…oric: What are some of the biggest worries and concerns you have about the world that we are living in today? If you had the opportunity to make changes for the greater good of all, what aspect(s) do you think need to be looked at so that the world can be in a better, more comfortable place? Granieri: Well, I am afraid of all this technology ruling our lives these days. You know, I’ve seen it coming, I knew it, but I am starting to see the Matrix…
…’s the right time for his group to take off with more eyes on the Japanese market as of late. Given the larger presence (at least partially due to Heafy and Napalm’s involvement), Ryujin is off to a fantastic start, and should offer a large appeal to fans of the melodeath-driven Gyze before it, as well as those seeking a fresh, Eastern take on the sound with some modern expansions. Either way, Ryujin is a great fresh start for the group, and seems…
…ried in the Past” offers a slightly less frantic pacing, but the way that Brunner, La Torraca, and Delauney share the mic and blend their voices is all but divine in execution. Five of the six originals were penned by Brunner and producer Hannes Braun, with the beautifully elegant “Dying in My Dreams” being co-written by La Torraca, and it stands out for it’s power ballad-esque energy and poignant feelings. While “Run” heads in more of a fun, folk…
…You do have to change up the songs, from the songwriting view, from the structure and a strong chorus – that can be a similar song in every style. But I think that pop songs are a little more simple, than a metal or even symphonic metal song – it’s bigger, it’s more bombastic, and it has more parts. There’s more chord changes or modulations, or things like that. You do need to change a basic pop song in order to fit it into a metal style. I wish,…
…plays of synchronicity between the guitars, keyboards, and bass while the drum work deftly moves between power, groove, and progressive measures as Per unleashes more of his multi-octave vocal prowess. Resolute in its melodic metal stance, Black Sun isn’t exactly going to turn the world ablaze in terms of its approach. The Grandmaster delivers an interesting mix of modern meets power songwriting, adding in a flair for dramatic soundscapes to polis…
…onata Arctica-ish “The Demonic Creatures of the Night”, both musicians instrumentally showcasing obvious seasoned skills in action. What record wouldn’t be complete with an epic song – “Glorious Dawn” at 10:02 containing the requisite orchestration-filled intro, operatic-style choir melodies, building momentum into a neoclassical, progressive metal extravaganza, the drumming of Janne Kusmin uplifting next to the dramatic narrative switch-offs. Kno…
…ope it would be forever. It will be interesting to see. I hope the touring world doesn’t get too disrupted with the financial cost of everything. We had to cancel going to Europe last summer because we can’t take this big of a financial loss on just going. The first time we went to Europe, it was $5,000 for five plane tickets. Last year it was $10,000 for five tickets – holy smokes. The barrier of entry to get on tour is so high, hopefully that ca…
…d to a portion of the audience to dismiss them as a bit of a gimmick. But truth be told, At the Plates may have very punny song titles and some crazy yet fun lyrics, Omnivore is a ‘melodic’ death metal release that’s going to start your 2024 off in very satisfying ways. While it’s quite fun to look at the titles, such as “Punish My Waistline” and “Incarnated Syrup Abuse” to crack a cheeky smile at what the band has done to classic Dark Tranquillit…
…w of Gost’s sonic journey. Proceedings began with the blast beat heavy “Garruth” from Possessor, beginning on a quick and aggressive note. Joined on stage by a bassist, who has been a long-time collaborator with Gost, adds an energetic visual element and additional thumping heft that brings much dynamism to their performance. Transitioning to the macabre danceable vibes of “Maleficarum” off of personal favorite album of Non Paradisi was next, and…
…s changing everything and not for the better at this point. Bell: Once the news hype dies down, I’m guessing (or maybe hoping?) that this tech as it relates to music making will exist mostly in a few useful but limited applications. AI mastering tools, for example, are something I can see sticking around. The generative AI programs, however (the ones most often in the news cycle) I don’t see replacing the creative process of making music outside o…
…fans know that we are there and that we exist. We understand there are thousands of bands like us throughout the world. What can we do? We produce music, to increase awareness. Hopefully we will be able to make a difference, through our storytelling and music telling. Hopefully making lives easier of those who listen to us, our fans. If they resonate with our music, the listening of our songs as a part of their everyday lives, hey, that means tha…
…ame” in May. The sound is crisp as always, and you can hear all of the instrumentation beautifully. For a 16 year old, Rina has some incredible vocals – the chorus in this song is some of the best work she’s done. It’s catchy, has some standout and playful musicianship, and just heavy enough. Can’t remember the last time I was so quickly invested in a group. Expect big things as we move into 2024, this band is firing on all cylinders. (Togenashi T…
…pair, even employing it effectively in some of Akane’s vocal performance. Truthfully, this chorus is probably her strongest in terms of sheer power of the EP. “Mujuryokuhiko” feels the most epic of the bunch, with the playful violin giving it an almost jovial feel that effectively contrasts the more rock-driven nature of the rest of the group. Ayasa’s solo in this song is a real stunner. Last in the mix is “Hanabi,” which has the most fun and rock…
…are little nerds for music. Dead Rhetoric: What worries you most about the world that we live in today? Where do you think people need to put more effort/concentration on to make our lives that much better for the future? Meseuger: Wow. Panza: I think that people have somehow lost the idea that they feel we are living in a society made by people, made by real things. We are caring too much about virtual avatars, it’s like social media is everythin…
…mance levels. It’s also great to hear soccer-style chanting at key melodic runs or chorus moments, exuding the best transference from the audience back to the musicians, elevating the music to that passionate, memorable spectrum that people take away from the best shows. There may never be another Children of Bodom that traverses the earth – yet the discography left behind will surely resonate with future generations of metalheads. Cheers, Alexi –…
…ns for decades. The generational appeal of history, fantasy, and mythology runs deep in the hearts of the people – spread out to other parts of the world. Solitary Sabred are heavy metal warlords delivering an epic brand of heavy/power metal since the early 2000’s, releasing three previous albums before this latest offering Temple of the Serpent. Before us is a ten-track concept record, chronicling the journey of demonic djinns and undead sorcerer…
…th addictive and full of abrasion. Not to mention some big hooks in the chorus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hddAWZ-Nzpo 11. Dimrays “Everlasting” Big grooves, chunky riffs, and an incredibly catchy build up to a powerhouse chorus. Dimrays showcases a strong potential for their future quite well with this latest single. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur7uVvuKRHE 10. Mercenary “Anthem for the Anxious” It took FOREVER to get new Mercenary, but i…
…sten and don’t let go. The aforementioned “Chlamydia Rain” is an absolute bruiser in the riff department, bouncing from speed runs into some mid-tempo moments where the flashy melodies take centerstage and soar into some very elegant heights. Triumphant melodies really are the icing on the death/thrash cake, with some other highlights to be found in opener “White Lies” and the ever so slightly slower “Strangle Your Life.” If you are wondering wher…
…n by percussion master Steve Shalaty’s hyper quick and forceful stylings. Truly one of the best drummers in the game, rounding out the NYDM legends sound in all settings. Classic track “Dawn of Possession” followed, causing a fury amongst the already raging pit enthusiasts. The setlist was an overall smattering of Immolation’s long career, covering seven of their eleven full-lengths, spanning from early from 90s classics like “Christ’s Cage” and “…
…nd who knew Pelle. And we asked him if he was interested in recording the drums, like a session drummer at first. We’ll see if he will become a full member of the band, or what the future brings. He’s also a great guy, easy going, and a very skilled drummer. We are happy to have him. Dead Rhetoric: Were you always a fan of Morgana Lefay in the past? Winterwild: Yes, for sure. Dead Rhetoric: Can you tell us about the performance music video you sho…
…s variety evergreen in this movement. Be it an intro to the opening track “Rulers of the Sinful World” tailor made to capture unison chants from the audience before the Maiden-esque circular guitar runs and steady double kick action takes control, all the way through the special marching speed gallops and go for broke, emotive lead work from guest Fabian Riquelme on the spirited closer “Balor”, the honor to these bands doesn’t go unnoticed while p…
…s pros and cons. Music streaming is a useful tool that allows an artist to share and spread their work with people all over the world in matter of seconds, but on the other side, the incomes from this kind of service are as low as they’ve ever been, and that is demoralizing. So, there should be some kind of fair regulation between the two parts to avoid this frustration. Who knows if it will ever be released? It’s absurd, if you think about it, es…
…ith a more melodic finish. That said, the album closes with a poignant instrumental “To the World I See With You,” which gives you some time to breath and ponder. It’s a beautiful piece that is almost reminiscent of something that could have come from the Blue Reflection game series soundtrack. The collection of work on Pancada shows off Plevail at their finest. They can swing from melodic to intense and hit everything in between in ways that grab…
…er. Even in our day to day, we become more hardened in what we believe is true or not true and you can start to develop this idea of ‘its me against the world.’ If that’s the case, then maybe I need to do something radical. You can go into some really dark places. But if you start to see ‘oh wow these people are dealing with some sort of depression, or this other country or even 30 mins away from me.’ You can start to see the connecting threads th…
…– knowing throughout these tracks where to go full force on proper Celtic runs that easily cement themselves into the brain on first (through subsequent) playbacks. Check out his supreme tactful ways on the instrumental “Turadh” on through to his interplay next to the charging double kick / power metal rhythm guitar foundation for “Rob Roy” – offering that additional hook support that will engage followers when airing these cuts live. Thankfully…
…eived regarding your musical career? Anubis: Be authentic. Listen to your true self. Listen to what your truth really is and what you want to be as a musician. Be honest with yourself. In this creative world, we as musicians tend to want to please others a lot. Don’t become something that just the audience wants to see – as that’s not being authentic to yourself. That would be lying to yourself. This is not living a true life – it’s living what ot…
…ng? Mäenpää: The major difference is in the different lineup. Because the drummer and second guitar player changed. The songwriting process was quite different. We just did all the songwriting online, and changing the guitar parts and Miika’s vocal parts when we could. We only went to a real studio to record the drums. Kokko: When the musical side was finished, I would throw around vocal ideas these little demos. Then I would write lyrics througho…
…ere, and we haven’t toured here yet. Getting our foot in the door with our market, getting on tours is super tough. It’s an over-saturated market, there are so many bands fighting for all the same slots on some of these tours. Hopefully with this album this will help us get some momentum. Next year, and the next couple of years we can do some North American touring and another European tour, some festivals in Europe. That’s the aspect that’s reall…
…black metal elements forming the skeleton that holds everything together structurally. What’s glaringly obvious is that one won’t come across an album that is this intentionally different often, and the creative risks taken most certainly pay off. There’s plenty to digest within Xibalba – from the folk characteristics, various vocal cadences, and film score level vivacity, to the downright nasty and direct black metal onslaughts. This won’t hit wi…
