what feels good and fun to play. The influences of the different members are so wide and varied that its kind of impossible to write like that. We just do our thing.
MoM: The Killing Jar was your first album and received very favourable reviews. Casting your minds back to 2012, how happy were you with it?
DM: For me personally I found it very hard to listen to that record. I'm a perfectionist and I also find it very hard to listen to anything I wrote as I doubt myself a lot. At the time I wasn't super happy with it and thought we could do a lot better. Now I can go back and enjoy it for what it is. You have to let go ultimately.
MoM: You then released Condemned To Hope, which I think was a bit more accessible on first listen. It was the first release I picked up by the band. Was there a deliberate change of direction?
DM: There was no deliberate change of direction but we did recruit second guitarist Nico into the band which brought his influences into the melting pot. So I think it was just natural for the songs to have taken a slightly different vibe. Ultimately as a band we don't want to stagnate, I would always want to be evolving and enjoy that each album is quite different to the last.
MoM: Roger Dean was responsible for the artwork on Condemned To Hope. He’s produced some fine art for bands such as Yes, Asia and the legendary cover for Never Turn Your Back On A Friend by one of my faves, Budgie. How did this come about?
DM: I think we just reached out to him is all. Apparently he only works with bands he liked but luckily he liked us and agreed to do it which was pretty mind blowing. Definitely a unique and awesome opportunity to be a part of.
MoM: I first saw you at Temples Festival in Bristol in 2014 where you received a great reaction and then followed it up with a slot at Damnation in your home town. What can you remember about those gigs?
DM: I remember Temples being very hectic, we had to drive all the way down to Bristol play the show and then head straight back to Leeds as Nico had work that evening (such are the drawbacks of balancing working life with being in a band). I remember it being a great crowd and the festival seemed really cool but unfortunately we didn't get to stay and experience it. Was very sad to hear of its demise as a festival. Playing Damnation was fantastic. It's overall my favourite metal festival and the fact it's in Leeds made us very proud to play at it. Apparently the room was so packed out that people couldn't get in to see us!
MoM: I’m ashamed to say I missed your set at Bloodstock last year but I understand you received a very good response. How was it for you?
DM: If Damnation is my favourite indoor festival then Bloodstock is absolutely my favourite outdoor one. Absolutely amazing atmosphere and general vibe of that festival, I go every year as a customer anyway. So obviously it was again a huge honour to be playing, we were given a really great slot as well. Even though we clashed with Testament lots of people came to watch us anyway watch was great.
MoM: Let’s have a look at the latest release, Anatomical Venus. It’s a superb album, and as you’ve said in your promos your heaviest offering to date. Was it a conscious decision to ramp up the riffs?
DM: Again we never really make conscious decisions like that when we are writing, we just always do what we enjoy. After all if we don't enjoy playing it then what is the point!? But part of it being heavier than the last two my have had something to do with the fact that Nico left the band and we recruited Federica. Her influences are generally more metal than Nico's were and she has previously toured in thrash metal bands.
MoM: I think it’s an album that you have to devote a bit of time to listening to but the rewards are substantial if you do. Is that a fair view?
DM: I'm not sure I really get what you mean, surely any album requires time listening to? But if that means that after listening to it for some time you still want to go back to it then that is always a good sign for a record.
MoM: You’ve moved to Candlelight Records from Spinefarm. Tell us a little bit about this move. What does it give Black Moth?
DM: We've been talking to those guys for a couple of years but they were always waiting to here some new stuff. So in the end we went ahead and recorded the album and then sent them a copy. They loved it and wanted to bring us on board. Hopefully it will give us a wider reach with things like day one distribution. Ultimately moving to a larger label brings with it the bigger influence of that label.
MoM: You played with some of our favourite British bands before Christmas including The Pearl Hearts and the mighty Orange Goblin who are blistering live. How did they go?
DM: Playing with the Goblin is of course a massive honour. We have all been listening to that band since we were kids really so it was fantastic. The show was at electric ballroom which is a venue I love already, we played there with L7 a couple of years ago. The crowd was totally packed out with plenty of people there to see the Moth as well.
MoM: You now head out on tour in the UK in February. What can we expect from Black Moth in the live arena this time around?
DM: From guitar tones, to the songs themselves this is the heaviest Black Moth has ever been live. So expect that, as well as the raucous rock n roll party we bring to every show. See you on the road!
Saturday, 3 February 2018
Reviews: King Creature (Live Review By Paul)
Independent Venue Week – King Creature @ Fuel Rock Club, Cardiff
Nearly fucked this one completely. When King Creature were announced as part of the fifth Independent Venue Week tour that was due to hit Cardiff it was a no-brainer to grab a couple of tickets. Their stunning set at HRH in November 2017 introduced the South West outfit and their Volume One debut cemented the relationship. What we hadn’t counted on was the change in the running order of the bands as they changed each evening.
Independent Venue Week is funded by the Arts Council England and acts as a spotlight on those smaller venues around the UK which put on the bands of today and tomorrow, helping to showcase these vital locations which support and allow live music of all shapes and styles to flourish. Fuel certainly falls into that category although it’s unlikely to win a CAMRA award anytime soon.
So why did we nearly fuck it? Well, anticipating that King Creature were headlining, we stopped for a quick pint at the wonderful City Arms on the way up to Fuel, one of the few traditional drinking establishments in the Capital with the demise of the Rummer Tavern which is now a godawful plastic sports bar. Opening the door to the live area in Fuel, we were panicked to see King Creature (9) already in full flow. Luckily for us, we were treated to a splendid 30 minutes of hard rock which was well worth the effort.
In Dave Kellaway, King Creature possess a real gem of a frontman. Humble but with sufficient confidence and charisma to carry the small crowd along for the ride, he possesses a soulful melodic voice which can snarl and roar with the best. Alongside Kellaway, who also provides the groove with his rampaging bass lines, is guitarist Dave Evans and the Zak Wylde shape throwing of Matt K Vincent whose lead work was exceptional. With Jack Sutton Bassett pounding the skins, this is one powerful outfit. Aided by an unusually clean sound, the band rocked through a selection of tracks from Volume One including the balls-out Power, the calmer Can You Forgive Me amongst others. What I love about this band is their high tempo, their traditional approach but with a blend that really gets the head banging.
Talking briefly to Dave afterwards, we also discovered that the band had been holed up outside the Motorpoint Arena for over a day as their itinerary failed to consider ferry times to enable them to get back from Belfast. Luckily for Cardiff, the bands decided on the Welsh Capital. Cheered on by some bizarre support, including a scantily clad portly chap in a transparent mini-skirt, bikini top, steam punk helmet and knee length boots and a lady whose enthusiasm threatened to spill out several times, the whole set was perfect for a rainy Tuesday night. King Creature’s blend of BSC, Orange Goblin and Trucker Diablo is impressive and if I can get there, their set at this year’s Amplified Festival will be unmissable.
Following King Creature was a real challenge, but Reigning Days (7), a three-piece from Devon gave it a good go. Their contrasting sound was noticeable, as was the audience that had diminished slightly, the majority deciding to hang at the back leaving the band playing to no-one at the front. Their alt-rock sound was totally different with an early day Cure sound amongst those detected in the band’s songs. Dan Steer, Joe Sansome and Jonny Finnis certainly don’t lack enthusiasm and played as if it was a full house. Their music didn’t really cut it for me and after about 25 minutes we cut our losses and headed home. Apologies to The Dirty Youth for missing your set.
Nearly fucked this one completely. When King Creature were announced as part of the fifth Independent Venue Week tour that was due to hit Cardiff it was a no-brainer to grab a couple of tickets. Their stunning set at HRH in November 2017 introduced the South West outfit and their Volume One debut cemented the relationship. What we hadn’t counted on was the change in the running order of the bands as they changed each evening.
Independent Venue Week is funded by the Arts Council England and acts as a spotlight on those smaller venues around the UK which put on the bands of today and tomorrow, helping to showcase these vital locations which support and allow live music of all shapes and styles to flourish. Fuel certainly falls into that category although it’s unlikely to win a CAMRA award anytime soon.
So why did we nearly fuck it? Well, anticipating that King Creature were headlining, we stopped for a quick pint at the wonderful City Arms on the way up to Fuel, one of the few traditional drinking establishments in the Capital with the demise of the Rummer Tavern which is now a godawful plastic sports bar. Opening the door to the live area in Fuel, we were panicked to see King Creature (9) already in full flow. Luckily for us, we were treated to a splendid 30 minutes of hard rock which was well worth the effort.
In Dave Kellaway, King Creature possess a real gem of a frontman. Humble but with sufficient confidence and charisma to carry the small crowd along for the ride, he possesses a soulful melodic voice which can snarl and roar with the best. Alongside Kellaway, who also provides the groove with his rampaging bass lines, is guitarist Dave Evans and the Zak Wylde shape throwing of Matt K Vincent whose lead work was exceptional. With Jack Sutton Bassett pounding the skins, this is one powerful outfit. Aided by an unusually clean sound, the band rocked through a selection of tracks from Volume One including the balls-out Power, the calmer Can You Forgive Me amongst others. What I love about this band is their high tempo, their traditional approach but with a blend that really gets the head banging.
Talking briefly to Dave afterwards, we also discovered that the band had been holed up outside the Motorpoint Arena for over a day as their itinerary failed to consider ferry times to enable them to get back from Belfast. Luckily for Cardiff, the bands decided on the Welsh Capital. Cheered on by some bizarre support, including a scantily clad portly chap in a transparent mini-skirt, bikini top, steam punk helmet and knee length boots and a lady whose enthusiasm threatened to spill out several times, the whole set was perfect for a rainy Tuesday night. King Creature’s blend of BSC, Orange Goblin and Trucker Diablo is impressive and if I can get there, their set at this year’s Amplified Festival will be unmissable.
Following King Creature was a real challenge, but Reigning Days (7), a three-piece from Devon gave it a good go. Their contrasting sound was noticeable, as was the audience that had diminished slightly, the majority deciding to hang at the back leaving the band playing to no-one at the front. Their alt-rock sound was totally different with an early day Cure sound amongst those detected in the band’s songs. Dan Steer, Joe Sansome and Jonny Finnis certainly don’t lack enthusiasm and played as if it was a full house. Their music didn’t really cut it for me and after about 25 minutes we cut our losses and headed home. Apologies to The Dirty Youth for missing your set.
Thursday, 1 February 2018
Reviews: Walking Papers, The Poodles, Ammunition, Thuum
Walking Papers: WP2 (Loud & Proud Records)
The aptly named WP2 from Walking Papers is another album of Alternative/garage blues from what is an alternative rock supergroup made up of Screaming Trees' drummer Barrett Martin, bassist Duff McKagan, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Angell and his longtime collaborator Benjamin Anderson on keys. Since the critically acclaimed debut record Angell amd Jefferson have been keeping their hand in with Staticland, Duff has been touring the world with some band he was in back in the 80's and 90's, while Martin was the producer of the 2017 Latin Grammy's but after reconvening it was Matin and Angell's push/pull approach to recording that once again saw Walking Papers emerge with 13 more tracks.
Martin admits "there’s some creative tension, sure, but the music benefits from it. If you have an idea and you’re not willing to fight for it, then maybe it’s not that good of an idea in the first place" conflict, contradiction and fallacies of life as it is today are central themes to this record, almost like philosophical arguments set to a diverse musical backing. From the strutting Death On The Lips through the slow burning Red And White, the foot stomping Hard To Look Away, the slinky Before You Arrived and to the country shuffle of Don't Owe Me Nothin' Walking Papers add more tracks to their expanding repertoire.
Unafraid to experiment or move away from the sounds on their debut album this high skilled four piece really understand that without risk there is no reward and they take risks here the reap plentiful rewards. The old saying goes "put up or shut up" well this is what Walking Papers put up and it's pretty damn good in my opinion. 9/10
The Poodles: Prisma (Gain Records)
With 7 albums behind them it was probably only a matter of time before the Swedish melodic glam rockers released a covers album. Kicking off with Crazy Horses, which is much better than Zakk Wylde's version as it's got the 70's stomp of the original but showcasing Jakob Samuel's vocals. What it does show you is that if it had been by The Sweet or T Rex and not The Osmonds it would be a rock classic. They take a slower approach than Firewind did for Mainiac. There's some rocked up covers of dance/pop songs by Adele, Swedish House Mafia and David Guetta, the Depeche Mode cover doesn't add much but their version of Yellow Brick Road is brilliantly realised and Call Me is not as good as In This Moment's cover on their second album.
They manage to make Go Your Own Way a cheesy AOR fest but the issue with all cover records is that they can never really be judged on their own merit they are one band taking someone else's song and performing it in their own way, whether that's good or not depends on many factors, the band, the song, the version but I think The Poodles have nailed it with their choices and their performance is always top notch, it's pretty much a guarantee that if you hate the song their cover is not going to change your mind but this record might just act as an in to the music and fun of The Poodles which can only be a good thing. 7/10
Ammunition: Ammunition (Frontiers Records)
What to expect from Ammunition, well huge choruses and arena baiting rock songs, this is the second album from the band but the first for Frontiers and they've just turned everything up to maximum. A collaboration between singer Åge Sten Nilsen (ex Wig Wam) and guitarist/producer Erik Martensson (Eclipse, W.E.T, Nordic Union) Ammunition are cocked, locked and ready to rock, full of the glam stomp Nilsen brought to Wig Wam but really it's best of melodic rock record with the songwriting of Nilsen and Martensson bringing an attitude to Freedom Finder, some Van Hagar to Virtual Reality Boy and a heaving load of radio rock to Wrecking Crew a song that saw the band get to the Norwegian Eurovision Grand Finale.
With this in mind you can make the connection to why the tracks on this record are so damn catchy, they get your head nodding, heart racing and fills you with the need to sing along, ballad Eye For An Eye is an example of this as it is full of anti-war sentiment with a simmering building rock ballad that Nickelback would be proud of. Ammunition reinforces that this band are more than a one hit wonder, to do melodic rock well is a hard task there have been so many bands in the genre that have attempted it but Ammunition do it with a slickness, Nilsen and Martensson are right on target with these shots of melodic rock goodness, Ammunition? They have plenty here. 8/10
Thuum: Through Smoke, Comes Fire (Self Released)
Bournemouth band Thuum have a dark heart and a fuzzy haze, it's aggressive stoner metal, with a nod to the progressive and walls of distorted groove, similar to the earlier Mastodon albums that took from the hardcore scene, they add it to the the sonic abuse of High On Fire and sludgier acts like Eyehategod. Intro the instrumental that is track one has everything you'd want from a band like Thumm, a repeating clean part that is taken away with the monstrous distortion, it's the first song to get your head nodding in sync with the groove and builds into Worthless which starts with a stomach churning roar and speeds things up with heaviness and it's frequent time changes between lumbering doom, percussive psych and thrash speed.
It's the longest song on the record and is followed by the neck wrecking Hafgufa which has that hardcore groove I talked about earlier, rounding out the EP is the title track which has the first usage of clean vocals and continues the theme of pummelling you to dust. On the basis on this EP Thuum could be hitting a town near you and they may just level it, heft in it's rawest form. 7/10
The aptly named WP2 from Walking Papers is another album of Alternative/garage blues from what is an alternative rock supergroup made up of Screaming Trees' drummer Barrett Martin, bassist Duff McKagan, guitarist/vocalist Jeff Angell and his longtime collaborator Benjamin Anderson on keys. Since the critically acclaimed debut record Angell amd Jefferson have been keeping their hand in with Staticland, Duff has been touring the world with some band he was in back in the 80's and 90's, while Martin was the producer of the 2017 Latin Grammy's but after reconvening it was Matin and Angell's push/pull approach to recording that once again saw Walking Papers emerge with 13 more tracks.
Martin admits "there’s some creative tension, sure, but the music benefits from it. If you have an idea and you’re not willing to fight for it, then maybe it’s not that good of an idea in the first place" conflict, contradiction and fallacies of life as it is today are central themes to this record, almost like philosophical arguments set to a diverse musical backing. From the strutting Death On The Lips through the slow burning Red And White, the foot stomping Hard To Look Away, the slinky Before You Arrived and to the country shuffle of Don't Owe Me Nothin' Walking Papers add more tracks to their expanding repertoire.
Unafraid to experiment or move away from the sounds on their debut album this high skilled four piece really understand that without risk there is no reward and they take risks here the reap plentiful rewards. The old saying goes "put up or shut up" well this is what Walking Papers put up and it's pretty damn good in my opinion. 9/10
The Poodles: Prisma (Gain Records)
With 7 albums behind them it was probably only a matter of time before the Swedish melodic glam rockers released a covers album. Kicking off with Crazy Horses, which is much better than Zakk Wylde's version as it's got the 70's stomp of the original but showcasing Jakob Samuel's vocals. What it does show you is that if it had been by The Sweet or T Rex and not The Osmonds it would be a rock classic. They take a slower approach than Firewind did for Mainiac. There's some rocked up covers of dance/pop songs by Adele, Swedish House Mafia and David Guetta, the Depeche Mode cover doesn't add much but their version of Yellow Brick Road is brilliantly realised and Call Me is not as good as In This Moment's cover on their second album.
They manage to make Go Your Own Way a cheesy AOR fest but the issue with all cover records is that they can never really be judged on their own merit they are one band taking someone else's song and performing it in their own way, whether that's good or not depends on many factors, the band, the song, the version but I think The Poodles have nailed it with their choices and their performance is always top notch, it's pretty much a guarantee that if you hate the song their cover is not going to change your mind but this record might just act as an in to the music and fun of The Poodles which can only be a good thing. 7/10
Ammunition: Ammunition (Frontiers Records)
What to expect from Ammunition, well huge choruses and arena baiting rock songs, this is the second album from the band but the first for Frontiers and they've just turned everything up to maximum. A collaboration between singer Åge Sten Nilsen (ex Wig Wam) and guitarist/producer Erik Martensson (Eclipse, W.E.T, Nordic Union) Ammunition are cocked, locked and ready to rock, full of the glam stomp Nilsen brought to Wig Wam but really it's best of melodic rock record with the songwriting of Nilsen and Martensson bringing an attitude to Freedom Finder, some Van Hagar to Virtual Reality Boy and a heaving load of radio rock to Wrecking Crew a song that saw the band get to the Norwegian Eurovision Grand Finale.
With this in mind you can make the connection to why the tracks on this record are so damn catchy, they get your head nodding, heart racing and fills you with the need to sing along, ballad Eye For An Eye is an example of this as it is full of anti-war sentiment with a simmering building rock ballad that Nickelback would be proud of. Ammunition reinforces that this band are more than a one hit wonder, to do melodic rock well is a hard task there have been so many bands in the genre that have attempted it but Ammunition do it with a slickness, Nilsen and Martensson are right on target with these shots of melodic rock goodness, Ammunition? They have plenty here. 8/10
Thuum: Through Smoke, Comes Fire (Self Released)
Bournemouth band Thuum have a dark heart and a fuzzy haze, it's aggressive stoner metal, with a nod to the progressive and walls of distorted groove, similar to the earlier Mastodon albums that took from the hardcore scene, they add it to the the sonic abuse of High On Fire and sludgier acts like Eyehategod. Intro the instrumental that is track one has everything you'd want from a band like Thumm, a repeating clean part that is taken away with the monstrous distortion, it's the first song to get your head nodding in sync with the groove and builds into Worthless which starts with a stomach churning roar and speeds things up with heaviness and it's frequent time changes between lumbering doom, percussive psych and thrash speed.
It's the longest song on the record and is followed by the neck wrecking Hafgufa which has that hardcore groove I talked about earlier, rounding out the EP is the title track which has the first usage of clean vocals and continues the theme of pummelling you to dust. On the basis on this EP Thuum could be hitting a town near you and they may just level it, heft in it's rawest form. 7/10
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Reviews: Thaurorod, Oblivion, Insanity Alert (Reviews By Rich)
Thaurorod: Coast Of Gold (Drakker Records)
As I’ve said in previous reviews there seems to be an influx of extremely high quality power metal at the moment and the new album by Thaurorod is no exception. Coast Of Gold is the third album for the Finnish power metallers and is my first exposure to the band and another pleasant surprise. Thaurorod deliver up an album of absolute top quality power metal. This is huge and anthemic stuff with a strong symphonic element running throughout. The songs on the whole are fast, speedy tunes with plenty of double kick and instrumental pyrotechnics by the hugely talented members of the band especially the guitarists Lasse Nyman and Emppu Pohjalainen (also of Amberian Dawn). The choruses throughout are massive and are guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. Songs such as Power, The Commonwealth Lives, Feed The Flame, Cannibal Island and the huge title track are pure power metal anthems and will be irresistible to fans of the genre. This is another superb power metal album released in the last few months showing that the genre is truly alive and well in 2018. 9/10
Oblivion: Resilience (Rock Of Angels Records)
Oblivion is the new project featuring ex-members of Nightmare Jo Amore, David Amore and Steff Rabilioud with Resilience being their debut album. With three ex-members of Nightmare involved you know they have the experience to pull off a new project and with Resilience they pull it off with ease. What Oblivion have offered up with Resilience is absolutely no nonsense power metal which definitely leans to the more aggressive side of the genre. The vocals by Jo Amore are melodic yet with enough grit and gruffness to match the vicious guitar riffs and pounding rhythm section. The songs on the album range from speedy power metal anthems to more mid paced traditional heavy metal songs. Standout songs for me included Honor And Glory, Shine In My Galaxy, Evil Spell and my personal favourite Punished By The Crowd. There are one or two songs on the album which are a bit forgettable but on the whole this is an enjoyable piece of power metal. 8/10
Insanity Alert: Insanity Alert (Season Of Mist)
Austrian thrashers Insanity Alert have just signed to Season Of Mist records who will be releasing their brand new album later on the year. As well as that they are reissuing the bands debut album which is what I’m looking at here. The self titled debut album was originally released in 2004 on Empire Records and the music that Insanity Alert play on this album is a fun and energetic style of thrash metal highly influenced by the crossover thrash scene. That means lots of short and sharp songs with a massive sense of humour running throughout evident in songs such as Glorious Thrash, Macaroni Maniac, the bluesy Blunt In/Blunt Out and their reworking of Iron Maiden’s classic Run To The Hills renamed Run To The Pit. It’s a fun and enjoyable album but like a lot of the crossover thrash songs it’s over as soon as it starts getting enjoyable. The reissue doesn’t come with any bonus tracks and is simply the original album and nothing else which comes across as a bit of a wasted opportunity. Fast, fun but unessential thrash. 7/10
As I’ve said in previous reviews there seems to be an influx of extremely high quality power metal at the moment and the new album by Thaurorod is no exception. Coast Of Gold is the third album for the Finnish power metallers and is my first exposure to the band and another pleasant surprise. Thaurorod deliver up an album of absolute top quality power metal. This is huge and anthemic stuff with a strong symphonic element running throughout. The songs on the whole are fast, speedy tunes with plenty of double kick and instrumental pyrotechnics by the hugely talented members of the band especially the guitarists Lasse Nyman and Emppu Pohjalainen (also of Amberian Dawn). The choruses throughout are massive and are guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. Songs such as Power, The Commonwealth Lives, Feed The Flame, Cannibal Island and the huge title track are pure power metal anthems and will be irresistible to fans of the genre. This is another superb power metal album released in the last few months showing that the genre is truly alive and well in 2018. 9/10
Oblivion: Resilience (Rock Of Angels Records)
Oblivion is the new project featuring ex-members of Nightmare Jo Amore, David Amore and Steff Rabilioud with Resilience being their debut album. With three ex-members of Nightmare involved you know they have the experience to pull off a new project and with Resilience they pull it off with ease. What Oblivion have offered up with Resilience is absolutely no nonsense power metal which definitely leans to the more aggressive side of the genre. The vocals by Jo Amore are melodic yet with enough grit and gruffness to match the vicious guitar riffs and pounding rhythm section. The songs on the album range from speedy power metal anthems to more mid paced traditional heavy metal songs. Standout songs for me included Honor And Glory, Shine In My Galaxy, Evil Spell and my personal favourite Punished By The Crowd. There are one or two songs on the album which are a bit forgettable but on the whole this is an enjoyable piece of power metal. 8/10
Insanity Alert: Insanity Alert (Season Of Mist)
Austrian thrashers Insanity Alert have just signed to Season Of Mist records who will be releasing their brand new album later on the year. As well as that they are reissuing the bands debut album which is what I’m looking at here. The self titled debut album was originally released in 2004 on Empire Records and the music that Insanity Alert play on this album is a fun and energetic style of thrash metal highly influenced by the crossover thrash scene. That means lots of short and sharp songs with a massive sense of humour running throughout evident in songs such as Glorious Thrash, Macaroni Maniac, the bluesy Blunt In/Blunt Out and their reworking of Iron Maiden’s classic Run To The Hills renamed Run To The Pit. It’s a fun and enjoyable album but like a lot of the crossover thrash songs it’s over as soon as it starts getting enjoyable. The reissue doesn’t come with any bonus tracks and is simply the original album and nothing else which comes across as a bit of a wasted opportunity. Fast, fun but unessential thrash. 7/10
Tuesday, 30 January 2018
Reviews: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Soldiers Of Solace, Amid The Barren And Lost (Reviews By Paul)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Wrong Creatures (Vagrant Records)
Many years ago, I saw BRMC at Cardiff University in the Great Hall. I don’t remember much about the gig to be honest, but it was sufficiently good for me to stay until the end, something that doesn’t always happen at metal gigs these days. I knew they were still around, but it’s been a while since I heard any of their music. The San Francisco trio’s eight album and their first since 2013’s Specter At The Feast is a tasty hour of alternative and grunge style rock, ranging from the powerful Spook, the emotional soaked Echo through to the moody slow burn of the excellent Haunt, with its introspective slightly gothic feel. BMRC create a sound that belies their three-piece status, with Peter Hayes, Robert Levon Been and Leah Shapiro crafting a balanced and measured release which makes a smashing alternative to the ear-splitting noise we tend to favour. If you fancy something a little off the usual path, then Wrong Creatures may be just the job. 8/10
Soldiers Of Solace: We Are Immortal (Rock ‘N’ Growl Records)
In the maelstrom of sub genres, sometimes all you want is a beefy chunk of heavy metal. US metal outfit Soldiers Of Solace bring you heavy, in a traditional muscular style which initially fitted the bill perfectly. It’s not going to take your breath away with originality but opening double salvo Rude Awakening and the title track hit fast and with some weight behind the punch and my interest was fired. The power ballad which inevitably follows; Cold As A Stone is pretty routine. From there on it’s a little bit paint by numbers in the FFDP and Shinedown style, arena rock which would no doubt get those who love their music with little variation a little moist. Another power ballad, Washed In Flames allows vocalist Jason Longo to open the pipes, the similarities with Ivan Moody evident but does little. I’m afraid that for all the intensity at the start of the record, halfway through and it was just the same track on repeat. Penultimate track Freedom’s Children does at least get the neck muscles straining even if it is a bit Anvil-esque. Despite the big, brash production and throwaway riffs unfortunately this album doesn’t really prompt much excitement. 5/10
Amid The Barren And Lost: Shadow Self Psalms (Nemacystem Records)
According to their press release, London’s Amid The Barren And Lost is the focused and distilled sound of a quartet with one unified aim; the creation of the most uncompromising, and pummelling heavy metal. Well, they certainly do the pummelling well; this is one nasty full on assault. Crushing riffs and thunderous drums alongside a punishing vocal assault of dark, abstract lyrics take no prisoners. Its intensity is ferocious, with Sean Gibson’s guttural vocal delivery sitting comfortably alongside the brutality delivered by guitarist Doug Cartwright, bassist Chad McCamlie and drummer Leigh Costanza.
With more than a little groove underpinning their gnarly thrashing, Amid The Barren And Lost won’t be playing at your little sister’s wedding party any time soon. However, they will be opening up raging pits in the live arena with their relentless battery. Opener Of Blood And Bone sets a tempo which the band match with energy and fury throughout; four tracks in and Nameless Slave just destroys. I was breathless from listening to this onslaught. It rarely stops, and the ambitious eight-minute closing track The Beautiful Architecture Of Lies provides the ideal conclusion to superb debut. 8/10
Many years ago, I saw BRMC at Cardiff University in the Great Hall. I don’t remember much about the gig to be honest, but it was sufficiently good for me to stay until the end, something that doesn’t always happen at metal gigs these days. I knew they were still around, but it’s been a while since I heard any of their music. The San Francisco trio’s eight album and their first since 2013’s Specter At The Feast is a tasty hour of alternative and grunge style rock, ranging from the powerful Spook, the emotional soaked Echo through to the moody slow burn of the excellent Haunt, with its introspective slightly gothic feel. BMRC create a sound that belies their three-piece status, with Peter Hayes, Robert Levon Been and Leah Shapiro crafting a balanced and measured release which makes a smashing alternative to the ear-splitting noise we tend to favour. If you fancy something a little off the usual path, then Wrong Creatures may be just the job. 8/10
Soldiers Of Solace: We Are Immortal (Rock ‘N’ Growl Records)
In the maelstrom of sub genres, sometimes all you want is a beefy chunk of heavy metal. US metal outfit Soldiers Of Solace bring you heavy, in a traditional muscular style which initially fitted the bill perfectly. It’s not going to take your breath away with originality but opening double salvo Rude Awakening and the title track hit fast and with some weight behind the punch and my interest was fired. The power ballad which inevitably follows; Cold As A Stone is pretty routine. From there on it’s a little bit paint by numbers in the FFDP and Shinedown style, arena rock which would no doubt get those who love their music with little variation a little moist. Another power ballad, Washed In Flames allows vocalist Jason Longo to open the pipes, the similarities with Ivan Moody evident but does little. I’m afraid that for all the intensity at the start of the record, halfway through and it was just the same track on repeat. Penultimate track Freedom’s Children does at least get the neck muscles straining even if it is a bit Anvil-esque. Despite the big, brash production and throwaway riffs unfortunately this album doesn’t really prompt much excitement. 5/10
Amid The Barren And Lost: Shadow Self Psalms (Nemacystem Records)
According to their press release, London’s Amid The Barren And Lost is the focused and distilled sound of a quartet with one unified aim; the creation of the most uncompromising, and pummelling heavy metal. Well, they certainly do the pummelling well; this is one nasty full on assault. Crushing riffs and thunderous drums alongside a punishing vocal assault of dark, abstract lyrics take no prisoners. Its intensity is ferocious, with Sean Gibson’s guttural vocal delivery sitting comfortably alongside the brutality delivered by guitarist Doug Cartwright, bassist Chad McCamlie and drummer Leigh Costanza.
With more than a little groove underpinning their gnarly thrashing, Amid The Barren And Lost won’t be playing at your little sister’s wedding party any time soon. However, they will be opening up raging pits in the live arena with their relentless battery. Opener Of Blood And Bone sets a tempo which the band match with energy and fury throughout; four tracks in and Nameless Slave just destroys. I was breathless from listening to this onslaught. It rarely stops, and the ambitious eight-minute closing track The Beautiful Architecture Of Lies provides the ideal conclusion to superb debut. 8/10
Monday, 29 January 2018
Reviews: Ektomorf, Frozen Crown, Taste (Reviews By Rich)
Ektomorf: Fury (AFM Records)
I’ll fully admit that I had no idea that Ektomorf were still going. They are one of those bands that slipped under my radar and my only exposure to them were odd songs I found on Nuclear Blast samplers and I remember them coming across as Hungary’s answer to Soulfly. Well they are very much still active and their latest release and eleventh album is the very aptly titled Fury. Musically they are a mix of downtuned groove and thrash metal but this music is damn fucking angry! The opening trio of songs – The Prophet Of Doom, AK 47 and Fury – come charging out of the speakers like a herd of wildebeest flattening everything in its path and the intensity barely lets up for the duration of the album.
There is a slight lull in the middle of the album with a slight excess of mid paced groove heavy songs but it all comes back to the violence towards the end especially with furious album closer Skin Them Alive. There are still similarities in sound to Soulfly and frontman Zoltán Farkas vocal style has more than a passing resemblance to Max Cavalera but much like Soulfly have Ektomorf have moved away from the alternative and nu metal elements in their side and embraced the more violent elements in their sound. A fantastic album which is bound to responsible for a few neck injuries upon release. 8/10
Frozen Crown: The Fallen King (Scarlet Records)
There seems to be an influx of very high quality power metal and all coming from brand new bands. The latest of these is the debut album by Italian band Frozen Crown. The album is entitled The Fallen King and it is an absolute tour de force of melodic power metal. All the traditional elements of power metal are evident here and the band doesn’t stray from the tried and tested formula but what we have is an insanely strong selection of songs played to absolute perfection and with a powerhouse production to boot.
The songs on the whole are fast, powerful anthems with furious drumming and savage riffing with plenty of keyboards to add atmosphere or boost melodies. Songs such as Fall No More, The Shieldmaiden and Everwinter will be absolutely irresistible to any self respecting power metal fan. The vocals Giada ‘Jade’ Etro are suitably impressive varying from soft on the albums few tender moments to a powerhouse throughout the majority of the album.
The backing vocals by keyboard player and guitarist Federico Mondelli are enjoyable though his harsh vocals are a bit unnecessary and don’t add anything to the album. That is literally the only negative things I have to say about this album as a whole. It is an absolutely stunning piece of power metal which I can say I shall definitely be buying a copy of it. 9/10
Taste: We Are Back (Self Released)
Swedish rockers Taste return with their second album – the suitably titled We Are Back. Formed by brothers Christoffer and Felix Borg Taste is another band who successfully emulate the mid eighties AOR sound. Big huge guitar solos, walls of synth and melodic vocals is what is on offer here. I am in no way blind to the fact that this music is extremely cheesy and despite being a fan of the extreme side of rock and metal I simply cannot resist cheesy anthems with loads of retro sounding synthesisers.
On the whole this is a strong second album for Taste. Things get off to a great start with title track We Are Back and as the album progresses we are inundated with AOR anthems such as Our Dreams and Stay. There is a bit of a drop in the middle of the album with awful ballad My Rose but things pick up again with songs such as Doesn’t Feel Like Love and Fallen Angel. There are a multitude of bands resurrecting this classic AOR sound and a lot of the original bands are still recording and touring so this album doesn’t have originality on its side but it’s so well written and performed with such love that it’s impossible not to enjoy. 8/10
I’ll fully admit that I had no idea that Ektomorf were still going. They are one of those bands that slipped under my radar and my only exposure to them were odd songs I found on Nuclear Blast samplers and I remember them coming across as Hungary’s answer to Soulfly. Well they are very much still active and their latest release and eleventh album is the very aptly titled Fury. Musically they are a mix of downtuned groove and thrash metal but this music is damn fucking angry! The opening trio of songs – The Prophet Of Doom, AK 47 and Fury – come charging out of the speakers like a herd of wildebeest flattening everything in its path and the intensity barely lets up for the duration of the album.
There is a slight lull in the middle of the album with a slight excess of mid paced groove heavy songs but it all comes back to the violence towards the end especially with furious album closer Skin Them Alive. There are still similarities in sound to Soulfly and frontman Zoltán Farkas vocal style has more than a passing resemblance to Max Cavalera but much like Soulfly have Ektomorf have moved away from the alternative and nu metal elements in their side and embraced the more violent elements in their sound. A fantastic album which is bound to responsible for a few neck injuries upon release. 8/10
Frozen Crown: The Fallen King (Scarlet Records)
There seems to be an influx of very high quality power metal and all coming from brand new bands. The latest of these is the debut album by Italian band Frozen Crown. The album is entitled The Fallen King and it is an absolute tour de force of melodic power metal. All the traditional elements of power metal are evident here and the band doesn’t stray from the tried and tested formula but what we have is an insanely strong selection of songs played to absolute perfection and with a powerhouse production to boot.
The songs on the whole are fast, powerful anthems with furious drumming and savage riffing with plenty of keyboards to add atmosphere or boost melodies. Songs such as Fall No More, The Shieldmaiden and Everwinter will be absolutely irresistible to any self respecting power metal fan. The vocals Giada ‘Jade’ Etro are suitably impressive varying from soft on the albums few tender moments to a powerhouse throughout the majority of the album.
The backing vocals by keyboard player and guitarist Federico Mondelli are enjoyable though his harsh vocals are a bit unnecessary and don’t add anything to the album. That is literally the only negative things I have to say about this album as a whole. It is an absolutely stunning piece of power metal which I can say I shall definitely be buying a copy of it. 9/10
Taste: We Are Back (Self Released)
Swedish rockers Taste return with their second album – the suitably titled We Are Back. Formed by brothers Christoffer and Felix Borg Taste is another band who successfully emulate the mid eighties AOR sound. Big huge guitar solos, walls of synth and melodic vocals is what is on offer here. I am in no way blind to the fact that this music is extremely cheesy and despite being a fan of the extreme side of rock and metal I simply cannot resist cheesy anthems with loads of retro sounding synthesisers.
On the whole this is a strong second album for Taste. Things get off to a great start with title track We Are Back and as the album progresses we are inundated with AOR anthems such as Our Dreams and Stay. There is a bit of a drop in the middle of the album with awful ballad My Rose but things pick up again with songs such as Doesn’t Feel Like Love and Fallen Angel. There are a multitude of bands resurrecting this classic AOR sound and a lot of the original bands are still recording and touring so this album doesn’t have originality on its side but it’s so well written and performed with such love that it’s impossible not to enjoy. 8/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)