…in the melodic hard rock/metal game may remember names such as Psyco Drama, Glenmore, or Letter X – beyond the already mentioned acts, that’s what Cave seems to express stylistically for their first record Out of the Cave. Hopefully this will be a group that develops new records consistently – as we need more acts that push this genre into great songwriting matched with killer performances like what we have here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u…
…to plenty of great things since then, building up a catalog that’s extreme, fun, and full of over-the-top instrumental gusto. In short, Dragonforce know exactly what they are doing with new material and attempt to spice it up here and there with some new tricks and techniques. Warp Speed Warriors is about what you’d expect from the monster shredders, but it doesn’t make it any less endearing. Embracing that same sort of retro-esque aesthetic that…
…ter their European tour concluded to get some details on their new material, upcoming tours, cinematic approach to music and videos, and more. Dead Rhetoric: You just finished your first tour with Delain. How did it go? Jonas Wolf: We are already experienced with touring, but with this band it was a first. I would say that it was a great team effort. Fabienne Erni: Absolutely. There’s too many things that you just learn by doing with this new cons…
…ts Mark Coglan and Nathan Montalvo pulling out all the stops in the tapping, shredding, or neoclassical knowledge banks to make the twin harmony into separate break movements for “Seeds of Sorrow” a necessary highlight, while the slower, controlled “Close My Eyes” pushes the limit in an early Testament meets Forbidden manner for this aspect. Hunger elevates the songwriting plus performances as if no time has passed – a swirling mix of mid-tempo to…
…th Alex from Despised Icon in the most intense of ways. The following track, “Hellbound,” with Matt McGachy of Cryptopsy also serves as one of the strongest cuts and is all but a maelstrom of chaos as the two vocalists bring all of the possible goods to the table for the entire track. “The Golgothan” takes things in a more atmospheric yet battering direction similar to some of their more recent albums, offering some eerie melodies while the drums…
…ing in America for the first time in over a decade, his evolution as a songwriter, pivotal moments touring with Arch Enemy and being in the Ozzy Osbourne band that made his career, as well as future plans. Dead Rhetoric: The latest Firewind album is Stand United, the tenth studio record for the group. How do you feel the songwriting and recording process went for this set of material? Gus G.: The recording was done in different parts throughout th…
…ull of a variety of tempos and melodic touches that are sure to catch your ear. The best part, is that they avoid the usual power/symphonic metal ‘more is more’ philosophy and keep things short, sweet, and full of energy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfPDijUzgqM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLlu54XVvVc Alterium on Facebook Alterium on Instagram…
…om Saturnalia Temple – the faithful already welcome to the reflective despair present on Paradigm Call. This scribe imagines small club settings or doom-oriented festival audiences raising a glass, pint, or favorite beverage in homage to the honest material pouring out of your speakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLbo9tYyAl8 Saturnalia Temple on Facebook…
…ments, while also ensuring specific parts (and songs) contain the key hooks, melodies, or harmony-laden movements that capture your headspace. It could be a calmer, lower register vocal melody next to some ethereal, distant keyboards or reflective guitar lines during “Tenary”, the pulsating, robotic nature that moves into Pain of Salvation meets Tool in a Middle Eastern motif of bombast for the 1:31 “Static Mind”, all the way through to stunted, k…
…over the years. This album features our original guitar player Joe D’Angelo, who comes back into the band. It’s his first recording with the band since our 2010 EP Along Came Life. He started the band with us, me and our old bass player Chris. The writing this time, it was back to Joe and I putting things together. A lot of what Joe had – one of the songs he had, the lead single “Knowing That You’re There”, was a Joe song he had demoed over twenty…
…again for these gentlemen. Let’s hope much like Wolfheart, we can get some touring action going across North America to let the melodic death/gothic hordes savor the outstanding performances, songwriting, and talent on display. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMy70EjbnvQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCqk_d63DHE Before the Dawn on Facebook…
…music are you trying to get out there? We have a funny video that’s so carefree, and then we have a serious one. Usually, the music is really serious based, the instrumental parts, the lyrics, everything altogether. But we put out a funny thing. Just because the video is funny doesn’t mean that the actual meaning behind the song is funny. We wanted to have something that was different for that video because we are silly, and anyone who knows us, e…
…itous in output (scroll Metal Archives for his lengthy discography of demos, EPs, split, or live offerings beyond the albums), no one will dispute the blackened speed metal approach attacks in a caustic fashion, the purity effective while wasting no extraneous energy in spots to impress others. Composing the follow-up to Let There Be Witchery over the course of one weekend, its apparent that the lethal dose of venomous metal remains at peak levels…
…e are always references to Priest – it’s the same band with Halford, Tipton, Hill, Travis has been there for thirty years, and the ground work that they’ve laid for the last fifty years. That character is alive, well, and strong in Invincible Shield. Hopefully we try to push somewhere differently sonically, or whatever way we can to make the album sound like it’s own animal with its own two legs. The writing and recording, we were able to get toge…
…nd consisting of a variety of influences – from melodic death metal, thrash, doom, and even classic metal, emerging with an amalgamation of his very own. His death metal roots with Abolisher are ever apparent – especially vocally – while a plethora of other influences help give each song their own identity. With “A Beginning,” there’s an embrace of the doom metal side of things, with big riffs dominating the atmosphere, while Rivera’s midrange cle…
…he US that never grew out of favor in Europe and other parts of the world. Ageless is an apt title for this record – those who love musicianship-filled power metal with plenty of muscle, might, and versatility would be well-advised to dig deep into this album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML_VEULePzs Shadowdance on Facebook…
…things ideal to achieve what you desired for the final product? Draper: Um, no, not at all. It was literally we needed a space where we could make noise and set up gear. We tried to get everything as dead as possible so Avinash could add reverb and atmospherics in the mix. There is very little money that has gone into this project – we have spent money on PR and artwork to getting vinyl pressed. Everything else has been completely self-sufficient…
…Wrong Move” an early album highlight, while killer interplay between guitar, bass, and drums in separation as well as unison takes “Acceptance of Denial” into 90s-period King’s X territory. The finale “Tomorrow Doesn’t Matter Today” features a doomy underpinning punctuated with modern licks plus wah-wah break action from guitarist Niccolo Savinelli, unleashing a Michael Schenker meets Zakk Wylde-like fury as the orchestration heightens the drama….
…you needed reminding. All told this is a fantastic album from start to finish. Job For a Cowboy truly came to play on Moon Healer and the results are nothing short of spectacular. Like I said at the beginning of this writing, this is not just a new album release…this is an EVENT. Standout Tracks: All of Them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm5Z-ciozcc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SywCGhiwNyw Job For a Cowboy on Facebook…
…ca? Do you have to vary things based on the territories you play? Kakko: Um, yes, a bit. In Latin America, the fans seem to enjoy a certain set of songs – in Japan as well. They have their own hit songs that we should probably play there. We have so many songs that we have to play, anyways. People enjoy “Full Moon”, “I Have a Right” has grown to be a great song. Then you throw in songs people want to hear, and then add new songs, depending on wher…
…all, I couldn’t do anything in Adagio. Of course, I tried to compose songs, compose ideas, business ideas – but everything was centralized with Stephan and his own vision. I’m not telling you that is right or wrong. It’s difficult to make it in the metal business. I couldn’t tell him my ideas, so that was one of the main reasons why I started to work with another band. Adagio was playing with another Tunisian band Xtazy, which was the previous in…
…four-piece find a way to inject a pure honest spirit to their performances, writing (and delivering) from the heart. Guitarist Lex Thunder doubles on lead vocals, his delivery, phrasing, and range certainly befitting of a powerhouse with leather lungs to spare – as the high-octane screams prove on the Manowar-ish “Battle Dogs” (added points for the boot marching, whistled conclusion). Elsewhere you’ll feel the synchronized dual rhythms next to do…
…e pay attention to everything. Dead Rhetoric: Were there any specific books, poems, or other influences that you channeled into the lyrical content for the record this time around – or do you also draw from social / personal experiences? Melissourgos: Lyric-wise, it’s a combination of personal experiences and also lately I used to read books. I am more into the psychological, philosophical, social stuff – not necessarily as much science fiction. A…
…he’s done since leaving WWE. He has changed himself every couple of months, coming up with a new gimmick. Commits to it completely – and that’s so inspiring, especially as a musician. I find myself a singer who likes to sing in all of the different genres. I consider myself more in that role, as the one guy. Rebooking and repackaging myself, especially with Durbin now. Chris does that with all his wrestling personas, with Fozzy, with the cruise,…
…eing one with the riff. Everybody is in the same headspace at the same time, writing the riff and everyone is playing it, you think, wow this is really cool. It’s almost like a machine, everyone is operating on all cylinders, everyone is operating on the same page. It’s this synergy I can’t explain. Me being a vocalist also, it makes me want to vocalize over the music. That fuels from the lyrical end of it as well. Dead Rhetoric: What have been so…
…ot of problems worth talking about. Part of a Sick World was more political, compared to 24/7 Hate. 24/7 Hate has more of a personal touch to the lyrics. Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe your style of thrash to the uninitiated? Do you believe the band has certain trademarks or specific qualities in the songwriting, approach, or attitude that have to be there to make the grade? Albert: Yes. What is outstanding in our sound is that we have a lo…
…think the entire way that someone who loves heavy metal is supposed to look, dress, or act. Once it happens enough times, you realize that it’s not unilateral. It’s not about leather and studs. I get that they are heavy metal, and there is a distinct heavy metal look, but it’s not just one thing. It’s the same with all the other subgenres. It’s also evolving. I think that’s healthy. I’m not quite sure how other genres work that way, like I’m not s…
…en doing better, because I do these vocal and breathing exercises and it’s helped, because I am embracing that this is how I cure myself. I look at it as my therapy and my best medicine that I could ever have. Dead Rhetoric: What are your plans for 2024? Scissorhands: There’s a lot of exciting news. We will start with 70,000 Tons of Metal which we will perform on twice. It’s very exciting but I’m also nervous too because I’ve never been on a boat…
…is a descriptive term that originates from ancient Greece meaning to “tear, rend, pull to pieces,” while within that lexicon being a violent Dionysian sacrificial ritual. An apt choice for music as meticulously disturbing as Spectral Voice’s latest dance into our craniums. Sparagmos will do all of these things while leaving a noxious impression that one can’t help to willingly repeat again and again. Spectral Voice are masters of their craft, ind…
…with each other even if you have different opinions. It’s great to discuss, learn, and talk about things. That’s what I miss on social media. It feels like one way direction. You post something, this is my idea – and then people start shitting on you. Take a second. It’s weird because all the music marketing these days goes through social media. It’s up to the bands to do that. I don’t think Jimi Hendrix had to care about making a poster for his…
