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Never Obey Again – All About Trust

Matt Coe
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Never Obey Again – All About Trust

Modern metal encompasses a wonderful fusion of aspects that pull from outside sources to create a wide array of sounds that can capture people. Italian quintet Never Obey Again may seem like a newcomer on this scene, but their years of experience in other bands / projects pays huge dividends to their appeal. Their latest album Trust contains so much focused interplay with aspects of metalcore, EDM, pop, and groove metal whirled together in such a way that these songs connect instantly – deeply embedding themselves into your soul. We reached out to guitarist Alessandro Tuvo to find out about his personal musical upbringing, the openness of tools that the band incorporates into their songwriting / output, the DIY video / social media content philosophy, favorite albums, plus deep thoughts about the Italian metal scene versus Europe / America in terms of support and what the future will look like for the group.

Dead Rhetoric: What can you tell us about your earliest musical memories from childhood? At what point did you start discovering heavier forms of music, and eventually the desire to perform in your own bands?

Alessandro Tuvo: Cool, that’s a good one to start things off. I’ve been playing music for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a music family. My father was a guitar player, I started off playing drums, I ended up taking up the piano, and the guitars when I was 17. Around high school something changed – I was in a band doing Rage Against the Machine covers, which was when I heard the distorted guitars, and I went on that path. I can play acoustic and jazz stuff too, but when I hit the distortion pedal, I am very happy! (laughs).

Dead Rhetoric: Did you have any formal training at this point, or are you totally self-taught?

Tuvo: I was referring to my dad as my first teacher, although he never really pushed me. Growing up in a family where you have guitars around the house, there is a subtle impact of that aspect to make you get involved with it. I started jamming with my father, and then I learned I had to switch to something more professional. Up until 18 years of age, you have regular school and then you can choose to go to college or to go through another path. I went to the music academy, and after getting my degree there I have been teaching for a while.

Dead Rhetoric: Trust is the second album for Never Obey Again. How did the songwriting and recording sessions go for this set of material – and where do you see the biggest differences between this record and last year’s The End of an Era debut?

Tuvo: It’s a question that opens different doors. Starting off, we never do anything – the name of the band itself described the thought process behind this thing. Let’s do this the way we want to do this – we are eager to achieve and climb the ladder and do things like we are able to sustain this activity as a full-time job. The American dream, right? Besides the drive, the passion, the high that we have, we just try to do whatever comes up in our minds. From the creative perspective, things have been going very smoothly. Differences from the first album – surely the new one sounds more mature to me. At least to my ears, but I’m too biased to say because I am so close to the material. It was very smooth – myself and Alex the other guitarist is in charge of the production, the songwriting – we were very lucky that he is definitely better at writing the music, and I am better at handling the lyrics, the vocal melodies. We do compliment each other very well.

The main difference in the first album is Alex joined the band while we were recording the album. He could only support things on the arrangements and the production part. This album it’s a merging of all our skills that comes together in the same album. There is more influence on each other to get to the final result.

Dead Rhetoric: Carolina chose to inject some harsh vocals this time around. Were there any fears going into this different aspect of her already impressive clean/melodic range – how much more planning and effort went into these spots?

Tuvo: Carolina, she’s a lead singer to my ears. She wants to accomplish this new thing under her cap with the screaming thing because we listen to a lot of metalcore. Most of the oldest metalheads hate this type of sound, but I just don’t care. We love Spiritbox, Bring Me The Horizon, even if you go back to Pantera, we love this type of music. We thought many times about implementing harsh vocals just to get to a level where we have this tool in the box. It doesn’t matter if we are going to use it or not, we just know that we have all the tools to go wherever the creativity tells us to go. That to me is the beauty of it. Some songs you will hear we are overly using this, some other times it’s not even present. It’s just a tool that we can stick in if we want to. It felt like a limitation to not be using it. Sometimes even in the songwriting, we think it would be great to go into this thing – to have a harsh vocal to support it. The main point is Carolina, she has a lot of expectations towards herself. Since the clean vocals are up here, it wouldn’t be fair to have harsh vocals not at that same level. So, we waited until she could get them up to that same quality as the clean vocals, now she has it and that’s why we added it to this album. Once she mastered this, then she could use it.

Dead Rhetoric: Where did you want to come across with the lyrical content for this record? Did you use your own personal experiences, or observations based on things going on within the human experience?

Tuvo: I’m very emotional as a human being. I’ve been through a lot like other people in the world. I don’t really care about the type of music that you dress up your concept with or dress up your lyrics with. I don’t care if it’s jazz metal or whatever. It’s very important though to bring some emotion with your content, and it’s nice when it resonates with other people. Of course, with some wisdom, as we are not younger anymore. We may look younger, but we are in our mid-30’s, so we have some experience on our shoulders, it’s easier to write something more meaningful than just writing about the well-known topics of love, war, hate. In metal, you have to sometimes throw other words in there. At the end, it’s difficult to match the vocal melody with the lyrics. In certain songs, I started writing off the lyrics before the melodies came to me. If it continues on this path, it would be very nice.

I tend to write about personal experiences, ups and downs. Rage, fear, loneliness, a bit of anxiety and depression here and there. It’s very difficult to find somebody in society that hasn’t experienced some or all of these things. Overcoming it, struggling with it, it’s always good to take inspiration from and write about it.

Dead Rhetoric: The style of the group incorporates modern metal with electronic elements as well as some pop / rock sensibilities. What are the ideal components you want to present in each Never Obey Again song?

Tuvo: The ideal components. I don’t really know. To be honest, this is a tough question. We just want to leave all the doors open, at the end of the day. For sure, we are not going to make country pop records. The moment we try to put ourselves in a little niche, I understand it’s way easier because the more vertical the niche, it’s easier to get leverage, get people to come to your shows, the big shark so to speak in a small aquarium. The more you stay generic, the more you have the jellyfish in the big ocean. You can sting, but you are still under attack constantly. You don’t have bones (laughs). We are at the moment jellyfish in the ocean, so it’s hard for me to fully answer this question. We want to stick to the name of the band – Never Obey Again.

Dead Rhetoric: Which makes sense… you are open to different influences as long as it stands authentic and organic for what the band wants to achieve, correct?

Tuvo: Yes. I love this type of philosophy, because at the end of the day, if you think about it – we are influenced by music. We do listen to music daily, not just music but our surroundings, nature, the heavens, the belongings. Anything can influence you. If you think about successful bands, I don’t want to be the one who writes music trying to look like somebody else. I know it sounds pretentious or cocky, but in the future, I want to be in the other category where people take inspiration from (us). Because I created something different. Maybe I won’t achieve that, but I’m fine with failing rather than trying to look like somebody else. All the cool bands are cool because they are unique.

Dead Rhetoric: The band also is very involved in the video content as far directing, filming and production. What can you tell us about this process – do you enjoy exploring the visual medium with your songs, and how do you feel its impacted your following on a global scale?

Tuvo: I am the one in charge for the video clips. We just finished shooting the latest video for the song “Trust”, the title track. To be fair, 100% it started off with a money issue. When you start off a band, people don’t really understand the process behind things. It’s nice to see some cool social media stuff, and if the band releases music videos, it’s cool. We recorded the very first video clip with an amazing professional, for “The Storm”, it cost us $3,000-$4,000. If we wanted to be consistent, that’s totally impossible to keep up with in terms of costs, especially if you want to release four to five video clips per year, per album. Not going to work. I looked on the internet for the best camera for the best price, got a couple of good lights and a lot of sleepless nights watching tutorials on YouTube. Alex, from now on, he will care about the audio components, I’ll care about the video components, and we will keep things DIY.

It’s cool, because when you are tight on the budget, you have to get your head working more. If you don’t overthink, this is where the good ideas come from. Some of the greatest video clips – one video I use as a reference is “Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve. There is just a guy walking towards the camera for the entire video. How much can that cost? Nothing, especially if you have a good camera. Probably less than our first video clip. When you have a low budget, you get your head rolling, you get creative. It’s stressful and draining I’m not going to lie – but it’s fulfilling because we have full control of it. We are on schedule; we can do it when we want. We have a lot of friends that lend us their houses, a cool sofa, some lights. We take inspiration, keeping in mind that we have to make things realistically achievable. I cannot wait until I can delegate this, I have to be honest.

Dead Rhetoric: You’ve been working on some interesting behind the scenes content on YouTube for the band’s upcoming European tour. Discuss the challenges the band faces in trying to make more of a proper footprint in the scene through normal social media platforms – how are you hoping to stand out next to the sea of other artists?

Tuvo: Yes, that’s a big one. It’s a big headache we have daily. There is so much noise around to be able to focus on what’s important. If you don’t take part in the noise, then you are on the outside. The trends and stuff, I don’t know. The best answer, which I try to tell myself, within the noise is a rat race. We have to stay through, be consistent, and have patience. At the end of the day people have to understand that when you try to chase trends, you may end up having something go viral, but at the end of the day it doesn’t make much of a difference. When is the last time you saw a good meme that made you laugh, but did you end up following the page of the person who did it? Did you find any meaningful content about a band that would get you to the point of becoming a fan of the band? Probably not – the essence that brought you in doesn’t represent the band that put out this type of thing.

Maybe it’s better to have smaller numbers that grow very slowly. We really want it now, and we want it all – to mention Queen! (laughs). Once you get into this mindset, you need to be consistent without chasing the numbers. As long as you can see your feed, and the things that you post represent you and make you proud of what you are posting, forget about numbers. Stay authentic, things will work out in years. Like a diet, don’t focus on losing on 100 pounds in like three weeks. Think long-term. If you enjoy doing content, it’s better. I like going around recording stuff, and if I have a spare hour, I edit it. I put it out there for entertainment or community building.

Dead Rhetoric: I definitely enjoyed the extra content. The rehearsal videos reveal some of the choices you make in preparing for the tour – and also showcase your individual personalities…

Tuvo: I love it! Thanks a lot for mentioning. If I wasn’t on the other side of the barricade, I do enjoy when bands go a little in depth. All the glittery, shiny things are great, but YouTube is great for longer form content against the Tik Tok, shorter formats. It’s very nice when you can get to know the personalities within the band. Our bass player (Cristiano) – he’s such a funny character and I love to showcase him to the other people. Or even Alex that can be nerdy and grumpy but he’s a good artist. Carolina is always complaining about something, it’s always a bit of a comedy show in our band. It’s a good family vibe that I want to share with the rest of the world.

Dead Rhetoric: What are three albums that are most important to you to help shape your tastes and outlook on music – they can be heavy or not in choices? And what’s the best concert memory you have, purely attending a show as a member of the audience – plus what made that show so special to you?

Tuvo: Don’t do that to me, man! (laughs). So, albums. As a youngster – Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park. As far as songwriting, that album was great. I want to paint it to that part of my life. Thinking about genius when it comes to blending styles, production values, and braveness, I would say – Bring Me the Horizon did a super cool album in Sempiternal. I remember that was one of the very first times you had so many different influences from metal and other stuff, blending stuff that could be the heaviest (thing) in the pop scene, but not the sloppiest in the metal scene. And then – I do have like a massive influence in acoustic folk singer / songwriters. I’ll sum it up, John Mayer. He did a live concert in the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. I saw it thousands of times, it’s such a great concert.

Regarding the live shows that I have attended. I have so many good bands – some of the bands I had the good luck to open for them when I was playing in another project. First time I heard Parkway Drive – I couldn’t believe the wall of sound that was coming towards me. I am a fan of the band – I am a huge fan of the story of the band. I love the vibe of the band, even if I don’t listen to the band’s music all the time. They are so real, authentic, it’s just – boom. I have played with them on a couple of shows, and they are amazing.

Dead Rhetoric: What would be surprising for people to learn about the members of Never Obey Again as people away from what they hear in the music and when they get the chance to see you perform live?

Tuvo: I hope that people will have the same interest in knowing us as people. As a band, I think of this like a big party. It doesn’t matter if you get in because you like the band, the music, the food. If something makes you feel good, the environment, the color of the walls, whatever – it’s great. I want to see it like this.

Dead Rhetoric: How do you view the Italian metal scene? Do you look at bands like Lacuna Coil and Rhapsody (Of Fire) as inspiration to break through on an international basis?

Tuvo: It’s a tricky topic. I’ll tell you this. Rhapsody (Of Fire) – amazing band. Lacuna Coil – amazing band. We do know some members of each of those bands. The hate, jealousy or whatever in Italy – it’s a bit fucked. I don’t know how to put it in different words. Italy – it’s a short-tempered country. It’s a passionate country. With passion, it brings a lot of down sides. A lot of anger, a lot of competitiveness. Most of society lives in this average championship mentality. Everything below deserves support. When you get over the top, you deserve to be made fun of. In this middle thing, you feel like everything is a threat. These people – those two bands you mentioned, we often get compared to them. We wish we had 1/10th of what they’ve achieved, and I wish them all the luck. On the other hand, I see some other people hated by the local scene, they have built barriers to keep them in some safe space. Even when you try to engage with those bands, they seem skeptical, even if we know many members of the band. When they are alone, you can hang out – but when they are together, you can’t. This is the wrong side of the Italian scene.

There is so much genuine support in other countries. We are doing a small tour, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany – it’s going to be like five- or six-day tour. We are getting paid for every gig we do, be it a door deal or a flat fee. We are getting back to the tour with money in our pockets, which is very rare. But in Italy, we are doing a release party. I texted, emailed, phoned every single venue within 150 kilometers of my house. No one accepted to have us do our release show (there). We took all the money we had and rented a club. It’s expensive, we have a chip on our shoulders, and we hopefully will get the money back we have invested. Some fans are here, we have a fanbase, we hope to get 150-200 people to our venue in Italy. Meanwhile we travel to other parts of Europe, get packed venues and will get paid.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the agenda for the band over the next twelve months? Are there any other side projects or bands with these members that we should also investigate and look into?

Tuvo: We are all professional musicians doing this as a full-time job. We do other projects that we try to keep as separate as possible, they are all cover bands or professional musicians assembled for specific things. Luckily, in the previous years, we did everything to get the ball rolling to make more income. We can stay focused on Never Obey Again at the moment. Carolina is a vocal coach, Marco is a drum teacher, Alex and I do our things. I work for D’Addario, the guitar string company. On the agenda, we want to be climbing the ladder. The ladder is crazy high, we will take one step at a time. Like a fighter during his fighting career, focusing on training camp and the fight. Learning in the process and adjusting.

Never Obey Again on Facebook

Never Obey Again on Instagram

Mindless Sinner – Metal Merchants (High Roller Records)

Matt Coe
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Mindless Sinner – Metal Merchants (High Roller Records)

The spirit of heavy metal courses through the veins of this Swedish act Mindless Sinner – and has since their start in the early 80s. Releasing their debut EP Master of Evil in 1983, they would release two albums Turn on the Power in 1986 and Missin’ Pieces in 1989 before shortening their moniker to Mindless and pursuing more commercial hard rock pastures before breaking up a year later. The band returned in the early 2000s and has been going strong ever since, with four of the five members still going strong from those early years (drummer Linus Melchiorsen joining the group in 2022). Metal Merchants as the group’s fifth studio record showcases the soaring traditional metal anthem template reigns supreme in this set of material – eagle high vocal melodies, thunderous twin axe attack action, plus rock solid bass / drum foundational movements all align to create exciting moments throughout the hour-long playback.

It’s hard not to get swept away by the upper register range of vocalist Christer Göransson. His steel pipes command rapt attention, much like Bruce Dickinson, Michael Kiske, and Rob Halford in their prime when you hear his ascension to the star propensities for standout numbers like “Carry On” or the Twisted Sister-esque “Let’s Go Crazy”. Chronicles of the band’s adventures for a trio of delays opening for Judas Priest in Sweden because of COVID-19 restrictions inspired “Third Time’s a Charm” – an interesting mid-tempo anthem that aligns well with those who dig older Dio, 80s-era Judas Priest or classic Accept, the syncopated drum / rhythm guitar movements for the verses leaving a snake charm-like atmosphere that’s irresistible. The fluid lead break tradeoffs and twin harmony accents next to main riff duties between Magnus Danneblad and Jerker Edman excel on “Speed Demon” – while the softer, restrained angle comes out for the intro moments of the adventurous “Mountain of Om”, these gentlemen executing thoughtful runs a la Murray/Smith of Iron Maiden during their prime.

Hooks abound, never losing sight on the intention to get the songs off to a galvanizing push, hammering home the choruses, to leave the followers clamoring for more. Sirens signal the thunderous “Storm of Steel” – a militant march-oriented tempo leading the battle charge, another timeless offering that sounds vibrant in 2024, heads banging to oblivion. While the tape and vinyl owners get ten songs, if you prefer digital or CD copies, you’ll be privy to three bonus cuts – of which “A Madman Is Crying” has standout qualities, the main groove plus bluesy lead spots fantastic as Christer once again sings to heights rarely heard for the 60-plus crowd he is a part of.

Probably not on your radar in those 80s years, Mindless Sinner continues to make the most of their second go around through Metal Merchants. It’s the type of heavy metal that fills hearts and souls with warmth and energy – the denim and leather brigade will celebrate this offering.

Mindless Sinner on Facebook

Arctis – Arctis (Napalm)

Katarina McGinn
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Arctis – Arctis (Napalm)

If you ask some people, the blurring of genres and incorporation of outside influences into metal is something that is a source of great disdain. However, bands have found some solid success with this flirtation, such as acts like Amaranthe and Spiritbox. Finnish act Arctis are the latest band to embrace a pop sensibility into their music, and what really stands out about their self-titled debut is how openly they are willing to embrace it, and it’s incredibly addictive effect on their music. Arctis is unquestionably one of the catchiest and most fun albums you’ll hear in 2024.

A bold statement, but Arctis have no problem backing up such a claim. For what it’s worth, they at least ease the listener in a little bit before they go full pop metal on them. Opener and first single “I’ll Give You Hell” doesn’t shy away from danceable electronic beats and soaring pop vocals from Alva Sandström, but it’s still tethered by some buzzing guitars and pounding rhythms. Their cover of Lambretta’s “Bimbo” gives the early 2000s pop song some modern electronic elements and heavy guitars to work off of, and works as a spring board into the band’s hooks-first mentality. It’s not until the insanely catchy “Tell Me Why” that the band drops their most deadly melody. Pulsating electronics and driving riffs allow Sandström to really move to the forefront with some incredibly big diva hooks and sweep the listener off their feet. The chorus will get you moving, and it’s more electronic-laced pop verses will ensure it never leaves your mind for quite some time.

While that might be the most overtly poppy moment on the album, there’s plenty of soaring, epic and metal-backed energy for fans to indulge in. “WWM” swirls with synths and riffs intertwined in a build up to an epic chorus that Sandström hits out of the park. “No Slave” takes a similar approach in it’s mid-tempo energy that works as a slow burn to a dazzling chorus where the band unloads some headbanging yet catchy melodies. Yet somehow it’s the fitting finale energy of “Theater of Tragedy” that really sees the band fully capitalize on both their metallic and pop quadrants and pull of something that is decidedly epic.

While the idea of something so thoroughly soaked in both metal and pop might be a turn off for some, it’s hard to listen to songs at both ends of the spectrum that Arctis performs and not embrace it on first listen. “When the Lights Go Out” feels like they took an ’80s pop song, took it through an EDM filter, and then applied a solid coat of metallic heaviness to it. It grooves and works as headbang fodder, yet it’s pop-fueled hooks grab you and leave you wanting more. The more melodic and, dare it be said, melancholic sound of “Frozen Swan” soars as the closest the album comes to ballad territory. Yet it’s somber guitar solo and beautiful synths give it a stronger sense of power to lump it into such a generic category. It also brings up a great point about Arctis’s music. While they incorporate pop mechanics, their lyrics are far from approaching bubble-gum and saccharine. From drug addiction to self-deception to human struggles, they leave a strong note, particularly as they are delivered in such compelling fashion by Sandström.

While a number of modern acts have worked to incorporate pop and rock into their metallic bases, Arctis provides a sound that still feels fresh, futuristic, and inspiring. It’s incredibly fun and catchy while avoiding the pitfalls of sounding superficial. Arctis is a thoroughly impressive debut from an act that seems destined to take the metal/pop hybrid in a way that is going to make people turn their heads. If you want something that brings an upbeat, unrelenting fusion of energetic pop and electronics and couples it with modern/symphonic metal ‘epicness,’ Arctis is bound to be your favorite new act going. It’s truly exciting to see where they will go next, given the strength of this first offering.

Arctis on Facebook
Arctis on Instagram

Loudblast – Metal Is My DNA

Matt Coe
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Loudblast – Metal Is My DNA

Photo: Anthony Dubois

When it comes to another pioneer in the death metal scene, French band Loudblast deserve more than a cursory glance based on their history. Hitting the scene in 1985, they were able to record their second album Disincarnate at Morrisound Studios with famed producer Scott Burns in 1991 – setting themselves up for a productive career. Their latest album Altering Fates and Destinies comes on the heels of celebrating forty years together as a group – proving that the creative juices still flow freely. We got the chance to speak to guitarist/vocalist Stephane Buriez via Zoom as he was drinking white wine and representing a love of Saxon with his shirt – he witnessed them last at Hellfest closing out Sunday as the conversation opened. Prepare to learn the special circumstances behind the songwriting development for the new record, his move to the countryside from living deep in the heart of Paris, lots of memories around the early years of Loudblast, thoughts on the success of Gojira plus relationships with other French metal acts, and what’s on the horizon to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the band.

Dead Rhetoric: Altering Fates and Destinies is the ninth and latest studio record for Loudblast. Discuss the songwriting and recording process for this effort – as it greatly differed from much of your previous efforts due to COVID-19, correct? How do you feel about the final product after the work you’ve put into this?

Stephane Buriez: That was kind of a challenge. Manifesto, our previous record, was released during this COVID era. Let’s do that, but there was no tour, nothing normal. Nothing was expected, because we had no clue of what was going to happen. Right after Manifesto was out, I was still at home here in my home studio. Am I going mad? No. So I started composing more songs without the idea of having an album at first. I didn’t know how much time we had to sit down here and be what I am, a musician – or something else, maybe. I started working on new stuff alone in the dark here. After a while, I had 15 songs composed, I composed everything from drums to guitars to arrangements. I left the bass spot to Fred because he’s an amazing musician, plus he did all the lead guitar parts. There was no other way to go ahead. I’m not this kind of guy who sits in a chair watching movies. It’s in my DNA to play music. Without being on stage, let’s compose.

There was a lot of heavier material than what I’ve composed before. At the end, it is what it is. When your back is to the wall, that is totally unexpected. Nothing like this has happened before in my life. I’ve been through a lot of shit, ups and downs during my career as a musician, but this time I am stuck at home. What can I do? I built my own studio, it took months to do this, I had my guitars, my monitor systems. I feel really lucky moving from Paris to the countryside of Paris. I couldn’t imagine being stuck in an apartment in the center of Paris, probably I would have killed someone. This album, there was no goal. It was just every day picking up my guitar, going with the ideas.

Dead Rhetoric: You recorded thirteen tracks – of which ten appear on the main edition of the record, and three bonus tracks will be on the special editions. How difficult of a process was it to pick and choose what would go where – especially understanding today’s modern scene where many times shorter attention spans are at play to consume material?

Buriez: That was a pain in the ass! (laughs). Thankfully, we have amazing people at the record label for Listenable Records. I asked them – send me an email with your four best songs of the album, from what you’ve been listening to. Hopefully that would match with my ideas. The first song I composed, I had been listening to them hundreds of times, you can’t have any real objectivity, you know? It was two years ago I started working on it. Some guys said certain songs should be on the album – in my head, it was a bonus track. I changed a lot of my ideas. All the songs, certain songs on the album, bonus included, are worthwhile. Being a bonus track, I just wanted a shorter time frame for an album because nowadays people are listening to just a single, or a part of the single, except us old people that love listening to full albums. To put the vinyl on your turntable, a lot of other people are listening to streaming music on Spotify. We needed ten songs that can be a good story to tell.

Dead Rhetoric: Thinking in that manner about singles, were the choices obvious of what songs to premiere from this record?

Buriez: We chose “From Beyond II (The Return)” for the lyric video because this was an old school vibe song. I wanted to give the people the best perspective of the album. On this album, there are a lot of different moods and energy. The first video will be “Putrid Age of Decay”, which is a more melodic track. It has this raw energy that contains a lot about what this album is about. Every song has it’s own identity.

Dead Rhetoric: Where did you want to come across with the lyrical themes this time around? Do you find it’s easier or difficult to remain original and find the right inspiration in your lyrics this deep into the band’s career?

Buriez: What I like in my band is composing. Taking my guitar, composing riffs, the drum parts. Building this kind of strange cake, that you want to be tasty sometimes, or you don’t know what’s going to happen. When it comes to the lyrics, this time I wrote half of the lyrics talking about my last years’ experiences with people. Sometimes bad moments in my life, and that I don’t want to talk about dark stuff the whole album. This is a common topic for death metal. I met a friend of mine, we talked about H.P. Lovecraft, we had just re-read some old stories of his, so we tried to work together on half of the album. Going back to the mythos that we talked about in the beginning of the band, sort of like the beginning of the band. Next year is going to be the 40th anniversary of the group, and that made sense for me. I hope it will make sense for other people.

Dead Rhetoric: After living in Paris for the past fifteen years, you chose to move to the countryside in late 2019 where you built your own recording studio. What other factors came into play regarding your move, do you believe this ignited some new energy and creative sparks for life and Loudblast?

Buriez: Yeah, I really think so. Paris, I was not born here, I was born in the northern part of France near Belgium. While I moved to Paris for the business, but Paris can eat you from the inside. It’s a big city, and you can have anything: drugs, alcohol, women, this is really Babylon. But every day, there’s a different show, and its non-stop. That was cool in the beginning. After all those years living there, it’s really expensive. I said to myself, it’s time to make a good move forward. Creatively, thinking about what I want to do, Paris was eating (at) me from the inside. Moving to the countryside, I feel like I was born there. I am in the middle of the forest, all the fields, it’s cool. Taking my bike out there to see wild animals, tending to my garden, but I’m still a metal guy. It did inspire me, I feel settled. When I wake up, I’m not awakened by the cars or the noise of the city, but the birds singing.

Dead Rhetoric: What would you consider some of the career highlights of Loudblast? Specific albums, shows, tours, festival appearances, or other activities when you knew you were making a mark with your work and developing a stronger appreciation or following?

Buriez: I think recording the album Disincarnate back in 1991 changed everything for us, definitely. Before that, we started a band when we were 16. We recorded Disincarnate, our second album, when I was 24. We were at the death metal mecca, Morrisound Studios, with Scott Burns. We recorded that in one month in the best studio in the world. Thanks to Scott also, he did a lot for the band. He introduced us to other guys, Obituary, Death, Morbid Angel. Donald Tardy would come and listen to the mix of our record to see if it was okay. That was insane. That album was successful all around the world, we did a tour with Cannibal Corpse, we did the European tour with Death in the same year. We got to play with Sepultura, we played with Iron Maiden, something is happening. This era in the 90s, that helped create a milestone for us.

A lot of good things happened after, but this album changed everything for us.

Dead Rhetoric: How do you see the evolution of the death metal scene from your origins to where the global appeal is currently? Does it surprise you to see a second (and now third) generation of musicians still keeping this movement alive?

Buriez: I think all of us, Carcass, we are all coming from the same underground, tape traders era. There was no internet, it was guys writing letters, sending tapes and just waiting for replies all over the world. The passion for this music, we are all connected, we have a lot of fire, vinyl, t-shirts – I still have this in my DNA. Metal is my DNA. The evolution of this music – I don’t know, I’m still in the Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Death camp and those bands changed the game. I have no other names to put on the board after those guys. There was a lot of amazing bands – but the glorious days were something, definitely. Everything was created during that time, ten years of glorious death metal, and some other bands that aren’t as well known like Ripping Corpse, their amazing album. Back in the 90s, everything was really something. I’m talking like an old man (laughs). I do like new death metal bands too – but everything was already perfect back then. When you listen to Blessed Are the Sick or Bolt Thrower, their second album Realm of Chaos – it was amazing.

Dead Rhetoric: Did you enjoy those early tape trading/ fanzine era days that Loudblast was a part of while the France scene was developing? How were your relationships with other bands like Massacra, Agressor, Mutilator / Mutilated, No Return, and others?

Buriez: I remember spending hours, me and Alex from Agressor exchanging addresses. That was the way, sending tapes, flyers, making the emblems. It worked. Euronymous from Mayhem had his label, he wanted to distribute Agressor’s album – because of the tape trading. Everything was made with passion and time. Nowadays you can take your computer, type in a name, and you can get everything. At that time, we had real contact with people. We knew the guys in Sepultura when they toured Europe for the first time with Sodom, I was in Belgium and introduced myself to the band – that was something really human.

Talking about the bands in France – Massacra were our rivals, we got into a lot of fights with them. At the end, it was a nice end as we did a sold-out tour together across France, big venues together. Mutilated too. In France, there weren’t many bands – like six bands. It was okay to fight, at a point, but then we grew up. We are old men now. We became what we wanted to be, we joined forces together.

Dead Rhetoric: Does the success of a band like Gojira surprise you? Was it a proud moment for them to play at the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Paris this past summer?

Buriez: Their success didn’t surprise me at all. Those guys are different. I remember the first time I got this Godzilla demo tape. It was a CD – I played it, and I said, ‘what the fuck is that’. After a while, they opened for us, and I met the guys. They told me they were really inspired by Loudblast and our album Disincarnate. And then – those guys were always on a vision that I respect them as friends for a long time. I’m really proud of what they’ve done in their long career – it is a long career, over 25 years of existence. They are not newcomers, they worked off their asses off to be here.

When I got the information that they were going to play at the Olympics, I said, wow! I don’t really follow that, but this night I went home and let’s see what’s going to happen. It’s making history. The guys are still normal guys, considering the success they have all around the world. They are going to be one of the biggest bands of all time, one day. An amazing and big band, and they deserve everything that has happened for them.

Dead Rhetoric: What worries or concerns do you have regarding the world that we are living in today? If you had unlimited finances, resources, and energy to tackle one or two major issues, what do you think needs to be worked on for the greater good of all long-term?

Buriez: Just to be really careful for the environment. I work with Dirk from Megadeth on Savage Lands – I am a part of this organization. Reforestation, I try to help. The previous generation didn’t have a clue, they wanted to make money and profits, they destroyed everything. Maybe it’s too late for us. We won’t have much clean air. We can see a lot of things are changing for our children and grandchildren. Maybe it’s time to make good things happen. It’s not too late to keep in mind that every one of us has to have this perspective. There will be no civilization after a while.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for all things related to Loudblast and other bands you are a part of over the next year or so? As we know the 40th anniversary of Loudblast will soon arrive in 2025…

Buriez: Yes, that’s in another part of 2025, that year will be total madness. Besides the tour to support the new album. We will begin the 40-year anniversary of Loudblast in Lille, our hometown. We are going to play five shows in four days, in a small club with 666 capacities, every day. It will be a good audience too. We will play five different gigs, and we are working on 70 songs. We will play Disincarnate, the whole album, Sublime Dementia, the whole album, Fragments, the first album Sensible Treatment, covers, we will ask some friends of ours to be a part of the party. There is a tour right after, the festivals, it will be like I have to get to a spa and gym to get as healthy as I can get.

I feel lucky after these 40 years. I was 16 creating the band – the bucket list is still big. I’m not feeling like an old man, we are working on an EP, covers from Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Michael Schenker, Thin Lizzy. The bucket list is way too big. We have a new album coming out for Sinsaenum next year, with Fred. I feel really lucky, still having this feeling that every day is a new day.

Loudblast on Facebook

Loudblast – Altering Fates and Destinies (Listenable Records)

Damian Cousins
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Loudblast – Altering Fates and Destinies (Listenable Records)

One of the pioneers in the French metal scene returns for their latest studio record – arriving on the scene in 1985 as the first notable death metal act. Loudblast will unleash their new record Altering Fates and Destinies, their ninth studio record – and lemme tell ya, it’s a doozy! Damn near forty years invested in this output and these guys are still chopping you down.

“Crystal Skin” sounds like a bulldozer bent on flattening your house, while “Miserable Failure” is a sonic piñata coming through your living room window. “He Who Slumbers” wraps up this triumvirate of viciousness in a tidy black bow. “Son of Nameless Mist” has this cool yet sinister vibe, and it’s my favorite tune. Stéphane Buriez on guitars/vocals sounds deliciously evil here and I love that! Opener “From Beyond II (The Return)” and “Putrid Age of Decay” showcase how to get us all going, and our blood steaming.

“Dark Allegiance” has a very evil vibe going on, which I loved, while “Fortress” is different, yet similar. It fits within the framework, yet it’s different from the other songs in terms of its haunting, atmospheric vibe that still contains the requisite heaviness you expect from these musicians. Again, this is a good thing. Variety is the spice of life, after all. Closing the disc is “They’ll Never Catch The Glint of Sunlight Again” which shows us how much of a sledgehammer bang this band is capable of bringing on your damn skull!

Forty years in, Loudblast are showing no signs of slowing down through Altering Fates and Destinies. And for that I am extremely thankful!! All who love the diverse and heaviness this band brings will be well advised to seek out this record.

Standout Tracks: “Dark Allegiance”, “Fortress”, “Son of Nameless Mist”, “Miserable Failure”.

Loudblast on Facebook

Nitrogods – Valley of the Gods (Massacre Records)

Matt Coe
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Nitrogods – Valley of the Gods (Massacre Records)

Power trio outfits check off massive appeal to this scribe – the less is more principle places key components at the top of the list to strip performances down to those essential elements in straight ahead constructs. Nitrogods lives in this world – delivering stripped down hard rock ‘n’ roll with bluesy, rough around the edges attitude that sits well with people who love that fine line between heavy metal and old school classic rock. Valley of the Gods as the fifth studio record comes five years after Rebel Dayz – although smartly releasing a 2022 double live album 10 Years of Crap – Live to satisfy the hordes while waiting out the COVID-19 activities.

With lyrical themes that subscribe to road trips (“Left Lane to Memphis”), alcohol haze moments (“Last Beer Blues”), as well as struggles to accept the reality / celebrity media sensationalism (“Prime Time Terror”), listeners can expect a diverse selection of musical themes that incorporate influences like Motörhead, ZZ Top, AC/DC, Nazareth and other early NWOBHM tastemakers. Between the multitude of cranking chords Henry Wolter pushes out in different slide, bluesy or hard rock/heavy metal angles and the forward-thinking bass distortion that acts as a second lead instrument from Claus ‘Oimel’ Larcher, the sonic push to the highway trucking “Rotten Sucker” or the aforementioned “Left Lane to Memphis” provides two memorable arrangements on first (and subsequent) passes. When the band chooses to slow down or take a left field turn, you can expect slide guitar action next to some 50s/60s bluesy style elements next to a forceful Klaus Sperling steady drum foundation within the title cut before they return to normal metal formats for second half favorites “Gimme Beer” and “Ridin’ Out”. Claus’ whiskey soaked, sandpaper-ish melodies keep the group’s appeal probably to more of a working-class crowd – but you cannot deny the charm as these songs sound rough and ready to conquer any stage these musicians choose to take on.

We need bands like Nitrogods that off set the complex intricacies other styles provide. Valley of the Gods delivers 14 primal tracks executed by seasoned musicians getting to the heart of what makes heavy metal and hard rock so important. Get on your motorcycle and find the open road – this is a great soundtrack to feel the wind whipping in your face as you enjoy the trip.

Nitrogods official website

Nitrogods on Facebook

Livløs – Cutting to the Bone

Matt Coe
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Livløs – Cutting to the Bone

Photo: Nikolaj Bransholm

Melodic death metal possesses a wide array of choices when it comes to the blending of catchy hooks / runs against the energetic aggression of the riffing, tempos, and extreme to clean levels of vocal employment. Danish act Livløs has been active for over a decade – sustaining a DIY ethos while establishing themselves as a viable force on the live scene. Their latest album The Crescent King differentiates itself from the typical Gothenburg / Scandinavian movement, possessing a raw, refined approach that speaks to an old school aspect balanced next to a killer sci-fi, cosmo-fantasy narrative lyrical concept which evolves over the course of the record. We reached out to bassist Benjamin Andreassen to catch up on some wonderful Norwegian-related musical childhood memories that include black metal ties, thoughts on joining Livløs, work behind the new record, special live show memories, important metal albums, and future plans.

Dead Rhetoric: What can you tell us about your earliest music memories growing up during childhood? At what point did you start discovering heavier forms of music – and eventually the desire to want to be a musician and perform in your own bands?

Benjamin Andreassen: (laughs). Straight to it! This would be for me personally. It’s a little bit special. When I was a kid, most of this relates to stories my mom has been telling me and my sister has been telling me because I was very young, I was too young to remember personally. I grew up in Bergen, Norway, our upstairs neighbor turned out to be a bit of a celebrity, Varg Vikernes if the name rings a bell for you. Turned out to be a big figure in Norwegian black metal, he did a lot of stuff that he shouldn’t have done. He was arrested and this was our upstairs neighbor when I was five to seven years old. The rest of my family have quite fond memories of him because he was a very polite young man, 18 to 20 at the time. He was a musician, a bass player and a songwriter. He would come home, dressed in this crazy chainmail and stuff – obviously most known from Mayhem, Burzum, and a couple of other acts.

When I was a teen, I started revisiting some of the stuff that he had released over the years, I got into heavier music that way. In tandem with the traditional introduction of heavier music – I got into Metallica, Megadeth at 12 or 13. This connection back to Varg, having grown up there and what he meant to our family, was a big thing when he was arrested. Our neighbor was in the media all of a sudden. I listened to a lot of black metal, The Faceless, Nile, more death metal I got into later on. Pure death metal I’ve gotten into more recently, as I always felt like I wanted my death metal to be mixed with something else. Melodic death metal I have learned to love over the years. It’s nice revisiting some of the stuff you listened to when you were a kid, it was quite out there. Maybe all of it is not as scary as it first sounded when you were younger.

I started on the guitar when I was nine or ten. In my very first band I was a guitar player. It was a cover band when I was 15 or 16. We did quite a few gigs, Friday bars and university parties – even a couple of weddings in there. Which was a lot of fun. It came to a stop because people started their studies, move abroad. I knew because every time we had a little break, I would gravitate to the bass. There’s something about the low end and the majestic sound that the bass provides, it resonated with me. I knew I wanted to transition to the bass at 18. I bought my first bass, put on Opeth’s Damnation, and I tried for weeks to learn that entire album because it has a lot of great bass parts on it. Not too fast or too technical, it was a very good starting point for me. A lot of the theory, I could push over from the guitar, but everything else was a different beast. The size and gauge of the strings, especially the frets, it took a while.

I was so lucky that during the final gig that I did with the first band I overheard a funny scenario where you hear enough of a conversation that you know what to do with it but then you hear nothing else of the conversation. I remember hearing, ‘hey – have you seen this long-haired guy in the Iron Maiden t-shirt asking for a bass player to join his power metal band?’. Obviously, I had to find the guy and I found him. The week after I auditioned for his band, I couldn’t play bass at the time. I went there, it didn’t go very well but he took a shot. He had seen the show I had done on the guitar – I practiced my ass off and I came back a couple of weeks later. I got the gig, but I practiced because these guys were good. We played together for many, many years. Life happens, the band came to a natural stop.

I did a lot of session work on the bass for heavier genres. I started writing stuff on my own, practicing a lot in those early days. I looked at Alex Webster, Billy Sheehan, Justin Chancellor, all of these incredibly technical bass players. I wanted to be able to do something like that. But that’s not something you do after a year. I didn’t always gravitate towards the bass, but I got there in the end, and here I am now, sticking to it.

Dead Rhetoric: How did you get the opportunity to join Livløs in 2022? Were you familiar with the band previous to joining?

Andreassen: Yes, we actually gigged together. I had been in the Danish metal scene; people tend to know each other as it’s a small scene. I didn’t know them well, but I did know of them. The same for them, they knew of me. I spoke to Jacob who also produced the album. I was super interested in playing something super heavy, as my music tastes gravitate more towards death metal, black metal, but I never had the opportunity to play that in a live scenario. I called him up, he said he would take a note of that. I recorded two or three albums with Jacob in other constellations at the time, he knew of me. I got a call from Franz (Posch), the lead guitarist, asking for a stand in, temporary thing for a Danish and European tour. This is great. We spoke for a long time about it, I said yes. At least during the domestic part of the tour, my wife was pregnant at the time, so I had some technical difficulties doing the European tour as it was smack down in the middle of that.

I had a couple of rehearsals – I knew of them, didn’t know their material very well. The first week I listened to it all the time, to know these songs by memory. There’s a lot more to (the songs) than I remember, things that surprised me initially. I practiced, I get to the rehearsal space, I could play 3-4 songs, we had more sessions. I did ten-twelve shows with them, they are the nicest guys. It felt very natural, it didn’t feel like the temporary, hired gun. There was a lot of ambition, a lot of drive. My previous project at the time was during COVID, and we did things remotely because everybody lived away – moved everything online. We never met up in a rehearsal space to have a community around that. Here was a chance to be a part of that again – and play something that was right up my alley, something heavier than what I was playing currently. During those shows, I changed my mind, and I wanted to be a part of the band on a permanent basis.

Dead Rhetoric: The Crescent King is the third and latest studio album for Livløs. How do you feel about the songwriting and recording sessions developed with this set of material?

Andreassen: It’s a bit of a loaded question to me because you tend to think the newest album is always the better album. I definitely feel like that this is strongest album yet – I’m also biased because this is the first album I’ve played on with the band. (laughs). I feel like if you compare it to the previous albums, the sound of Livløs is much stronger – it’s more in tune with what the band wants to sound like. There is more cohesion in the songwriting, the songs are more thought through, more methodical. There are great elements in the first two albums, don’t get me wrong, but on this third one there are greater elements that are tied into each other a little more. Less material where you think if we needed to do this part four times, we cut things to the bone a little more this time.

I came in at a time where there was a skeleton and a structure for most of the songs. It was a hectic time, I still had to learn some of the old catalog for live shows but also learn these new tracks. There were a couple of more tracks that didn’t make it to the actual album, where we cut them. There was a lot of new material, and I wanted to put my own spin and feel to it, not just quickly learn guitar parts and try to duplicate them on the bass. I wanted something more that was me – it was a lot of work in those months leading up to the finalization of the songs. Quite a few live shows during that time – it was a good working process. I’m looking forward to being in from the start – where we have no songs whatsoever and being a part of the whole thing.

Dead Rhetoric: What influences shaped the cosmological fantasy-inspired narrative in the lyrical concept of this record? How important is strong lyrical content and melodies to the overall package and presentation of songs for the group?

Andreassen: Yes, I would say so. In terms of what inspired it – as many a metalhead before us, we are huge nerds. In different ways, be it from games – Niklas (Lykke) and I are big fans of the Dark Souls universe. Big sci-fi nerds, be it the classics. Niklas is most responsible for the lyrics and the themes of what this album ended up with, it’s a good mix of a lot of inspiration from the sources I mentioned here. We are very good at pushing each other, once you have the beginning of a thought and you put it out to the group, we can contribute to it with other source material or spin on it. It ended up being a theme that we can very much all get behind. It created a strong narrative that would add something extra to an album. We decided quite early on that it would be a conceptual album with this theme as a centerpiece. Which became interesting as we started to put the songs together. Extra consideration goes into what the track order will be like. Which songs we put where – which instrumental themes and melodies fit best into what each track is trying to tell from a lyrical perspective. In retrospect, committing to the concept album was quite difficult but also a really good challenge.

Dead Rhetoric: You’ve released three videos to date from the record – “Usurpers” which is an animated effort, “Endless Majesty”, and “Orbit Weaver”. Were these obvious single choices to premiere from the record, and how do you feel about the impact videos have in the current marketplace?

Andreassen: The obvious choice – we debated it. The answer would be no. We talked a lot about what songs to select. We wanted songs to have a bigger register. Together with the team that helps us getting the album out, we ended up landing on songs that were not the longest – a little bit more easily digestible for the current landscape but provide a view of what this album can do. I remember us going back and forth on a song like “Harvest” – which was not one of the singles, but we debated whether it should be. We ended up concluding that it was too long and too slow, and we wanted to hit people in the face right away. In that sense “Orbit Weaver” was a very, very clear choice. We are very happy with the singles and what we ended up selecting as singles.

Videos do add something. Life is very fast paced, and you need to pull on more strings to hold people’s attention. We can discuss whether or not that’s a good thing, but it helps at grabbing people’s attention. The animated video – they all turned out very good, and all contribute to the song and what we wanted to achieve and accomplish. It helps us pull on more channels – people are not going to look on a still picture on YouTube for seven minutes and listening to the song in the background. Having visual cues helps – especially in terms of getting the story of the conceptual album out, it’s been a big help. There are a lot of lyrics in here, and the lyrics are amazing, Niklas did a fantastic job, but we know and acknowledge a lot of people aren’t going to sit there and read through a CD booklet of death metal lyrics. For those not willing to do that, a video will tell more of the story. They can get a taste of the storyline there.

Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe the band performing live versus what people hear on the record? What have been some of the most memorable shows you’ve done to date?

Andreassen: We strive towards not having that much of a difference. The production is quite raw and organic, so it doesn’t differ that much from what we sound like live. There is a little bit of layering, and we add a couple of extra tracks like everyone else does. There’s nothing crazy going on there – not triggers on the drums, overdubbed guitars, overdubbed bass or vocals. We don’t use any samples in terms of backing tracks. A little bit of it on the more ambient track, but it’s a story of its own and we wouldn’t put it in a live sitting. The rest of the songs sound quite close – Jacob (Bredahl) as a producer, it’s one of the things we like about recording with him – there’s not a lot of polishing or cleaning up. If you don’t play it right, you have to play it again. Because he isn’t going to sit and fiddle every kick drum or bass hit – it sounds the way it’s recorded, and we do that live as well.

We have a couple of memorable shows. Every one of them is connected to a funny thing that happened that day, or just a show that was well played. In recent memory we played the Copenhagen Metal Festival a couple of weeks back, together with many acts from the Danish metal scene. It was packed, the crowd was with us all the way, we all left the stage high on energy and happiness. We played the band’s biggest show to date, Copenhell 2023. That was absolutely memorable for us – the biggest crowd, 15,000 people. Playing a show of that magnitude, it humbles you. Leading up to going on stage, I remember being extremely nervous. And then the year before, I was a stand-in and we played the Gaffa Awards, an award show in front of a finely dressed crowd. We were the heavy metal band – there was a hip-hop act, singer / songwriter style acts. It was a different show to play, we had pyrotechnics with us to cement the fact that this is the metal act coming through (laughs). It was amazing, and it was livestreamed on national television. Other guys in the band would also highlight playing the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway, Eurosonic they would highlight as well. Other international shows before my time. We always have fun when we are on the road.

Dead Rhetoric: What are three of the most important metal albums that have helped inspire you and shape your outlook on the genre?

Andreassen: Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk – Emperor. Sons of Northern Darkness – Immortal. There’s a lot to choose from. Blackwater Park – Opeth has to be in there, definitely. Riitiir with Enslaved, definitely would be one. Moving into further back – Conquering Dystopia and the self-titled album featuring Alex Webster on bass, showed me things sonically and technically primarily to hone in on what he’s doing on the bass, it’s amazing. I’ve listened so much to the Mr. Big albums, especially some of the solos Billy delivers, his bass playing is monstrous. S+M by Metallica may be an oddball choice, but it’s the album that got me into Metallica. Where do I start with Iron Maiden? I can’t pick an album in that catalog. Those have shaped in one way or form. In more recent times, Job for a Cowboy and their latest album Moon Healer. It’s been so long since they released something, but I think the new album is close to perfection. No one sounds like that. The songwriting on that is fantastic, and all of them are phenomenal musicians. I don’t know where we start with Cannibal Corpse either.

Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for Livløs over the next twelve months when it comes to promotion, shows, festivals, tours, or other activities? And what’s going with your power metal act Steelbourne?

Andreassen: There’s no activity with me and Steelbourne. I’m still friends with them. Spending some time on it, and there will be some tracks coming out, so I’ll probably play bass on it. The Livløs album just came out, and the reviews have been very good, the reception amazing. It’s really fun to see the comments and reactions. We will play a couple of festivals in Denmark, and a winter tour next year in Europe. We plan on going abroad somehow, a couple of shows in the pipeline in late spring/ summer of 2025. We are planning for more international shows to get the album out there, nothing concrete though I am allowed to say. Promote the album, play a lot of shows, try to bring more people in. We love playing live, the real core of the band is about the live shows.

Livløs official website

Livløs on Facebook

Antipope – Doors of the Dead (Moribund Records)

Matt Coe
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Antipope – Doors of the Dead (Moribund Records)

Evolution has been a constant in this Finnish act’s style. Founded in 2004, Antipope started as a black metal band with progressive tendencies – eventually adding doom, gothic and industrial aspects to their sound. Doors of the Dead is the seventh studio album for the quartet, this scribe’s first experience in taking in their sound – and its quite an eclectic, engaging mixture chock full of progressive / traditional chops pushed into extreme measures that fuses decades of influences into this intriguing soundscape through these eight songs.

Upon initial passes the standout aspects that catch these ears immediately include the shape shifting speedy to controlled tempo / riff interplay which takes place often as well as the bard-like meets vicious blackened delivery from vocalist / guitarist Mikko Myllykangas. One specific song can go from blasting measures to Iron Maiden-like progressive / traditional/folk-ish cultural instrumental hallmarks as “The Maker” envelopes the listener through this cavalcade of sonic spectacles in a mood shifting manner over its 6:39 timeframe. Distorted / whispering vocal effects sit next to a normal Hansi K. / Blind Guardian-ish melodic texture for the slower, doomier “Brotherhood of Babylon”, the unison background vocals and circular, bluesy lead break giving the song this ancient, Alexander the Great meets mythological spirit. Engaging guitar play from Mikko and second guitarist Antti J. Karjalainen fills the landscape with a mix of clean ambiance, propulsive main riffs as well as thoughtful instrumental / lead parts – as songs like “A Ritual of Snake and Dove” as well as the left-field ballad “Sacrifice” showcase. The title cut is the longest track at 9:23, closing the record in full progressive, traditional metal ambiance – displaying everything from choirs to time signature fluctuations, strong bass/drum intuitive shifts, ideal twin guitar / cultural earworms, as well as this serene keyboard / acoustic guitar portion that helps convey time standing still out in the calm, natural beauty of the wilderness.

A year in the making, Doors of the Dead proves Antipope can take multiple subgenres of metal to blend their sound into something highly engaging and potent for long-term appeal, especially if you enjoy everything from progressive/traditional metal to the doom, gothic, industrial, and extreme/blackened angles they execute. If you’ve slept on the discography of these gentlemen, start here and work your way back into the crevices, as this scribe plans to do.

Antipope official website

Antipope on Facebook

Jewel Throne – Blood Vultures (Inverse Records)

Matt Coe
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Jewel Throne – Blood Vultures (Inverse Records)

Frantic activity has been a hallmark for this Finnish thrash band Jewel Throne since arriving on the scene in 2019. Three quick hitting EPs arrived in four months, soon giving way to a series of singles and two more EPs as lineup shifts took place. Now the quartet have arrived at Blood Vultures, the debut full-length of twelve songs where these musicians combine a lot of the passionate raw aggression that put this style on the map, death metal nuances interwoven into a style that goes for the jugular.

Many of the lyrical themes encapsulate life’s difficulties and the stupidity that can arise through the human race – certainly adequate material to match the fierce musical proceedings on display. Expect riffing that’s intense as well as layered in a semi-melodic context – incorporating aspects of German thrash next to early Scandinavian death platforms to construct these compositions in immediate, focused molds. As a vocalist Jesse Huovinen has the dual growl to sadistic scream terrorism angles down pat – check into his maniacal, rhythm-like mannerisms for “Cosmic Titan Engines” as early proof to his paint melting escapades. Simpler riffs from guitarist Toni Koskinen build to explosive payoffs where tremolo picking or punk-ish angles lead to these chaotic measures that fill the aural landscape in head banging ecstasy – “Psychotoxic Assault” exemplifying the thrash, death, and early traditional 80s mix of sounds that could make this a favorite.

Distant, dirty measures in specific tones and production values align with an older sonic playbook – once again making listeners believe this material could have easily come from the early 90s just as much as its hitting the streets now in 2024. Songs like “Instant Apocalypse” and “Suffer the Fools” combine elements of Sodom, Destruction, and Venom next to early Swedish death pioneers like Entombed or Grave as far as intensity and attitude. The band also understands the need to throw listeners a proverbial dynamic bone, where the mid-tempo riff reigns things in for a brief section or two as you’ll get on the anthem-oriented “Hammer Down the Last Nail”, the narrative sequences signal the blistering transformation to semi-blast proceedings. By the time the final song “The Overlord” finishes in its tremendous, extended send off with its multi-tiered laughter, screams, and moans, the 41 minutes should obliterate any negativity to transform your surroundings with a proper mindset – as most great thrash records are capable of achieving.

Jewel Throne may be very old school in waiting five years to release this debut album, but Blood Vultures contains enough seasoning and power to be positioned adequately in ‘must hear’ ranks. Ideal for those who want more of the underground feel for this genre versus anything polished to the hilt.

Jewel Throne official website

Jewel Throne on Facebook

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