…r reliance upon shorter compositions to allow the ideas to sink in relatively quickly for the type of music on display. When most progressive/power metal groups expand thoughts into prolonged interplay combinations, Over Wide Spaces only exceeds the five-minute mark once, and finishes as if in a throwback vinyl release market place at under 40 minutes. An ideal album for those who love these two sub-genres and prefer the enjoyment of thoughtful ho…
…so much time and devotion to the instrument/vocals from a person and the only reward is a good show. It is the most sincere genre, that is why it is still surprising everyone today that you can still find new bands that kick ass. I have been a metalhead for over 20 years now and yeah, I do dress differently, but when I am with the guys at a practice or at the concert I am still the same beast I was 20 years ago… I guess my conclusion would be: met…
…s the same style with plenty of finesse and ferocity. The riffing effectively melds the early approach of Broken Hope with their more technical side (a la Loathing) but never takes it too far. The tech flavors are held in check in reverence to the overall song flow, as the opening “The Meek Shall Inherit Shit” quickly points out with a spiraling melody that is as intricate as it is catchy. Speed runs in “The Carrion Eaters” lead into slower and mo…
…heric bobs and weaves here are what does the trick), Eoront, not surprisingly, are proponents of long-form songcraft. The dominant keyboard patterns of Valea are the main propellant, mainly on album highlight “The Glow,” where her keys manage to cover the song like a star-gazing blanket. Similar refrains emerge on “The Sea,” which in a way, remind one of the way Dimmu Borgir used their keyboard arrangements in their halcyon days, meaning, dominant…
…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…
…e pits opened up and the moshing and body slamming began. But just as quickly as the bodies were flying, all of a sudden fans were wrapping their arms around one another and doing a high-step dance while spinning around in circles. Those who weren’t taking over the “dance floor,” were just as engaged clapping, chanting and raising fists into the air. And just Sirenia had done with their 75 minutes, Arkona delivered a varied set referencing both ol…
…is a very long song. That’s a fantasy story. It depends on who writes the lyrics. Marco is really into fantasy and I like to write about things that I’ve been through or different vibes. For example, the first song, “Where the Heart is Home,” is about touring. It’s about the not-so-nice end of it, like leaving your loved ones at home. Sometimes it’s really hard – when you leave someone who is sick for example. You can’t take care of someone, or b…
…on their hands with White Ward’s Futility Report. A sextet from the unlikely region of Ukraine, White Ward could be considered avant-garde except for the fact their songs have this natural staying ability that belies their experimental nature. On their first proper full-length Futility Report, White Ward turns in an album devoid of convention. Black metal is the root, as evidenced by the band’s extreme, brash bent found on “Stillborn Knowledge.”…
…ld be fine. But to think about a new album before this one is out – it’s a bit early. I don’t know what to do – the war themes have worked out well for me from a lyrical point of view, but maybe it’s time for something else as well. Dead Rhetoric: Is there anything different you added to The World Ablaze to make it stand apart, or do you feel it’s more about staying consistent to God Dethroned’s music, given the seven year interval between albums?…
…rtant to have a good fit, but not sound too similar to each other, as such Invasion takes to slightly different approaches to death metal but with the notion that if you like one, you’ll surely also like the other. Fumigation opening the album with some heavy and dark melodies that suit the sometimes chaotic energy of the band to a tee. It’s not an over-the-top blastfest, and strikingly catchy moments (a la “Forced Vaginal Harbourage”) give the ba…
…y quelled with a few seconds of the band’s breakneck sound kicked in. This Russia-based thrash act should leave you with anything but a poker face once you engage their third album Game On. Aggressive, snarling thrash with modern groove and some melodic moments captures a good image of what Pokerface is all about. A timeless crunch (think Slayer or Kreator) soaks the guitars in enough heaviness for you to immediately take notice, let alone the fre…
…hat style for us as much. So this record, I got to do things my way, visually, lyrically, and musically. This is the most meaty record- it’s a good thing that John Laux left because I got to do the record I always felt we had in us, and paradoxically the guy I thought I needed and depended on to make my voice be heard, actually needed to be gotten rid of, because he just didn’t have the passion for this anymore. I think I’ve learned a lot, becomin…
…ng. Solo’s cum leads that blend over the blistering rhythm section are accented by screams so intense that it took me seeing them live to truly believe they were unaltered and sincere. They have moved through their career with a sci-fi theme which they stay true to, not only lyrically but musically as well. Each song that flies from your speakers with no remorse could be the soundtrack to a vast, violent and unstoppable invasion of a hive mind des…
…of followers. Impact is the type of record that won’t wow people immediately out of the gate – yet submits quietly into the brain/body recesses to the point that you’ll be humming or tapping along, ready for multiple playbacks. Not necessarily the flashiest or highest energy act going today, Ghost Avenue nonetheless deserve praise and attention for keeping 80’s-oriented, mid-tempo heavy metal alive, and this album proves well worth the investment…
…ce on backing tracks versus everything being real when it comes to playing live, especially in the metal genre? Gus G.: A lot of bands have been using (backing tracks) more and more these days. I don’t know man, nothing against that but we were always a band that has an old-school approach when it comes to our live shows. What you see is what you get- we are five guys up on that stage and that’s what you hear. The backing vocals are done by me, we…
…else. Emerging Seattle death/thrash brigade Xoth see it a little differently, with Ben Bennett’s (ex-Warbringer) bass right, front, and center, holding down a relentless surge of tricky, intricate riffing, and busy drumming. It’s one of the defining characteristics of the band’s debut full-length, Invasion of the Tentacube, which follows their 2014 Hostile Terraforming. Presently unsigned (but not for long), Xoth occupies thinking man’s death/thr…
…until they withdrew from combat. It is rumored that there were more men available ready to fly than aircraft available to be used for such purpose. Here is an excerpt from a Kamikaze pilot’s manual: ‘When you eliminate all thoughts about life and death, you will be able to totally disregard your earthly life. This will also enable you to concentrate your attention on eradicating the enemy with unwavering determination, meanwhile reinforcing your…
…f goons wanting to wear denim jackets with patches. Their oddly, yet suitably named Invasion of the Tentacube drives home that notion. Whatever the next step above technical thrash and below technical death metal, that is where Xoth exists, which means they’re in Sadus territory…somewhat. The bass of former Bonded by Blood/Warbringer dude Ben Bennett is rather audible, so much so that his slaps, runs, and thumps end up being mini-song adventures,…
…album from the Russian power metal crew Ghosthill. The cover doesn’t exactly scream power metal, but it effectively shows that Ghosthill aren’t your usual power metal band either. Ghosthill fall more towards the more modern end of the spectrum, with a focus on electronic elements to accompany their symphonic approach. The standout track in this regard goes to “Vega,” where the bouncy electronic components bring an almost danceable vibe to the cho…
…stage, with frequent dancing and clapping filling the Palladium, particularly towards the end of their set, which featured “Stenka na Stenku” and “Yarilo.” While the authentic folk instruments (flute, bagpipes) added some flair, they never overtook the rest of the instrumentation, which kept the intensity high. An impressive set that made me recall the glory days of the Paganfest tours and the fun factor that was always present there. Upping the h…
…s human, citing Lovecraft and Asimov as writer influences? Zayarny: Primarily the lyrics concentrate on story-telling. That’s what I grew up on. I think that stories are what captures the human imagination. And again, at the risk of sounding too pretentious, every good story has to be frightening in some way, that’s where I’m coming from in terms of Lovecraft. I think he was fantastic in the sense of taking the reader into the semantics and the wa…
…, but it’s the marathon crash and collide of the title track that effectively seals off an album that is utter BM annihilation. Not sure if there’s going to be market confusion over the two Arkonas (the Russian version has enjoyed more success and are on a bigger label), but there’s no mistaking which Arkona has the extremity edge. Lunaris is thoroughly uncompromising…let’s just hope no happy, nature-loving folksters don’t get their Pagan knickers…
…ive deathcore act Shokran shifts focus from the ancient Eygyptian themes towards, well, The Book of Exodus. Of course, this means that their Middle Eastern influences still have their place within the music, and serves to expand their sound past the sometimes constricting borders of deathcore. With progressive deathcore being a fairly vague descriptor, it’s safe to say that Shokran takes influence from bands like Born of Osiris. But on Exodus, the…
…iscuss things, have a “healthy” argument and can be done with it very quickly. I personally believe it`s a key element for a band to have an understanding if you want it to last over many years without changing the line-up all the time. Dead Rhetoric: What concerns you the most about the world that we live in today? Larsen: Well there are many things that concern us about the world today, but one of the most scary ones is technology and the time p…
…hooks, and some excellent female vocals. The type of sound that could easily go places if properly exposed to the music fans of the world. With that in mind, we reached out to the act (with responses from vocalist Valerie Laitinen, keyboardist Ivan Popov, drummer Dima Loboda, and guitarist Roma Kovalenko) to learn more about Phase One, their approach to cover songs (which can be easily found on YouTube), and what comes next. Dead Rhetoric: Where…
…ey are already signed, but in this case, Kauan was not. So, we spent a really, really long time knocking out the terms of the deal cause both of us are very particular. I can see here in my inbox, the first mail I sent to the band was on May 10th, 2012 (so, only about half a year after opening), but that album was not released until December 15th, 2013. It was a long process of negotiating, writing, recording, and releasing, and it was a huge lear…
…ockin’ Man” for sure. Udo has one of the most unique voices in metal – rarely duplicated and still potent into his 60’s, ready to roar from an early Accept favorite like “I’m a Rebel” on through to “Monsterman” from the very underrated Russian Roulette record. Even if the members are different between the two bands, it’s great to hear younger musicians paying proper respect for a lot of the material that pre-dates their youth – guitarists Andrey S…
…ed Cells” further explores the band’s textured, restrained side. It’s proof SubRosa may not have a present peer in any scene; For This We Fought the Battle of Ages is too weighty and ambitious to stick it up next to anything else. Now fully in command of their vast sonic repertoire, SubRosa have now arrived. SubRosa on Facebook…
…ng riff. They write songs in such a unique way and construct things sonically so differently that I have a hard time comparing them to anyone. Which is great. MGLA – Exercises in Futility. Typically speaking, I’m not the world’s biggest black metal fan. And honestly, it’s my own fault. But there is something about that necro production that I don’t particularly enjoy. I know, I suck. However, I will occasionally fall over a black metal record that…
…to touring. The only thing I have to do is my warm up ritual, that’s the only thing I really have to do. We are now learning how to behave on tour, we like to be cool. We’ve been touring already for over two months- it’s going to be three more months before we go back home. Before the show we are relaxed, we try to sleep as much as we can in the van or at the hotels when we can. Speak as little as possible in order to save my voice. These rituals…
