Consecration: Fragilium (Solitude Productions) [Sean]
I would like to think that I’m a fairly jolly person, an optimist if you will. There’s not much on this big old ball of blue that really bothers me, save for the few odd spells of seasonal melancholy. Happy go lucky on the whole, even if what I listen to doesn’t reflect or affect my overall disposition. In terms of music, I see the miserable and morbid as a chance to reflect, to soothe one's sole with a necessary dose of woe. Others, however, are probably as miserable as the very art they create. Which brings us to Norwich misery wizards, Consecration and their new album, Fragilium. The order of the day is death with a double serving of doom, so let’s not waste any more time and tuck in! In Darkened Slumber is the appetiser, a mournful instrumental of pendulous strumming. A funeral dirge through and through, it’s fairly sparse, relying on repetitious phrases and patterns. Subtle layers are added upon each rotation but it never feels aimless, shifting just enough to hold your attention throughout. It introduces touches of major to offset the minor, conveying an acceptance of the inevitable. Baleful and with a hint bittersweet, it’s a suitably opener for Fragilium . It’s followed up by the next (and main) course, A Sentinel For The Fragile.
The strumming returns, leading down in the main catacombs of Consecration’s dense, deathly doom. Further and further we descend, before Consecration spring to (un)life. The tempo is slow and steady, the vocals are disgustingly guttural and the riffs are as one would imagine; CRUSHINGLY FUCKING SLOW! It’s also pretty raw, drawing more on Autopsy than My Dying Bride, with vocals occasionally reminiscent of early Incantation. It briefly quickens, though soon returns to Consecration’s preferred pace, almost as if it were a moment of fancy. Remember, going fast isn’t doom! In Somnus Ego Morrior (In My Sleep I Die) delves deeper into the dark, traces of a melodic lead rising up from the murk. It’s pretty simple in construction, a series of descending power chords, but it works well. There’s even a some shredding toward the end, showing that Consecration can belt out notes if needs be. An Elegy For The Departed injects even more melody, this time into the rhythm guitars themselves.
This may not seem like much of a revelation but here, it’s a noticeable shift and welcome one indeed. Patience is rewarded with thicker riffage, the stylistic aura gradually shifting, to eventually resemble early Paradise Lost. To Welcome The Grey brings Fragilium to its inevitable conclusion, stripped down and (initially) bereft of aggression, before building into one last anguished gasp. It doesn’t go gently, a fitting death rattle before fading into eternal silence. Christ….that was intense. So…..what’s a (formerly) upbeat dude like myself to say in the face of such crushing oppressiveness? Pretend I wasn’t crippled by under the sheer weight of Consecration’s latest offering? Try to deny the domineering 50 plus minutes of unrelenting despair? No, Fragilium pretty much flattened me and I enjoyed every dreadful second of it. 8/10
Desolate Plains: The Face Of The Earth (Molon Lave Records) [Rich]
The Face Of The Earth is the second album by Greek progressive death metal band Desolate Plains. Not a band I have heard of previously but Desolate Plains perform an enjoyable mix of death metal and progressive metal with influences from other subgenres of metal such as thrash metal, black metal and doom metal. Desolate Plains manage to juggle these various different influences and produce a cohesive album. The guitars are put to great use throughout the album from the thrash riffage of opener The Movement Of Fear, the blackened tremolo riffs in A Final Thought and the tasteful melodic lead guitar playing throughout the duration of the album. Vocalist Aliki Katriou utilises a mix of vocal styles throughout the album from her unique sounding low register clean vocals to blackened screams and guttural growls and her range is quite impressive.
The music ranges from the more thrash and death metal stylings of the aforementioned songs to more atmospheric progressive songs such as Empire and Across The River and the mix of styles keeps this album interesting and entertaining throughout. The Face Of The Earth whilst not a mindblowing album is a very satisfying listen. There is a nice mix of styles throughout and the song structures keep things interesting but the album isn’t wholly memorable. Maybe this is one that takes a multitude of listen to sink in. However on the whole I did enjoy and Desolate Plains are definitely a band to keep on your radar. 7/10
Old Forest: Black Forests Of Eternal Doom (Dusktone Records) [Paul H]
Initially formed in 1998 UK black metal veterans Old Forest comprise Kobold (James Fogerty) on vocals and keyboards, Kobro (Anders Kobro) on drums and Beleth on guitars and bass. Fogerty and Kobro are both active in numerous other outfits, most notably the magnificent In The Woods. Black Forests Of Eternal Doom is the band’s fourth long player, although their catalogue also boasts several Eps and compilations. Opening with the majestic Subterranean Soul, this is 45 minutes of UK black metal at its best. Frantic tremolo riffing, thundering drumming and snarling vocals which break into clean vocals are the blueprint for this magnificent album. Permeated with thick layers of keyboards that do not detract from the oppressive heaviness at any time.
Old Forest blend melody and harmonies with perfect old school UK style black metal. The atmospheric title track and the beautiful acoustic Shrouds Of My Dream allow Kobold to utilise his vocal range to full effect, whilst the latter adds time for reflection and respite in the centre of a frenetic album. Black Forests Of Eternal Doom is a delight from start to finish, its melancholic, organic feel slowly enveloping the listener as the album develops. The songs are lengthy, all over seven minutes except for the 5:39 Shrouds Of My Dream but that should not distract from what is a varied and absorbing release. Old Forest have once more delivered their own style in a grand manner. 8/10
Kings Winter: Forging The Cataclysm (Self Released) [Paul H]
Kings Winter is the husband and wife duo of Jule and Tobias Dahs. Both seasoned musicians, this is their debut six-track EP. Jule is the voice of the band, whilst Tobias covers all the instruments. With a vocal delivery uncannily like Doro Pesch, it’s difficult to avoid comparisons with the metal queen and Warlock. The EP is 25 minutes of classic heavy metal the opener Time’s Running Out is traditional fare, with a keyboard riff dominating. Their website referred to a sound which resembled UK rock legends Magnum, and The Grand Delusion does indeed sound like Tamworth’s favourite sons. A majestic powerful song, full of drama. The title track’s opening riff is very similar to that of Lost On The Road To Eternity and the Magnum feel is more evident with every song. Forging The Cataclysm is beautifully delivered, and Tobias is clearly a talented musician. I often measure a band by asking myself, if I walked into a tent at a festival and these were playing, would they hook me in? Kings Winter would certainly grab my attention, such is the quality on display. 6/10
Saturday, 6 July 2019
Friday, 5 July 2019
A View From The Back Of The Room: Ministry
Ministry, SWX, Bristol
I've seen Ministry (8) before, actually in Cardiff, it was one of the madest gigs I've ever seen, over an hour of visual and aural abuse from Uncle Al Jourgensen and his band as they bludgeon you with thumping industrial tinged metal. Now as I've said I have seen them before so what really drew me to this show was the added support of American modern industrialists 3Teeth, whose album Paul H recently reviewed very favourably. A double hit of electronic battery was exactly what was needed but unfortunately it was not to be.
This was the first show in the UK part of the tour, with three hours before doors it was announced that 3Teeth were not going to be playing the show due to the the dubious excuse of Visa difficulties. I never really believe this is an excuse, especially so close to the show and as we went into the venue it was clear that this show was not sold out in anyway which added to my reasoning why 3Teeth wouldn't be making the show. Though they seem to be perfectly fine to play the remaining shows on the tour especially their album release show in London later that week. The last minute replacement for the night was Bristol based one man project Fuck Authority (3) who was dreadful, it would have been better to open the doors later or have Ministry come on earlier rather than being subjected to 20 minutes of a single droning note made by an electric Double Bass, occasionally augmented by some Theremin. This was basically instrument abuse, the soundtrack of an adsl router being hit with a hammer. As the venerable DJ Scoundrel put it at the gig itself, basically it was Swans without the good bits. We went out while he was playing as to be honest I have spent most of my life dealing with dulcet tones from the equipment I work with.
Thankfully it did end after what felt like an eternity he went off and made way for the headline act who basically could have been anyone at all but this was Ministry and as the distorted images of the Orange President came on the screen the black clad band came to the stage first they are John Bechdel (keyboards), Sin Quirin (guitars), Cesar Soto (guitars), Derek Abrams (drums) and newest man Paul D'Amour (original Tool bassist), then as the intro descended into Twilight Zone as Al came to the stage in blast of energy screaming, shouting and booming down his two mics on his elaborate mic stand while also parping on some synth drenched harmonica. It was the first song in an opening set that played all of their most recent release the defiant AmeriKKKant album in full. The record targets every bigoted war mongering (Wargasm), racist (Antifa) powerful person in America stabbing a massive knife to the heart of the MAGA movement exposing them for what they are.
It's always a brave move to play an entire record live but it was great to hear it the way it was probably recorded with the normal Ministry low end guts behind it pumping through SWX's brilliant sound system. A quick change and it was into set two this one based on 'classics' kicking off The Missing and encompassing those big hitters such as Stigmata, Jesus Built My Hotrod, Just One Fix and N.W.O made for the liveliest crowd reaction of the night, ending the night was No Devotion a cover from Al's other band Revolting Cocks. A masterclass in audio terrorism Ministry always deliver on stage, just a shame that we didn't get the ideal double shot that would have capped off the evening.
I've seen Ministry (8) before, actually in Cardiff, it was one of the madest gigs I've ever seen, over an hour of visual and aural abuse from Uncle Al Jourgensen and his band as they bludgeon you with thumping industrial tinged metal. Now as I've said I have seen them before so what really drew me to this show was the added support of American modern industrialists 3Teeth, whose album Paul H recently reviewed very favourably. A double hit of electronic battery was exactly what was needed but unfortunately it was not to be.
This was the first show in the UK part of the tour, with three hours before doors it was announced that 3Teeth were not going to be playing the show due to the the dubious excuse of Visa difficulties. I never really believe this is an excuse, especially so close to the show and as we went into the venue it was clear that this show was not sold out in anyway which added to my reasoning why 3Teeth wouldn't be making the show. Though they seem to be perfectly fine to play the remaining shows on the tour especially their album release show in London later that week. The last minute replacement for the night was Bristol based one man project Fuck Authority (3) who was dreadful, it would have been better to open the doors later or have Ministry come on earlier rather than being subjected to 20 minutes of a single droning note made by an electric Double Bass, occasionally augmented by some Theremin. This was basically instrument abuse, the soundtrack of an adsl router being hit with a hammer. As the venerable DJ Scoundrel put it at the gig itself, basically it was Swans without the good bits. We went out while he was playing as to be honest I have spent most of my life dealing with dulcet tones from the equipment I work with.
Thankfully it did end after what felt like an eternity he went off and made way for the headline act who basically could have been anyone at all but this was Ministry and as the distorted images of the Orange President came on the screen the black clad band came to the stage first they are John Bechdel (keyboards), Sin Quirin (guitars), Cesar Soto (guitars), Derek Abrams (drums) and newest man Paul D'Amour (original Tool bassist), then as the intro descended into Twilight Zone as Al came to the stage in blast of energy screaming, shouting and booming down his two mics on his elaborate mic stand while also parping on some synth drenched harmonica. It was the first song in an opening set that played all of their most recent release the defiant AmeriKKKant album in full. The record targets every bigoted war mongering (Wargasm), racist (Antifa) powerful person in America stabbing a massive knife to the heart of the MAGA movement exposing them for what they are.
It's always a brave move to play an entire record live but it was great to hear it the way it was probably recorded with the normal Ministry low end guts behind it pumping through SWX's brilliant sound system. A quick change and it was into set two this one based on 'classics' kicking off The Missing and encompassing those big hitters such as Stigmata, Jesus Built My Hotrod, Just One Fix and N.W.O made for the liveliest crowd reaction of the night, ending the night was No Devotion a cover from Al's other band Revolting Cocks. A masterclass in audio terrorism Ministry always deliver on stage, just a shame that we didn't get the ideal double shot that would have capped off the evening.
A View From The Back Of The Room: Demons & Wizards (Live Review By Paul H)
Demons & Wizards, Islington Assembly Hall, London
Power metal. It’s a variable genre which ranges widely in both style and quality. American power metal is muscular, whereas German power metal is a more frenetic, intense affair. When those worlds collide, the result in Demons & Wizards. Or should that be Iced Guardian? Or Blind Earth? Well, with two thirds of the band from Blind Guardian and the other third from Iced Earth, either would probably be appropriate. If you’ve ever seen Blind Guardian, possibly THE seminal German power metal outfit apart from Helloween, you’ll know two things about their fans. A) They are fervent in their passion and knowledge of the band’s catalogue and B) they smell. Bloody awful. The smell of those who either live in a flat and don’t dry their clothes properly, those who spend all day locked away inside or those who have never ventured into the ‘Men’s’ aisle in Boots.
And so, a mere month or so after the Ed’s birthday, it was time to enjoy his birthday pressie from yours truly. A National Express coach to the smoke and a trip to Kings Cross to our reasonably priced basic but clean hotel easily negotiated, it was time to wander our way to a few hostelries on our way to the venue. Having passed one slightly hipster looking pub, about which Matt remarked “I’m not going in there. It’s full of cunts”, we found several public houses which served beer, and a range of prices to match. Anyway, enough of the pre-gig shenanigans, it was soon time to join the queue of computer techs and laboratory assistants who were stood, blinking in the sunlight like escaped lab rats, in the expectant queue for what was the debut gig from Demons & Wizards.
For those who don’t know, Demons & Wizards were formed in the late 1990s by Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth). They have released a mere two albums, 1999’s Demons & Wizards and 2005’s Touched By The Crimson King. Both follow the Blind Guardian style, but with a little more of the Iced Earth bicep flex. Whilst the band have been hitting high spots on the European Festival circuit, their appeal in the UK remains more niche and although the crowd was healthy their first ever UK show was not full.
Crippled by a dreadful mix, UK metal outfit Dendera (6) had the honour of opening proceedings. The last time I’d seen the South Coast outfit was at Fuel last year, supporting NWOBHM legends Demon. This was a gig slightly more suited to their high energy level metal, and they gave it a good go to a crowd who slowly responded to the honest endeavour on stage. In front man Ashley Edison, Dendera have a man whose vocals are suited to the power metal genre (even more so with Power Quest).With promising new song Endless Suffering premiered alongside older songs from Pillars Of Creation and Blood Red Floor, Dendera have the chops and the energy to push for more recognition. Having been around for several years, the band are seasoned veterans on the UK circuit and are always worth a watch.
As the clock edged towards 9pm, the day may have started to cool outside, but temperatures were escalating inside the Assembly Hall. Unfortunately, this meant that those with the lovely odours were starting to ripen and it was really starting to pong inside the main hall. Luckily things on the stage were about to help distract from the haze around us. Billed as A Magical Encounter With Demons & Wizards, the next hour and three quarters lived up to the billing. An opening duo of Heaven Denies and Poor Man’s Crusade got the venue excited, with Demons & Wizards (9) prompting much fist pumping and head nodding as the band accelerated quickly to find their groove. Schaffer, stage right, all healthy glow with his shorn silver barnet, goatee and huge rope chain around his neck, dispersed riffs as if they were going out of fashion.
Behind him Guardian powerhouse Fredrik Ehruke did exactly what he does at every show and battered the crap out of his kit whilst alongside him award winner composer and musician Joost Van Den Broek added the keyboards and backing vocals. Stage left, the presence of Iced Earth axeman Jake Dreyer and Guardian’s rhythm guitarist Marcus Siepen who was delivering bass duties. Of course, focus is always on Kürsch and it’s no wonder. Despite these days looking more like a bank manager than rock star, Kürsch possesses one of the finest voices in metal and this was another killer performance from the German.
As Demons & Wizards motored through an 18-song set list, the Guardian faithful became more and more animated with the odd small pit breaking out sporadically. The first cover was however, Burning Times (From Iced Earth’s seminal Something Wicked This Way Comes) with Kürsch comfortably handling the Matt Barlow vocals. Then the first Guardian cover, and it was an oldie but a goodie. Welcome To Dying from 1990’s Tales Of The Twilight World got the first full singalong of the evening, and the stench increased further. Wicked Witch sensibly took the tempo down a notch or two, the acoustic guitar part delivered neatly by Schaffer. The set was superbly paced, and the band slowly wound the pace up again, The Gunslinger leading into adding another Iced Earth cover (I Died For You) before the epic singalong of Valhalla, from 1989’s Follow The Blind which was mighty impressive apart from the chronic halitosis of the fan next to me which had me retching).
Kursch was in mischievous form with his banter, whilst the rest of the band were content to do what they do so well; deliver superb quality music. As the time passed, including the epic trio that close out Demons & Wizards, Tear Down The Wall, Gallows Pole and My Last Sunrise. Suddenly it was encore time and Blood On My Hands segued into a beautiful Fiddler On The Green to close down a fabulous evening. Escaping into the fresh evening air was fantastic, and a note to self to once again learn to breath through the mouth only. Seriously, a can of deodorant should come with every ticket in future. Luckily, the unwashed Guardian fans were usurped by the quality of the music. And for that, I am truly thankful.
Power metal. It’s a variable genre which ranges widely in both style and quality. American power metal is muscular, whereas German power metal is a more frenetic, intense affair. When those worlds collide, the result in Demons & Wizards. Or should that be Iced Guardian? Or Blind Earth? Well, with two thirds of the band from Blind Guardian and the other third from Iced Earth, either would probably be appropriate. If you’ve ever seen Blind Guardian, possibly THE seminal German power metal outfit apart from Helloween, you’ll know two things about their fans. A) They are fervent in their passion and knowledge of the band’s catalogue and B) they smell. Bloody awful. The smell of those who either live in a flat and don’t dry their clothes properly, those who spend all day locked away inside or those who have never ventured into the ‘Men’s’ aisle in Boots.
And so, a mere month or so after the Ed’s birthday, it was time to enjoy his birthday pressie from yours truly. A National Express coach to the smoke and a trip to Kings Cross to our reasonably priced basic but clean hotel easily negotiated, it was time to wander our way to a few hostelries on our way to the venue. Having passed one slightly hipster looking pub, about which Matt remarked “I’m not going in there. It’s full of cunts”, we found several public houses which served beer, and a range of prices to match. Anyway, enough of the pre-gig shenanigans, it was soon time to join the queue of computer techs and laboratory assistants who were stood, blinking in the sunlight like escaped lab rats, in the expectant queue for what was the debut gig from Demons & Wizards.
For those who don’t know, Demons & Wizards were formed in the late 1990s by Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian) and Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth). They have released a mere two albums, 1999’s Demons & Wizards and 2005’s Touched By The Crimson King. Both follow the Blind Guardian style, but with a little more of the Iced Earth bicep flex. Whilst the band have been hitting high spots on the European Festival circuit, their appeal in the UK remains more niche and although the crowd was healthy their first ever UK show was not full.
Crippled by a dreadful mix, UK metal outfit Dendera (6) had the honour of opening proceedings. The last time I’d seen the South Coast outfit was at Fuel last year, supporting NWOBHM legends Demon. This was a gig slightly more suited to their high energy level metal, and they gave it a good go to a crowd who slowly responded to the honest endeavour on stage. In front man Ashley Edison, Dendera have a man whose vocals are suited to the power metal genre (even more so with Power Quest).With promising new song Endless Suffering premiered alongside older songs from Pillars Of Creation and Blood Red Floor, Dendera have the chops and the energy to push for more recognition. Having been around for several years, the band are seasoned veterans on the UK circuit and are always worth a watch.
As the clock edged towards 9pm, the day may have started to cool outside, but temperatures were escalating inside the Assembly Hall. Unfortunately, this meant that those with the lovely odours were starting to ripen and it was really starting to pong inside the main hall. Luckily things on the stage were about to help distract from the haze around us. Billed as A Magical Encounter With Demons & Wizards, the next hour and three quarters lived up to the billing. An opening duo of Heaven Denies and Poor Man’s Crusade got the venue excited, with Demons & Wizards (9) prompting much fist pumping and head nodding as the band accelerated quickly to find their groove. Schaffer, stage right, all healthy glow with his shorn silver barnet, goatee and huge rope chain around his neck, dispersed riffs as if they were going out of fashion.
Behind him Guardian powerhouse Fredrik Ehruke did exactly what he does at every show and battered the crap out of his kit whilst alongside him award winner composer and musician Joost Van Den Broek added the keyboards and backing vocals. Stage left, the presence of Iced Earth axeman Jake Dreyer and Guardian’s rhythm guitarist Marcus Siepen who was delivering bass duties. Of course, focus is always on Kürsch and it’s no wonder. Despite these days looking more like a bank manager than rock star, Kürsch possesses one of the finest voices in metal and this was another killer performance from the German.
As Demons & Wizards motored through an 18-song set list, the Guardian faithful became more and more animated with the odd small pit breaking out sporadically. The first cover was however, Burning Times (From Iced Earth’s seminal Something Wicked This Way Comes) with Kürsch comfortably handling the Matt Barlow vocals. Then the first Guardian cover, and it was an oldie but a goodie. Welcome To Dying from 1990’s Tales Of The Twilight World got the first full singalong of the evening, and the stench increased further. Wicked Witch sensibly took the tempo down a notch or two, the acoustic guitar part delivered neatly by Schaffer. The set was superbly paced, and the band slowly wound the pace up again, The Gunslinger leading into adding another Iced Earth cover (I Died For You) before the epic singalong of Valhalla, from 1989’s Follow The Blind which was mighty impressive apart from the chronic halitosis of the fan next to me which had me retching).
Kursch was in mischievous form with his banter, whilst the rest of the band were content to do what they do so well; deliver superb quality music. As the time passed, including the epic trio that close out Demons & Wizards, Tear Down The Wall, Gallows Pole and My Last Sunrise. Suddenly it was encore time and Blood On My Hands segued into a beautiful Fiddler On The Green to close down a fabulous evening. Escaping into the fresh evening air was fantastic, and a note to self to once again learn to breath through the mouth only. Seriously, a can of deodorant should come with every ticket in future. Luckily, the unwashed Guardian fans were usurped by the quality of the music. And for that, I am truly thankful.
Thursday, 4 July 2019
A View From The Back Of The Room: Glasnost At The Moon Cardiff
Glastnost Final Day Presented By Zed's Ded Promotions, The Moon, Cardiff
Cardiff was buzzing due to the by all accounts scorching set from The Killers at Cardiff Castle the previous evening (their warm up for Glastonbury) and Welsh legends The Manic Street Preachers playing the castle on the same night. However in the shadow of the castle I hunkered up to Womanby Street for the final day of The Moon's Glastnost three day festival and naturally it was the heaviest of the bunch curated but Zeds Ded Promotions, it was barrell full of heavy from the beginning and all for the handsome price of £0.00.
First on the bill were the outcasts on a day that favoured the stoner/doom/sludge/psych sound. It was Swansea's answer to Slayer, M2TM 2019 finalists Sepulchre (8) who kicked things off with thrash/death metal mayhem playing the fastest (and some would say most accessible) music of the day much of the set was drawn from their latest album with Jolly Jane the highlight though personally I do still love Betrayed By God. Having personally admitted their inability to tell time their set was a little sporadic but once again Darren handled himself as the consummate frontman asking for pole dancing on the Moon's poles. Fast furious and over in a flash (just how they like it) the Swansea thrashers blitzed the room (and drummer Aimee would later do the same to Jack & Cokes) winning over some of the more inebriated folks who were waiting for The Manics.
With Sepulchre setting the tone next it was the band that (in)famously gave me tinnitus Tides Of Sulfur (8) their wall of noise drowned out any of their guitarists work colleagues heckling as Anthony, Tom and Chris tried to level The Moon as quickly as possible taking from their riot inducing new album and their previous releases (the still impactful Trenchfoot is a an absolute beast) to try and deafen asany punters as possible. Anthony gets his head down and riffs, while also death grunting as Chris screams, contorting his face like rubber and links in with Tom for an abrasive rhythm section that will leave your ears ringing. Still loud as hell, even borderline painful, TOS get better with each viewing animated and heavy as all fuck they need to be seen live.
A bit of nostalgia (?) came next as Akb'al (8) returned from the mystical ether with their psychedelic heavy still as vital as ever. The Cardiff band haven't tread the boards of a venue in a while (since Jan) as they are putting together a new album and they've yet to lose a step despite bassist Michael plying his trade in Lacertilia and drummer Mic battering the drums in Desecration. It's the now triple guitar sound brings an extra dimension as Thoby's droning vocals are a focal point as is his ambient guitar sound that merges with Rob Miles and their now third guitarist adding the riffs. Mic's fluid drumming and Michael's technical lead bass style drawing you in to the groovy, progressive head trip that I loved when I originally followed this band. Seeing them on stage again was a joy, especially with some new songs. Together they are still as tight as ever though the lack of tablas and bowl was a little disappointing, though I guess time constraints prevented it. Welcome back Akb'al you have been missed!
Returning things to a riff-centric point of view were West Country progressive sludge band Sail (8) who replaced Made Of Teeth and managed to knock it out of the park with their unassuming demeanor, triple vocal approach and riffs for days that brought to mind Mastodon when they were still loud and shouty or early Baroness. Rattling off tracks from their debut album Slumbersong they had some very jovial between song banter matched by some colossal grooves. Having never seen Sail before (I seem to miss them every time they play) this was a heck of a first showing stepping in almost last minute is always difficult but Sail played it like they owned it lovers of big riffs and slightly psych tendencies will love them.
A break to get some air and see some friends came next, but it didn't last long as with my ears still ringing it was time for Hull bludgeonings Battalions (9) to obliterate what was left of the evening with an impressive album released earlier this year (on APF records, who boasted a number of acts on this bill) the band from the place "known to some as the worst place to live in the UK" are the epitome of what we call HEFT. Louder than a jet plane sized jackhammer and with vocalist who has clearly borrowed his voice from Satan himself they and the biggest crowd of the day with everyone banging their heads in such a way that it would cause a concussion. Volatile, harsh but with more bottom end than a Kardashian, Battalions were the surprise of the evening for me, a perfect balance of thick, tasty grooves and visceral aggression they stole the show with just sheer brilliance.
This was going to be a hard task for headliners as it was very much a case of follow that mutha...this however is Pist (9) a drinking, fighting, swearing, filthy heavy metal machine who dove into their set without a soundcheck ready to crack some skulls. A four piece that owe as much to Down as they do to Motörhead. They are a tightly wound riff machine who drag you into their set kicking and screaming with barks, a groove thicker than a school day custard and the dirtiest guitar sound of the day. There is no messing around just metal music in its rawest form ready to bite off your nose if you get too close. Exile had venom to it featuring a Sabbath riff before evolving into blastbeats it was only the second song and already Pist were punishing. The right amount of snarling punk fury and doom-laden heft Pist were worthy headliners of this bargain night of music. Seeing all this for free was almost criminal, luckily many beers were consumed and merch was purchased to spread the gospel of groove. More of this sort of thing!
Cardiff was buzzing due to the by all accounts scorching set from The Killers at Cardiff Castle the previous evening (their warm up for Glastonbury) and Welsh legends The Manic Street Preachers playing the castle on the same night. However in the shadow of the castle I hunkered up to Womanby Street for the final day of The Moon's Glastnost three day festival and naturally it was the heaviest of the bunch curated but Zeds Ded Promotions, it was barrell full of heavy from the beginning and all for the handsome price of £0.00.
First on the bill were the outcasts on a day that favoured the stoner/doom/sludge/psych sound. It was Swansea's answer to Slayer, M2TM 2019 finalists Sepulchre (8) who kicked things off with thrash/death metal mayhem playing the fastest (and some would say most accessible) music of the day much of the set was drawn from their latest album with Jolly Jane the highlight though personally I do still love Betrayed By God. Having personally admitted their inability to tell time their set was a little sporadic but once again Darren handled himself as the consummate frontman asking for pole dancing on the Moon's poles. Fast furious and over in a flash (just how they like it) the Swansea thrashers blitzed the room (and drummer Aimee would later do the same to Jack & Cokes) winning over some of the more inebriated folks who were waiting for The Manics.
With Sepulchre setting the tone next it was the band that (in)famously gave me tinnitus Tides Of Sulfur (8) their wall of noise drowned out any of their guitarists work colleagues heckling as Anthony, Tom and Chris tried to level The Moon as quickly as possible taking from their riot inducing new album and their previous releases (the still impactful Trenchfoot is a an absolute beast) to try and deafen asany punters as possible. Anthony gets his head down and riffs, while also death grunting as Chris screams, contorting his face like rubber and links in with Tom for an abrasive rhythm section that will leave your ears ringing. Still loud as hell, even borderline painful, TOS get better with each viewing animated and heavy as all fuck they need to be seen live.
A bit of nostalgia (?) came next as Akb'al (8) returned from the mystical ether with their psychedelic heavy still as vital as ever. The Cardiff band haven't tread the boards of a venue in a while (since Jan) as they are putting together a new album and they've yet to lose a step despite bassist Michael plying his trade in Lacertilia and drummer Mic battering the drums in Desecration. It's the now triple guitar sound brings an extra dimension as Thoby's droning vocals are a focal point as is his ambient guitar sound that merges with Rob Miles and their now third guitarist adding the riffs. Mic's fluid drumming and Michael's technical lead bass style drawing you in to the groovy, progressive head trip that I loved when I originally followed this band. Seeing them on stage again was a joy, especially with some new songs. Together they are still as tight as ever though the lack of tablas and bowl was a little disappointing, though I guess time constraints prevented it. Welcome back Akb'al you have been missed!
Returning things to a riff-centric point of view were West Country progressive sludge band Sail (8) who replaced Made Of Teeth and managed to knock it out of the park with their unassuming demeanor, triple vocal approach and riffs for days that brought to mind Mastodon when they were still loud and shouty or early Baroness. Rattling off tracks from their debut album Slumbersong they had some very jovial between song banter matched by some colossal grooves. Having never seen Sail before (I seem to miss them every time they play) this was a heck of a first showing stepping in almost last minute is always difficult but Sail played it like they owned it lovers of big riffs and slightly psych tendencies will love them.
A break to get some air and see some friends came next, but it didn't last long as with my ears still ringing it was time for Hull bludgeonings Battalions (9) to obliterate what was left of the evening with an impressive album released earlier this year (on APF records, who boasted a number of acts on this bill) the band from the place "known to some as the worst place to live in the UK" are the epitome of what we call HEFT. Louder than a jet plane sized jackhammer and with vocalist who has clearly borrowed his voice from Satan himself they and the biggest crowd of the day with everyone banging their heads in such a way that it would cause a concussion. Volatile, harsh but with more bottom end than a Kardashian, Battalions were the surprise of the evening for me, a perfect balance of thick, tasty grooves and visceral aggression they stole the show with just sheer brilliance.
This was going to be a hard task for headliners as it was very much a case of follow that mutha...this however is Pist (9) a drinking, fighting, swearing, filthy heavy metal machine who dove into their set without a soundcheck ready to crack some skulls. A four piece that owe as much to Down as they do to Motörhead. They are a tightly wound riff machine who drag you into their set kicking and screaming with barks, a groove thicker than a school day custard and the dirtiest guitar sound of the day. There is no messing around just metal music in its rawest form ready to bite off your nose if you get too close. Exile had venom to it featuring a Sabbath riff before evolving into blastbeats it was only the second song and already Pist were punishing. The right amount of snarling punk fury and doom-laden heft Pist were worthy headliners of this bargain night of music. Seeing all this for free was almost criminal, luckily many beers were consumed and merch was purchased to spread the gospel of groove. More of this sort of thing!
Reviews: Krysthla, Abbath, Heilung, Auger (Paul H, Sean, Rich & Scott)
Krysthla: Worldwide Negative (PHD) [Paul H]
Negative opens the album, a five-minute statement of intent which focuses on the constant struggle with doubt and paranoia that poisons the mind of anyone that finds themselves in a dark place mentally. With the world gripped by sadness and madness, the song asks how do we find a place or even live inside this worldwide negative? Vocalist Adi Mayes is in imperious form, his bear of a roar better than ever. Intricate guitar patterns and a thumping bass line hint at a more progressive approach before all hell breaks loose and Krysthla accelerate immediately. There is a massive industrial groove ala Fear Factory that surges throughout not only this track but the whole album. This is no bad thing and no copyist approach either. Krysthla are very much delivering their own sound and Negative sets the bar high. However, although I’d heard Zero Sum Game prior to this album, nothing could prepare me for the immensity of Reawakening. Possibly the most accessible track the band have ever released, this is an absolute piledriver. A Slipknot style guitar groove with Davies’ huge bass lines rioting all over the place, Mayes’ punishing roar balanced by clean vocals which adds a new focus and style which just stunning. Epic stuff.
Few albums have been more anticipated than the third release from possibly the best UK metal band around today, but when this bad boy dropped in the box I must admit to a little dance of excitement. The Northamptonshire outfit have been carving a name for themselves in the UK and Europe since debut release A War Of Souls And Desires arrived in 2015. With the follow up Peace In Our Time the band enhanced their reputation for being one of the most impressive up and coming bands on the scene, with killer live shows which are bursting with energy and power. So, opening Worldwide Negative up, what do we get? Well to start with, a fantastic production job by guitarist Neil Hudson, who not only acted as producer but engineer, mixer and master. Sharp, clear, yet capturing the very essence of the band’s power. Recorded at Initiate Audio and Media Recording Studios, this is eight tracks and 44 minutes of your life you really want to devote time and energy toward. Krysthla is a band with strong moral beliefs, their statements on the insanity of the world around us and their observations on the social impact of those in power not only timely but oh so accurate … and frightening.
Negative opens the album, a five-minute statement of intent which focuses on the constant struggle with doubt and paranoia that poisons the mind of anyone that finds themselves in a dark place mentally. With the world gripped by sadness and madness, the song asks how do we find a place or even live inside this worldwide negative? Vocalist Adi Mayes is in imperious form, his bear of a roar better than ever. Intricate guitar patterns and a thumping bass line hint at a more progressive approach before all hell breaks loose and Krysthla accelerate immediately. There is a massive industrial groove ala Fear Factory that surges throughout not only this track but the whole album. This is no bad thing and no copyist approach either. Krysthla are very much delivering their own sound and Negative sets the bar high. However, although I’d heard Zero Sum Game prior to this album, nothing could prepare me for the immensity of Reawakening. Possibly the most accessible track the band have ever released, this is an absolute piledriver. A Slipknot style guitar groove with Davies’ huge bass lines rioting all over the place, Mayes’ punishing roar balanced by clean vocals which adds a new focus and style which just stunning. Epic stuff.
Although the band have embraced the melody this has by no means watered down their sound. If anything, it has intensified the intensity of their assault. The bone crushing Grief Is New Love contains haunting riffage from Hudson and fellow guitarist Noel Davies whilst new(ish) drummer Liam Turland delivers a blistering assault of power drumming. This is the longest song on the album. It’s explosive, almost automated in its drilled, clinical delivery whilst retaining soul and passion and fades with a fascinating change in approach. If you are a fan of the band, you’ll be familiar with Zero Sum Game, released a few weeks ago. Utilising clean vocals to fabulous effect on the chorus, Zero Sum Game was a pulverising first taste of the fire and passion that surges through the band. The song tackles how life itself is caught in the endless sway of life and death, and the chasing of meaningless things that mean nothing. With traces of Fear Factory’s Self Bias Resistor, this song just destroys.
No let up in the pace or groove, with White Castles, which is another massive track. Once more Carl Davies’ bass is high in the mix without dominating, the pacey raging assault driving the song. The mid-tempo change of pace provides some much-needed respite from the carnage which has erupted so far. The onslaught resumes for the politically charged Psalms Of Heartlessness, a concrete pounding beast which reflects on the mistrust and hatred that permeates our world and our politics. Look at Trump and his walls, the division and hate that is all around. Krysthla urge reflection. All neatly wrapped up in a crushingly heavy track that simply flattens. If you have any energy left by now, summon it up for the penultimate epic, Aurea Medioctias, a punchy and emotional ride with shades of Korn, Fear Factory and Ministry. There are sections located within the track that allow Carl Davies and Turland to lead the way, the bass once again gargantuan on a song that oozes brutality and focuses on the blind eye turned despite awareness of the consequences. A punishing beauty of a song.
No let up in the pace or groove, with White Castles, which is another massive track. Once more Carl Davies’ bass is high in the mix without dominating, the pacey raging assault driving the song. The mid-tempo change of pace provides some much-needed respite from the carnage which has erupted so far. The onslaught resumes for the politically charged Psalms Of Heartlessness, a concrete pounding beast which reflects on the mistrust and hatred that permeates our world and our politics. Look at Trump and his walls, the division and hate that is all around. Krysthla urge reflection. All neatly wrapped up in a crushingly heavy track that simply flattens. If you have any energy left by now, summon it up for the penultimate epic, Aurea Medioctias, a punchy and emotional ride with shades of Korn, Fear Factory and Ministry. There are sections located within the track that allow Carl Davies and Turland to lead the way, the bass once again gargantuan on a song that oozes brutality and focuses on the blind eye turned despite awareness of the consequences. A punishing beauty of a song.
And then we arrive at closing track The Gift, which has shades of those French behemoths Gojira in its tone and sheer intensity. A wall of organ crushing riffage is unleashed, with some melodic breakdowns allowing pauses in the tsunami which is racing toward you. The song focuses on the unwanted guilt left when someone takes their own life. The unwanted gift left behind. Emotionally charged from personal experience, the obliterating attack that Krysthla have cultivated over the past few years is unstoppable, and the calm acoustic fade just adds to the quality of an impressive track. Guitarist Neil Hudson commented that in Worldwide Negative the band “exceeded what we thought we had in the tank. It’s been an exhaustive but exhilarating process! Worldwide Negative is an album with more of an introspective view towards us as the human race, how we impact the world and each other. In the pursuit of happiness, safety and security we're slowly destroying our sense of empathy and giving in to a darker way of life that ultimately can only end in misery.” In Worldwide Negative Krysthla have delivered one of the most important and stunningly perfect albums of 2019. This is insanely good in quality, production and delivery. There set at BOA becomes an unmissable event (although to many, it was already in the list). Just brilliant. 10/10
Abbath: Outstrider (Season Of Mist) [Rich]
Since his split from Immortal in 2015, Abbath Doom Occulta has kept busy and kept his profile high with the formation of his own solo band. 2016’s self titled album was a very good album indeed and the high amount of touring plus the antics of the man himself have very much kept him in the limelight which is where Abbath really shines being one of the true characters in black metal. The man is a revered icon in the Norwegian black metal scene yet is equally seen as one of the goofiest people in the scene with an image that is as mystical as it is hysterical. With Outstrider which is the second album from the band we see Abbath not really straying from the sound forged on the debut but building on it with more scope, more melody and generally improved songwriting.
Outstrider has a feel that is as harsh as it is epic with songs such as The Artifex, Land Of Khem, Harvest Pyre and Scythewinder making you feel like you want to windmill in the middle of an icy tundra. The riffs are plentiful and glorious and the drumming relentless yet controlled. This is black metal with a cinematic scale but without the need of a symphony orchestra to deliver the scope of the music. If you have enjoyed the latter Immortal albums and the previous Abbath release then guaranteed you will love this. It’s not a groundbreaking release but Abbath has simply built and improved on what he has done previously. A great headbanging marathon of an album.8/10
Heilung: Futha (Season Of Mist)
“What’s going on here? Why are they all wearing masks and why does that lady have horns? And why is the music so good?!” These are but of few of the questions burning brightly in my mind, upon viewing the Nordic/Germanic collective known as Heilung for the first time. Formed in 2014, these heathen heralds have been busy bringing their skaldic ceremonies to the masses, converting all in their wake. Doubters were silenced, the confused were convinced and Heiliung triumphantly return to us in 2019 with new album, Futha. Time to don those robes, grab the goatskin drum and ready the mind. Shall we?
Harsh rasps, belching forth blackened ichor (amongst other things), greet me upon the beginning of Galgaldr. It expands, cold winds disturbing the once silent wind chimes, as well as something older and far more powerful from blackened murk. Bellowing horns and the wail of disembodied voices ululate above the returning raps, pulsating drums only serving to increase the ritual to near feverish levels. I can see it all, the hooded congregation shrouded in incense laced smoke, emanating from open lit braziers. Norupo is a more straightforward and traditional number, (somewhat) lighter in tone and provides contrast to its predecessors darkness. The atmosphere is no less thick, however, densely layered female voices flowing with ethereal grace above the throaty throng. The next phase is soon ushered in, the drip drop of icy water providing a rudimentary beat. The voices soon coalesce and Othan thrusts me into its desolate cold, sprawling and dense, constantly moving under its own icy weight. Such is the level of evocation that Heilung are capable of summoning, I’m immediately transported across vast swathes of frozen tundra, the harsher voices reinforcing my experiencing of the untameable wild. The chiming of bells and pulsating of chirping grunts thaw me of Othan’s wintery grip, with the summery vibes of Traust stirring life from it’s hibernating cycle.
I have no clue what Heiling are saying though, but I have no doubt that pure poetry is being spun, easing and comforting me throughout this spiritual journey. Vapnatak, a soundscape of sorts, unleashes the rain from the heavens and the volley of arrows, men crying out as their threads are cut short. Verses are spoken over eerie synths, before the war bellow of Svanrand answers in kind. The occasional sailing of a stray arrow aids the steady beat, feminine chants melding with masculine grunts, layers steadily amassing atop each other. Elivagar begins with a whisper, slowly morphing into a growl and all things unpleasant in between. It’s as if the speaker were slowly abandoning his humanity, casting his former self away as he embraces whatever energies he’s invoking. It climaxes in a cacophony of voices, all in thrall to the Elivagar . It turns out that the Elivagar were a series of rivers that existed in Ginnungagap (meaning gaping abyss), the norse equivalent of the primordial void. It also ties into the origin of Ymir, the first giant (which is pretty neat). Elddansurin is heavily percussive, every hit driving the repetitious guttural phrases onward, occasionally punctuated by an agonised scream.
It suddenly abates, clean melodies supplanting the bestial elements, ascending into a lush crescendo vocal harmonies. Hamrer Hippyer brings the journey to a close, letting loose every power at Heilung’s disposal across a fanatical 14 minutes of pure primal power. Throats are shorn, skins are struck, verses are sung and Heilung have all but exhausted every inch of my person. And yet…my soul and mind feel enhanced. Refreshed even, long after Futha fades to silence. Back to reality then….*sigh*. Futha” may not be a metal album, contain blast beats or any mention of goats (save for the ones who’ve been made into drums). But make no mistake, it’s momentous atmosphere is as visceral and engaging, if not more so than any traditional metal album can muster. The unprecedented attention to detail, throughout each individual movement and entrancing mood, is simply staggering. The result is something that is more than just music; a listening experience, that transcend mind, body and soul. I’d go on but that would detract form the time in which YOU should be buying, listening and loving every inch of Heilung’s Futha as I did. Hails. 9/10
Auger: From Now On I (DarkTunes Music) [Scott]
UK based Industrial Metal/Dark Rock duo, Auger are back again for another helping for brooding tones and spacey guitars. This time better than ever. I’m not gonna lie, this album makes me feel like I’m in the upcoming video game title Cyberpunk 2077. But not in a tacky futuristic way. Something that I can look forward to, like this album makes me almost feel better for a futuristic future. I get varying Tool vibes, like if Tool went complete cyber and made this album. This is an album I can chuck on in a dark room, and open a door to a completely different universe, and close it behind me. And allow it to swallow me whole. Industrial fans really need to check this out. Never heard anything like it, and I bloody love it. 8/10
Abbath: Outstrider (Season Of Mist) [Rich]
Since his split from Immortal in 2015, Abbath Doom Occulta has kept busy and kept his profile high with the formation of his own solo band. 2016’s self titled album was a very good album indeed and the high amount of touring plus the antics of the man himself have very much kept him in the limelight which is where Abbath really shines being one of the true characters in black metal. The man is a revered icon in the Norwegian black metal scene yet is equally seen as one of the goofiest people in the scene with an image that is as mystical as it is hysterical. With Outstrider which is the second album from the band we see Abbath not really straying from the sound forged on the debut but building on it with more scope, more melody and generally improved songwriting.
Outstrider has a feel that is as harsh as it is epic with songs such as The Artifex, Land Of Khem, Harvest Pyre and Scythewinder making you feel like you want to windmill in the middle of an icy tundra. The riffs are plentiful and glorious and the drumming relentless yet controlled. This is black metal with a cinematic scale but without the need of a symphony orchestra to deliver the scope of the music. If you have enjoyed the latter Immortal albums and the previous Abbath release then guaranteed you will love this. It’s not a groundbreaking release but Abbath has simply built and improved on what he has done previously. A great headbanging marathon of an album.8/10
Heilung: Futha (Season Of Mist)
“What’s going on here? Why are they all wearing masks and why does that lady have horns? And why is the music so good?!” These are but of few of the questions burning brightly in my mind, upon viewing the Nordic/Germanic collective known as Heilung for the first time. Formed in 2014, these heathen heralds have been busy bringing their skaldic ceremonies to the masses, converting all in their wake. Doubters were silenced, the confused were convinced and Heiliung triumphantly return to us in 2019 with new album, Futha. Time to don those robes, grab the goatskin drum and ready the mind. Shall we?
Harsh rasps, belching forth blackened ichor (amongst other things), greet me upon the beginning of Galgaldr. It expands, cold winds disturbing the once silent wind chimes, as well as something older and far more powerful from blackened murk. Bellowing horns and the wail of disembodied voices ululate above the returning raps, pulsating drums only serving to increase the ritual to near feverish levels. I can see it all, the hooded congregation shrouded in incense laced smoke, emanating from open lit braziers. Norupo is a more straightforward and traditional number, (somewhat) lighter in tone and provides contrast to its predecessors darkness. The atmosphere is no less thick, however, densely layered female voices flowing with ethereal grace above the throaty throng. The next phase is soon ushered in, the drip drop of icy water providing a rudimentary beat. The voices soon coalesce and Othan thrusts me into its desolate cold, sprawling and dense, constantly moving under its own icy weight. Such is the level of evocation that Heilung are capable of summoning, I’m immediately transported across vast swathes of frozen tundra, the harsher voices reinforcing my experiencing of the untameable wild. The chiming of bells and pulsating of chirping grunts thaw me of Othan’s wintery grip, with the summery vibes of Traust stirring life from it’s hibernating cycle.
I have no clue what Heiling are saying though, but I have no doubt that pure poetry is being spun, easing and comforting me throughout this spiritual journey. Vapnatak, a soundscape of sorts, unleashes the rain from the heavens and the volley of arrows, men crying out as their threads are cut short. Verses are spoken over eerie synths, before the war bellow of Svanrand answers in kind. The occasional sailing of a stray arrow aids the steady beat, feminine chants melding with masculine grunts, layers steadily amassing atop each other. Elivagar begins with a whisper, slowly morphing into a growl and all things unpleasant in between. It’s as if the speaker were slowly abandoning his humanity, casting his former self away as he embraces whatever energies he’s invoking. It climaxes in a cacophony of voices, all in thrall to the Elivagar . It turns out that the Elivagar were a series of rivers that existed in Ginnungagap (meaning gaping abyss), the norse equivalent of the primordial void. It also ties into the origin of Ymir, the first giant (which is pretty neat). Elddansurin is heavily percussive, every hit driving the repetitious guttural phrases onward, occasionally punctuated by an agonised scream.
It suddenly abates, clean melodies supplanting the bestial elements, ascending into a lush crescendo vocal harmonies. Hamrer Hippyer brings the journey to a close, letting loose every power at Heilung’s disposal across a fanatical 14 minutes of pure primal power. Throats are shorn, skins are struck, verses are sung and Heilung have all but exhausted every inch of my person. And yet…my soul and mind feel enhanced. Refreshed even, long after Futha fades to silence. Back to reality then….*sigh*. Futha” may not be a metal album, contain blast beats or any mention of goats (save for the ones who’ve been made into drums). But make no mistake, it’s momentous atmosphere is as visceral and engaging, if not more so than any traditional metal album can muster. The unprecedented attention to detail, throughout each individual movement and entrancing mood, is simply staggering. The result is something that is more than just music; a listening experience, that transcend mind, body and soul. I’d go on but that would detract form the time in which YOU should be buying, listening and loving every inch of Heilung’s Futha as I did. Hails. 9/10
Auger: From Now On I (DarkTunes Music) [Scott]
UK based Industrial Metal/Dark Rock duo, Auger are back again for another helping for brooding tones and spacey guitars. This time better than ever. I’m not gonna lie, this album makes me feel like I’m in the upcoming video game title Cyberpunk 2077. But not in a tacky futuristic way. Something that I can look forward to, like this album makes me almost feel better for a futuristic future. I get varying Tool vibes, like if Tool went complete cyber and made this album. This is an album I can chuck on in a dark room, and open a door to a completely different universe, and close it behind me. And allow it to swallow me whole. Industrial fans really need to check this out. Never heard anything like it, and I bloody love it. 8/10
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
Reviews: The Rods, Crooked Horns, Kaleidobolt, Pretty Wild (Manus)
The Rods: Brotherhood Of Metal (Steamhammer)
You can’t take stuff like this too seriously if you’re going to enjoy it. While The Rods aren’t quite as ridiculous as, say, Manowar, the corny feel that’s perfectly summed up by this album’s title is definitely there, and it’s prominent. It’s self-aware, though, making call-backs to some of the originators of this style, like Saxon in the title track. It’s just as well-done as any other absurdly macho heavy metal, and because of what it is, warrants comparisons with every note and word. Then again, The Rods have been around since 1980, so they’re just doing what they clearly know how to do. It’s a lot of fun, this album. Tunes like Everybody’s Rockin’ and Party All Night should get anyone in the mood for a good time and not caring about how cheesy the lyrics are. That’s really what it’s good for, but it’s really good for what it’s good for. 7/10
Crooked Horns: The Metamorphosis (Independent)
It’s when the vocals kick in that this becomes more than just well-played but typical black metal and something that differs from the classic sound enough to give Crooked Horns an identity of its own as a band. The vocals are incredibly powerful, and still sound black metal in baritone, with a nice death metal edge to them. They sit nicely in the production as well, where everything is heard and nothing feels like too much. The guitar work is another strong suit this record boasts. The dual guitars give every song a feeling of intensity, and at times even suspense. They can play melodically with natural grace as well, as displayed on instrumental Utharaba Sba. The rest of the album goes between doomy, stomping tracks like To Become, As One, and high-intensity bangers like Anathema. There’s nothing poorly done, nothing that feels out of place, and no obvious weak points in any of it. So yea, pretty killer album. 8/10
Kaleidobolt: Bitter (Svart Records)
Can music be crazy technical but also hit the feel-good rock ‘n’ roll style at the same time? Kaleidobolt seem to make it work on this fine piece of work. It’s psychedelic, progressive, and straight-up rock all at once. The instrumentation is fantastic, and the instrumental passages, which are plenty, are actually the most enjoyable parts. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the vocals. They get the job done, but it’s the instrumentation that these songs are really about. There are only seven tracks on the record, but they’re all long enough and cover enough musical ground that the record doesn’t feel at all short or incomplete. Bitter is just one of those albums that’s an experience to listen all the way through. Seriously groovy stuff. 8/10
Pretty Wild: Interstate 13 (Black Lodge Records)
Most modern bands that aim to recapture the 1980s sunset strip scene sound miss the mark entirely. On Interstate 13, Pretty Wild actually hit pretty close to it. There are still modern elements, and some overly poppy choruses, but these might be part of what makes it sound fresh, and without them could risk being a copycat. If it was the exact same as the old 80s hair bands, it would have to be as good or better to be good at all, pretty much. But Interstate 13 is able to recall the glory days of Mötley Crüe and Ratt while still being a fine rock record of 2019. The rock party anthems on the album are its best moments, tracks like Let’s Get It Out and Meant For Trouble serving as highlights, but Pretty Wild also show they know their way around an arena-sized power ballad with Wild And Free. As awesome as this album is, there’s something about these songs that sounds like they were meant to be performed live. 8/10
You can’t take stuff like this too seriously if you’re going to enjoy it. While The Rods aren’t quite as ridiculous as, say, Manowar, the corny feel that’s perfectly summed up by this album’s title is definitely there, and it’s prominent. It’s self-aware, though, making call-backs to some of the originators of this style, like Saxon in the title track. It’s just as well-done as any other absurdly macho heavy metal, and because of what it is, warrants comparisons with every note and word. Then again, The Rods have been around since 1980, so they’re just doing what they clearly know how to do. It’s a lot of fun, this album. Tunes like Everybody’s Rockin’ and Party All Night should get anyone in the mood for a good time and not caring about how cheesy the lyrics are. That’s really what it’s good for, but it’s really good for what it’s good for. 7/10
Crooked Horns: The Metamorphosis (Independent)
It’s when the vocals kick in that this becomes more than just well-played but typical black metal and something that differs from the classic sound enough to give Crooked Horns an identity of its own as a band. The vocals are incredibly powerful, and still sound black metal in baritone, with a nice death metal edge to them. They sit nicely in the production as well, where everything is heard and nothing feels like too much. The guitar work is another strong suit this record boasts. The dual guitars give every song a feeling of intensity, and at times even suspense. They can play melodically with natural grace as well, as displayed on instrumental Utharaba Sba. The rest of the album goes between doomy, stomping tracks like To Become, As One, and high-intensity bangers like Anathema. There’s nothing poorly done, nothing that feels out of place, and no obvious weak points in any of it. So yea, pretty killer album. 8/10
Kaleidobolt: Bitter (Svart Records)
Can music be crazy technical but also hit the feel-good rock ‘n’ roll style at the same time? Kaleidobolt seem to make it work on this fine piece of work. It’s psychedelic, progressive, and straight-up rock all at once. The instrumentation is fantastic, and the instrumental passages, which are plenty, are actually the most enjoyable parts. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the vocals. They get the job done, but it’s the instrumentation that these songs are really about. There are only seven tracks on the record, but they’re all long enough and cover enough musical ground that the record doesn’t feel at all short or incomplete. Bitter is just one of those albums that’s an experience to listen all the way through. Seriously groovy stuff. 8/10
Pretty Wild: Interstate 13 (Black Lodge Records)
Most modern bands that aim to recapture the 1980s sunset strip scene sound miss the mark entirely. On Interstate 13, Pretty Wild actually hit pretty close to it. There are still modern elements, and some overly poppy choruses, but these might be part of what makes it sound fresh, and without them could risk being a copycat. If it was the exact same as the old 80s hair bands, it would have to be as good or better to be good at all, pretty much. But Interstate 13 is able to recall the glory days of Mötley Crüe and Ratt while still being a fine rock record of 2019. The rock party anthems on the album are its best moments, tracks like Let’s Get It Out and Meant For Trouble serving as highlights, but Pretty Wild also show they know their way around an arena-sized power ballad with Wild And Free. As awesome as this album is, there’s something about these songs that sounds like they were meant to be performed live. 8/10
A View From The Back Of The Room: A Heavy Night At Creature Sound
A Heavy Night At Creature Sound, Swansea,
On a day where the evidence of climate change and the emergency which faces our planet became starkly clear (45.9° in France FFS!) and the UK sweltered, where better to spend your Friday evening than in the company of the cream of the Welsh metal scene at the excellent Creature Sound venue in Swansea. Having spent most of the day in the car, and thus yes, contributing to the rapid extinction of humanity, a 45-minute drive West was bad for the planet but just what I needed after a tiring day. Posters at Creature Sound informed me that the venue was looking for investment to secure the freehold of the venue via a share sale.
A worthy cause indeed, with Kaz and Allen putting in a huge effort. Check out the information on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CreatureSound/videos/1795361063835524/
Traffic chaos on Fabian Way meant I only caught the final bars of Rapture’s End as I arrived, but I was in plenty of time to grab a drink and enter the main room. A blast of heat more suited to the Algarve than Swansea greeted me as a rerun of Heat 1 of this year’s M2TM competition commenced. Urfe (8) took to the stage. The Swansea band were a bassist light but that didn’t stop them completely blowing me away with their sound once again. I’d seen the band deliver a great set in that toughest of heats in in Cardiff in February, but ‘Bekah Morganna Nevaine and fellow band members Dafydd Jones, Aled Mainwearing and Nicholas Gealy upped the game significantly. 'Bekah’s voice was once again crystal-clear, whilst the band’s crushing doom is becoming honed to perfection. This is a band whose music isn’t suited to hot sticky evenings but for artic winds and misery but don’t let that put you off. They are improving massively with some sweet guitar work complementing Jones’ battery. Cohesive and tight, Urfe are moving forward with great strides. One to catch again soon.
Since that heady night at Fuel on 8th June, Cardiff’s Blind Divide (8) had allowed themselves some breathing space to reflect on their victory and the forthcoming set on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock (a mere six weeks away now). Having got back into the groove the previous night, this was the second of three consecutive gigs for the guys and they are warming back up very nicely. I’ve been charting their progress in these pages for a while now and have probably exhausted my superlatives box. As the sweat poured down the walls, Blind Divide simply pointed at the finish line and charged. 30 minutes later and the whole room gasped for breath. This might not have matched the intensity of their M2TM shows but this is band that never gives less than 110% Betrayer is now an established part of their set and they are looking comfortable with their movement and direction without losing the edge that they need to level venues. I may not see them again until Catton Hall in August but I’m already very excited about seeing Blind Divide destroy that tent. It will be epic.
If there is one band who have used the M2TM as a springboard to move forward, it must be the beasts King Kraken (9). Tonight, they were the band of the evening. Tighter with every performance, this was a show of some style. It doesn’t matter where they play, like Blind Divide before them, the Kraken don’t know how to play anything less than an awesome show. It was guitarist Adam Healy who caught the ear, benefiting from a clear sound (and the only fan in the venue – cue blowing locks ala Bonnie Tyler) his sweet solos soared above the thunderous groove the band carve out. New song Castle Of Bones sounded massive, with frontman Mark Donoghue humble enough to acknowledge assistance with the lyrics from his crib sheet on the floor, He certainly doesn’t need lyric support for the likes of War Machine and Freak, both anthems delivered with aplomb once more. King Kraken are gigging heavily now, so if there is something wrong with you and you haven’t caught this Welsh powerhouse in action yet, there is plenty of opportunity. The band have some huge gigs coming up and don’t be surprised to see these guys established on the HRH roster in the very near future. The future appears to be green.
With the temperature showing no signs of cooling, it was down to local thrashers Sepulchre (8) to bring the evening to a close. 35 minutes of blisteringly heavy thrashing goodness allowed no respite and opener Rapture’s End sounds great live. If there is a man who lives and breathes metal more than frontman Darren Evans, then I’ve yet to see him. His enthusiasm for the whole evening is fabulous, but this is a man who lives and dies on the stage. Seemingly able to turn on energy at will, he snarled, spat and roared as the band threw tracks from their debut release out in rapid style. Move Or Die, Betrayed By God and the misery of depression themed Kill Me all sounded immense, and Sepulchre are demonstrating a consistency and solidity which is pleasing. Despite my failing to get any kind of circle pit going despite the coercion from the stage (too hot for that mate!) this was another pleasingly impressive show. The band seem genuinely overcome by the numbers turning out. Their sincere lust for life is heart-warming. As they teased out Creeping Death, I made my excuses and headed back to the car. An evening of total enjoyment. Another one soon please!
On a day where the evidence of climate change and the emergency which faces our planet became starkly clear (45.9° in France FFS!) and the UK sweltered, where better to spend your Friday evening than in the company of the cream of the Welsh metal scene at the excellent Creature Sound venue in Swansea. Having spent most of the day in the car, and thus yes, contributing to the rapid extinction of humanity, a 45-minute drive West was bad for the planet but just what I needed after a tiring day. Posters at Creature Sound informed me that the venue was looking for investment to secure the freehold of the venue via a share sale.
A worthy cause indeed, with Kaz and Allen putting in a huge effort. Check out the information on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CreatureSound/videos/1795361063835524/
Traffic chaos on Fabian Way meant I only caught the final bars of Rapture’s End as I arrived, but I was in plenty of time to grab a drink and enter the main room. A blast of heat more suited to the Algarve than Swansea greeted me as a rerun of Heat 1 of this year’s M2TM competition commenced. Urfe (8) took to the stage. The Swansea band were a bassist light but that didn’t stop them completely blowing me away with their sound once again. I’d seen the band deliver a great set in that toughest of heats in in Cardiff in February, but ‘Bekah Morganna Nevaine and fellow band members Dafydd Jones, Aled Mainwearing and Nicholas Gealy upped the game significantly. 'Bekah’s voice was once again crystal-clear, whilst the band’s crushing doom is becoming honed to perfection. This is a band whose music isn’t suited to hot sticky evenings but for artic winds and misery but don’t let that put you off. They are improving massively with some sweet guitar work complementing Jones’ battery. Cohesive and tight, Urfe are moving forward with great strides. One to catch again soon.
Since that heady night at Fuel on 8th June, Cardiff’s Blind Divide (8) had allowed themselves some breathing space to reflect on their victory and the forthcoming set on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock (a mere six weeks away now). Having got back into the groove the previous night, this was the second of three consecutive gigs for the guys and they are warming back up very nicely. I’ve been charting their progress in these pages for a while now and have probably exhausted my superlatives box. As the sweat poured down the walls, Blind Divide simply pointed at the finish line and charged. 30 minutes later and the whole room gasped for breath. This might not have matched the intensity of their M2TM shows but this is band that never gives less than 110% Betrayer is now an established part of their set and they are looking comfortable with their movement and direction without losing the edge that they need to level venues. I may not see them again until Catton Hall in August but I’m already very excited about seeing Blind Divide destroy that tent. It will be epic.
If there is one band who have used the M2TM as a springboard to move forward, it must be the beasts King Kraken (9). Tonight, they were the band of the evening. Tighter with every performance, this was a show of some style. It doesn’t matter where they play, like Blind Divide before them, the Kraken don’t know how to play anything less than an awesome show. It was guitarist Adam Healy who caught the ear, benefiting from a clear sound (and the only fan in the venue – cue blowing locks ala Bonnie Tyler) his sweet solos soared above the thunderous groove the band carve out. New song Castle Of Bones sounded massive, with frontman Mark Donoghue humble enough to acknowledge assistance with the lyrics from his crib sheet on the floor, He certainly doesn’t need lyric support for the likes of War Machine and Freak, both anthems delivered with aplomb once more. King Kraken are gigging heavily now, so if there is something wrong with you and you haven’t caught this Welsh powerhouse in action yet, there is plenty of opportunity. The band have some huge gigs coming up and don’t be surprised to see these guys established on the HRH roster in the very near future. The future appears to be green.
With the temperature showing no signs of cooling, it was down to local thrashers Sepulchre (8) to bring the evening to a close. 35 minutes of blisteringly heavy thrashing goodness allowed no respite and opener Rapture’s End sounds great live. If there is a man who lives and breathes metal more than frontman Darren Evans, then I’ve yet to see him. His enthusiasm for the whole evening is fabulous, but this is a man who lives and dies on the stage. Seemingly able to turn on energy at will, he snarled, spat and roared as the band threw tracks from their debut release out in rapid style. Move Or Die, Betrayed By God and the misery of depression themed Kill Me all sounded immense, and Sepulchre are demonstrating a consistency and solidity which is pleasing. Despite my failing to get any kind of circle pit going despite the coercion from the stage (too hot for that mate!) this was another pleasingly impressive show. The band seem genuinely overcome by the numbers turning out. Their sincere lust for life is heart-warming. As they teased out Creeping Death, I made my excuses and headed back to the car. An evening of total enjoyment. Another one soon please!
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
Reviews: Kozen, Phoxjaw, Torchbearer, Defying Decay (Alex)
Kozen: A Fearful Wonder (Self Released)
Kozen is uncomfortable with the term ‘genre’. Their description cites influences ranging from Metal to R&B to Prog. You can certainly tell that from A Fearful Wonder. Although quintessentially rock, the style is lathered in intricate beats, changeable melodies, and diverse compositional elements. Obsessively harmonic and surprisingly well produced for a debut, you can hear every aspect present, and you notice more upon successive listens. With Open Eyes begins the album on a distinctly funk inspired tone, the luscious guitar textures, the strong presence of the rhythm section, and layers upon layers of hooks, seizing the listener from the outset. Rooted In Thin Air proves decidedly mellow, with soothing acoustics and cleverly placed piano touches creating a deliciously sanguine feel, as the instrumentals spill over into a soaring chorus. Continuing the diverse nature, Steel takes on a strong electronic influence, which not being entirely up my street, discerns itself through a retro tone, and impressive guitar techniques. As far as the pop influences are concerned, To The Wind is insatiably catchy, and despite the repetitive rhythm, stays interesting through the charming execution, and huge personality cultivated across its four-minute runtime.
Fully acknowledging that the pop leanings won’t be for everyone, Take The Sky is long, winding and complex, beginning on a sombre note and gradually developing into a powerful anthem of hope and optimism, as the guitars and synthesizers grow in presence and ambition. Indeed, although it might seem strange to describe rock pieces as jazzy, that’s exactly how moments like The Locust Season and Nail feel, with their emphasis on precision, skill and melodic versatility. Not a note is wasted, and there’s a wonderful sense from start to finish that a range of disparate ideas and notions are coming together into something truly refreshing and revitalizing. Overall, on their debut, Kozen has managed to embrace a miasma of genres and styles, while still setting out their unique sound. One aspect which may detract some people is that not all the ideas on display will resonate with everyone. However, if you are open minded to experimentation, and you are prepared to take a risk you’re your listening habits, then this piece may prove less fearful and more wondrous. 8/10
Phoxjaw: A Playground For Sad Adults (Hassle Records)
Phoxjaw has only been in existence for a year and has only two EP’s to their name. Strangely, that has not diminished the image of them as an ‘up and coming’ act. Perhaps the distinct weirdness at their core is what is taking everyone off guard. While you can trace their proggy, avant-garde style to influences such as Pixies, Faith No More, Deftones or Glassjaw, they don’t sound exactly like any of them. Their songs are interjected with visceral contrasts, outlandish vocals, and paranoid lyrics. Continuing the work started on the Goodbye Dinosaur release, A Playground For Sad Adults takes the strangeness to new levels, offering elusive darkness and intricate experiments. Melt, You’re A face Of Wax is the totally understandable and not at all puzzling title to the opening track. An enigmatic guitar riff serves as the backbone to the song, growing louder and quieter and proving shudder-inducing as the slight note alterations create an unsettling feel. ‘’All our dreams of fantasy are melting into lunacy, we sit there staring at our screens, a reverie of make-believe’’ Garland sings, his voice taking on an erratic tone as he condemns the idea of a world distracted by technology and media.
At the mid-way point, the complex lead line gives way to a macerating bout of distortion which furthers the grim, futuristic aesthetic, and brings the opener to a biting finale. Monday Man strolls along next, taunting with a playful, spirited melody which is thrown into disorder with perplexing synth effects, heart-racing guitar effects, and unpredictable drum patterns. Another great track, which shows that catchiness and eccentricity need not be totally far apart. We soon come to Whale, Whale, Whale which I'm going, to be honest, is one of my least favourite tracks. While there is still plenty of adroit playing and unpredictably to be found, especially if you’ve got a good ear for detail, the whole thing bears too much in common with a traditional hardcore track, lacking in melody and memorability. Thankfully, Bodies In The Wall revitalizes my interest, which despite being simple, is carried through its subtle background flourishes, quirkily gruesome lyrics and morose tone – something these musicians absolutely excel at, and probably part of the reason why they’ve received so much attention as of late.
Closing the EP is The Curse Of The Button Man – another title that’s going to make me lie awake at night, pondering. Sounding like the soundtrack to a circus run by maniacally depressed clowns, you don’t know whether to laugh at the oddness or recoil at the blackened presentation. You’re going to want to make up your mind as the song only intensifies, with increased exaggeration and dramatics.Following on from my last sentence, given the trajectory of their music on their two releases, and the recognition they have received for charting their own course ‘intensifying in exaggeration and dramatics’ might just become the template for their entire career. 7/10
Torchbearer: Against The Tide (Self Released)
Pulverizing rhythms, angsty vocals, and muddy, grungy production value. These are all aspects which make up Torchbearers sound and a large portion of hardcore punk. I have always been unabashed in my appreciation of championed pun acts such as The Clash, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion and NOFX to name a few of my favourites. However, while I sharpened and expanded my music tastes through Post-Hardcore acts in the vein of Rise Against and Billy Talent, I was never really a fan of ruckus hardcore and Oi bands. While the influences are clear on Against The Tide, nothing here really distinguishes the EP from a sea of underground punk releases. From Time Served to the self-titled Torchbearer, the riffs are incredibly forgettable, the chorus harmonies are not well thought out, and the production is bad even for punk standards.
Not only does it fail to offer anything to me, but I can’t see what it's offering to punk fans in general, given that the style has been performed more passionately by generations of bands. I don’t begrudge these musicians for an inconsequential release. They are clearly a band in their infancy and there’s a high probability that they will improve with experience. As for now though, I can only judge what I’m offered, and the naivety, amateurishness and unintentional recklessness on display, means there’s a lot of improvements that need to mad if Torchbearer is going to live up to the character and personality of their idols 4/10
Defying Decay: Metamorphosis (Self Released)
Defining themselves as electronic alternative, Defying Decay had me immediately asking questions about how they would sound. After all, their choice of genre can yield mixed results. Ultimately, it depends on how the synths are integrated, and how far the artist is prepared to use them creatively. That may seem obvious but believe me when I say that incorporating keyboards to maximum effect can be risky. I have seen so many acts lather their sound in glossy artificial textures, and come out all the worse for the experiment. Not that it’s all bad. When executed well synthesizers can enhance a band’s sound, complementing the rest of the instrumentals, and taking the music to new levels of sonic brilliance. How does Metamorphosis fare in the grand scheme of musicians taking a more ‘mainstream’ approach to songcrafting? Well, one thing I’ll say, to begin with, is that the different instruments never obscure each other. Take the opener, Crimson Butterfly/Frozen Butterfly, where the ambient instrumentals play a strong part but stand alongside guitars and drums perfectly in the mix to create a loud, ferocious feeling. Dying Program also benefits from this technique, the crafty uses of contrast and harmony, fostering a ghostly aesthetic, which all five of the members contribute to. Even the album closer, Yellow Fever, differentiates itself through a crushingly visceral tone, aided by subtle background noises and strange modulations – the extra layer of detail bringing the anthem to life.
However, while I may have nice words to say about the production decisions on display, the compositional elements leave a lot to be desired. Too often, the electronics, as well as the guitars, bass, and drums are just there, and not really standing out in their own unique way. I commend the way these musicians turned what could have been a very convoluted mix into something cohesive and paced, yet part of me can't help wishing that they were raucous and musically obnoxious, if only to give me something interesting to talk about. While Sad Song tries to conjure an emotional and heart wrenching feeling, the generic, unambitious and meek attempts to accomplish a sense of sadness, fail to meet the mark. Then there's Headrush which plays with scratch turntables and primitive, animal rhythms – the resulting whirlwind certainly feels like a rush, yet one where all colour is swept away in a featureless blur. There are many songs like this as well. Judas Kiss is a play on a cliché metal formula, as is Swan Song. The technical proficiency is certainly there, yet there's a clear sense that Defying Decay are wasting their potential on pandering to a style, rather than employing their combination of electro-rock and alt-metalcore, to create something truly intriguing. 5/10
Kozen is uncomfortable with the term ‘genre’. Their description cites influences ranging from Metal to R&B to Prog. You can certainly tell that from A Fearful Wonder. Although quintessentially rock, the style is lathered in intricate beats, changeable melodies, and diverse compositional elements. Obsessively harmonic and surprisingly well produced for a debut, you can hear every aspect present, and you notice more upon successive listens. With Open Eyes begins the album on a distinctly funk inspired tone, the luscious guitar textures, the strong presence of the rhythm section, and layers upon layers of hooks, seizing the listener from the outset. Rooted In Thin Air proves decidedly mellow, with soothing acoustics and cleverly placed piano touches creating a deliciously sanguine feel, as the instrumentals spill over into a soaring chorus. Continuing the diverse nature, Steel takes on a strong electronic influence, which not being entirely up my street, discerns itself through a retro tone, and impressive guitar techniques. As far as the pop influences are concerned, To The Wind is insatiably catchy, and despite the repetitive rhythm, stays interesting through the charming execution, and huge personality cultivated across its four-minute runtime.
Fully acknowledging that the pop leanings won’t be for everyone, Take The Sky is long, winding and complex, beginning on a sombre note and gradually developing into a powerful anthem of hope and optimism, as the guitars and synthesizers grow in presence and ambition. Indeed, although it might seem strange to describe rock pieces as jazzy, that’s exactly how moments like The Locust Season and Nail feel, with their emphasis on precision, skill and melodic versatility. Not a note is wasted, and there’s a wonderful sense from start to finish that a range of disparate ideas and notions are coming together into something truly refreshing and revitalizing. Overall, on their debut, Kozen has managed to embrace a miasma of genres and styles, while still setting out their unique sound. One aspect which may detract some people is that not all the ideas on display will resonate with everyone. However, if you are open minded to experimentation, and you are prepared to take a risk you’re your listening habits, then this piece may prove less fearful and more wondrous. 8/10
Phoxjaw: A Playground For Sad Adults (Hassle Records)
Phoxjaw has only been in existence for a year and has only two EP’s to their name. Strangely, that has not diminished the image of them as an ‘up and coming’ act. Perhaps the distinct weirdness at their core is what is taking everyone off guard. While you can trace their proggy, avant-garde style to influences such as Pixies, Faith No More, Deftones or Glassjaw, they don’t sound exactly like any of them. Their songs are interjected with visceral contrasts, outlandish vocals, and paranoid lyrics. Continuing the work started on the Goodbye Dinosaur release, A Playground For Sad Adults takes the strangeness to new levels, offering elusive darkness and intricate experiments. Melt, You’re A face Of Wax is the totally understandable and not at all puzzling title to the opening track. An enigmatic guitar riff serves as the backbone to the song, growing louder and quieter and proving shudder-inducing as the slight note alterations create an unsettling feel. ‘’All our dreams of fantasy are melting into lunacy, we sit there staring at our screens, a reverie of make-believe’’ Garland sings, his voice taking on an erratic tone as he condemns the idea of a world distracted by technology and media.
At the mid-way point, the complex lead line gives way to a macerating bout of distortion which furthers the grim, futuristic aesthetic, and brings the opener to a biting finale. Monday Man strolls along next, taunting with a playful, spirited melody which is thrown into disorder with perplexing synth effects, heart-racing guitar effects, and unpredictable drum patterns. Another great track, which shows that catchiness and eccentricity need not be totally far apart. We soon come to Whale, Whale, Whale which I'm going, to be honest, is one of my least favourite tracks. While there is still plenty of adroit playing and unpredictably to be found, especially if you’ve got a good ear for detail, the whole thing bears too much in common with a traditional hardcore track, lacking in melody and memorability. Thankfully, Bodies In The Wall revitalizes my interest, which despite being simple, is carried through its subtle background flourishes, quirkily gruesome lyrics and morose tone – something these musicians absolutely excel at, and probably part of the reason why they’ve received so much attention as of late.
Closing the EP is The Curse Of The Button Man – another title that’s going to make me lie awake at night, pondering. Sounding like the soundtrack to a circus run by maniacally depressed clowns, you don’t know whether to laugh at the oddness or recoil at the blackened presentation. You’re going to want to make up your mind as the song only intensifies, with increased exaggeration and dramatics.Following on from my last sentence, given the trajectory of their music on their two releases, and the recognition they have received for charting their own course ‘intensifying in exaggeration and dramatics’ might just become the template for their entire career. 7/10
Torchbearer: Against The Tide (Self Released)
Pulverizing rhythms, angsty vocals, and muddy, grungy production value. These are all aspects which make up Torchbearers sound and a large portion of hardcore punk. I have always been unabashed in my appreciation of championed pun acts such as The Clash, Dead Kennedys, Bad Religion and NOFX to name a few of my favourites. However, while I sharpened and expanded my music tastes through Post-Hardcore acts in the vein of Rise Against and Billy Talent, I was never really a fan of ruckus hardcore and Oi bands. While the influences are clear on Against The Tide, nothing here really distinguishes the EP from a sea of underground punk releases. From Time Served to the self-titled Torchbearer, the riffs are incredibly forgettable, the chorus harmonies are not well thought out, and the production is bad even for punk standards.
Not only does it fail to offer anything to me, but I can’t see what it's offering to punk fans in general, given that the style has been performed more passionately by generations of bands. I don’t begrudge these musicians for an inconsequential release. They are clearly a band in their infancy and there’s a high probability that they will improve with experience. As for now though, I can only judge what I’m offered, and the naivety, amateurishness and unintentional recklessness on display, means there’s a lot of improvements that need to mad if Torchbearer is going to live up to the character and personality of their idols 4/10
Defying Decay: Metamorphosis (Self Released)
Defining themselves as electronic alternative, Defying Decay had me immediately asking questions about how they would sound. After all, their choice of genre can yield mixed results. Ultimately, it depends on how the synths are integrated, and how far the artist is prepared to use them creatively. That may seem obvious but believe me when I say that incorporating keyboards to maximum effect can be risky. I have seen so many acts lather their sound in glossy artificial textures, and come out all the worse for the experiment. Not that it’s all bad. When executed well synthesizers can enhance a band’s sound, complementing the rest of the instrumentals, and taking the music to new levels of sonic brilliance. How does Metamorphosis fare in the grand scheme of musicians taking a more ‘mainstream’ approach to songcrafting? Well, one thing I’ll say, to begin with, is that the different instruments never obscure each other. Take the opener, Crimson Butterfly/Frozen Butterfly, where the ambient instrumentals play a strong part but stand alongside guitars and drums perfectly in the mix to create a loud, ferocious feeling. Dying Program also benefits from this technique, the crafty uses of contrast and harmony, fostering a ghostly aesthetic, which all five of the members contribute to. Even the album closer, Yellow Fever, differentiates itself through a crushingly visceral tone, aided by subtle background noises and strange modulations – the extra layer of detail bringing the anthem to life.
However, while I may have nice words to say about the production decisions on display, the compositional elements leave a lot to be desired. Too often, the electronics, as well as the guitars, bass, and drums are just there, and not really standing out in their own unique way. I commend the way these musicians turned what could have been a very convoluted mix into something cohesive and paced, yet part of me can't help wishing that they were raucous and musically obnoxious, if only to give me something interesting to talk about. While Sad Song tries to conjure an emotional and heart wrenching feeling, the generic, unambitious and meek attempts to accomplish a sense of sadness, fail to meet the mark. Then there's Headrush which plays with scratch turntables and primitive, animal rhythms – the resulting whirlwind certainly feels like a rush, yet one where all colour is swept away in a featureless blur. There are many songs like this as well. Judas Kiss is a play on a cliché metal formula, as is Swan Song. The technical proficiency is certainly there, yet there's a clear sense that Defying Decay are wasting their potential on pandering to a style, rather than employing their combination of electro-rock and alt-metalcore, to create something truly intriguing. 5/10
A View From The Back Of The Room: The Hero Dies First
The Hero Dies First, Callista, We Come From Ashes, Blind Divide & Beyond Sorrow, Fuel Rock Club
A Thursday night in Fuel rock club and a lot of groove based noises presented by 12AX7 Promotions. Now I'm not the world's biggest metalcore fan but variety is the spice of life so it was down to Fuel I go for a night of big breakdowns and heavy riffs.
Despite it being thirsty Thursday, or perhaps because of it, there was reasonable crowd for opening act Beyond Sorrow (7) who ploughed through their breakdown infused metalcore with vigour despite being first on the bill. John up front is a vocal powerhouse and the band behind him are as heavy they can be bringing snarling riffs that impressed enough in M2TM to get them a semi final slot. Here they were constructed by time but gave it their all drawing a pretty decent crowd and even getting the action down the front going
The evening was on an upward curve as next up were Bloodstock M2TM 2019 winners Blind Divide (8) who showed that even when faced with adversity, a strong breaking in this case, you shouldn't give up on the set. Delivering their set with the usual aggression James prowled the stage as the James and Adam riffed like hell (until Adam's broken string) with the brain rattling rhythm section of Declan and Anthony brought the guts. One a again tracks such as Betrayer ripped Fuel a new one with a professionalism and vitality that saw them win a slot at BOA this year.
Following on from the Cardiff beasts were We Come From Ashes (6) again featuring John from Beyond Sorrow roaring down the mic and Max from M2TM Bristol finalists Trep behind the kit. To be honest they are a little by-the-numbers metalcore with much of their set blurring into one one long quiet/loud dynamic. Still the crowd seemed to like it and they have enough there to keep you entertained.
Next up were the more hardcore influenced Callista (7) who brought a ferocity only bettered by Blind Divide, they had something to say and they said it with a set that flew past in a whirlwind of punk attitude and abrasive riffs. Probably the one band on the bill that were the angriest it bleed out of every pore as the were about as in your face as you can get. An ideal set up for what was to come.
The evenings final band were The Hero Dies First (8), billed as a melodic metal band they mixed metalcore with the emotional power and their use of dual vocals works brilliantly as they have a dedicated singer who, growls like an angry bear grunting over the intricate leads and groove drenched riffs but their guitarist gives a clean lead to build the chorus to shout along with. Spending most of the gig on the floor singer their singer patrolled the crowd with passion backed by a talented band whose take on the metalcore sound brought in some more technical aspects, classifying them as a melodic metal band.
For a Thursday night it was a pretty good crowd rewarded by some great music metcore is still not my favourite thing but live it does the job.
A Thursday night in Fuel rock club and a lot of groove based noises presented by 12AX7 Promotions. Now I'm not the world's biggest metalcore fan but variety is the spice of life so it was down to Fuel I go for a night of big breakdowns and heavy riffs.
Despite it being thirsty Thursday, or perhaps because of it, there was reasonable crowd for opening act Beyond Sorrow (7) who ploughed through their breakdown infused metalcore with vigour despite being first on the bill. John up front is a vocal powerhouse and the band behind him are as heavy they can be bringing snarling riffs that impressed enough in M2TM to get them a semi final slot. Here they were constructed by time but gave it their all drawing a pretty decent crowd and even getting the action down the front going
The evening was on an upward curve as next up were Bloodstock M2TM 2019 winners Blind Divide (8) who showed that even when faced with adversity, a strong breaking in this case, you shouldn't give up on the set. Delivering their set with the usual aggression James prowled the stage as the James and Adam riffed like hell (until Adam's broken string) with the brain rattling rhythm section of Declan and Anthony brought the guts. One a again tracks such as Betrayer ripped Fuel a new one with a professionalism and vitality that saw them win a slot at BOA this year.
Following on from the Cardiff beasts were We Come From Ashes (6) again featuring John from Beyond Sorrow roaring down the mic and Max from M2TM Bristol finalists Trep behind the kit. To be honest they are a little by-the-numbers metalcore with much of their set blurring into one one long quiet/loud dynamic. Still the crowd seemed to like it and they have enough there to keep you entertained.
Next up were the more hardcore influenced Callista (7) who brought a ferocity only bettered by Blind Divide, they had something to say and they said it with a set that flew past in a whirlwind of punk attitude and abrasive riffs. Probably the one band on the bill that were the angriest it bleed out of every pore as the were about as in your face as you can get. An ideal set up for what was to come.
The evenings final band were The Hero Dies First (8), billed as a melodic metal band they mixed metalcore with the emotional power and their use of dual vocals works brilliantly as they have a dedicated singer who, growls like an angry bear grunting over the intricate leads and groove drenched riffs but their guitarist gives a clean lead to build the chorus to shout along with. Spending most of the gig on the floor singer their singer patrolled the crowd with passion backed by a talented band whose take on the metalcore sound brought in some more technical aspects, classifying them as a melodic metal band.
For a Thursday night it was a pretty good crowd rewarded by some great music metcore is still not my favourite thing but live it does the job.
Monday, 1 July 2019
Reviews: False, Aubzagl, Beheaded, Schattenmann (Paul S & Liam)
False: Portent (Gilead Media) [Paul S]
False are a 6 piece from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band have been going since 2010, and Portent is their second album. The band's first album Untitled was a powerful, piece of black metal with maybe a little bit of a folky feel to some of the material. How have False developed in the 4 intervening years? Portent has 4 songs, 3 very long tracks and a short, piano instrumental at the end of the album. The album starts with A Victual To Our Dead Selves. The ten minute track opens with some very tight, mid-paced black metal, with harsh vocals; it’s tuneful and melodic, but hints that there is a storm coming. The storm arrives in the form of a more chaotic, discordant and faster style of Black Metal. The extreme, chaotic style of Black Metal feels a little like Ævangelist, Chaos Moon or a little like Portal (although not as de-tuned as Portal, imagine Portal riffs but an octave higher). At this point I think I should mention the drumming on this album. Firstly, they are amazingly well played, this is one of the best drumming performances I’ve heard in a long time.
Secondly, they play a really important role in this album. The album is a mixture of the savage and chaotic sound I’ve just described and softer, more muted sections. The drumming on the extreme parts is very busy, with lots of snare rolls, on the softer parts, there is still an urgent feel to the drumming, and the snare rolls are still there. This means the softer, less chaotic sections have a feeling that the chaos is still near. Even though the less extreme parts allow the audience to have a slight respite from the insanity, the drumming stops the audience from relaxing, you could be dropped back into the maelstrom at any moment. After the first extreme section, we get a part that is fast, but more direct, more like standard Black Metal, which also boasts a guitar solo. We are then taken into a softer, more reflexive segment that loses the chaos and nastiness. At this point we also get our first taste of the keyboards that help to temper some of the harshness and helps to smooth the track out. After this the track gets heavier, and more chaotic till the end. At a few points this part reminded me of Emperor’s Ye Entrancemperium in the riffing, and another guitar solo brings the first track to an end. Rime On The Song Of Returning starts where the previous track ended, dropping the listener strait into a chaotic blast beat. This moves to a more direct approach, it’s mid-paced and has the keyboards to smooth out the savagery. Again the drums foretell bedlam and disorder, as we get another short taste of the maelstrom.
About two thirds of the way through the track everything gets slow and discordant, brooding and relentless, before slowly increasing the nasty and extreme. The track comes to an end with a slow, discordant section that is very keyboard heavy, and has a slight relaxing, introspective feel. Again the next track, The Serpent Sting, The Smell Of Goat, starts with a similar feel to the track that preceded it, starting with a slow, brooding section. This slow part gradually speeds up and increases in intensity, with a lot of melody. Once the audience is lulled into a false sense of security, they are then dropped into another part of pandemonium and mayhem with another insane blasting section that batters and confuses, causing havoc, turmoil and disarray. This is a band that is very good at insane swirling chaos, but they temper it with slower, smoother sections that have lustrous keyboards that add a serine, tranquil feeling to the music. The final third of The Serpent Sting, The Smell Of Goat is one of those softer sections. The keyboards in this part are more like an organ than before, this section is tuneful and melodic, but no less powerful. This part builds to the end of the track. It is huge and powerful, but the tuneful and musical element is very strong. The album ends with a short piano instrumental called Postlude.
A soft and beautiful way to end an amazing album. Portent is a stunning album. Taking this extreme style of Black Metal and making it tuneful, and accessible to people who wouldn’t normally listen to such unrelenting savagery, is a very clever thing indeed. The mixing of blasting chaos, and smoother, tempered sections is done in such an intelligent way, that it’s almost unbelievable that they have managed to pull this off. This album is chaotic, savage, brutal, difficult, disturbing and oppressive; whilst also being tuneful, melodic, accessible, tranquil, sweet and mellifluous. To combine styles that should be dispirit in such a seem-less way is nothing short of incredible. If extreme Black Metal has always turned you off, give this a go, it’s a gateway drug to more extreme, difficult music. This is an incredibly well made and written album, a classic from the first listen. If you like Black Metal, or any kind of extreme music, this is essential, close to a perfect album. 9/10
Aubzagl: Eilífa Kuldinn (Secret Riff Records) [Paul S]
Aubzagl are a 4 piece based in Yorkshire, they’ve been going since last year, and this EP is their first release. The band play a fairly simple, orthodox style of Black Metal that broadly reminds me of Watain and Wode. There is also a fairly thrashy edge to a lot of the material, so in places there is a little of Nifelheim and Aura Noir in there as well. The Ep has 2 short, quite nasty instrumentals, and 6 black metal tracks. The Hermit opens with a nice bit of thrashy black metal, that has loads of energy. Varaha is a great piece of flowing black metal, with a little bit of Windir in the tempo. The Oath Of Blood has a more rhythmic, staccato pacing, and the ending is a little bit hardcore. Voices Of The Aether is fast and nasty, except for the ending, which is slow and nasty. The Adversary is fast, tight, and thrashy, with a very punky ending.
The album is brought to an end by the appropriately named The End Of All Things, which is the longest track on the EP, and is a mixture of fast and savage, with slow and heavy, which is a great way to end the EP. Eilífa Kuldinn is a fantastic EP. The style might be quite simple, but it’s packed with energy and melody, so in many ways the simplicity is a boon. The tracks are very well written, clearly these are very accomplished musicians, as everything is beautifully performed, and it is very well produced and recorded. For a first Ep, this is stunning, and it’s also quite long for an Ep at 28 minutes, so it’s really good value as well. Brilliant EP, I’m really looking forward to an album, this is highly recommended. 8/10
Beheaded: Only Death Can Save You (Agonia Records) [Liam]
Being the death metal outfits 6th studio album they pretty much have the hold of the death metal sound. The Malta natives unleash crushing riffs and larynx shredding vocals the band are on top form throughout the album. Another thing you may pick up on, the record also has a Grindcore feel to it, with vocalist Frank Calleja bringing out the signature snarls of Barney from Napalm Death. There are plenty on moments where you feel the band beating your eardrums to a pulp with the blast beats and shredding. And it’s done with such precision that the band could almost come under Technical Death Metal and get away with it. From opener The Charlatans Enunciation, to The Papist Devil it’s just a non-stop fury of aggression & brutality . But when you hit the last three songs of the album, that's where it gets a little repetitive. But apart from that, the record as a whole is pretty damn good. 8/10
Schattenmann: Epidemie (AFM Records) [Liam]
This band is the spiritual successor to Rammstein. Taking the formula of Industrial Metal and changing it slightly with the use of synthesizers the band are on top form on this record. My initial thought wasn't much, but it wasn't anything like what's on the album. Even though it's purely in German vocals, it doesn't stop the momentum one bit. There's catchy riffs, hooks, chorus' & a medley of guitar and synth sounds to make this amazing album perfect in my eyes. If you're all about catchy songs, then F.U.C.K.Y.O.U, title track Epidemie & Kopf Durch Die Wand are right up your alley. The record however is just flawless from back to front (And available to pre-order via the band's Facebook page if you want to the guys out, like I'm currently doing right now) and are deserving of more attention. Keep a lookout for these guys. If they aren't on the festival circuit by next summer, then there's something seriously wrong. 10/10
Secondly, they play a really important role in this album. The album is a mixture of the savage and chaotic sound I’ve just described and softer, more muted sections. The drumming on the extreme parts is very busy, with lots of snare rolls, on the softer parts, there is still an urgent feel to the drumming, and the snare rolls are still there. This means the softer, less chaotic sections have a feeling that the chaos is still near. Even though the less extreme parts allow the audience to have a slight respite from the insanity, the drumming stops the audience from relaxing, you could be dropped back into the maelstrom at any moment. After the first extreme section, we get a part that is fast, but more direct, more like standard Black Metal, which also boasts a guitar solo. We are then taken into a softer, more reflexive segment that loses the chaos and nastiness. At this point we also get our first taste of the keyboards that help to temper some of the harshness and helps to smooth the track out. After this the track gets heavier, and more chaotic till the end. At a few points this part reminded me of Emperor’s Ye Entrancemperium in the riffing, and another guitar solo brings the first track to an end. Rime On The Song Of Returning starts where the previous track ended, dropping the listener strait into a chaotic blast beat. This moves to a more direct approach, it’s mid-paced and has the keyboards to smooth out the savagery. Again the drums foretell bedlam and disorder, as we get another short taste of the maelstrom.
About two thirds of the way through the track everything gets slow and discordant, brooding and relentless, before slowly increasing the nasty and extreme. The track comes to an end with a slow, discordant section that is very keyboard heavy, and has a slight relaxing, introspective feel. Again the next track, The Serpent Sting, The Smell Of Goat, starts with a similar feel to the track that preceded it, starting with a slow, brooding section. This slow part gradually speeds up and increases in intensity, with a lot of melody. Once the audience is lulled into a false sense of security, they are then dropped into another part of pandemonium and mayhem with another insane blasting section that batters and confuses, causing havoc, turmoil and disarray. This is a band that is very good at insane swirling chaos, but they temper it with slower, smoother sections that have lustrous keyboards that add a serine, tranquil feeling to the music. The final third of The Serpent Sting, The Smell Of Goat is one of those softer sections. The keyboards in this part are more like an organ than before, this section is tuneful and melodic, but no less powerful. This part builds to the end of the track. It is huge and powerful, but the tuneful and musical element is very strong. The album ends with a short piano instrumental called Postlude.
A soft and beautiful way to end an amazing album. Portent is a stunning album. Taking this extreme style of Black Metal and making it tuneful, and accessible to people who wouldn’t normally listen to such unrelenting savagery, is a very clever thing indeed. The mixing of blasting chaos, and smoother, tempered sections is done in such an intelligent way, that it’s almost unbelievable that they have managed to pull this off. This album is chaotic, savage, brutal, difficult, disturbing and oppressive; whilst also being tuneful, melodic, accessible, tranquil, sweet and mellifluous. To combine styles that should be dispirit in such a seem-less way is nothing short of incredible. If extreme Black Metal has always turned you off, give this a go, it’s a gateway drug to more extreme, difficult music. This is an incredibly well made and written album, a classic from the first listen. If you like Black Metal, or any kind of extreme music, this is essential, close to a perfect album. 9/10
Aubzagl: Eilífa Kuldinn (Secret Riff Records) [Paul S]
Aubzagl are a 4 piece based in Yorkshire, they’ve been going since last year, and this EP is their first release. The band play a fairly simple, orthodox style of Black Metal that broadly reminds me of Watain and Wode. There is also a fairly thrashy edge to a lot of the material, so in places there is a little of Nifelheim and Aura Noir in there as well. The Ep has 2 short, quite nasty instrumentals, and 6 black metal tracks. The Hermit opens with a nice bit of thrashy black metal, that has loads of energy. Varaha is a great piece of flowing black metal, with a little bit of Windir in the tempo. The Oath Of Blood has a more rhythmic, staccato pacing, and the ending is a little bit hardcore. Voices Of The Aether is fast and nasty, except for the ending, which is slow and nasty. The Adversary is fast, tight, and thrashy, with a very punky ending.
The album is brought to an end by the appropriately named The End Of All Things, which is the longest track on the EP, and is a mixture of fast and savage, with slow and heavy, which is a great way to end the EP. Eilífa Kuldinn is a fantastic EP. The style might be quite simple, but it’s packed with energy and melody, so in many ways the simplicity is a boon. The tracks are very well written, clearly these are very accomplished musicians, as everything is beautifully performed, and it is very well produced and recorded. For a first Ep, this is stunning, and it’s also quite long for an Ep at 28 minutes, so it’s really good value as well. Brilliant EP, I’m really looking forward to an album, this is highly recommended. 8/10
Beheaded: Only Death Can Save You (Agonia Records) [Liam]
Being the death metal outfits 6th studio album they pretty much have the hold of the death metal sound. The Malta natives unleash crushing riffs and larynx shredding vocals the band are on top form throughout the album. Another thing you may pick up on, the record also has a Grindcore feel to it, with vocalist Frank Calleja bringing out the signature snarls of Barney from Napalm Death. There are plenty on moments where you feel the band beating your eardrums to a pulp with the blast beats and shredding. And it’s done with such precision that the band could almost come under Technical Death Metal and get away with it. From opener The Charlatans Enunciation, to The Papist Devil it’s just a non-stop fury of aggression & brutality . But when you hit the last three songs of the album, that's where it gets a little repetitive. But apart from that, the record as a whole is pretty damn good. 8/10
Schattenmann: Epidemie (AFM Records) [Liam]
This band is the spiritual successor to Rammstein. Taking the formula of Industrial Metal and changing it slightly with the use of synthesizers the band are on top form on this record. My initial thought wasn't much, but it wasn't anything like what's on the album. Even though it's purely in German vocals, it doesn't stop the momentum one bit. There's catchy riffs, hooks, chorus' & a medley of guitar and synth sounds to make this amazing album perfect in my eyes. If you're all about catchy songs, then F.U.C.K.Y.O.U, title track Epidemie & Kopf Durch Die Wand are right up your alley. The record however is just flawless from back to front (And available to pre-order via the band's Facebook page if you want to the guys out, like I'm currently doing right now) and are deserving of more attention. Keep a lookout for these guys. If they aren't on the festival circuit by next summer, then there's something seriously wrong. 10/10
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