Reviews: GGGOLDDD, Witchpit, Pist.On, Troll Teeth (Reviews By Matt Bladen, Rich P, Zak Skane, & David Karpel)

GGGOLDDD - This Shame Should Not Be Mine (Artoffact Records) [Matt Bladen]

Formerly known as Gold, the fifth album from the now retitled GGGOLDDD is a masterstroke in dynamics and musical expression. Vocalist Milena Eva has dealt with her personal experience of sexual assault on this record and it is geared towards to how Eva has have to learn to trust again after such a trauma. The lyrical influences lends itself to an introspective/unnerving listen with swathes of electronics to augment the rock instrumentation. 

Their virtual Roadburn show of last year drew comparisons to Portishead, Massive Attack and Björk, all these styles very noticeable on this new record, where the soundscapes shift in tone and energy. The rumbling Invisible, which has a repeating synth hook that will either draw you in or distract you, is almost punishing while the following number I Won't Let You Down really pushes into those Björkisms as a stripped back opening that builds into a fuzzing darkwave final part, the hauntingly powerful vocals soaring above what is an ominous backing of a drum machine and undulating electronics. 

Recorded at Jamie Gomez Arrelano's Orgone Studio, the band worked at their own pace and learned to embrace silence, which permeates through the record in a way that lets the songs breathe. Notes On How To Trust is a where these trust issues are explored, through the vein of dark, driving Depeche Mode-like pop. They're another band that has heavily influenced This Shame Should Not Be Mine, with a quirky title track having an orchestral swish, as are Cocteau Twins who you can hear on the robotic On You. 

Along with Eva GGGOLDDD are made up of Thomas Sciarone (guitar/electronics), Vincent Shore (guitar), Jaka Bolič (guitars), Igor Wouters (drums) and Daniele Warners (bass), this band delivering a record that is musically dense and confident in its delivery and composition. Darkly, intriguing electronic music with pop, art-prog and rock all smashed together in a wonderfully inventive way. 8/10

Witchpit - The Weight Of Death (Heavy Psych Sounds) [Rich P]

Sludgy stoner hardcore? Hardcore stoner sludge? Whatever you call it, the debut full length offering from South Carolina’s Witchpit brings you some great heaviness with vocals that sound right out of your favorite early 90s hardcore scene but who would really piss of the straight edge vegans in the audience.  They bring a unique combination of heavy sounds to provide an exciting listening experience to the listener while blowing their heads off at the same time. 

The opener OTTR has a killer stoner rock groove with that hardcore style bark which is more of a gruff shout then a death metal growl. Midway through the track we get a Sabbath style riff breakdown which displays their obvious classic/heavy rock influences to go along with their sludge heaviness. The next track The Blackened Fee reminds me of a groovier High On Fire and continues with the killer riffage. The production of this album is something to behold. It sounds like it could have been recorded in a haze of smoke in 1974 (the highest of complements). 

The title track is a ripper that could have been the opener to a Sick Of It All or Snapcase record. I am not sure if Witchpit like hardcore, but I hear that influence throughout The Weight Of Death. Riffs are still being provided generously with Autonomous Deprivation which brings more of that High On Fire comparison and a nice doomy breakdown halfway through. Fire and Ice is a ripper that may be my favorite track on the record and again has that fast slow fast that is so effective throughout the six songs on The Weight Of Death. 

Mr. Miserum is a slow burn closer that wraps up this album nicely with a sludgy doom feel. This album brings the heavy for sure. Killer riffs, excellent doomy breakdowns, and some stoner grooves makes this a super fun listening experience. What will turn some people off are the vocals. I personally dig it, but some will find the harsh barky hardcore style a bit off putting if that is not your thing. Overall, I highly recommend checking out this very strong debut. 8/10 

Pist.On – Cold World EP (Self Released) [Zak Skane]

Following from their extended break, the New York sludge metal four piece are back with their three track E.P Cold World. The band originally formed in the 90’s, with three releases under their name Number One (1996), $ell Out (1999) and Saves EP (2001). They’ve also had great opportunities supporting bands like Marilyn Manson, Korn and Type O Negative before they announced their hiatus in 2018. Fast forward to four years and the band are back and sludgier than ever. 

With the three track opening up with Cold World we get these classic doom metal sludgy riffs accompanied with some classic groovy drum beats from Jeff Mcmanus that take me back to classic 90’s goth with bands like Type O Negative and Paradise Lost springing to mind. Henry Front’s vocals have the same swagger and attitude of Axl Rose did in his prime. With the classic melancholic descending melodies featured in the choruses this band have began to a promising start. Ruin Your Day leads us down the rock and roll path, beginning with the palm muted riffs and a softly sung chorus that leads to sleazy grooves in the verses. 

The lyrics pack classic tongue and cheek pessimism that could easily come from the Peter Steel handbook, at this point I’m starting to understand why these guys toured with Type O back in the day. Their wintery closer Icicles opens back up with the wall of sludgy riffs accompanied by classic sounding guitar melodies that take Slash would be proud of. With Henry snarling over the doomy brew of the pounding drum beats and chonky guitars that bands like Crowbar and Paradise Lose are famous for with the mix of rock swagger of Guns N Roses this band have really done a good jobs putting Goth and rock together. 

Overall this is a great comeback for the band, with the drums sounding boomy and punchy whilst cutting through the stoner tinged guitars giving Henry snarls somewhere to sit comfortably on top. Dave Otero has a great job blending this together. Personally out of the three tracks their opener Cold World represents the band to its fullest with the gothic overtone from the descending lead parts in the choruses to the Peter Steele/Axel Rose infused vocals. The only advice I would say is that, this album is more of a continuation of their sound that they forged in the 90’s, so don’t expect any metal modernisms. 8/10

Troll Teeth - Hanged, Drawn, And Quartered (Electric Talon Records) [David Karpel]

Some people wear their politics on their sleeve. New Jersey’s Troll Teeth, meanwhile, wear their politics on their bludgeoning riffs. The songs on Hanged, Drawn, And Quartered rumble and roll with sludge soaked psych-doom tempos and a blues-tinged poli-sci temperament. Lyrically inspired by the postcolonial works of Cameroonian political philosopher Achille Mbeme, Moe (bass/vocals), Pretty Boy (bass), and Thuds (drums), prove that their latest line-up, consistent for the last two of their three albums, has allowed them to solidify their modus operandi. 

Vocals ride the shallows, clear and yearning, then soar over curling riffs. Clean solos give an electrified dimension to the hammering doom, and the bottom booms – all secured in groove with the plodding beats provided by the often subtle power of thunds. Opening track Hand Me Down, at 8 minutes, is a solid introduction to all that follows. Lyrics depict purposeful class divisions and the powerful “covering their tracks of supremacy.” A repetitive Sabbathian riff cuts a slow, crunchy shuffle and lays a foundation for Moe to sing a lament for the “entrenched mindsets” of society’s ills. Elephant In The Room, founded on a bass line that gives the song a doomy Pearl Jam feel, allows Moe’s vocals to continue to mourn, stretching melodies over that slinky bass, thick riffs, and that bottom heavy bass. At 9 minutes, it’s a long jam and I get the feeling after these first two songs that these guys live for the slow and smoked jam sessions. 

Picking up the pace, the surprising Gallows On The Playground shows what Troll Teeth can do in half the time of the previous song. The bass playing here–and throughout–really shines, and Moe’s vocals, slow as molasses over a steadily rushing river of riffs, are ever more spooky in the juxtaposition. The urgency of the song is only enhanced by the direct message therein, as Moe sings,  “It's just a little game they like to play/ Giving you rights just to strip them away/ Sure they got rid of slavery/ Gave you a cage so fine you'll never be free.” Expect Nothing, Receive Nothing sees the band return to the long form and emphasizes the jam-band qualities that develop in the longer tunes on the album. Although the instrumental sections on Expect Nothing… contain some of the best musicianship on the record–it sounds like a live, spontaneous jam session that builds riff upon riff that climb a steep, muscle wrenching incline–at the same time, I wonder if the song as a whole could have been a bit shorter without losing a thing, which says something. 

The shortest song on the album at a bit over 3 minutes, Move is a  sing-along acoustic guitar ballad about the cruelty and injustice of extreme economic inequality and poverty. Out Of The World may be the strongest song on the album with its tight playing, catchy grooves, and the most realized lyrics and vocals that by the end become uplifting in a climactic conclusion. Notes From The Post Colonial and Your Hands Are Red both continue the strong playing evident in Out Of The World, with time changes, driving chords and beats, and, again, guitar lead jams that lift off and aim for the outer limits. Because Gallows On the Playground shows how good Troll Teeth can be with some constraint, a few of the longer tracks, although mostly enjoyable, feel somewhat self-indulgent. Still, this is Troll Teeth’s best effort yet and it seems they’re determined to carve out a neat niche for themselves with their punk politics and crunchy sludge riffs. 7/10

Reviews: Satan, Wolf, Steak, Night Demon (Reviews By Simon Black, Richard Oliver, Rich P & Matt Bladen)

Satan - Earth Infernal (Metal Blade Records) [Simon Black]

I have to confess, that despite being on good terms with a couple of members of this band through working with them during their early Skyclad days, that I have been really remiss and never really given Satan more than a cursory listen. To be fair the name has shifted between Satan, Blind Fury and Pariah … and back again, but either way it’s remiss of me. To make it worse, despite bumping into them in Newcastle Airport not long after their reformation and again at Bloodstock a few years later when both bands were on the bill, I still have yet to see them live either… Sorry boys. 

As someone who came into this scene after NWOBHM I often felt as a kid like I was playing catch up on the whole movement. There’s a lot of retro tributes to this era going around at the moment too, and most either (badly) try and sound like they’re trying to make analogue sounds on digital equipment, or just go for the ethos whilst sounding modern. Most fall flat at this, but Earth Infernal simultaneously manages to sound of that time and this, without doing so in a contrived way. The technical reasons behind this are a simple, but a massively significant contributor to how effective the record is. For a start, there’s the speed factor in the recording process. Often a huge element in creating the chemical energy and enthusiasm in the 80’s when you only had an all too short graveyard shift between bigger bands in a studio and bag of white powder to get you through the night - meaning urgency turned directly into energy. 

In this case, despite having time to gestate during the writing stage, a combination of pandemics, illness and broken arms conspired to rapidly compress the recording process into a way shorter time window to hit the release deadline. The material had a longer time to brew prior to recording (and it shows), but the urgency of the recording process meant that an OCD digital obsession with accuracy and perfection just went out of the window faster than a squirrel with it’s tail on fire. This whole piece has the feel of a demo and full fat urgency - bum notes and all. Yup, just like you get when you rock up on stage a few minutes late at a festival and want to get everything into your rapidly diminishing time slot. It works an absolute treat though and the time spent crafting, polishing, rehearsing and pre-producing the songs pays off in spades - allowing the writing to stand out proud and strong. 

The energy of delivery, the stripped back, unapologetically bare bones mix and its confident delivery work wonders here. The ten songs on here explore many of the themes of our time and mankind’s current obsession of truth denial and self-destruction. Nothing new for sure, but so much more pertinent in the modern age post pandemic and with a fucking war happening in Europe. And then there’s the performances behind that delivery, with Brian Ross’ rich, warm and powerful voice grabbing you by the delicates right from the get go and bashing you through the songs like a rag doll with gravitas, charisma and beautifully phrased panache. 

Then there’s the superbly weaved guitar work of Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey. Alternating between the trad NWOBHM riffing rhythm and lead approach, the Wishbone Ash-esque harmonised solos so beloved of Iron Maiden, the boys have also added the Lynyrd Skynyrd approach of synchronised solos. Which means the guitar tone bristles forward in the mix with the rich additional tone you get when two harmonically different physical guitars play the same note with a richness that no amount of overdubs will ever deliver. It works fantastically well. And then there’s the blisteringly tight picking, riffing and phrasing that bangs your head into the desk from opening seconds. 

Ramsay has always been a criminally underrated guitarist in my opinion, but the technical interplay between him and Tippins on here is quite fantastic, and fantastically underscored by a rhythm section that is razor tight and brutally punchy. So I grabbed this one with open arms and am thoroughly delighted that I did. It’s well-crafted, simply but effectively recorded and bursting with exactly the kind of energy and zest that got me into this music all those decades ago. It’s a also a great jumping on point if, like me, you’ve had your head in the sand for 35 years. A resounding 10/10

Wolf - Shadowland (Century Media) [Richard Oliver]

Wolf have been flag bearers for traditional heavy metal since their formation in 1995 which was a time when heavy metal was decidedly out of fashion. Nine albums later and Wolf are back for more fist pumping denim and leather worship with new album Shadowland. Frontman and guitarist Niklas Stålvind is the driving force of the band and remains the sole original member of the band but he is joined by the returning line up from previous album Feeding The Machine in 2020. Shadowland doesn’t offer any surprises if you’ve heard any previous Wolf album but it is a solid and dependable near hour of heavy fucking metal with influences from Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate aplenty. 

There are pacy and energetic songs such as opener Dust, Evil Lives and Exit Sign as well as songs which add some complexity such as The Time Machine, the mid-paced and insanely catchy The Ill-Fated Mr. Mordrake and the ominous and foreboding Rasputin. There is a darker tone to the music than a lot of traditional heavy metal with some of the songs having a very sinister feel. Wolf have always dabbled in darker themes in their music but this album feels that little bit darker. The band are a well oiled machine having already recorded and toured together (one of the last bands I saw perform before the 2020 lockdown) with fantastic performances all round and the air raid siren vocals of Niklas sounding as fantastic as ever. 

Wolf can pretty much be depended on for a solid heavy metal album and Shadowland is very much that but at 55 minutes it is that little bit too long. With not much in the way of variation the album could have been shaved a song or two as there are a few moments of filler but the album highlights outweigh any criticisms. Wolf are a band that have been releasing traditional metal long before the current wave of traditional metal revivalism but have never got much attention. There is the hope that Shadowland is the album that will get them some recognition and is another solid entry in their discography. 8/10

Steak - Acute Mania (Ripple Music) [Rich P]

Steak is back with their third slab of heavy! I was super pumped when Ripple Music announced the new one from the London based heavy/stoner rockers given I loved the last one, No God To Save. Acute Mania is their third record, second for Ripple, and promised to be, as Ripple put it in their primer release email, “one of our most in depth projects ever.” Given Ripple never puts out anything that is not top notch, this was quite the teaser. Plus, it comes with an accompanying comic book and short film, so this one has all sorts or promise to it. Let’s see if it can live up to the hype and the high standards their back catalog (and all those other amazing Ripple bands) has set for them. Full disclosure, I do not have the comic book or the short film that goes with Acute Mania yet, so we are going to focus on the audio experience which by itself is something to behold. 

First off, the production on this album is excellent. It sounds amazing. There is so much hidden depth to this record that you will hear new things every listen and find something else that makes you realize how great it is. Wolves starts us off with some heavy groove that is a theme across the record (Samurais too, but more on that later). This one has quite the fuzzy feel to it, led by some excellent guitar work and the heavy, up front rhythm section, reminding me a bit of a band they have a split with, Greenleaf. Dead Meat has some serious Dirt era Alice In Chains vibes going on and includes a super fun frantic solo. Ancestors could be Steak’s rock radio hit (if that was a thing, is it?) and will have you singing the chorus randomly throughout the day. 

Catchy and heavy. This reminded me of the band Sandveiss, who if you have not heard I recommend checking out too. Last Days is seven minutes of epic bluesy heavy rock that is sure to be a favorite track on Acute Mania. A slow burner with some well place oohs, this one I am sure will also be a live crowd pleaser. I find myself sitting at my desk mindlessly bobbing my head along and wanting even more than the seven minutes gives, engrossing myself in the fuzzed out last sixty seconds proclaiming that my “war is coming” and to “let it in.” Don’t get intimidated by the back-to-back seven-minute jams, because Frequency is just as memorable as it’s predecessor, with an almost spacey feel, until midway through when you can feel the main character raising his weapon, the sword drops and down goes all his foes, death by heavy riff. 

System reminds me a bit of a slower song by label mates Psychlona, with that fuzzed out feel and crunching rhythm section. Papa’s Special Custard brings the whole bag of riffs and that slow burn to the action sequence that works so well throughout Acute Mania and acts as a nice bridge to the finale, Mono. Mono is an amazing closer, continuing that slow burn, with a sense of urgency and some harmonized, choir-like vocals (!) which makes Acute Mania feel extra special. I plan on fully immersing myself with all the forms of media that accompany Acute Mania (I am all in on the Samurai theme and would put this one up against the other similar themed record that came out last year by a much bigger band), but as a stand-alone album Steak have produced another heavy rock classic that Ripple has been know for over the past few years. 

This is a strong step forward for Steak, and their name should be mentioned with all the giants of the genre. A nice Wo Fat/Steak double bill perhaps would be a nice way to elevate the band into that next level stratosphere. Either way, this record rocks and should be checked out by anyone who enjoys the heavy and the fuzzy but be ready for some epic stoner jams and some deep storytelling. Highly recommend and will be somewhere on my year end list for sure. 9/10

Night Demon – Year Of The Demon (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]

Released to celebrate 10 years of Night Demon, Year Of The Demon is a compilation of the five 7’’ singles they brought out in 2020 along with some B-sides and extras. As soon as Empires Fall’s NWOBHM riff kicks off you can easily hear why this recording was so anticipated back in 2020, their first new music for a while, it stuck rigidly to the classic metal style Night Demon have become one of the best in the business at. The influences are clear, but if you were to say Iron Maiden I’d say anything pre-Powerslave as there’s guts and attitude to tracks such as Kill The Pain, as the vocals too are not in the higher register but a bit rough and ready, though still ideal for this NWOTHM revivalism. 

These Americans know their craft inside and out, the five singles make up the first half of the record and they all have that sound Night Demon have been perfecting, well four of them do as the final 7’’ was a cover, as is the rest of the album. Track 5 is their version of In Trance by Scorpions featuring Uli Jon Roth and his 35 fret Sky Guitar. Now Roth played on the original so his solo is obviously pretty faithful as is the song itself, as is Top Of The Bill which also features Roth. 

The rest of the covers don’t change too much either Wasted Years (Iron Maiden) is dead on, Lizzy’s Sun Goes Down again is pretty near. The two most obscure (?) are 100mph by Cirith Ungol featuring Tim Baker the singer of Ungol and Fast Bikes by Le Griffe who have been lost in the mists of NWOBHM time. Perfectly decent but really only the originals are worth it, though I have soft spot of In Trance. Hopefully it means a new album is on the way though. 7/10

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: Painted As Monsters (Heat #2 02.04.22)

Interview With Painted As Monsters By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

Painted By Monsters: Hey, we’re Painted as Monsters! We’re a 3-piece band featuring Chris Machin on Bass, Matt Jones on Drums and Rhys Evans on Vocals/Guitar. We guess we’d call ourselves an Alt-Heavy Rock band with a bit of prog and metal thrown in for good measure.

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up to?

Painted By Monsters: Incredibly quiet, other than practicing! We’re newly formed and our performance in the heats for Metal to the Masses will most likely be our 2nd ever gig. Rhys & Matt have been practicing together for nearly a year, but Chris only joined last September so we’ve been working towards our set since then.

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past?

Painted By Monsters: Chris is also in Cranial Separation, and they certainly knew how to throw a party at Bloodstock on the Jaeger stage, a few years ago! Rhys & Matt have both competed at M2TM in previous bands in the Bristol and Cardiff competitions.

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? Playing in front of a crowd again?

Painted By Monsters: We weren’t ready to enter during the pandemic so we weren’t affected in that respect, but it goes without saying that this format is the way it should be! You can’t beat that feeling of playing in front of a live crowd. It’s been too long.

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock?

Painted By Monsters: It would be pretty crazy for us if we did play Bloodstock, considering that we’re not a quintessential metal band, but we’d be really proud of it as an achievement for the band and would give us the sense of progression we’re after!

MoM: Tell us two truths and one lie about the band?

Painted By Monsters:
  
1. Matt is a Jazz-trained drummer.
2. Chris and his other band threw sex toys into the Bloodstock audience during their set.
3. Rhys is not a fan of Muse.

MoM: Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect?

Painted By Monsters: Hard, powerful, catchy music

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: N.A.S.H (Heat #2 02.04.22)

Interview With N.A.S.H By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

N.A.S.H: We are N.A.S.H. A five piece rock/metal band from South Wales. The current line up of the band came about during lockdown with all of us coming from previous bands with some success wanting a new project. We consist of Finley Nash (singer), Lewis Matthews and Rhydian Davies (Guitar), Karl John Harrigan ( Bass) and Luke Williams (drums).

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up too?

N.A.S.H: Over the last year we have been practicing and perfecting the band. All the members are keen live players in their previous projects so we set out to play live very quickly. Alongside this we have been songwriting and have started heading towards producing some of this material for release. So far within this year we have played: Swansea, Pontypool, Caerphilly, Ogmore and Treforest and are continuing to look for more venues to let us do what we love.

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past?

N.A.S.H: As this band we have no previous experience with M2TM but some of the members have had previous experience competing with other acts and we all agree it is an amazing show to do. We have all watched recordings of bands from the Bloodstock festival but unfortunately have never had the pleasure of attending live.

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? Playing in front of a crowd again?

N.A.S.H: There is nothing we love more than playing in a room in front of a crowd. The raw energy and thrill you get from that intimate setting from both being on and off the stage is an addiction we are proud to have.

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock?

N.A.S.H: Playing Bloodstock Festival would mean the world to us. Live music is such an important thing and we all understand what it means to people. For us to be able to play a festival with other bands and crowds that have the same feeling for live music is a special thing to be able to do and Bloodstock Festival encapsulates this 100%.

MoM: Tell us two truths and a lie about the band?

N.A.S.H: 
The Bands members are all guitarists
The Band is named after the singer so he doesn't forget his own name.
The Band has the collective memory of a Goldfish

MoM: Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect?

N.A.S.H: Pure, Raw, Energy & excitement,

A View From The Back Of The Room: Killing Joke & The Imbeciles (Live Review By Matt Bladen)

Killing Joke & The Imbeciles, Tramshed Cardiff, 28.03.22

The Imbeciles

Hailing from New York, The Imbeciles (6) play Americana infused rock music, with a psychedelic element. Built around three guitars, bass, drums and harmony vocals there's a hint of another band called Howlin Rain, whom I'm very familiar with, there's even some Tom Petty influences too. Though with a dirty NY punk edge too. Having originally been a punk band, they have evolved into the pub rock style which as I've said also incorporates those fleeting touches of Americana and psych. A little out of place on this bill, which the sheer number in the smoking area showed. However, they have had a working relationship with Youth producing their second record so that's probably why they have got the gig. A decent enough rock band to get the show started but it was clear that the majority were here for the headliner only.

Killing Joke

With the throbbing pulse between the bands building, it was time for Killing Joke (7), who came to the stage assuming their positions on stage. Vocalist Jaz Coleman, drummer Paul Ferguson, guitarist Geordie Walker and bassist Youth, with keyboardist Roi Robertson (who was relegated to the side of stage) then dove straight into the classic double tap of Love Like Blood and Wardance.

The now full room jumping and chanting in unison, the heavy bass throb and drumbeats of Youth and Paul Ferguson massively overpowering everything else on stage. That meant the guitars were sidelined to a distorted fuzz and Coleman's wild vocals and sneering lyrical prowess was barely audible. It seems as if Coleman himself was having some difficulty as well constantly trying to hear himself when he was singing. He also seemed to avoiding the monitors in the middle of the stage due to moments of feedback. If it was as loud on stage as it was in front of the audience then I can understand the struggle.

Performance wise Killing Joke are great to watch Jaz shifting around the stage like he's possessed, imbued by the spirit of their music. Paul's drumming both primal and tribal, Youth takes lead bass with lots of pedal work and fuzzing low end that's throbbing and distorted as Geordie's guitar playing has an animalistic bite, the keys doing some layering that was Gothic, harsh and menacing.

Originally a post-punk outfit, their sound has adapted in recent years adding more industrial metal influences, leading to them being a much heavier prospect live. Unfortunately due to the sound issues, for the casual observer, myself included, a lot of the songs blended into one long stomach churning industrial dirge. There were moments of brilliance, that showed why they are such an influential band to acts such as Metallica, Faith No More, Nirvana etc but in the Tramshed, they were perhaps a little too loud, I know I sound old but there is a point where volume becomes noise. 

Not that the faithful Killing Joke fans cared as they were bouncing throughout the entire set. Even when it drew to a close quite abruptly due to going over the time allowed for their set. Influential, experimental and unique in their position as a band, they just weren't at 100% tonight.

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: Scrape (Heat #2 02.04.22)

Interview With Scrape By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

SCRAPE: We are SCRAPE from South Wales. Chris Sibley (Vocals) Darren Vanstone (Guitar) Chris Andrews (Drums) and Ian Pickens (Bass) We could be best described as a hybrid of Hardcore/Thrash Metal/Stoner Rock. We’ve been on the South Wales scene in various forms for the best part of 30 years, but SCRAPE has been around since 2019.

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up too?

SCRAPE: Like everybody else Covid put a spanner in the works as far as gigging goes, but we managed to record our debut E.P Armed With A Mindset in Bristol last Summer and get that out on Bandcamp and there’s been a steady flow of gigs since.

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past?

SCRAPE: We’ve all attended the M2TM shows over the years and Sib, our singer participated in a heat at Fuel a few years back with his former band Stitched Up and had an awesome time in doing so.

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? Playing in front of a crowd again?

SCRAPE: Really looking forward to it, a bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone and we cant wait to get on that stage again and hopefully introduce some people to our band, who may otherwise may not have checked us out

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock?

SCRAPE: What we like about Bloodstock, is that it still largely retains that “underground” vibe so mixing it up with a host of bands who’ve influenced us over the years along with bands who continue to inspire us would be a massive privilege, but we are also hoping that these M2M gigs will also work the other way and open up people’s minds to the local scene and encourage them to support their local venues and bands.

MoM: Tell us two truths and one lie about the band?

SCRAPE: 

1. One of us used to be a champion sprinter
2. One of us was once a roadie for Snoop Dogg

3. One of us once out drunk Dimebag Darrell

MoM: Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect?

SCRAPE:Blood, Sweat, Riffs, Threats

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: Kill By Mouth (Heat #2 02.04.22)

Interview With Kill By Mouth By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

Kill By Mouth: Cassar on vocals and guitar, Simon Merrifield on bass and James Langston on drums. We are a Groove Metal band with Hardcore and other influences in our music. There’s a bit of Death and Black Metal in there as well as a shit load of Thrash! We listen to a wide range of music and it all seeps in to our music in some small way! Most people say we are like a groove metal so we went with that, Prong , Sepultura etc, all good stuff!

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up to?

Kill By Mouth: Although we, like many, were affected enormously by the pandemic, we kept on writing and where possible recorded songs at Unit 13, Tredegar. But now we are ramping up our work, playing more gigs across South Wales, recently playing Bristol for the first time and now looking to go further afield. We are also going to complete the recording for our self-released album in the very near future!

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past?

Kill By Mouth: We have all been to Bloodstock as festival goers multiple times. It’s a great weekend, fantastic line ups you don’t see in other festivals. We regard Bloodstock as the number 1 Metal festival in the UK by far. It’s our first time entering the Metal 2 The Masses and we are very much looking forward to it.

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? Playing in front of a crowd again?

Kill By Mouth: We are so stoked to play M2TM, Fuel and Cardiff. We love playing live in front of a crowd, nothing beats the feeling of playing live, making Noise. It makes us who we are! Also meeting, making new friends in the crowd and the other bands. It’s going to be a great night.

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock?

Kill By Mouth: Well to share a festival with the biggest acts in Metal would be such an experience, it would be with us for the rest of our lives as a career highpoint. Bloodstock’s a household name in the metal community and the Bloodstock name carries major credentials for any band who plays it. To be part of that would give Kill By Mouth a massive boost in so many ways. 

The Metal 2 The Masses is important to bands like us across the UK as it gives us a chance to aspire in venues across the Britain with a likeminded audience. We can’t think of any other festival giving the grassroots a chance like this. It many ways it shows the camaraderie in Metal and makes Bloodstock more than a festival, it’s looking after the future of Metal and it’s fans.

MoM: Tell us two truths and one lie about the band?

Kill By Mouth: 

1. Kill by Mouth has been a solo ,duo, trio, quartet and back to a trio.

2. Before playing live ,we huddle and chant ,”Praise be to King Diamond ,Praise be to King

Diamond, PRAISE BE TO KING FUCKING DIAMOND!!!!!!!!!”

3. Two of us in the band have been a support act for Napalm Death.

MoM:  Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect?

Kill By Mouth: Headbanging! Slamming! Metal Blast!!!

Reviews: Meshuggah, Absent In Body, Pattern Seeking Animals, Gen & The Degenerates (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

Meshuggah - Immutable (Atomic Fire Records)

Vocalist Jens Kidman, guitarists Mårten Hagström and Fredrik Thordendal, bassist Dick Lövgren and drummer Tomas Haake, make up the pioneering Swedish metal band Meshuggah. The godfathers of the tech-metal/djent they have finally returned with their ninth album Immutable the follow up to their 2016 record The Violent Sleep Of Reason. To say this record is much anticipated would be to undersell it as, Meshuggah are one of those bands that inspire devotion and memes...so many memes. So what does Immutable bring to the party? More riffs, palm muted, downtuned, grooving riffs, a powerful rhythm section built on off kilter, fuzzy low ends and bludgeoning drums. 

Meshuggah are a machine, the songs on this record are full of the mechanical rhythms and a heaviness that could level cites, but also Immutable sees the band adapting their style, picking from industrial, post-metal and even ambient bands, relying much more heavily on atmospheric instrumentals than Jen Kidman's vocals, though they are still conjure lots of gurning. The band apparently approached this album with as few restraints as possible and it shows, although of course they have always been a forward thinking band. However it seems that with such a long time between albums they have managed to experiment a little bit more and in different ways. 

That Abysmal Eye is classic Meshuggah, jammed to the gunnels with the that style that inspired an entire genre, it's progressive, polyrhythmic and features a mind-melting syncopated lead break however in opposition to the more esoteric opener Broken Cog which features whispers and the industrial twinge of bands like Fear Factory, Ligature Marks is much more technical, but also in some ways more direct, using some distinct one note, building atop the relentless rhythm section, while the final song Past Tense is brooding, dark finale. 

Those added elements come on They Move Below, an 8 minute, instrumental offering, building from auspicious beginnings for an impressive feat. At 13 songs Immutable is a weighty record that may put off the casual listener, but for anyone who loves the progressive experience of Meshuggah Immutable is another mind melting stop on their groundbreaking musical journey. 8/10    

Absent In Body - Plague Of God (Relapse Records)

Any band that features Amenra guitarist Mathieu J. Vandekerckhove, Neurosis vocalist/guitarist Scott Kelly, Amenra vocalist/bassist Colin H. Van Eeckhout and Iggor Cavalera on drums, you know is going to hit hard and probably mean that if you listen to it, you'll probably not be able do much without having an existential crisis. 

Plague Of God is a nihilistic vision of the world, conceived by some of the post-metal/sludge royalty and delivered with as much fuzz, feedback and ominous noise as possible. Rise In Ruins, the first offering on this album, has already been used as the theme for 'The House Of Black' in AEW, is both indicative and in some ways isn't at all of what this record offers. It's a sprawling, crushing, despair ridden piece with a low end that hits the subsonic and vocals that range from unsettling whispers to manic screams. This sense of unease and foreboding pressure continues as the record slams you with one gargantuan sludge riff after another, pausing only for yet more creepy atmospherics. The heaviness increases on In Spirit In Spite, crushing industrial grind give way to throbbing spectral clean guitars distorted rhythms and spoken word elements, which strangely is more potent in being emotive. 

Plague Of God is 6 songs but when they are all despair ridden lumps of white hot rage then any more than the 35 minutes of anguish. The industrial percussion on Sarin some may say is understated playing from Cavalera but it still hits home, while his tribal-like beginnings can be heard on The Acres/The Ache, he's often beneath a bass sound from Eeckhout that sounds deliberately blown out and ghostly and twin guitars from Vandekerckhove and Kelly that resonate with heavily distorted riffs and lingering single note harmonics. Engulfing you totally in hopelessness the crushing The Half Rising Man closes things out without any feeling of redemption or catharsis. After Plague Of God you'll want to lay down in a dark room and contemplate existence and that's precisely what Absent In Body want you to do. 9/10

Pattern Seeking Animals - Only Passing Through (Inside Out Music)

A band that can be considered to be a Spock's Beard off-shoot, Pattern Seeking Animals return with their third studio album. Still featuring the talents of (Spock's Beard/Enchant) vocalist/guitarist Ted Leonard along with Jimmy Keegan on drums/vocals (ex- Spock's Beard), Dave Meros on bass (Spock's Beard) and songwriter/producer/keyboardist John Boegehold (ex-Spock's Beard). So like with their previous two records there's going to be a hell of a lot Spock's Beard, Genesis, Yes and 70's prog rock influences that come through on Only Passing Through.

 

I Can't Stay Here Anymore is very indicative of their sound, bright breezy rhythms, drenched in synths, with time changes throughout and glorious harmony vocals from Leonard and Keegan like the ones that many will recognise from Gabriel/Collins or Morse/D'Virgilio. It's the most Spock's Beard/Genesis sounding track on the record, then followed by the mammoth Time Has A Way, a labyrinthine 10+ minute progger that uses every prog trick in the play book for full Yes vibes, including percussion and some horns too, and that's just in the first four minutes.

If this wasn't a 10 track record I'd say that Time Has A Way would be the centerpiece but this is prog so band third track in followed by the nostalgic, whimsical Rock Paper Scissors as they changes styles multiple times from the dramatic, synthy Said The Stranger and more Yesisms come on Here With You With Me. Sticking to a familiar template Pattern Seeking Animals, have certainly found their musical pattern on this third studio record in as many years. Classic prog rock sounds updated for the modern ear. 7/10 

Gen And The Degenerates - Only Alive When In Motion EP (Marshall Records)

Only Alive When In Motion is the debut EP from alternative rockers Gen And The Degenerates. Fronted by vocalist Genevieve Glynn-Reeves aka Gen, it's her excellent, irreverent, snotty, soulful vocals that take pride of place as the focal point of the band, with odes to Florence & The Machine, Gossip, Skunk Anansie (who they will be on tour with this year) and the unhinged energy of bands like PiL and Turbowolf. 

The lyrics of this EP draw heavily from Gen's past experiences with past/abusive/traumatic relationships on Crying War, her "origin story as a bi-sexual supervillian" on the shout along Wild Thing a clarion call to do you, no matter what others think. There's a huge amount of empowerment in her lyrics, built around breezy, hard rocking instrumentals. The funky Adore Me deals with mental illness, while it's Girl, God, Gun for me is the best song on the record, a 'proper' hard rock track, stacked on Evan Reeves' drumbeat, that apparently got them signed in the first place. 

It's obvious that someone over at Marshall Records has taste as Only Alive When In Motion is  that rare breed of EP that captures what a band do brilliantly, leaving you wanting more. AC/DC-like riff on Burn Your Pedestal anchored by the thrusting bass lick from Jay Humphreys and distorted stabs from Sean Healand-Stone and Jacob Stones, Crying Wat meanwhile is bluesy opener that sets a slow anthemic burn for the album. Crafted for their incendiary live show with lots of call and response. An impressive EP, I suggest you get down early if you're attending any of those Skunk Anansie shows. 8/10   

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: Risperidrone (Heat #1 01.04.22)

Interview With Risperidrone By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

Risperidrone: We're a 4 piece band with members scattered across Cardiff and Bath, formerly known as Junk DNA we reformed in 2020 as Risperidrone with the line up of Elliot Murphy on vocals, Wigg Grant on guitar, Rob Edwards on bass and Tom Kirkby on drums. We play groovy hard rock with doom/stoner rock influences and riffs that slap harder than Will Smith on Oscar night

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up to? 

Risperidrone: The pandemic has been a bit different for us than most bands, as we formed in 2020 to record an EP in the depths of lockdown. In a way it kind of helped to have the time to focus on writing a bunch of material but we've all really missed playing live, and now that things are slowly getting back to normal we're hyped to start gigging

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past? 

Risperidrone: We actually played M2TM way back in 2016 as Junk DNA, it was a really good atmosphere there and it's awesome to be taking part in it again after such a long time

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? 

Risperidrone: It's the first gig in years for all of us so to put it bluntly, shitting ourselves. But in a good way

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock? 

Risperidrone: It would be amazing to get the chance to play at a festival as big as Bloodstock, it would be absolutely surreal to be able to say we're playing at the same festival as some of the huge names that are there this year

MoM: Tell us two truths and one lie about the band? 

Risperidrone:

1. Nobody in the band could use a plectrum until a few months ago
2. We were all born and raised in Cardiff
3. Half of our songs on the EP were recorded before they were ever played by the full band

MoM: Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect? 

Risperidrone: Doom, headbanging, sweat and beers

Metal To The Masses 2022 Interviews: Catalysts (Heat #1 01.04.22)

Interview With Catalysts By Matt Bladen

MoM: Introduce yourselves/remind everyone who you guys are. Band name, members, style etc?

Catalysts:

David Challenger: Vox
Elliot Blake: Guitar/Synths
Craig O’Connor: Guitar
Paul Owen: Bass
Haitham Alhardan: Drums

Electronic Melodic Metal

MoM: How have the last year(s) been for the band? What have you been up to? 

Catalysts: We’ve been lucky enough to release our 6 track EP Sparks this year, so it’s been great to get our music out there on the major streaming platforms. We’ve also had loads of fun filming our music videos for Sparks, Sylvia, Alive and our cinematic masterpiece that is The Otherside. We were literally playing with fire on that one.

MoM: What experience have you had with Bloodstock/M2TM in the past? 

Catalysts: We are M2TM virgins

MoM: How are you feeling entering the M2TM format back as it should be? 

 

Catalysts: We are looking forward to playing live again and being part of the M2TM community.

MoM: What would it mean to you to play Bloodstock? 

Catalysts: It’s will be a fantastic experience to play our music live on such an prestigious stage and line up.

MoM: Tell us two truths and one lie about the band? 

Catalysts: 

1.We recently had latest single Sparks used on Soccer AM. 

2. Certain members were tour support for Pink. 

3. We’re known as the most good looking band in South Wales

MoM: Finally give us a four word rundown of what to expect? 

Catalysts: We’re the future butt