…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…
…Maiden / Riot-oriented material from the 80’s – the soaring, simplified chorus sure to go down a storm when aired live. Spiros Fousekis and Dimitris Gasparatos hold down guitars (the latter also splitting time as vocalist/keyboardist) in this resolute, powerful manner, the mix of straightforward licks/riffs along with some flashy, guitar hero-ish breaks keep material such as “Evil Waves” and “Wasted Tears” moving briskly, ensuring fist waving, toe…
…ds 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 everything. Sometimes i…
…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 –…
…y 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 sorcerers, exploring the fall of the Akkad Empire – containing a host of energeti…
…too, proof that they are more than ready to challenge the boundaries and deliver a potent album that is as socially relevant as it is brutally heavy. 10. Babymetal – The Other One (Babymetal Records) I’ve never been shy about saying Babymetal’s early stuff was jarring and seemed to lack direction – shock value for the sake of it. The Other One, on the other hand, is a gorgeous trip through some jmetal done right. It brings in the heavy guitars, of…
…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 “…
…Thy Kingdom Will Come” as well as the exotic flavoring across “Curse of Medusa”. Beyond the main construction / execution of this material, it’s the finer details that take Sorcerer to that upper echelon of metal artists – lead breaks that have thoughtful positioning, rising/descending vocal melodies in key spots, extra background vocal support, and keyboard use that supplements the main instrumentation. While the previous record Lamenting of the…
…aching or animated form of expression, you get the versatility present on “Ruler of Tamag”, only to follow with a more traditional, Judas Priest meets Ozzy-like riff framework in the guitar department from Christian Vidal and Johnsson for the vibrant “An Unsung Lament”, where the supplementary left to right choir action plus stunted tempo transition allures in hypnotic splendor. Previous members Piotr Wawrzeniuk and Mats Levén make vocal appearanc…
…ead and Willy Thousand takes on qualities of NWOBHM/thrash veterans, while latest drummer James Foster shifts between blitzkrieg BPM’s next to comfortable power/groove-laden tricks. Five years beyond the last album One Fix, Nine Clouds & Six Feet Deep, Strigampire appeals to a great cross-section of underground (and above) metalheads through the work present on All to Dominate. Prepare to be devastated in a firestorm and crawl out in survival mode…
…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…
…instrument as a kid. That’s a pretty easy phase of production. It’s also true because the drum parts themselves are fairly straightforward. We aren’t technical metal, or jazz fusion with all these technical time signature transitions. It’s musically quite straightforward. I’ve gotten pretty good at bass in my older years, too. Really everything but the rhythm guitars tends to go smoothly. Dead Rhetoric: How did the cover art design process work w…
…ercial-leaning affair with buoyant, jumpy guitars to a super sing-along chorus with “The Hunger”, it’s evident that these musicians are well-equipped to deliver powerful tracks that have that x factor to cement themselves deeply into the heads (and hearts) of headbangers everywhere. As a singer Clau Violette possesses that multiple threat angle of serene, clean melodies plus ripping screams to tear limbs as much as captivate in capable, memorable…
…? Joe: To be honest, it’s just one of those things. Because our long-time drummer had left the band at the start of 2020, we didn’t have a drummer. So, we’ve been using James from Vader, we know he’s a great drummer and a great guy. We would send him demos, and he would send us back finished drum tracks. And we would then all go about doing our parts and send them individually. John and I probably have the same opinion, it is easier to be able to…
…lking about re-amping and mixing to find the settings we need. But playing live is where you harvest the fruits of your orchard. If you worked right in rehearsing and recording, you’ll be extremely satisfied, and there are very few things that can match that kind of happiness. Dead Rhetoric: As a total gear nerd, what kind of guitar effects/drums/mics do you like to use? Foam: ESP guitar, for drums and mic, brand is not specified. I don’t know so…
…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…
…n their skill sets – check out the tradeoffs in addition to unison harmony runs for “Loser Song” as a clear illustration of supreme control on their weapons of choice. Additional keyboard / orchestration support appears, when necessary, never overtaking the main instrumental duties – increasing the hook factor for tracks like “The Great Escape” or the slightly folk-influenced “Libra One Hundred Dragons Force”. What helps Trick Or Treat stand near…
…t. Dead Rhetoric: What are some of the biggest concerns you have about the world that we live in currently? If you could help the average person live a better life, what sorts of ideas or thoughts would you like to get across that could be beneficial? Kokko: That’s a big question! (laughs). You can listen to the album, we talk about concerns like warmongers, and what’s happening in Europe now. Religious freedom, there is crazy stuff happening. How…
…ack atmosphere, the keyboard and bass aspects along with the slower-paced drumming and creepy, clean melodies very haunting to give Ektomorf a bit more left-field dynamic depth to this latest album. Give credit where it’s due for the band’s status across European territories while touring with acts like Children of Bodom, Pro-Pain, and Fear Factory over the years, Ektomorf is one of those groove metal acts that gets the job done, yet doesn’t stand…
…d to learn more about his childhood music memories, the differences in the latest record versus previous efforts, thoughts on video shoots in the brutal Texas heat, touring challenges, advice he’s received from his father that pays dividends as an artist, and what’s on the horizon for the band going into 2024 and beyond. Dead Rhetoric: What can you tell us regarding your earliest memories surrounding music growing up in childhood? What were some o…
…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…
…to be announced. Personally, my goal for next year is to become big. To become a big, well-known personality,” concludes Himari with a large smile. Truth be told, she already has the big personality she needs, it’s just a matter of getting it exposed to the rest of the world for all to see. All live photos courtesy of Jonathan Lane Jonathan Lane official website Jonathan Lane on Instagram Jonathan on Twitter/X https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Xyb…
…and two albums, moving up to Czech label Lacerated Enemy Records for this latest platter Made of Stone. Grinding out two hundred plus gigs across Europe has sharpened the collective creative blade, weaving in a tight, focused sound across these twelve tracks that should pacify a lot of underground (to slightly above) extreme mavens. Many artists who combine two or more subgenres in the metal/hardcore platform usually go for the low hanging fruit…
…nd’s arsenal – but it’s evident throughout that the addictive guitar riffs/runs plus singalong choruses should hammer home the universal appeal for those who love classic heavy metal. The dual guitar attack as well as proficient bass spots create a magnitude of memories around influences like Mercyful Fate, Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, all the way into classic Riot – especially prevalent in tracks like “Apocalypse” and the harmony-fueled “Return of t…
…first time. Dead Rhetoric: What worries or concerns do you have about the world that we live in currently? If you had unlimited time, resources, finances, and energy, what are one or two key areas that you think need to be addressed to make the world a better place? Lur: Unfortunately, I think too many things should change. I strongly hate guns, and if there was any way I could take them all down I really would do it. They only bring pain and dea…
