All Things Heavy

Slayer Spreads A Little Hate Worldwide With 4th Grammy Nomination

2009-12-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

Dancing with the Devil must appeal to the N.A.R.A.S. membership, as they've gone and done it again - nominated Slayer for a Grammy Award. And the members of Slayer - guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Dave Lombardo - are wickedly pleased.

This, Slayer's fourth Grammy nod in the Best Metal Performance category, is for the track "Hate Worldwide," off of the band's new album World Painted Blood, which offers a Slayer-ized viewpoint of our world - God's terrifying global genocide, the chaos of our broken political system, the way-too-close proximity of world horrors that technology has brought us, and a chilling hypothesis of how the rest of the world might view America. "Hate Worldwide," written by King, showcases classic Slayer hate-fueled venom spewed forth at impossible speeds - "That's why it's become my obsession/To treat God like an infection/My scars, insane/My life, profane/I deny, defy, and spread a little hate worldwide."

Released November 2, World Painted Blood has received raves from retail: the album debuted at #12 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums charts; radio: after multiple weeks at #1 on all of the major metal radio charts, the album says farewell to 2009 still firmly embedded in that #1 position; and press: according to one media outlet, World Painted Blood "recaptures the manic fury of Reign in Blood, the range of South of Heaven, and the grand scale of Seasons in the Abyss." In addition, the album was a Top Ten debut in numerous countries outside the U.S.,
including Germany, Australia, Japan, and Canada.

Nominated for a Grammy three previous times in the Best Metal Performance category, Slayer has taken the award home twice - in 2006 for "Eyes of the Insane," from Christ Illusion, and in 2007 for "Final Six," from the Christ Illusion Limited Edition release. The band's first Grammy nomination came in 2002 for the track "Disciple" from the album God Hates Us All.

Slayer will kick off Twenty-Ten co-headlining the North American American Carnage tour, marking the first time that Slayer and Megadeth have shared a U.S. stage since 1991's epic "Clash of the Titans" tour. The 26-date trek kicks off January 18 in Seattle, WA.

Veins Iced Over

2009-12-08T21:32:00.000-08:00

“Veins Iced Over” is trying to make it in the music business, which is almost impossible, and yet they are going to release a four-disc concept trilogy. Obviously they have total faith and passion behind their band. It shows not only in the music, but also in the energy that you can literally feel pouring from every song. Started in alligator alley in Tampa Florida, the band has quickly become well known in metal circles. Obviously these guys have been influenced by old school metal, Iron maiden, Judas Priest and so on. Drawing from these huge metal gods which, in my opinion, were and are the epitome in the genre. The array of input and influences also come from Pete Blakk from King Diamond and some Crimson Glory.

There debut “The awakening” had so many quality tracks that to pick one would be hard, however, “Purgatory" stood out for me. I was always a fan of Judas Priest and it has the same quality as his great songs have. Not to mention, the heavy power chords that have you humming for days. Another track that had me hooked was "Unholy” the second song off their debut “The Awakening." If you are a fan of metal you will have this cranked all the way up to 11. Vocally, Voz has a great range and can hold his own with the sweet riffs and heavy lyrics.

If you’re looking for a dose of old school metal that will take you back to the day when Iron maiden and King Diamond ruled the world and the airwaves, you need to go out get a bottle of Jack Daniels and some beer, get your ripped up jeans on and crank it.

Veins Iced Over is fast- paced, not in the thrash school, but more in the pure classic metal school. These guys have some serious rocking to do, so go buy “The Awakening” and get with the program.

Hatebreed, Trivium, Cannibal Corpse, Chimaira, Unearth, etc. @ The Palladium

2009-12-07T23:26:00.000-08:00

Written By: Dave Brooks (D-Bro) and
Tim Bannock (T-Ban)

Los Angeles - 11/28/09

See all of the show pics here.

D-Bro: Did anyone ever think that you could walk into 3 corner stores on Hollywood Boulevard, THREE! corner stores, and not find any J Dizz? Unbelievable. Turns out that the prolonged liquor journey got us to the show at the exact right time. No sooner do I order a plain Coke ("I'm the designated driver, ::cough::"), take a piss, un"cock" the J Man and get to the stage, Unearth come out wanting to destroy the place. But, that's every night. Did I ever tell you that Unearth story? Yea. This one time......

T-Ban: There are two things that don't make sense to me. The first is that an all-ages metal festival has to start at 2PM, which is just ridiculous. The Palladium's a big place and has a lot going for it, but there's no venue that's going to keep my interest from that early in the day to the wee hours of the night. Not that an all-ages show goes to the wee hours, because you gotta respect the curfews of all the 10-year-olds with mohawks and ripped shirts of bands older than they are. The second is that you'd put Cannibal Corpse on the bill for an all-ages show. Cannibal Corpse! I'm not talking about censorship, I'm just saying that this band is just too funny for most kids to get. People don't realize how deeply that band's tongue is buried in it's cheek.

D-Bro: It's in between bands and I need to get my drank out of my dick. I hit the stall and think to myself "How much liquor could I really fit underneath my dick?", "What do you charge for a shot of liquor that's been tucked under your nuts?" and "How much money could I make as a Bathroom Bartender?" Eghh. The overhead would probably all go to hand sanitizer. It's the photo pass swap and I get to the verrrry front to enjoy the show close as shit, I mean, take pictures. Chimaira are the bomb. I think singer Mark Hunter was surprised to see a "photographer" banging that hard in front. What's funny, is that the sound up that close was awesome. That sound dude, I tells ya... ::shakes fist::

T-Ban: So we set out for this 2PM metalfest sometime around 4PM, just in time to miss a bunch of local bands and arrive for Unearth, one of my Boston-area favorites. I actually hadn't kept up with these guys too much, and let me tell you, that's been a big mistake. I skirted my way into the photo pit as these guys opened up a blazing set; only to have every single goddamned security guy get in my way and ask me for my pass. I mean, I had to walk past a dozen of these douchers; can't they just take the short mental leap and realize that I got in using a pass? In and out of my pocket the pass went, and finally, I just got the hell out of there. At any rate, the guitar-work absolutely rocked, but the sound tech couldn't figure out how to mix the bass drums, so much of the band's sound was drowned out when the double bass came crashing in. A pity, considering this band's raw talent. The circle pit they incited more than made up for the follies at the soundboard, luckily.

T-Ban: Chimaira took the stage, and Dave was off with the photo pass! Now here's a band that can kick your ass from 20 yards out. Yet once again, Captain Craptasticles at the soundboard ruined it; the sound was muddier than a Venom album, ruining the discord that Chimaira so adeptly sows with their music. I swear that if I ever find the tech guy at the Palladium, I'm going to totally sic some big bruiser on his ass (I'm not tough enough to do anything about it myself, but I'll hurl insults as I run away).

D-Bro: After having to hear the tail end of Chimaira's set horribly disfigured. It seemed appropriate to me and Jacky D. that a talking to was in order with this sound guy.

D-Bro: "Hey, the double bass is too loud. You gotta turn it down"

Sound Guy: "I'm the lighting guy!"

Lighting Guy: "Sound guy is over there!"

D-Bro: "Oh"

- Walk over to the actual sound guy -

D-Bro: "Hey, you're mixing the double bass too loud. You can't hear the guitars."

Sound Guy: "There's no guitar playing"

(note: Cannibal Corpse was in the midst of their mic check. So, presently, there wasn't.)

D-Bro: "Ha. That's funny. But seriously, Chimaira and Unearth...you couldn't hear the guitar. The double bass was too loud."

Sound Guy turns and talks to someone else, ignoring me. I realize that this is going nowhere and leave with class.

D-Bro: "Turn down the double bass! You suck!"

And then you couldn't really hear Cannibal Corpses guitars unless they did a pinch harmonic. What the fuck?!?!

D-Bro: No matter for Cannibal Corpse. They'll just headbang their way out of it! I did try to keep up with the singer at one point. My windmill lasted roughly 20 seconds. It really seemed like most of the people were there for them. The pit was pretty big until "Hammer Smashed Face" came on. Then it EXPLODED and pulled me in. OK, I punched a guy in the kidney to get in. It was sort of too big. I showcased my moon walking and Riverdance skills for the ladies only to realize the "ladies" are guys with long hair. Why couldn't I have liked shitty pop music?

T-Ban: The unequivocal highlight of the night was Cannibal Corpse. I don't even really like this band's music, but oh my! How they have their schtick down to a SCIENCE! Yeah, that's right, all capitals. As Dave can attest, the growling George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher was headbanging and circle-whipping his neck with total abandon for the entire set. He even challenged the audience to keep up, saying, "...But you WILL fail." And he was right. All 20 girls in the packed audience screamed like Beatles fans back in the 60s for the song "Fucked With a Knife," and then the Corpse followed this up with a "song for all the whores," the classic "I Cum Blood." Yeah, these guys know what's what...

T-Ban: Cannibal Corpse's evil was so vile and despicable that they shut down my camera, and so the rest of the show went undocumented (in photographic form, at least). By the time the Cannibal Corpse crew were done (more than a few people called it a night at this point, too), Dave was passed out in some corner, having lost most of the blood to his head trying to headbang along with the Corpse's vocalist, and I was busy puzzling out why in the name of Saint Testiclites we didn't badger Brian Slagel (of Metal Blade Records) for backstage passes when we randomly found him amidst the crowd. The conundrum was so great that Trivium was on and off the stage before I came out of my trance, and was able to revive Dave with a special cocktail of smelling salts (i.e., the sweet smell of hard liquor).

D-Bro: What happened to the Trivium set? I apparently, went missing for a while and decided to come back at the last second. Yes, that is very much so what happened.....

The closer is coming on to crack in some craniums and I just got Hatebreeded. Luckily there's no shredding solos that you have to decipher in this awful mix. Did we say that the sound was bad yet? OK. Just checking.

It's roughly in the middle of a song and BOOM, the Hatebreed hits me haaadcaw'r. The pit get's sprayed with some Hatebreedle and it's a goddamn karate kicking contest. Whoa. I think I saw a latino Jean Claude Van Damme in there. They never hit anyone though.....interesting.... Well, they hatebreeded it as hatebreedingly hatebreedful as only Hatebreed can. I felt the Hatebreed fever in my bones for sure. Now, it's time to take a crap and smear it on the sound guy's door handles.

The Devil Wears Prada - With Roots Above and Branches Below

2009-12-07T02:14:00.000-08:00

Written By: Jason Coldiron

Label: Ferret - Rating:

With their third studio album, The Devil Wears Prada has pushed forward in every way possible. They scream, they shred, they wail, they rock. They are a Christian metal band, but I wouldn't know from listening to this album. I am a metal fan and this is a metal album. Plain and simple.

Here are my thoughts as I listen to the album.

Track 1: Sassafras - Opening with a pause, then an explosion, this song gets things started off on the right foot. Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster let the screaming and growling commence. DePoyster and Chris Rubey are on point immediately with the guitars. A mid- song melodic part is a nice change- up, before leading back into the fire. The song pauses for just a moment before going right into the next song...

Track 2: I Hate Buffering - I didn't even realize the song had switched from the first one until I checked my player. The pause was so brief that I thought it was still the same song. I love this! Keeping with this theme of transition, this song moves effortlessly from part to part. This is a very well composed song. Hranica remains on point.

Track 3: Assistant to the Regional... - Beginning with a smooth guitar intro, this song is a definite keeper, probably one of the best on the album. Double- kick bass drums by Daniel Williams provide the backbone to the fantastic guitar work and aggressive vocals. The short guitar breakdown at the 2:20 mark sets the stage for the big finish. Beautifully done! This is probably my favorite track on the album.

Track 4: Des Moines - On display here is some of Hranica's best vocal work on the entire album. He starts with a few seconds of harmony and then pounds the screaming, then right back to the harmony... and back again... and again. I would love to see how he pulls this off live. In any event, this song is all about Hranica's vocals.

Track 5: Big Wiggly Style - A balanced song featuring great vocals. The pounding drums and choppy guitars work as well. The song keeps it going and gets better as it goes along. I like the staying power it has, keeps me into it. And it ends slowly (a first).

Track 6: Danger: Wildman - Once again, just a second pause between songs. I am a huge fan of this technique. This is the third straight song with very choppy guitars. It has Slipknot written all over it (as do many of these songs). It rocks like hell, but features more harmony from Hranica. I am getting more and more impressed with his singing, not nearly as much screaming as I thought it might be.

Track 7: Ben has a kid - Beautiful dual vocals, screaming, harmony, and smooth guitars. There's a mid- song key part that sounds like the CD is skipping or something; I only know it isn't because the guitars keep going over the top. This is a nice little part and a solid song.

Track 8: Wapakalypse - Starts with chopping guitars, adds screaming and solid drums. Moves into smoother guitars and fantastic vocal harmony. The transition back and forth is great and seems to be a staple of the band. The song gains momentum and energy as it goes along, building and building. Throw in a few great guitar fills and you've got some good shit.

Track 9: Gimmie Half - It feels like this song is attempting to show another aspect of the band. Keys try to make something dynamic happen. I just don't feel it on this one.

Track 10: Louder than Thunder - Opening with keys, I am concerned. The vocals come in mellow. I think I get that they are trying to balance out the album with a couple of different songs at the end. It isn't really working for me. For my money, I'd rather see them stick to their guns and stay heavy. The song isn't bad at all, it just doesn't work for me.

Track 11: Lord Xenu - The previous song speeds up quickly and I realize that the track has changed one more time. Pumping up the volume and jumping into the screaming and pounding, I am back at home. The drums go nuts. The guitars rip, smooth out, then rip some more. As the song moves on we get some effects with the keys and guitars, which works just ok. The album ends on an uneven note.

There is definitely strength in this album. I love a lot of the vocals, guitars and drums. I love the split- second pauses between many of the songs. There are many good songs here. Unfortunately, the last three songs and the fact that the album doesn't appeal to me lyrically hurt the overall strength.

If this album ended after song 8, I'd probably be giving it three guns. As it is though, I give it two and a half guns.

Find more on The Devil Wears Prada at:
http://eastwest.ilgpress.com/thedevilwearsprada/media/#Left5
http://www.myspace.com/tdwp
http://tdwp.net/

Dir en Grey - Average Blasphemy DVD

2009-12-07T00:39:00.000-08:00

Written By: Jason Coldiron
(Rock/Metal Editor)

Ok, so I can't pretend to have an opinion about anything related to the lyrics of this band, as they are in another language. I can, however, say that they rock like bastards out of hell. They display all the elements of trademark thrash metal, including shredding guitars, double- bass drums and heavy screaming. I don't need to know what they are saying to be moved by the music and to rock out.

When it comes to their DVD... wow... just wow. This is an incredible artistic presentation, the likes of which I've never seen before. The videos are so out there in some cases that I have no idea what is going on. I am impressed by the art. At the same time, in most cases, it is so bizarre that I'm not sure if there is even a method to it or if there's a story being told. I will go through track by track with my thoughts and observations.

Vinushka - Wicked imagery of WWII. Japanese soldiers goose- stepping. Nuclear bomb images. 12- box scrolling graphics. Shredding guitars and a lead singer in a warehouse decked out in Adidas gear. This video seemed weird until I heard and saw more of the DVD.

Dozing Green - Sweet guitar intro. The band playing and hanging out and jamming in a warehouse. Imagery of dolls being burned and cut up.

Glass Skin - An amazing CGI village, looks like a really good video game. The lead singer is topless in the snow. My girlfriend approves of this video.

Reiketsu Nariseba - A very Marilyn Manson-ish feel to this video. 50's pin- up girls. Hindu Elephants. A series of floating eyes. Lots of tongues being chopped off. Red backdrop with white spiderwebs. The music is pounding metal and kicks serious ass.

Agitated Screams of Maggots - Fish intestines morph into a half man, half woman being of some kind. A small child stomps on them and takes her schoolbag out the door. A naked claymation man wraps her up. I have no idea what this all means.

Grief - The heaviest song on the DVD. Takes place in a meat- packing plant where there are bodies hanging everywhere. Images of torturing a girl hanging on a meat rack.

Ryoujoku No Ame - An underground dungeon. Sadism. Masochism. A costume party? A coke daze? A duct- taped penis.

Cleaver Sleazoid - The singer has Manson eyes. A gigantic refrigerator. Pig- headed people. Barb wire.

Red Soil - An image of Jesus Christ. The virgin Mary. Home made machines. Hands clawing out of the earth. Armless statues of naked women. Compared to the rest of the DVD, this almost seems like a normal video.

The DVD closes with three alternate version videos of 'Cleaver Sleazoid', 'Agitated screams of Maggots', and 'Conceived Sorrow.' They are mostly just videos of the band in the warehouse.

This entire DVD is beyond weird. I don't know how to get across the strangeness of these videos. That said, I absolutely appreciate and love the artistic value of them. I love art. This DVD, while out there, is very artistic and has the background music of a fantastic metal band. I was often confused by the imagery, but not in a bad way. The way you walk around a fancy art gallery. You look at many of the pictures and have no idea what you're looking at. You don't understand all the wavy lines, etc., but you know that a lot of thought went into it. You know that it is art. You know that it is great, even if you can't fully appreciate why. I thought this DVD was great and I will watch it again at some point.

I give the video 3 guns and recommend it to anyone with the eye of an artist and the ear of a metal fan.

Psychostick - The Full-On Bush Dilemma

2009-12-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Interview By: Dave Brooks

DB: Who would win in a fight? Billy Mays, The Slap Chop/ShamWow Guy or Tony Robbins?

Alex: I think that Billy Mays will make the first few hits and then get very cocky, as the slap chop guy will immediately go on the defensive and try to use the classic "slap chop" move with the ridge of his hand. This will only result in him slapping Billy. At this point, Tony Robbins will recognize Billy's weakness, and grab him by the thumb, which is constantly sticking out, giving a thumbs up! Tony will then reflect on his own accomplishments and realize the importance of beating up Billy, and "Awaken the Giant Within!"

Billy will go down for the count, but not without yelling into his microphone about how well Oxyclean will clean up the blood on his shirt. Meanwhile, while the slap chop guy is slapping Tony while his back is turned, and Tony will strike! He grabs the slap chop guy's headset microphone and renders him helpless!

DB: Did you guys ever play with Devil Sticks as a kid?

Jake: Devil sticks... I never knew what they were called but I did play around with them during my dorky D&D/ Renaissance festival faze... I got good at it 'till I realized guitar was way cooler.

DB: Who's your favorite stand up comedian?

Jake: To be quite honest, it's a toss up between Bill Hicks and Mitch Hedberg. Did I spell that right? Well even if not, he is dead, so I don't think he can get mad.... or can he?

DB: What is the dumbest thing about being serious?

Jake: What a weird question. If that's a serious question... you are dumb. Is that an answer? IDK... I AM DUMB. Seriously.

DB: I ate this chick out with a full bush and it smelled like pee. How do I approach her about it?

Jake: This is a tough one... If you are concerned about her feelings being hurt, tell her to shave next time because the hair is preventing the Jedi/Ninja fellatio she deserves. If you don't care about her feelings, say "Bitch, your muff smells like piss, go take a shower and shave that hippie hat." Either way you win because A: She will have a nice clean shaven vagina for next time, or B: You never have to dive into the 'pee box' again. And I am sorry you actually went the distance with the urine smell in the first place.

DB: Make one extraordinary claim that you don't stand for and can't back up.

Jake: BEANS (the food) are perhaps the best thing to ever happen to human cuisine...

DB: Describe your dream sandwich in detail.

Jake: Easy question. The Italian Night Club from Jimmy Johns. Thank you for existing.

Iwrestledabearonce - It's All Happening

2009-11-28T15:12:00.000-08:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: Century Media - Rating:

You ever want your metal to do more than just get all metal on you? Do you think to yourself "Man, I really like this metal," only to secretly wonder if the metal is indeed greener on the other side of the metal fence? Well It's All Happening can help! You get lady screams, lady sings, impromptu jazz breaks, blast beats, break beats, breakdowns, soul passions, metalliriffings, indie dollops and techno times.

Iwrestledabearonce will also injure the young, the old and the mentally handicapped. So BEWARE! You've finally found what you're looking for, but you may get beat half to death.

Oh, nuh uh. "You Ain't No Family" :: Z Snap :: You'll turn into an orphan quickly if you try to understand what is going on here. It's heavy, it's nice. It's horrific, it's beautiful. It's scary, it's welcoming. It's experimental to say the least! You can say this about nearly every track on the album. "White Water In The Morning" follows up in similar fashion. It's weighted, it's cordial. It's disgusting , it's pretty. It's frightening, it's forgiving. "It's all starting again" screams Krysta Cameron. I know! All kidding aside, these songs kill. A little taste of whatever you fancy is just around the corner. 15-30 seconds away most likely.

There's "Danger In The Manger" and a rad keyboard line going down. I'm praying for an indie-jazz piece right now and I get it. What else could they possibly have under their sleeve? A techno beat backed piano intro? Of course! "It's Cold And There Are Wolves After Me"....I have nothing for this title. It did the work for me. A song about love lost. It is serene and pleasant with that "we just met" feel until it realizes that the end was so goddamn rough.

This track "Tastes Like Kevin Bacon". I want me some! (No homo) Death riffing into trance dance beat equals a heavy plus whammy effect gone wild. Ok, there's a harp followed by what sounds like my work's lunch truck horn. Awesome! "Who would of known?" is "The Cat's Pajamas" of an intro vocal. It works for the dance backing and the open chug. A high spot for Krysta's vocals. She takes over the entire song. Her style is unmistakable.

"Pazuzu for the Win" and "Black-Eyed Bush" are showing signs of the album shying away from its manic sound. A more atmospheric and trancey feel is noticeable. As is the missing of the heavies. Oh IWABO, where did you hide them? Could it be in that lost episode of "Eli Cash vs. The Godless Savages"? Sure is a battle for the blast beat hideout if I ever heard one. A clean interlude to dance beat to chugchug achugchug chugness. Awesome samples and keyboards take over and guide you to end of the track.

If you don't chill out, I won't "See You In Shell". Technical heavies are raining down on you. Soaring chorus lifts you up. Jazz infused interludeness pushing you sideways. I won't even get started on the Z axis! Heyyyooooo! Your stay in shell is great and you studio fade away.

Iwrestledabearonce come out with a bang on It's All Happening, but see their best stuff fade down the finish. This might come as a backhanded compliment as the less opaque songs are still pretty damn good. And good news! I have another chick in a metal band to think about for once. Morgan Lander you have been bumped aside for the moment. You'll be back baby, just stop releasing shitty metal albums girl. Hey! Don't you get all crazy with your hormotions. Don't. Krysta's range combined with the technicality and originality of the rest of the dude band makes for a formidable opponent in the metal genre (Hey, you knew going into this chick singer thing that you guys were going to be mostly anonymous. Grow up and grow some tits already, jeez.) IWABO will indeed crush and inspire you. I like this band now and if you can't deal with that, then I guess it's better that it ends this way.

If you're stalking Iwrestledabearonce, you might want to kidnap: Between the Buried and Me, Genghis Tron, Sky Eats Airplanes

Dethklok, Mastodon and Converge

2009-11-23T00:38:00.000-08:00

Article and Photos By: Dave Brooks

View all of Dave's concert photos here.

Converge! Yea. Mastodon! Yeaaaaa. Dethklok. YEAAAAAA!

Oh man. I get to the show and quickly start to notice a trend....

That's a cool black Mastodon t-shirt, I think to myself. Wow, look at that black Dethklok shirt. Is that a black Barbie t-shirt? Goddamn! Do metal bands make any other color shirts? According to the merch booth, no, they do not.

I must have missed the memo as I show up in my gray Unearth tee.

I know why they wear all black! For when half of a gigantic Jagermeister shot (it pays to take care of your bartenders kids) drips down the side of your mouth and dribbles onto your fucking shirt! Luckily the lights are going down, Converge is getting ready to assault the stage and I'm getting too drunk to care anymore. Lead singer Jacob Bannon is an energetic force the entire set. Carrying the live performance with manic vocals, he laps across the stage with veins pumping out of his head. He does his best to stir up the crowd, but they don't seem to be interested. I couldn't figure it out... Are they waiting for..... ::rumble:: Mastodon?

I am taking this break in between bands to eagerly await my next $14 bud draft and Jager shot combo. Did I tell you about tipping well? I just drank a shot that could choke a horse. Holy shit. I plow through my beer fast enough to get back to periphery of the crowd, but you can't see shit from here and I have to take pictures too. The front of the stage is blocked by sweaty youths. My only alternative? ENTER....THE....PIT.

Fuck you, you fat bastard! ::ELBOW:: Why is a girl in the pit? ::FACE PALM:: Is that adult latino man 4 feet 11 inches tall? ::LEAPFROG:: I'm beginning to love going to shows in L.A., as I can see over nearly everyone. Jockeying for space in the front of the crowd becomes difficult as while I would normally be pushing people in the back and shoulders. I end up half punching these midgets in the head instead. Whoops. Screw'em. Mastodon are already 2 songs deep and they kick ass. Guitarist/Singer Brett Hinds is going to be a crazy, old man someday. That guy doesn't care about anything besides ripping on guitar and making sure he is alcoholically imbibed. They tear through old and new songs with ease. Bassist Troy Saunders kinda looks like he has muppet lips when he sings. Is it his beard outline or am I that drunk?

I realize that I am that drunk as I go to take a picture and get my camera knocked out of my vice- like grip. Some guy doing his best Jerry Rice impersonation catches that shit without even knowing it was coming. Insane! You had to see it.

Uh oh. I thought I might make it through a show without seeing these guys, but there they are. I run into the "I work out a lot, like to keep my shirt off, don't like to have a neck and will not alter my path to avoid contact with other concertgoer" douchebags. My kingdom for a cattle prod!

Another break in the action and I find some dude dressed up as Dr. Rockzo from Metalocalypse. Hillarious. Even got his autograph. Back to the bar? Yes. I get my usual combo and decide to check out the lounge area. There seems to be an unsecured door in the back. Oh, is this where you keep all of your beer stored Palladium? :: evil laugh :: Don't mind if I do! I spread the word to some fellow drinkers, but they arrive too late. Dethklok's opening vid has started and I am nowhere near the stage. Let's fix that shall we?

I use my trusty, get to the front of the stage, pit maneuver and I am back in action. I'm not sure what it is about this crowd, but for a bunch of sweaty dudes, you guys smell great! Lot's of good deodorant here. Dethklok is tearing it up. They have a video show behind them and the lights are lower than usual. Brendan Small is one talented dude. Handling vocals and guitar he flawlessly plays one Metalocalypse hit after the other. During breaks between songs he alternates between normal stage banter and doing characters from the show. Funny shit. A video interlude at about the halfway mark takes a jab at normal, concert procedures in comedic fashion. "Mermaider" gets the crowd chanting as the lyrics are projected on the screen. Luckily I know the song because I am seeing more than double, but less than triple. Trouble?

No. Everything is fine. I sweated out most of the booze being in the first 4-5 rows of people. Name another reviewer that gets deep in the crowd like that! The show is over and I had a blast. I'm sweaty, my back kind of hurts from the elbows and jostling, I'm tipsy and it was awesome.

Too bad for anyone that missed out that this tour is over. Get yourself out to a show and remember these 3 things:

1) Keep your fucking shirt on, you muscle-headed, no neck-having, fuck.
2) Get drunk as soon and as consistently as possible. Tipping well will accelerate this.
3) If you are in L.A., the best place to be is in the front of the stage. If you are elsewhere, you might want to hold your nose.

Awaken Demons - The Mirror

2009-11-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Trustkill - Rating:

A mix of old-school Biohazard (more of the NYC hardcore element) and Earth Crisis (fitting, considering Karl shows up on "Drawn To Death's Door"), Awaken Demons has unleashed The Mirror, a criminally uneven release that shows potential despite some head-smackingly obvious faults. Boasting Max Cavalera-esque vocal stylings and some pretty monstrous riffs, the ten tracks on this disc will demand your attention, but may not fulfill your desires. It's not for lack of trying though, as the production values gain a big thumbs up, and the good tracks really shine.

The Mirror gains some immediate traction with the opening track, "Coming To An End" and follows through on "Drawn To Death's Door." Crazy bass drops and an excellent break down section close out this track, wreaking havoc like a fifty-foot monster laying waste to Tokyo for the umpteenth time. But then "Path of Lies" kicks in exactly where "Drawn..." left off...to the point that it's annoyingly similar. Did they plan the continuity, or did they just write the same song twice? There are some thrashier moments, but otherwise it is a copy/paste job of the previous song. Why not combine them? Toss in different vocalizations, at least? Such an early start to the questions that do not cease.

"Abandon the Darkness" is a ditty about how "I can't. Fucking. Trust you." This song does right what so much of this disc does wrong: cocky, hardcore posturing and swaggering moshpit breakdowns. It works on this track, which is fantastic, but it serves as a bittersweet moment when you discover this is the second best track on the disc, so they'll never quite get back to par (wait a few moments and I'll reveal the best track, I swear!). "World Collapses" follows, and is damn near as good as Abandon, if it weren't for the over-use of pinch harmonics and rolling riffs that we've heard everywhere else on this disc. A swift boot to the ass and Awaken Demons could turn tracks like this into something amazing, but as it stands, it feels like your listening to a band going through the motions. Good, fun motions, but it's still all just rote rehearsal.

And guess what they repeat endlessly on "Fight To Overcome." If you guessed, "I like Ball Park franks," you're a flaming idiot. They mention passingly how they don't like you, how they don't need you, and how they don't trust you. They might even tell you to fuck off. But mainly they just tell you how they're going to "Fight to Overcome." I'm guessing it's not about women's rights, so "overcome" does not refer to the glass ceiling. Wild guess: they will fight to overcome you. Or the man. Or something else equally vague. No matter how you cut it, it's nothing you can't find somewhere else, but it's sure as hell a lot less creative. (Listen to Turmoil for a more creative spin on this kind of lyrical wit. When they open a disc with "What the fuck are you looking at?" you actually feel like they just punched out your lights.)

The lyrics on "Real" are so ridiculously generic that I thought it was done with tongue planted firmly in cheek. But it definitely takes itself too seriously, because it leads into "Victim of Your Game," which is even worse. It's about the gang-like brotherhood that surrounds...metal? Gangs? Straightedge kids? Who cares? It's pretty dumb. It's like Godsmack's nine hundred songs imploring people to "stay away, get back, don't come near me." The actual line here is actually more ridiculous though: "Unite as a family, together we walk, we'll never be alone, we'll be forever true, so keep your fucking mouth shut, and get your shit out of my way." All well and good (well, no, it's cheesy as all hell), but the line flows against the music and basically sounds like a retarded white guy from Westchester, New York trying to get in good with the most badass South American drug dealers ever. To say "it doesn't quite work" is the understatement of the year.

And then there's "The Mirror," an amazing, melodic metal instrumental that completely betrays everything on this disc because it's so shockingly good. THIS is the best track on the disc (told ya I'd get to it)! It shrugs off the formulaic approach of earlier tracks, it features fantastic melodic heaviness, and smooth, fluent harmonic solos. Breathy keys overtake the track and lend beautiful opposition to the grungy open chords before moving into a stoner rock anthem. Discordant, heavily distorted notes grind out the last teeth-clenching seconds of this amazing track. Where the hell did this track come from? It feels like some other band forgot to take their songs from whatever studio this was recorded in and the producer said, "Hell, this hasn't been claimed in two weeks, so I'm throwing it on Awaken Demons' disc." Completely out of sync with the rest of the album, and totally amazing.

As with all music, at least take a listen before you pass on the disc. You're tastes might be different than mine. But if the above didn't sell you and a sample of some the tracks doesn't change your mind, you might want to look for something by a more refined outfit.

Like Awaken Demons? Check out: Turmoil, Reflux, Hatebreed

Adversary - Singularity

2009-11-18T00:23:00.000-08:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Trustkill - Rating:

The thunder of drums have been unleashed! Adversary's Singularity is a pummeling debut that will have you crying for Excedrin with it's up-front-and-center bass drum assault, but you'll also be crying to hear their next album because there's just not enough material on this disc to sate your metallic appetites. This is a great first album for a band to have despite the over-the-top bass drum sound, as the band displays great chops throughout and makes no mistakes. If a bit by-the-book, Adversary's got enough spit and vinegar in their veins to keep you coming back for more.

"Hedonist" is probably the perfect opening track: the double bass is absolutely relentless, so anyone looking for lighter fare (or who are sporting a head cold) will know to turn the disc off, while the rest of us begin the journey down death-thrash alley. Clearly inspired by the Gothenburg sound but with vocals and breakdown sections that scrape together the shattered pieces of metalcore bands left dead in this speed-metal wake, this first song is filled to brimming with great riffing and sweet solos.

The disc takes a turn very fast on second track The Grand Mistake, as well as several of the following tracks, applying Adversary's more personalized touch to the genre. "...Mistake" and titular "Singularity" are more death-rock oriented, presenting harmonized solos and more of a rolling, head-banging groove. Some sing-songy screams show up too, followed by a second or two of clean vocals with a bluesy influence. All of this is a nice change of pace, but there's something going on beneath the surface...

"In Vino Veritas" has more of this clean singing over some groovier crunch. And that's when it hits: the clean singing doesn't quite get off the ground, often hitting some flat notes. It doesn't detract much, but it definitely stands out enough to raise an eyebrow. Upon hearing one track, All Things Heavy's own Dave Brooks launched into a fine impression of a rickety old grandma and said "That's right grandson! You should sing more! You have such a lovely voice." If granny asks you to sing more, you sing more. That's just how it is. But in this case, granny is best left to her own devices; Adversary's clean singing is okay in parts, but the off-key notes are very noticeable and are a little too common on some tracks. A few rounds with a vocal coach and this won't be an issue, but until then, it might be a good idea to back off, Sonny Jim.

Anyway, back to the CD! "Manifest Humility" is like an In Flames/Arch Enemy mashup that showcases some intense guitar work. I feel like some of it's been done before, but maybe not quite this well. The song has some breaks that kick ass, and once again, if the clean singing was either pitched correctly or cut out altogether, this track would be a momentous jam. Its limitations drag it down, but not too far; cover the vocals under lots of bass and treble and you'll be more than happy. More importantly, the death vocals on this track near the end are some of the most blistering on the album.

You get a lot more, too: the melodic instrumental "Ashes of Faith" with its great time changes and crazy fills; "Dying Art" is a direct In Flames rip-off, but a damn fine one; "The Romance of Lies" features guitar dueling that spins off into straight up death-thrash assualting; and finally some more off-key singing juxtaposed by some viscerally exciting growls. Tough call at times, but overall, this stuff is good.

I can't stress enough that musically this is a great, blistering disc of deathy thrash metal, with some groovy licks and great instrumentation all around. The singer's good, but he had to listen to Grams, to the detriment of several tracks. It's never enough to kill the whole ordeal, and if you crank your music loud enough, you just won't care. Don't pass on this disc because of the faltering vocals: it accounts for like 2% of the album, so you'd be screwing yourself out of 98% killer material. Here's a tip to avoid the bad vocals: learn the key he's trying to sing in, and just belt out the lyrics louder. You won't notice the difference, and it'll make the whole thing a little more interactive.

Better than entering an air guitar contest, anyway!

Like Adversary? Check out: Imagika, In Flames, and an ass-load of other bands on Trustkill!

Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect

2009-11-16T23:27:00.000-08:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: Victory Records - Rating:

The Great Misdirect. You'll know what's causing it. When you're turned inside out, flipped around and feel backwards. All the insanity from Alaska mixed with the complexity and depth of Colors. I feel like they made their last 2 records have sex and this is the offspring. Between the Buried and Me have outdone themselves in every way.

Just give in already! More great transitions, bridge work and disgusting heavies knock you down. This won't end until you just submit to it. You mind if the keyboard (organist) gets a few solo's? Told ya. You hear that killer, dual guitar soloing section? I know, the moon is far away, but it will be worth it. We're almost there.

There you go. "Slide in to the water. Become one with the sea. Life seems so much smaller. Swim to the moon." is chanted. The only thing we are missing is some sing along action. It hasn't been brutal in a while, let's throw that in there. Speed riffing next. A maraca and hand drums break here. A whistle signals a fastest drum solo contest at roughly the 5 minute mark. If you rest for a moment, you will drown. The starts and stops, style changes, keyboards, guitars.....EVERYTHING here is on 11. My takeoff is joined by a trippy intro filled with exotic percussion. In the time it takes for this next track (17:54) to end, I could "Swim to the Moon" and back. It feels as if it's a lost song. Good 'ol strumming carries this relaxed tune. Guitarist Paul Waggoner opens on guest vocals with a baritone that accompanies the lead well. Get down, country blues is a'comin your way partner.

An acoustic led, orchestral salute will send you along to find the "Desert of Song". I would be a proud BTBAM citizen. "Trust us and we will all be safe. We are the new government." It will not let up! It doesn't end! A pentadecainstrumental freak out happens to stir up some more heaviness. Amazing. Did I mention this track is 12:11 long and NONE of it is boring? I want to feed from Cloud Mountain if this is what's being served. I start to think "Sure, no prob..." ::CRUNCH::. "Stand back, relax, enjoy the ride" orders Tommy Rogers. Go buy it. The bass slides on the 5.1 audio are SICK. I've been beamed "Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain" and wonder if I'm in a old timey saloon, mixed with a bodega, decorated by a shaman.

But it won't just end on with a repeat. Extra flair accompanies and extends our opening stanza. This throwback, solo jam leads back superbly to the start of our 11:03 track. I need more cowbell. Is that cowbell? Did I just hear a horse neigh? What in the hell? Second only to Meshuggah in off time skills, they bring out a beaut here. Slumber and inventive dual vocals overtakes the beast only to abruptly wake him. Let's just say it left footprints when it did. "Control...and collapse...collide" ignites the way for another heavy to land. "Disease, Injury, Madness" overcomes you.

Who knows what's going to happen next? You're out of your comfort zone and it's great. A bass riff breakdown snaps a foot off in your ass and it's on for the rest of the track. "ALL-DOMINANT ... This is what we call a brain" is barked with disappointment towards the masses. "Obfuscation" can't be what's happening now, as the transition to the more violent side of BTBAM isn't clouded, but lurking. Dan Briggs work on the fretless bass is absolutely brilliant. A beautiful, haunting intro opens you up to your "Mirrors" reflection.

What's all the fuss about you say? I am officially putting this in my top 10 metal albums of the naughts. Imagine true 5.1! Every tiny detail of BTBAM's latest release is available here and I only have 2 speakers and a sub. A pity, as you'll miss out on the 5.1 Surround Sound edition that comes with the official version. It will lead to you ~~downloading~~ acquiring this album. Don't be fooled! You're about to read a review for The Great Misdirect.

Did this review confuse you? Feeling 'Misdirected?' Try this review instead.

Evarest - Fear

2009-11-15T20:31:00.000-08:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Strawhouse - Rating:

Some people think that hiring a female singer for a metal band is a fad; others don't think that, but still treat it like it is. The bad news is that many bands get by on this schtick without any real other qualities of merit. The good news is that some bands just happen to have a female singer, and the "baggage" that the media associates with that (both good and bad) just doesn't factor into the deal. Czech power metal band Evarest is of this latter type, so let's jettison the "oh my gawd, it's a chick singer in a metal band!" stuff right off the bat. Eva (see where there name comes from?) doesn't do the operatic stuff like Nightwish, nor does she do the death growls of Arch Enemy: this is straight up, classical singing that is probably best related to The Gathering, or even Grace Slick on the harder rocking Jefferson Airplane tunes. Straightforward, but very powerful and good.

There's a lot of elements that are good about Evarest. The pinch harmonics and whammy bar squeals on songs like "Searching for Lost Times" and the titular "Fear" are fantastic, and the music is really a mesh of Sonata Arctica mixed with classic Iron Maiden. There's ripping solos everywhere, there's keyboard-guitar interplay that would make Warmen/Children of Bodom fans happy (but certainly not outperform said bands), and quite frankly, it's the little guitar fills that showcase this band's fresh songwriting approach. The drummer and bassist put in workman-like performances, but that's par for the course with power metal, and frankly, that means that they are solid and do their part; nothing amazing, but certainly nothing to be snobbish about.

But why, oh why 2 Guns, then? The first is the sound of babies crying on "Requiescat." That's a sample that was creepy enough opening Queensryche's Promised Land album, but when you have a female singer? Ten times creepier.

The second is the ho-hum songwriting. Now, I mentioned that there's some fresh songwriting in the fills, and the fact that you can place this band up there with Iron Maiden and Sonata Arctica in terms of sound says something. But the problem is that beyond the fills and the presence of lots of solos and interludes, you really are getting a pretty stereotypical power metal disc. It'll sound like 75% of your collection, and you'll probably toss it out of the rotation within a few weeks. If you don't like female vocals, then this disc won't even make into your rotation (but if that's the case, you're already doing yourself a disservice). Beyond the few joys I've mentioned, you're getting everything that other power metal bands offer: clean production, perfectly in-time double bass (and lots of it), and verse-chorus-verse-chorus-interlude-verse-chorus-outro music that you've heard a dozen times before.

There's another "but" in there, so pay attention: but for all that, I must stress the greatness of the fills and the sound of this band. With a producer that kicks them in the ass a little more, Evarest could churn out a disc of solo-crazy guitar and keyboard madness the likes of which has not before been seen. Their talent is there on Fear, and it's not a huge leap for them to pull something amazing out for their next disc.

So check out some songs, and if you like it, pick up the disc and support the band. Keep them around long enough to make that second killer album, and you are sure to be rewarded. If they die off now and fade away though...will they be missed? Ever the optimist, I say, "take a chance on them and the next disc will show you what they can do."

Like Evarest? Check out: The Gathering, Sinergy, Stratovarius

I Will Never Be The Same - Standby

2009-11-13T16:30:00.000-08:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Self-Released - Rating:

The perfect marriage between live instrumentation and electronic atmospherics is something that hasn't been realized since Trent Reznor decided to grow some rather large nails. Los Angeles-based I Will Never Be The Same effortlessly steps into these shoes - very hard to fill - and proves that the multi-instrumentalist/song writer/producer can turn their apartment into the home base of an evil mastermind.

Overall, Standby comes across as a mix of really strong electronica (from the rave-tastic opening chords of "I'm Not the One" to the haunting ambience of "Starfields") and hyper-melodic rock ("Worldless" and "Speak"). The variety on this disc is amazing, as it veers into the dancefloor stomp of "Motherfucker Burn" and the crushingly riff-laden hooks of "All For You" (equal parts power ballad and monster rocker). "Last Goodbye" is a trippy, acoustic psychedelia that features slick effects on the vocals and music, and is followed up by the piano-driven, dark ambient "Set Your World on Fire."

Worried the album's going to be too goth? "Superfuck" is an instrumental guitar jam. Worried it's going to be too much like Nine Inch Nails or Orgy? "Eyes Turning Black" is an atmospheric track that's more reminiscent of Phil Collins' experimental stuff. Need something more melodic? Check out their cover of "Cry Little Sister," the theme from Lost Boys. This disc has no boundaries, and none of the tracks come off as filler, with the instrumental "Prelude" building perfectly toward the rock-oriented electronics that unfold on this disc. At its worst, Standby might border on being a little too radio-friendly for some people's tastes, but its clear this is an outfit that is more than comfortable with experimentation, so any doubts of that nature will fade fast as the album explores ample territory.

That the entire album was written, produced and recorded by one man - Josh Atchley - is just more icing on an already delicious cake. It's clear that this was a labor of love based on the strength of the album's entire sound. Clear production means that every piece of electronica isn't lost under the pounding live drums nor the chugging guitars nor the keyboard/guitar tradeoff solo on the second track. A real drum set gives way seamlessly to thumping percussion samples, and guitars die out on distorted notes as clipped dance chords come screaming in to take you away on a halcyon journey to synesthesia. If that doesn't make sense to you, it's time you give this album a listen and join your flesh and blood with the circuits and keys that pervade Standby. Indeed, you will never be the same.

Like I Will Never Be The Same? Check out: Tweaker, Razed In Black, Orgy

Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue

2009-11-13T16:18:00.000-08:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Virgin - Rating:

Chilling, discordant notes open "All Secrets Known," and just as haunting, the vocals come in and remind us all what Alice In Chains lost
when Layne Staley died, but tell us that there can be new beginnings. The guitars build on those first, icy notes to become something filled with melody and hope and loss all at once, and that's when you remember why this band is where they are right now: they are the masters, and they've come back to impart their
otherworldly wisdom in the form of song. All secrets are surely known by these lords of grungy, doomy, melodic rock music.

You can make a big deal about the speaker of this knowledge being new and unknown to you, but the voice of these seraphic beings is not something that can be conveyed by one mouth. No, in this case the Metatron is the entire unit: Sean Kinney, Mike Inez, William DuVall, and Jerry
Cantrell. And even these angels (or demons?) understand that they are but a small piece of something else beyond this realm, and that's why they have to check their own sanity on "Check My Brain" to make sure the great power of crunching, down-tuned riffage hasn't turned their wisdom to madness.

Poetry aside, Alice In Chains show that they have moved forward and that they have grown and that they are just as unassailable as they ever were. "Last of My Kind" really showcases the new sounds of the vocals while pummeling you with classic Cantrell power chords. "Your Decision" hints at the acoustic melodies that are to come later on, but rocks you out at the 1/3 mark just to make sure you don't think they are getting soft. "A Looking In View" crashes to the ground like a meteor, bouncing along the surface of the Earth, laying down destruction and leaving a wake of burning silence on the tongues of the onlookers. "When the Sun Rose Again" is a momentary reprieve of acoustics and guitar acrobatics, wailing away at loss, endings, and hope. And then the
"Acid Bubble" bursts, a stoner rock riff that takes Alice in Chains' onslaught to new levels of ferocity.

From that point out, the classic AIC sound does not relent. Every song juxtaposes doomy guitars with melodic song writing, versatile singing, and a rhythm section that absolutely crushes every one of their peers. Nirvana died with Cobain; Cornell went on to Audioslave and his own experimental stylings; Pearl Jam shunned the limelight while never escaping it; only Alice In
Chains is left of that 90s sound. They were among the heaviest and most aggressive of that era of bands, and they have not changed, nor have they stagnated. Their sound is alive and well; it pays tribute to the times and crimes of Layne, and it soldiers on with a new beginning, and mixed hope and apprehension. It shows battle scars and even exposes a few new wounds, but it revels in the pain because it knows it will heal, coming back stronger and steeled against adversity.

Alice In Chains is back after a dozen years, and they aren't fucking around. Beware.

Like Alice In Chains? Check out: Solitude Aeturnus, Karma To Burn, Cathedral

Megadeth - Endgame

2009-11-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: Roadrunner - Rating:

ME-GA-DETH, ME-GA-DETH, ME-GA-DETH!

"Endgame" hits my ears and I've been transported back in time to the late 80's. Metal is god. Grunge has yet to exist and plague humanity. I look in a mirror and realize that the time travel machine has turned my plain black tee into a blazing, patch filled denim jacket. My
normally comfortable jeans have shrunk and are ball-huggingly tight.

Rips and frayed denim thread are plentiful in the knee area. My normally trim beard is ratty and I...have...a....MULLET! Goddammit! I've got to review this album before I can rejoin the present. Let's go!

Logic is exposed on "Dialectic Chaos" as it can't be possible to open an album with this much shred. This instrumental is preparing you for the journey of destruction that you will be undertaking. Chris Broderick and Mustaine will literally lead you the entire way. There is no scale or sweep left unturned in their path of thrash. "This Day We Will Fight" is announced by the duo as they take turns melting each others faces. SOLO WATCH: 9.

Give me "44 Minutes" and I'll give you an entire Megadeth album (44:34). Weird coincidence? The subject of this track are two guys, wearing full armor, who shot up Noho with high powered automatic rifles after robbing a bank. I've been to this bank! The lyrics here are a little corny, but it doesn't really matter. A pounding, mean solo backing riff is the perfect climate for virtuosity gone mad. You have "1,320'" worth of guitar doodling at this point. Time to check in on the solo watch. SOLO WATCH: 19. Whoa. Some of the best shred so far is on this track. It fingerbangs out in a blaze of glory. You should "Bite The Hand" that doesn't solo as there are "only" 2 featured. Wha? I agree with Mr. Mustaine though. Down with corrupt corporations!

Throw their "Bodies" off the top floor! Get fucking thrashed and witness the classic 'Deth riffing that's showcased here. Dave's getting political and he means it. The old snarl is back and he's
barking at FEMA, the President and the New World Order on the title track "Endgame." Did you know that there are over 100 concentration camps in the US? You do now! The softer Mustaine arrives with that old school croon on "The Hardest Part Of Letting Go.... Sealed With A Kiss." The tender intro segues into a galluping riff tutorial waiting to end with more Mustaine serenade. SOLO WATCH: 28.

Plead death to the "Headcrusher" and get rewarded with the grandfather of chugs. It's old, but it's aged well. The 2nd to last track is "How This Story Ends." What a great last track name! You blew it.....you blew it. A great heavy riff and (you guessed it) solos hold this track up. I am granting myself "The Right To Go Insane" when I hear intro bass and accompanying riffage. However, the rest of the track kept me quite sane and didn't really close out the album for me. By the way, FINAL SOLO WATCH: 32!

This small sour note does nothing to make me want to stop listening, but the review is over. I'm transmetamorpholizing back to the present. Megadeth's latest release is the finest of the "Big 4" by far. I think Dave Mustaine has finally topped Metallica and it was about damn time. Now, to hit play again. The mullet wasn't that bad....

4 Guns

If you like Megadeth you probably already know a lot about metal. Continue on sir/madam.

Chevelle – Samuel Has Problems!

2009-11-06T00:53:00.000-08:00

Interview By: Jim Markunas
(Editor-In-Chief)

Photos By: Jeremy Ross

View all of Jeremy's photos of Sam here.

Chevelle is not a band you like ‘just a little bit,’ you either love them or you hate them. I’m one of those people that loves them. I’ve been a die-hard Chevelle fan since 1999. When I was 15, I saw “Mia” on MTVX (remember that shit?), I was blown away by the song, and made my friend Chris drive me to the nearest Best Buy to pick up a copy of Point #1. Foregoing all other records, I spent weeks listening to that album. My obsession was so immense, I made my guitar teacher teach me every song from beginning to end. Chevelle, although somewhat similar to early Tool, are pioneers of the Alt-Metal genre. Point #1 started a revolution in Chicago, gaining steady momentum with radio play on Q101 and sold-out dates at venues like the Metro. After a deal with Epic Records and numerous modern rock radio hits, Chevelle is now a household name in the Alt-Metal genre.

We caught up with drummer, Sam Loeffler at the House of Blues in Anaheim for a quick interview.

Jim: I’ve seen you guys 5-6 times and I want to know why you don’t play “Mia” anymore.

Sam: The reason is that the percentage of the crowd that knows that song is small; many fans are not familiar with it. Playing it causes a dead spot in the show.

Jim: I’m slightly disappointed when I don’t hear it.

Sam: I understand, but there are so many songs, we’ve published over 60 songs, so we can’t do everything. Our set is 16-18 songs (about an hour and half of music), so we have to be selective.

Jim: Back to the progression of the band, since Point #1, you've changed a lot. The press criticizes you guys and says Chevelle does exactly the same thing on every record, but I disagree; I think every album sounds different and fresh. Vena Sera, for example, in addition to being a great album was very different. I’d even call it experimental. How do you guys keep it fresh after five albums?

Sam: Thank you. I think you progress as a musician, your interests change and your influences change. It depends on your frame of mind while writing the album. On “Sci-Fi Crimes,” we wrote all the songs at the same time; we weren’t trying to write an album to cross over, we weren’t going for a heavy record…these were the songs that came out.

Jim: I was listening to the album on the way over. Let’s talk about “Sci-Fi Crimes;” it is a concept album, correct?

Sam: I wouldn’t say it is a concept album. It comes off that way and I can see why; the cover art matches the album name and some of the songs titles. It’s a coincidence.

Jim: What was the big thing you were going for on this album?

Sam: I think you said it best, we just want to progress as a band. We don’t go into with an idea of where we want it to go; we just want to write good, melodic songs.

Jim: Can you tell me about some of your influences? Who has influenced you the most as a musician?

Sam: I think things change. I remember when we first starting playing. Pete and I listened to the Dead Kennedy’s, Firehose and The Minutemen. That was a certain scene. I think for Pete, one of his influences singing-wise was Lane Stanly. When he was learning to sing, Alice In Chains taught Pete that rock can be melodic and still be heavy and dark. That was a big turning point for him. Pete would say that any strong vocalist is an influence.

Jim: Some say that Pete sounds like Maynard James Keenan of Tool. One of the things that attracted me to Chevelle was that you guys are a more melodic version of Tool.

Sam: Anything within the genre that sounds similar to something else, it is going to be compared and people are going to compare bands they like and that’s OK.

Jim: Pete plays a baritone guitar. Can you explain what makes a baritone guitar special, how it works and how it helps to create the overall sound of the band?

Sam: The guitar has a longer scale, but the same number of frets. When you de-tune to lower tunings, the strings are too loose to stay in tune with a shorter scale. With a longer scale, the strings are tighter. It is very technical and there’s all this science involved.

Jim: How often do you practice the drums?

Sam: I practice every day, depending on our schedule, we warm up and do a sound check and then play for about two hours before the show.

Jim: About “Sci-Fi Crimes,” are you guys into spaceships, conspiracy theories, that sort of thing?

Sam: Well the “Sci-Fi Crimes” title is about less about aliens, and more about the people who have had ‘sci-fi crimes’ committed against them.

Jim: Stuff like “The Fourth Kind?”

Sam: Sure, I think that most people are intrigued by other life-forms.

Jim: Do you believe that we are the only intelligent life in the universe?

Sam: Are you asking if I think if man is the only intelligent life?

Jim: No, I mean do you think there are aliens out there?

Sam: Sure! From where we are in the universe, we can only see in one direction based on the way light travels, so I think we can’t say we're the only ones out there. If there is intelligent life, I don’t know if it would come here.

Jim: How do you guys deal with all of the hardship? It seems with every album there's something bad that happens to you guys (a member leaves, a manager dies.) Is it hard to move forward without that support group?

Sam: At this point, I am glad we are checking a lot of things off the list- we don’t have to deal with it anymore. There is a lot more bad stuff that can happen. I see how it appears that bad stuff happens each time an album comes out, the reason is because we were able to hold on as long as we have. The longer you go, the more that's going to happen. What happens next? There will always be something.

Jim: In the future, I hope only good things happen to you guys!

Sam: I hope so too. Five records is a very good run; with the success of this record, I don’t see why we couldn’t keep going. As long as we keep developing our sound, we can make new fans.

Jim: Tell me about the songwriting process as a band, does Pete write the vocals and the guitar parts and bring it to you, or do you all collaborate?

Sam: It’s both. Half the time, Pete will bring a line or melody, and we have to figure out if it is a verse or a bridge or an intro. The most common thing Pete brings is us is a verse or a chorus and we end up with 6-8 songs and 3 of them have bridges and 4 have no bridge. The way a bridge works (or how I think it should work), is that it’s a song within a song, and bands get around that by doing solos or breaking down the chorus and humming to it, and that’s not a bridge. You don’t want to run with the first thought in your head.

Jim: You don’t believe in winging it?

Sam: No, once in a while, winging it will work, but most of the time it doesn’t. If the song has two parts, and it’s not Bad Religion, it probably means someone didn't put in the effort. Bad Religion is the best at doing two-part songs.

Jim: Some bands write 80 songs for an album and cut it down to 12 for the final record. Does Chevelle work that way?

Sam: No, we're the opposite. We won’t work on something unless it’s good. We don’t get an extra 80 songs after recording. Think about it, if you have 80 songs and only use 12, that means that 68 of them are bad. If you write 80 songs with intros, verses, choruses and outros, you can’t keep it fresh. Most people couldn’t write 80 songs worth of lyrics; any fifth grader can rhyme.

Jim: So… Chevelle focuses on quality instead of volume?

Sam: Yes. Thanks, I hope people like it at the end of the day.

Jim: Who is your biggest influence now; what are you listening to?

Sam: A band called The Bronx. Everytime I Die is great as well; they’re amazing! I don’t get to listen to a lot of music, since I’m surrounded by music all day, but we do listen to every demo we get. We get demos from random people. We were at a haunted house the other day and someone gave us their demo, and I respected the guy for it, you got to jump at every chance you get.

Jim: Fred Durst was famous for finding bands and getting them record deals, like Puddle Of Mudd, etc. Has Chevelle discovered anyone? Or.. Could you see yourselves in an ‘A&R-type’ role?

Sam: If there is someone we like, we would do everything to push them through and help them, but we’ve never gotten a good demo. There was one that we liked, but they were already signed, so they didn’t need our help.

Jim: Is it hard to be on the road when you have family at home?

Sam: Yes, it is, but it’s what we do and everyone has to make money. It’s the price you pay to live the dream, right?

Jim: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Sam: No. I think you’ve covered everything.

Other Chevelle Articles:
Chevelle Live @ The House Of Blues
Review of Sci-Fi Crimes

View all of Jeremy's photo's here.

Throwdown - Deathless

2009-11-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Written By: Jason Coldiron
(Rock/Metal Editor)

Label: E1 - Rating:

Track 1: “The Scythe” - The album begins with “The scythe.” It starts with an explosion of drums and guitars and takes off from there. A scream and guitar transition lead into the first verse. The growling commences and the song is off. The chorus brings some solid vocal work. “Reap what you sew, and come back to life.” Smooth, powerful, moving. This gives a good taste of what's to come.

Track 2: “This Continuum” - A solid and powerful drum beat gets this song kick- started. It brings much more storytelling than I may have expected, but there's still plenty of screaming to go around. Through two songs I'm really feeling a Slipknot/Godsmack feel to the vocals and guitars.

Track 3: “Tombs” - Begins with some 'twisty' guitars, leading into a solid riff with backing drums and bass. An evil, spoken word vocal track leads into the verse. Moving slower than the first two songs, this one is showing some of the band's versatility. It gets me wondering what to expect from the rest of the album; more over the top metal or more balance? Can't wait to find out.

Track 4: “The Blinding Light” - The lead in sound, which continues into the verse... I really can't tell if it's a guitar, keyboards, or some kind of synthesizer. In any event, it suits the song well. The song is well- paced, speeding and slowing in good time. This is a very moody piece that is more powerful in capturing the imagination than in actual execution. The screaming vocal of, “the blinding light” is the highlight. It's a little piece that sticks with me long after the song is over. The guitar run at the end is a pleasant surprise.

Track 5: “Widowed” - This is the perfect song at the perfect time on this album. Moody, atmospheric, imaginative. Building in tension and amplitude. It goes a solid two minutes before any vocals come in, which had me thinking it was going to be a fully instrumental piece. When the vocals do come in, they are suited to the music perfectly. The pace picks up a bit, then slows and returns. This has to be my favorite track on the album.

Track 6: “Headed South” - Getting back to basics, the song takes off with machine- gun guitars and drums. Once again, the pace shifts a bit, ups and downs. Not really sure what to make of it, what direction it's going. The parts that rock REALLY rock, the slower parts aren't as coherent. That said, it still rocks hard and still keeps my attention. Around the midpoint of the song we get an outstanding guitar solo, followed two minutes later by probably the best guitar solo on the album. In my opinion, this is the best guitar work on the album.

Track 7: “Serpent Noose” - The highlight here is the harmonizing and melody. The pairing of the vocals and guitars together is seamless and smooth. The guitar solo is powerful without being intrusive. All the elements work in blending together.

Track 8: “Ouroborus Rising” - “Somewhere between love and sorrow there's an ocean of lies. You and I may not see tomorrow, but we will never die.” The lyrics are fitting and at their best in this song. The vocals back them up and it is the lyrics that make this song great.

Track 9: “Skeleton Vanguard” - This song rocks, but it may get a bit lost. I'm not sure what was trying to be accomplished here. As it goes on though, it grows on me. The guitars start to get stuck in my head and the vocal progression is pretty strong. The big (and loud) finish makes the song worthwhile.

Track 10: “Pyre and Procession” - This has a 'fight song' feel to it. Bold and aggressive, rocking out. Good stuff here.

Track 11: “Black Vatican” - This is what I have been waiting for. Quick start with the drums. Smart and complicated guitars that chop and power through. Vocals that grab you and scream at you. It all comes together in this song as it kicks you in the balls and offers you seconds. Another ripping solo won't let me turn away. It is a perfect set- up for the album's big finish.

Track 12: “Burial at Sea” - Tension is built for the finale with a slow moving guitar opening. It builds and builds. The vocals come in and lead the guitars through their twists and turns. The final touches are put on the album before the guitars gradually fade out. “Burial at sea” is a fitting closer for this album.

All in all, this is a solid metal album. The vocals sound just familiar enough to draw me in and just original enough to keep me tuned in. The guitar work is versatile; simple and powerful at times, slower and more complicated at others. The drum and bass tracks are fitting and suit the music well. If I had one critique of the album I would say that some of the songs start to sound the same as they go on. That said, the album still rocks start to finish.

I give the album a three gun salute.

Like Throwdown? Check out: Slipknot, Godsmack, Sepultura

Find more about Throwdown at: http://www.myspace.com/throwdown

Rammstein - Liebe Ist Für Alle Da

2009-10-29T17:35:00.000-07:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Universal - Rating:

Pull your giant, flame-spurting dildo out of the closet, take your shirt off, and roll your R's like a cartoon leprechaun, because Rammstein has returned!

Rammstein's career trajectory has been clearly defined from the outset: this is a band that plays super-macho industrial metal with crunching guitars, symphonic samples, and ridiculously overpowering vocals spitting forth incredibly tongue-in-cheek lyrics. Rammstein didn't fall into any holes on their sophomore release, Sehnsucht, and in fact proved how experimental they could be on that album. They also showed how they could provide some linguistic acrobatics, incorporating German, English, French and later Spanish into their repertoire, all still with tongue planted firmly in cheek. A pretty good run, if you ask me.

Mutter, and to a lesser extent, Reise Reise brought a little more aggression and melody to the mix, but then Rosenrot came along and dropped the ball in this reviewer's opinion. By no means a bad album, it instead was predictable. Rammstein wasn't experimenting; Rammstein was playing by the numbers. It was sometime after Mutter that Rammstein seemed to lose relevance, little by little. Their live shows were still incendiary (literally, especially in the penis area) -- check out Volkerball if you don't believe me -- but their music just didn't have the staying power in anyone's CD player (or WinAmp queue) when compared to other releases at the time. And that's what makes Liebe Ist Für Alle Da so good: it's experimental, it's awesome, and it's not leaving the CD player anytime soon.

'Liebe' opens with a crushing, straight-forward attack in the symphonically-aided "Rammlied," and is followed by "Ich Tu Dir Weh," featuring one of the most sing-a-long choruses Rammstein's ever put to paper...something difficult to grasp when German isn't your primary tongue, but I'll be damned if I don't fake it during this song. The tracks get better and better, pushing the boundaries of industrial thrash like their first album, and veering into foot-stomping anthemic rockers ("Haifisch"). And that's when Rammstein takes the experimental nature of some of the samples and vocal melodies and infuses the entire song with that nature: "B*******" features some serious double-bass kicking, grinding guitar chugging, and Cannibal Corpse-esque growls. Absolutely ferocious, and it leads into...an 80's style power ballad?! You heard it right. "Fruhling in Paris" is a powerfully emotional heavy ballad sung in French and German that touches on elements of current shoegazer rock as well as summoning up images of Bon Jovi's video for "Living In Sin."

Suddenly, "Weiner Blut" opens up with it's storytelling atmospherics which are quickly stripped away by the blazing double-bass rhythm and Ministry-esque guitars. "Pussy" kicks in with a danceable beat and possibly the best Depeche Mode melody to ever be backed by rocking metal guitars. Of course, the lyrics -- this time sporting German and English words -- are completely ridiculous: "You have a pussy, I have a dicker. What's the problem? Let's do it quick." And later "Take me now, don't you see, I can't get laid in Germany." You think they've used lines like this on the backstage chicks while they are touring English-speaking countries?

The title track is more thrash and pomp, and is followed by the super-tense atmosphere of "Mehr," which sounds partly like a crazed villain explaining why it's a good thing if he destroys the planet, and partly like a look into that same villain's soul and seeing that his humanity was lost in some terrible tragedy. Now, the lyrics aren't really about anything like that, but the music is so evocative and good, and the change-up halfway through to a melodic rocker is just completely amazing. The album closes on a classically influenced movie-like theme that certainly doesn't fit anywhere else, and is just as oddball and wild as the rest of the album, but in a totally different way.

This is Rammstein at their best: they are experimenting again, they are tearing it up and laying it down, they are writing interesting songs without denying their you-can't-find-more-machismo-in-a-Western-than-you-can-here attitude. If you like Rammstein, you'll love this. If you hate them, you might just change your mind: there's heaviness, melody, thrash, dance, samples, classical music, and amazing vocals. And if you don't know them, now's the time to take a listen.

**Editor's Note: If you haven't seen the video for "Pussy," you've missed out on a special treat that only Rammstein can bring. Check it out here.

Like Rammstein? Check out: Red Harvest, Static-X, Rorschach Test

It Dies Today - Lividity

2009-10-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: Trustkill - Rating:

Releasing their third album "Lividity," It Dies Today look to start piling up the dead bodies of riffs past. But slightly different... They put a twist on some stock metal riffs, remanufacturing them into solid, original parts. Sometimes a chorus will lead you astray. Hang in there! It's worth it.

"This Ghost" comes out of the graveyard with a chip on it's shoulder. It pulls a Casper for the chorus, but can't hold off from being terrifying as it exits the song. IDT metalcore it up with "Reckless Abandon" and make sure every square inch of the genre is covered by chugs, things that are sung and breakdown riffs sprung. A little seesaw action as "Thank You For Drinking" slams the album back into its gullet. A powerful intro gives you a peek at the complex metal riffs this band is capable of and progresses towards sticking that point home until the end of the track.

"Miss October" can be a bitch sometimes! She gets you all ready for hardcore action only to soften up and not even take her t-shirt off! All joking aside, there is some impressive lead work showcased here. This next track would make Mickey Mouse circa Steamboat Willie "Bleed Out In Black & White". A handful of ripping riffs cut right through that old bastard with no remorse for the kiddies. Want some singing? Fuck you. The "Martyr of Truth" ain't havin it! Well, until roughly the 2 minute mark that is. Then you get that soaring kind of singing that might get your goth daughter pregnant. "Nihility" is nothing to sneeze at as the band strikes the metal iron while it's hot. Fine! They start singing a little bit in the middle and very end. What do you want from me?

I believe you want a "Life of Uncertainty" chock stuffed with the darker end of It Dies Todays' spectrum. Ok, you got it. Yea, there's singing in this one too. Quit bothering me! They are lots of the heavies in here to make up for it, I promise. Oh boy, I've got a surprise! "The Architects" are here to build a big, happy metal house for you to thrash in! Every riff leading into the other perfectly, surrounded by great chorus vocals. "We are the architects of suffering. We are the architects of criminal desire. We are the architects of suffering. We are the architects of such imperfection."

If "we" is It Dies Today, then "we" just followed up a nut kicking song with a sing along song. The band practices "Complacence Without Pursuit (Lividity)" with the arrangement of the tracks. This and the follow up "Come Undone" seem like they were added to back of this cd to do just that. There's not enough going on in either that warrant a spot on this album. The final track has what sounds like a bar full of Scots singing a drinking song in the outro/hidden track. I'm very, very confused as the band hails from Buffalo, NY. I think it's supposed to be funny......right?

They seem to write great heavy riffs and still appeal to their self advertised Hot Topic crowd. If I were 17, into heavier type shit and happened to get my t-shirts from said store, I would be picking up Lividity in a heartbeat. There's at least 1 sick, impressive riff on every track. Even if you aren't a fan of clean metal vocals, there's major heaviness to save the day. It Dies Today have a lot promise. You could do worse than give this a few listens.

Like It Dies Today? Check out: All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying

Baroness – Blue Record

2009-10-27T15:20:00.001-07:00

Written By: John Rabb

Label: Relapse Records - Rating:

Released October 13th by Relapse Records, Baroness’ Blue Record is considered the sister album to their previously released Red Album. Like all great pairings, Blue Record and Red Album are a contrasting duo.

The red has a multi-layered, muscular sound while the blue is an all together different beast. The sound of the new offering is complex and hard to categorize, containing traces of mainstream metal, progressive rock, Southern rock, and the straightforward approach of an indie rock band. For those listeners wary of extreme heavy metal, Blue Record offers an all inclusive quality and a sound outside the genre.

All the old influences from Red Album are present on Blue Record, making them fitting companion pieces, but the new album seems to have a more refined palette. “Steel that Sleeps the Eye” is a bluesy, acoustic interlude reminiscent of Alice in Chains that contains layered vocal harmonies and psychedelic lyrics. The mood set by the track provides a perfect segue for the more robust “Swollen and Halo.” The furious pace of “The Sweetest Curse” is countered by a delicate string of acoustic guitars, while “Blackpowder Orchard” is a pastoral piece that harkens back to later Led Zeppelin.

For all its frills, though, Blue Record is a meat and potatoes hard rock / metal album at the core. “Jake Leg” is fast and groovy, with intricate harmonies and riffs that give way to powerful vocal lines. “A Horse Called Golgotha” is a brilliant blend of the band’s earlier work and their more accessible recent sound, while “The Gnashing” is pure hard rock, bringing the album to a powerful climax with a stomping percussion three minutes in. Blue Record closes with the pensive “Bullhead’s Lament,” which acts as a reprisal of the opening instrumental melody and brings the album to a close full circle.

Because of its incredible sequencing, Blue Record flows extremely well, contains epic rises and falls, and feels like a unified, cohesive collection of songs. In an already impressive year of heavy releases, Baroness has managed to set the standard with Blue Record. The result is an intricate and complex work of art that rocks hard, but is far more accessible than its predecessor, and even quite pretty at times.

Baroness is:
• John Dyer Baizley – vocals, guitar, piano, artwork
• Allen Blickle - drums
• Pete Adams - guitar, vocals
• Summer Welch - bass

Like Baroness? Check out: Torche, Mastodon

Converge - Axe to Fall

2009-10-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: Epitaph - Rating:

I walked into my Metalholics Anonymous meeting last week and found myself on the spot: it was time that I speak up; I had a confession to make. That's never an easy thing, and in the world of Metal, sometimes tension runs strong among the brotherhood, and you have to watch what you say. Especially when it involves certain pillars, such as Metallica or Black Sabbath. Mine had to do with Slayer: I loved them, but I found a few too many of their albums to be too short.

There, I said it. Their focused attack is great and has produced some of the most terrifying riffs conceivable, but I pined for them to rage on just a little longer, to take an extra turn here or there in the instrumentation.

What does that have to do with Converge's new album -- Axe to Fall -- due out on October 20th? Simple: they put together a focused attack that satisfies, even though well over half the tracks never push the three-minute mark.

Converge is like the prototypical grindcore band, updated and bestowed with a progressive edge that rarely veers into long instrumental jams, but instead pops up as odd-timed syncopation, fluid guitar acrobatics, and melodic-but-just-this-side-of-disorientating fills. More importantly, that progressive nature exists on a larger frame, as you look through Converge's back catalog and listen to how they got from there to here. It's never a perfect transition, and not something you hear building from one moment to the next. Instead, it's something more dynamic maybe, because each album pushes a different boundary, until of these things converge (sorry, I had to!) to create an extreme metal assault that defies easy categorization, and expands your senses. Converge is one of the few bands that can blast you with a full-on metallic assault but do so in a way that you are just as likely to zone out and explore higher consciousness as you are to start swinging your fists and thirsting for blood. It's dizzying, it's unexpected, it's terrifying, and it's beautiful.

Axe to Fall is all these things, and once again, just a little bit more. The first four tracks absolutely shred your innards, as if you stepped into a wind tunnel and some sick bastard punks you by throwing glass and razorblades in with you. Opener "Dark Horse" has a sort of punk/hardcore vibe that's perfectly fitting with Converge's origins and certainly doesn't disappoint.

The following tracks, "Reap What You Sow" and the titular "Axe to Fall" have a melodic grindcore/thrash sound that couldn't be any more extreme. The album explores some droning, discordant, Godflesh-style territory on songs like "Worms Will Feed" and "Damages," but it's the final two tracks that break the most from convention. "Cruel Bloom" is bluesy, acoustic in many parts, and features Steve Von Till of Neurosis on lead vocals. It never falls into a rut, and is an expertly crafted, somber little piece of melancholy that shows the emotional range of the band. Finally, album closer "Wretched World" features a slew of guests (members of The Red Chords and Genghis Tron) and is a much more atmospheric piece, building slowly but expertly to a sonic crescendo before cutting out on a discordant, feedback laden note, almost like a flat line.

Converge consistently challenge their listeners and their musical capabilities, and come through successfully every time, it seems. Axe to Fall is no different; many more guests than I mentioned show up on this album, providing a collaborative effort but a focused album. You'd never know some of the guests are there, but at the same time, you know they bring something new to the overall dynamic, creating a masterpiece that is just as Converge has always been: dizzying, unexpected, terrifying, and beautiful. Axe to Fall will rip your face off in the most serene and satisfying way imaginable, and you couldn't die any happier than after listening to this album.

Like Converge? Check out: Burnt By The Sun, Yakuza, Candiria

Hellsongs - Hymns In The Key Of 666

2009-10-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Written By: John Rabb

Label: Minty Fresh - Rating:

As a heavy metal critic, there are certain things you come to expect when you’re given an album to review - loud, distorted guitars, pounding rhythms, growling vocals, apocalyptic themes and imagery. You know, good-old predictable heavy metal. When I saw the band’s name and the album title I thought, "Piece of cake, just another day at the office."

Boy was I wrong! Maybe I should have taken the time to look at the happy rainbow and bouncing bus on the cover, or the “rock/pop” genre classification the album came with. Maybe then I would have realized I was dealing with something altogether different.

Hymns in the Key of 666, the debut album from Swedish novelty act Hellsongs takes a refreshing (almost comical) approach to a few of heavy metal’s greatest hits. These tunes are dismantled, pulled apart, and made virtually unrecognizable - even to the trained ear. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find any similarities (save for the lyrics, which, of course, sound completely different) between the Hellsongs version and its original counterpart. Every song on the album, including such epically evil tracks as “Paranoid,” “Blackened,” and “Symphony of Destruction” is made wonderfully pleasant and optimistic with soothing acoustics and Bergnéhr’s beautiful voice, a far cry from the popular appeal from the originals.

The record, in effect, tames AC/DC, turns Black Sabbath tender and beautiful, and makes Megadeth palatable to your grandmother. We’ve seen this in the past – from Metallica’s S&M album to Tori Amos’ rendition of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” - when a band attempts to turn a genre on its head for its own creative purposes. So the listener only needs to know that, despite the group’s name and album title, what you have isn’t Swedish death metal, but gentle, pastoral covers done in a subdued acoustic manner. In the end, Hymns in the Key of 666 may not be something you’ll end up putting in your regular rotation, but it is an interesting concept and a lot of fun to listen to.

Hellsongs is:
Siri Bergnéhr - Vocals, Shakers and Tambourine
 Johan Bringhed - Grand Piano, Keyboards and Vocals
 Kalle Karlsson - Guitars and Vocals

Like Hellsongs? Then check out: Tori Amos & Slayer

Revocation - Existence is futile

2009-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: Relapse - Rating:

“Metal band Revocation and their new album Existence Is Futile are overflowing with extra riffs! Looking to unload one or several riffs at a time at bargain basement prices! You won't find many quality, sick, heavy riffs lying around like this everyday! We're even stacked up on bass riffs. You read that right. BASS riffs! We'll even throw in double bass backing drums, cymbal work and fills at NO EXTRA CHARGE! Act now and you can have lead/rhythm guitarist/singer David Davidson write YOU lyrics. Hit 'em with it Dave! “Neural toxins scrambles brains!”. There ya go! All this at the low, low price of only $11.95!”

“Enter the Hall” is one of the best titled intro tracks I've heard in a long time. They had so many riffs, they had to split it into 2 parts. Great lead work speed leading into a Death'ish thrash brigade. A smooth transition leads to where "Pestilence Reigns”. An up tempo, single note punk/metal groove that left them plenty of room to solo in style. “Where's the fucking outrage?" screams Davidson. It's right here in “Deathonomics,” Aatwisted look on making some well publicized, corporate wrongs, right. “Existence is Futile” lets you really know how bad the bassist in your band sounds. Anthony Buda pops the shit out of the main riff. Thumbs up dude!

“The Brain Scramblers” leaves you wondering “How is this dude playing these riffs and singing?” Great guitar gymnastics or GGG's are all over this track. I pulled out my finger exerciser! A surplus of guitar stylings show up on “Across Forests and Fjords” before the fjord gets manic and wants to take you under. A great instrumental and breather track for this album. They release the “ReaniManiac” once more and get back into a precision based, machine gun attack meets the Munsters.

Ahhh! I'm losing track of the riffs. 24? 30? Too late. Time to “Dismantle the Dictator”. Lead intro to the midsection! Speed metal bridge riff to the kidney! Blast beat jazz funk chanting vocal to the jaw and he's down Jim! The “Anthem of the Betrayed” pulls out all the riffs you thought were hiding from you. “Leviathan Awaits” to give you what you were waiting for: half time, off the hip metallings. My favorite track is chock full of the groove and pinchies (pinch harmonics in laymen terms). Bang your fucking head as it crescendos to a well constructed, magnificent outro. “The Tragedy of Modern Ages” is that this killer album is almost over. A lot of ground already covered is re-trekked until the 2nd or 3rd bridge riff. Yea, the one at the 4 minute mark with the high strings. A complete transformation takes place as the ending of this CD is going out in grand fashion. Off timing, lead work and melody fuse to leave you wondering if your existence really is futile. Well, mine as a guitarist sure is. Fuck.....

Revocation may come off as a bit ordinary to you at first, but they will reveal themselves to be a true talent in the metal scene after a few hits of weed and a long bus ride or two. I'm kidding! I only listen to music sober! This 3 piece is for real and makes me feel under accomplished. What else could you ask for in a metal release? Pick it up. Now.

If you like Revocation, you might like: Death, Carcass or a lot of other heavy-ass bands.

Children Of Bodom - Black Dahlia Murder - Skeletonwitch

2009-10-15T02:02:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez

When you enter the world of metal a "sea of chaos" ensues, or in this case a "sea of black." Three of the world's best metal bands have come together to create an intense musical atomsphere. Be sure to capture all the chaos that Ohio metallers Skeletonwitch build up, leading straight into the thundering force field of The Black Dahlia Murder, right into the main attraction of the night, Finlanders, Children Of Bodom!

Skeletonwitch
Ever attended a mini-block party? Well now is your chance at experiencing your first one, how about joining in on all the fun with the spiraling circle of black! Hence I mean the crowd of people dressed all in black proudly expressing their love and devotion to one of the three musical acts that were set to set the stage that forsaken night out at the Glass House in chilly Pomona, California.

this act from Athens, Ohio dislikes the fact that not too many people are aware of what type of music they actually perform. I guess it would just be your plain old heavy metal - a very upgraded version. Ohio's Skeletonwitch brought on the fiery blaze for a non-stop 30 minutes, bringing on the skull-crushing and beer-drinking sensation, as the crowd erupted from all angles - singing such songs off "Beyond the Permafrost," and new comer, "Breathing the Fire," due out on October 13th. Some of the head-crushing tunes consisted of "Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery," "Within My Blood," the title track, along with a douse of double trouble off the newbie album, "Crushed Beyond Dust," and "Strangled By Unseen Hands." The front man summed it up best at the end of the set, "Smoke Weed, Drink Beer, and Eat Some F**king Pussy."

Setlist
01. Sacrifice for the Slaughtergod
02. Fire From the Sky
03. Crushed Beyond Dust
04. Upon Wings of Black
05. Beyond the Permafrost
06. Submit To The Suffering
07. Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery
08. The Despoiler Of Human Life
09. Within My Blood

The Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia Murder's 45-minute set nearly brought the house down when the aggressive crowd of metal-heads began to throw each other around like rag dolls while singing along to each and every song that came screaming out of the vocalist.

Setlist
01. Everything Went Black
02. Black Valor
03. Closed Casket Requiem
04. Necropolis
05. A Vulgar Picture
06. What A Horrible Night to Have A Curse
07. Christ Deformed
08. Miasma
09. Funeral Thirst

Children Of Bodom
Finland's finest musicians, and led by one of the most talented guitarists around, Alexi Laiho, Children of Bodom, was the main attraction of the night's metal frenzy. The show began with "Living Dead Beat," and then rolled right into "Hellhounds On My Trail," and "Silent Night, Bodom Night." The band continued their classic chaos with "Hate Me," "Bodom After Midnight," "Are You Dead Yet?," "Blooddrunk," and "Hate Crew Deathroll," dedicated to all the hardcore Children Of Bodom fans within the sea of black.

Setlist
01. Living Dead Beat
02. Hellhounds On My Trail
03. Silent Night, Bodom Night
04. Hate Me!
05. Follow The Reaper
06. Lake Bodom
07. Bodom After Midnight
08. Are You Dead Yet?
09. Blooddrunk
10. Angels Don't Kill
11. In Your Face
12. Children Of Decadence
13-.Bodom Beach Terror
14. Downfall
-----------
15. Everytime I Die
16. Hate Crew Deathroll

Skeletonwitch Skulltastic Interview

2009-10-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez

Evan and Scott of Ohio metallers, Skeletonwitch, caught up with me recently at their Pomona, California stop out at the Glass House to discusstheir new album, current touring conditions, and everything else thrown in between.

NP: How is the current tour going?

Evan: I guess you saw us what a year ago? Oh, then 3 months ago? It’s great, everybody is great, we’ve been having a good time and the crowds have been great just enjoying it it’s been awesome.

Scott: I second that – everybody from Alexi to the bus driver’s everyone has been nice and making us feel welcomed, nobody is a dick, expect to each other.

NP: I saw via your Twitter you had all gotten drunk before playing a show?

Evan: You mean every day we play a show?

Scott: That was at the West Edmonton Mall, in Edmonton, Alberta.

Evan: What had happened is that we had drunk all of our beer, so there was no more beer, since we had all drank it all, so that was weird.

Scott: That was the first time I had posted on Twitter actually, that tends to happen a lot but all of the guys love to drink beer.

NP: What can be said that hasn't been said about "Breathing The Fire?"

Evan: That has not been said?

Scott: Oh let me tell you, Jack Endino, who did the artwork, probably has the highest skull quotation.

Evan: Appropriately, 60 skulls, on the front and back!

Scott: Jack Endino counted all of them.

NP: Were there any songs that didn't make the record that you had wished had made it?

Evan: Nope, everything that got written made it.

Scott: Nope, we didn’t write 60 songs, and didn’t have our producer help us out, like having some leftovers lying around no, we wrote what we did, and that’s what got on it.

NP: Any particular favorites you have off it?

Evan: "Stand, Fight and Die."

Scott: "Repulsive Salvation," that’s one of my favorites.

NP: What do you think sets you apart from all the other metal bands out right now?

Evan: Probably the dick sizes.

Scott: I guess I would say, people don’t know where to place us. I’ve read all over, that death metal band Skeletonwitch, Black metal band Skeletonwitch, Thrash metal band Skeletonwitch, they can’t properly place us in the right spotlight. Basically, everybody thinks we’re something we’re not pretty much.

NP: Have any plans for Halloween?

Evan: We’re gonna be on tour with Trap Them, Toxic Holocaust, and The Black Dahlia Murder, over Halloween. Don’t think we’re going to be wearing any crazy costumes or anything like that. But before we’ve played shows on Halloween we use to dress up as another type of band and play as a cover band which was cool but this year we’ll be playing on Halloween.

NP: If you had a chance to do a cover of a beloved childhood classic which would you pick and why?

Evan: I’m not a fan of covers actually, but good question.

Scott: I don’t have any desire to do any type of cover. Honestly, we’ve thrown around ideas here and there; Immortal, Guns n Roses, etc. We like doing what we do, those tracks are already made and we can’t fill someone else’s shoes.

NP: Speaking of childhood, if you had to run into yourself 10 years ago and tell yourself what you're in store for what would you say?

Evan: I don’t know, just buckle down, and practice, practice, practice.

Scott: I’m 26 so at 16, I would tell myself don’t get those 2 underage consumptions you’re about to get, that’s won’t be good on your behalf.

Evan: The Doc told Marty McFly, don’t get in contact with your past self, or it’ll forever change the events in the future.

Scott: I agree with that.

NP: Anything else you'd like to add?

Evan: Well we have a new record out, and its awesome kids are coming out to our shows, and that means a lot to us.

Scott: Thanks for supporting our band, and helping us do what we love doing.

Hatebreed - Self-Titled

2009-10-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Written By: Tim Bannock

Label: E1 - Rating:

People who fault AC/DC for sounding the same on every album are missing the point, which is two-fold: (1) if you can rock out, then rock out, and (2) if you're winning formula produces songs like "Back In Black," "For Those About to Rock," and (ten years down the road) "Thunderstruck," then stick to it. Music isn't and shouldn't always be about innovation, because sometimes a certain sound or progression just elicits the right response. Enter Hatebreed, with their self-titled album, released September 29th.

Jamey Jasta and crew have been releasing roughly the same tracks since 1994. With six full-length releases and just as many people exiting the band over the years, the thing you need to know is that Hatebreed's still going strong, still in demand, and pulling people into their shows. And they aren't going through the motions; one listen to the Best Buy exclusive live tracks on Hatebreed's new LP and you'll know that these guys just love to wreck up the concert venues they play at. Bustin' out 15 tracks (not including the aforementioned live ones), Hatebreed sounds just as strong as they did way back when they came rip-roarin' out of Connecticut to tour with the likes of Slayer, Napalm Death, Entombed and many others.

All of that said, it's not like they are putting out the same riffs. The self-titled album is the first full-length featuring the dual-guitar attack of Frank Novinec and Wayne Lozinak, as well as a guest solo by Chris Broderick, the new axe-man who helped Dave Mustaine tear it up on Megadeth's latest release, Endgame. While that shouldn't lead you to believe that Hatebreed's whipping out the crazy technical solos on every track, it does allude to the fact that the guitar work sees some more change-ups than on previous releases, albeit only subtly more so. Not every breakdown ends with a held chord; several fills feature some neat harmonizing and the occasional pull on the whammy bar to get a higher-pitched squeal out of the note. Nothing ground-breaking, but it definitely makes tracks like "Between Hell and a Heartbeat," "Through the Thorns," and (especially) instrumental track "Undiminished" standout from previous albums.

If you can call their mosh-pit aggression "beautiful," it's because you can pick up this disc at any point and hear the influences of those classic bands mentioned earlier, and then get pummeled by the discordant mosh beats when the band goes into circle pit mode. Every single song has a slow break-down with crashing tones, and they all have fast, thrashy moments that remind you of late 80s/early 90s Slayer and Napalm Death. Essentially, Hatebreed knows just how to select the best early-era thrash riffs, tune them down a bit, and toss in a more modern mosh groove that reminds one of Fear Factory, later Testament, and Machine Head.

The kicker to all of this: a cover of Metallica's "Escape." How can you go wrong? You really can't.

Like Hatebreed? Check out: Turmoil, Subzero, Overcast.

Dying Fetus - Descend into Depravity

2009-10-09T04:03:00.000-07:00

Written By: John Rabb

Label: Relapse - Rating:

Released September 15th by Relapse Records, Dying Fetus’s latest full-length offering Descend into Depravity is an immaculately polished piece of vicious death metal. Despite a series of lineup changes over the years, guitarist/vocalist John Gallagher and company have managed to coalesce into an extremely tight knit threesome on the new record, weaving through complex progressions, sleek tempo shifts, and blasts of staggering capacity.

Gallagher leads the way on the album with blistering ambidextrous riffs that, at times, seem to almost defy the laws of physics. Sean Beasley displays wizardry of his own on bass, particularly on “At What Expense,” which opens with a menacing rolling bass line. The drum work on the album is extremely quick and precise, demonstrating a high level of technical expertise.

The structure and organization of the songs on Depravity play out well with brutal sound and good theme variation. “Shepherd’s Commandment,” which may very well be the strongest track on the record, contains a series of blazing riffs, a mid-paced tempo, and an impressive display of Gallagher’s inhuman dexterity.

The group as a whole is solid, but for all intents and purposes, Dying Fetus is Gallagher’s baby. His vocals range from ultra-low, unintelligible death growls a la Cannibal Corpse, to abrasive upper-throat screams. The arrangement of the music allows for the vocals and guitars to match up perfectly to carry the melody. The orchestration and technique used on Depravity are truly remarkable, as it convincingly outclasses the vast majority of what passes for modern death metal.

While some critics might argue there may not be anything particularly groundbreaking about the new album, maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, maybe that’s the point. Gallagher and company do not try and reinvent the wheel with their latest offering. The album does, however, contain enough variety and nuance to keep things interesting over the course of the entire record. Rather than attempt, like so many bands, to take things to strange new places and reinvent themselves as artists, Dying Fetus has reached a level of rock-solid consistency on par with the biggest icons in death metal.

Descend into Depravity is a record that fans know will be free of gimmicks, trends, and fads – and, in this critic’s mind, there’s a lot to be said for that.

Dying Fetus should be hailed as a band for its ability to continue releasing album after album, despite line-up changes and the fact that they’ve been around just about as long as anyone in the business. Dying Fetus refuses to sell out or succumb to mediocrity, and Descend into Depravity fits perfectly into their discography, cementing another classic work of hardcore death metal for the ages.

Like Dying Fetus? Then check out: Cannibal Corpse and Dismember

My Date With Helsinki Vampire, Jyrki 69/The 69 Eyes' Los Angeles Return

2009-10-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

What happens at a metal show? The heavier crowd set tends to take things to another level, causing eruptions of energetic proportions, moshing, and crowd-surfing. In the case of 69 Eyes' L.A. performance at the Key Club, the mosh pit that formed nearly brought down the house. I had the pleasure of attending last night’s show that hailed to the Helsinki Vampires that had returned to the sunny So-Cal terrain.

These Finnish rockers brought the ruckus, only topped by a surprise appearance by Bam Margera, the man that brought the band stateside. I'll start from the beginning... The 69 Eyes, performed a solid hour-and-a-half set list that consisted of the new, old, and ancient tracks taking them back to when they first broke out into the music scene. “Brandon Lee,” “Gothic Girl,” “Feel Berlin,” Devils,” and newer hits “Dead and Gone,” “Dead Girls Are Easy,” and my favorite “Lost Boys."

Do you ever wonder about musicians and what secrets lay behind those closed doors after they’ve departed the stage? I do to! Now, for your eyes and ears only, the secrets of the Vampire realm have been foretold. The one and only Helsinki Vampires are back from the dead, but not just back, back in blood. Frontman Jyrki69 spoke to me about The 69 Eyes U.S. return and the undead truth about the current album.

NP: Welcome back to the U.S., how does it feel to be back in California?

Jyrki 69: It’s awesome! Hollywood in general, we consider this our second home. This year we spent over 3 months during the spring time recording our newest album, so it’s great to finally be able to come back and play a show. It’s never frustrating to hang out in Hollywood and to have fans recognize you and come up and ask you “What are you doing here – why aren’t you playing a show?” at that time there was no way to do anything but now it’s the time and we’re now in Hollywood, so The 69 Eyes and are back in blood!

NP: "Back in Blood," came out last month and it's also your tenth to date, how does that make you feel - do you think your music has grown since when you first started?

Jyrki 69: Actually you’re mistaken, there is a little confusion everywhere, it’s actually our ninth album. I’m excited to do the tenth album when the time arrives, and we have of course several compilations available but this is studio album number nine. Yes and no, it’s the same sources of inspiration remains, the same rock n’ roll life remains, on the other hand of course

We’re better song writers, and I myself have written better lyrics, once in a while you make songs that last a little bit longer than others, like most of the songs within our set list, there are the ones we consider our "classics.” There are so many songs that could be on the next ten year compilation, with the way we’ve grown.

NP: Can you briefly tell us about the whole concept for "Dead Girls Are Easy?”

Jyrki 69: It was pure fun with Bam Margera, it was long lost Halloween weekend, the whole idea the name of the song, I just liked the title when I put together everything it represents the dead girls, these gothic girls who want to be dead and want to be a part of the undead and want to become Vampire girls. The story line is this classic old school 80s theme with this nerdy guy working and something strange happens to him when these Vampire girls come into his life.

This video is much like the videos from the 80s – having that rockin style and positive atmosphere - all the videos of today have changed, with the bombs, bugs, a very depressing imagines, I’m a fan of the 80s videos so this video is just like those.

NP: What was it like playing on Carson Daily back in 2006 - I'm not sure if you remember me, at that show but I was the girl in the audience who had waved to you, I had wanted to be on the bottom near the stage but couldn't get down there.

Jyrki 69: That was great that was one of those classic 69 Eyes moments that we were able to do that show, and hopefully we can return to those shows, it’s been an honor to be involved with these shows, (Carson Daily) and to have The End Records (US Label) who have done great promotion for us, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re watching T.V. that you see us performing, we’ll be able to set something up pretty soon and also the next time you wave I will know it is you.

NP: In my opinion I've always pictured you guys doing a U.S. tour with H.I.M. would you ever be able to make that happen - I know you guys toured with Cradle of Filth back in 06.

Jyrki 69: That is something the fans are always asking, but I don’t think the bands are really excited about the idea. If you haven’t noticed the Finnish bands don’t really tour together and I don’t know why, but that is something that we should considering doing, because the fans keep asking about it. I haven’t heard any rumors, so I don’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon. As far as I understand the H.I.M. guys are recording their new album, and there are a lot of Finnish bands around here in Hollywood recording their new albums, so every rocker act is here in Hollywood right now and are from Finland so a very busy period for everybody right now.

NP: What can you tell us about your comic book "Zombie Love: Vampires, Ghosts and the 69 Eyes?"

Jyrki 69: It’s just a compilation of my old stuff that I drew in the 80s as a teenager, during the night, most teens go out and get drunk for the first time and meet the opposite sex, I was this guy that spent my nights at home watching horror movies and listening to strange rock n’ roll music, like the real nerds. Somehow these comics survived, and the characters pretty much look like our band; dressed in rocker appeal, and the girls are drama queens, so it’s not so far away from the world of the 69 Eyes.

I drew them and they still appear interesting, so I put it altogether, and that’s the book Zombie Love, and after 25 years, the kids still find this comic book amazing and it’s available at all of our shows so pick up a copy.

NP: How about "Route 69," what can be said about that?

Jyrki 69: That’s a photograph book. It’s done by this photographer named Ville Juurikkala, the guy who’s been taking pictures of a majority of Finnish rock bands over the years, H.I.M. Nightwish, and us. Back in '06, he traveled with us, took pictures and put out the book, and it has pictures of Japan/Finland, but mainly it’s about when we first traveled the states and how everything was different, a very big and exciting experience. It’s a great book filled with great memories.

NP: You're known around the world as the "Helsinki Vampires," do you consider yourself a Vampire?

Jyrki 69: Well... For some strange reason, I don’t age and I draw people’s attention to me. I drive girls crazy; especially those that know me. I like to hang out with sunglasses after dark, as far as that goes I might be a Vampire, but I won’t tell if I’m one or not. But don’t try old school tricks on me like holy water or garlic that won’t kill me. If you really want to destroy me, play me some anti-rock music, Beatles, Faith No More, Red Hot Chili Peppers, if you really want to throw me out of the party and kill me just throw on some bad music that should do it.

NP: Anything else you'd like to add?

Jyrki 69: I hope people will have the chance to check out "Back in Blood," because I think it’s the best record The 69 Eyes have done, and we’re really proud of it. The theme involves Vampires, and the sound is awesome, and it’s interesting that The 69 Eyes have worked with American artists and producers, and a director for the video - it’s just something we’ve always wanted to do. Now that we’ve had the chance to do it, it’s become a great album but not just from The 69 Eyes but in general in the year 2009.

The Set:
01. Back in Blood
02. Never Say Die
03. Lips Of Blood
04. Gothic Girl
05. Suspiria Snow White
06. Dance d'Amour
07. Kiss Me Undead
08. Feel Berlin
09. Dead N' Gone
10. The Chair
11. The Good, the Bad & the Undead
12. Brandon Lee
13. Dead Girls Are Easy
14. Devils
15. Perfect Skin
16. Lost Boys
17. Deuce

Belphegor - Walpurgis Rites – Hexenwahn

2009-10-08T01:57:00.001-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Label: Nuclear Blast - Rating:

There isn't really much difference between the Black Metal and Death Metal - to begin with, the musical styling is the same, fast-paced guitar with energetic solos keeping the music in place, while the vocalist either screeches or growls until blood has sprawled from his raw throat. But... what happens when the two come together?

One word - Belphegor!

Belphegor has emerged as one of the most extreme black/death metal combos ever. The band members themselves describe their "hellride," or music, as "Supreme Death/ Black Metal Art.” But the word 'art' this hasn't hindered their musical chaos, having gone through a collection of EPs, LPs, and DVDs. Belphegor has unleashed their latest installment, "Walpurgis Rites - Hexenwahn" - Nine songs that surpass everything they've done thus far.

Taking their 'art' and burning it alive, come songs as "Hail The New Flesh," "The Crosses Made Of Bone," and "Enthralled Toxic Sabbath," pulsating, absolute darkness that Belphegor has been determined to produce! The music played throughout these chosen songs consists of nothing more than your basic black/death duties, from fast enraging guitar leads, to breakdown solos that get overrun by the chorus chaos of the vocalist’s workmanship. The music keeps itself motivated throughout from start to finish maintaining an ever-lasting “fresh” sensation that echoes as each riff or lyric is taken apart, making Belphegor’s "Walpurgis Rites – Hexenwahn," have the rights it truly deserves.

Skeletonwitch – Breathing the Fire

2009-10-06T01:01:00.001-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Label: Prosthetic/Red Ink - Rating:

Skeletonwitch of Anthens, Ohio has delivered something extreme this year - a continuation of past creation, "Beyond the Permafrost," (2007) The Witch's almighty return has been a "process in the making" - with numerous tour dates and side spot on the 'Blackest of the Black Tour' alongside Danzig, The Witch has gained the momentum required to create an instant classic in "Breathing The Fire," (2009).

For this album, Skeletonwitch trekked to Seattle, hooking up with the legendary producer Jack Endino, who's worked with such acts as, Nirvana, Soundgarden, and High On Fire. Igniting their music into a blaze of glory, these 12-tracks do not disappoint in any way possible.

Thrash rhythms spew from "Where the Light Has Failed," and "Crushed Beyond Dust," while "Longing for Domination," and "Blinding Black Rage," allows the melodic death to take hold. Throwing in some black metal "Released from the Catacombs," and some of your everyday modern metal with "Stand Fight and Die" for good measure "Breathing the Fire" is the "NOW That's What I Call Music 2009" of the metal genre.

In short... let the Witch be heard!

Graveworm - Diabolical Figures

2009-10-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Label: E1/Massacre - Rating:

Graveworm offer up their seventh major release in the form of Diabolical Figures, a straight forward, evil-intending glimpse of a doom-inflicted world. Filled with what I would call the “wall of bloody guitar player corpses sound," you rarely get a chance to rest from the tsunami of guitars rushing towards you. Even if that wave looks and sounds exactly the same the majority time, it is still really big!

“Vengeance is Sworn” upon you as you enter this epic journey. Blast beat attack = +100hp and no mana damage. I am flying high on a dragon made of cod pieces as I look down on “Circus of the Damned” and admire it's grooving, start stop, off time verses and harmonious keyboard playing. “Diabolical Figures” stand in your way, pummeling the ground, challenging to relent. Throwing down the gamiest of breakdown riffs to stop you in your path. You must persist! “Hell's Creation” is ahead. Combining the powers of the previous 3 songs, it will challenge your very soul. The riffs are too manic! The vocals are shaking my bones! The keyboards are too low in the mix! There's a “Forlorn Hope”!

The sun breaks through the sky, enchanting you with spoken word. A bird sings in the distance. Oh no, what is that? The ground is shaking beneath you. You have been fooled. You see the “Architects of Hate” barreling through the mist. Run! It's too fast and insane for a level 5 mage like you to handle. Equip your Immunity of Brutalism before a “New Disorder” descends on your position. Unrelenting double bass and attacking riffage rain down on your person breaking to occasionally keyboard up your chorus.

Someone should remind Graveworm that the best part of “Message In A Bottle” is it's lyrics. Forget about that! Grrrrrrraahhhhhhhjkjjk!

Where were we? Right! Thrash yourself back together with “Ignorance of Gods”. A valiant steed will transport you to the battlefield at a break neck and somehow heavier pace. Damn that is pretty fucking heavy. Have no fear as you are near the end of your quest. “The Reckoning” is the theme song of your victory. Airy, then heavy, then heavy and airy....whew. The GAME OVER credits roll and you are the hero once again.

That was fun! Graveworm's “Diabolical Figures” really put me through it. I hope my neighbors don't mind my running through the complex with tinfoil armor and a butter knife. I couldn't help it! Black metalers, doom sayers and medieval knights abound will rejoice in this release. If you want heaviness, keyboards and unintelligible lyrics, get into some GRAVEWORM!

If you like Graveworm, you will like Chthonic, Stormlord and Arch Enemy.

AFI’s Crash Love

2009-10-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

A Fire Inside or AFI for short, have been around for the past 18 years unleashing upon the music scene seven LPs to date with their eighth "Crash Love," on the way. But the deal with AFI is a simple known fact, they've never seem to stick out with the same sound for more than a couple of albums. Their first being “Answer That and Stay Fashionable,” in 1995. Then the band went on to release “Very Proud of Ya,” the following year, followed up by a third three years later, “Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes.”

Since the earlier creations, AFI has indeed like most bands changed their style to blend in along with the rest of the crowd, just like today’s fads same routine goes for music - AFI went from the stick liking's of punk down to hardcore punk to horror punk in a matter of just a few years. 1999's "Black Sails in the Sunset," and 2000's "The Art of Drowning," it wasn't until 12 years later that the band had stuck major success when it came down to "Sing The Sorrow," (2003) having the well known hits, "Girl's Not Grey" and "The Leaving Song, Pt. II," aside from the others found upon this album. Then the band had taken a brief hiatus and returned in 2006 with "Decemberunderground," that featured break-through single "Miss Murder," and second smash-up "Love Like Winter," now their eighth achievement is on the floor, and "Crash Love," isn't all the hype that AFI has been known to establish.

"Crash love," does play the band's strongest points to date but goes back to blending into the modern rock n roll vibrations that they changed not so long ago, there are some "old school" influences found upon the album such as "Medicate," that constantly builds up that classic punk style with galloping guitar riffs with fast racing drum tactics getting your blood pumped. Guitarist Jade Puget steps it up in a major way when "OK, I feel Better Now," showcasing his standout performance to date, starting off with a trade marking chiming chord sequence, before working into the strummed octaves and some unexpected, game-changing chord effects found within the third verse.

The other songs, make a particular marking that vocalist Davey Havok stays true to his fascination with death and self-destruction, not going away from those themes one bit but encouraging them a lot more. While "Crash Love," never seems to hit the lyrical highs that "Sing The Sorrow" had once struck - "Veronica Sawyer Smokes," may just be the most out-standing tune offered, let alone written about Winona Ryder, having Davey's vocal skills be at their best perfection level to date, allowing him to sing the following line is remarkable: "I saw you every time I closed my eyes, in the Hughes film I had scored, produced and starred in, in my mind.” Nevertheless, Davey's vocal contribution makes this song work in every way possible - laying out the voices and chorus structure in the perfect combination, having the rest of the music fall simply into place.

"Crash Love," doesn't demand for the listener to pay attention to everything spoken yet alone played to the same chord as their previous accomplishments, but it reveals a more intricate and well-constructed album, rarely lacking any proportion of quality or anything else falling out of place.

Street Drum Corps - Interview With Vocalist Bobby Atl

2009-10-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

I caught up with Bobby Alt (S.T.U.N., Faculty X) of the Street Drum Corps while in the studio to discuss the new Street Drum Corps album due out early next year.

NP: Hey How are you?

Bobby: I’m fantastic! I’m at my home in Downtown L.A. just down the street from the new desert bar that just opened up, having a waffle with some peaches - its delicious! I’m actually looking to open a store in Downtown L.A., so I’ve been in meetings for the last couple of hours, talking to the guy that’s been showing us around -a bunch of which have become available for rent that are the up-and-coming sites, so it’s been a fun day.

NP: I heard you were in the studio, how's that been going?

Bobby: It’s been an incredible summer we’ve spent the last 2 and half months all summer long in and out of all different studios all over the L.A. area, we started by recording at Dave Grohl’s studio in Northridge. Then after that went over to East West Studios where we recorded Sinatra, Beach Boys, the Mama’s and Papa’s “California Dreamer,” so that was a real treat. Then went over to the Howard Benison studio, which’s our producer and recorded all the guitars and bass, and then I’ve been recording vocals – in Howard’s northern bedroom in his house way out in Calabasas all the vocals for this double album, one is all the traditional drumming street corps drumming and the second album is the more produced band vibe still heavy in the drums of course.

NP: What can we expect when listening to the new album?

Bobby: Oh boy! Pure sonic excitement, *Laughs* a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this double album, a lot of tribal rhythms, war rhythms, I’ve been singing and writing songs now – but there’s a little bit of my life and our lives as a whole, when making this record. We’ve put together great artwork for it and then go out and do a bunch of touring for it.

NP: Were there any songs that didn't make the album?

Bobby: Tons of songs didn’t make the album we wrote between 50-60 songs since May of last year for this particular record which we twiddled down to 21 that our producer picked and twiddled down to about 15 and then 12 3 of them to be featured as B-Sides or given away to movies, video games, while the other 12 will be featured on the album itself. Then we have about 30 minutes of drumming that will be the all traditional drumming CD so a lot of songs were written this year a lot of which didn’t make it but you might see them pop up here and there later on in the future.

NP: What are the upcoming plans for you guys for the remainder of 09 into 2010?

Bobby: This year to next year - right now we’re finishing this record with Howard Benison and hoping to release the record into February or March of next year we’re just taking our time, being very patient making sure we’re getting the best sonic expression of this particular Street Drum Corps carnation and we also are working on our Street Drum Corps Bang Show which is an all drumming experience you can see at colleges and performing arts centers across the country. So we’ve been putting together a bigger production for that particular group and we’re also writing a show that we’re launching in September 2010 – called “The Street Drum Corps Presents: Banner Machines” that represents a 6 person cast using over 100 years of technology to create music all different styles and sounds of instruments, i.e. microwaves, typewriters, blenders, any type of kitchen appliance available so we got our plates full.

NP: How many guest drummers did you have on this album, who was your favorite to work with?

Bobby: Oh boy! We had I don’t know exactly about 6 or 7 special guests on the all drum CD – on one particular song called “Thrashing and Trashing,” that particular song we have members of Street Drum Corps, the embers of Bang, we have Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Matt Sorum (The Cult/Guns n Roses), Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion), Shannon Leto (30 Seconds to Mars), and I can’t pick one favorite drummer that we worked with because they all brought something special to the for that particular track. A lot of them are good friends of ours too, like Brandon, and Shannon those dudes we’ve hung out with and played with before so it’s a real privilege to have them come and play on our CD.

NP: Have anything planned for Halloween?

Bobby: Halloween? Yes I’ am flying to Travis City, Michigan with the Bang group to direct our new video for our electric press kit so I get to hang with the Bang guys and they’re playing a Halloween show there about a couple thousand people within a small college town. So this will be my directional debut so we get to film with Bang throughout the day and then package that up and send it off, to all the colleges and theme parks, so that’s what I’m doing probably dress up like a Vampire.

NP: What is one good thing and one bad thing about being in a band?

Bobby: One good thing about being in a band its like a family, it’s a very tight family gang of the outsiders the reasons I started playing music while I was young was to get together with friends and jam out been doing it since I was 13 years old. One bad thing is being a fan boy. *Laughs* It’s a double edge sword pretty much. I can go a little deeper it’s about being a musician ad creating these shows and putting together these productions, you’re head feels like it’s going to explode with all this creative energy. You just gotta sit back and breath and put it altogether and organize it all out. Whether you’re working on a banner, artwork, song, t-shirt design whatever it may be, you stick with it - that’s what you go with.

NP: Were you guys out at the Henry Fonda when Papa Roach performed?

Bobby: We were not at the Henry Fonda I was not but I’m sure some of the other guys were - those guys rock.

NP: Anything else you'd like to add?

Bobby: Anything else I’d like to add? Just had a very exciting summer recording this music and can’t wait for everyone to hear so be sure to come out and check out the live shows and have a good time.

Three Days Grace – Life Starts Now

2009-09-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

It's been three years since Three Days Grace's "One X," and the band have finally made their triumphant return with their third studio album, "Life Starts Now." Previous installments that the band has attempted at creating stuck to the mainstream rock albums that all "other" bands tend to create. But when it comes to Three Days Grace's unique style and rhythm they tend to always add their own flare to each album they dish out.

The band’s first self-title album in 2004 had the more edger tone to it pushing out that aggressive tone of rhythm that the band was focusing on at the time when the sophomore had shot through “One X” (2006) a more modern rock attitude was displayed that took Three Days Grace down a whole another path showcasing a more mature sound. Now that the past is said and done, “Life Starts Now,” is upon us and a repeating texture has shot up.

This album goes down the lines of sounding exactly like its previous counter-part adding a list of 12-tracks to fall back on – adding the simple sound effects of break-down solo attempts with overpowering riffs and repeating chorus lines that just lack the emotion and energy the band once formatted. Songs like "Break," Bully," and "Goin Down," aside from the so-called balled type tune "Last to Know," sounding a lot like "Never Too Late," these selection of songs that come at you throughout the album just doesn’t cut it for the listener at times.

The music picks up on certain aspects during these selected tunes but just doesn’t maintain that energy that these guys once had within their grasps and let slip away. The music is more modern and takes millions of miles away from their older roots never letting the past break back through.

Hatebreed - Full Album Preview

2009-09-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

The long awaited self-titled new album from Hatebreed is in stores now!   See full-album preview below.

In addition to the new album being available from your favorite retailer, it is also available now in the following bonus configurations:

ITUNES DIGITAL DELUXE VERSION:
-2 bonus tracks “Kill An Addict” (2010) and “Filth” (2010)
-Both songs freshly re-recorded with the band line-up, originally on the band’s EP Under The Knife

BEST BUY SPECIAL EDITION CD/DVD DIGIPAK VERSION:
-Bonus 68 Minute DVD with 13 live concert festival appearances (Download 2009 & Wacken 2008), Making-Of-The Album and Bonus Music Videos
-Expanded artwork
-2 live bonus tracks “To The Threshold” and “As Diehard As They Come”

WAL-MART VERSION:
-2 new bonus tracks “Lay It All To Waste” and “Preservation Of Belief”

** Editor's note: I find the notion of Hatebreed being in 'family-friendly' Wal-Mart an ironic notion : )

VINYL VERSION: includes alternate art also available now

SPECIAL OMEGA BUNDLE VERSION:
Hatebreed CD/LP/Poster/Shirt Bundle
This great bundle exclusive includes the following:
-CD / LP / T-Shirt / Poster / MP3 download of "In Ashes They Shall Reap" upon purchase

Jamey Jasta took some time to explain the multiple versions, which can be heard here:

Htebreed will be participating in two in-store signing sessions to celebrate the release with their fans.

WHEN: Thursday October 1st, 2009 @6-8PM
WHERE: Looney Tunes
31 Brookvale ave
West Babylon, NY 11704
Phone: (631) 587-7722

WHEN: October 3rd, 2009 @3:00
WHERE: Zia Records
4503 W Sahara Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: (702)-233-4942

Story of the Year Get Interviewed!

2009-09-28T14:03:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

See the live interview on CWG TV

While doing their on again/off again touring routine, St. Louis rockers Story of the Year or SOTY recently stopped by Long Beach to pay their respects to a local charity event. Before hitting the streets they decided to do what they do best and that’s playing music. Dan, Ryan, Phillip, Adam and Josh gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, when I got word that I'd be interviewing the entire act before they were due to meet up with their fans for a quick signing session - not to mention their headlining performance for later on that same night. The band spoke to me about what they’ve currently been up too and what to expect from them come the New Year.

NP: You've guys been around for 14 yrs anything planned for the 15 yr mark come 2010?

Dan: Most definitely, we have a new record coming out.

NP: Will we be seeing you on Jimmy Kimmel Live anytime soon?

Dan: Hopefully, have to have them ask us. We did that back in the day, played Jimmy Kimmel, Carson Daily, etc.

NP: I first got into you guys in 2004, when you were a part of the Nintendo Fusion Tour and was an extra in your music video for "Anthem Of Our Dying Day," looking back on when you first entered the music scene up to this point, how do you feel now, compared to what you were feeling at that time?
Dan: Think we’ve matured a lot.

Ryan:: It’s hard to keep up with all the latest trends.

Adam: That’s a hard question to answer.

NP: What I've noticed about Story of the Year is that you play a handful of shows, in your hometown and then you come out to California, why the on/off routine?

Dan: Why not? We’re always around when we’re at home and whenever California wants us we come out and play.

NP: When will we be seeing the new album?

Dan: Early to mid next year, January-February.

NP: In my opinion after getting into you guys in 04, I had also gotten into this other rock act known as Three Days Grace, would you consider going on tour with them? I think that'd make a great line-up.

Dan: I think the producer that did our last albums worked with them on their first one.

Phillip:: But I don’t know if our fans would get along with their fans.

Dan: We’ll just see what can possibly be set up.

NP: Out of all the music videos and albums to date, which is your absolute favorite and why?

Dan: Probably "Until The Day I Die" and our new album.

Josh: Sidewalks *Laughs* and of course our new album.

Phillip: "Take Me Back," and the new album.

Adam: "The Antidote" and the new album that’s not out yet.

Ryan: "Take Me Back," and the new album.

NP: You guys did a cover of Metallia's "Enter Sandman" would you ever consider recording it, and what other cover tunes would you want to include?

Adam: I want too!

Dan: Its one of those songs that sounds good the way it is, because when we play it live it’s our own style so to go and record it – it’s just not going to sound as good. We might record it on another live album, probably... That’d be cool.

NP: What are your upcoming plans for the rest of 2009 into 2010?

Dan: Go out on tour in November/December with The Devil Wears Prada, and then basically tour all of next year when and after the new album comes out.

NP: Anything else you'd like to add?

Dan: Go pick up the new album when it comes out.

Josh: Yeah, definitely go get it once it’s been dropped.

Adam: Go get the new album when it comes out.

Ryan: Pick it up!

Phillip: Look for the new album come the New Year!

Saosin - Interview With Beau

2009-09-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

California-based Saosin burst onto the post-hardcore scene in March 2003 with their explosive screamo-tinged debut EP, Translating the Name, on Death Do Us Part. For the recording, the band was comprised of vocalist Anthony Green, former Slayer guitar tech and drummer Pat McGrath, guitarist/vocalist Justin Shekoski (ex-As Hope Dies), and former Open Hand members bassist Zach Kennedy and guitarist/vocalist Beau Burchell. The band's name comes from a Chinese proverb that means "small heart," as in love cautiously. Shortly after the EP's completion, Kennedy exited (going on to join Ashlee Simpson's band) to be replaced by Chris Sorenson, and since McGrath had been enlisted solely to play drums on the album, Saosin weren't solidified until that July with the addition of permanent drummer Alex Rodriguez (also formerly of Open Hand).

I caught up with Beau Burchell via e-mail.

NP: Does the whole creative process get more difficult as time goes on? Have you ever felt pressure to top yourselves?

Beau: It doesn't get more difficult, but yes we always want to top ourselves.

NP: What kind of steps does "In Search of Higher Ground" take in comparison to your past releases? How do you view the leaps of growth Saosin has taken between the "Self-Tilted," release to your upcoming release "In Search of Higher Ground?"

Beau: It's been 3 years since the self titled release.. We have all grown as musicians and as people and I think it shows in the songs.

NP: At this point in your career, how much do you care about reactions? Do you still feel you can break in new people, or are you playing to an established choir of Saosin fans?

Beau: We are always trying to reach more people. It's not our goal to stay stagnant.

NP: Saosin is at the point, and has been at the point, where you affect a lot of people. How do you feel about being labeled as "torch carriers for rock," in the midst of generic and mainstream bands? Do you think Saosin could be a gateway drug for kids into rock music, sort of how Pearl Jam was in the 90s?

Beau: Wow, that's a very kind label to be given. If we could accomplish a fraction of what Pearl Jam has done, I would be content.

NP: What's left at this point? Are there still things left to challenge Saosin?

Beau: Of course, every day is an opportunity for us to accomplish new and great things.

NP: What do you have going on this year?

Beau: We are going to be touring in the states next month, headlining the Pac Sun tour. then we will embark on another world tour.

NP: How has MySpace impacted you as a band, and has downloading music helped or hurt you guys as artists?

Beau: We were at the beginning of Myspace, and it has been a great way to reach lots of people.

NP: Any last words?

Beau: Thanks to everyone who bought the new record and those who continue to support our band.

Hackneyed - Burn After Reaping

2009-09-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

Written By: Dave Brooks
Label: E1 - Rating: 3.5 Guns

Hackneyed, das jüngste unterzeichnete Metallband aus Deutschland, Freigabe " Brand nach Reaping". Gezundheit. Excuse me. I meant to say, Hackneyed, the youngest, signed metal band from Germany, release "Burn After Reaping," a 14-track, 55-minute rumble through sick, twisted groove and blasting, attacking riffage. This album is like listening to a death metal version of “School of Rock.”

Get “Burn” out of your way as the band introduces you to just how heavy they are. Yikes! “Finger on the Trigger” gets right to it and blasts out the madness. Did I hear you say that you like trills? You get'em in spades with this song, “Deatholution”, and “Weed Flavoured Meat.” These three songs on Rockband would give you the first “You Blew Your Wrist Out” accomplishment for sure. Hackneyed seem to have saved their heaviest blows for the mid section of this album.

WARNING: Brutal riff approaching. Get the fuck out of the way of “March of the Worms”. This track has me wanting to throw down on the old, latina ladies that ride my bus to work. Just nasty and wrong.

These young dudes sure can change it up as “Bloodshed” and “Redying” expose you to solos, clean intros and semi-epicness. A couple of stock metal riffs sneak into the next few songs. No big deal. “Home meat Home” ends with a huge, stomping outro. “Putrid”, “Las man on Earth” and “Mental Mastication” all bring so much to the table. Fast? Check. Groove? Check. More trills? Double check. You are wrong to think that you get a “Guantanamo Bay Holiday” as the intro morphs into a grinding, sharp attack of a verse. “After Reaping” is the cool down portion of our death metal workout today. Not losing style while telling you to get lost.

Vocalist Phil, drummer Tim, guitarists......well, the WHOLE band handles their chops with ease. I really am surprised that these guys are all roughly 16 years old. These guys have a huge leg up on other death metal bands, as they sound as tight as any group out there. I highly suggest giving Hackneyed's first full release a few listens. You won't regret it.

Like Hackneyed? Check out: Cannibal Corpse, Decapitated and Immolation

Arch Enemy - Interview with Angela Gossow

2009-09-16T02:39:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Melodic Death Metal turns 13 - Swedish metal band, Arch Enemy has been thrashing audiences for over a decade. Angela Gossow, Arch Enemy's female lead singer, is celebrating the band's 13th anniversary by spilling her guts to Chicks With Guns Magazine.

NP: "The Root of All Evil," is your eighth album to date, along with the band itself being around for 13 years, how does all of this make you feel?

Angela: Old….. It’s pretty cool. When I first started, I didn’t think I’d still be doing this after all of these years. I first started listening to metal music was when I was 14 years old, and I didn’t think I’d still be actively involved with the metal scene. To this day I still enjoy being up on the stage and screaming my head off. I don’t find it boring at all; I find it very “cool.”

NP: When it comes to touring would you ever consider, touring with an all female run, i.e. Arch Enemy, Kittie, Otep, Walls Of Jericho, In This Moment, etc.?

Angela: I think all of those other bands are cool, I’m a fan of Walls Of Jericho, I like that tomboy attitude they tend to push out. But to have all those acts come together, you’d have to get the press informed and see what would happen.

NP: Do you think music will ever come to exist in digital form only?

Angela: It’s just the quality of the movement nowadays, and what the kids are into doing. But, a lot of bands are releasing their albums through vinyl, and I’m tired of collecting CD’s. I do go out and buy them, but to have a shelf filled with over 200 CD’s, and having to move those, it takes a lot of time. I do think it’s still cool that vinyl is back in the mix though.

NP: Would you say that there has been a shift in your approach to songwriting over the past two years? How would you describe the change, if so?

Angela: Each band tends to progress their sound and try not to repeat the same song twice. When you release a brand new product, you come up with new arrangements that end up sounding a lot better than your previous recordings.

NP: What are your plans for the remainder of 2009 into 2010?

Angela: We’re going to be touring in October, going over to Europe, and then over to Australia and New Zealand. When Christmas time arrives, we’ll be at home of course, and then come the New Year, we’re trying to see if we can come to the U.S. and tour out there.

NP: What are your favorite tracks on the new record and what do they mean to you?

Angela: I like all the old recordings we did. Performing those re-recordings in a live setting really puts the perspective on the whole picture.

NP: Are you looking forward to getting back to the UK/US? What are your favorite memories of playing over there and in the U.S.?

Angela: I liked Canada, and the U.S. - very amazing and positive experience. While out In Europe, we’re not sure if they like the show or not, it’s just pure silence, but overall it’s a good show.

NP: Is there any particular setting or festival in the UK that you’d like to play but haven’t yet?

Angela: There are a handful of festivals that we have yet to set foot upon. We hope to play more festivals come next year.

NP: If you could tour with one person or band, still going or broken up, who would you choose to tour with and why?

Angela: We’ve already toured with Slayer and Megadeth, so another option would have to be Judas Priest. I love those guys! I actually got to meet them, and think it would be awesome to play with them.

NP: Any last words?

Angela: Everybody reading this interview right now - you rock, and keep a look out for us, we shall be invading your town and playing some shows for you very soon.

Wrath of Killenstein Featured In Videogame

2009-09-15T23:48:00.000-07:00

Wrath of Killenstein, NY-Based Horror Metal Band With Members of KMFDM & BILE, Music Featured in Brutal Legend Videogame

Wrath of Killenstein, the New York-based horror/metal quartet whose self-titled debut album garnered a four skulls review from Rue Morgue magazine and whose music Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles dubbed as a Halloween “essential,” will have their song “Igniisis Dance” featured in the forthcoming Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts, Oct. 13) video game.

“It is a tremendous honor to have my music included with and featured alongside the greatest heavy metal bands ever,” said Killenstein.

Fronted by the thorn-clad Killenstein, the group also features well-known industrial drummer John “Servo” Desalvo (KMFDM, Bile) and guitar player Joe Coffey.

Wrath of Killenstein is currently completing work on a new album titled St. 7000, which is slated for a Spring 2010 release as well as putting the finishing touches on a series of Killenstein graphic novels. The band embarks on an East Coast tour in October.

Kittie – In the Black

2009-09-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Label: E1 - Rating: 3.5 Guns

"Kingdom Come,"thy will be done is exactly what the new Kittie album "In the Black," is about. The fifth installment released by the all female-fronted metal group, and the first after signing with E1 Music. "In The Black" features brand new bassist, Ivy Vujic. “In the Black,” goes directly back to Kittie's their older roots, harkening the days of “Until the End,” (2004) and debut release “Spit,” (1999).

“Look So Pretty,” sounds superbly like “My Plague,” and “Cut Throat,” sounds just like “Charlotte.” As far as the rest of the album goes, Morgan’s skills have improved, showcasing her guitar and vocal abilities even greater than their previous works. "In The Black" highlights Morgan's singing over her "growling" on past efforts.

The instruments get faster and heavier through each song, adding a climactic energy to the album. “Sorrow I Know,” and “Falling Down,” are the albums only 'slow' songs, all the rest maintain that heavy, but fast rate that doesn't let up. Kittie has proven themselves worthy musicians this time around going back to where it all began sounding a lot more pumped let alone determined to create an album worth listening too.

Iron Age - The Sleeping Eye

2009-09-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

Label: Tee Pee
Rating: 3 Guns

Buy On:

Written By: Dashiell Arkenstone

The Iron Age was a period where mortals desperately sought the knowledge and worth of the riddle of steel. Through God favor, thievery and honor, they roamed the lands of a prehistoric existence, hoping to solve the riddle and find salvation in its significance. If this album had been available for the dogs and curs of old, the search for the value of this riddle may not of been such an undertaking.

Hailing from the depths of a no doubt destitute quarter of Austin, this thrash quintet channels bellies full of Lone Star into a breed of aggression only found in the sun burnt south. Raw and crude riffage ushers a fierce blend of pure heavy-metal and d-beat fury with occasional fits of sludge on their sophomore release, The Sleeping Eye.

Undemanding in essence, "The Sleeping Eye" offers nothing new to metal, but contributes a powerful and hostile force all the same. "Dispossessed" and "Burden of Empire" are tracks that, while rudimentary in composition, thrive with adept execution; and inflectional, patterned vocals that retain the same brutal honesty throughout the album.

Eye flourishes with atmospheric interludes and borderline concept in its 44 minutes, and binary guitar work pairs for solos lacking no candor, and ventures beyond a utilitarian role. With a solid skinsman holding down the rhythm for the merciless bombardment, Iron Age evokes a feverish and rabid disposition to accompany any wanderer on his inexhaustible passage through the wastes.

The album reaches its finale at "The Way is Narrow" with an intro that of the likes of a great stoner-epic, and slowly disassembles itself as it falls into a droning chime before a triumphant return at minute 10, for one last reminder of the genuine power that these Texans bear.

By Mitra, "The Sleeping Eye" has carved its place in the halls of fallen heroes, and will remain a symbol of honor for all eternity.

Like IRON AGE? Check out: (New) High on Fire, Municipal Waste

Buckcherry’s Founding Duo Discuses The Many Ways of Kiss

2009-09-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Buckcherry is one of those modern everyday hard rock acts that just never seems to fade away or get old, as other bands tend to do from time to time. As far as Buckcherry goes, this is an act worthy of a cause, and that cause is to create music. Together since '95, and with 4 albums under their belts, Buckcherry, was a op contender to go out on tour with Kiss back in '99. Now the time has come to reunite these mighty warriors with the almighty legends of rock n' roll once again.

Lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson held a teleconference for a small handful of journalists. We had the chance to talk to them about why Kiss means so much to them.

NP: When you tour with Kiss do you plan on coming out to jam with the guys?

Keith: If I' am asked I will definitely come out, rocking out with the platform shoes for sure! I’m not afraid.

NP: What can the kids expect, when you play with Kiss?

Keith: Nothing like we’ve had a conversation about, I don't really see Kiss as being one of those bands you see yourself getting on stage with, and still feel at home. I don’t know. Have you heard anything Josh?

Josh: No, we did a full tour with them on our first record - 24 shows in Europe - I think it would really take away from the show, with the make-up and crazy production; it’s a really great rock show and I don’t think they’re a “jamming” type of band.

NP: Why tour with Kiss?

Josh: The reason we’re touring with Kiss is because we really wanted to be involved with the 35 years existence that rock n' roll music has established to this day and time. That’s impressive for anybody, to accomplish, and they’ve broken a lot of rules, and we love it. We’re a rock n roll band and from what I understand is this is a true rock n' roll show, this is going to ride out into many years to come and Kiss is one of those bands that always puts on an incredible show hands down.

NP: Why now, did you decide to put out this live album?

Keith: Honestly, this is the first time that we’ve actually had the opportunity to do it the way we had wanted to. Luckily, we’re back with Eleven Seven Music, and there is no reason not to do it.

NP: Is the song "Crazy Bitch" based on an actual experience?

Josh: Yeah I came up with the chorus for "Crazy Bitch" while driving around L.A., and it was right around the time the Paris Hilton sex tapes had came out. I thought it was funny how someone had launched their career by a homemade porno, and then I started thinking about all the crazy girls I had came encountered with.

When I was a young man (18-25) I could never attract girls who weren't always insane, great in bed and sucked when it came to playing the girlfriend role. So, I came up with this chorus and called Keith, talking to him about how I had wanted it to lie out, so that was simple and easy to figure out. I wanted it to sound like a rap song, but more of a rock song vibe. That's basically how it was born. It became a phenomenal and we definitely needed it at the time.

NP: How did you choice what songs would go on the album besides the obvious choices?

Keith: We wanted to have an actual reputation of what a night in the life of Buckcherry is about. So, we recorded 6 shows during the spring, while out in Canada touring. We listened back to what we had and took it from there.

NP: Do you have a time table as far as when we’ll be hearing new material from you guys?

Keith: We actually do have a time table. We have some great ideas that we got kicking around and are excited about, but our main focus is on the upcoming tour. For sure you’ll be seeing some new material come next year.

NP: What can you tell us about the song “Highway Star” which is on the enhanced version of “Black Butterfly”?

Josh: It was a song we had done for NASCAR, and it became their "theme of the year" on top of that. We don’t normally do cover songs. It's a Deep Purple cover, so we cut the song up a bit and put our own touch on it, and it now sounds more like a Buckcherry song. We wanted to re-release our album so that everyone who got the album could experience the song, plus it sounds so much better blending it with all the other songs.

NP: How much has the band matured since the first time you toured with Kiss?

Keith: Not only have we matured, we had 3 different members at the time when we first went out on tour with Kiss back in 99. I think when we first toured with them, we finished our first record, which wasn’t even released yet, and to now be 4-records-deep in our career - all of our fans can play with us. Now we’re 700/800 shows better than the last time we played with them. *Laughs*

NP: Do think there is a lot of pressure on you now, that you’ve matured?

Josh: There is definitely more confidence, don’t think there is much pressure, I think it’s more excitement to join forces with them once again, and its going to be a monstrous rock show.

NP: Is there going to be a DVD shot at one of the shows on this upcoming tour?

Keith: I don’t know, I didn’t hear that rumor.

NP: Why should people pick up your live album?

Josh: We have a great reputation for putting on a live show, and we worked really hard on this record. We had done a week long series of shows, 6 in total, and we wanted to capture that live experience.

NP: How was it to work with Escape the Fate on their latest album, would you ever go on tour with those guys?

Josh: We actually did a show with them in the summer. I don’t know if our styles of rock would cut it - but those guys were really fantastic to work with, I had a great time, and we had a lot of fun. I’m sure we’ll do it again at some point. Those guys got a real good fanbase now, and I’m so happy they stuck it out and got a new singer and moved on from what they were dealing with.

NP: Any tour anxieties?

Keith: No. None whatsoever.

NP: When you were growing up, was Kiss one of those bands you just heard of, or were they a major influence to you guys as a whole?

Josh: I liked how they wrote their songs, very simple not too much clutter within their music, as far as instruments go, it was just straight up, raw rock n' roll. That’s pretty much how we were with our music. It’s not just music, it’s an art form as well, and they did a really great job with the whole imaginary, which no one had ever done, it was incredible.

NP: Do you think Kiss deserves the Hall Of Fame?

Keith: They have outlasted everybody, taking the commercial parts of rock n' roll to a level that no one can even come close to fulfilling.

NP: You had taken out one of the tracks and replaced it with “Highway Star.” Why?

Keith: It wasn’t as much pulling out, as much as putting in. *Laughs* I don’t like records that are too long, so thought it was the right move to make.

Josh: As far as the way it rolls out within the line-up, the way “Highway Star” plays, it makes it all blend in together.

NP: How would you explain the success that “Black Butterfly” has gotten over your previous tracks?

Keith: I think there was really 10 long years of hard work put into it all, and touring non-stop. We’re one of those bands that will be in your town sooner or later (and 100 shows later). There really isn’t anyone else in the market place that know how to do it as well as we do.

NP: How would you describe the “marriage” you have with one another?

Keith: When we get together, it just works. There are things that we can’t do, but when it comes to music, we can get it done. That’s what leads us to being such a great band, getting better and better. At times we just look at one another and instantly know what we want to accomplish when making music.

NP: If you could choose a member of Kiss’s make-up to wear, who would you pick and why?

Keith: I think we’d all be fighting for Paul. *laughs*

Josh: I’d definitely want to be the demon child.

NP: Do you have any other projects you’re currently working on?

Keith: We got something in store. Its’ definitely going to be a departure of what we’re doing.

Josh: Definitely music.

NP: How do you feel about Kiss not touring with their original line-up?

Keith: Well, you’re speaking to 2 guys that know how hard keeping a band together is. I absolutely respect everything that Kiss stands for. You never know what happens behind closed doors. As far as what we say about it, I’m glad that they’re keeping Kiss alive and well.

Josh: It’s going to be a tight and powerful machine when it comes to Kiss.

NP: What's it like touring with all these "legendary" artists i.e. Motley Crue, Kiss, who's next on the list?

Keith: Just the sound of chicks with guns, does things for me! We’ve already done some shows with Aerosmith, AC/DC, so we’ve hit the Holy Gail of famous rockers. Who’s left? The Stones, Metallica, whose left, Josh?

Josh: I’d like to tour with Slipknot, but don’t think we’re heavy enough, and I’d like to tour with Prince.

NP: If you had a chance to be featured on a cartoon show, i.e. "South Park," "The Simpsons," or "Family Guy," which would it be and why?

Josh: I think "Family Guy" aims towards Buckcherry’s style. I’m not sure how we would fit within the episode, but it would be fun to watch.

NP: Any last words?

Keith: Thank you.

Josh: Thank you.

Every Time I Die Interview with Keith Buckley

2009-09-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Eleven years strong and five albums to date, Every Time I Die has done it all; from music-making to performing, all over the world. Their frontman, Keith Buckley, caught up with me through via email – telling me about what’s in store for the band as far as touring goes along with details about the band’s upcoming release “New Junk Aesthetic."

NP: Does the whole album creation process simply get more difficult as time goes on? Have you guys ever felt pressure to top yourselves?

Keith: It has gotten way easier over the years. I think as an artist, you always wanna top yourself, you always wanna create better art. That’s how I’ve always thought, I’ve never really thought about toping myself, it’s just happens.

NP: That being said, was there an intention to create an album which was a reaction to "The Big Dirty?"

Keith: Nah, we just really wanted to keep the gnarliness up and running. I think that record set a bar for us and kinda made us who we always wanted to be.

NP: It's funny how we're talking about all the tools we have at our disposal now, when bands in the 70s would've thought it ludicrous for an album to not sound like actual people were making the noises!

Keith: Ha! I think the sounds they were making in the 70's blew doors on all the noises people make nowadays. I guess it’s a double-edged sword. I’m sure Pete Townsend is at home wishing he got the sounds Attack! Attack! are making.

NP: What kind of steps does "New Junk Aesthetic" take in comparison? How do you view the leaps of growth Every Time I Die took between your first records up until your new record?

Keith: I think we just grew as better musicians. I know what Jordan is thinking, and I know what Keith and Josh are thinking. So it’s just gotten easier to make music now.

NP: At this point in your career how much do you care about reactions? Do you still feel you can break in new people, or are you playing to an established choir of Every Time I Die fans?

Keith: I would love to have an army of loyal fans kinda like the "Kiss Army." I don't give a fuck about the whole "I’m up on my pedestal, worship me!" type-of-mentality. I want what the warriors had - I want loyal dudes to follow me to hell.

NP: Every Time I Die is at the point, and has been at the point, where you affect a lot of people, and the chance lives with the new release your music brings. How do you feel about being labeled as torch carriers for heavy metal in the somewhat mainstream zone? Do you think Every Time I Die could be a gateway drug for kids into heavy metal, sort of how Pantera was in the 90s?

Keith: I hope not! I hate metal nowadays. Too much ego, and everyone is just a fucking comic book character. I’d like to be a gateway to good music, or someone who always pushes the envelope, so then those kids can make up their minds from then on.

NP: What's left at this point? Are there still things left to challenge Every Time I Die?

Keith: Just to keep making music together for years to come. We’ve hit 10 years, we've toured the world, and we’ve played with Black Sabbath and Slayer. I’d like to be in a movie or something like that. That would be kinda cool.

NP: So what do you have going on this year?

Keith: Well, "New Junk Aesthetic" comes out on Sept. 15th, we leave for tour on Sept. 8th with Brings Me The Horizon, Architects and Oh Sleeper, then we plan to do the international Taste of Chaos Tour with Killswitch Engage and In Flames. It’s been a really good year, plus I’m totally stoked for Christmas time this year as well.

NP: What are the biggest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?

Keith: Oh man, we've played in front of 12 people in North Carolina with Killswitch Engage in 2000, and then we've played in front of like 10,000 to 12,000 on Warped Tour and some European festivals. Either way, it’s cool. We just wanna riff and make ear drums bleed.

NP: Any last words?

Keith: If you're gonna be a bear, be a grizzly. Also, its 2009, pubes are in; grow a tuft and make that shit look like a wet rat. Peace.

The Casualties Interview: New York City Hardcore Gets Its L.A. Fix

2009-09-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

I caught up with The Casualties on their latest touring-run. Their eighth stop... Los Angeles. The band's new album "We Are All We Have," has just been released on Side One Dummy Records, and it's easily their most aggressive album to date. Prior to their sold out show, their bassist Rick Lopez spoke to me over the phone about the new CD, and their upcoming tours.

NP: How, when, and why did you form?

Rick: For the love of punk rock music, because there wasn’t any at the time. It was all for the music; we formed in the 90s and have been playing strong ever since.

NP: How does it feel to play back in the U.S. and how is the current tour going?

Rick: The current tour is going great! We just released the new record, and this tour is to support that record. We’re out on the West Coast right now, and we’re about to play L.A. tonight – one of our favorite cities to play.

We’ve been having huge turn outs, having kids who are into the punk scene and punk music come out, having lots of energy. After this tour, we’re going be heading out to Japan next month and then South American in December, pretty much hitting the road non-stop.

NP: "We Are All We Have," came out this past Tuesday have you gotten all the partying out of the way?

Rick: Well, the partying is part of the tour, and it’s something we do - it’s why it’s there. We don’t want to get up on stage and look like retarded drunks. We want to make sure we play good, go out and have fun and have a couple laughs when people come to a show. We want to make sure that all of our attention is focused not only on us, but the audience as well. We don’t want to suck on stage, so when we drink and party, we save it for afterward, because when we do play we want to make sure we don’t totally suck!

NP: What are a majority of your songs about? Is there an underlying theme?

Rick: We don’t have an agenda on what we write about we just write about what’s currently going on around us and the world. What we’ve seen or heard about. Sometimes we have political themes to our music, like our previous albums, but this one not as much. Basically, whatever is the most importance to us is what we like to discuss musically.

NP: What are your immediate music career goals?

Rick: Just make the best records we can make, and do a lot of touring, and make sure people like our music and have a good time. Doing what we like to do as long as we can. Making sure the music we make is what we want to do. Not writing songs on topics that aren’t our thing, what’s important to us and what we like doing.

NP: What can you say about your secret show on September 27 out at the Cobalt Cafe?
Rick: Oh yes, we’re doing a secret show in L.A. before we head out to Japan the following day.

NP: What is one of the toughest interview questions you've been asked?

Rick: “What does punk mean to you?” I just hate answering that. It’s not something that you can really describe and what it means to you. I know the answer, I just can’t put it into words. I sit down and think about it, but just don’t know what it really means. It’s one of those questions you just can’t answer.

NP: Out of all the shows you have played, on this tour - is there one that stands out as a favorite?

Rick: L.A. is one of our favorite places to play – the Key Club is a smaller venue to play and normally always packed, which is good, so I’m really looking forward to playing it.

NP: Who are some of your favorite bands you've shared the stage with? Can you name some of the bigger bands that you've played with if any?

Rick: Yeah, one of the bigger bands we’ve played with was Bad Religion; really cool guys, and we pretty much followed them growing up, so having the chance to talk to them about music was awesome. Circle Jerks, a favorite of mine, was another really cool experience for me. To be able to hang out and talk with those guys about music was great. As of right now, we’re touring with a band called the Krum Bums they’re an up-and-coming band from Austin, Texas, and those guys are great.

NP: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Were you able to overcome it?
Rick: I really think the biggest challenge is all the people within the world talking down on us and talking crap. Saying things such as “You guys can’t play music” this and that situations, you then worry about what other people will say either online or in person. So you wonder how many of those people will be talking crap. It’s a real challenge from all angles.

NP: What advice do you have for fans who want to start their own bands?
Rick: It’s a lot of hard work and you should definitely do it, no matter how hard you try, don’t listen to what other people say - do what you want to do. Screw what everybody else has to say just go out and play and do what you love to do.

NP: What should people know about you? What sets you apart?
Rick: I think what sets us apart is that we’re hardcore and more louder, and that’s what I like! We have our own uniqueness, and I’m like that as a person, and all of us in this band are too. We do what we really feel we should do. When you see us playing, we’re not doing this for a paycheck, we’re doing this because it’s what we love to do, and that's what sets us totally apart from everyone else.

NP: Thanks for doing the interview, anything you'd like to add?
Rick: Our new record is out now and we’re touring on it, so come check out a show pick up a record and come check out The Casualties.

Chimaira - Interview With Matt DeVries (Guitar)

2009-08-31T03:32:00.000-07:00

Interview By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Based out of Cleveland, Ohio these metalcore, thrash-addicts have taken the metal genre to a whole new level after unleashing "The Infection." Matt spoke to me briefly on the band's tour bus outside their last stop in California before heading out East to finish up the remainder of what is left is The Decimation of the Nation Tour.

NP: So you must get a lot of freedom to do what you want to do with your music?

Matt: What's cool about this record is having us (the band) as a whole grow up. Also being able to combine our certain favorites together to create a style all our own.

NP: What are you currently listening to?

Matt: We kind of go back on what we grew up with. I've been listening to Pantera lately.

NP: If every member of Chimaira was locked in a room together what could you all agree on to listen to?

Matt: What's cool is that a lot of us have the same musical backgrounds, like Pantera, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth - any of the old school heavy metal acts we can all relate too.

NP: Are you looking forward to any specific venues or cities on this tour?

Matt: There's some. I'm trying to think... All the California dates! I love coming out here to the West Coast, but I also like going out to Austin.

NP: Any tour anxieties?

Matt: Not really anymore, everything is pretty much going well.

NP: Is everyone in Chimaira still sort of located in Ohio? Or have some members branched out and moved away?

Matt: Everyone is in Cleveland. Chris moved down to Florida, stayed out there for 2 years, then moved back. So having everyone around makes the music process a lot easier.

NP: Does that make it difficult when the time comes to practice or write? Is the writing done separately and then sort of pieced together, or is it more of as group effort?

Matt: We write on our own at first, then come together. Then we get together and piece it altogether.

NP: How do you feel like "The Infection," is different than the other albums that Chimaira has released?

Matt: It's definitely different than anything else we've released.

NP: How does it make you guys feel to hear so many other bands trying to sort of mimic your sound? Is it flattering or?

Matt: I think it's flattering for sure! It's not like someone is trying to rip us off, but I think it's cool overall.

NP: Of all of Chimaira's albums, what is your personal favorite? Or is that like asking you to try to choose a favorite child?

Matt: I'd have to say this one because it's fresh and new.

NP: Any last words of wisdom?

Matt: Thanks for all the support.

Toxic Holocaust - Interview With Joel Grind (vocals/guitar)

2009-08-29T03:19:00.000-07:00

Interview By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

What do you get when you combine toxic waste with a nuclear holocaust? Give up? Toxic Holocaust! These punk-infused thrash rockers out of Portland, Oregon have been kicking it old school since the 1980s. Their musical influences include: Discharge, Hellhammer, Bathory, Venom and Possessed, just to name a few. Joel Grind founded Toxic Holocaust in 1999, writing and recording everything in his bedroom.

After a couple of demo releases (Radiation Sickness, 1999; Critical Mass, 2002), an official LP was released entitled "Evil Never Dies (2003). Two years went by, and after constant touring, hiring backup back after backup, Grind had gone off to release his second attempt "Hell On Earth" (2005) - another round of touring followed. Soon after Relapse Records contacted Grind, everything fell into place, bringing forth "An Overdose of Death," (2008) and thus the birth Grind like's to call "Nuclear Speed Metal" was born. Joel Grind spoke to me briefly while the band was on their last California date before heading out East to finish off The Decimation of the Nation Tour.

NP: Tell us about Toxic Holocaust... a little history... a little about the band members.

Joel: Toxic Holocaust started in 99. I started the group in high school with a couple friends. We did a demo tape, but it didn't really work out. They (people) weren't into the punk/thrash music style, so I started recording my own stuff in my bedroom for a couple of years which lead to "Critical Mass." Then this record label out of California called Nuclear War Now took interest and released it via vinyl. So from doing that, it lead to underground tours, gigs etc.

But then I would have to travel, and needed to get a backup band; heading out to Austria - need a backup band - going to Brazil... backup band; so a solid line-up wasn't set yet. I did one more demo - I believe in 2007 - and sent that off to some labels. Relapse gave the best response. Since then, we replaced our old drummer and have this new guy, along with our bassist, and everything has been working out great ever since.

NP: If you had to describe your sound to someone what would you tell them?

Joel: I would say thrash-punk ,basically combining different styles of music; similar to or sounding a lot like Hellhammer.

NP: Your debut "An Overdose of Death..." is out. Tell us about it.

Joel: Well... it's not really our debut album, but it's our third record that's actually received the most disruption. It has new songs that I'd like to call "Nuclear Speed Metal." I don't know really but I like how the recording came together and how raw and intense it is overall.

NP: Pick one song on the "An Overdose of Death...," and tell us about it. How was it inspired?

Joel: I'd have to pick "Nuke The Cross." A lot of people hear the title and atomically think it's a Satanic theme song. It's actually more about ending religion, than the title claims it to be, when you look at the lyrics. I'm not a big fan of a religion, or a Satanist, I just like doing my own thing and believe what I believe in.

NP: Do you have any plans for the next release?

Joel: Yeah, got a bunch of new songs ready to record, so everyone should be seeing that very soon.

NP: You guys have been constantly touring, what is one of the most memorable places you've been too?

Joel: Most memorable place would have to be in Japan. It's so different than any other place we've been too. It's a completely different culture than anywhere else.

NP: What are your upcoming plans for the rest of 2009?

Joel: We got a tour with Satyricon happening, and then another with The Black Dahlia Murder coming up along with heading to Europe in December so basically lots more touring going on.

NP: What are your goals for Toxic Holocaust?

Joel: Just get on the road and release more records. I don't really have any goals; just meet more fans and make new friends and get our music heard while out on the road.

NP: What's one good thing and one bad thing about being in a band?

Joel: The good thing is all the girls we meet, and the interviews we do. The bad thing is not making any money... but I do enjoy doing what I do.

NP: Anything else you'd like to add?

Joel: Hopefully you'll see us on the road. We'll be coming to your tour so come check us out!

Interview with Sean Beasley (Bassist) of Dying Fetus

2009-08-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

Interview By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

One of the most brutalizing and intense acts within the death metal pool is Dying Fetus. These three musicians combine death metal with a combo of grind and hardcore to establish a mixture of metal unlike any other out right now. Bassist Sean Beasley spoke to me outside the Glass House in Pomona while the band was out on the last stop in California on The Decimation of the Nation Tour.

NP: Does the whole album creating process simply get more difficult as time goes on? Have you ever felt pressure to top yourselves?

Sean: You always feel pressure to top yourself. Definitely the song-writing process gets easier but the whole process does get harder as each album comes around.

NP: That being said was there an intention to create an album which was a reaction to "War of Attrition?"

Sean: Not really it was what it was and the same goes for this one coming out.

NP: How is the current tour going, getting along with everyone?

Sean: Yeah it's going great so far. We've been playing a lot of smaller places, so it's a lot different than our usual standards.

NP: What kind of steps does "Descend Into Depravity," takes in comparison? How do you view the leaps of growth Dying Fetus took between "Purification Through Violence," to "War of Attrition," from "Killing on Adrenaline," and from that to "Descend Into Depravity?"

Sean: I'm not an original member of the band, so as far as that goes, this band has gone through some line-up changes. That makes a difference here and there. Music-wise, it's gotten a lot more intense in expressing what Dying Fetus Is truly capable of doing.

NP: What's left at this point? Are there still things left to challenge Dying Fetus?

Sean: Yeah! Getting back on the bus and going out and tour.

NP: What do you have going on this year?

Sean: After this tour is over, our next release comes out in September. Then we're going off to play with Cannibal Corpse. In the meantime, we're waiting for the release of our two new music videos to come out; which should be anytime now.

NP: What are the biggest and smallest crowds you've played in front of?

Sean: The biggest crowd was probably at Wacken 2002 - about 40,000 or so and the smallest was 11. *Laughs* It was just the other band mates and their girlfriends standing and watching us perform.

NP: Any last words?
Sean: Any last words... check out the new album once it's released.

Hatebreed - Decimation of the Nation Tour

2009-08-27T02:19:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

When it comes to any type of tour, during any time of year, there's only one thing to do... "Lose Your Mind!"

This is exactly what the 900 people in a sea of black t-shirts, scattered about the Pomona Glasshouse did on August 18th. Ironically, Britney Spears' “Toxic” filled the air, as the stage lights flickered on/off a blood shade of red. Utter silence cluttered the air as each member of Toxic Holocaust walked on stage.

Lasting for a mere 20 minutes, the band pummeled through “Nuke The Cross, Wild Dogs and Endless Armageddon,” thrashing and bashing was all that could be seen.

Toxic Holocaust Set List:
1. Wild Dogs 
2. Gravelord
 3. War is Hell
 4. 666
 5. Nuke the Cross
.................................................................................

Next up was a different type of thrashing; one consisting of pure death metal aggression by none other than Dying Fetus, another 3-piece combo that puts brutality to the test.

The room erupted in chaos as guitarist John Gallagher enraged the crowd with his signature growling and shouting. Nothing but madness came out of the 30 minute set.

Dying Fetus Set List:
1. Homicidal Retribution 
2. Your Treachery Will Die With You (New Song) 
3. Justifiable Homicide 
4. Pissing in the Mainstreem 
5. Grotesque Impalement 
6. Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)
........................................................................

You shall soon believe the brutalizing fate, when it comes to Los Angeles locals, Winds Of Plague, who kept the enraged crowd moshing.

Fans did just that, jumping onto one another shouting along with the lyrics and rocking out to the beat of the music. The musicians themselves were going right along with it. When it was all said and done, several band members, including the band's keyboardist, jumped in on all the fun.

One of the band members jumped onto the crowd, holding his microphone, as the fans held him high in the air. What could be better than to have unknown strangers standing on top of you screaming their heart out? It’s called "weird, but entertaining fun!"

Winds Of Plague Set List:
1. Decimate the Weak
2. Origins and Endings
3. New Song 1
4. Angels of Debauchery
5. New Song 2
6. The Impaler
..............................................................................

But the weirdness not to mention fun didn’t end there. The night raged on, wrapping up with the two headliners Chimaira and Hatebreed.After taking their sweet time, Chimaria came on to show the crowd why they were worth the wait; they had wanted the audience to bear witness to their mayhem - mayhem that kept exploding into the night. Chimaira set the stage with such memorable tunes as “Resurrection, “ and “I Hate Everyone.”

Chimaira Set List:
1. The Venom Inside
2. Ressurection
3. Secrets of the Dead
4. The Dehumanizing Process
5. Destroy And Dominate
6. Pure Hatred

............................................................................................

As the night was drawing to a close, Hatebreed took the stage, met with a warm welcoming fit for kings of Hardcore. Playing for an hour, Hatebreed threw together a set list containing their oldest and latest material, that would last late into the night. The crowd roared as Jasta shouted “This doesn’t even feel like a week day, it feels like the fucking weekend!!!” Adding, “You 900 people make it feels like 9,000 people.” Jasta had said a handful of catchy remarks that left the audience begging for more. Clearing out the night with some cover tunes taken off their all covers album “For The Lions.”

Hatebreed Set List:
1. To the Threshold
2. Live For This
3. I Will Be Heard
4. Doomsayer
5. This Is Now
6. Proven
7. Perseverance
8. You're Never Alone
9. Defeatist
10. Destroy Everything
11. Last Breath
12. Before Dishonor
13. Ghosts Of War
14. Thristy and Miserable

Our Idols Are Dead: The Interview

2009-08-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Mana, the front man and vocalist for Idols Are Dead, is indeed dead serious about gaining some fan exposure and building up a steady fan base. Mana spoke to me about the band and what the future may hold for Idols Are Dead.

NP: What's the name of your band? What's the origin of that name? Have you changed the band's name before?

Mana: The name of the Band is "Idols Are Dead." I personally came up with that idea. For me it is like a statement that means that nowadays the real Idols are not existing anymore. I see too much overnight sensations, and I don't think that for a teenager of these days, the Singer of Tokyo Hotel represents what James Hetfield was for me 15 years ago, you know, and no this was the first and only name we've ever had.

NP: Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member.

Mana: Ok, here we go:

Mana - Vocals, 34
Maxx C. - Bass, 35
Luka - Drums, 35
Ico - Guitars, 31
Alley-X - Guitars, 30

Sorry, we're too old for school we all have daily (shitty) jobs!

NP: What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?

Mana: We like to define ourselves as 'Thrash & Roll!' We have main influences coming from both Thrash Metal Bands like Metallica, Testament and Slayer and from Hard/Sleazy rock a la Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses, just to name a few. Many reviewers have agreed with that definition!

NP: How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?

Mana: It's really a long long time we all know each other in the Band. Most of all myself, Maxx, and Luka. We have had 2 other Bands together in the past years called Electrocution (in the 90s) and Folder (2002-2006). Ico and Alley came in the picture few years later even if we already knew the Bands they had in the past years when we were in Folder. We have meet in the rock clubs of our hometown Bologna (North Italy).

NP: When did you form your band? What inspired you to make music together?

Mana: We have formed in August 2006. The idea to form this Band came from me and Luka. We were pretty bored of the Bands we had at that time and decided to create a new Band together doing some heavier stuff than our previous Acts (we played nu-metal in 2006). I personally contacted the other guys and they all agreed to join this new breed!

NP: Do you have a record label? Are you a member of any music organizations?
Mana: Yes we have. It is with indie metal label Scarlet Records. It is distributed in the entire World. Within the U.S. on thru the Caroline Distribution. Yes we are member of Italian "Siae" for publishing, etc.

NP: What can you tell me about your instruments? (i.e., are you subject to brand loyalty or will you play with whatever's available? What made you choose the instruments you have now? Was it cost or was it a style/model/brand/color preference?

Mana: I can list you our gears, ok? I got a Shure SM 58 as mic., Alley and Ico have an endorsement deal with Schecter guitars (the same of Avenged Sevenfold) and Maxx plays a Warwick Bass. Luka plays Premier Drums and has a deal for cymbals with Italian brand Ufip.

NP: Where have you performed? What are your favorite and least favorite venues? Do you have any upcoming shows?

Mana: We have performed pretty much everywhere here in our country and we will tour the U.S. in March/April 2010. The best venues we have here in Italy where we have also performed are a couple of rock clubs in Milan called Zoe and Rolling Stone. We honestly have no least favorite, we're happy and honored to perform everywhere we have the chance, even if the club is very small and stinky (laughs). Yes we will perform this fall in few more clubs before our U.S. journey!

NP: Which songs do you perform most frequently? Do you ever play any covers? Do you have a set play list?

Mana: We just have an Album out, and it consists of only 9 tracks so we're "forced" to play the whole record every time. When we got a longer set, we add few covers like Pantera's "5 minutes alone" and Motley Crue's "kickstart my heart." It's pretty funny when it happens!

NP: Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs? Do you think these topics will change over time?

Mana: We write songs all together. It often happens that it will all start from a guitar riff, but it will be the 5 of us together that work on the song to finish it. I do write the lyrics after the song is finished. The topics are pretty personal even if we also have politically-oriented lyrics where I scream all my rage against Italian politics. Yes I think they can change over time; it will surely depends on my mood.

NP: Could you briefly describe the music-making process?

Mana: As I already told you, it all starts from a guitar riff and we build the song all together adding various ideas to complete the final structure. I immediately start to think about melodic lines with no real words first. When I'm sure of the lines I add the real and complete lyrics on the finished song!

NP: What are your rehearsals generally like? Do you have a set time each week in which you practice or are rehearsals more spontaneous?

Mana: You have to consider we have our own rehearsal room so we don't have a set time, we go when we want! It is all pretty spontaneous I have to say! One day we like to rehearse in particular is Sunday.

NP: How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

Mana: We have just an album out and the song writing of it was very spontaneous. We've now started to write the new record and it seems heavier in the verses and more melodic in the choruses. I'm pretty excited to see what we will be able to create with this second effort!

NP: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?

Mana: The biggest challenge is probably to breakthrough in the U.S., you know, and no for now we haven't overcome to that challenge because we know it's soooo difficult! Although, I have to say that we started this Band as a joke, and after 3 years we have an Album released worldwide and we've already shared the stage with Bands like Iron Maiden, Slayer, Stone Sour, Faith No More, Limp Bizkit, Death Angel, Lacuna Coil and more - I can see the glass half full!

NP: What's your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?

Mana: I can simply answer saying we wanna have fun! If fame will come, it will be welcome and if not we will have no problems neither. We wanna go on doing our 150% and see what happens!

NP: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?

Mana: I'd tell them to believe in their music and to be professional as much as they can! I think it's too important nowadays to have a well produced album first. After that it's also important to have a good image and naturally the most important advice is to perform everywhere is possible!!!!

NP: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?

Mana: Log on our MySpace profile! www.myspace.com/idolsrdead. You can see everything about us! And yes we have samples of 4 songs - hope kids will go to check this out! And hey! If you like the songs go purchase the album.

NP: Is there anyone you'd like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?

Mana: The most important support would be the one coming from kids! If they're fans of some bands they have to BUY their records! The illegal download is killing music and the young bands will pay the price of this damage! Please, save your money and buy original music!

NP: Any last words?

Mana: I like this one! (laughs) Thanks a lot for this chance and hope to see you when we tour the U.S. next spring!

Idols Are Dead! Or Just Straight Out Mean?

2009-08-26T12:29:00.000-07:00

Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Italy's Idols Are Dead are the proper arrangement of heavy metal infused with thrash inspiration and everything in between. What is this band trying to prove? That they’re “Mean”!

You heard right, “Mean,” wasting no time Idols Are Dead grabbed a hold of Gabriele Ravaglia of Fear Studios, one of Italy’s finest, to perfect the band’s unique and creative style and detect the proper sound barrier to call their own masterpiece. Keeping up the pace the band went off to win an award at the Heineken Jammin Festival Contest (2007) along with getting to share the stage with legendary acts such as Slayer, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour, plus many more.

Shortly afterwards Idols Are Dead signed a deal with Scarlet Records in December (2007) just 16 months after forming. Thus “Mean” was born and so was 9-tracks of pure heavy metal entertainment. Clashing together the old school thrash vibrations blended in with heavy metal inspirations, Idols Are Dead have crafted together a well rounded piece of art. Each tune is catchy and upbeat easily drawing in the listener with its captivating lyrics. Decrypting about the usual heavy metal formula i.e. sex, drugs, music and then some.

Some classy tunes worth mentioning include “Let’s Do It!” “Dance With The Devil,” “Pain For Sale,” and “The Name of My Rage.” Each one detailing the instrumental craftsmanship quite easily, for instance with “Dance With The Devil,” this jamming tune takes you from rockin to stunned. The fast racing guitar riffs with grind chillin solos filling in the empty pieces the other instruments forgot to max out. Whereas “Pain For Sale,” delivers the music in a whole another fashion – letting the vocal chords to do most of the dirty work shouting and echoing the chorus lines as the lyrics seem to bounce about.

Overall Idols Are Dead extends itself to sounding mean at first glance, but in the long run it’s just your ordinary guys just doing what they do best. Which is what? Create and let’s not forget of course – playing music!

BURNING HUMAN - Resurrection Through Fire

2009-08-26T02:04:00.001-07:00

Label: Koch
Rating: 2 Guns

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Written By: Dashiell Arkenstone

Any time that this band is mentioned, “featuring Jason Bittner of Shadows Fall” is sure to follow. Unnecessary. If anything, Jason Bittner should be known for this band!

Burning Human’s debut full length “Resurrection Through Fire” provides crushing, honest death metal that could’ve easily come from Florida. With a definite old-school approach, they keep it simple and on point with rudimentary riffage, leaving plenty of room for Bittner to utilize his many hi-hats and maintain a pretty constant double bass. This is very apparent, as the drums are way louder than everything else, with the vocals to follow, in true metal-core form.

Looking past the East-Coast chugga-chugga that the album gets lost in at times, it’s quite reminiscent of the early releases of Death, Morbid Angel and Deicide. Not bad, but with the involvement of James Murphy as producer, whose contribution to American death metal can be traced back to the late 80’s, one would expect an album worthy of the likes of such death metal giants. Murphy is well known in the death metal community for his guitar work on albums such as Death’s Spiritual Healing and Obituary’s Cause of Death as well as guest spots for Malevolent Creation and Gorguts, to name a few, where his killer solos squeal supreme. Needless to say, he knows his shit.

After an intro that may have been ripped from a ‘Scary sounds of Halloween’ CD, the album gets underway with the crowd pleasing “Tormented Mind”, which they chose as their first single. The whole record is pretty much summed up in the next five minutes with “As Good As Dead”, showcasing the dynamics of their two guitarists, some d-beat and double bass work, and a few kick ass solos.

“Resurrection Through Fire” exhibits a hard-hitting assault of pure crunch, flawless and well-placed blasts and grunts conjured from the throat. It’s not very evil or progressive (or very brutal for that matter), but its full on aggressiveness and solid technique is sure to speak to fans of true Florida Death Metal and in some way offers tribute to the godfathers that laid the foundation for extreme music, making it what it is today.

Enemy Logic - Bones As Armour

2009-08-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

Written By: Dave Brooks

Enemy Logic burst onto the metalcore scene with their first release Bones as Armour. Hailing from Cork, Ireland, the Corkonian band call this place the “real capital of Ireland” and themselves the “Rebels”. Filled with angst, anti-establishment and anarchy, these are definitely my kind of folk. Let's get into some rebel metal.

Get on your “Intro” with a dark, building piano piece that transitions beautifully into the blasting beginning of “Scatter the Ashes”. This track definitely gets you in the right head space immediately. Drummer Dan supplies excellent back up vocals here and throughout the rest of the album. His drumming ain't too bad either. “Bones as Armour” trudges in with a slow, chugging intro riff before parlaying that into a reason to speed it up. This is where you get your first taste of Enemy Logic's use of offsetting melody. It is this change in style that is the highpoint of the album for me.

Keep it heavier it on “Shattered Ego”, then keep it a little clean with a stylish outro riff before being thrown back into the pit. “Where You End And I Begin” shows it's roots from bands such as Caliban and really kills with a transformed, breakdown outro riff. An energetic chorus riff makes “Eternal Guilt” a stand out track on the album. “The Victim Must Be Silenced” is standard fare for the band at this point, but it has a lot to admire. If you didn't read the track listing you might not have realized that the next track is a cover of Johnny Cash's “Ring of Fire”. They make this song their own by altering the main riff into breakdown form 2:04 into the track.

Counting in at just a little over 30 minutes, Enemy Logic sure do pack a lot into their first major release. Loads of energy and heaviness emanate from this 8 song EP. I think the vocals are too low in the mix, but it's not something that really affects the album. Give these rebels from Cork a go.

2 ½ guns

If you like Enemy Logic, check out: Caliban, Arch Enemy, Soilwork.

The Lonely Road of Despair: Head Interviewed

2009-08-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

Interview By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

The basic requirements for living the life of a rockstar…… drugs, boose, sex, and rock n' roll! We’ve all heard of this saying “sex, drugs, rock n' roll” one way or another. So we should be well aware of what happens behind closed doors. The rockstar lifestyle isn’t all fame and glamour. These musicians deal with mass amounts of stress among other situations revolving around their personal space. What is a rockstar to do? Turn to the bad side of drugs and alcohol.

Former musician of heavy metal act, Korn, Brian Head Welch (simply known as 'Head'), turned to these bad substances to help comfort him in his time of need. What was the outcome when it was all said and done? He left Korn and found God. Head spoke to me briefly telling me about his past, present, and future dwelling upon what is to become of the almighty musician.

NP: How has the solo lifestyle been treating you?

Head: It’s alright. it’s been a roller coaster, lots of challenges and fun having those good days and bad days, just like everybody else.

NP: You have a CD/Book out, entitled “Save Me from Myself”, can you briefly summarize how these two came together?

Head: I was out in Phoenix, Arizona, and my manager at the time, had came to me saying “I have a book deal for you.” I looked at him funny saying “What do you mean a book deal? I don’t write books! I thought you were supposed to give me a record deal.” Well he says “I got an offer, you can have if you want it.”

It then began to bother me. I thought it would be cool to be able to explain myself and what happened to me. I had written some songs, one of them was “Save Me From Myself,” so I knew I had wanted to name my book after it. A couple of years later, I released the album detailing why I tried killing myself with drugs, and showing me I could stop all of this and 'save me from myself.'

NP: Would you ever consider making an Audio Book to go along with your book?

Head: I thought about that a lot. I never got around to it. I think it’d be cool to do, we’ll see what happens.

NP: Why did you turn to drugs to comfort you during your hard times in comparison to staying clean and sober and finding another outlet?

Head: It’s just what I liked to do. I drank and did drugs every once in a while. When I entered my 20’s, I did more, but you end up doing it so much you fool yourself. Like if you don’t do drugs but drink, you end up going on to do pot. Then you say to yourself, “Well I’m just doing pot, and not coke.” Then you try coke, which leads to heroine, and the list keeps building up until you’ve reached the gutter. \

NP: Rumors are buzzing about the possibility of a Korn reunion?

Head: That’s not going to happen. I’m doing my own thing, and they’ve got their thing going. Those guys tour way too much. They’re away from their family all the time too. What I like about what I do, is that I get to go on these short two-week runs, then I’m back home for months on end. That’s what works best for me.

NP: When you decided to leave Korn, was it a time that you just wanted to get away from it all and take a break, or was it something more?

Head: To me it was a spiritual thing. I wanted to lay out my life and start fresh. Starting a whole new lifestyle altogether. When I was 10 years old, I had a dream to become a musician, and then become a rockstar. Once I had reached my 30’s and fulfilled those dreams, there was nothing more to do.

I was a speed junkie, blowing money left and right, making myself miserable. So I buried it all and waited to see what happened next. It feels like I’m going someplace new, and to go backwards is pointless. I wanted to head down a whole new direction aiming towards the future.

NP: Would you ever make a double-album, one being the rock n' roll side and the other being an acoustic side?

Head: I’m not opposed to that at all, so you never know.

NP: What are the most difficult questions you've been asked in an interview?

Head: Will you go back to Korn? No I’m kidding. *Laughs* That there is the most difficult question I’ve been asked, because I can’t remember any.

NP: When you turn to God, do you go to church or watch T.V.?

Head: Since I travel so much, I can’t really go to church. So I just meditate on my own while other people are out and about. I do go sometimes, but it’s more of a personal thing with me.

NP: What was one alcoholic drink you just had to have during your bad times?

Head: Coors Light. I didn’t like the hard alcohol really. Sometimes I would do shots, but Coors Light was my drink. I just had to have it.

NP: Any last words of wisdom?

Head: Any last words….yes! There’s this guy named Chi Cheng; he’s in the band Deftones. He was involved in a car accident, and was in a coma for some time. He came out of it, and just can’t talk or move much. There’s this site called oneloveforchi.com where we’re trying to raise money for him, since his insurance was cut off. So there’s my last words, it’s not about me, it’s all about Chi.

Skinlab - The Scars Between Us

2009-08-25T00:47:00.000-07:00

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Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

"The Scars Between Us," is the new highly-anticipated album from SF Bay-Area metal heads, Skinlab. This long-awaited LP is the first Skinlab release in over 7 years! 11-tracks equals 11 tunes that will astound and amaze. Skinlab presents themselves hard and heavier than ever before, taking their musical abilities to a higher standard.

The instruments on "The Scars Between Us" travel down a whole new route; more aggressive and heavier than expected, drifting away then making its way back around in full circle creating this sound wave of absolution. When "Amphetamine Gods," and "Scream At The World," play back-to-back with such intensity and adrenaline, you could inhale the rush of energy pushing through your speakers.

Skinlab sounds a lot like Flatline as far as instrumentals, consisting of rough and heavy uniqueness. Skinlab's Steev Esquivel takes complete control with two roles, one being bass the other vocals. His vocal chords set up an intensity that brings Jamey Jasta to mind with the screams and shouts that come echoing through.

"In For The Kill," and "Still Suffering," are another set that go well together. Head on "In For The Kill," instrumental usage takes up for the most part. Showcasing the guitars uniqueness in all means possible, unleashing several solos if not misleading riffs that constantly throw you off guard. Whereas "Still Suffering," does the complete opposite allowing Steev's vocals to do most of the work. Screaming and shouting until his vocals are tattered and torn, blood rushing from his lips drawing Skinlab to a final conclusion. The ending beingÖ. What it says "The Scars Between Us."

Hatebreed Set To Release New Self-Titled Album September 29 on E1 Music

2009-08-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Metal-Hardcore juggernauts HATEBREED are set to release its new album, the ferocious, self-titled HATEBREED, on September 29th, 2009.

The album will be available on CD, digital download, vinyl and special edition with a bonus 65-minute DVD. HATEBREED’s follow up to 2006’s SUPREMACY will be released on E1 Music in North America and Roadrunner in all other territories.

Front-man Jamey Jasta comments, "This is our fifth studio album and it's a monster! We've survived some pretty rough times and the music shows it. There was no reason to change the recipe that our fans know and love but we added a few brutal new ingredients and we're more than amped on the results. Violence is a given!”

Jasta elaborates, “I feel this new album is a true crossover record in the sense that our metal and hardcore roots are evenly represented throughout it. There's still the fast East Coast tuned down Hardcore that people know and love, yet there are metal influences that shine through on almost every song. The speed is there, which we even kicked up a few notches on some of the songs, but the groove and slower tempos are represented. On Hatebreed, there is a violent mix of straight forward anthem headbangers, fast thrashers and brutal breakdown after breakdown. There's something for everyone."

The announcement of the band’s new album is also part of E1’s continuing / expanding relationship with the group after its initial first 2 releases together, including the #1 charting Billboard DVD LIVE DOMINANCE and the recently released covers album, FOR THE LIONS.

The new album was once again produced by Zeuss and will feature the return of original guitar player Wayne Lozinak (who recently replaced departed guitarist Sean Martin) alongside core members Chris Beattie (bass), Matt Byrne (drums), Frank Novinec (guitar) and singer Jamey Jasta.

The band is currently headlining its U.S. DECIMINATION OF THE NATION tour which runs through September.

To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1 million albums in the U.S. alone and toured the world with the likes of Slayer, Slipknot, System of a Down, Lamb of God, Korn, Killswitch Engage, Disturbed, Black Sabbath and much more.

The album track-listing for HATEBREED is set to include the following tracks:
1.Become The Fuse
2.Not My Master
3.Between Hell And A Heartbeat
4.In Ashes They Shall Reap
5.Hands Of A Dying Man
6.Everyone Bleeds Now
7.No Halos For The Heartless
8.Through The Thorns
9.Every Lasting Scar
10.As Damaged As Me
11.Words Became Untruth
12.Undiminished
13.Merciless Tide
14.Pollution Of The Soul
15.Escape (New Diehard Edit)

For more information, please visit - Website - Myspace - Twitter

Loch Vostok - Reveal No Secrets

2009-08-14T01:40:00.000-07:00

Label: Nightmare
Rating: 3 Guns

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Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

Loch Vostok's "Reveal No Secrets" is 9 songs of pure expression. The pain, torture, and utter suffering, alone in the chaos, was put into creating the world's most brutal album. The album opens with "Loss Of Liberty," a thundering force of pure metal, complete with shredding guitars, breaking downs and soloing. The vocals have an on/off effect becoming clean/clear one moment, and then growling/shouting the next, creating a rotating/atmospheric feeling.

"Raiders of the Lost Heart," is Loch Vostok's ballad song (if you can call it a ballad); it unleashes a mellow-yet-dramatic vibe but still manages to stay heavy.

The ending of "Reveal No Secrets," "Breakthru," really captures the album's harder side, sending off that sensational effect that draws you into the music just once more before it fades to black.

Shadows Fall - Retribution

2009-08-13T01:27:00.000-07:00

Label: Ever Black/Ferret
Rating: 3.5 Guns

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Written By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

"Retribution," is the sixth LP by American thrash-metalers, Shadows Fall, and Exposes listeners to Hell on Earth, with 10 brutalizing tracks of pure aggression, rage, and energy. Opening with a mellow dramatic sequence, "The Path of Imminent Ruin," an eerie-sounding, but smooth and crisp intro will send your senses flying. As the mellowness ends, "My Demise," begins, kicking listeners in the pants, as Shadows Fall have proven they've returned and that they still have what it takes after six records.

"War," "The Taste of Fear," "Picture Perfect," and "Dead and Gone," round off this album, exposing the instrumental craftsmanship of Shadows Fall, as each guitar carefully places the correct riff where it's supposed to be. The drums bash as hard and fast as possible, backing up the music with added balls. Lyrically, Shadows Fall captures the intensity that was used in their past attempts and then some. You can feel the emotions running through these musicians' veins.

"Retribution" highlights Shadows Fall's passion for making music; it really stands out.

Stacey Farber - Degrassi's Punk Rock Princess

2009-08-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

Interview By: Natalie Perez
(Metal Editor)

What can be said that hasn't already been said about Ellie Nash, the punk rock icon from the hit TV show "Degrassi The Next Generation?" Actress Stacey Farber, who plays Ellie's character says she's nothing like her character. She admitted she loved Ellie's style, but her style revolves around the causal everyday look. Aside from that discussion, Stacey mentioned her spare time routine along with her role on the hit series among other various topics thrown in between. Check out what she had to say about the punk rock lifestyle she once fulfilled.

NP: What are you currently up to?

Stacey: I just got my internship not too long ago for NYC Teen Vogue Online, but I will have a new television series on NBC called "18 to life," which will be coming out around 2010. Aside from that I also have my 23rd birthday coming up soon! (smiles)

NP: Is there one thing you regret about being a part of "Degrassi The Next Generation?"

Stacey: No. Not one bit. If It weren't for Degrassi, I probably wouldn't be who I am today, Degrassi is just a big part of me, you know.

NP: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Stacey: Hanging out with Cassie Steele, is currently what I do in my spare time as of right now.

NP: What are your hopes for the near future?

Stacey: Keep my career going. Get married soon, have kids, and just enjoy life.

NP: Who are your idols and why?

Stacey: You know... I don't really have an idol.

NP: What's your most embarrassing experience?

Stacey: Wow, haha! Do I have to share?

NP: Do you ever get tired or annoyed by questions asked by Journalists?

Stacey: No. Never. They always ask either the random obvious ones, or crazy funny questions, never the personal ones.

NP: What was it like shooting the first ever "Degrassi Movie" out in Canada and Los Angeles, California?

Stacey: Wow! It was an amazing experience! So much fun catching up with everyone, getting closer to the NEW cast. It was loads of fun.

NP: Why did you choose to go with Journalism as your career while playing Ellie Nash on "Degrassi?"

Stacey: In real life, I actually love writing for magazines. Which I have done, but at the same time, I guess Ellie always wanted to approach something - but wanted to it professionally.

NP: Is there one piece from the set that you got to keep while shooting for "Degrassi" over the years?

Stacey: No, not that I can think of. I think they even kept the rubber bands I used, haha! The props used were very big to "Degrassi."

NP: Is there anything that hasn't been covered when it comes to "Degrassi," topic-wise? It seems like Degrassi has covered everything!

Stacey: They really have, like we say "we go there" they really make sure "Degrassi" gets every single thing.

NP: How long have you liked Hello Kitty, what is you like about that icon?

Stacey: She's kind of a type of representation for me haha, like Betty Boop kind of, I think I'm more like Hello Kitty.

NP: What is one thing that you would really like to have happen to Ellie?

Stacey: I wanted to see what would have happened if she actually got with Jimmy Brooks, haha! I think that would have been interesting.

NP: Tell us about the "Degrassi" movie, did the entire cast from when it all began, return to reprise their roles? How long were you in Los Angeles, California? Have any favorite location spots, highlights, moments, etc.?

Stacey: I love the beach, it's sooooo beautiful, so many moments, especially being back with your friends. Well... About the cast, you will just have to wait and see. (Smiles)

NP: Any last words?

Stacey: Watch "Degrassi Goes Hollywood" Friday @ 8:00 PM

Memphis May Fire – Sleepwalking

2009-08-12T01:15:00.000-07:00

Label: Trustkill
Rating: 2 Guns

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Written By: Natalie Perez (Metal Editor)

Memphis May Fire... What can be said about them that hasn’t been said already? Perhaps that all that these guys have accomplished, is the release of a mere worthless EP that failed to show the world what they were all about. That’s pretty much the sense we receive when we get handed a demo or an EP. In this case, we decided to give these guys another chance in the music-making process, and thus “Sleepwalking,” was born.

“Sleepwalking.” Isn’t that the process in which you have no idea that you’re doing something during the middle of the night? I believe so, but anyhow, Memphis May Fire have released this album for some reason, and it presents itself to be decent. 10 tracks to entertain and amuse you until your sides are sore and bleeding from the agony and pain you’ll be listening in on.

As soon as the album begins, you'll get slapped in the face with the derivative basics, vocalist building up to then spit out an echoing scream that breaks the sound barrier to pieces. While the backup is not far behind, instrumentally the guitars going into numerous break-downs and solo riffs that tend to repeat themselves more than once. The drumming process keeps up, letting the vocals and guitars do their thing. Throughout the record, we often find the band trying their hardest to show that the music they’ve created is worth hearing.

Most of the songs given here just play off sounding alike no matter what order you wish to play them. Some that do tend to stick out include, “Ghost In The Mirror, “The Face With No Name,” along with “Speak Now I’m Listening.” Each of the afforementioned does a repeating texture of constant break-downs with scream-type echoes that leave a rotating ringing in your ear drum. Memphis May Fire’s attemp at an LP is a shallow intake on what they’re trying to accomplish with its determination to sound just like everyone else.