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Chronicles of Chaos Issue 006
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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS E-Zine, January 17, 1996, Issue #6
Co-Editor: Gino Filicetti <ginof@io.org> <_DeaTH_ on #metal>
Co-Editor: Adrian Bromley <bw823@torfree.net>
Assistant Editor: Alain M. Gaudrault <alain@mks.com>
Web Page Manager: Brian Meloon <bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>
Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder
--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and a bio to:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
57 Lexfield Ave
Downsview Ont.
M3M-1M6, Canada
Fax: (416) 693-5240 Voice: (416) 693-9517
e-mail: ginof@io.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically distributed
worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all forms
of brutal music; from thrash to death to black metal, we have it all.
Each issue will feature interviews with your favorite bands, written
from the perspective of a true fan. Each issue will also include
record reviews and previews, concert reviews and tour dates, as well
as various happenings in the metal scene worldwide. We here at
Chronicles of Chaos also believe in reader participation, so we
encourage you to submit any material you may have to Gino Filicetti
<ginof@io.org>.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a
message with "SUBSCRIBE coc-ezine <your-name-here>" in the BODY of
your message to the list handler at listproc@lists.colorado.edu.
Please note that this command must NOT be sent to the list address
<coc-ezine@lists.colorado.edu>, but to the mail server which handles
this mailing list.
WORLD WIDE WEB SITE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are currently in the process of constructing a website for
Chronicles of Chaos. You can check it out by pointing your web
browser to http://www.io.org/~ginof/coc.html. If you have any
comments or suggestions, please e-mail Brian Meloon
<bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #6 Contents, 1/17/96
--------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Feature Stories
-- Napalm Death: On A New Plane of Existence
-- Hansel Und Gretyl: The Noise of Making Art
-- Lake of Tears: Crying Again
-- The Hostile Takeover Begins
-- Sacred Substance
-- Kilobytes, Komputers and Kraziness
* Chaotic Chat Sessions
-- Mercyfully Maintaining The Oath
-- Malformed Musical Mayhem
* Record Revelations
-- Immolation - _Here In After_
-- Celestial Season - _Solar Lovers_
-- Broken Hope - _Repulsive Conception_
-- Sacred Reich - _Heal_
-- Crematory - _Illusions_
-- Various Artists - _The 17 Commandments, Vol. II_
-- Various Artists - _Four Ways To Misery_
-- DHI - _Pressures Collide_
-- Ultraviolence - _Psychodrama_
-- Thought Industry - _Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away_
-- Vintersemestre - _Jaaverisaatana_
-- Belladonna - _Belladonna_
-- Enthroned - _Thy Flesh Consumed_
* New Noise
-- Naphobia - _Of Hell_ (9 track demo)
-- Introspectre - _Buried Inside_ (10 track demo)
* Chaotic Concerts
-- Voivod's Venom Unleashed
* What We Have Cranked
* The Final Word
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
E D I T O R I A L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Adrian Bromley
Hope you all had a SAFE and HEAVY New Year's Eve and that 1996
has been as good to you so far as it has been to us. First thing off,
we would like to thank Jochen Fopp of Nuclear Blast for sending us
bitchin' embroidered long sleeve dress shirts (as well as
Jagermeister advice) and Erin Smyth/Kevin Shea at Attic for the
H-E-A-V-Y duty X-mas card - THANKS!!!!!!!
Six months since the first issue of Chronicles of Chaos was
unleashed and things look to be getting brighter for the mag as
support from around the world (from subscribers and record labels
alike) keeps coming into our home office in Toronto. For the last
little while we have been receiving all kinds of letters about the
mag from our subscribers and we have decided to publish them in
forthcoming issues: to let the readers speak about why they love or
hate the mag or the music in general. Freedom of speech exists in
this publication, so make sure you send in any and all comments,
questions or inspirational insights about the mag or the world at
large to us at our e-mail address <ginof@io.org>. Don't forget to put
'Attention Loud Letters' in the subject of the message. More likely
than not your letter will be published in CoC in the coming months
with your opinion of metal being heard by record labels and readers
of CoC alike.
Another thing that we encourage is reader submissions. Live
concert reviews, stories, record reviews, etc... Please feel free to
send them to <ginof@io.org> and label them 'Reader Submission' please.
Well Gino just celebrated his 19th birthday this week (congrats
from all of us at CoC and Caddy's - ha, ha!!) and finally Gino can
get into 19+ shows on his own without relying on me or the air duct
to get him past the bouncers.
Not much more to say as 1996 is young but the mag is growing, so
by this time next year we want to double the number of subscribers as
well as the number of pages. Whatever happens with Chronicles of
Chaos in the future will be both our, and more importantly YOUR doing
- so let's make it work. -- Adrian Bromley
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Here's a couple of plugs for various people on the Internet that I
think are worthy of mention. Check them out. -- Gino Filicetti
From: Bill <billu@bbs.hnet.es>
UNDERGROUND OBSESSION is a new e-mail zine run by ex-FIGHT ZONE zine
(9 issues printed, over 3000 sold) contributor, and should be out by
early 1996. To get subscribed (FREE) just send an e-mail to:
billu@bbs.hnet.es
From: "David M Tyler (Anatomy)" <dmt@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk>
UNKNOWN TERRITORY volume one is the first of hopefully a series of
compilation tapes featuring unsigned bands from around the world.
Volume one showcases the following selection of Death, Thrash, Black
and Heavy Metal talent:
NARCOSIS (UK) PARRACIDE (Germany)
DAMAGE (Swe) MEDULLA NOCTE (UK)
DEADLOCK (UK) DREAMBREED (UK)
RAGNAROK (UK) THUS DEFILED (UK)
SEARING ORCHARD (UK) OSCURO (UK)
BLOOD SOAKED (Eire) EPITOME (UK)
CONVICTION (UK)
This 13-track, professionally duplicated chrome cassette is available
from:
UNKNOWN TERRITORY
Steve Green
30 Hartford Ave.
Kenton, Middlesex
HA3-8SY, U.K.
for the measly price of:
GBP 3-50 in the U.K.
USD 7-00 Europe
USD 10-00 R.O.W.
payable to UNKNOWN TERRITORY.
If you want your band to appear on future volumes, contact the above
address. Be forewarned - the required standard is very high!
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M""MMMMMMMM dP
M MMMMMMMM 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP dP .d888b88
M MMMMMMMM 88' `88 88 88 88' `88
M MMMMMMMM 88. .88 88. .88 88. .88
M M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8
MMMMMMMMMMM
M""MMMMMMMM dP dP
M MMMMMMMM 88 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b.
M MMMMMMMM 88ooood8 88 88 88ooood8 88' `88 Y8ooooo.
M MMMMMMMM 88. ... 88 88 88. ... 88 88
M M `88888P' dP dP `88888P' dP `88888P'
MMMMMMMMMMM
This is the column where we print those lovely letters our readers
decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative,
ignorant or just plain spelled wrong, you can rest assured that
they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own
letter here, e-mail it to <ginof@io.org> and enter 'Attention Loud
Letters' in the subject field. Hopefully all letters received will be
featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 1995 01:50:14
From: JAYTOM <beefjerk@ix.netcom.com>
I just wanted to give thanks for all the work you guys have put into
this. We have a better scene than most of the Midwest,(I live in
Kansas City,Missouri) but compared to New York, or California, we're
just out of the loop. That's why my friends & I enjoy getting this
sent to us every month by e-mail. Plus it's FREE!(and worth twice
that ;-) I've seen stuff written about here that I'd never even heard
of. Then been able to go down to the import shop and get them to
special order it for me. Out of the 6 CDs I've gotten because of you,
I've kept 5.(better than word of mouth) Don't worry about being a
little late getting it out, we're just glad to know you'll be there...
-- Tom
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 1995 08:49:57
From: Brian Northcutt <elric@server.elysian.net>
I just wanted to say that I think this mag kicks some ass. I am
reading about bands I have never heard of and it is definately
broadening my metal horizons. The only disappointment is with the
recent proliferation of what I call "Masturbation" bands. Bands that
play million mile an hour mindless thrash. I klike thrash dont get me
wrong but when it is done with just 1 or 2 chords, no progressions,
and mindless lyrics, it gets incredibly repetitive and boring. There
is another disturbing trend (at least here in Wichita, KS) and that
is the hordes of skinheads and nazi assholes that come to a metal
concert to start shit. I have no respect for nazis and the like but I
leave them alone...(First Amendment) but when they get into a pit
just to smash people and cause fights that is where I draw the line.
Too few bands are willing to speak out against this kind of senseless
hatred too. The only band I have ever heard speak against them is
Biohazard and that ended up causing more problems that it solved.
Anyway...I have ranted enough for now. I just have one more thing. I
have been looking for a CD for 3 years now and cannot find it. I will
take any info I can get and will pay reasonably well for it. It is
_Breaking the Silence_ by Heathen. CD only though!
[ed. For the record, Grip Inc. (Gus Chambers in particular) ridiculed
and taunted a group of nazi skinheads while opening for Morbid
Angel in Toronto. -- Alain]
Bad Boy Brian the X-Man
KICT-95, Wichita, KS
http://wwwhome.elysian.net/~elric/top.htm
Radio Station: http://www.elysian.net/t95/t95.htm
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 1995 12:02:37
From: moeller william <wmoell1@gl.umbc.edu>
Aye! I must say overall your zine kicks ass like an angry 300 pound
fat feminist stormtrooper. I hope you put this in your next issue
because I want my opinion heard on this subject. BLACK METAL WILL BE
THE DEATH OF THE METAL UNDERGROUND. I am sick and tired of cheesy
european facist wanna-be evil black metal posers ruining the metal
scene. MOST of them are little spoiled dorks who make music that is
just a fucking joke. Plus their white norse/aryan power beliefs they
spew over their cheaply produced badly executed records is harmful to
the metal scene. In my opinion, any music that idolizes a deranged
murderer like Count Grishnackh, what a stupid fucking name, is just
plain ignorance. And the last thing we need in this world is more
ignorance. Hopefully, this latest resurgence of the black metal scene
will self destruct or at least confine itself to Norway and not rear
its ugly head on these shores anymore. If anybody has got a fucking
problem with this I can be emailed at <wmoell1@gl.umbc.edu>.
The One-Man Bastard Squad
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
N A P A L M D E A T H
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On A New Plane of Existence
by: Adrian Bromley
A lot can be said about Napalm Death's impact in our world of
extreme music. From their beginning, Napalm Death has managed to make
a name for themselves while successfully fusing punk, metal and crust
into a genre all their own: grindcore. Napalm Death has not only
sculpted their music several times over, but have successfully
managed to inscribe their moniker up there with the rest of the great
genre setting bands.
Since the band's early beginning circa 1981/82 with founding
members Justin Broadrick on guitar, drummer Rat, and bassist Nick
Bullen, the band has shapeshifted and metamorphosized. Lineups have
changed numerous times, other groups have spawned from the ashes of
previous incarnations (Bill Steer & Carcass, Lee Dorrian & Cathedral,
Justin Broadrick & Godflesh) and yet the band brought to life their
own music genre called grindcore, with furious blast beats, crushing
riffs, pounding bass lines, and growls of anger and hatred.
In and amongst all of the chaos brewing within Napalm Death, the
band released classic grindcore and even traditional death metal
albums such as 1987's _Scum_, _From Enslavement To Obliteration_
(1989) and then the band's calling card of perfection, _Mentally
Murdered_. As the 90s came about, the band crumbled, becoming divided
with both Carcass and Cathedral taking shape. Ex-Benediction vocalist
Mark "Barney" Greenway stepped in and helped restructure the band to
form its now present line-up, guitarists Mitch Harris and Jesse
Pintado, drummer Danny Herrera and bassist Shane Embury.
From that point on the band would remain intact unleashing
several albums: _Harmony Corruption_ (1990), _Utopia Banished_ (1992)
and 1994's _Fear, Emptiness, Despair_. Now in 1996, Napalm Death are
on the war path, throwing our way two releases in a matter of seven
weeks, being both the _Greed Killing_ EP and the band's 1996 full
length: _Diatribes_.
On the phone from Earache Records' head office in New York,
guitarist Mitch Harris is more than excited about all of the push for
their latest effort. "I guess the label is trying to build up the
release," he says about the amount of press the band is receiving,
"The label wanted to do a big promotion thing for the album."
But before any Napalm Death fan can be subjected to the new
material, an appetizer in the form of _Greed Killing_ has been served
up piping hot. A collection of both live material and two samples of
_Diatribes_ tracks, Harris explains the band's reasoning behind
releasing the EP prior to the full length record. "The label thought
that it would be a good idea to put it out and we said it should be
put out cheaply like a single. Plus give the fans who buy the record
six tracks which would include a few bonus tracks that won't be on
the record." He adds, "In the past most of Napalm Death's stuff has
been rushed. We took our time with this record and the label has been
very much involved making it apparent that we have a new release
coming out. I mean in the past we have been out on tour and nobody
even knows that we had an album out," says Harris somewhat annoyed.
The coming year will be a busy year for the band as they plan to
embark on an extensive world tour. Explains Harris, "We will do a
mini-tour with the EP and then go out for a full-blown tour with the
new album. We will be going to Europe, North America, Australia,
Japan and South America. There are tons of places we haven't been to
and we hope to get to those places."
About the last year or so following the _Fear, Emptiness,
Despair_ tour he says, "It has been a slow year for us waiting for
the album to be released and we just want to get out. We are looking
forward to seeing reactions and see what is really happening with the
band. Yeah we are excited!" Any downsides to touring? "It is kind of
hard to be too excited about doing the same tour, same venues, same
shit, but as long as there are people there that are excited then we
are excited. If no one is excited then it is hard to pretend that
everything is going great."
One question is on the top of my head throughout the interview:
With _Diatribes_ will the band be able to carry on with their sound
and direction, living up to their past? "So far we have been very
open-minded with what we did. We feel we have done something
different and that has worked in our favor. As far as people being
into it, seeing that people have grown out of that scene [metal], I
think they were expecting the same old shit or something completely
different. I think we got a fresher sound with this album. The way we
do it is, every time out we try to break new ground on each album. We
aren't trying to compete with the last album, rather forgetting about
the last album and focus on the album at hand. To step forward," he
says.
"As long as we feel we have moved on with this album then we
feel like we have achieved a successful development. You are always
going to get mixed reactions. I mean one person's favorite album is
_Harmony Corruption_ and someone's is _Utopia Banished_. Ours is the
record that we just did. You never know what people are going to be
into so you just incorporate into your sound what you are into so you
enjoy your music rather than worrying about what others think. If
there is anything in the back of your head worrying about what others
are thinking, then you are never going to grow. You will become
stagnant."
And what if the band loses fans? "If we do then they are just
not ready to accept what has to be done to survive the fuckin' 90's,"
says Harris defiantly. "Everyone has their own opinions but if they
sit and listen, paying attention to the album, then they will find
what they are looking for in the band. I guess people come and go.
Some people prefer the older stuff as I said before, and then there
are people that dig the new stuff. You have to realize that we are in
control of the band. If somebody doesn't like what the band is doing
then it is their problem. I mean if they like one record better than
the other one then they will always have that record to listen to
right?"
The topic turns to the making of the record and what the band
tried to accomplish this time around with _Diatribes_. Does Harris
think that after so many different directions and stylistic changes
that music comes a lot easier? "Yes," he responds, "somehow on the
last record we opened a lot of doors and this record came really
naturally. From _Utopia Banished_ it was hard to write a record that
was radically different. But now that we opened those doors it has
become easier and it allows us to focus on what we have done and not
focus on the fact that we just did an album that was fast, fast, fast
stuff. In a way we are having a much more free feeling and that is
why it is coming easier for us. The last album was somehow more
critical for us and we were trying to figure out how we were going to
move on from there."
Does that mean the band is trying to become more commercially
accessible with the new album? Harris answers, "We are trying to be
more innovative with our music rather than relying on the stuff that
we did in the past. The new stuff has more hooks." Indulging the
following bits of info he says, "You learn from playing live what the
crowds get into and we did stuff that would be great in a live
situation. To get a reaction."
In some form or another, defending the band's growth into
sounding a bit more approachable he says, "This wasn't done to
attract more people. It was done to further our sound; to look into
our future so we can gradually change into another style of music."
He adds, "I think the way we have moved on doesn't put us into that
death metal category and with what we are doing it puts us more into
what is going on right now. It is a mixture of more modern influences
rather than just having a limited death metal sound."
Continuing on the sound of the new album he says, "We also
wanted to put more guitar noise, more guitar lines that cross over
melodies with a heavy riff. We tried to do it on the last album but
we found that it takes a couple of records to be able to pull that
off and work it out in order to achieve what you want. I think we
achieved what we wanted to do but I think there is more room for
noise on top of things."
So are there any secrets to how Napalm Death has managed to be
able to go from style to style so effortlessly? Are they wary of
things to avoid? "I have always looked at the music history with the
bands that used to be killer and all of a sudden they try a few
things and it goes way off with what they have done before. They sort
of wreck everything they have done before that album. I guess some
bands grow into different music styles and change whereas, we have
tried to mix in what we are into nowadays with what we have done and
try to better it for our own personal satisfaction." He goes on to
say, "By looking at how bad bands have fucked it up we have always
tried to avoid doing that. If we are into something different then we
will do a different band. You gotta draw the line somewhere and
realize what you are, where you came from and where you want to go."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
H A N Z E L U N D G R E T Y L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Noise of Making Art
by: Adrian Bromley
Speak German? If not, don't worry because the German-voiced rage
of anger, madness and chaos of Hanzel Und Gretyl will leave you
disoriented. You won't know the difference between "achtung" and
"violence."
"We are not aiming to be anything special," says H.U.G. lead
singer/screamer Vas Kallas about the band's multi-faceted aggro-
industrial dance debut offering of _Ausgeflippt_. "We just want to be
ourselves and we play music by throwing out all of our influences. We
love the heavy 'kill, kill, kill' thrash music but we also like the
ambient musical bleeps and bloops and songs with melody. That is why
we called this album _Ausgeflippt_, which means 'flipped out' in
German, because it is completely all over the place. We just couldn't
make the decision on what we wanted to be: a punk rock band or an
industrial band? We just wanted everything!"
Over the phone from New York, Kallas is proud of the product she
and fellow programmer Lupie created (the touring band is rounded out
by bassist Ginger Bread and drummer Pat Wolff). She knows that her
creativity has been let loose within _Ausgeflippt_. "The album is
music and it is a beautiful thing - it is our baby! We just got
together and we exchanged juices and it came out that way. The album
is all our creative influences - Lupie and mine - which was put
together with all our little machines in our rehearsal studio. I
never know what is going to happen even as we were doing this
record," says Kallas about the album, one full of samples and a
majority of the songs sung in German. "The songs changed drastically
as we did them. It is always an ongoing situation. Definitely next
time I would like to get the best sound and quality and record it in
a different way."
She reveals the album was recorded live at a rehearsal studio
and then taken back to her apartment where the sounds were sequenced
into the music. The album was later mixed in the studio and at
Kallas' home. "There was no reasoning to the way the songs formed -
it was just what we did while recording the material. We come up with
sounds and then we would record them and then later on we would
remember them (the sounds) and put them over a drum loop or guitar
part and we'd just leave it that way. It was by pure luck or chance
that it worked out."
And the reasoning for the emphasis on German lyrics? "I used to
live in Germany and it is one of my influences and I always wanted to
write lyrics and songs in German. Lupie was like, 'Write some German
rap off this hip hop stuff,' and I did and it sounded pretty cool."
She admits, "I don't speak German fluently. I speak shive german -
baby German. In other words I speak enough German to get by. It is
such a cool language - I wish I could speak/sing in Russian."
Kallas goes on to talk about her formation of the songs and
lyrics, explaining that she normally just puts songs together to mean
something by the meaning of a word she has heard. "The way I write
lyrics is the way the words sound, that is if they mean something
then that is cool. Or if I want to express something, I find the word
that helps me say what I want to. I have use a lot of dictionaries
and thesaurus'," she chuckles.
Listening to the album and judging by what Kallas has explained
so far, the use of technology is a main contributor to
_Ausgeflippt_'s sound. What gives with the technology? Is she a
technological junkie? "I am not the tech-head in the band, Lupie is,"
she says defending herself, sort of. "He is the one that buries his
head in manuals and stuff like that. I just like the sounds and I
have learned a lot from him. You can do a lot of really cool stuff
with it. You don't need people." She is constantly learning more and
more technology as the band continues to grow. "I just learned
generally how to do all of this stuff but I am not the one manning
the station and pushing the buttons. That is not my forte - I just
watch and listen and I suggest a lot of things."
One thing the band hopes to work on in the coming months (early
1996) is being able to get out on the road and support their debut
album (the band has toured a bit - most recently for a week with
psychos Marilyn Manson) and let people see what they are all about.
"Our live shows are pretty chaotic," indulges Kallas. "The live show
is pretty much like the album except there is a lot more guitars and
it is much heavier - way heavier. We don't do any of the ambient
stuff live."
Though shows are going good for Kallas and her band, she is a
bit surprised things are going the way they are. "I am surprised that
people are pleased with our live show. I can't believe how well it is
coming off. People come to our show and they love our show and are
freaking out. It is happening because our music is happening right in
your face."
If you don't understand by now what Hanzel Und Gretyl are trying
to say or do, then you ain't got it. Anarchy has a friend and its
name is Hanzel Und Gretyl. Foreign language means nothing when it
comes to this band's music 'cause they deliver with ear-piercing
numbers and complexity. Isn't that all that counts?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
L A K E O F T E A R S : C R Y I N G O N C E M O R E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Gino Filicetti
"Music and emotion know no boundaries, so we think that people all
over the world can get into all kinds of music."
-- Daniel Brennare, vocalist
Coming out of one of the world's biggest hotbeds of melodic
metal, Sweden's Lake of Tears are not satisfied being categorized
with the rest of the clone bands now making it big. Formed in the
early 90's, Lake of Tears consists of vocalist Daniel Brennare,
guitarist Jonas Eriksson, drummer Johan Oudhuis and bass player
Mikael Larsson. After their 1993 debut demo release, it did not take
the band long to make a name for themselves. After being signed,
their first album entitled _Greater Art_ was produced by Mathias
Lodmalm (of Cemetary fame) and Tomas Skogsberg (Amorphis, Cemetary,
Dismember, Entombed).
The release of _Headstones_ marks a transition for the band,
moving away from the typical Swedish sound. The music on this release
reflects the band's feelings and emotions in the year since the
writing of their previous album. They describe the music as, "Still
the same kind of music, but the songs on _Headstones_ are more varied
and each song has an identity of its own. We have also developed as a
band, ie. better musicians, better songwriting, more experience, etc."
Although the band doesn't mind the fierce competition in their
homeland, they do regret that it takes its toll when playing live.
"We don't care too much about the competition because there is always
room for good music. The only negative thing is that when playing
live, half of the audience have their own bands and therefore they
don't really get into the music."
Aside from being likened to nearly all the bands in the European
scene, Lake of Tears' influences vary from Black Sabbath and Iron
Maiden all the way to KISS. However, states Brennare, comparisons are
unavoidable; "The two bands that we were mostly compared to were
Tiamat and Paradise Lost. This was not negative as both bands are
great. It is necessary to label and compare new and unknown bands to
the more established ones." He continues with one of the great
truisms in life, "You have to start somewhere..."
The songwriting process for Lake of Tears is a complicated one
explains Johan Oudhuis; "Daniel does most of the writing, but
everyone adds a little bit. Most of the songs deal with dreams,
thoughts and happenings in our lives from this certain period, but
the lyrics are written in a story-like way to make them more
interesting and open for one's own interpretations." He continues,
explaining the order in which a song is put together, "A lyrical idea
usually points out the direction of the song like the mood or
content. Then when the music gets satisfying we write the lyrics."
So how has the reaction to the new material been so far? "The
reaction so far has been very positive and we've gotten really good
reviews and quite a lot of attention in the media. Music and emotion
know no boundaries, so we think that people all over the world can
get into all kinds of music."
The band expects a European support tour for _Headstones_ to
take place sometime in the new year. Brennare relates his prior
experiences on the road; "We've only been on the road some shorter
periods of time, and we've already experienced bad things such as
shitty organization and shitty equipment, but also good things such
as great audiences. It is always give and take." Does the band have
any desire to play abroad in North America? "If we would get the
possibility to play in North America or any other place in the world,
we would surely take it. One of our goals is to see as much of the
world as possible."
Although Lake of Tears have not exploded onto the scene in a
frenzy of hype and popularity, it seems that this band is headed for
greener pastures. What direction is the band heading in for the next
album? "It's too early to say which direction our music will take,
but it will probably head into a deeper emotional level. We will try
and record our next album in the Fall of '96."
With that, the interview draws to an end. As always though, I
ask the band if there is anything they wish to add. Brennare answers
with a line straight out of his poetic musings; "Real dreams are
found in true darkness."
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T H E H O S T I L E T A K E O V E R B E G I N S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Hostility
by: Adrian Bromley
Of all people to lend a hand in naming one of the mid-West's
most exciting heavy young outfits, Wichita, Kansas' Hostility, NBC
News anchorman Tom Brokaw would probably be worried at what he
created - or at least helped spawn. Sort of.
"Back in high school in 1986 I was watching the news and Tom
Brokaw was talking about some war going on," states Hostility
frontman/screamer Dean Book, "and how the president was worried about
the hostile environment and that there would be more hostilities in
the future. I thought to myself, 'Hostility? Cool name for a band,'
and from then on we were a band with a name."
Almost ten years later Hostility have released their Century
Media debut, _Brick_, and are ready to tour. Along with Book in this
abrasive, head-smashing hardcore/metal outfit is drummer/brother
Duane Book, bassist Todd Herzig and guitarist Jaime Mai. The band is
like a crate of explosives with numbers like "Chump", "Remember
When", and "Self Belief" from their debut proving them to be a band
wanting to break out of the 'rookie band' mold and get on their
career.
Believe me when I tell you, Book is not afraid to vent his
excitement/anticipation about a future tour. He begins, "We are
working on a tour for the beginning of the year, possibly a few shows
in Texas or try to get something going with My Only Victim (another
label act) for awhile." Adding he says, "We'll go out anywhere, with
anyone and any place. We'll go out with Boy George if we have to - we
just want to get out and play."
Seeing that touring places such a demand on a young band, how
hard is it for a band like Hostility to get out there and get
exposure aside from touring? Does the industry help out? "In our case
you get as much chance as you give yourself or want to have. If you
go out and work hard then you will get a chance but a lot of young
bands think that labels will do the work for them when in reality a
band has to go out and bust their asses to get somewhere. We are
busting our asses just to be acknowledged."
Hailing from the mid-West, home of farms, grain and more farms,
you'd think a band like Hostility would be just another Collective
Soul or Hootie and the Blowfish, but this is not the case. Fuelling
the anger and frustration of the band is the lifestyle in which they
grew up. "Our heaviness and emotions is from what we grew up with. It
is sparked by the small-minded state that we come from. They (small
towns) have no idea what goes on outside of Kansas. Growing up in a
small town where you are dealing with a lot of close-minded people is
tough, and you can't do anything rash about it 'cause you don't want
to spend time in jail. So you write it down."
Book explains to me that the band has toured somewhat in the
adjoining states around Kansas, and concludes that the band has
developed some form of a fanbase thanks to opening slots for Kyuss,
Obituary and Fear Factory. "We have got all fans of all types of
music liking us. I can't explain it but it is happening and we are
seeing this at the shows we play. We just listen to a lot of music
styles. I mean, I can wake up listening to Six Feet Under and go to
bed listening to Hank Williams. We have a lot of fans that listen to
everything. And we try to make music that everyone will dig."
Speaking about _Brick_, Book notes that this album captured the
band at the time of the recording. Like previous demos, the rawness
was captured as was the congruency conveyed by the band and their
sound. "Every demo we have done sounds different and with every demo
we sound heavier," explains Book about the three demos leading up to
_Brick_. "And every demo blows everything else before it away. The
good thing about the album _Brick_ is that it captures pretty much
what we sound like live."
Like most interviews for CoC the topic of metal being the 'dying
breed' always seems to surface. Book is quite positive about the
strength of metal and hard rock by saying, "Well as I see it, and it
happened in the 80's, everything is cleaning itself out. Getting rid
of all the bad stuff. Metal has always been around and it always will
be. It is the one form of music that people will always be able to
listen to."
Metal is once again brewing and hotspots of the music (i.e.
Tampa, New York) may not be the only place to look for band. How
about checking out Kansas? Hostility would encourage it.
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S A C R E D S U B S T A N C E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Israel's Substance for God
by: Gino Filicetti
Straight out of Israel comes Doom metal's newest contender,
Substance for God. Formed in 1992, the band has had to overcome many
obstacles to get their message across. Naturally, one comes to
appreciate the fact that making a name for oneself in a country not
recognized for brutal music is a formidable task in itself. It has
been three long years that these musicians have been waiting, and
have finally released their debut album, distributed by Nuclear
Blast, entitled _Assembly of Flowers_.
When asked to relate some of the emotions being relayed across
this album, drummer Dor Caduri answers, "It was a very sad album, if
you read the lyrics you can understand. It's an album that's made by
Israelis, so it came together reflecting the way we grew up here."
Caduri is also anxious to relate the difficulties that they have
encountered on the road to their current state of success, "Heavy
metal music in Israel is not very popular so playing metal music in
Israel is very hard. The only chance at making music is to get a
contract in a country outside of Israel; Europe or the United States
or whatever. These are the main obstacles we have." The obvious
reason for these difficulties is the fact that the popularity for
this type of music is severely lacking in Israel. He continues, "Well
in Israel, the music is kind of mainstream. You have the Israeli kind
of music which is what people like to listen to here. But you know,
you can hear everything here, alternative, classic rock, whatever.
But in Israel people mainly like to listen to Israeli music." And how
does this fact affect the scene? Continues Caduri, "Well, there is a
scene, but it is very, very small. So we have like 500, 600 people
per gig, but no more than that. A few years ago, when metal was
bigger, you had a lot of bands; but now there are only a couple of
bands, 10, 20 or something like that."
Growing up in a country torn by such turmoil and social upheaval
must have been harrowing for the band as impressionable young kids.
Caduri however tends to disagree; "As a matter of fact, it's pretty
cool. It's different than living in Canada. I know that because I've
been in Canada. It's just different. For example, music is not that
big here in Israel like in Canada or the US or Europe. You can not
have a band, and make a living off of it here. So it's very difficult
playing music here, especially the music that we do." So why, if it
is so difficult to achieve, is the band making music that they know
will not garner them any significant financial return? "Because this
is the thing we're meant for. We just love it, and we wouldn't want
to do anything else in our lives."
Seeing as _Assembly of Flowers_ is now almost a year old, the
focus of the interview turns towards the next album, their sophomore
effort, the album that usually makes or breaks a band. "Well, this
album is a very gothic and metal album, but the stuff we are working
on right now for the next album is going to be very different. It is
going to be totally, well, less metal." So you are going to expand on
some of the non-metallic elements on this album? Answers Caduri,
"Well, the stuff we are working on right now is kind of like a Pink
Floyd versus Paradise Lost thing."
Everyone knows what happens to most bands that like to change
their direction constantly and without warning. A loss of hardcore
fans is eminent. The obvious example that springs to mind is
Sentenced who have failed to keep one direction over more than a
single album. However, sometimes change is beneficial, and, agrees
Caduri, sometimes necessary; "It's not going to be that much of a
radical change because the emotions are still going to be the same,
but it's going to be presented in a different way. In _Assembly of
Flowers_ we presented it in a more metal/gothic way but the next
album is going to have a lot of orchestral instruments, violins and
stuff in the background and more melodic music. The band is going to
sound like the band but there is going to be more production and
things done differently."
An album is an album, but live shows are what separates the men
from the boys. How does the band feel about playing live? "Well, we
haven't done that many, but we have played a few gigs here in Israel
like a dozen or so." Does touring seem feasible? Continues Caduri,
"Well right now we are waiting for an answer from Nuclear Blast.
Maybe they might send us touring with Gorefest, but I'm not sure yet.
And it'd be in Europe. We are just waiting for an answer."
When asked if he had any last thoughts, Caduri was obliged to
answer, "Some day we are going to tour Canada, so don't you worry."
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K I L O B Y T E S , K O M P U T E R S , A N D K R A Z I N E S S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview With The Great Kat
by: Brian Meloon
Most long-time metal fans are familiar with the Great Kat, the
Juilliard-trained violinist who realized that classical music was
dead and switched to metal, releasing two albums on RoadRacer in the
late 80s. Like many solo guitarists of the time, Kat's style was
based upon a fusion of classical music and metal, dubbed "Bach rock",
or more appropriately, "neoclassical metal." Kat describes her
variant of this style as "Cyberspeed -- the NEXT step in metal and
music -- FAST, ripping, vicious classically oriented violin solos on
the guitar in speed-metal format. That's brilliant!" However, unlike
most of the aforementioned guitar soloists, Kat is still recording
neoclassical metal.
Always having claimed that "THE GREAT KAT IS THE FUTURE!! WAKE
UP TO IT NOW!!", Kat tries to live up to that billing, with the
release of _Digital Beethoven on Cyberspeed_, a combination audio
CD/CD-ROM for IBMs and Macs, which Kat believes to be "the wave of
the future."
The idea for _DBoC_ was hatched in the mind of Larry Shiller,
CEO of the Bureau of Electronic Publishing (BEP), who saw Kat's
_Beethoven on Speed_ CD (RoadRacer, 1990), and according to Kat,
"thought it would be a FANTASTIC idea to bring classical music to
kids through metal and interactive computer technology." (Well
naturally... who would you rather have teaching your kids about
classical music than a diminutive lingerie-clad dominatrix who claims
to be the reincarnation of Beethoven?) After two years of production,
_DBoC_ was finally unleashed upon the world on Nov. 1, 1995. Unlike
most other currently available music CD-ROMs, _DBoC_ features more
than just music and graphics, including KAT IQ tests about classical
composers (with commentary by Kat), KAT TV (including the Kat
shopping channel and weather channel), a virtual orchestra, and much
more. Clearly a lot of serious work went into this, reflecting Kat's
hope that it should "set the standard for ALL CD-ROMs -- music or
otherwise -- to come." However, the main intent of _DBoC_ is
entertainment, as Kat challenges: "I dare you not to be laughing the
whole time you watch this CRAZED CD-ROM." It also contains five new
Kat songs, which comprise some of her best work yet. To my ears, they
sound cleaner, more precise, and a little bit slower, although Kat
disagrees, stating "_Digital Beethoven On Cyberspeed_ is in fact
FASTER than anything I've done before -- Listen to Cyberspeed --
DAMMIT!!! If anything, the Kat Tyrannical Maniacal Demonic Speed
Machine is faster than ever!"
A tour is planned in support of _DBoC_, which she claims will be
"the UTMOST in multimedia extravaganzas! Lots of videos, lighting,
computer technology, WILD Kat Slaves on stage (Rubbing my feet,
feeding me candy, bowing, worshipping, etc.), and Cyberspeed music
that will get your brain plastered to the wall and send you zooming
into the 21st century. Call your local club and DEMAND The Great Kat
and Cyberspeed or be left behind in the 16th century."
In keeping with her desire to be the future of music, a followup
CD-ROM is already in the planning stages. Tentative plans call for
the inclusion of Kat videos filmed on the _DBoC_ tour, the Kat video
game, and Kat's own AI-driven program called "the Riffchecker", which
will take a short melody and write a whole piece in Kat's cyberspeed
style. Kat explains that she developed the Riffchecker herself, and
is currently "dealing with various programmers and computer
technology to complete it. It will take a while for programmers to
develop it using today's primitive AI methods."
Only time will tell what the future will hold, but it's safe to
assume that computers and multimedia technology are here to stay. The
Great Kat is poised to lead the charge of musicians into the new
world of CD-ROMs, explaining that, "It's time the rest of the world
wakes up and understands the power of computers -- then they'll ALL
understand Cyberspeed!! Watch!!!" And until they do, Kat leaves us
with a prescription for the future: "Get _Digital Beethoven on
Cyberspeed_ and wake your brain up to the future. Call the Great Kat
personally at 212-799-9392 for the wake up call of your life!!! GET
IT SLAVES??? I AM THE FUTURE -- Get USED TO IT NOW!!!!"
For more info, write to Kat at: greatkat@aol.com
or: 75523.2414@compuserve.com
and check out: http://www.bep.com/kat.html
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_______ __ _ _______ __
/ ___/ / ___ ____ / /_(_)___ / ___/ / ___ _/ /_
/ /__/ _ \/ _ `/ _ \/ __/ / __/ / /__/ _ \/ _ `/ __/
\___/_//_/\_,_/\___/\__/_/\__/ \___/_//_/\_,_/\__/
____ _
/ __/__ ___ ___ (_)__ ___ ___
_\ \/ -_|_-<(_-</ / _ \/ _ \(_-<
/___/\__/___/___/_/\___/_//_/___/
This is the column where CoC sits down to have a face to face, no
holds barred conversation with your favorite bands, and get the
inside scoop into what's happening in their lives.
M E R C Y F U L L Y M A I N T A I N I N G T H E O A T H
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Chat with Mercyful Fate
by: Leonid Makarovsky
The following questions and answers regard various Mercyful Fate
trivia important to the die-hard fan. The answers were written in
January 1995 by Ole Bang on the road bus during the band's US _Time_
tour. Also included are quotes from King Diamond himself during his
IRC Chat in November 1995.
1. There exist 2 versions of the _Melissa_ CD. The first one is
CAROLINE/MEGAFORCE 1385 with the lyrics sheet and picture of the
band inside (King Diamond without make up here). This version is
out of print a long ago. The second version is ROADRACER RRD 9898.
The production here is awful and recording lacks highs. There's
neither a lyric sheet nor band picture. Other than that there
seems to be a difference between the 2 versions of track 7,
"Melissa". The music on this track seems to be the same, but vocal
parts are obviously different. It seems that the vocals on track 7
on the RRD9898 version were re-recorded.
CoC: So what was the deal behind this? Which version is the original?
Will it be possible to re-release the CAROLINE/MEGAFORCE version?
Ole: Difference in the two could be caused by a re-mastering when
RoadRacer issued the album. The band only made one studio
recording and never re-record any part.
[NOTE: The difference DOES exists. It just happens that no one,
including King and Hank Shermann, knows about it.]
Other Mercyful Fate CDs before they got signed with METAL BLADE: _The
Beginning_ ROADRUNNER RR349603
CoC: Has there ever existed CAROLINE/MEGAFORCE version of this one?
Ole: _The Beginning_ is a compilation made by RoadRunner in order to
issue the 1982 4-track Mini album on CD. In addition, some BBC
session from the same time period was thrown in. Only released
by RoadRunner (Europe) and RoadRacer (US). The two are the same.
_Don't Break The Oath_ ROADRACER RCD 9835
CoC: Has there ever existed CAROLINE/MEGAFORCE version of this one?
Ole: No. CAROLINE/MEGAFORCE did not issue this, to the best of my
knowledge.
2. _Return Of The Vampire_ CD has the following notes written on the
back of the inner booklet of the CD.
Line up:
Vocals: King Diamond
Guitars: Hank Shermann, B. Petersen Bass: Timi Hansen
Drums: Kim Ruzz,
except * Line up:
Vocals: King Diamond
Guitars: Hank Shermann, Michael Denner Bass: Timi Hansen
Drums: "Old Nick"
and ** Line up:
Vocals: King Diamond
Guitars & Bass: Hank Shermann
Guitars: C. Volsing
Drums: ???
All tracks recorded live in studio, with exception of solos and
vocals which were overdubbed.
CoC: Does it mean they were overdubbed in 90s?
Ole: No. All overdubs were made in studio at time of original
recording. The _Return of the Vampire_ was compiled to mark the
end of our RoadRunner period. King had the old tapes and the
"best" were thrown into this album.
3. There's a vinyl _Curse of The Pharaohs_, a Mercyful Fate demo.
Most of the songs have appeared on _Return Of The Vampire_ (RotV)
CD with MUCH clearer production (versions seem to be exactly the
same) nevertheless some of the songs have been left over and
didn't appear on _Return Of The Vampire_ CD.
The song titles for this LP include:
Side A:
1. Curse of The Pharaohs (same as on RotV)
2. Return of The Vampire (same as on RotV)
3. Corpse Without Soul (same as on RotV)
4. Burning The Cross (same as on RotV)
5. Walking Back To Hell (same as "Death Kiss" on RotV, but the
end is cut off, making it shorter)
Side B:
6. Running Free (same as "Leave My Soul Alone" on RotV)
7. Black Masses (same as "You Asked For It" on RotV)
8. Hard Rocker (unavailable)
9. Combat Zone (unavailable)
10. Love Criminals (unavailable, ancestor of "Into The Coven",
different lyrics)
11. Missions - Destroy Aliens (same as M.D.A. on RotV with very
poor production; song not cut short
with a fadeout as on RotV)
CoC: Are the source for the tracks on _RotV_ and the given demo the
same?
Ole: A general note on demos. Most demos in the public's hand were
made by copying the 1st cassette tape made from a studio
session's master tape. Quality went worse and worse. No one
really knows where the originals are. Some demo cassettes were
eventually turned into vinyl bootleg albums. The demo used for
the _...Vampire_ album were the ones that King had. It's not
necessarily from the same batch of songs the public have heard
since the band made their own copies from the original studio
tape.
CoC: Will it be possible to re-issue _RotV_ with the 3 songs that
were left over and also add the full version of "Missions -
Destroy Aliens"?
Ole: There are no plans for re-issuing _...Vampire_ or any other of
the old stuff.
4. On the Halloween 1981, Herlev, Denmark show, Mercyful Fate
performed the song "Shadow Night (Devil's Daughter)". No one has
ever heard the song before and after that. On _The Return of The
Living Dead_ bootleg CD (Copenhagen 1982 show) there was the song
"Nightmare". The first part of this song has the same riffs/melody
as "Shadow Night (Devil's Daughter)", but completely different
lyrics. And also "Nightmare" was slower than "Shadow Night
(Devil's Daughter)". The second part of "Nightmare" was fast and
one could hear similarities to the "Nightmare" off the _DBtO_
album. Nevertheless, these 2 versions of "Nightmare" differ very
much as if they are 2 entirely different songs with completely
different riffs and completely different lyrics.
CoC: What's the story behind these 3 songs?
Ole: Show was in Herlev outside Copenhagen. The song was also played
at a show in Copenhagen a couple of weeks before or after this
31st Oct show. It was at the same time quite normal for the band
to compose songs, then perform them live, and in the case they
were not happy with something; then break up the song and use
whatever they liked for a new song or part of a song. That
happened to several of the songs composed during 1981 and 1982.
Old live recording have some very interesting sequences.
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M A L F O R M E D M U S I C A L M A Y H E M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Danny Lilker (Brutal Truth/Malformed Earthborn)
by: Gino Filicetti
Barely days before X-mas would come to pass, CoC conducted this
chat with Danny Lilker from his home in New York City, focusing not
on his band of fame, Brutal Truth, but on his experimental
ambient/noise sideproject Malformed Earthborn. Together with
ex-bandmate Scott Lewis and Napalm Death bassist Shane Embury, the
three set out to record an album that reflects something of
themselves that just wouldn't jive with what their respective bands
are currently into. This is what Danny had to say about the events of
the past three years that went into Malformed Earthborn.
CoC: So what have you been up to lately?
Danny Lilker: Just chilling out 'cause we're supposed to be going to
Australia, so we are just waiting for the immigration
shit to come in the mail. And we're rehearsing and
stuff.
CoC: So you are touring with Malformed then?
DL: No, that's for Brutal Truth. No, Malformed isn't going to really
tour or play live anywhere because there is a lot of programming
and sequencing that would be particularly boring live, I think,
unless you had some cool strobe lights and shit. So unless we
come up with a really wicked live show that has like lots of film
and lots of smoke, stuff like that, but I don't know what that
would cost.
CoC: How did the idea to form Malformed Earthborn come together?
DL: Well it came together during the Campaign for Musical Destruction
tour in September of '92. It had like Napalm, Carcass, Cathedral
and Brutal Truth. That was when Scott was still in Brutal Truth,
and you know, we already knew each other pretty good already so
when you are on a seven week tour, you get a lot of time to just
sit around, talk, listen to music and things like that. So the
three of us found out that we all have a mutual admiration for
stuff like Skinny Puppy and Coil and we thought, 'Hey, we should
do a band like this.' I had an eight-track cassette which is
basically what Smoke, Grind, Sleep Studios is. Then Shane just
changed his flight plans after the tour and stayed over an extra
week and we did half the session then.
CoC: Have you guys been friends with Shane for a long time before the
tour that brought all of you together?
DL: Yeah, well, I've known Shane since like '88 or something. That's
back when I was in Nuclear Assault. I was in touch with the whole
English grind scene like Napalm and Carcass. I used to write
those people and go to their shows here and hang out. So I've
known Shane for a long time and obviously Scott for a long time
because he's from around here.
CoC: Are you still doing the Exit-13 stuff?
DL: Well, I'm not really in the band anymore and I never really was.
They have a permanent line up now. However I did do something
with them, a weird album that's going to come out next year.
[That would be the new Exit-13 album containing covers of various
keep marijuana legal anthems from the 30's and 40's.]
CoC: What is the thing about side projects that attracts you to them?
DL: It's just something where, you get to express yourself musically
doing things you might not always do in your band. As varied as
Brutal Truth is, as far as incorporating hardcore and noise and
this and that, one thing that we wouldn't sound right doing would
be like rhythmic industrial stuff. And Napalm Death wouldn't be
right doing that stuff either, so I guess it's a way to get
certain musical urges out of your system. Which is kind of the
way Brutal Truth started. I wanted to do stuff that Nuclear
Assault wouldn't do. But this would never take over because like
I said before, Malformed would never play live because it's not
made like that so it's not something that would take a lot of our
time up.
CoC: What took so long from the recording of the first five tracks
until the completion of the album?
DL: I guess one thing is that Relapse was really psyched about it,
but they also said that, 'We're really into this, but we don't
know when the hell we can put it out so you don't have to rush.'
Another thing is the scheduling thing you know. Even though it
only took a week to do the last half of the session, it's also
the thing that people are doing different things, like when
Brutal Truth had time off, Napalm Death would be somewhere off in
Japan or something. And also it's good to take time and let the
creativity build up again.
CoC: Is there a noticeable difference when comparing the newer songs
to the older ones?
DL: I don't know, it's hard to say. I like some of the newer songs
better, but then again, I guess that's just something where when
something is fresher you just like it more. Well, on both of them
we have our regular, kind of like danceable stuff, and then we
had things that were just weird seven minute soundscapes. And
also this time around we were also a little more, 'Uh oh, we are
going to put something out on album so we better make sure it's
good.' So I don't think we went through the same natural process.
CoC: Did any one of you contribute a major part to the music as
compared to the others?
DL: No, I think it was pretty much even. I mean the reason we don't
put the credits on it, like who did what, was because it was all
kind of split responsibility-wise. As far as the creative parts,
I mean, we all had that. I did more stuff as far as like the
actual programming, you know, turning the dials and pushing the
buttons here and there and making things work right. Shane did
most of the vocals. Scott and Shane did the guitar parts, some of
the guitar parts were like regular gui
tar parts. And you can hear
some of the riffs that were sampled and deconstructed. Sometimes
you hear a regular riff, and sometimes you hear just really weird
shit. So, no, it was all pretty much evenly split you know,
responsibility-wise and creativity-wise.
CoC: Why the name Malformed Earthborn?
DL: Shane came up with it, it's a Skinny Puppy lyric, and we thought
it sounded cool.
CoC: Where did the album title come from?
DL: Actually that was stolen too. I got that from a book of short
stories. The whole thing with Malformed is that when we put it
together it was all very casual. We didn't think it was going to
be something that was going to be released, we just thought,
'Alright, that'll be the album title.'
CoC: So you really didn't think there was going to be a future in
this thing?
DL: Well no, I mean, I don't know if it's going to be huge or
anything. I really have no idea what people think of it, but I
know Skinny Puppy are from Canada, so ... <laughs>
CoC: What steps were taken during recording? How does the production
on this album compare with the usual production used with your
respective bands?
DL: Oh, it was way different, a lot of different aspects of it. For
one thing, it was done entirely on an eight-track cassette, so
it's going to be a lot cruder and rawer sounding than other
things. Another thing was that opposed to how we regularly do
albums where you lay down all the drum tracks and you lay down
all the overdubs, with this stuff we kind of approached it one
song at a time, where we'd lay down a drum track and take it from
there and complete the song. So it was an entirely different
recording procedure.
CoC: Do you think there is a big musical difference with Shane coming
from Napalm Death, and you guys coming from Brutal Truth?
DL: I don't really think so, because as far as music goes, we had the
same sort of backgrounds, we all appreciated the same stuff. I
don't think it made that much of a difference. I know that from
our field of music, our bands are two separate entities. As far
as our collective influences for making Malformed, I think it
meshed pretty well. Any weird idea we had came from our being
into that type of music, that grind thing, although we threw a
blast beat in there just for the hell of it. <laughs>
CoC: Is this side project something that you think will stand the
test of time, or was it purposely a one time only affair?
DL: We'll probably do more, I mean, like I said, when it was done in
the beginning, it was done just for a creative outlet. So we'll
need that again. Everyone's been asking if there is going to be
more so I can see it having a positive reaction. It's not
something where you have to have a big budget. I mean, this album
was made for like nothing man, you know, it was all done on the
eight-track and then put down on a DAT player. Scott had pretty
much all the artwork together, then they just scanned in all the
pictures and that shit. All it cost Relapse was the production of
the CDs and the packaging. It's not like they had to pay for a
$20,000 recording and $10,000 in drugs for the band, you know?
<laughs> So I imagine we can do more because it's not going to
cost them a whole lot of money either.
CoC: What's the story behind the artwork?
DL: Um.. Scott's just a pervert, he's into a lot of weird shit. You
should see all the stuff that he has, I mean, that's just the tip
of the iceberg. We just wanted something that fit with the music
as far as strange stuff. The album cover is actually something
that Japanese people hang up in their houses to ward off evil,
because it is shaped like a demon, so Japanese demons would come
up to the house and see the demon there, so they say, 'Well, ok,
they're already possessed. Let's cross 'em off the list.' And all
the weird stuff inside is just stuff Scott had lying around and
wanted to use, so we're like, 'Ok, whatever.'
CoC: Do you have any side projects in the works?
DL: Well, me and Kevin kind of did this band, the same thing
actually, a recording project with this guy Bones from a band
called Disassociate, a crust/grind/whatever band and it's called
Last Satanic Dance. The thing is that one night we all took acid
and recorded, and it's pretty interesting, but it's only like 25
minutes worth of stuff though, so we have to do another session
then. But right now we just have to get ready for Australia.
CoC: Do you have anything else to say to everyone out there?
DL: Yeah, if people in the metal scene really like the Malformed
Earthborn stuff, I'd suggest going out and checking out stuff
like Skinny Puppy and Coil. That's where we got a lot of our
stuff. And a lot of people express enthusiasm and ask where we
get our stuff from so, it's not like we're trying to be totally
original, and we don't want to take credit for starting a whole
new thing. So I think that people should check out our roots.
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This is where we rant, rave, and rip apart albums. Check this column
every month for the scoop on the latest in heavy hand-outs.
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- If there was ever a perfect CD, this is it!
8 out of 10 -- A great piece of metallic mayhem
6 out of 10 -- Not too bad of an album
4 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
2 out of 10 -- If you like this, you are fucked!
0 out of 10 -- My shit can put out better music than this!
Immolation - _Here In After_ (Metal Blade, January 1996)
by: Gino Filicetti (7 out of 10)
Blasting back in ever more brutal and blasphemous form are New York's
very own Immolation. Their second major label release to date, _Here
In After_ proves to the world that pure, uncensored hatred for all
things Christian is alive and well, thank you. The album starts in an
almost unintelligible cacophony of noisy blast beats and guitar riffs
fired off at break-neck speed. The vocals on this release are of the
deep-throated variety, and thankfully they are not drowned out by the
furious instrumentation taking place around them. The
no-holds-barred, ultra-fast tempo trend on this album is left intact
but for a few exceptions including, "Here In After" and my two
favorite songs, "I Feel Nothing" and "Christ's Cage". One thing I
noticed that shocked the hell out of me was the presence of, gasp!,
off-beat drumming in the song, "Away From God". As a whole, this
album fails to turn any new corners or uncover uncharted territory,
however, I do believe that it does make a bold statement about the
state of death metal in the world today; it's still around, and it's
still going to leave you massacred and frothing at the mouth for more.
Celestial Season - _Solar Lovers_ (Metal Blade, December 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (6 out of 10)
With their sophomore effort and debut on Metal Blade entitled _Solar
Lovers_, Celestial Season manage to fuse some intensely heavy doom
riffs with some of the most beautiful violin playing I've heard.
Weird you say? In actuality, this album does have a good semblance of
cohesion even if it is hard to imagine whilst reading the above
description. Vocals on this release tend toward the growled but faded
type a la Amorphis, as well as some clean spoken whispered parts. The
tempo on this album never comes within 10 miles of breakneck fast,
and to some it could prove an effective lullaby (that includes me!).
The first track, "Decamerone", is one of the more memorable tracks on
this disc, and unfortunately, a lot of the rest of this album becomes
ever fuzzier in my memory as time goes on. Influences apparent here
are of course Black Sabbath, as well as a good hint of Kyuss(!). The
violins prove to be an effective atmospheric element, but I think the
rest of the music needs a little more pizzazz. Overall, an OK album.
Broken Hope - _Repulsive Conception_ (Metal Blade, December 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (5 out of 10)
From the lead riff of the first track, to the closing blast beat,
Broken Hope's newest opus proved to be an exercise in genericism
extremus. While sounding very Cannibal Corpsesque, I was pleased to
note that the band did not use and abuse the art of blast beats on
this album. The vocals here sound brutal; want more? Well, there
isn't much more to say about them. The lack of vocal variety on this
record is definitely an extreme minus. Probably the one and only
thing that I utterly enjoyed on this record were the lyrics. I must
admit they are what kept me from falling asleep as per usual when
reviewing mediocre material. There are sexually explicit stories such
as, "Engorged With Impiety", "Erotic Zoophilism", and "Penis Envy",
which I think tells one of the coolest and most bizarre stories I've
ever read in an album liner. Then you have your typical blood and
gore type anthems such as, "Chewed To Stubs", "Pitbull Grin", and
"Freezerburnt". One of the best songs here is the Death Metal Pride
Track of the Year, "For Only The Sick", a song that unites all the
'truest' death metal fans, and lets the world know that we are here,
we are sick, and we ain't goin' nowhere! A good change of direction
comes with the three acoustic instrumental tracks, "Swallowed Whole",
"Essence of Human Pain", and "Imprimus Obscurity". And finally, the
album is rounded off with a brutalized rendition of Twisted Sister's
classic "Captain Howdy". A great cover, however it still leaves me
craving Dee Snider's nasty but decipherable vocals. Beware of this
album, take some advice and listen to it before you plop down your
cash.
Sacred Reich - _Heal_ (Metal Blade, December 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
On their fourth full-length album, _Heal_, thrash metal commandos
Sacred Reich come out of the starting gate in full stride without
looking back. Knocked down and kicked around by the end of the first
killer track 'Blue Suit, Brown Shirt,' I was blown away and in
obvious pain, and completely delirious of what else would be coming
around the bend. Track after track, the adrenaline rush of
bassist/vocalist Phil Rind and his posse explode into a riff rockin'
onslaught of thrash and mayhem. Need a pit? Slap on 'Don't' or 'Who
Do You Want To Be?' Need something to release your tension and anger?
Look no further than the Black Sabbath-esque doobie anthem 'Ask Ed',
'Low' or even the title track. Glad to see that this band is still
out there after the brilliant, yet poorly received previous effort,
_Independent_ (1993), almost made them go bye-bye. Too bad - I liked
that record. If you are looking for speed/thrash metal the way it
used to be - and oughta be - pick up _Heal_. It is about time someone
came around to help the metal community. Thank the gods Phil Rind has
not given up.
Crematory - _Illusions_ (Massacre, 1995)
by: Brian Meloon (5 out of 10)
If you liked their last two releases (1993's _Transmigration_ and
1994's _...Just Dreaming_), and if you like The Gathering, then
you'll probably like this quite a bit, as it sounds much like a
fusion of the two styles. Personally, I find it quite unsatisfying,
first because the song structures are too simple, but also because it
doesn't effectively create any kind of mood. There are dark sections
(in the style of _JD_) which are immediately followed by
light/happy/bouncy sections which just don't fit together in a
cohesive fashion. The result is that this album comes across to me as
a collection of riffs more than any single unified vision. The
production is fine, as it was for their first two releases, although
some of the keyboard patches sound a little cheap. The playing is
good, but a little more restrained, especially the drumming. Of
course, this is appropriate for the lighter sound of this album, but
I found it a little disappointing, since the drumming was one of the
things I liked the most about _JD_. I guess this really isn't that
bad, but I just can't get into it ... then again, it's probably worth
seeking out if you like gothic-type stuff and don't mind death metal
vocals.
Various Artists - _The 17 Commandments, Vol. II_
by: Brian Meloon (4 out of 10) (Metal Blade, 1995)
Okay, you get one guess as to how many tracks are on here ... and one
guess as to how many are actually good. By my count, there aren't any
really good songs here, four decent ones, and the rest are crap,
making this a pretty poor compilation, but better than Century
Media's _Identity_ comp (see CoC #3). The okay songs are album cuts
from Grip Inc, King Diamond, Masquerade (generic prog metal, but at
least listenable), and Decoryah. Other than that, you don't get any
unreleased tracks, and album cuts by Gwar, Six Feet Under, X-Cops,
Broken Hope, Thought Industry, Crisis (whom Metal Blade seem to be
hyping to no end), and a bunch of no-names. Most of the tracks on
here don't do anything for me, a typical example being Broken Hope's
'Pitbull Grin' (from 1995's _Repulsive Conception_), which just
sounds uninspired. However, the Thought Industry track on here is
worthy of special mention because it is surprisingly bad. Since their
last album, they kicked out drummer Dustin Donaldson (under quite
unfriendly terms), and it seems to have been the worst thing they
could have done. At first I had a hard time even believing this was
Thought Industry, as it sounds so much like "normal" alternative. It
was a huge letdown for me, as was the rest of this compilation. At
this point, there's really only one thing left to say: what the hell
is Billy Sheehan doing on here?
Various - _Four Ways To Misery_ (MMI/Sepulture Prod., Dec '95)
by: Gino Filicetti (9 out of 10)
This four band split CD comes to us from German underground label MMI
Records now being distributed in Canada by Mike Campbell's Sepulture
Productions. All I can say is that I completely loved this record!
The four bands included here are Toronto's own Caesarean Section,
Germany's Nyctophobic, South Africa's Groinchurn and Winter of
Discontent, the one man band hailing from some unknown distant land
(probably the middle of Iowa!). First on the CD are four tracks by
Caesarean Section which consists of two former members of Inner
Thought, Roland Murray (guitars/bass/programming) and Kelly Montico
(vocals). The band is reminescent of Carcass at a musical stage
between _Symphonies..._ and _Necroticism..._. Songs like, 'Vaginal
Discharge Regurgitation' or 'Ailing Surgical Vexations' are just the
first clues to suggest this fact. Their vocals are really a jewel in
my eyes with Kelly's multifacetted voice, the vox are constantly
going from the deepest guttural burpings to the most agonizing high
pitched screeches and are even double tracked onto each other at
times producing a very cool vocal effect. The next band is
Nyctophobic, with seven tracks they comprise the better part of the
CD. Their sound is a kind of grinding death metal in the vein of Edge
of Sanity, the bass lines are what I personally enjoy most about this
band. Most of their seven tracks begin with an intro sample which
vary from a policeman describing a daylight murder of another cop by
a bum who stole the cop's gun, all the while being urged on by the
crowd that gathered to pull the trigger, to an interview with some
satanic band member describing his hatred of God because of seeing
his grandmother die of cancer in his arms spitting up black blood.
The next band here is Winter of Discontent with three tracks. They
are by far the most experimental band on this CD, their sound is hard
to describe but essentially it is a mix between very slow grind,
almost doom, and black metal. While being a one man band (remind you
of anyone?), Eric Sandusky does employ the help of a female vocalist,
something which everyone knows I am powerless to resist. Finally the
last band is Groinchurn, another grindcore band, their songs have a
certain element of humour to them that reminds me of Exit-13. Songs
like 'What About Them Injuns?' 'Let's Put The Fun Back Into
Fundamentalists,' and the Deicide satire, 'Satan Spawn, The Idiots.'
Of their 10 tracks, barely 4 of them are over 2 minutes long. And for
a finale, the band includes, 'Funky Funk and the Motherfunking
Shitfuckers' a slow, funk/fusion type song that's good for a laugh.
All in all, I really liked this CD and I recommend it to everyone,
contact the address below for any info.
Contact:
Sepulture Productions, PO Box 30624, Oshawa, Ont.
Canada, L1J-8L8, Voice (905) 404-0714, Fax (905) 404-9420
or
M.M.I. RECORDS, c/o Markus Woeste, Heerstrasse 77
58553 Halver, Germany, Tel/Fax: +49(0)2353-137159
DHI - _Pressures Collide_ (Fringe Product, March 1994)
by: Gino Filicetti (7 out of 10)
I know what you all must be saying right about now, "Why the hell is
he reviewing a record that's almost 2 years old?!" Well, the reason
is that this band has just signed two new deals to distribute this
album domestically in the USA (through Van Richter Records) and in
Europe (through Kk Records). The record itself proves to be a very
catchy, danceable industrial recording relying more on synthesizers
and samples than on guitar riffs. Some songs here are very radio
friendly such as the lead track, 'Pain and Courage' for which the
band shot a video. As well, this outing includes two ambient
soundscapes, 'Undercurrent' and 'Black Hour,' which I think only add
to the length of this CD without introducing any significant content.
My favorite track was 'The Aftershock' which was by far the
"heaviest" track on the record because it incorporated some
noticeable guitar riffs. I also liked the slower, hypnotic,
trance-inducing tracks like 'Any Power.' I always find songs like
that to be a good escape from all the worries in my head. All in all,
a more than half-decent effort which I just might put in my CD player
one or maybe two more times (gasp!) :)
Ultraviolence - _Psychodrama_ (Earache, November 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (8 out of 10)
Whoever said that heavy music was solely in the realm of heavy metal?
Proud to prove you wrong is Johnny Violent with his newest and
greatest album to date: _Psychodrama_. Since 1992, Ultraviolence has
been in existence, hailing from Johnny's bedroom studio. This UK
one-piece musical anomaly has managed to turn quite a few heads, both
'metalheads' and 'technoheads.' With his latest release, Johnny has
shown that hardcore techno need not be only unintelligible noise with
an outrageous BPM rating. This album is not only a masterpiece of
synthetic and sampled sound, but also a 'techno-opera,' the first of
its kind, and probably not the last. For this record, Violent
recruited an acting staff of over 15 individuals, for all of the
various singing, speaking, and screaming parts. The story centers
around Jessica, an abused child who turned to prostitution and 'rock
and roll' for attention, and Hitman, who was raised as a killer from
birth. The meeting of these two people sparks an undying love between
them that manages to fulfill the emptiness of their lives. They then
commit suicide together and are forced to face up to God and be sent
to Hell. In the end, they persevere and God realizes that they can
not be blamed for the suicide they committed, so he releases them
into Paradise. Although I am personally not a fan of very much
techno, I do appreciate the experimental, and this release is
definitely that and much more. I'd recommend this album to anyone who
is willing to set aside their love of guitars and drums, and listen
to what one man, one imagination, and one computer can do.
Thought Industry - _Outer Space Is Just A Martini Away_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Metal Blade, January 1996)
To describe the complexity and diversity that encompasses the band's
third and latest offering would be a complete waste of time. To make
things quick, and for you all to figure out for yourselves, the band
has toured and played with: Slayer, Testament, Skinny Puppy, Monster
Voodoo Machine, Skrew and Sepultura. Impressive, eh? But they have
also played with such diverse acts as Hole, Biohazard, Helmet, Cop
Shoot Cop, Type O Negative and Dream Theater as well. Scratching your
head? Wait until you hear this record! With song titles almost as
long as book titles, i.e. 'Love Is America Spelled Backwards' or
'Atomic Stroller Helps None,' you'd have to assume that from
listening to this album, it would have to be all over the place;
exactly! Hardcore, metallic, alternative fused riffs, samplings,
heavy guitars and acoustic elements are all an integrated part of
_OSiJaMA_. Still scratching your heads? Through all the confusion and
sound styles numbers, like 'Pinto Award In Literature,' 'Fairy,' and
'Watercolour Grey' are memorable numbers that reek of absurdity and
creativity all in the same stench. Avoid at all costs or embrace it
with open arms - you be the judge here. Thought Industry have
released an album that makes you put some "thought" into it while
giving it a listen. How bad can it be when outer space has never
seemed so promising before? Think about it metalheads and have a
martini.
Vintersemestre - _Jaaverisaatana_ (MMI/Sepulture Prod., December 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (6 out of 10)
Writing a review without a band bio is definitely a feat in itself,
one that I am not always happy to have to accomplish, however in this
case, Vintersemestre chose to remain anonymous in the face of losing
credibility. All that is known to this reviewer is that the band is
comprised of prominent members of the Scandinavian black metal scene.
This album (or should I say EP for it is barely 19 minutes long)
starts off with a track entitled 'Those Tears of Lilith.' The song is
a very slow, beautiful acoustic piece which shortly gives way to the
next track, 'Firedance,' a track which sets precedence for the rest
of the album. The vocals are of the usual agonizingly painful black
metal screeches, however they are somewhat distorted and faded into
the background. The music seems to be generic black metal
pseudo-distortion disguised as guitars. The music also has a very
medieval feel to it. Most of the songs here do absolutely nothing for
me except, 'The Wisdom of Usuluh (Veri),' which I think is by far the
best track, mainly because it breaks away from the generic sound with
a slow-paced middle section full of chimes and ringing bells. Not the
best album if you are looking to get into the black metal scene, but
if you are of the adamant, ferocious type black fan, maybe you should
check it out.
Contact: Sepulture Productions, PO Box 30624, Oshawa, Ont.
Canada, L1J-8L8, Voice (905) 404-0714, Fax (905) 404-9420
Belladonna - _Belladonna_ (Mausoleum, 1995)
by: Alain M. Gaudrault (3 out of 10)
Out with the old and in with the new, a motto Anthrax has been
adhering to a lot in the last few years. The most drastic measure
taken in redefining the group was the unapologetic booting of their
lead vocalist, Joey Belladonna. Many old Anthrax fans were
anticipating the release of the ex-vocalist's solo effort, partly to
regain some of that old Anthrax sound, partly to see whether Joey
could actually write music. The latter concern stemmed mainly from
statements made by his old bandmates that his artistic input while in
Anthrax was next to nil. Belladonna's self-titled debut album has
pretty well cast those words in stone. None, I repeat, none of the
songs on this outing have any redeeming qualities whatsoever, unless
of course you consider tired, rehashed speed metal riffs and Joey's
melody-impaired vocal lines revolutionary. The music is so dated, and
the musicianship so mediocre, it's a wonder this band was signed at
all. I see no major label interest any time in the near future. The
guy needs a new angle, and most of all, a set of skilled, creative
musicians to back him up. Till then, he'll just keep fading away into
metal obscurity. Tough luck, Joey.
Enthroned - _Thy Flesh Consumed_ (Lion Records, Mar '96)
by: Gino Filicetti (8 out of 10)
To our long-time readers, the name Enthroned should ring a bell (and
is not to be confused with the black metal band of the same name).
They have been featured in Chronicles of Chaos with a demo review in
issue #1, and an Independent Interrogation in issue #2. Now, after
being signed to Lion Records as a direct result of their brilliant
last demo _Absence of Life_, Enthroned have just finished recording
their debut label recording, _Thy Flesh Consumed_. This album
consists of three new songs, 'Liquefied,' 'Immortal Hate,' and 'Lord
of Worms.' As well, there are three songs from their demo, _Gears_,
and the rest are 5 remastered versions of songs from _Absence of
Life_. Since we last encountered the band, they have undergone
somewhat of an overhaul. Their old throat, Lyle Esterkyn, has now
retired from singing because of nodules on his vocal cords, and has
added the much needed new dimension of keyboards to the band. Their
vocalist for this album is David Cohen who decided to take time out
from his full time band, Spider Soup, to help the guys in their time
of need. As for the music on this release, I can safely say that it
is quite easy to pick out the new songs from the old as Enthroned
have matured greatly in the time since their last demo. Blast beats
abound throughout the tape, and the band still maintains its thrashy
death roots. Guitar playing on this tape is incredible as always and
is the main reason why this recording garnered an 8 out of 10. I
think the keyboard additions are a much needed breather from what
would otherwise have been repetitive death metal genericism. One beef
I have about this album is its length. Even though it's not more than
an hour of music, it seems just a tad too lengthy. I would have more
enjoyed the music had it been shorter. Nonetheless, an album worth
checking out.
Contact: ENTHRONED, c/o John Oster, 909 Alvarado Av #22
Davis CA, 95616, USA, (916) 758-5357, (916) 979-0368
email: joster@wheel.dcn.davis.ca.us
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Your best source of information on the newest of the new, and the
lowest of the underground, New Noise is the place to read about all
the coolest shit you never thought existed! And if you have a band,
don't forget to send us your demo with a bio if you want to be
reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header.
Naphobia - _Of Hell_ (9 track demo)
by: Alain M. Gaudrault
Calling this a demo would be somewhat misleading. This professionally
packaged CD sports decent graphics and 9 well-recorded songs. In
fact, the last track, 'As Ancients Evolve,' was recorded at Chuck
Shuldiner's (Death) Black Diamond Studio. Further, the last three
tracks were recorded with the aid of Gene Hoglan, ex-Dark Angel and
current Death skinsman. There's no mistaking _Of Hell_ for anything
but death metal, although there are definite hardcore undertones
mixed in. Oddly enough, the hardcore snare drum sound which is
evident on most of the songs disappears on the Hoglan-aided material,
with more double bass drumming pervading, and an overall increase in
death metal stylings. I must admit that I hope Naphobia decide to
pursue the direction alluded to in the final three songs, as I found
the rest of the material mildly monotonous, and often sloppily
executed. Hopefully, the latter point is due mostly to increased
proficiency on the part of the musicians, and not to the use of
better recording techniques. Naphobia play death metal which is fast,
furious, but not simple or stupid. I found the occasional interesting
idea on _Of Hell_, and hope to see Naphobia honing their skills in
the future with more material in the vein of the Death-influenced
tracks. This release is nonetheless ideal for lovers of solid,
semi-complex death metal. Death fans may also be interested in
checking it out, if only for Shuldiner's solo contribution in 'As
Ancients Evolve.'
Contact: Club Fear, PO Box 677001, Orlando FL, 32867 USA
Voice: (407) 679-9245, Email: nphobia@magicnet.net
Web Page: http://www.magicnet.net/~nphobia/index.html
Introspectre - _Buried Inside_ (10 track demo)
by: Alain M. Gaudrault
I was quite highly anticipating the arrival of this full length
independent release. Unfortunately, my expectations were set a bit
too high. The cover art of the CD packaging was just the beginning of
the growing disappointment that awaited. Introspectre play a form of
mildly progressive power/speed metal, introducing various time
changes and long, drawn out song arrangements. One look at the song
credits show that this is likely the brainchild of vocalist/guitarist
Rod Wadzinski. The first problem with _Buried Inside_ is the lack of
memorable melodies, which is extremely important when playing a more
melodically oriented style, unlike death metal which Introspectre is
definitely not. The tracks feature the occasional half-decent riff,
but the guitar leads are extremely weak, although this may be partly
blamed on the mediocre production. My biggest beef of all, however,
are the vocals. Being the creative focal point of the band, Wadzinski
has also appointed himself vocalist, which serves only to further
weaken the overall sound. With the odd growl thrown in here and
there, Rod mostly speaks and (for lack of a better word) whines the
lyrics over all but the final (instrumental) tracks. Introspectre
will be going nowhere fast with these songs, and any future hope of
success will require fresh vocals, leads ... and songs.
Contact: Introspectre Skeleton Crew
The Band Center c/o Resurrection Ltd.
10201 W. Appleton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53225 USA
Voice: (414) 461-0694, Email: adamg@execpc.com
Web Page: http://www.execpc.com/~adamg/introspectre.html
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____ __ __
/\ _`\ /\ \ /\ \__ __
\ \ \/\_\\ \ \___ __ ___\ \ ,_\/\_\ ___
\ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\
\ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
\ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\
\/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/
____ __
/\ _`\ /\ \__
\ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____
\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
Here is where Chronicles of Chaos gives you the low down on the
latest shows to come to town. Check out Chaotic Concerts every month
for the scoop on which bands are brutalizing the masses with their
own form of terror.
V O I V O D ' S V E N O M U N L E A S H E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 15, 1995 at The Volcano in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
by: Alain M. Gaudrault
This show was particularly enjoyable seeing as I only found out
about it the day before, and even managed to get my hands on
complimentary passes. But then, this show would have easily been
worth The Volcano's cover charge. Denis D'amour (formerly Piggy,
guitars), Michel Langevin (formerly Away, drums), and relative
newcomer Eric Forrest (bass & vocals) put on a show more reminiscent
of their earlier, more aggressive days. Sure, Snake is gone, but
Eric's presence makes up for the loss, although being tied down to
his bass duties takes away from his frontman dynamics.
The turnout was actually fairly decent for such a small club,
especially considering the lack of promotion and the band's still
relative obscurity. They did not disappoint. The crowd was whipped
into a frenzy, and a small pit formed, lasting pretty much throughout
the entire show. Tight, fast, and ever so complex, Voivod was fully
in their realm playing a number of selections from their latest
full-length release, _Negatron_, as well as standard favourites from
their back catalogue. A noticeable lack of songs from their previous
few albums was none too surprising given the shift in musical
direction the group has taken, although their one minor hit, Pink
Floyd's 'Astronomy Domine,' was a definite crowd pleaser.
The show was, in my eyes, a success, although it's unfortunate
that a band as musically proficient as Voivod is playing such small
venues. I had a few words with D'amour after the show (in French, of
course), and he indicated that he's quite happy with the new album,
the tour, and the general direction the band is pursuing. No hard
feelings for former members Snake and Blacky, and a desire to keep
pumping out good metal, Voivod need all the support they can get, and
we can all do our part by attending their shows. Given the caliber of
the performance, doing so is no great sacrifice.
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W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gino's Top 5
1. Sentenced - _The Trooper_ EP
2. Marilyn Manson - _Portrait of an American Family_
3. Exit-13 - _Ethos Musick_
4. Unleashed - _Live In Vienna '93_
5. Monster Magnet - _Superjudge_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Sacred Reich - _Heal_
2. Scum - _Purple Dreams And Magic Poems_
3. g/z/r - _Plastic Planet_
4. Various - _Nativity In Black: A Tribute To Black Sabbath_
5. Fear Factory - _Demanufacture_
Brian's Top 5
1. W.A.R. Compilation Volume 1
2. Cradle of Filth - _The Principle of Evil Made Flesh_
3. Threnody - _Locusts of Eden_
4. Time Machine - _Act II: Galileo_
5. Black Jester - _Welcome to the Moonlight Circus_
Alain's Top 5
1. Obliveon - _Cybervoid_ (advanced copy)
2. Dissection - _Storm of the Light's Bane_
3. Voivod - _Negatron_
4. Strapping Young Lad - _Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing_
5. Alice Cooper - _Love It to Death_
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T H E F I N A L W O R D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, looks like it's now my turn to wish you all a Happy X-mas and a
Merry New Year. I hope all you krazy kids out there didn't drink,
smoke or party too much (at least, not more than I did!). This issue
actually turned out better than I thought it would. Again, sorry for
the lateness, but you can blame the holidays for that, "It's not my
fault man! I SWEAR!!" Anyway, sad to say we had to AGAIN skip the
Independent Interrogations for this month. I did have a band lined
up, but the holidays prevented them from getting their answers to me
in time. Look for them in CoC #7 though! The letters we received last
month were just absolutely great. I'd like to thank everyone who sent
one in, and please, keep them coming! Ok, that's it for me, hope you
enjoyed our semi-anniversary issue, let's look forward to another six
killer issues. -- Gino Filicetti
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #6
