…to do a double album. The record company said no – ten songs are enough. No, no, not for me. The last time I did a double album for Forever Warriors, Forever United. It’s my 40th anniversary coming up, I want to give the people all I’ve got. We even had more songs, it was sad that I had to pick and choose because I can’t have five anthems, five ballads, or too many fast songs – you always have to try and have a good balance. I wanted the album to…
…t like to have an individual like Jarvis now on bass who has such a passion, commitment, and fire for your work – beyond what he has established with Night Demon and as your manager? Garven: If it wasn’t for him, we definitely wouldn’t have gotten back together. He put on a show here in our hometown, the Frost and Fire festival, people came from all over the world. He wanted us to get back together and play – we said no, we are too old, we broke u…
…ork. Cleansing, a lot of that record was written in my bathroom in Brooklyn, coming up with riffs there as I had a Tascam recorder. This one is in my new apartment, I moved in with my family before we moved into a house. I set up a laptop in my son’s bedroom, busted out some riffs while he was in daycare. That’s the big throwback that happened with this record. This one is a little different, because I wrote everything myself. The last couple of r…
…o them as the grooves roll along. “Wheel of Torture” is another groove-fest, complete with bouncy riffs that you just can’t help but move around too – this has been one of Endseeker’s strong points for many years and they continue to find new ways to exploit it with refined songwriting. On the other hand though, they know how to lay out a pounding when they want, as “Our Only Life” grinds its way through as the shortest track of the bunch. Endseek…
…the tours we lost started to blow over, I had nothing to do but write songs, write riffs. Blaine and I spent countless hours just holed up in his house working on new songs, working on ideas. Murphy would join us. Sometimes all five of us would cram into Blaine’s studio and write. The songs were allowed the time they needed to become better developed songs. Unlike previous albums, the songs are shorter, there’s not a whole lot of fat or screwing a…
…. Moments of gentle melodies, such as the beginning to “Embodiment of Grief,” help to keep things from getting too one-note, as do the noodling ones later on in the song. But it’s the final track that really shows the band flexing some surprisingly muscles in “Leper.” While it stays in line with the scorching assault of the previous tracks, there’s a level of underlying melody to the madness that really stands out over the course of the 5-minute t…
…u put the contrast up to 100%. I feel like that’s how it is with this album, compared to our previous releases. I think it’s less subtle. The heavy songs are heavier and more direct, and the soft songs are even more atmospheric and soft. It’s the first time we have released a song with no screamed vocals on it, with “How to Swim Down.” This album also sees the introduction of violin as well on that song. I felt like we really pushed ourselves as p…
…de things a little easier for myself with this record. It’s a bit weightier, fun, and chuggy, but I don’t want to leave behind that technical stuff. We are always going to have that, and we may get more technical again. Dead Rhetoric: Where is your stance on technique versus catchiness and feel when it comes to your guitar playing? Middleton: I think so. I’ve always put the song first, even on our more technical albums I’d always try to make thing…
…Beyond Creation is the dream for me. I heard that first album a decade ago, completely changed the way that I thought about bass and everything. Musically, they’re amazing. They have three albums. I think they’re all perfect. One of my favorite bands ever; that would be the dream. Dead Rhetoric: What’s next for you all after this tour and is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up? Shifflet: We’re about to hit this, something that…
…” The bonds that Hanabie made amongst themselves started off back in school, coming together over a band called Maximum the Hormone, an equally eclectic Japanese act that mixes genres from metal and punk alongside others such as hip-hop, funk, and even ska. “We listened to [Maximum the Hormone] and I would try to copy what they did. I practiced, practiced, and practiced, and by about 10th grade, I had made the vocal style into something more of my…
…of judging myself against these benchmarks and many times, in my perception, coming up short, only to ask the question: “why am I really doing this music thing?” The answer always was a deep personal and metaphysical reason. So that is what I put forth; it is the music I make and the way I play. It’s a success just to exist in that way and it would be a failure to turn my back on it. Dead Rhetoric: What concerns you most about the world that we ar…
…ou 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 seem; An illusion of positivity,” there’s just starkly bleak reality. While some might look and see genuine darkness, there’s a layer of relatability here for anyone who has ever felt that way. So to that end, it’s just beautifully sad. While it’s incredibly impressive what vocalist/guitarist Serena Cher…
…dication, going to the doctor, getting my mental health in check. I needed help, I asked for help. Laudanum, the order of the songs, they reflect the order of the stages that we go through when we go through something like this. The trauma, the hitting rock bottom, the thinking that life is no longer livable, no longer something that we want to be in. Starting the medication, all the side effects on the first few months, getting used to feeling li…
…r one topic. I really believe in the natural process of everything. I like freedom, and I let the inspiration come. There are some lyrics that I wrote years ago, and some lyrics I would write the day of the recording that I would change. For example, there would be another lyric that needed to be changed because I wasn’t feeling the vibe of the lyric. We talk about politicians, we talk about social stuff, but also, we want to make everyone think a…
…most out of character, well not out of character but it’s an emotional song, compared to a song like, “Sink Your Teeth Into This” from the first album. It’s like, “We have hearts…and anger problems.” Discussions now lead into the boost that they have gotten in recent years through sources like Octane. Both are in agreement that it has been a nice help for the act. “We have some help with the label to get radio play, and also, Caity Babs has been s…
…to maximum effect, ala early Opeth. Tomb Mold isn’t quite to that level yet, mind you, but they’re way closer than some may think. These fellows have really burst out of their shell, and their aptitude as songwriters has advanced quickly before our very ears. It’s fun to see a band create music that’s both unexpected and phenomenal, thus swiftly moving into the next phase of their journey as a band. Tomb Mold are undeniably onto a gleamingly fresh…
…e someone else. For us, we are trying to figure out how to sustainably tour, come back, and be comfortable to make money. With the rising costs, sometimes we have to bite the bullet on something we would normally do. We are trying to figure out how to navigate things with all these rising costs, and avenues we are used to being cut off. Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for activities related to Carnifex over the next twelve months? Cameron: We…
…nvolved with. Like Boaty, I also like to read and play Dungeons and Dragons, write, and I’m less on the board games personally. Like, I really like Betrayal at the House on the Hill and otherwise I don’t care that much for board games. That one game, just like, yeah, I’ll play that any day. Boatwright: But how many hours have you put into Tears of the Kingdom? Lanthier: I have put at least 230 hours into Tears of the Kingdom. Boatwright: Let’s go!…
…olt Thrower, Entombed, Grave as well as Mercyful Fate and Death to his songwriting, hooks, and specific transitions/twists that carry the musical mainframe for “Island of Dead Men” and the titanic title cut. Marc recruited psychologist friend Dr. Frank Albers to write some interesting lyrical topics together, including serial killers with “Trophies” and “The Ultimate Sin”, Satan for “Desert of Doom”, as well as war and cannibalism. Jacob’s product…
…tion to their unique identity. Not one release is very similar to the other, yet, all contain signature elements that are singular to their music. Altarage have traversed quite the acclaimed path, with their first three albums being some of the most distinctive and utterly sweltering concurrent albums yours truly has come across in decades of obsession with heavy music. Conversely, though filled with some standout tracks, 2021’s Succumb contained…
…ually started to play, but quickly stopped and made a “cut” kind of gesture, but commenting it is a great song. Based on the crowd reactions, this likely won’t be their last appearance at ProgPower USA and one wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the headlining slot in the future. Beast in Black Click here for more Beast in Black photos from ProgPower XXII Speaking of headliners, it was time for Beast in Black! Back in April 2022, I was very excit…
…These are more subtly interlaced within the compositions, deeper in the mix, helping drive and enhance the atmosphere in creative ways. “Coming Home” features gigantic moments and buzzsaw guitar rhythms, contrasted by melancholic clean guitar/vocal passages, balanced out by Harris Sopovic’s icy snarls. Most impressive is the creativity displayed within the songwriting, with the flow being extremely precise, yet natural, avoiding any off kilter mom…
…arted 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 Sungazer? How important do you consider the visual imagery to set the…
…your draw from historical and modern ideas regarding the fight for liberty, freedom of speech, and independence among others for this record. Can you discuss what you wanted to get across for the themes – and how it parallels the musical atmosphere? Nemtheanga: The album To the Nameless Dead was about the movement of empire. That was an album about people’s set worth, by the movement of borders, establishments, empire as I said. This current albu…
…equate sequel to the previous outing – and should be exciting to add more material to an already legendary, mandatory set list when they tour for this effort. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh20dk87S4E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JeV-xpW57w Cannibal Corpse on Facebook…
…bill, you know it’s going to be a great night, whether it’s a massive stage at Wacken or a more intimate setting at ProgPower USA. The audience could not ask for a more exceptional sign off to Day 1. Stay tuned for Days 2, 3, and 4 (including the Green Carnation VIP/Gold Badge show) to follow shortly! ProgPower USA on Facebook Doro on Facebook Swallow the Sun on Facebook Cynic on Facebook Elvenking on Facebook The Reticent on Facebook…
…treat with the band, “Through this Blackened Hatred” stands as a highlight, with big, headbang-friendly mid-tempo riffs and Rene Pederson’s roars hitting a massive sweetspot as the song rolls along – but Pederson also shines in the track with the more melodic chorus, giving it those soaring wings that help to build up the dynamic between the two sides of the act. Extensive lead/solo work in the song also makes it a pleasure to sink into, as it le…
…e new album and recorded it in his home studio. He is like the band octopus, writes some songs, does lead guitars, did most of the keyboards, helps with the bass and drum patterns. I’m just like a riff guy; I do a bit of keyboards too. That changed the whole thing – for this album I did eight of the songs, my demos at least, and three of them are Martin’s. I wanted the songs to be super heavy, darker and more aggressive. That’s such a cliché when…
…most about the world that we live in currently? If you had the opportunity, energy, and unlimited funds to be able to tackle some of the problems of the world, what area(s) do you believe you would work on first to improve things? Carvalho: For sure I would help all the homeless people. This worries me the most. A lot of people are hungry and have nothing to eat. On the other hand, people who defend politicians like cheerleaders! This is insane t…
…aler Union was a completely different genre – not metal at all – like a pop, rap, or reggae band – I would have applied the same rules. To me, music is music. I’m the same artist, and I just want people to feel what I deliver. If possible, to resonate or relate to it, and open their hearts so the songs can actually speak to you. That’s all! Dead Rhetoric: You mentioned that you have done a number of those collaborations and things on the side of I…
