Thursday, February 23, 2017

Laments Of Silence/System Failure/2016 Full Length Review


  Laments  Of  Silence  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  goth  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "System  Failure".

  Atmospheric  keyboards  and  playground  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  and  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  the  intro  the  music  adds  in  more  industrial  influences  as  well  as  some  heavy  guitars  and  growling  vocals  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this recording.

  Clean  singing  can  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  melodic  guitar  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  heavy  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  modern  metal  influences  and  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow, mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  later  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  high  pitched  screams.

  On  this  recording  Laments  Of  Silence  focuses  less  on  a  gothic  metal  style  and  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  industrial  and  melodic  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Laments  Of  Silence  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial,  goth,  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burn  It  All"  "Welcome  To  Hell"  "Land  Of  Misery"  and  "Dying  Inside".  8  out  of  10.  

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Cusus/Self Tiitled/Artifiicial Head Records/2017 Full Length Review

 
 Cursus  are  a  band  from  San  Antonio,  Texas  that  plays  a  psychedelic mixture  of  sludge,  stoner,  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their self  titled  2017  album  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Artificial  Head  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some stringed  instruments  also  being  used  at  times  and  after  a  couple  of  minute  heavy  guitar  riffing  is  added  onto  the  recording  which  is  mostly  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  some  growling  vocals  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length

  Melodies  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  psychedelic  stoner  touch  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  melodic  tone  at  times  along  with  some  clean  singing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  experimental  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  style.

  Cursus  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  while  the  psychedelic  and  experimental  elements  gives  the  songs  more  originality,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In   my  opinion  Cursus  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge,  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Waters  Of  Wrath"  and  "Trails  of  tears".  8  out  of  10.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Cranial Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Cranial was founded in 2014 by Michael (guitar) after Omega Massif broke up. He started to write with Cornelius (drums) and then reached out to me (Bastian, guitar, vocals). I brought Julian to one of our first practises (bass, vocals, drones) and the lineup was complete.


2.So far you have released an ep and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

It’s hard to describe your own music. But i think what we do is something in the scope of heavy, noisey and atmospheric sludge.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The lyrics touch mostly dark personal themes but i think that one can find something that’s relevant and maybe also political patterns. The lyrics are not that cryptic so it’s up to you.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cranial'?
There is no special inspiration behind the name. Neither there is a deeper meaning. For us the name is a cool sounding handy idea and fits with the music since we try to deliver a lot of heavy noise directed to everybody's heads and meant to shatter your ears and brains.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

The Droneburg- and Droneberg-Festival in Hamburg and Berlin was really great. Nice venues, well organized and attended and the lineup was sick: Buried at sea and Switchblade played among others. Since everyone in the band is really dedicated and delivers intensely we enjoyed nearly every show we played so far.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We played some shows recently to promote our new album in Germany. We will continue to do so for the rest of the year. Maybe we can play a few shows outside of Germany in the near future. We recognize that some interest is there but we have family’s and work full time. So we have to see what it’s possible.

7.The new album was released on 'Moment Of Collapse Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
MOC contacted us after we recorded our EP and since then we are really happy to work with them. Their support, trust, the opportunities they provide us with and what they do for us is immense.
C: I have to confess, that before they contacted us, I was not conscious of the label itself. Unfortunately! Because they work with some really good bands I now enjoy a lot.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of sludge, doom and post metal?
Shortly after the release of our EP, the awareness within grew on a moderate level. Now since our first full length is officially released, the feedback has been great so far. People from everywhere reach out to us and a lot of really nice and lauding reviews came in.

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

There is no plan or concept. What’s really great about this band is that everyone of the four of us can bring ideas and nothing is determined. We play riffs and construct sounds we like to hear, so we will see what feels cool to us.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
There is a lot. Too much to list. For me it’s Hc/Punk, Sludge, Crust, Grind, Indie and also some Pop.
C: I was socialized more in a metal background (the big four and Maiden, that sort of stuff). Once being hooked, the influences broadened. Now I’m listening mostly to “heavy music” but I also sometimes enjoy hiphop, different singer-songwriters and so on.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?
For me it’s common stuff, to boring to tell here.



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

Thank you for this interview!

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Et Moriemur Interview


1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Hi and thanks for getting in touch! Currently we are rehearsing the songs for our new album. We will go to the studio at the end of March and if everything goes according to our wishes the album could be released this Autumn.


2.How would you describe the musical sound of the newer music?

I´d say the new album will be more straightforward, heavier and gloomier compared to Ex Nihilo In Nihilum. Plus it will have a history-oriented touch. Well, more than a touch actually, it will be a concept involving all the songs.


3.The last album was released in 2014, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

We received many positive reviews for Ex Nihilo, from the critics and public alike, and we are very very grateful for that. Thanks to that we played more abroad like in Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands and got to know great bands and people active on the doom scene. We sold some new merchandise, started digital music sales and prepared songs for the new album - lots of things actually for lazy doomsters like us :)


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with the music?

Our themes basically revolve around the impermanence of life, its absurdity and how to cope with it. We sing about death, suffering, anger, desperation - the usual doom topics if you like :) A difference could be that I frequently use quotes from poets from different countries to describe these feelings leaving them in its original language. I like how they sound and couldn´t put it better.


5.I know that the bands name means 'And we will die' in Latin, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

I often wonder how man can be such an arrogant creature who considers himself at the centre of the whole universe. He thinks that he is more intelligent or moral than other beings and this gives him - in his view - the right to use them for his „superior“ purposes. „And we will die“ it´s a slap in our face to shake us and wake us up: we were born poor and naked and will die poor and naked. You can be able to fly, to play or write or paint beautifully, to build pyramids or break the atoms - still your life isn´t more precious or meaningful than lives of other animals and plants.


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?

The best shows are a result of different circumstances and forces - as everything in life I guess. If we feel good, the people who came to see us feel good and the day is right then there can be like communication on an emotional level between the band and the fans and that´s the best thing you can ever have - communication without words. These are the best gigs and that´s what we strive to do every time we play.


7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

We are preparing a small tour in Autumn with a couple of other bands but everything is still in making as of now. In any case our priority is the new album, we will focus on planning our other gigs later.


8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the re-issue of your 2014 album by 'Minotauro'?

It was basically thanks to our Italian fan Enza that we got in touch with Marco, the head of Minotauro records. He said he would be interested in releasing Ex Nihilo on LP and offered us a very good deal. From then on everything went smoothly and we are more than happy for this cooperation.


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

The reactions we got were overall positive, sometimes very positive, and we are grateful for that - there are so many bands around and so to capture the attention of people from abroad is a great satisfaction. According to Facebook statistics our fans come mainly - apart from our country - from Germany, Slovakia, Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, the US and Italy. That´ a great reward!


10.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?

Our guitarist Aleš has another doom band called Self-Hatred, they are very good. Our second guitarist Pája and our drummer Datel are also part of this formation. They will be recording their second album simultaneously with us. As for me I am working on a new hardcore project and hopefully will have more details soon :)


11.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

As I said the new CD could be theoretically out in Autumn - we keep our fingers crossed :)

As for the future: Et Moriemur on every album tries to maintain a balance between old and new, to keep our trademark sound while adding something new at the same time. We are not a progressive band at all, we like to stick to the tradition - but without copying ourselves or anybody else.

The general direction is given - let´s say atmospheric doom/death - but the details are hidden even from us until we begin writing new music :)


12.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?

Being five different people we listen to many different bands. Let´s mention for example Evoken, Mournful Congregation, King Diamond, Colosseum or Burzum.

Our style is basically doom/death with melancholic atmosphere and black metal vibes so bands in this genre are particularly important to us.


13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Personally I like reading, I also play ice hockey and practice a traditional version of muay thai called muay boran. Aleš puts heart and soul into music, our bassist Kabrio is a very good photographer and Datel likes gardening and playing railroad simulation games, while Pája´s hobby is drinking :)


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

Thank you for the questions and keep up your great work!

(answers: Zdeněk)

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Distressful Project/Fucked-Up Songs/Darknagar Records/2016 CD Review


  Distressful  Project  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  dark  mixture  of  doom  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Fucked-Up  Songs"  which  was  released  by  Darknagar  Records  and  is  also  a  re-recorded  version  of  their  album  "Neverending  Pain".

  Record  player  sounds  along  with  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  classical  guitars  are  also  added  into  the  mix  and  after  awhile  hard  rock  style  riffing  is  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  melodic  vocals  and  black  metal  screams  are  also  used  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  gets  heavier.

  Goth  style  keyboards  and  heavy  yet  melodic  vocals  mix  together  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  growling  vocals  that  have  a  melodic  tone  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  elements  of  electronic  music  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  all  instrumental  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  or mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Distressful  Project  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  some  black,  death  metal  and  electronic  music  music  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

   In  my  opinion  Distressful  Project  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  mixture  of  goth  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tristia"  "The  Curse"  "Soulless"  and  "Blindness".  8  out  of  10.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Cryptic Brood/Brain Eater/Xtreem Music/2017 CD Review


  Cryptic  Brood  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Brain  Eater"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Xtreem  Music.

  Drum  beats  and  heavy  doom  metal  riffing  starts  off  the  album  and  after  awhile  melodies  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  music  speeding  up  and  adding  in  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death/thrash  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  to  early  90's.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark,  old  school  and  melodic  fashion  and  the  album  also  remains  very  dark  and  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of the  recording.

  Cryptic  Blood  creates  another  recording  that  remains  very  true  to  the  classic  mixture  of  death  and  doom  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the lyrics  cover  death  and  gore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding recording  from Cryptic  Blood  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out this album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  ""A  Box  Full  Of  Bones"  "Corroded  Remains"  "Gorging  Severed  Pieces"  and  "Until  It  Starts  to  Rot".  8  out  of  10.

Friday, February 10, 2017

In The Company Of Serpents/Ain-Soph Aur/2017 Full Length Review


 In  The  Company  Of  Serpents  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture of  stoner,  sludge,  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Ain - Soph  Aur"  which  will  be  released  in  March.  

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drones  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  while  also  bringing  back  the  clean  sections  at  times  and  the  vocals  start  out  with  a  rough  yet  melodic  style  before  adding  in  sludge  style  growls  and  screams  and  the  riffing  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Some  of  the tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  acoustic  instrumentals  while  one  acoustic  track  uses  vocals  and  as the  album  progresses  more  stoner  rock  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  In  The  Company  Of  Serpents  creates   another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  mixture  of  previous  releases  while  also  adding  in  more  acoustic  guitar  work  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Hermetic  Qabalah  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  In  The  Company  Of  Serpents  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge,  stoner,  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Middle  Pillar"  and  "Limitless  Light".  8  out  of  10. 

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Cranial/Dark Towers/Bright Lights/Moment Of Collapse Records/2017 CD Review


  Cranial  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Dark  Towers/Bright  Lights"  which  was  released  by  Moment  Of  Collapse  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  along  with  ambient  elements  start  off   the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  growls  along  with  a  few  screams  and  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  clean  guitars  also  bring  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Most  of  the  riffing  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  hardcore  and  post  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the recording  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  gets  experimental  at  times  and  the  music  also  speeds up  briefly  on  a  couple of  the  songs.

  Cranial  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  an  atmospheric style  of  sludge  metal  and  mixes  it  with  doom  and  post  metal  to  create  a sound  of  their  own, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while the  lyrics  cover  dark themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cranial  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  sludge,  doom,  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Towers"  and  "Lights".  8  out  of  10.

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Assent Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Sure thing ! I started this project in 2016 when my former band Human Vacuum split up. I’d been in it since 2009 and every song was co-written by the guitar player (Baptiste Bertrand, now in the awesome band öOoOoOoOoOo) and I. For the first time in years I was on my own, so I took that opportunity to do something I’d wanted to do for a long time : write a record entirely by myself. I had tons of bits and pieces of songs in Guitar Pro format lying around in my computer, some stuff that was up to fifteen years old. So I began to listen to them again, sort them out, write new parts over the existing ones... that’s basically all I did from March to June last year : write music. I recruited Greg very early, before the songs were even finished : he’s one of my closest friends and I knew he was a killer guitar player I wanted to raise hell with. We’d only done acoustic stuff together so it was the opportunity to get violent. He listened to the Guitar Pro files and said yes instantly. The project became official in June.

2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Man, that’s the hard part. I’ve been a reviewer myself for many years, I’m usually good at labelling music… but this one ? I’m lost. It’s metal, that much is certain. I’ve called it “violent progressive metal with groove included” on our FB page, and I suppose the most accurate thing I can say is that there’s a little bit of everything. A shitload of guitar harmonies, breakdowns in every song, every kind of vocals I can do (screamo, death metal, black metal clean, choirs, rap, you name it), influences that stretch from Soilwork to Paradise Lost…  I think the one criteria that ties it all together is my will to be catchy and complex at the same time. Loads of information, but in a package that will make you bang your head.

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

Dark cathartic stuff. I was in a pretty dark place when I wrote the songs, especially because the Human Vacuum split hit me hard. Every song but one is an introspection. “Remain In Darkness” is basically me yelling at myself because I’m fed up with my self-destructive tendencies. “Reaching Out” is about my compulsive nature, which can make me difficult to be around and got me fired from a band I really loved (One Last Shot). “Insomnia” is pretty much self-explanatory. “We Are The New Black” was originally supposed to be an egotrip, a “we fuck everything” kind of song, but during the writing process I just couldn’t get myself to write such lyrics and take them seriously. They felt ridiculous. So I twisted them and made the song about how one feels compelled to write such a song, how you need to have this “we fuck everything” approach in order to be acknowledged by your headbanging peers. “A Part of Me” is the exception, it’s the only song the lyrics of which were already completed years before the EP. It’s about an abusive father : I took the characteristics of a friend’s dad (he wouldn’t knock before entering his teenage son’s room because he denied him a right to privacy) and bloated them to the extreme. It’s good that there’s at least one song that’s not about me, it opens up possibilities for the future and I’m already self-centered enough as it is.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Assent'?

This one’s on Greg. At first the band was supposed to be called “We Are The New Black”, but then I changed my mind and decided that this would be the name of the EP instead. So I had to find a band name. One day when we were working together on “Remain In Darkness”, he told me how the verse riff would make people headbang instantly, making them basically say “yes” with their heads. We then laughed a lot because we pictured an entire live audience approving us by nodding during gigs. Later that week, I was checking band names on Google to see if they were already taken, especially the name “Ascent” but it wasn’t available… and suddenly I remembered that “Assent” is a word and that it means “approval”. I had a bit of an epiphany there and then. It was decided.

5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future, or do you choose to remain a duo?

I want a real band. I did this EP with Greg because I had something to prove and because I wanted us to have this baby together, but now it’s done. I don’t feel the need to write our future material all by myself because whatever I had to prove is now proven, and I want to play gigs. We actually have our first gig coming on March 31st, so the recruiting process is ongoing as we speak. Our live bass player is already found : it’s Flo Lemonnier, the guy who plays bass on the first song of the EP. I’d invited him as a guest to begin with because I knew he would join the project at a later time. We already have a session drummer (Loïs Arnaldi) who unfortunately won’t be able to become a permanent member because he’s already in, like, twelve bands, but he’s with us until we find somebody else. We need another guitar player, and I’m auditioning right now. Once we have a live band, I’ll try to turn it into a real studio line-up but it will take time. 

6.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

A label will only sign you if you have a few songs ready and are willing to have them release your upcoming record. Then they’ll decide where and when your record is released. That’s why we’re not looking right now : the timing is off. Our EP is already out, and the writing of our first album hasn’t begun. But when we have some new songs we’ll definitely send them to labels and try to get ourselves signed. I hope we’ll have gathered attention in the meantime, for the moment there hasn’t been any interest since it’s the early days. We’ve only had one review as I speak (yours), we still have to play our first gig... it’s too soon.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?

Well, Greg is a fan of extreme metal and he loves it ! It’s too soon to speak at a “worldwide level” since you’re the first media ever to interview Assent. We’ve had that one good review from you (and thanks a lot for that), that’s basically it. There are death metal and black metal vocals on the record, and overall I do think there’s something for every metal fan in Assent’s music. Well, maybe not industrial metal, there’s not much of this in our sound. But you never know : our producer Zoé H is an indus fan (he has his own indus band, Herrschaft) and he likes our sound, so there’s that. Or maybe he’s just pretending. He does have a great poker face.

Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Greg and I have two more bands together : GrooveCorps, a nu-metal cover band, and Greg & Aurel Need Money (yup, that’s the name), an acoustic cover band. Both are in standby since my main focus is on Assent, but they’re the kind of projects taylormade for gigs. That’s the point of them : being able to play live easily should an opportunity arise. Greg also plays in Far Away, an atmospheric metal band, with Flo Lemonnier and Alex Esnault-Douek who was Human Vacuum’s bass player and also plays in GrooveCorps. We’re basically a circle of friends with 5-6 people who all play in, like, six bands together with different line-up combinations. It’s all very incestuous. I’m also part of a project called DirtyProtest, an extreme metal “band” (it’s actually just one guy, Alan Hurley) based in Egypt. The singer is a friend of mine, he’s French and got hired by Alan to do growls and grunts. He’s a very talented singer but he’s also the laziest piece of shit you could imagine, and he just couldn’t be bothered to write lyrics and vocal lines for the album because he was too busy doing coke off hookers’ asses. So I did them all. I designed his vocal lines, I wrote every lyric to every song, and he sang them. I also did guest vocals on one track. We both had a lot of fun and can’t wait for the album to come out.

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

I think our future first album will feature more of everything. More melodies, more violence (I do want some blast-beats here and there), more variety, more groove, MOAR !! Actually there are only two things I know for sure : it will be written collectively by the members of the band we’ll have built in the meantime, and it will feature more work on the guitar sound. On the EP I wrote all the riffs on a computer, so I didn’t include at all the kind of variations a guitar player would have brought, namely different sounds for different moods. It was just “distortion, distortion, that one clean part, distortion”. I can write notes but I can’t replicate the mindset of someone who is used to work with pedals, effects, amps and whatnot, and even as a bass player I’m a “plug in and play” kind of guy. On the EP all the guitar effects were added by Zoé H in the studio, as arrangements. I’d like to have them be a part of the initial writing process in the future.

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

When it comes to influences it’s hard to tell because every song in the EP began its life as a Guitar Pro file created by 20-25 years-old me and then reworked by 36 years-old me. And these two guys are very different ! The very first riff I wrote was the verse for “Remain In Darkness” and it screams Paradise Lost because I was a huge fan then. All these guitar harmonies everywhere come from a time when A Predator’s Portrait by Soilwork was my favourite album. “Reaching Out” comes from a time when I loved both Korn and Dream Theater and wanted to create progressive nu-metal. And so on. It’s hard to pinpoint influences when the songs were created and perfected in such a huge period of time.
Nowadays I’m listening to The Scene is Dead by Rob Scallon, and the last albums that really blew me away were Destrage’s Are You Kidding Me ? No. and Madder Mortem’s Red In Tooth And Claw. Madder Mortem is my favourite band ever, I worship them. They’re finally coming to France in April and I can hardly wait. I’m like a child who’s finally going to meet a real-life superhero.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Greg and I are gamers. We met through working in the same video game store. I have less time to play now but video games will always be a part of my life. My other main passion besides music is roller derby. I’m an announcer for a French league, I do live commentary during bouts. It’s kind of a big thing for me, I travel around France (and sometimes Europe) to do it. It’s like a side career of its own, but music comes first. Oh, and in real life I’m also a teacher for kids with special needs.

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

Thanks a lot for your review, this interview and the time you gave us. The EP can be listened to in full on Bandcamp and YouTube, so if anyone wants to give it a go please do. I’d also love for people to lend an ear to the projects linked to us somehow : Human Vacuum - we released an album in 2014, it’s free to download on Bandcamp - , One Last Shot, Far Away, Thanatic Eyes, Netfastcore (Greg’s former deathcore band) and öOoOoOoOoOo. Oh, and if you want to support a band, please use Bandcamp instead of iTunes and the like. They’re the only ones who give artists their fair share. Thanks !

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Behind The Sun/Post Solis/2017 Full Length Review


  Behind  The  Sun  are  a  band  from  South  Carolina  that  plays  a  progressive  and  melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Post  Solis"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  A very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  that  are  heavily  influenced  by  death  metal  as  well  as  some  growls  and  after  awhile  the  riffing  starts  adding  in  elements  of  prog  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  shamanistic  tribal  beats  and  melodic  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  keyboards  along  with  a  brief  instrumental  and  the  slow  riffs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clean  and  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats.

  Behind  The  Sun  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  death,  doom  and  progressive  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Behind  The  Sun  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  death,  doom  and  progressive  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Fall"  and  "Laniakea".  8  out  of  10.  

  

 

Friday, February 3, 2017

Assent/We Are the New Black/2017 EP Review


  Assent  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  death,  prog  metal  and  metalcore  with  touches  of  nu  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released 2017  ep  "We  Are  the  New  Black".

  Violins  start  off  the  ep  and  after  the  intro  keyboards  are  added  onto  the  recording  bringing  in  touche  of  prog  and goth  as w ell  as  adding  in  heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  and  the  vocals  add  in  metalcore  style  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  clean  singing  and  the solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Whispers  are  also utilized  at  times  and  the  riffing  also  adds  in  touches  of  nu  metal    and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  choirs  along  with  rapes  are  also  used  at  times  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  songs  stick  to  mostly  a  slow  paced  direction  and  there  is  also  a brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Assent  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  goth,  death  and  prog  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  touches  of  metalcore  and  nu  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Assent  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of   goth,  death,  prog  metal  and  metalcore  with  touches  of  nu  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "We  Are  the  New  Black"  and  "Insomnia".  8  out  of  10.     

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Tethra/Like Crows For the Earth/Sliptrick Records/2017 CD Review


  Tethra  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  melancholic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Like  Crows  For  the  Earth"  which  will  be  released  on  February  11th  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  violins  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  while  also  introducing  death  metal  growls  and  melodic  guitar  leads  onto t he  recording  as  well   as some  grim s creams  that  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful sound  to  them  and  melodic  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  they  also  bring  in  a   couple  of  instrumentals  along  with  acoustic  guitars  also  being  used  on  other  tracks  and  progressive  elements  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  one  track  adds  in  ethnic  folk  instruments  briefly and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  whole album  also  sticks  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Tethra  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  melancholic  and  atmospheric  sounding  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  in  a  touch  of  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  mythological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Tethra  are  a  very  great  sounding  melancholic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Transcending  Thanatos"  "Deserted'  "Synchronicity  Of  Life  And  Decay"  and  "Like  Crows  For  The  Earth".  8  out  of  10.   

 

Bitterfeldt/Gotzen.Dammerung/Massacre Records/2017 CD Review


 Bitterfeldt  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  dark  mixture  of  doom  and  goth  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Gotzen.Dammerung"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by Massacre  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  heavy  riffs  and  melodic  guitar  leads  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  growls  that  are  in  between  death  and  black  metal  and  when  clean  singing  is  utilized  it  adds  in  a  touch  of  goth.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  after  awhile  grim  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  the  songs  also  mix  both  the  keyboards  and  heavy  parts  together  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  every  other  song  is  an  intro  and  all  of t he  songs  stick  to  a  slow musical  direction.

  Bitterfeldt  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  goth  and  doom  metal  with  the  heaviness  of  black  and  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in German  and  cover  dark  and  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bitterfeldt  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  mixture  of  goth  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nordlicht"  "Zauberland"  and  "Unendlich".  8  out  of  10.