…creativity within death metal. Hideous Divinity are an amalgamation of the best parts of technical and brutal death metal, and along with a knack for forward thinking songwriting, have resulted in forming a sound that few have been able to match. Four albums and an EP later, they’re of the most respected bands in their most beloved styling. With the recent trend mentioned earlier of a few dreadfully tiresome acts gaining notoriety for making Wish….
…g albums since arriving on the scene in 2010, their debut The Invocation in 2012 followed by Sanctimonious five years later for 2017. Additional imagery advocates the evil stance even more – from the band logo on through to the promo photos with candelabras, skulls, and members in various forms of corpse paint. Seven years have passed as we hear this third album Return of the Witchfinder, where the quintet pulls from both sides of the traditional…
…see the biggest differences in this album compared to Despondent Death from 2015 and the follow-up Abhorrent Disease released in 2019? Perez: Defiance was written in a very different way. First of all, the pandemic happened, so everyone had the time to work on music. Especially during 2020, we had a lot of time to do what we love, we got to develop everything way more, these riffs and songs into advanced music. We have been playing together for a…
…ngth, the band issued two EPs in that interim through Ready for Boarding in 2020 plus Strangle With Care in 2022. Bask in the natural prowess present in these nine tracks (shorter instrumentals “Morituri Te Salutant” and “A Mourning in August” open/close the record), followers of culturally motivating riffs, larger than life vocal choirs, as well as galloping, kick ass tempo work will find plenty to treasure here. The guitar interplay between Burk…
…ssive metal outfit of which classic albums like El Niño all the way through 2021’s EoS thrilled this scribe to no end. Leaving in 2022, this solo venture Holler explores more of his classic rock, AOR, and 70s/80s influences for this debut album Reborn. The results are quite inspiring, especially for those who seek broader horizons for the musicians that they love and cherish over the years. A reflective nature sweeps over the atmosphere of these t…
…the live show. With the pop samples, the really high energy. As far as the best shows we’ve done… Moate: What sticks out most in my mind is the best shows on the last tour we did. They are most recent in mind – Chicago, Portland, Maine, Detroit. Dead Rhetoric: You also have a special color-scheme going on with your merchandise – can you discuss the thought process behind this? Selfish: We don’t have anything specific as far as what we want to do w…
…d give them our full energy and vibe. We’ve got to play Psycho Las Vegas in 2022, that was a goal of ours almost since the onset of that festival. It was a massive goal, and when we got the call, we were floored. We had the best time. We’ve been locked in pretty heavily on the Northeast of the United States, it was a chance for us to get over to Las Vegas. Anytime we get the chance to play with the greats – back in March we played with Bongzilla,…
…have to answer with an unequivocal yes. True enough, the album is digested best as a whole in its just over one hour run time, telling a connecting story as intended. Within are moments of reserved tension such as the instrumental “…miast cichac szemraja…” and the bombastic yet hauntingly measured “The Fugue.” Defying keeps one guessing while not allowing their grip to loosen, ultimately resulting in a riveting listening experience. “The Acquainta…
…Then that’s where the magic happens, because we let them do what they are best at. We go there and just create these videos together. We are so happy we got to know these guys and work with them. I don’t know how they do it, but Kami always creates these looks that seem so cool. Dead Rhetoric: Starting off independently, why did you end up choosing to align with Napalm Records? Wolf: At some point we just couldn’t do it anymore by ourselves. The…
…ures and restrictions, I thought it was more depressing. Towards the end of 2021 into early 2022, it was depressing. That was a negative thing, I was feeling it. Early 2022 when things slowly started opening up, we jumped at every opportunity. And it snowballed from there. Everybody in the band felt similar feelings, we had to get out of the house. Dead Rhetoric: What has Gus G. learned about himself as a person and a player in your early 40s that…
When Italian power metal band Kalidia called it quits in 2022, it was quite a bummer for anyone who had been following them. Their potent mix of classic and more modern influences, along with Nicoletta Rosellini’s powerful vocals, made them a rising force. Thankfully, Rosellini decided to grab Kalidia drummer Dario Gozzi and live guitarist Paolo Campitelli to assemble a new act by the name of Alterium, along with members of Draconian and Altair….
…ince their inception in 2013, they’ve released two albums Disequilibrium in 2015 independently and the follow-up on Frontiers Frontal in 2021. Which sets the stage for Binary Dream, an album that explores, questions, and awakens through its conceptual theme of 8b + 1 – an experimental robot taken through a carefully crafted storyline about consciousness awakening. You’ll get a nine-track odyssey that contains intriguing vocal-led material sitting…
…g our spots over the last five years or so. We have played with Amorphis in 2017, Oceans of Slumber in 2022. I’d like to get some good fests, some regional tours we can hack. We can’t be doing any four-week tours, if there is a good regional tour to do an East Coast tour, that would be good. If we could go to Europe one day, that would be good. We will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the debut album, we will re-record two songs off that and re…
…light hook-wise. The quintet also excel in reflective ballad pieces – “The Best Things” probably one of their best in quite some time, Henrik Klingenberg setting the stage through his piano, keyboard, and orchestration angles along with Tony to give this arrangement an alluring power rock meets classical feel. Also returning is Mikko Karmila on the mixing board – last working with the band back in 2012 on Stones Grow Her Name, the man knows how to…
…e this big stadium band. It doesn’t work that way anymore. People are more online based, so you have to create most of your content online. You have to be putting out music videos, you have to be putting out constant posts, pictures, music, little clips so that you can reach a bigger audience. It doesn’t just happen organically by going to shows anymore. Unfortunately, as I wish it still did. I feel like that would be a lot easier in some ways bec…
…pressure, I saw it as that’s what you are there to do. We wanted to do the best record that we can at this time. If I have to take more of a workload because my brother is suffering, I’m there for it. We didn’t have to really think too much about it, that’s what we were going to do. Dead Rhetoric: How are the decisions made regarding what songs to premiere as singles? Is it a group effort between the band, the label, and management? Faulkner: Yeah…
…he Fire Paths of Fate,” a nearly ten-minute epic that is easily one of the best I’ve heard. Bottom line? Profane Prayer is not only an absolute beast of an album from Suicidal Angels, it is one of 2024’s best…period. Standout Tracks: All of them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-nTIX8IU6Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ofxYJgSXAk Suicidal Angels on Facebook…
…d vocalist Bryan Patrick in an outfit that recorded a two-track promo EP in 2023, leading to a deal through High Roller for this debut full-length album. Comparisons will probably abound as to whether the newer act will live exclusively in the realm of what’s already been established – or choose to follow their own musical desires. Epic metal would most assuredly be an accurate tag for these nine tracks – although the performances and musicianship…
…ugh I listen to a wide range of music, the stuff I’m comfortable doing and best known for doing is kind of New Wave of British Heavy Metal era, classic heavy rock. A period where hard rock is becoming heavy metal is where my guitar playing lives. With Adrian’s experience playing in Slough Feg and his other bands – he’s a versatile musician, he plays jazz and surf music, all kind of things. We never talked about it, we just plugged in our amps and…
…lthough the releases have been spread out a bit compared to the early / mid 2000’s, one can always rest assured that there is a supreme benchmark aspect to the melodic heavy / power metal present from Firewind. With vocalist Herbie Langhans firmly ensconced in the lineup, Stand United as the tenth studio record keeps the four-piece alignment to great songwriting with stellar melodies as well as a bevy of musicianship-oriented tricks front and cent…
…ood advice for everybody. Make people feel better about themselves. Be the best version of yourself, be your own hero. Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the agenda for Sonata Arctica over the next twelve months? Kakko: The album will be out; we will tour Finland first. Summer festivals, the European tour starts in mid-September. The rest of the year is reserved for other activities. 2025 will also be about more extensive touring, and that information will…
…songs re-done along with six other originals, forming out to be one of the best albums of 2020. Four years later, we’re graced with The Wishing Tomb, and a loftier expectation could not be had. A smooth, scene setting intro track sets the tone, with “Timeless Ones” assuredly roaring into life, dripping with sadness and Paasela’s endearing croon. Truly one of the most underrated voices in music today. Gorgeous leads and pacey drums give the song so…
…osive release that stuck with the listener. Here we now sit with Suldusk in 2024 with an expanded, full-band roster and signed to Napalm Records, the first thought that bubbled up was that of, ‘would the band’s sense of intimacy and bleak dreaminess be hindered with the seeming addition of more is more?’ With the case of Anthesis, the answer is an immediate no, as it continues to capture that mystical, brooding ethereal sound and turns it into som…
…make it that is possible is because I’m French. Dead Rhetoric: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received regarding the music industry? And when people seek out advice from you, what words of wisdom or thoughts do you try to impart? Codfert: The best advice – the first piece is don’t stop things after a failure. We are facing 99% failure, and 1 % success. If you are not allowed to endure the failure, stop music directly. The second one…
…over to, based on the comments through YouTube and other social media channels there are a lot of people that are asking us to come over. Since we signed up with a new booking agency for the states, either in 2024 or 2025 we will be coming over. Either festivals, touring, or both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85pPL_68NYc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ofxYJgSXAk Suicidal Angels on Facebook…
…n. Featuring a guest vocal appearance from Syr, this is one of the album’s best. Elsewhere, “Wings of Time” cradles you in its soothing tone where “Victory” feels like something that plays after a great battle on a majestic hill of green. Leah’s daughters Elektra, Victory, and Geneva also make vocal appearances to enhance the family / community aspect of this effort. All told the record is a winner for this guy, and I’m sure many fans of the genre…
…to be in a specific mindset or atmosphere to channel these 80s influences best – especially in terms of the lyrical content? Durbin: Not necessarily. My studio is pretty 80s in here. I have The Lost Boys, I’ve got the comic books from there, vampires, Star Wars, whatever else, E.T., all this random shit from my childhood. And then I have my Harry Potter stuff in here, costumes. Lots of retro and 80s influence everywhere I look. I also live in a b…
…should encourage audience participation when this band hits the stage. The best power metal contains dazzling musicianship to take you away from the doldrums of everyday life – and that’s what you’ll get in spades from Elettra Storm through Powerlords. If albums like Ecliptica or Return to Heaven Denied mean anything to you, this could be a new gem to shine like a diamond for your collection. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPSRb5AY37g https://www…
…first full-length from the band since jumping to Nuclear Blast Records for 2020’s Manifest. Well, not as surprising considering that COVID stalled a lot of releases in its wake, but pretty consistent two year release schedule almost doubled the time. So considering the band underwent yet another line-up change with new growler Mikael Sehlin replacing long-time member Henrik “GG6” Englund Wilhelmsson, there were a lot of cards on the table and ple…
…like oh wow. And with this record… I know a lot of bands say, ‘this is our best record ever!’. I hate saying that, it’s subjective. But I do feel that this is our best effort. I’ve listened to it twice already since it’s been done, and usually I don’t listen to my material once it’s done. Dead Rhetoric: How did the cover art design come about for Creation Undone? Where do you see the importance in appropriate imagery for records, especially in the…
