The Three in One is the first release from Lonesome_Blue since their 2022 full length, Second to None. Not only does the EP maintain their ‘counting’ releases (their debut being titled First Utterance), but it also reflects the band’s current line-up. Moving from a four-piece to a three-piece act as guitarist Narumi left in 2023. Despite that loss, The Three in One continues to showcase all of the best facets of Lonesome_Blue, in their ability to blur the lines between metal, rock, and pop in fun and infectious ways.
Opening up with “Queenism,” the band’s more metallic fury shines bright. Hard-hitting and driving tempo riffing leads the way, augmented by playful melodies and some excellent drumming by Mizuki (also a member of East of Eden). Nomura Maiko’s vocal range still hits that empowered yet graceful feeling to it, bringing the chorus a bit of extra flair. “Live it Up” then switches more into upbeat rock territory, full of melodic riffs and plenty of attitude, both in the instrumentation and Maiko’s vocals. The chorus really cranks up the energy and does it’s best to just embed itself in your brain in the most sing-a-long friendly way. “Touch Me Not” then continues the trend of shifting gears, incorporating a more pop-friendly tone to the song as well as slowing down the tempo a bit, while “Go Nuts” does a similar pop-friendly direction but aims for a more punk-ish energy to it, not to mention unleashing a fiery solo later on to give the energy an upswing. It’s one of the most immediately hooky songs on the EP, and was wisely chosen as a single due to it’s very playful vibes and memorable instrumentation.
“Final Calling” moves back further into the rock category, but utilizes some slower tempos to really bring out the melodies. Maiko provides some of her strongest work in this track in the chorus, delivering an effective emotive mix that avoids moving into more standard ballad fare. Much like the beginning of the disc, we return to more metallic and shredding power to bring the EP to an explosive yet melodic finale. Currently, it’s the pick of the EP with it’s more soaring and almost power metal meets pop vibes. The urgent riffing clashes nicely with the super melodic and anthemic chorus that is bound to stick in your head for a while after listening. Then there’s the shreddy solo that feels like the icing on the cake.
While Lonesome_Blue may be down a member, their metallic amalgamation of influences still flies just as high as ever. The Three in One has a lot of appeal for those who want a bit of everything in their music. The pure power metal shred, rebellious rock attitude, and jpop catchiness are all at hand here, and the way they blur together into Lonesome_Blue is their greatest asset. Hopefully this is a (re)start of good things to come for the group.
Early in 2012 German brothers Johannes (bass/vocals) and Matthias Celmens (guitar) started Warfield with drummer Dominik Marx to push out a primal Teutonic thrash style that’s familiar to most on a new generation. Issuing a demo and EP in their first years, they would sign with Metal on Metal Records for the debut album Wrecking Command that came out in 2018. Seven years later, the band has elevated their game signing with Napalm Records for the follow-up effort With the Old Breed – and it’s a ferocious beast that excels in combining the best of acts like Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction next to some early Slayer / Exodus finesse.
Most will have no problem comparing the vicious screams and relentless roar present in Johannes vocal delivery to Mille Petrozza – as one listen to “Inhibition Atrophy” or “Soul Conqueror” blisters the aural landscape in homage to their German heroes. The riffs of Matthias are crisp, crunchy, and tight as nails – also adding some killer lead play and extra dive bomb aspects that make “Dogs For Defense” and opener “Melting Mass” hefty headbang highlights. Dominik as a drummer encompasses a mix of traditional thunderous chops next to energetic, versatile double kick mechanics – an essential component to the aggressive yet catchy nature of this material. While most of the songs fly in bullet train precision at a comfortable three to almost five-minute timeframe, “GASP” at over 7:17 showcases a bit of the band’s heavier, slower epic abilities before kicking into speedier, Slayer-like terrain. The haunting keyboard nuance as well as thick bass groove builds more dynamic tension into something that hopefully will be further explored on future albums. In a rare treat for vinyl lovers, the limited edition includes Warfield’s take on “F# (Wake Up)” – originally on Nuclear Assault’s Handle with Care album – taken into capable hands, the gang vocals during the killer mid-tempo chorus relevant to possibly turn on newer followers into the importance of this crossover-oriented thrash outfit.
Although many expect twin guitars in thrash, there’s just something special in a power trio format that Warfield employs that really works best for their energy, sound, and overall final product. With the Old Breed comes at just the right time to prove that as great as Bay Area thrash has been, the Teutonic aggression and passion also has an undeniable, special place in the pantheon of this long-lasting subgenre of metal.
Different factions of death metal penetrate the landscape these days. Some artists going in more progressive or technical directions – others just submerging themselves into the old school style that put this genre on the map. Birmingham, England outfit As The World Dies live for the latter sentiment in their albums – of which their second record Nebula establishes a sound that may be a forward thinking take on what put acts like Asphyx and Carcass on the map. We reached out to guitarist Scott Fairfax for this quick talk about As The World Dies, the new record, his riff parade that he develops with this band as well as Memoriam and other projects, thoughts on the current death metal scene, the challenges for UK bands to play abroad because of Brexit, and what people can look forward to from him over the coming year.
Dead Rhetoric: Can you tell us about your earliest memories surrounding music growing up in childhood? At what point did you start discovering heavier forms of music – as well as the desire to pick up an instrument and perform in your own bands?
Scott Fairfax: I think it was at school, one of the music teachers had an old guitar, an SG, and we would just stop over there after school and write songs with that. There were keyboards there too – that was my earliest creation of music. And then I gave up on music – I still listened to it though, obviously. By the time I was 17, I started a death metal band. That is when I decided to go into heavier forms of music.
Dead Rhetoric: Nebula is the second album for As The World Dies. What did you want to accomplish through this set of material in terms of songwriting and performances that maybe differ from your Agonist debut record in 2022?
Fairfax: Agonist was very much a collection of songs through the ages. Some of them are a little old, some of them were quite old. With Nebula, apart from one song, they are all quite new. They were all written around the same time, outside of the second track “Consumed” which is around 11 years old now. I didn’t have the right format to release (that song). It was knocking around. The main difference is this material all fits together a little bit better.
Dead Rhetoric: Were there any particular songs that were a bit more challenging either in the writing or recording stages than others?
Fairfax: Uh… no, not really. I have a habit of making songs too long. So, at the start, I wanted to condense some songs – but some songs, you can’t really condense because then you lose the whole idea of the song. That is a bit of theme on the whole album, to condense things instead of having a lot of eight- minute songs on the album. That’s the hardest part for me – I like to overdub a riff with something else, so four bars turn into eight bars turns into sixteen bars. Adding to the same riff – and I’ve learned that I can’t keep doing that, because at the end it will be an eight-minute song. It was all quite easy to record, because I do everything at home. I can try another way of doing things, because I’m not paying for anyone else’s time or gear.
The most fun one to record would have been “Playing God”. Especially with the middle section, that was very good fun to play around with.
Dead Rhetoric: Where did you want to come across with the lyrical themes for Nebula?
Fairfax: It’s the same. What we are aiming for is a mixture of this one lone survivor, in his own head of what he is going to do – but you can also switch the lyrics out to your own problems with what he is saying. You can feel what he is going through, some of the words and some of the lyrics may be what you are thinking right now. It’s a bit of both. The main thing is being a lone survivor, that’s what we are trying to get over.
Dead Rhetoric: How did the cover art come about for Nebula – as it seems like a very simple concept that’s executed brilliantly?
Fairfax: Well, it’s a bit of a story. The angel’s head, which is in my place, in Wales my girlfriend loves this little thing. It was in a tree, the whole body and everything, and every winter she would say he’s getting cold. When that relationship went wrong, I took his head. We’ve always wanted an actual photo. With Memoriam we’ve always gone with Dan Seagrave to do our fabulous artwork, but we wanted an actual photo. We had a good friend take this photo. I like the Carcass album with the vegetables surrounding the heart (Torn Arteries). That stood out – and also Devin Townsend’s Christeen effort, that was a different cover. We wanted something totally different that would sit on a record shelf and stand out, and I think we’ve done that quite well.
Dead Rhetoric: Vocalist Karl Willetts of Memoriam (one of your other bands) has referred to you in the past as a riff machine. What is the process like to work through your numerous ideas and decide what goes where for each outfit – do you get into certain modes for a specific band/project or just let creativity flow and capture things in the moment, then work through riffs from there?
Fairfax: No, not in the moment. I don’t sit out to write a song for Memoriam, or As The World Dies, or for another project I’m doing. I just start writing the song. The main key element of that would be what tuning I’m in. In Memoriam we are in drop B, in As The World Dies it’s drop A. I have various guitars – on the last Memoriam album, I had the demos in drop A, and the producer did some magic to turn them into drop B for the demos. What I do now, I try to keep it into tunings.
It’s not hard. Sometimes if I’ve got too much going into it musically, like a tune, it might be Memoriam. With them, we have only one guitar live, which is me, so we can’t play with lots of guitars on the record. The more overdubs with two or three guitars going on, that will go to As The World Dies because we can actually pull that off live.
Dead Rhetoric: What are some of the biggest challenges facing As The World Dies in terms of moving up the ranks to establish yourselves – not only within the UK, but on an international level?
Fairfax: I think we’ve just got to work hard. Let the music speak for itself. We have two new videos – we want to take things on ourselves to make proper videos as well. Just get a lot more exposure. We are looking at doing more on our YouTube channel as well. We want to put some weird clips up there, our daily lives, rehearsals and what you have to go through. We’ve all got day jobs, we are not sitting at home writing and playing music all day. We want to show the human side as well.
Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe As The World Dies in terms of a live outfit compared to what people hear/experience on the record? What do you want the audiences that see you to take away from your live performances?
Fairfax: The difference live compared to the vinyl or the CD – at the moment, we’ve stripped back the keyboard elements, so I play some of those keyboard elements on the guitar. We are looking into adding some of those elements in the future. It’s a lot more energetic live, I think. On the album, there is a certain pace that live we can switch things up a little bit. It depends on how the crowd’s reacting.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you feel being a part of the Reaper Entertainment roster?
Fairfax: It’s brilliant. We’ve been talking together for a few years. On the first album, Reaper couldn’t take a chance on a fairly unknown band at the time. We let the first album come out, and I think it’s a brilliant album. They may do a re-release in a couple of years to get the album our properly.
Dead Rhetoric: What are your thoughts on the state of the death metal landscape – considering you have your toes in outfits like Massacre and Memoriam beyond the work of As The World Dies? What is exciting to you – and would you make any changes, if you could, to better the movement?
Fairfax: I think it’s great to watch all these death metal bands grow. I love Massacre, I was always a fan of theirs when I was a kid. To go out, we’ve played festivals, and Massacre would play on an opposite stage as Memoriam, and it was brilliant. (They are) childhood heroes, and getting into doing an album with Massacre was also a great thing.
(Death metal) has gone back underground in a way, which is the way it should be. I don’t want to hear this on the radio, on the popular radio stations and stuff. If you want to listen to that band, you’ll go and watch them (live). Or you will buy the vinyl or CD’s. It’s quite good, there are a lot of great up and coming bands as well. I can’t say I listen to loads of death metal anymore, because when I’m in the garage working on cars, I hardly listen to metal. Especially if I am recording an album, because I don’t want to be influenced by other heavy metal music. I keep away from that, I would put some drone bass on, just something to have in the background for noise.
The UK gig scene at the moment is a bit lax. There are hard times, no one has the money to go out to spend for the night, really. It’s hard to pay for a taxi to a gig, pay for the gigs, drinks. At the same time, you’ve still got to support the underground.
Dead Rhetoric: Has Brexit made things difficult for international bands to try to play gigs in your country?
Fairfax: I can’t say for people coming into here. My friend’s band came over from Belgium, they did dates in the UK, and they said no problem. It’s us going into Europe that’s the problem – especially if you are going to take all your equipment. It’s a shambles, and costs you 700 pounds (over $900) just to get your equipment over there. As The World Dies hasn’t actually gone over there yet, but when we do go over, we’ll just take our guitars and use the opening band’s gear to save money. It is a lot harder – the airport, the queue is 700 people long, you are running towards connecting flights, overbooking the flights as well. Even if you have a ticket, they end up selling it to someone else. It’s chaos because of Brexit.
Dead Rhetoric: What would you consider some of the standout moments in your musical career? Are there specific albums, tours, festival appearances, or other events where you knew you were making a stronger impact with your music?
Fairfax: Wow, there’s been loads of moments. Lots of funny moments as well. The ones that weren’t good, so when you have a good gig, sometimes you forget about those good ones. I enjoy the chaos, things going wrong as well. That’s what live music is about, things could go wrong, but how you bounce back from those moments. We played Wacken once with Memoriam, we spent the whole night in the hotel drinking, we were very sauced. We were on at 1 am in the morning, and we were so hungover, it was shocking. The hotel manager had to open our room, we ended up falling asleep, he had to get us up. Everything was really slow. Every album release, those are top moments. I like any reviews.
Dead Rhetoric: You have been chronicling your restoration work of vehicles (all types) on your social media platforms. Has this always been your passion, and what do you enjoy most about this work that helps fuel your other endeavors?
Fairfax: Yeah, I think I’ve liked working on old British cars. When I was going off music for the first time, after my first couple of bands, I just carried on doing the car thing. When I was doing the car thing, I got a phone call from Frank, we were going to South America for a bunch of gigs, here are a bunch of Benediction songs, can you learn them? I’d given up by that point, I knew most of that material. Two weeks later, I was off to South America. From then, after that I’ve been nonstop. That was 2015, I think. We got back from that tour in December, and we met up with Karl, Andy Whale, and Frank in a pub and they wanted to do a covers band. It was not really my thing to play cover songs, so I had loads of songs in my riff archives. We didn’t do the covers band, and that’s where Memoriam was born.
Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the schedule for all of your outfits over the next year or so?
Fairfax: The main thing is I have to get As The World Dies up and running. We have had a couple of shows recently to test the waters – we will have slightly bigger ones coming up in April, headlining in Birmingham. And then we are looking for promoters really. We hopefully will get some good reviews for the new album. I want to get the lads over in Europe. There are only two members of this band, me and Chris the drummer, who have actually played over in Europe. The main idea is to get my mates out there. Get them to experience what I’ve experienced. We want to start writing another album as well.
On the Memoriam side of things, I’ve got two albums ready. We need to get something recorded. We are also doing another project with Karl as well. I am busy, I have loads of stuff to do, and no time to do it (laughs).
It had been six years since last seeing Delain live, 8 years for Xandria, and never having witnessed Edge of Paradise, last year’s announcement that the three Napalm Records groups would be on tour in the United States this spring turned this NYC show into a must-see event. Upon arriving near the time for doors to open up, it seems the demand for the groups involved in this particular gig was pretty high, as the line for entry wrapped around the block and down through the next one.
First up to play was Edge of Paradise. Operating mostly from their just released new album, Prophecy, the group would play a 7 song setlist that got the crowd started. Wearing a very bright outfit that frequently changed ever-so-slightly over the set was vocalist Margarita Monet, who at one point was wearing bright white-light emanating shoulder pads. But the futuristic apparel was a nice addition to the band’s set, as she frequently moved about the stage interacting with the audience. The rest of the band (sans drums of course) also did the same through the quick set. Unfortunately, due to the position in the crowd, Monet’s vocals didn’t travel well (not being close enough to hear the front monitors or far enough back to hear the speakers), but this was more of a location based issue than the band itself.
Following-up next would be Xandria, and they provided quite a spectacle. While they almost entirely focused on new songs since current vocalist Ambre Vourvahis joined, with three songs from the recent Universal Tales and three from The Wonders Still Awaiting, with the classic “Nightfall” rounding out the mix. To be fair, it seemed this was the right call to make. Their set boomed with energy – to the point that a moshpit emerged and maintained through their set, even if it was more of a playful one than an aggressive circle – alongside a solitary crowdsurfer at one point. Vourvahis did a great job of commanding the stage both with her vocals as well as bantering with the crowd. A fun, playful energy fell over the crowd throughout the set, and it really seemed to set the tone for the headliners in Delain to go out with the audience fully set to engage.
Last up was Delain, who seemed to run with the crowd energy provided by Xandria and make it their own. The setlist was a nice mix of songs from throughout Delain’s history, with some recent and old songs seeing equal time and treatment. Vocalist Dianna Leah stood at the center, all smiles as the band began “The Cold.” Guitarist Ronald Landa and bassist Ludovico Cioffi also joined in, and the entire band, just like the last time this scribe saw them seemed to embody that same spirit: joy. You can tell that the band, despite the influx of new members in the last few years, still has the same attitude and ethos. They are going to work hard up on the stage and they are going to have the best time. That spirit was easily conveyed and embraced by the crowd, as the ‘whoas’ of “Suckerpunch” rang through the audience as the band’s second number.
New tracks “The Reaping” and “Dance with the Devil” were both set highlights, showcasing the band moving forward, with the latter being augmented by Cioffi’s growls and some rather headbangable riffing in the live venue. It was also great to hear some older songs like personal fave “Get the Devil Out of Me” getting a fantastic groove and sing-a-long going, as well as the spirited “The Gathering.” Sadly, due to some train times, I wasn’t able to stay for the classic “We Are the Others” (sacrilege, I know), but with the way the crowd was worked up through their set (again, citing a more ‘playful’ pit like Xandria’s), it inevitably went swimmingly.
Honestly, an absolute no-brainer of a show for anyone interested in the current symphonic or modern metal landscapes. It’s great to see a show that has a top-to-bottom billing of solid acts. While this tour is at its end, let’s hope more shows come about that continue to deliver on that ‘all killer no filler’ aspect.
Capturing a specific style or period in metal can be a timeless proposition – as is the case here in Italian band Vigilhunter with their self-titled debut album. Some of the material in fact goes back to the early 2010’s, while the act features Hitten vocalist Alexx Panza (who also showcases some of his guitar skills) as well as a host of musicians with seasoning in thrash and traditional heavy metal avenues. These nine tracks take you back to a progressive power metal sound that garnered a lot of attention in the mid-80s to early 90s – especially showcasing numerous American artists willing to take their music and vocals to stratospheric heights when it came to the riffs, song structures, and high-octane vocal melodies.
After the brief minute-long “Loading…Error 403” instrumental opens the record, the first power riffs of “Disconnected” hit your speakers like a long lost track from the early Queensrÿche EP, although the progressive shifts in the instrumental interplay between guitarist Mattia Itala, bassist Mirko Negrino, and drummer Marcello Leocani come from more of an early Crimson Glory / Fates Warning angle. At other points the musical foundation straddles traditional power/semi-thrash lines a la Vicious Rumors within “Shadow Rider (Vigilante)” where the chunkier chord aspects mirror the gang-like vocal chorus. Thoughtful ballad-ish melodies connect to cleaner guitar lines and keyboard parts during the opening sequence of “Sacrifice For Love”, the twin guitar melodies as well as the thick bass support rising to the occasion in a way that conjures up Savatage during their Hall of the Mountain King prime.
Where Vigilhunter shines above 98% of artists who attempt this style is the leather lung vocal prowess of Alexx Panza. The ability to hit those eagle high notes with power to hold out for multiple measures while also being comfortable to connect to listeners in lower registers puts him in the class of Tony Moore, the long-lost Carl Albert and Midnight, as well as Geoff Tate in his 80s heydays. Check out “Titan Glory” and closer “The Downfall” in terms of versatility, range, and multi-octave abilities with a personal touch few ever reach.
Already hard at work on the follow-up outing, Vigilhunter with its self-titled debut creates a benchmark for old school progressive-oriented power metal done the US way – taking a period from 1986-1991 and making it their own. This should be interesting to see where the next album goes forward, as the foundation is already killer.
This one was/is cool. Wythersake are back with new album At War With Their Divinity, four years after their debut record Antiquity. Ya know how you can just tell a record’s gonna be good 30 seconds in? Well, that’s what I got from this one. Hell, as soon as my favorite tune started with “The Autumnal Passing” I was like, ‘Hell yeah! Let’s go!!’ “Shrines of Offal Rise” backs that up like a hitter in an MLB lineup, while “Chimerical God State Worship” flips the selectors to semi and just mows down everything in its path.
“Agents of Holy Death” is not only a great tune, but one I can see going over really well in a live setting. “Behind Shadows of Virtue” throws everything at the listener’s head including the kitchen sink, and quite frankly it feels like we’ve just done an hour on the stair stepper or the elliptical! Closer “Perverse Christ Aeon” is a track that lures you in, then slices you to ribbons. Another favorite for this guy. Now with all that said, the record isn’t perfect. It takes roughly three songs to get going, but once it does there are crowd-pleasers aplenty.
At the end of the day, I think Wythersake has delivered a good album. It’s just not great, or ‘gotta hear it now’ urgent, ya know? Still, good one boys!
Standout Tracks: “Perverse Christ Aeon”, “Agents of Holy Death”, “The Autumnal Passing”, “Shrines of Offal Rise”.
Relative newcomers (forming in 2019), Luna Kills has a sound that’s anything but ordinary. Sitting somewhere in the modern metal tagline, the band seeks to incorporate a wide array of influences, from both within and outside of the metal landscape. Given the time it’s taken to get to their full-length debut, they have utilized that time to get a solid grasp on what they want to do with their unique approach, and it shows throughout Deathmatch. The variety might not make it for everybody, but those who dig something that actively tries something fresh are going to have a blast with Luna Kills.
Nu metal, metalcore, alternative metal, EDM, video game music influences, rock, pop, the list goes on as you move your way through Deathmatch. Some of the unifying factors you’ll encounter are some big, heavy grooves and some equally big pop-driven choruses. The hooks that Luna Kills strives for is probably their strongest asset, as the songs have a easy time embedding themselves in your brain after a single listen. Case in point here would be “slay your enemies,” which opens with a very hook-y electropop delivery, before jumping right into thick grooves and vicious screams from Lotta Ruutiainen. Bouncy electronics weave into the track as the vocals slither around them and the bordering-on-industrial fuzz with a fun, energetic appeal. Opener “love u” feels like a future live staple with it’s tailor-made sound for jumping/fist pumping and it’s soaring chorus that blends singing and screaming in a very catchy way. It really sets the tone for the whole album to come. On the other end, closer “fever dream” provides a dreamy, floating atmosphere that builds up to a grooving and hypnotic swirl, ending things on a more reflective note.
Some songs have more of an almost video game feel to the electronics. “get mad” melds the potent grooves with an almost Doom-esque electronic atmosphere while keeping the song upbeat with playful vocal lines and pulsating EDM moments. “sugar rush” starts with an almost kawaii vibe to it with the blend of electronics and catchy vocal lines that eschew from the usual groove barrage. On the heavier end of this, “hallucinate” digs into the guitars to provide one of the most headbangable tracks on the album, while “burn the world with me” brings in both hooks and some of the darkest atmosphere that leans into an almost electro-goth aesthetic with moments of punishing breakdown riffage to really bring the point home.
Deathmatch shows that Luna Kills are more than adept at being able mix in different elements and still create a seamless product that’s full of energy. Really, the number one factor is fun. Each track is a joy to hear how the elements come together to create something that sticks in your head and makes you want to listen to the whole album over and over. Given the way they integrate different components, they are bound to grab a larger audience if word of mouth gets around.
Making another pretty quick return after their fall 2024 support tour for Jinjer, HANABIE. made their way back to North America for a co-headlining run with Australian act Kim Dracula, with support from fellow Japanese metalcore group Crystal Lake, and Philadelphia-based metalcore/mathcore band Kaonashi.
March 15 – Toad’s Place
Last May, HANABIE. made their first trip to Toad’s Place in New Haven as the headlining act (see review HERE). So it was unsurprisingly as I made my way into the venue just as Kaonashi began to play that the venue was significantly more crowded than the previous year. Considering the night was just about to get underway, it seems that fans from last time (or even their last run with Jinjer) have continued to give the band their deserved live hype. There was a notable presence that seemed to fill the air at Toad’s: people were energized to see this up-and-coming act.
Philadephia’s Kaonashi hit the stage and set the tempo for the evening. Their brand of mathcore/metalcore is one that certainly fits more of an avant-garde mold, and it’s not going to appeal to everyone. It’s swirling with chaos, stop on a dime time changes, a sample board, and then there are the vocals. Peter Rono’s vocal delivery is quite unique. It’s rather high-pitched and shrieking at times, but in the live setting, he was fascinating to watch. He shrieked, growled, and sang through the band’s set, as well as controlled the sample board, and you could see how the band was winning over the crowd as their set progressed.
A wild tone shift change came from the caustic metalcore riffs when “Blood Red Camry Dance Party,” an upbeat and jovial sounding track, and it sparked something in the crowd. From that point, by the time we reached “I Hate the Sound of Car Keys” a good chunk of the crowd was thrashing along, with the mosh pit fully charged up, and it was notable that Rono gave the mic to a fan in the front row for a bit, who took over some of the barked vocal delivery.
Next up was Japan’s Crystal Lake, who came out and stayed the entire set at full intensity. Fronted by John Centorrino, who replaced Ryo Kinoshita two years ago now, the band came out with the ferocity of wanting to work the crowd from the onset. From Gaku Taura’s playful drum solo during the soundcheck, to the opening riffs to “Blüdgod” it was immediately gripping. Every member of the band was perpetually moving and into the performance, and that carried over to the audience with little difficulty. The mosh pit was growing, the rest of the crowd was headbanging, jumping, and shouting along, all the while continued to be propped up by Centorrino, who urged for more and more participation.
Gaku’s drumming was impressive, and interactions between the four other members was equally engaging as their energy bounced off of each other and circulated into the crowd. By the last song, “Apollo,” Centorrino made his way into the crowd itself, hoisted up by fans while he administed some high fives and sang from that position. It was a performance that was certain to have won them plenty of new fans, and the energy as they left the stage was palpable.
That said, there was definitely a shift in tone when Kim Dracula took the stage. With an emphasis more on theatrics than energy, it seemed like the monstrous energy from Crystal Lake had dissipated. Not saying it was a bad thing, as their performance was a different style than the opening acts (as well as HANABIE.). As someone who had not really ventured into Kim Dracula much before tonight, the theatrical elements were what stood out the most. Given the hour long set, and not knowing too much about the music itself, it was about absorbing the moment. An intriguing bit to all of this was how the band took to the stage, and then Kim Dracula was ‘escorted’ through the crowd (who were told to make way by the annoucements on the speaker) in a sort of wrestling type of way.
As for the sound of Kim Dracula, it was all over the place but not in a bad way. But as more or less a first time listener, there was a lot to take in! From alternative and metalcore riffing, jazz (including a live sax player who doubled on keys), trap, punk, and electronic music, it’s a quirky mix that definitely took some adjusting to get into. Given their ‘6 octave’ vocal range, Kim Dracula presents quite a bit of variety even at the vocal range. Their presence on-stage displayed those oddities in a way that was engaging, as the music would move from, in the case of “Make Me Famous,” trap rapping to stadium rock to moshable metalcore and punishing breakdowns (which definitely got the pit moving towards the end of the set).
Some other highlights seemed to focus on the spectacle of it all. A cover of Pearl Jam’s “Even Flow” that abruptly stopped and made way for some intense blastbeats and screams in a transition, a few moments of saxophone solo spotlight for “Careless Whisper” (yes, that “Careless Whisper”), and a frequent display of on-stage props to push along the story, in addition to Kim Dracula’s flight outfit and the suits adorned by the rest of the band. They closed with “Killdozer,” and ramped up the intensity before leaving the stage, again priming for the final act, HANABIE.
After seeing the band twice last fall with a shorter set, it was nice to get a full hour again from HANABIE. as the (co)headliners. The band wasted no time in riling up the New Haven crowd, who had clearly been anticipating their performance. After their individual entrances to the stage, “O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu” began pounding through the speakers. The band continuing to set the bar high for their live performances, their live energy is essentially unmatched. The driving tempos of the music coupled with their on-stage antics and movement is something that needs to be experienced in the live setting.
As for the setlist this time, they played essentially all of their new EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo, minus the ‘secret Chika song.’ So it was the first time I’ve been able to hear the title track, “GAMBLER,” and “Ito Okashi My Type” in the live setting. All three tracks fit into the setlist nicely, with the grooves of the title track making for some nice headbanging and jumping moments, in addition to it’s fun sing-a-long chorus. The ending of “GAMBLER” turned out to be just as heavy and abrasive as expected in it’s massive breakdown and provided a fine highlight. “Ito Okashi My Type,” a personal favorite from the EP, did not disappoint. The shifts between more upbeat and danceable moments tossed in with heavy grooves made for a real treat, due to the build-ups and frenetic nature of the track. Outside of that, their anime OP tie-in “Oishii Survivor” turned out to be an even heavier beast live. Chika’s drum battery really stood out in this track, as well as during the rare treat that they included “Drastic Nadeshiko” from their first EP, Cherry Blossoms are Blooming. Perhaps due to their 10th anniversary as a group, but it was a thrill to hear a song that didn’t seem like a likely candidate, as well as hear Chika’s drum take on it, which felt more intense than the original.
Outside of the music, HANABIE. continues to grow as a band in the live arena. Their interactions, particularly between bassist Hettsu and vocalist Yukina have been a joy to watch. It’s very obvious when you see the band that they are all having a blast up on that stage, and it makes it very easy to get into the music more. You want to be a part of the fun that they are having up there. It’s not enough to simply watch their set, you have to get involved in any way that you can. In addition to the usual antics, including the “Tousou” wall of death, beer chugging Hettsu (not to mention her running all the way off the stage to rock with fans on the side), the ‘down to the ground and jump up and dance’ fun of “Be the Gal,” and the glorious return of the punk-driven smile energy of “Today’s Good Day & So Epic,” there’s a lot of fun to take it.
The group, as a whole, seems to be incorporating more English into the set banter and distributing it more across the four of them. It was great to see Yukina hand off duties to Chika at one point, who called for the audience to scream and shout, and guitarist/vocalist Matsuri took a greater charge of banter as well at times. This distribution of duties hopefully gives Yukina a few seconds to recharge with her incredible perpetual motion of jumping, dancing, and shouting across the stage and let’s fans interact with the whole group, which is something not enough groups do enough of.
After an all-too-short hour, it was time to say good night with “Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu (Pardon Me, I Have to Go Now)” and again the crowd left thrilled by HANABIE.‘s stage presence and I retreated to my nearby hotel to rest up before another night of intense and entertaining performances.
May 16 – The Paramount
Being that it was the first time I’d been to Long Island for a concert, it was interesting to see the layout and location of The Paramount. Upon entering, it was a pretty beautiful venue, with bathrooms adorned with stylish art and an elegant interior, not to mention the large venue size. More of a quaint town that I was expecting, but a nice place with easy parking so it’d be great to get some more shows this way.
Doing another interview with HANABIE. meant that I missed Kaonashi‘s set, as well as a portion of Crystal Lake‘s, but upon coming into the venue at that point, it was a stark contrast from the more quiet and open venue before the show. Initially wandering in after doors initially opened and mostly the VIP folks were around, it was notable how much bigger this venue was than Toad’s the night before. It was also a Sunday night, which meant some people probably chose rest rather than venture out, but by the time Crystal Lake had playing, the venue was starting to fill in. The pit was already moving by the time I entered, so I scooted my way along the side to get as close as I could to have a good view. Crystal Lake hit the same marks as they did the night before, providing a visceral set with plenty of flash and energy from all members. On a fun note, everyone besides drummer Gaku (for obvious reasons) all crouched down in the middle of the stage during “Apollo” in what seemed a very sweet moment. If you are on the fence about Crystal Lake, you really should experience them live. They are sure to win you over.
Next up once again was Kim Dracula. Much of the same points held as the night before, with their over-the-top theatrical presentation being one of the highlights. Though this time it seemed like there were more Kim Dracula fans in attendance, at least from where I was standing, and there was a lot more crowd energy from the start when they hit the stage. Having a greater sense for the songs after the evening before, it was a much more enjoyable set from a personal point of view. The crazy genre transitions felt less chaotic and a greater sense of fun came from watching and waiting for the transitions to hit as Kim Dracula fired off their strong vocal range at full force. While it may not have been my thing in some regards, it was fun to catch two nights of Kim Dracula and would be open to seeing more if the opportunity arose.
It being a larger venue and a Sunday night, there was a bit of disappointment as the some of the concert-goers started to head out after Kim Draula’s set had finished. It was unfortunate, as HANABIE. still came out at full strength and delivered an equally passionate and energetic performance to the previous evening’s. Their music and on-stage personalities just hits a certain sweet spot of heavy and fun. Both of which are equally important. The same praises could be given out to the group from the night before, and admittedly, the crowd wasn’t quite the same size (though the venue was notably bigger), so it was a nice reminder of the drive this band has. Regardless of crowd size, from big to small, HANABIE. are going to deliver a set that will get new fans invested (which was once again the theme of this night with more KD fans in attendance) and have the established ones just as hungry for the next show.
The how and the why is due to their energy on stage and the very music they are playing. The music is heavy, but innovative in that it pulls from a variety of sources and makes it feel like something new and inventive. While it may not appeal to some, there’s a wide spread of appeal from the metal, rock, and even anime community at this point. Then there’s the stage act. Yukina continued to be more or less a human bouncy ball on stage, jumping, screaming, dancing, and inciting the crowd at every possible moment. Matsuri, with handling the guitars and vocals, may not be able to ping pong around like Yukina, but she carries the cool factor in her movements and actions, in addition to her musicianship. Chika continues to absolutely pound the drum kit, and it was nice to hear her more involved in the on-stage antics once again in NY. The crowd was once again very into it. Lastly there’s Hettsu, who engages in the fun factor. She’s moving around, working the crowd to ensure participation, and perpetually smiling (much like all of them, to be fair). She’s doing all she can to engage with the crowd, as well as some playful interactions with Yukina.
To make a long story short, HANABIE. has FUN on stage, and you can’t help but be absorbed and want to take a part in it too. This was the fifth and sixth show for myself in the last two years, and the group has only gotten better at what they do. Everyone leaves the venue smiling and exhausted, wanting to share their experiences and bring in new people to the fold for the next time they return. As it’s probably been said with each show write-up, do not miss your chance to see them live. Few bands are currently as entertaining and engrossing as HANABIE., and the following that they have built up is due to their dedication and incredible work ethos, and the infectious passion that radiates from them in the live setting.
So here comes As The World Dies with their brand new record Nebula, signing on as a part of the Reaper Entertainment roster. This is album #2 for the group. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to write about the debut Agonist, even though it made me a big, big fan of the boys. So today we hopefully make up for that, huh? From jump “Dark Oblivion” was the runaway favorite for me. The heaviness meets the evilness in a potent cocktail that is also dark and edgy. Sonically it reminds me of my tasty vodka shots on a Friday nite!
And for a total gear shift there’s “I Am the One”. I had no idea where we were headed, but around the 1:00 mark I had pushed my chips all in at the sonic poker table, so well done, gents. At around the halfway mark it just hits you with a flurry of sonic punches, making this another favorite. “Blind Destiny” is akin to The Thing’s description of meeting The Mole Man for the first time (IYKYK), and is a sonic hell that you probably won’t escape easily. Then of course we have the official opener in “Consumed,” which very much subscribes to the idea of ‘shoot first, ask questions later’.
There’s some inspiration drawn from Black Sabbath for “Playing God.” Whether that’s intentional or not is unknown, that’s just what these ears heard. Plus it clocks in at 7 mins plus, as does next track “Voices of Angels”, one of my go-to traits in darker metal tunes. “Under a Dying Sky” and “Final Resting Place” could not be more different at first glance…er, listen. But they fit together almost as seamlessly as salami and apples. And guess what? There’s a bonus track! Don’t care how old I get, I love a good bonus track, and “Consummation of Creation” simply slays.
Bottom line? As The World Dies did it again with this, their sophomore recording. I can only hope we get many, many more albums from these guys. I know they have many more stories to tell, so you can bet I’ll be waiting for the follow-up to Nebula.
Standout Tracks: “Consummation of Creation”, “Dark Oblivion”, “Blind Destiny”.
