Defiance Of Decease/Suicide/Narcoleptica Productions/2015 CD Review

  Defiance Of  Decease  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark,  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Suicide'  which  was  released  by  Narcoleptica  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  night  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  and  when  female  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  goth  feeling  while  the  synths  add  more  atmosphere  to  the  tracks  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  whispers.

  When  the  music  gets  heavy  it  also  starts  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads  and  death  metal  growls  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  more  goth  and  atmospheric  side  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount of  black  metal  screams  at  times.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  a  lot  of  the  songs  go  back  to  the  90's  style  of  goth  doom/death  metal  while  also  having  more  of  a  modern  approach  to  the  genre    and  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  melodic  male  vocals.

  Defiance  Of  Decease  plays  a  style  of  goth  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  rooted  in  the  old  school  tradition  while  the  elements  of  black  and  dark  metal  give  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  day  feeling,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  evil  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Defiance  Of  Decease  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark,  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Possessed  By  A  Demon"  "Blade  Of  Death"  and  "Ribbon  Of  Life".  8  out  of  10.  

Oaken/King Beast/Alerta Antifascistca Records/2016 CD Review

  Oaken  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  crust,  noise,  doom,  grind  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "King  Beast"  which  was  released  by  Alerta  Antifascistca  Records.

  A  very  aggressive  sound  along  with  growling  vocals  start  off  the  album  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  melodic  guitar  leads  and  elements of  both  crust  and  grindcore  and  some  of  the  vocals  bring  in  a  touch  of  post  hardcore  along  with  a  small  amount  of  screams  while  the  slower  riffs  are  heavily  influenced  by  doom  and  sludge  metal.

  All  4  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  you  can  also  hear  some  elements  of  harsh  noise  at  times  and  they  also  add  clean  playing  into  some  parts  of  the  tracks  which  adds  in  a  touch  of  post  rock  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Atmospheric  synths  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  they  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  ambient and  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  vocals  also  bring  in  back  up  gang  shouts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals.

  Oaken  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  hardcore  while  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  grind  as  well  as  being  very  experimental  and  creating  a  musical  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Oaken  are  a  very  great  sounding   experimental  mixture  of  crust,  noise,  doom,  grind  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Monastery"  and  "The  Hyena". 8  out  of  10. 
   

The Body/Full Of Hell/One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache/Neurot Recordings/2016 CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  collaboration  album  between  Oregon's  The  Body  who are  in  more  of  an  apocalyptic  doom  metal  and  Maryland's  Full  Of  Hell  which  are  more  of  a  mixture  of  death  metal,  grindcore  and  harsh  noise  and  the  recording  is  called  "One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by   Neurot  Recordings.

  Harsh  noise  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  few  seconds  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  noise/grind  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams  befor  slowing  down  and  adding  in  reverb  noises  while  also  having  an  improv  feeling  on  the  way  the  drums  are  approached.

  Elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  harsh  noise  and  drone  and  they  also  do  a  cover  of  Leonard  Chen's  "The  Butcher"  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  death  metal  growls.

  The  Body  and  Full  Of  Hell  team  up together  and  mix  their  2  different  styles  together  and  creates  one  of  the  heaviest  mixtures  of  harsh  noise,  crust,  sludge  and  doom  metal, the  production  sounds  very  dark  yet  powerful  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  joint  effort  between  The  Body  and  Full  of Hell  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  harsh  noise,  grindcore,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fleshworks"  "World  Of  Hope  And  No  Pain"  and  "The  Little  Death".  8  out  of  10.   

Reveries End Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

We started recording the album already in 2013. When we finally finished it a lot had happened and almost three years had passed. The whole band had changed and grown up. Our vocalist Sariina decided to leave the band and concentrate on her own projects. We know that it wasn’t an easy decision for her, but we also understand that everyone has their own path and that it is best to follow one’s heart towards true passion, wherever it may lead, than to struggle against the gnawing feeling, that something does not feel right. It’s something we all have faced and we understand her decision. Also in the band we all have different situations outside our music and major changes have occurred, which takes away time and energy from the band. However we are happy that the album is out and that it is finally ready, which wasn’t easy, we can tell you that! But more about it later… Now we are looking for a new singer. Hopefully we’ll find one soon because we’re anxious to get back to writing new songs and playing gigs!


2.Your first full length is coming out at the end of February, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Jaakko: The sound is… hopeful, I think. There is hope but also depression by the dark skies above. The songs reflect dark times that we have experienced, but also the joy of playing it all out and gathering the energy into a raging bonfire, releasing the anxiety and transforming it into musical form that can be heard on the album. We were inspired in the process by some great swedish bands and created our own musical expression, combining elements from all the band members. We wanted the outcome to be melodic and melancholic to represent the ‘solitary seeker of beauty’ that is, in my opinion, the character behind the songs. There are beautiful and sensitive atmospheric moments... but then a storm gathers, and all the hell breaks loose as it destroys everything in it’s path. And afterwards there is only silent sorrow left.


3.In 2012 you had released a couple of demos but waited until 2016 to release the full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the 4 year gap?

Veli-Matti: After the demos we concentrated on gigging for some time until we started recording the album in the fall of 2013. Thinking back now, maybe we started making the album too soon. All the songs were not yet ready at the time, and that’s why the whole process took so much time and it started to affect our motivation. But in the end we fought through it and learned a lot from it, and I’m very proud of the result.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

Veli-Matti: Sariina would be the best person to answer this question since she has written most of the lyrics on the album, but some prominent themes are fear, death, grief and sorrow.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Reveries End'?

Jaakko: Reveries are the colours we see around us. They can also be distant dreams that our heart yearns after. Also the beauty of sunset and a small sprout flowering up from under the rubble. But eventually the bloom must wither and all the good things must come to an end and death takes over... until new is born from the remains of the old. That is the nature of life. Chaos reigns and the cycle goes on and on. The name is a dualistic sigil that holds both light and dark in its form, representing the music.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Jaakko: We are present and we play from our hearts. The goal is to unite with audience and exchange energy. To paint a picture of a beautiful but forlorn landscape in the listener’s mind. I remember that we were playing at Vastavirta klubi, a small underground venue in Tampere, and I felt more alive on stage than anytime before. I felt connected with the music and people, and that made it memorable. I guess the audience felt the same way too, cause we received a lot of positive feedback after the show.

Veli-Matti: We’ve had a number of gigs at Jack the Rooster in Tampere and it’s always nice there. It feels like home with plenty of friends in the audience. I think people can see from our shows that we love to play our songs live.


7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We’d love to go touring but there is the problem that we don’t have a singer yet. Once we get the lineup together we’ll start doing gigs in Finland and Europe as well.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of goth and doom metal?

Veli-Matti: I don’t know about fans of those particular genres, but the overall feedback has been pretty positive. I have a feeling our music is appreciated by people with lighter and heavier tastes in music.

Jaakko: I don't know really. I think that there are all kinds of fans. I guess there may be too much colour in our music for those with a more blackened heart.


9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Timo: I recently left my other band Neferion, so Reveries End is now the only band I play drums in.

Jaakko: I stride forwards in the Vesperithian world with Sariina. New material may be coming up for summer! Also I think that Astral Sleep may be slowly rising from deep slumber once again, but who knows from the thoughts of ancients...


10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Jaakko: We shall see. Maybe something acoustic, or maybe something much heavier, I don’t know and that makes it exciting!

Veli-Matti: The new vocalist will probably affect our sound in some way, but I’m sure we will continue our melancholic journey wherever it may take us.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Veli-Matti: All kinds of music from jazz and country to black metal have influenced us, but there are bands like Ghost Brigade and Katatonia that have had a greater impact on our music.

Timo: I rarely listen to music nowadays, which is a shame, but I just bought Omnium Gatherum’s latest album Grey Heavens on cd.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Veli-Matti: Movies and tv series are a great passion of mine, and I also do miscellaneous tv and film work for a living. I also greatly enjoy snowboarding, but unfortunately I don’t get to do it often.

Timo: I like coffee. “I grind my own beans.” -Frank Drebin

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the interview! We hope people enjoy our album Edge of Dark Waters, which is released on February 28th by Sliptrick Records.

The Vatican/The Trump Card/2016 EP Review

  The  Vatican  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  mixture  of  noise,  sludge,  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  ep  "The  Trump  Card"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  Sound  effects  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  that  is  very  close  to  noise  rock and  once  the  screams  kick  in  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  grindcore  direction  that  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  hardcore  at  times.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  while  the  songs  also  avoid  using  any  guitar  solos  and   there  is  also  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  brief  use  of  melody  and  the  whole  ep  also  remains  very  heavy and  brutal  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording  while  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  The  Vatican  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  noise,  sludge,  crust  punk,  hardcore  and  grind  and mixes  them  together  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Vatican  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  noise,  crust,  hardcore  and  grind  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Hippie  Hate"  and  "FUCKEDFROMBIRTH".  8  out  of  10.

When Nothing Remains/In Memoriam/Solitude Productions/2016 CD Review

  When  Nothing  Remains  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this is  a  review of  their 2016  album  "In  Memoriam"  which  was  released  by  Solitude  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being utilized  at  times  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  very  tragic  and  atmospheric  musical  style  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  musical  style  that  is  in  more  of  a  doom  metal  vein.

  When  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  a  very  melodic  and  depressive  musical  style  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  utilize  a  lot  of  death  metal  growls  that  are  very easy  to  understand while  some  clean  singing  goth  vocals  are  also  brought  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  the  music  briefly  and  the  songs  also  bring  back  a  lot  of  the  early  90's  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  style  while  also mixing  in  some  more  modern  symphonic  elements  and  when  screams  are  used  for  a  few  seconds  they  bring  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  there  are  also  female  vocals  on  one  of  the  later  songs  and  they give  the  music  more  of  an  operatic  feeling  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  When Nothing  Remains  plays  a  style  of  gothic  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  rooted  in  the  90's  while  also  mixing  in  more  modern  symphonic  elements  to  update  the  genre  for  modern  days,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  love  and  tragedy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  When  Nothing  Remains  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drowning  In  Sorrows"  "Ghost  Story"  and  "While  She  Sleeps".  8  out  of  10. 

Rutsa/Self Titled/2016 EP Review

  Rutsa  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of sludge  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2016  ep.

  Ambient  style  sounds  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  a  very  heavy  bass  guitar  sound  along  with  some  drums  a  few  seconds  later  that  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  after  the  high  pitched  screams  kick  in  the  music  starts  to  speed  up  and  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Grindcore  elements  are  mostly  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  and  the  vocals  also  mix  in  growls  and  crustcore  style  shouting  while  also  adding  in  spoken  word  samples  at  times  and  some  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  heaviness  of  death  metal  and  the  reverb's  also  bring  a  touch  of  harsh  noise to  the  recording.

  Rutsa  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge  and  grindcore  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  touch  of  crust ,  noise  and  death  metal  to  create  some  very  dark  yet  heavy  music,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  dark  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rutsa  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Funnit"  and  "Silma".  8  out  of  10.