…s, and the stage is where they shine brightest. Like in my recent PassCode write-up, the level of dance synchronization, when seen in person up close, is nothing less than breathtaking. With five idols on stage, there’s plenty to witness as they move across the stage, rhymically coordinating their movements and vocal parts. With a varied setlist going into some heavier, rock/metal grooves, upbeat fun songs, and just a hint of slower cuts, it’s fas…
…anted to keep. We didn’t want to copy and paste these artists into an eight-minute-long song, we wanted to have our own song. If you have such a song which is like an opera, one song like this it’s not easy to bring this to a video version because of the rules in music – most songs are shorter these days. We have to keep up the interest in a video, so the problem is then to keep it interesting within a time limit. I did the lyrics of this song, it…
…ntial in what we tried to do. Dead Rhetoric: Discuss your approach to lyric-writing, particularly with songs that hit a more personal side of you. How do you keep things personal, but to the point where people can still connect with it? Boster: I think that a lot of it is just leaning on my guys a bit and ask them if it’s something that seems too specific – can someone relate to it? I don’t want to make it all about me; it is my story but I want t…
…member. With Joakim, we didn’t work as much with him. It wasn’t like a back-and-forth thing. With Jani, he’s really great at taking the artwork and designing the whole album around it. We know he’s always going to do a killer job, so why mess with a good thing? I trust him, he’s a cool guy. Ronnie has always been there from the beginning. We trust that he will come up with a great sound, he’s so easy to work with. He keeps raising the bar with his…
…d in its main parts, the symphonic/galloping keyboards allowing Giacomo to service the song in a circular, bluesy manner. Given the appeal for commercial-oriented melodic heavy metal these days, there will be a place for Raining Nails in that mix based on the diversity, experience, and understanding of the key components at play through Human Deeds. While not exactly breaking the mold, they certainly have the talent and songwriting skills to go pl…
…be even more tailored to my range. He did some crazy work to do this super-fast. He likes to use everything I have to offer – not the straight up growls yet. There are no harsh vocals on the album, all the other sides he really uses it in a cool way. I see a lot of fans being a little…not annoyed, but maybe wanting another album like Of Jupiter and Moons, and they are not going to get that. I think it’s different in a great way. We all really lov…
…th/doom that carries significant weight both lyrically and musically. Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/songwriter Giovanni A. Vigliotti – takes up the guitar and vocals live – led the charge with a set that was precise and crushing, with the audience feeling every note deep into their bones. This is a band that will escort one on a journey filled with a bevy of emotions, and that impactfulness was on full display here. The band recently welcomed a n…
…ey are coming out before I fall asleep or when I just wake up – I’m in the best mindset. Every day I am clear, I have the best ideas. The chorus, the melodies, and the lyrics all come out at the same time. And then I have to make sure I record them in my cell phone and take it from there. Usually I go to Andreas, send things to him, and we work on the songs more. I always have been motivated. I have so many great people I’ve met. Bands I’ve toured…
…ess. Drummer Jerome Lematua wasn’t about to be outdone, putting on a groove-filled drum clinic, while also making light of his own flashy mulleted locks. The man wears it loud and proud. The majority of their set was built from 2021’s Escapades, their debut full-length, notably featuring pieces such as “Wax & Wane” and “Fountainhead.” The band brought a notable energy and seemed to be relishing the moment of being on a big tour with their fellow c…
…e final recording? Garven: Yeah, that’s hard to say. All of them – when we write songs, we write songs like a master blacksmith in ancient times who would create a battle sword. We add the right alloys, we heat things up to the metal, then forge it to bring out the strength in it. I’m a stickler for good riffs. I always think Michael Whelan is going to deliver the best album art for us each time, so we have some really good, heavy riffs on this al…
…ck to work, and I was staying at home with my boy. I liked it. I was a stay-at-home dad, maybe I’ll get some other kind of supplemental job. I was enjoying living in LA; it was peaceful before he was in day care. We then got offered a tour, and I was back in the game again. My life has been so tumultuous, I’ve been moving a lot, this, that, and the other thing. A lot of travelling, not thinking about myself all the time, taking care of a child, an…
…se crazy religious leaders, these rich ass megachurch leaders. They’re well-dressed con-men selling snake oil to idiots. They’re totally ridiculous characters, which tied in perfectly with the video. There’s not a whole lot left to the imagination with that one. Dead Rhetoric: You’ve always chosen great cover songs that may not necessarily be the norm but pay tribute to artists that you believe are worthy of mention. Discuss the Grip Inc. track yo…
…ng for the gaming industry. How does that type of writing differ than say, writing lyrics? Cherry: Writing about games, it’s similar to guitar. It’s one of my happy, safe spaces where I just feel free to really let my passion shine through for gaming. It’s so stimulating. I love when I am absorbed in writing for a game or creating social content for the brands. It’s super rewarding, and I feel quite empowered in the position that I’m in. Whereas w…
…ke the mysterious thing that I grew up with. Recently I spoke to my brother-in-law, who owns a social media company that used to work with musicians and now they do more stuff with brands. He said if you want to be mysterious, you can’t be on social media so that no one knows anything about you, or you just have to play the game and do the social media thing to keep people engaged. I’m more focused on staying on top of my social media. I do like t…
…ill eventually be “Ice Giant 3” is uncomfortable. It is going to be anxiety-inducing, super fast, and just… BLEGH! So look forward to that. In a good way, for sure. What else? We are waiting on the last bits of our merch to be shipped to us. Shifflet: We’re going to be shipping all that out before we leave for tour, so get pre-orders in now, now, now. Gallop: Yeah, that’s right, that’s what I’m getting to. I’m going to link our Bandcamp, where we…
…al done extremely well by a varying group of musicians that have come together for an album that hits all of the sweet spots. This is savagely fun, and when that to-the-point hunger needs satiated, put on Inferno to quickly satisfy. Arborescence of Wrath on Facebook…
…s that sense of style and fashion, as well as Hanabie’s fun attitude. Dance-offs, make-overs, and sprawling bright colors might not scream metal from a traditional sense, but it’s also a reason why it’s drawn in so many fans, both in and outside the genre. The song is also amusingly titled ‘early summer edition.’ When I bring that to the group’s attention, there’s some immediate laughter. Might there be more Gal-time in the future for Hanabie? “Ma…
…ity? Abdow: I don’t shy away from anything I enjoy but I do try not to over-listen to a particular band or artist. Some are so great and distinct that I don’t want to unintentionally over-internalize their sound. My listening taste is all over the map. I love the sound of albums from the 70s, 90s and 2000s specifically. Pat Metheny, Buckethead, Alice In Chains, Liquid Tension Experiment come to mind (that’s just a fraction of the stuff I’m way int…
…e. Many acts (though certainly not all) have settled for metaphors and well-crafted illusions to showcase depression, but Svalbard instead goes right to the heart of the matter with straight-forward simplicity. This is an utterly raw, and unflinchingly real look at what depression looks like, and as you might guess, it’s not pretty. There’s no subtlety to lines in “Faking It,” like, “It’s weird to know I wasn’t happy; That’s just how I made it see…
…now our value. That’s what this album represents to all of us. This is the best that we can do so far. And this is the best of us done for you. Dead Rhetoric: This record is deeply personal for you, conceptual in nature as it chronicles your personal battles with depression and anxiety. Can you delve into some of the lyrical content, and do you feel a sense of cleansing/catharsis putting these ideas out through your words and melodies – where do y…
…to be in good condition with our bodies, change our lifestyle to give the best (effort) for our performance. For one side, it was a big challenge because I didn’t know what to expect being a singer. On the other hand, many songs in the history of Nervosa, I also composed the vocal lines. The song “Death”, it’s one of our most well-known songs, it was a song that I composed the vocal lines and also the lyrics. For me to compose everything, it was…
…To adequately compare the band’s growth between albums, Castillo preps her best emo-whiny voice to describe the first album. “Wah, you hurt my feelings and I’m mad at you!” But she says that Slow Burn is more like, “‘Fuck you dude, I ain’t taking your shit!’ And that vibe, which I think is really cool.” She then makes comparisons to Hayley Williams (of Paramore) and her solo output. “She did one album called Petals for Armor, which I felt was very…
…inite Forms and Planetary Clairvoyance both are equally slimy sledgehammers-to-the-face fun as they are compelling and purposeful. When sitting down for a first listen of their latest record, it certainly wasn’t what was expected. Don’t fret, folks – this is still absolutely a Tomb Mold record, as the core elements aren’t jettisoned. However, they’ve expanded their sound, toyed with differing song structures, and in the process have written a deci…
…to figuring out how to play and how something was. Now even today, when we write something and I try to write a part, the technical aspect I try to think about this funny phrase called ‘the economy of motion’. I try to play things in a way where I don’t have to exert so much energy to fight the riff to play it. I’m going to play it in a way where my fingers are moving so that every strike is measured, that by the time I’m done with it at that spee…
…right, guys. Bye!” Boatwright: And we’re out! Lanthier: But also I do love writing. Writing is why I started playing guitar in the first place; I wanted to learn how to create music that I would enjoy. That was literally my goal; I want to write guitar music that I would like. That was where it started for me and to me, that’s what recording in the studio is. It’s taking your ideas and bringing them to life and to me that’s special and powerful. T…
…ty – similar to what we’ve heard on the early 90’s Death efforts going head-to-head with current Carcass. Let’s hope that Impii Hora is not a one-off outing for Asinhell. Sure, listeners may have to wait longer than normal to get a follow-up on the streets given Volbeat’s global status as a premiere heavy groove metal band – but when the quality songwriting and performances melt faces like this, you can’t help but want more servings. https://www.y…
…as a haunting appetizer for this main course. Whereas Succumb was a long 1-hour plus jaunt, including the 21-minute “Devorador de mundos,” Worst Case Scenario is a more compact 36 minutes and change. The reduced run time results in a more urgent and ultimately tighter album, allowing the sinisterness to engulf the senses more pointedly. “Enigma Signals” sets the tone with a creepy off kilter lead guitar to lure the unsuspecting into a haze, soon…
…together and exchange instrumental ideas. That’s very cool. We started to write the first songs in 2019, with our old singer. We started to write, and the problem was we couldn’t play live through the pandemic situation. We took our time to write the songs. But after Tobi joined us, we had to change some of the parts for him because he needed more space for his vocals. Dead Rhetoric: What can you tell us about the Michael Vetter cover art for Sun…
…ore consistent frostiness in the guitar work and overall atmosphere. A semi-syrupy lead kicks off “Retraversing the Void” before breaking out mid-speed tremolos, of which are a primary driver of the song, along with more fretboard melodicism. In true Uada style, the final track is a 12 minute trek that at times is on the repetitive side of the coin, though still manages to draw the listener in more than a few times with captivating lead guitar mor…
…e put the band on the shelf at that moment. We don’t trade files; we don’t write online. That was just the case of putting the band on a dusty shelf and just waiting to see when we could take it down and do some work. And of course, things are not as they once were, It’s too easy to say here we are, but that’s what happened. Dead Rhetoric: You always want to give the listeners deep lyrical content that makes people think – and in this case your dr…
