…d you want to make one symphonic album in between, it’s going to sound really silly and not symphonic, because your focus isn’t there. That’s what we are doing here. We have focused on one chapter, and we are opening up number two. We are starting by doing our research, I of course with the character, but the boys have to look at the history of the music then. That’s actually what’s happening now. It’s all about focus. I think it’s a different app…
…s – it was something very strange happening with us. Over the years it’s only changed a little bit. With the Seven Seals record, and New Religion album, the last album for Nuclear Blast and the first album for Frontiers, we tried to change and become a more sophisticated band. We tried out orchestral parts to branch out from pure heavy metal to a more symphonic style sound to our music. We wanted to experiment a little because we didn’t want to do…
…019. It’s been two years since we were out with Queensryche, so we definitely want to get back out. We did really well for a few years of doing US runs, so we are ready. We love touring Europe, but its nice to be in your own country so if you need to pick up the phone, you can make a call and don’t have to search for wifi everywhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqbppOw4lW8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXVqjVxX1y0 Halcyon Way official websit…
…do with the lyrics…aside from enjoying the album as a good, musical album, lyrically I hope they feel empowered and I hope they feel like they got some hope, and gives them some courage that they know they have a right to stand up for their beliefs and it exists within them with or without the record. Sometimes art is a great catalyst. Art has always been one of the great catalysts for change throughout history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuW…
…e is the singer of Iron Maiden. Even the first two albums with Paul, I really like them – a deeper voice, I really prefer Bruce Dickinson. Dead Rhetoric: How do you see the state of the metal music industry today? If you had the power to change or improve things, what would you consider changing and why? Schlegel: Also a good question. The thing is, heavy metal music is not mainstream. A lot of people all over the world are addicted to heavy metal…
…something otherworldly about Phthisis’ approach to extreme metal. It’s forward-thinking material that thankfully never borrows from one particular zone of death/black metal. Instead some dissonant moments blend with cavernous ones, as well as full speed ahead pandemonium. They also toss in some dark atmosphere from time to time, making them a band to watch out for. Raider – Urge to Kill Release Date – March 2018 Location – Canada Style – Death/th…
…to show people what I can do on the screen, you know? Maybe I’m sounding a bit overambitious or greedy, I’m going to stick to what I can do and aim for the goals that are within the framework of possibility. Dead Rhetoric: In another interview I’ve heard, you’ve mentioned a love of American writers like Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, and Anne Rice among others. What are some of your favorite books/memories surrounding these writers? Dahl: Oh, that…
…all. The show is because I want to do it and I’m excited by it. That’s really the only reason- and if people come because they want to see the show, that’s almost tragic because the songs aren’t getting listened to. I want people to hear the songs, and see the show, as all in one- and you can grasp what these songs are about in a visual way. Dead Rhetoric: What are some of the greatest memories you have from Lizzy Borden in the 1980’s – specific a…
…ease Date – May 2018 Location – Germany Style – Brutal death metal As usually found in this column, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of straight-ahead brutality from time to time. Human Prey easily fit the bill here, with a brutal death metal approach that’s rooted in the traditions of the veterans. Burly, thundering grooves and slamming breakdowns are par for the course and quite well-executed. The vocal variety is on point as well, with a rather…
…this is a very technical part and it’s very busy on the guitar- and obviously would make a really cool instrumental if I developed it in that way. I quickly changed my mind and based the rest of the parts around that main riff. It became this crazy ride of constant mood changes and different riffs and melodies, and somehow it all comes back together again. Dead Rhetoric: Were there any songs that went through big changes from the demo stage to the…
…lly do the verse and fly it in the rest of the song, the chorus too. The only time we fly anything in is if my voice is totally getting shot, I’m tripling every vocal line, there might be a chance to use the vocal from the second verse on the third verse because I’m done for the day. I’m not going to wreck my voice for another hour – other than that, technology-wise, things are a lot quicker. I can remember doing records where everybody’s hands we…
…hen the intensity accelerates. Some of the other standouts include quite a bit of bass in the mix (it truly does shine), as well as plenty of catchy, melodic death metal riffing to counter the symphonic elements. With the heavier feel and growled vocals, there’s a bit of gothic flavor at times as well, which helps to bring them more into their own space. An excellent debut. Order ov Riven Cathedrals – Göbekli Tepe Release Date – March 2018 Locatio…
…heir death metal in a way that’s both timeless and somewhat retro. Thankfully not entirely Swedish, but owing much to the straight-ahead bulldozing approach that many bands did execute around that time. For a debut, it feels quite punchy and crisp – just the right tone required for the bludgeoning material, but still able to bring you back for more with melodic grooves given their needed clarity. For every hypnotic groove (see “Trauma”), the band…
…to emerge, but it’s changing. Slowly. Dead Rhetoric: How would you currently describe the Russian metal scene? Markov: A lot of bands that sing in Russian, a few underground bands that sing in English. I think some of our extreme acts do travel to Europe once in a while. But, there are so many big shows going on every week in Moscow that the local audience is kind of tired. It’s hard to attract them to small clubs after they’ve seen everything. S…
…, it’s also all-in, with both memorable vocal lines and hooks. It’s a more lively combination than many of these groups shoot for, and one ripe with potential moving forward. Anaria – Invocation Release Date – December 2017 Location – Massachusetts, USA Style – Symphonic metal After a brief hiatus, Anaria has returned to deliver more symphonic and cinematic metal. New track “Invocation” shows the band hasn’t missed a step since their excellent deb…
…rn instrumentation and flair, as well as thought-provoking and intelligent lyrical content, it’s no surprise that they quickly became revered within the metal scene. They’ve gained ground with each new release, but their achievements aren’t relegated to simply musical in nature. Due to their afore-mentioned lyrical content and willingness to tackle some tough issues, they are frequently looked to as bringers of hope within the metal scene (and eve…
…” is quite effective. A lot of moving parts, as it can be seen, and certainly worth an investigation. Sunless Rise – Flywheel Release Date – November 2017 Location – Russia Style – Melodic death metal 2015’s Unrevealed left a definite mark in this scribe’s books, with their flashy penchant for melodic death metal. The band’s first song since then lives up to the standard set before it. There’s a lot going on for a track that doesn’t even hit the 5…
…zes keyboards/synths alongside some upbeat riffing. It manages to stay fairly heavy while delivering some saccharine melodies on occasion. Mirror City is no different, in part due to the fact that this is actually a remake of their first demo. Without that knowledge, you’d never know this was old material – it sits just as strongly as anything else in the band’s catalog. For those just finding the band, it’s a perfect starting point, but also wort…
…in this day and age, you still get metal shows banned or cancelled due to lyrically content? Mazurkiewicz: It’s always odd. It’s obviously ridiculous and shouldn’t be happening. But if you can get one or a few people who can pull enough weight to do these things, than that’s what happens. But of course, it’s utterly ridiculous. Who are we? We are a death metal band. I think there’s things out in the world that should be having much more attention…
…ss splitting the vocal duties, and that should suit the band well going forward. In terms of the band’s melodic structure, there’s some cues towards In Flames and The Unguided in their approach. Something that stays riff-heavy while incorporating plenty of electronic/synth elements into their sound. It sticks more firmly in the metal realm than some may expect (perhaps due to Sanvalter’s extreme vocals), but occasionally one can hear a vibe that f…
…rumental metal from Countless Skies’ guitarist James Pratt. It’s a bit more modern in tone than the melodeath act in which he plays, but it’s no less melodic. Short, 2-3 minute tracks are easily digestible, convey their points, and never veer into the self-indulgent. Some highlights include the lively “A Ship in Harbour,” groovy “Ripples,” and fun melodic antics of “Seraphim.” Truthfully, each of the tracks has a rather playful vibe that just seem…
…ays just a big honor to play in front of people. Certain festivals are really, really special – I love Wacken. It’s one of the best heavy metal festivals in the world…but there are other great heavy metal festivals too. And now playing club shows, you can see the fans right in your face, you can feel their sweat. Sometimes I’ve gotten their sweat in my eyes, but I love it…it’s so heavy metal! That’s why I wanted to be a metalhead and I love it! If…
…xactly, and I really can’t wait to play these live. All the songs are totally playable live, and at the moment we are debating which ones we should play on the upcoming tours. Some members would like to play the whole new album. But we aren’t going to go there, don’t be afraid. As an example, I’m a big fan of Iron Maiden, but I have only seen them live a few times in my life. One time, I think it was the A Matter of Life and Death tour, they came…
…ther countries (visa issues). Nevertheless, in the future, we will definitely make a live band. We have true friends who are ready to go with us till the end. As soon as decent proposals appear, we will not hesitate to tour. Dead Rhetoric: This may or may be exaggerated, but it has been said it used to be difficult to find western music in Russia. In your case, was that true? When were you exposed to metal? Morbius: It was like that in the USSR, b…
…truth, we don’t have to lie about it. So, you have to make sure that you deliver, especially in terms of shows, in the best way. To always give, not 100% but 150%. It’s really exhausting- we’ve toured a lot- the two support tours for the first album, we did them actually for free because we wanted to grow. We’ve played nearly 100 concerts already and I’m very proud of it- we’ve played a lot of festivals too. We’ve done a lot more than some bands i…
…twelve months for Concordea in terms of activities? Has work begun on the next recording, and if so what shape are the early ideas taking? Will there be an official video or two released from Over Wide Spaces? Daria: We’re preparing something to develop our project, but it’s a bit early to spread the news since we don’t know yet which form our ideas will take. But be sure you will hear about us in a while! Alexey: Well, we would like to have some…
…m all countries, Time Shadow come from the Eastern European country of the Ukraine – originally developing their power metal sound with native language lyrics. Feeling the need to go after a broader international following, they’ve since moved to English lyrical content – issuing A New Day as a four-song EP last year, setting the stage for the full-length follow up A World Beyond. The artwork alone almost made this a dead giveaway of sonic expecta…
…ric: Was it difficult to find like-minded people to form a band like White Ward? White Ward: Starting the band wasn’t really difficult. At the beginning of 2012 Yurii Kazaryan and his drummer friend decided to play some canonical raw depressive black metal. They quickly found other dudes and started rehearsing, recorded one horrible demo which has never been released and then it all ended. Everyone except Yurii has left the band, he started lookin…
…ng for fans to chew on. Epic riffing, great vocal work, and an unsurprisingly killer production from Jon Howard – this is a great start for Empress. Loads of potential as they continue on, so get in on this completely free track while you can! Grind of the Dead – No Lives Matter Release Date – May 2017 Location – Massachussetts, USA Style – Grindcore/death metal As expected, Grind of the Dead fires off short blasts of sonic chaos. Plenty of full-s…
…raining or was it just what you picked up on your own? Boyer: That’s actually a really good question. I picked up everything on my own, but I’m not a professional…I’ve never had any professional training so when I first got into the band I growled in a way that completely destroyed my voice. I could not speak anymore, I could not talk anymore, I could not sing anymore. I was speaking like someone who smoked a lot. I got really messed up, and it wa…
