Home Blog Page 11

Brainstorm – Level Up

Matt Coe
-
0
Brainstorm – Level Up

The delivery of consistent, high-quality heavy metal from a power / thrash-like angle for over thirty-five years is not a usual occurrence. Especially when coming from one act amidst all the struggle, turmoil, and strife that life and its experiences can throw at us as humans. That’s the period though we arrive at here from German veterans Brainstorm. Their latest album Plague of Rats as a fourteenth studio record contains the hefty riffs and melodic hooks one expects from this style – along with some Eastern/Indian chord progressions and nuances plus more exploration on Indian religions and mythology in some of the lyrical themes. We reached out to guitarist Torsten Ihlenfeld who has been very enthusiastic to discuss everything from the latest bass player acquisition, why the band delved deeper again into those exotic themes, guest appearances from two members of Leaves Eyes, special memories as a touring musician, where the band would like to play that they haven’t, and what’s in store for the band to support the record and beyond.

Dead Rhetoric: You have a new bass player in Jim Ramses. What do you enjoy most about his playing, his outlook, and what he brings to Brainstorm at this point in the band’s career?

Torsten Ihlenfeld: Mainly he’s a very talented bass player, and a very nice guy which means he fits great in the band. It was like nothing spectacular with the change because Antonio and Andreas both had to step back because of work and families. There were no scandals or anything like that. Although Jim is originally from Athens in Greece, he is the bassist that lives the closest to our home headquarters than all the other guys before him. He moved from Greece to Germany, and he lives in our hometown now for two years. It was an easy step to ask Jim, we rehearsed together and it’s a great match. We are looking forward to going on tour with him.

Dead Rhetoric: The latest album Plague of Rats from Brainstorm explores more of the Indian themes you developed for the band on the Soul Temptation album of 2003. Why did now seem the right time to work on more themes in this regard – were there specific inspirational moments or influences that came about?

Ihlenfeld: Yeah, that Eastern/ Indian harmonies and themes, it’s always part of the Brainstorm DNA. Even back in the demo times, we had songs and riffs like this. We started to focus on this first on the Ambiguity album in 2000, with “Maharaja Palace”. For almost everybody, the Soul Temptation album with the trilogy of songs was like, ‘what is Brainstorm coming up with, this Indian / Eastern stuff?’. The title track, it was part of the trilogy, it had to be the focus. That’s when people recognized that maybe Brainstorm is doing something that’s a little bit different from the other bands. Even on the Liquid Monster album and follow-up albums, there are some small hints of harmonies, fills, that play within that kind of music.

We don’t want to have to do at least one song in that kind of style on an album. It has to be the right time; we have to feel it. For Plague of Rats, the album cover was done in the very early stages of the songwriting process. For me, looking at the cover, it was a kick off to the songwriting. That’s why there is more focus on this album, because (vocalist) Andy (Franck) is mostly responsible for the cover ideas. As he came up with it, it was clear that Brainstorm Eastern DNA would be more in focus again.

Dead Rhetoric: When it comes to the musical side of things, when you do explore that mindset, is it different because as Europeans you are coming from a different perspective injecting different chord progressions and that Eastern/Indian feel into the music?

Ihlenfeld: It’s not difficult because the music language is not bound to borders. At least in my opinion. I love those kinds of harmonies, developing them and playing with those ideas. It’s not hard to get in that mood. Playing, you see things develop step by step. It’s not a bigger effort than to write a classical piece in E minor or something like that.

Dead Rhetoric: Did Andy inject some of his travel experiences into the lyrics – as I know he did visit Egypt last year among other countries?

Ihlenfeld: That’s correct. Andy is so full of ideas and inspiration. He’s reading a lot of books, he’s traveling, the same with myself. We have so many beautiful and interesting places all over the world, people all over the world who we’ve met during the tours and at the festivals. The world is our stage, so to speak, and we love being in contact with different kinds of people from different cultures, all that kind of stuff. We always felt very welcome everywhere we have played. That’s where we are coming from.

Dead Rhetoric: In the background information regarding the recording and songwriting for this record, Andy mentions that you feel like you learned from your mistakes and played to your strengths for this set of material. Where do you see the strengths of the band currently, and what did you learn from in the past that made this record stronger in the end?

Ihlenfeld: You always learn from album to album. What we have learned, especially in the past, is that we love to play many different parts in one song. When you get older a little bit, I think the songs are more to the point without losing some kind of progression in the art. Not diving too deep into longer parts. That’s one part of what Andy meant in learning from the past. We feel very comfortable with that. Especially when you listen to the last three albums, it’s back to more fast songs. There is still an epic song on every album, but they have that freshness. As long as we are able to play things, we do it.

Dead Rhetoric: Is this where you rely on the extra set of ears through producer Seeb Levermann, who is known for his work in Orden Ogan? As he is familiar with your work best…

Ihlenfeld: Absolutely. Seeb is such an incredible talent. He has such a huge musical understanding. For us, he’s definitely the sixth band member who levels up everything as we feel it, but lets the band still have its own identity. That’s the best combination you can have.

Dead Rhetoric: How did the guest duet with Elina Siirala of Leaves Eyes come about for “Your Soul That Lingers In Me”? And you also had Alex from the band perform on another track…

Ihlenfeld: That was a big wish of Andy’s. When we wrote “Your Soul That Lingers In Me”, Andy said he heard a female voice in this song. And then “From Hell”, which is a very fast almost thrash, speed song, he always was like ‘maybe we can include some growls there’. Andy and Alex, they are both from the same area, and have known each other for so long. It was a very easy and clear choice to ask Alex to be a part of that song. With Elina, of course when you know how everything fits together with Atrocity and Leaves Eyes, Andy said he wanted her singing on that song. Not the typical way of singing that she does with Leaves Eyes and those records, it’s a little bit different from that vocal range but we love it so much, it turned out great and she did a really great job. And Alex as well, he’s a great musician.

Dead Rhetoric: You’ve released three singles to date from the record. How does the process work between the band, management, and record label as far as what songs to premiere first from the record? Do you believe this is an accurate representation of what listeners can expect from the full album?

Ihlenfeld: Oh yes, I think so. We are pretty free to choose what we want as a single. Of course, we discuss it with the record label when we have the meetings, and we present our choices for the single tracks. Usually it is almost 90%, the record label follows what we suggest as to being the singles. On the other side it’s great to have an opinion that is not directly involved in the songwriting process. When we present the songs to the record label I have heard them a thousand times already. It’s always good to have a fresh ear, and sometimes you are surprised how people listen to the songs and how they are understanding them. The singles are almost always the choice of the band, and the record label follows.

Dead Rhetoric: The previous album release came out just before a lot of COVID-19 restrictions were lifted the following year for shows. How have you seen the state of the live music over the past few years – do you think people treasure more the live experience from club and theater shows to festival settings that maybe was taken for granted during that two-year period of little to no activity?

Ihlenfeld: Yes. On the one hand, it is as you said – but it was very different directly when in September 2021 we released Wall of Skulls, and we had the tour booked ready with everything. And then everything was shut down – it was unreal, and it felt unreal. We were used to writing songs, record the album, release it, go on tour, play the festivals, and start all over. There was a break for twelve months, and nobody was allowed to do anything, no touring, no live shows, and not being allowed to meet. That was very strange. The following years, when we started to tour thirteen months later with the Rage guys, the pandemic was not really over, but the shows were starting to come back again. It was different for the people – they weren’t sure if the show(s) would take place, or did it have to be cancelled on short notice because of new restrictions and developments. The following two years are so fully packed with concerts, every show that didn’t happen during COVID-19 had to be played. After the tour, we thought about doing a second tour. We couldn’t because the calendar was full, everybody was on tour. Now I think people enjoy going out to see shows again. They don’t have four or five tickets on their pin wall still left to go to, now they can go to new shows. I was at the show at Stuttgart for us, during the weekend, and that’s exactly how it feels. People are enjoying live concerts very much. They don’t take it for granted any more.

Dead Rhetoric: At this point in the band’s career, how difficult is picking out a set list that you as a band and the fans will be satisfied with?

Ihlenfeld: You cannot miss the live classics, and you have to include new songs to present your new album. Better to be in that position then to be in the opposite position, not to know what to play at all. There’s a good chance to maybe alter the set list a little bit, depending on the tours when the big cities are away from each other on the tour. We enjoy this very much, we have a bigger pool of songs that we end up taking on tour. We can often decide on stage for one song or another. That’s a big comfort that we feel – being spontaneous, although you have to decide on one or two main set ups, so you don’t disappoint your fans, and you don’t play not enough new songs.

Dead Rhetoric: Now being a part of the Reigning Phoenix Music roster after your time on Metal Blade and AFM Records, where do you think this record label will take the band in terms of promotion and following this deep in your career?

Ihlenfeld: I hope that Reigning Phoenix can of course level up the band some steps. I think that we made a good decision. We know the people at the label for a long time that are working at Reigning Phoenix. That was a big point for us to decide to go to that label. We feel very at home when you know people – even back at the AFM years or the Metal Blade years. You know them, you know the music that they love, they know the band, they know the songs. That’s a very good position for the band. Although being a kind of new label, it’s a label with a long history from the people that work there. The experience, it’s metal people working at a metal label.

Dead Rhetoric: When it comes to your life as a musician and as a person, what are some of the choices you’ve made that make you the person that you are?

Ihlenfeld: Being a musician and being able to play music and at least make part of your living out of that, that’s such a great gift. It changes your point of view on many things. Not having to go to a nine to five routine with a job that you hate. I can do something that I love. Of course it’s not easy, sometimes. It’s such a great gift to be able to do something that you love. To learn and to get to know people from all over the world, especially when you come there as a band and you play there, we feel welcome everywhere we go. That changes everything. The metal people, not only the fans, but the people that work in the music industry, you are breathing (in) the same DNA. This makes the world so much bigger with friends. Makes you more open-minded I would say.

Dead Rhetoric: What have been some of the best places you’ve travelled to in your life – and what do you believe you learned the most from those experiences that may have surprised you?

Ihlenfeld: There are quite many interesting places. We had a place we visited north of Hungary and north of Romania, we visited the castle of Draco. I would never in my life (have) visited that part of the world without being there. You get to know many interesting places with so much history that you get explanations from people that are living there. You are not going there as a tourist and only knowing the tourist places. There are so many interesting and beautiful places that I never would have experienced without making music. It’s not only one or two or three. When we played Portugal for the first time, the first tour through Spain and we drove in a van to see the country besides the tourist places. It’s an amazing experience every time you go on tour.

Dead Rhetoric: Are there specific places you’d like to play in Brainstorm that you haven’t been able to as of yet?

Ihlenfeld: For sure. Southeast Asia we have never visited. And with our favorite kind of music, Eastern DNA stuff, we would like to go do a run there and meet the people there. It would be so much influence for us to give us new stories. Playing as much as you can with your own music, it makes the world your friends.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for Brainstorm over the next twelve months or so to promote this record? And what’s left to accomplish in your eyes with this group – or your ambitions as a musician?

Ihlenfeld: First off, we will do a release tour run. Which we did not do very often in the past. We will do ten dates right on the day the album comes out. To promote the album on the release date, and for the week after. Usually, you wait until four to eight weeks after the album release to do a tour. This time, we decided on a release show run to prepare everything for the fall after the summer festivals to go on a real big tour to promote the album. We are hopeful for a long run.

For us, there is no end in sight. We love it as much, if not more, than in the beginning. Because you learn as musicians, it’s not being the fastest guitar player in the world. It’s the song that counts, We want to get better as songwriters, and we’ve learned from album to album that we want to keep the band going. No one says no to a level up – when you get more successful, that is always welcome. Getting better as songwriters and satisfying people with the music that you write, and give the people something back from what they give us for the past thirty-five years, that’s the most important thing for the band, meanwhile. Not being one of ten rock stars. We have such a good, long career and such dedicated fans. We take things as they come.

Brainstorm official website

Brainstorm on Facebook

Little Lilith – Retribution (Discordia Records)

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Little Lilith – Retribution (Discordia Records)

Japanese djent band Little Lilith return with their third EP in the form of Retribution. Their first since 2023’s Strike, though the group has been active with a few singles since then. They originally started out in 2018, but ‘renewed’ in 2021 and have been growing a name for themselves ever since, even making it over to tour Europe after Strike was released. Retribution continues the high-quality output that Little Lilith has been holding with these EP releases, and should easily attract the ears of those looking for some modern metal that doesn’t play by the usual conventions.

The first thing that one will hear with lead-off track “Dystopia” is the heavy djent groove of the guitars and vocalist Lilly’s screams. The contrast between the urgent grooves and caustic screams with more melodic and modern sections is what gives Little Lilith an interesting dynamic. Towards the end of the song, it moves into an almost breakdown-esque slow groove with harsh growls, yet it almost instantly switches back into melodic territory. Lilly is equally capable of pulling off some catchy singing vocals (aided by some slight vocoder assistance), and the melodic grooves and riffing has a refreshing atmosphere to it. “Utopia” comes in with stomping yet playful melodeath-inspired tempos and guitar melodies from Erika, with Lilly singing atop them. The song switches into much more uplifting and melodic territory just prior to the chorus, yet the intricacy in the guitarwork remains. The way it intertwines with the electronics gives it a futuristic feeling, and the grooves surrounded by her fiery solo later on are one of the highlights.

“Daybreak” emerges with more of a traditional groove to it, augmented by some synthwork and layered with some moments of playful guitar melodies. A ripper of a solo awaits, as well as some effective drum battery segments from Yuki. “Daybreak” is also the track that has the strongest basslines from Shiori at hand, providing a noticeable rumble as it progresses. It does seem like they saved the best cut for last, with the title track, providing one final moment of glory for the band to finish up on. The merger of bouncing electronic elements, the vocoder-enhanced cleans from Lilly, and upbeat grooves make for a fun moment that doesn’t hold back on it’s heaviness, particularly with some monster grooves later on, yet is undeniably catchy and melodic in the best ways.

At 14-minutes and 4 tracks, Retribution doesn’t last long but all but demands repeated listens. The combination of furious grooves, soaring melodies, and infectious energy make for a dazzling performance, and Little Lilith holds nothing back. Make no mistake, Little Lilith brings a ton of heaviness and chaos, but dress it up in a catchy formula that should even give them room to expand outside the metal realms without much difficulty. They should be a band to watch as they continue to release new material.

Little Lilith official website
Little Lilith on Facebook

Rioghan – Kept (Inverse Records)

Matt Coe
-
0
Rioghan – Kept (Inverse Records)

The evolution of Rioghan from a solo project to a five-piece outfit has been interesting. Originally an outlet for singer-poetess Rioghan Darcy, the band expanded to a trio following the release of their debut album Different Kinds of Losses in 2022, containing collaborations with members of Katatonia, Leprous, and Red Eleven among others. Kept as a follow-up continues to deliver a mesmerizing mixture of progressive, alternative, and gothic metal influences, ten tracks that encompass a diverse range of lighter to heavier affairs, sometimes more modern while at other times very atmospheric or ethereal.

You can hear angst in Rioghan’s screams next to a bouncy djent foundation throughout “Edge”, while her serene, clean melodies contrast in angelic fashion next to the forward-thinking riffs from Teemu Liekkala and Tero Luukkonen, where it feels like Meshuggah colliding headfirst into Tool meets Katatonia landscapes. Midway through “Distance” allows the listener to absorb a quieter side of these musicians, the dialed down keyboards and looped drum sequence perfect for the lush vocal melodies which exude some Middle Eastern nuances before the final minute kicks into distortion mode with some supplementary darker growls. The off-time drumming from Valtteri Revonkorpi shines next to more shimmering clean to aggressive riffs during “Motion”, at almost seven-minutes ideal for those who love modern melodic death just as much as gothic/progressive metal, the shifts will keep ears pinned for the next part in terms of atmosphere or mood. Other songs like “Dreams” and “Skin” contain moments of poignant beauty next to the music, her words tantalizing as you picture images and colors coming to life. The final cut “Grief” contains reflective keyboards next to some cinematic / classical aspects, the intertwining of her soft voicing with her impassioned higher notes once again breathtaking in execution.

Plenty of people across multiple metal genres will dig Rioghan – as the dynamic abilities showcased through Kept will keep interest on high. If bands like Evergrey, Leprous, Meshuggah, and Tool in more of a gothic, alternative soundscape appeals to you, this is a no-brainer to jump on board.

Rioghan on Facebook

Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis (Season of Mist)

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Retromorphosis – Psalmus Mortis (Season of Mist)

It goes almost without say that Spawn of Possession was a legendary group within the tech death scene. Their arguable pinnacle, Incurso, was a frantic statement that left their mark and sadly left a number of people hungering for a follow-up that never came. It’s with glee that Retromorphosis has come into view, featuring all of the group’s last known members except drummer Henrik Schonstrom coming together to play…you guessed it, tech death metal. Joining the four of them is KC Howard on drums, and while they are unquestionably playing death metal, don’t expect a mere Spawn of Possession revival.

Yes, they could have easily ridden the coattails of the Spawn of Possession name and delivered something similar, and given their pedigree, it’s probably be universally praised. But instead, they chose to take a risk and bring in a more ‘well-rounded’ approach to Psalmus Mortis. Their tech-death influences are certainly ever-present and you can feel the stamp of them with cuts like “The Tree” and “Vanished,” but it’s cut with both old-school and modern references. There’s a distinctly heavy feel to the album, and it carries a grimy tone that feels so refreshing compared to the hyper-clean tech material of today. The death metal side is primal, from Dennis Röndum’s barked vocals and Howard’s drum blasts to the frenetic riff combos of Jonas Bryssling and Christian Muenzner.

There’s also a haunting melodic side that pops up from time to time. “Never to Awake” lunges ahead with fury, but more modern melodies emerge from time to time and give it an eerie side that fits potently with the sound. The 9-minute “Machine” starts off with some spooky atmosphere before diving into more melodic yet tech-y material, and does an excellent job of moving between more eerie and memorable moments and progressive noodling, all while keeping the song moving forward with purpose. Notable standout basswork from Erlend Caspersen also is welcomed, giving a pleasant rumbling tone that doesn’t feel relegated to simply following the guitarwork and is given it’s own time to shine.

Psalmus Mortis doesn’t rely on the pedigree of Spawn of Possession’s name, instead offering the members a chance to try some new directions within the death metal realm. Retromorphosis are off to an excellent start, incorporating tech flashiness while coupling it with both timeless and modern death metal to give it a distinct freshness. More than worthy of the hype, this a group that should have no issues grabbing a wide extreme metal audience.

Retromorphosis on Facebook
Retromorphosis on Instagram

Enemy Inside – Evolving Venom

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Enemy Inside – Evolving Venom

Never a band that was dead set on playing by the rules, it’s been interesting to hear Enemy Inside grow and change since their first release in 2018 [Phoenix]. Since then, they’ve moved further and further into their own sound. Venom sees them breaking the mold even further, with songs swinging from influences ranging from metalcore to hip hop to pop to EDM. Truly a melting pot of influences, while keeping it heavy enough for long-time fans to enjoy. We spoke with vocalist Natassja Giulia and lead guitarist Evan Koukoularis about the band’s evolution, the state of the music scene and what they’d like to see changed, a 3d glasses version of Venom, and much more.

Dead Rhetoric: Phoenix came out in 2018, how do you feel the band has grown since then?

Evan Koukoularis: It’s funny if you think sometimes about how it started. It was in a small apartment when we were studying and making a university project together. Now it has turned into a real band, going on tours and putting out albums. It’s nice to take a moment and appreciate that. It’s something that not everyone can do. We are really happy that it turned out that way.

Nastassja Giulia: Also, from the music style, we evolved a lot. Especially with the new record. We didn’t put in so many limits when we were writing, and I think we now have found ourselves.

Dead Rhetoric: Outside of singles and touring, what have you had to do in order to keep the band growing between releases?

Nastassja: I think we tried to always be present. If we didn’t put out an album for a long time, especially due to the pandemic, but we always tried to be present in a digital way when we couldn’t play. There were two years that we couldn’t play. We also had our second album, Seven, in that moment and we had to skip our release. It was a bit frustrating, but we tried to be present and were posting. We would post singles or acoustic versions or something…

Evan: The thing is, just keep on doing stuff. The motivation will go on. Just keep doing what you like and if there are a few things you don’t like or want to change, go ahead and change them. But keep doing it.

Dead Rhetoric: There’s a ton of different influences on display throughout Venom. Do you feel that you have nailed the sound you are looking for?

Evan: Exactly. On this record, we had the ability to express ourselves in exactly the way we wanted to. In the older albums, it was part of us, but we set more limits than on this record. I think so far, it’s the most original album we have put out.

Dead Rhetoric: Is it important to you that the sound stays open? Trying new things and expanding horizons?

Nastassja: For us, yes. I feel that for us, it’s nicer if we play a live show. Not every song sounds the same. They have different energies and different topics and just pulling different vibes. It’s more exciting for the audience, and I think it’s more exciting for us.

Evan: There are a few bands in the metal scene that do have a few songs that are big hits and they try to rewrite the same song over and over again, and they play a setlist live with all of these songs, and when it’s time to hear the hit, it doesn’t have as much of an effect because you have listened to all of the other songs that sound pretty similar. The effect goes away a bit. We aren’t the type of people who want to stick to the same recipe.

Nastassja: We want the album to feel more diversified.

Dead Rhetoric: What are your thoughts on the expansion of the heavy metal sound into a broader spectrum?

Nastassja: I think music nowadays, especially in metal, is more versatile than 10-20 years ago. Now we have the internet and we are able to explore more music than before. But I think that now there is more genre-crossing. Like two days ago, I saw reggae-core on Instagram and I was like, “this is something new!” For me, it’s exciting. I want to hear new stuff. I don’t want to hear the same genre over and over again. It’s exciting to mix. That was what nu metal was the beginning. They just started mixing things and something good came out of it.

Evan: I think that we are finally at a stage that metal doesn’t have this nostalgic ‘80s character anymore. How it used to be 10-15 years ago, and there are still bands now trying to do this, but it’s not as much as it used to be. It’s like, get over it, the ‘80s are gone [laughs].

Nastassja: I also think that people are more accepting if you aren’t ‘true metal,’ the metal police are still there, but it’s getting smaller. I think people aren’t as narrow-minded anymore.

Dead Rhetoric: It’s funny that you mentioned that because I was going to ask about the other side of the spectrum. Do you feel that bands like yours that try to be outside of the box tend to get critiqued more harshly than sticking to the usual playbook?

Nastassja: Definitely, but I think whatever you do, if you are taking risks, you have to deal with it. People might criticize you more, but the more they do that, the more other people will love you. I think you should do whatever you feel is right and whatever you want to do as an artist.

Evan: In the end, you cannot please everyone. Just do whatever expresses yourself and your character more.

Nastassja: I mean, you have to listen to the songs more than the fans do. You should like it.

Dead Rhetoric: At least if someone complains about it, you are eliciting a reaction too…

Nastassja: If it’s worth a comment, then we did something right.

Dead Rhetoric: What would you like to see from the metal scene as we move forward?

Evan: Personally, I would like to see more young people listening to it. Whatever will approach them to join the metal scene is pretty good coming from my side. We have a problem if you visit many European festivals, the young people are missing. I think it’s time that we get them to join the existing crowd. It’s super cool to have the scene, but we need some younger fans.

Nastassja: I also would hope for more acceptance. It’s gotten better, but I would like the metal scene to be more open. I feel it is a scene that people always want to be accepted, but they aren’t really as open. Some people are really narrow-minded within the scene. You don’t see it as much in other genres. Like, you don’t hear anyone saying, “I only listen to soul. I don’t like neo-soul, it’s bullshit.” You see it more in the metal scene.

Evan: Yeah, whoever listens to black metal, they hate, I don’t know, power metal.

Nastassja: I feel it should be more about the music, not if it’s a certain style. We, as a band, are music lovers, and we don’t care if a song has hip hop or metal or whatever. If the music is good, we like it. It’s almost as stupid as if you say that “I only watch action movies, and hate all other movies.”

Evan: It’s why we don’t like to put a label on our music as well. I couldn’t define it myself, the kind of music we are doing. If you like good music, then listen to it. It’s pretty simple [laughs].

Dead Rhetoric: I think both of those points are pretty valid. From a teacher perspective, there’s so many students nowadays that just don’t listen to music at all. 

Nastassja: We are also teaching music, so we get that. Sometimes someone will only know a song because of TikTok. Or they only listen to music on TikTok.

Evan: If someone wants to learn something, like a rock or metal band, it’s a band coming from the ‘80s or ‘90s. At the maximum, it’s the early 2000s. It’s very unusual that someone wants to learn a song from 2020. We need more new, young bands, and we also need young bands who are going to inspire the young people out there. Not having the same bands from the same 40-50 years.

Dead Rhetoric: Natassja, how has your experience as a vocal coach impacted your own vocal development and performance?

Nastassja: Right now I’m not teaching as often because the time isn’t there. But when I am teaching, I am learning a lot about myself. Not even regarding my vocal technique, but more as a person. I see many good people struggling with being too hard on themselves. This is something that helped me a lot when I was teaching. I saw all of my students, and I saw mistakes I did myself. That helped me a lot to be more gentle with myself. Of course, when you teach music you are also training your voice. But I would not say that when I teach, it’s my vocal practice. Depending on the student I do other things. When you teach, it does help with your routine.

Dead Rhetoric: Evan, how has producing and being involved with other bands over the years influenced your approach to writing?

Evan: A lot, I think many times a song turned in a way because I wanted to try something out – some new trick or having an idea when recording another band. It happens a lot. But in the end, inspiration comes no matter what you do. I also am a guitar instructor as well, so I can say that I get inspiration from that as well. When we are on tour and have long road trips, there is also a moment when you are driving, that we can get inspiration from. In the end, inspiration comes from your team and whatever you do. It’s also why music is an interpretation of your own life.

Dead Rhetoric: What inspired having a 3d glasses edition of Venom?

Nastassja: I was looking for cool ideas for the cover, and I use Pinterest a lot for that. I think I saw something with the red and blue effect and I thought about 3-d glasses. I thought it would be cool because I never saw it with another band. We built a concept and thought it would be cool to put a riddle in the book that you can only solve with the glasses. That’s the whole idea. We wanted something new and special.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s most rewarding about being in Enemy Inside?

Nastassja: For me, it’s when I am on stage and they are singing to the music. They know our lyrics. It’s the best moment. Or when people write is on Instagram about how our music helped them through a rough time or inspired them. It’s really rewarding.

Evan: I absolutely agree to all of that. I remember being in a country I had never been to in the past, Bulgaria, and I remember people singing our songs. I didn’t expect that. Or when we visited Spain and we didn’t know who was going to come to our concert. We had a full club of people. Those are the little things that encourage you.

Dead Rhetoric: What are your plans for this year, outside of the album release?

Nastassja: In February and March, we will be doing a headline tour in Europe. We are visiting like 8 countries. We have it on our Instagram.

Evan: We just want to tour with the album. Also, a challenge we said to ourselves is to not have that big space between this album and the next one. We want to keep putting out new music, even if we don’t have 12-13 songs ready. Just to be interactive more in real time.

Enemy Inside on Facebook
Enemy Inside on Instagram

Emanon – No Name (Nippon Columbia)

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Emanon – No Name (Nippon Columbia)

A four member hard rock band/metal from Japan, Emanon are out to carve a niche for themselves in the burgeoning scene. Yes, Emanon stems from the name of their album in reverse, No Name, and feature in their ranks a variety of background influences from idols to modeling to solo artists. If No Name does one thing very well, it’s taking that pool of varied influences and putting it into an energetic and consistent stream of enjoyable songs that will stick with the listener long after one listen.

It’s obvious from the first track that Emanon are going after a modern sound, and the integration of electronics and heavy grooves are going to be the focal point. It comes out from the gate with playful and noticeable basswork from Boochan (even with a brief solo later on), giving it a very danceable sound that’s incredibly ear-worming. Erisa’s passionate vocals come off as empowered and soaring as the chorus approaches. The guitarwork from Kana weaves in and out of the basslines to provide some entertaining melodies that are catchy but feature plenty of oomph behind them, while the varied drumming from Sato Arisa provides some solid fill work. When they go for the heavier side of their sound, such as “Cheeky Anthem,” the frantic urgency works wonders. The galloping thrash tempos in the track are energetic, but it’s perpetually hook-filled still as the continued standout bass bounces around, and the shredding all but dances around it.

Another cut that has that similar frantic vibe but turns it into a more modern and electronically augmented feeling is that of “Out of Control.” There’s an almost punk-ish vibe to the track’s driving riffs, and Erisa swings from fiery to gentle as the track urgently swerves. “Loose End” also captures that punk spirit, imbuing it with more electronics and melodies, relying a bit more on grooves and stadium rock chants when it relents. That said, on the more melodic end of the spectrum, “Yusei Shojo” delivers some guitar melodies from Kana that are as intricate as they are beautiful. Adding in some powerful Erisa vocals gives it an extra shot in the arm in memorability, especially when it escalates in the chorus. The follow-up song “Reflection” rachets up the melodic intricacy, particularly with the rumbling bass, radiating some light jazz club vibes into the fun mix.

Playful and fun are the best words to describe No Name. Much like Togenashi Togeari, there’s an intricacy beyond the initial catchiness with Emanon. You can choose to drill into the scorching solos, joyous basswork, soaring vocals, or thunderous drumming, and it’s bolstered by the pristine production. But even at the surface level, the music is incredibly addictive and a joy to listen to, and quite frankly, that’s the most important element. You will be thrilled by No Name, and it’s bound to win over any unsuspecting audiences with its charms. A band to watch as they move ahead.

Emanon on Instagram
Emanon on X

Katerina Nicole – Serene in Violent Oceans (Self-Released)

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Katerina Nicole – Serene in Violent Oceans (Self-Released)

Take it or leave it, there’s been a lot of hybridization within more modern metal in recent years. A number of groups are choosing to embrace a sound that has a metallic base to it, but choose to build it up with a multitude of diverse influences in tow. Vocalist Katerina Nicole is the latest voice in this particular spotlight, and as the EP title Serene in Violent Oceans suggests, brings quite a bit of contrast within her sound. Something that stems from her time in the pop and EDM world and bringing some of that same essence into an overall heavier sound, in both sonic and emotional perspectives.

A swirling and emotive mixture of electronic beats, industrial sounds, and churning metalcore grooves, Katerina Nicole comes out swinging. Opener “Catch My Breath” chugs with cinematic atmosphere to spare, as her vocals hit with emotional intensity as the mood elevates to a crushing groove and a scream. “House of Cards” hits a slightly more catchy mood, with it’s driving riffs and dark yet playful electronics merging together to again create an urgent feeling that Nicole commands on the vocal front to conjure a hypnotic rhythm. “Emotionally” feels a bit more fragile than the opening salvo, hitting a more melancholic and almost desperation to it. Nicole’s vocals truly shine here, augmented by the somber beats that crash into the rumbling guitars in the chorus.

“Darkling” maintains that more fragile feeling but wraps it into a more eerie and haunting feeling that effectively balances sweeping grooves and catchy electronics into an oddly ethereal sound. But it does seem like the best part was saved for last. “What I Know Now” seems to encompass all of the varied moods put forth in the four songs before it and really showcase what Katerina Nicole is all about. The dark riffs, the cinematic atmosphere, the sense of raw urgency, and addictive hooks all meld together into a spectacular closer. Some haunting strings pave the way for a sinister groove and scream later in the track, something that makes the poignant chorus feel that much more serene.

There’s a lot to like about Serene in Violent Oceans. It has a mood and emotional vibe that seems to gel well with what some others (such as Gore.) are experimenting with in the scene, yet offers plenty of unique aspects, such as the ambient electronics and contrasting playful melodies/crushing grooves. At the center of it all is Katerina Nicole’s vocals, which offer a beacon of light in the darkness, enticing the listener to explore further into her sonic landscape. Serene in Violent Oceans has all the makings of a breakout soon to come, particularly for fans of modern metal.

Katerina Nicole official website
Katerina Nicole on Instagram

Days of Jupiter – Heavy Diversity

Matt Coe
-
0
Days of Jupiter – Heavy Diversity

Choosing to develop a sound that crosses aspects of modern melodic metal that take influence from various European and North American acts, Swedish band Days of Jupiter have established themselves through four previous album releases. Although this latest album The World Was Never Enough probably will be the first wide spread promotional push across USA/Canada, do not discount the band’s knack for killer songwriting that keeps the focus solidly on memorable hooks, choruses, and arrangements. We reached out to drummer Magnus Larsson to give us the scoop on some of the history of the group, the fortunate band member proximity that shapes the songwriting, special video memories, favorite albums and shows, thoughts on the flooded music scene, a little bit of Will Ferrell and hockey talk, as well as future plans.

Dead Rhetoric: The origins of Days of Jupiter started in 2010 where you wanted to create a modern metal style with powerful melodies and meaningful lyrics. What do you remember about those early days and how you developed the trademarks that make the band’s sound?

Magnus Larsson: Yeah, we were a couple of guys that had been in a band and mostly played covers of other bands’ songs. And then we tried to write our own material, and we felt immediately the modern, yet melodic touch was the way for us. It’s not that common in Sweden, this kind of genre that we are playing. It’s always been that way since the genesis, we love that kind of music. We have a lot of different influences in the band. For example, I listen to a lot of traditional heavy metal, we have one member of the band who loves death metal, and some rap too. When we write songs together, it all boils down into a Days of Jupiter sound. We found that with our first album, we found our sound pretty much immediately.

Dead Rhetoric: The World Was Never Enough is the fifth studio album for the band. How did the songwriting and recording sessions go for this set of material – and where do you see the differences in this effort compared to some of your previous discography?

Larsson: This album is our most thorough album to date. We spent a lot of time writing the songs first. We all live in the same city, the whole band – so we have this luxury of meeting each other and actually playing the songs together in our rehearsal room. That is one of the things that is a big win for us, to be able to arrange the songs together and be able to play them, develop them together. We spent a lot of time writing, and the biggest change since our last album is that we recorded this album in our hometown. We had a lot of time doing it. When we recorded our previous albums, it was done in a limited time, a studio miles away from our hometown so we would get two to two and a half weeks to record the album. This time, we spent a lot of time on each song, and made each song as good as it possibly could get. That’s the biggest difference, I think.

Dead Rhetoric: Do you end up bringing in pieces of songs to work on alone and then develop that material together, or do you think there was some material that worked out better in person, face to face?

Larsson: It works both ways with songwriting. Some songs write themselves. They take an hour and wow; you have a song. Some songs you spend a lot of time with, some songs you think are good songs, but you are never going to play them live. It’s a bit tricky with the writing of it. Janne (Hilli), our singer, he writes the majority of our songs, so he writes on his side. Marcus (Lindman), the guitarist, also writes some songs and they are a bit different. When we bring them to the rehearsal space they become Days of Jupiter.

Dead Rhetoric: You’ve released numerous singles from the record, but the latest video “Parazite” takes on an interesting duality between the narrative storyline and performance aspects to give the viewer (and listener) a multi-sensory experience. What can you tell us regarding the video shoot and how the process developed – what were some of the more memorable sequences of the shoot?

Larsson: (laughs). Yeah, it was a fun shoot. When the video producer came up with the idea, we in the band thought ‘wait a minute – are we going to get killed in the video?’. And that was kind of a crazy experience, playing dead on camera. I think it worked out pretty well. It was an interesting song, and the theme of the song somehow goes with the story as well. It was fun, a bit crazy. One of the band members got all bloody and then sat in the car to drive home – we hoped to God that no cops would stop him (laughs).

Dead Rhetoric: What’s it like being a part of the Reigning Phoenix Music roster after your time with Metalville? Do you believe the staff and team of people they’ve assembled have the proper understanding to push Days of Jupiter to greater heights of popularity across Europe, North America, and the rest of the globe?

Larsson: Yeah, that’s what we hope, of course. We felt with Metalville, it’s an okay label, but they are pretty small and limited in that sense. With Reigning Phoenix Music, first of all we have Nils Wasko, who signed us and really believes in the band. We have his loyalty; he wants Days of Jupiter to expand and grow so that feels real nice. The staff, a lot of people are doing a lot of good things. I hope that the band can take the next step up with Reigning Phoenix Music. America for us is a great music market. Our music should and would be popular in the USA. That’s what we hope for.

Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe Days Of Jupiter live compared to what people experience on the records? And what have been some of the special, most important shows or tours the band has done to date?

Larsson: Days of Jupiter on albums, there are a lot of bling-bling sounds and atmospheric stuff. Now we haven’t played our new songs live yet, but when we played before, everything is live. There is no playback. What you hear is what you get. When we play live, it’s a much rawer feeling. More raw and honest.

We have had great success when it comes to live performances. In 2017 we did a European tour, we played across Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands. In 2019 to promote the Panoptical album we did a Spanish tour, Finland, and we ended the tour cycle on the album with a great live set supporting Disturbed in Estonia. That was a real highlight for us.

Dead Rhetoric: This deep into the band’s career, what sort of goals or ambitions do you desire to achieve at this stage? What fuels your creative fire so to speak – is it a balancing act between satisfying your own musical desires and what your fans expect from you as a band?

Larsson: Yeah, I think it is. As for us, we want to develop and explore new territories musically. We don’t want to write the same album over and over again. It’s important for us to explore some new twists and turns, absolutely. As you said, it’s a fine line. You need to have the nerve and the feel of the band – you can’t abandon your past. We try to push things as far as we can. We do what we like, and in the end, we hope that Days of Jupiter fans also can like it.

Dead Rhetoric: As you talked about earlier in the conversation, you all have different influences that you bring to the table. Are there a couple of bands you look to as role models for what the band wants to achieve as a success?

Larsson: Career-wise, no. Of course, we want to take this as far as we can take it. We are happy to be making music, recording music, and releasing music. That is just fine with us. We love the feeling that we get when we connect with fans, and they tell us what they think of the songs and how they relate to the songs. In a perfect world, absolutely, we would love to be a household name all over the world, of course.

Dead Rhetoric: What have been some of your favorite fan interaction stories you’ve had over the years relating to the band?

Larsson: The biggest impact with a song is a ballad we had on our first album called “Still Feel You Breathe”. With that song, we had a Canadian gentleman who reached out to us, explaining that his wife passed away. They had been married for fifty or sixty years. He felt that our song gave him the strength to carry on. When you get a comment like that, your music career can end there. We are so proud of that comment.

Dead Rhetoric: What would surprise us to learn about yourselves as people away from your musical endeavors?

Larsson: What can I say? We are typical Swedes. We live in the northern part of Sweden, so this time of year its almost dark 24/7. A lot of snow, and we live in a small town. Nothing much stands out.

Dead Rhetoric: What would you say are three albums that have made the biggest impact on your musical career, plus a favorite show memory you’ve had – and what made that show so special to you?

Larsson: My three favorite albums off the top of my head. Overkill – Horrorscope. King Diamond – Abigail. And I think Helloween is one of my favorite bands – and I like the Andi Deris era. Master of the Rings is up there as well. Live music – I have been attending big shows and big festival gigs, but the ones I remember the most happened in the small venues. Like for instance, in November last year we went to a concert for Ambush – a Swedish traditional heavy metal band. They blew me away; they were so good. I like the fact that it was in a very sweaty, small venue, a lot of people. It was a blast.

Dead Rhetoric: I understand from reading a previous interview you have an appreciation for the acting skills of Will Ferrell, especially his work as Ron Burgundy from Anchorman. What would be a favorite scene or two of his from either of the movies that you most enjoy that continually brings laughter or a smile to your face? Is there another movie or two of his that really resonate with you?

Larsson: I think the Anchorman movies – the perfume scene where it’s time to musk up (laughs). In general, the whole series are goofy movies. The second movie, the scene where he has a family dinner with his new girlfriend, which was a lot of fun as well. I like Will Ferrell; he had a streak with a lot of great movies. Like Talladega Nights, and the basketball movie Semi-Pro. Step Brothers is also a great movie.

Dead Rhetoric: Do you have other hobbies, passions, or interests away from music that you like to engage in?

Larsson: In this small town, we have a great hockey team, Modo hockey. Peter Forsberg, the Sedin twins, Markus Näslund, I follow them in the winters.

Dead Rhetoric: How do you view the state of the current heavy music industry? If you had the ability, power, resources, and finances to change any aspects, what areas would you concentrate on for the greater good of the movement for all?

Larsson: That’s a hard question. Nowadays, everything is so easy. It’s easy to start a band, it’s easy to record, it’s easy to display your music in various streaming platforms. You could start a band today and have official music out in streaming platforms a few days later. There are thousands of bands you have to compete with. That’s the tricky part. Also, the promotional ways – social media has been… I don’t love it specifically. The way it used to be, you made an album, you had a touring cycle, and then you write new music. I like that kind of idea behind it. I don’t think we will ever come back to that, but one can hope.

Dead Rhetoric: How do you end up fighting through that noise of thousands of bands? The release market seems more active than ever…

Larsson: Absolutely. That is the hardest thing for a band. To get the recognition and get through. For us, I don’t know what we can do other than write good music. Hopefully people will enjoy that and discover us that way. People talking with each other face to face, which can be the best way to spread your music.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon over the next year or so for Days of Jupiter? Are you hopeful to possibly get some festival or tour dates across North America – even if it’s on a limited basis?

Larsson: That would be a dream of course, to play in the US. Today there are no plans in motion. We are concentrating on the European festival summers. It’s been six years since we released our last album, and we are going a bit under the radar. With this new release, we hope to attain some degree of success and get some gigs.

Days of Jupiter on Facebook

Lacuna Coil – Sleepless Empire (Century Media)

Katarina McGinn
-
0
Lacuna Coil – Sleepless Empire (Century Media)

Since Delirium, Lacuna Coil has been maintaining a consistent course in keeping things decidedly heavy. Andrea Ferro’s roars strengthened, and an added contrast with Cristina Scabbia was a welcome one, which augmented the groovy riff emphasis. It continued to work for the follow-up Black Anima, and Sleepless Empire sees the band even more comfortable with this dynamic and push the boundaries further.

Not to say that the band is just standing still. “Sleep Paralysis” offers an almost slithering atmospheric tone that borders on melodic doom with it’s lumbering pace and weighty feel. “I Wish You Were Dead” delivers some darkly humorous lyrics and more of an upbeat sound that also makes it stand out significantly over the course of the album. On the more melancholic side is “In the Mean Time,” which features guest vocals from Ash Costello, giving it a modern melodic edge that’s full of hooks but still features a side of groovy venom. Then there is the title track, full of tension and urgent energy as it churns through some midtempo riffing and haunting atmosphere.

That said, the heavier and more aggressive energy that has been a part of the band for a few albums is certainly ever-present. The closer “Never Dawn” doesn’t lack for atmosphere, but it’s biggest perk is the massive riffing that defines it once it picks up steam. Eerie atmosphere is bolstered by some of the strongest, heaviest riffs in the album as the Ferro/Scabbia vocal dynamics go at full throttle. “Hosting the Shadow” also utilizes Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe in the vocal mix and gives it an even heavier feeling when he takes the mic. The opening cut “The Siege” features some enticing melodies from Scabbia in the chorus, with increased intensity from Ferro’s shouts in the background, providing a nice contrast of heaviness and melody.

This heavy iteration of Lacuna Coil has always been one to watch, and Sleepless Empire shows the band still has plenty of hunger even with three decades under their belt. They continue to grow and shift their sound into new and exciting directions while recognizing the core sound of the band and embracing it. This album should please those who have kept up with the band, as well as continue to garner new eyes and ears as they hear the combination of big grooves and bewitching melodies.

Lacuna Coil official website
Lacuna Coil on Facebook

1...101112...2,086Page 11 of 2,086

© Copyright Dead Rhetoric 2025 All Rights Reserved