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Chronicles of Chaos Issue 056
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The New Year's Evil Edition
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, January 14, 2002, Issue #56
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk
Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Neophyte: Kirsty Buchanan
Neophyte: Quentin Kalis
Neophyte: Vincent Eldefors
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
firstname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ("firstname" must be replaced by the
respective writer's first name, e.g. Gino@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).
NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by
sending a blank e-mail to <Unsubscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the
Details section at the end of this issue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #56 Contents, 1/14/02
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Deadly Dialogues
-- King Diamond: The King and I
-- My Dying Bride: The Hand of Doom
-- Impaled Nazarene: Nazarenes Aren't the Only Fiends
-- Sodom: The Metal Machine Carries On
-- Destruction: Back From Hell
-- Bathory: Entering an Age of Antiquity
-- Bolt Thrower: Metal Pride
-- Witchery: Hearse to You, Witchery!
-- Sinister: Creative Brutality Unleashed
-- Pungent Stench: Vomit to Vanquish the Vatican!
-- Godflesh: Hymns of Progression
-- Atomsmasher: Split This!
-- The Provenance: Spending Hours Bleeding for Music
-- April Ethereal: Where's the Shower?
-- Leechmilk: Dirty, Dirgy Motherfuckers!
* Independent Interrogations
-- Aphotic: Darkness Enclosing
-- Ghoulunatics: Ghoulish Metal Fun
* Album Asylum
-- Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_
-- Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_
-- Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7"
-- Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
-- Angra - _Rebirth_
-- Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_
-- Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_
-- Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_
-- Borknagar - _Empiricism_
-- Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_
-- Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_
-- Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_
-- Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_
-- Various - _Colorado Colossus_
-- Converge - _Jane Doe_
-- Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_
-- Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_
-- Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_
-- Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_
-- Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_
-- Diabolical - _Synergy_
-- Edguy - _Mandrake_
-- Edicius - _Aeon_
-- Enslaved - _Monumension_
-- Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_
-- Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_
-- Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_
-- Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_
-- Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_
-- Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_
-- Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_
-- Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_
-- Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_
-- In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_
-- Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_
-- Iniquity - _Grime_
-- Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_
-- Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - <split>
-- Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_
-- King's X - _Manic Moonlight_
-- Kronos - _Titans Awakening_
-- Lacrimosa - _Fassade_
-- Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_
-- Lullacry - _Be My God_
-- Macbeth - _Vanitas_
-- Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_
-- Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_
-- Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7"
-- Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_
-- Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
-- Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_
-- Peccatum - _Amor Fati_
-- Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_
-- Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_
-- Rakoth - _Jabberworks_
-- Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_
-- Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_
-- Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_
-- Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_
-- Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_
-- Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_
-- Sinister - _Creative Killings_
-- Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
-- Teabag - _Teabag_
-- The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
-- The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_
-- Therion - _Secret of the Runes_
-- Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_
-- Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_
-- Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_
-- VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_
-- Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_
-- Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_
-- Without Face - _Deep Inside_
-- Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_
* New Noise
-- Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_
-- Binding - _Relict_
-- Biomechanical - _Distorted_
-- Blessed - _Consume 3000_
-- Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_
-- Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_
-- In Grey - _Above_
-- Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_
-- Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_
-- Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_
-- Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_
-- Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_
-- Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_
-- Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_
-- Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- A Night to Remember, a Bill to Forget: Tristania, Rotting Christ,
Vintersorg and Madder Mortem in France
-- Murder! Death! Toke! Enslaved, Electric Wizard & Macabre in Canada
-- Their Special Friend Pinky: Anathema in Portugal
-- Cutting Through the Shit: Razor in Toronto
* Writer's Wrath
-- Chaotic Canvas of Creation: Metal Illustrators Travis Smith,
Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel talk to CoC
* What We Have Cranked
* Details
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by: Gino Filicetti
Talk about ringing the new year in right, this issue of
Chronicles of Chaos is sure to go down in the record books on both
the strength of its quality and the vastness of its quantity.
Upon closer inspection of our interviewees for this issue,
you'll notice a very high percentage of top notch acts whom we've
managed to track down and subject to the CoC treatment. King Diamond,
Impaled Nazarene, My Dying Bride, Sodom, Bathory, Bolt Thrower... the
list goes on and on.
With all these interviews, one would assume that our Album
Asylum would have to suffer. However, those of you who have been our
loyal followers for some time know that we would never let such a
tragedy occur. To keep pace with the enormous number of Deadly
Dialogues this issue, we included no less than 75 record reviews in
our Album Asylum section.
Also featured this issue is a special Writer's Wrath by our very
own Pedro Azevedo. Pedro has rounded up four heavy metal illustrators
-- with varying degrees of notoriety -- to bring together a unique
article that addresses the art and inspiration that motivates these
talented folks. I'm sure you'll agree it's worth the read.
And finally, as if to put the final nail in the coffin of a year
that wasn't kind to anyone; December 13, 2001, a true Metal God
passed over to the other side. Chuck Schuldiner, front man of Death
and godfather to all that is Death Metal, died after a long bout with
a brain stem tumor. Only shock and a sense of loss can describe the
feelings we all felt upon hearing of his untimely passage; however,
one thing is certain: his music and inspiration will live on forever.
We end this editorial on a sombre note, as I include the
thoughts of two CoC writers on this tragedy. I would like to dedicate
this, one of the greatest issues in Chronicles of Chaos' six and a
half year history, to Chuck Schuldiner, master of metal.
Perseverance sadly grew silent. Chuck has been one of my utmost
favourite songwriters and musicians for about a decade. He will be
greatly missed. Let the metal flow! Support music, not rumors.
-- Chris Flaaten
While I was never a huge fan of Chuck Schuldiner's pioneering
metal outfit Death, I was still a fan. His passing on December 13th,
2001 has left me saddened and upset. Moreso than some might think.
You see, a few years back I had the opportunity to talk to Schuldiner
about his then new project Control Denied and the album _The Fragile
Art of Existence_. Sure it was one of the hundred interviews I had
done that year, but this interview would be one of the most rewarding
interview opportunities I would encounter in my music journalism
career. At the time of the interview, my 27-year-old twin brother
Winston (now 30 and in good health) was diagnosed with a pelvic tumor
and had been going through several months of treatment, while at the
same time Schuldiner was in the midst of treatment and in-between
hospital stays.
We talked about the new album, of course, but before we got into
all that, we talked for a while about how a life-threatening illness
affects family and friends. He said, "With what has happened to me,
it has really opened up my eyes and drawn me closer to my family and
friends. It makes you realize a lot of different things. The
outpouring of letters from around the world from people I don't even
know has meant a lot to me. I am deeply touched by the response from
all of this. A lot of personal stories have been told to me, like the
one of your brother, and that makes me feel good that people are
willing to open up, and it shows me I shouldn't keep this all in.
It's a very emotional experience to read all of this stuff that
people send me. It really shows you just how things really are and
how simple things can mean so much to you."
I pulled out that interview a few days after I had heard of his
passing and couldn't believe that such a brave fighter like Chuck had
lost his battle. His fight had come to an end, but no doubt his fans
will keep his work alive and well within the metal realms for years
to come. God bless you Chuck! Rest in peace.
Please visit the official Death site http://www.emptywords.org
and sign the book of condolence.
-- Adrian Bromley
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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
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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 <mailto:LoudLetters@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
All letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of
Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001
From: "Benito Ulises Camelo Buendia" <ojeteculaid@hotmail.com>
Hello over there, i´m writting a little dissapointed about your
Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise review, i
mean, you´re saying it is a 7/10 album, i´ve been a metal head for
ten years and i think this album is great, and great in all senses,
it is suberb in musical skills, it has an excellent song writting,
great concept, deep complex structures and everything the last
Emperor album needs to be a master one, this is all true, and goes
independently of any pseudo-reviewer taste, you should check it again
if you want your website to remain serious and interesting as it has
been since first COC.
Benito Camelo.
Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001
From: Conformity@aol.com
Subject: I have a response to a letter in issue number 55...
This message is to "Grimnir".
First of all, the fact that you have a fucking lame alias really
doesn't support any of your points. It just further presses the fact
that you're a fucking jackass with a bias against certain religions.
Religions are bullshit, yes, I believe we've all established this as
a fact TIME AFTER TIME. But to say that....without the ideology of
hating christianity, the music crumbles? Where the fuck have you
been? Perhaps you enjoy living in a world filled with monotonous and
underproduced SHIT made by pretentious pro-white assholes. I for one,
don't. You know what I think about lyrics? Fuck 'em. I could've give
a shit. Besides, CAN YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS IN THE FIRST
PLACE? First of all, its pretty obvious to me that you're a 16 year
old from some....european country. I'm not just saying this because
you call yourself "Grimnir", but I'm saying it mainly due to the fact
that you have a hard time forming a complete and coherent sentence.
Granted, I am only two years older than the age I am assuming you to
be, however that is no excuse for such a display of mind-numbing
ignorance. You want to know what drove Max Cavalera to "make such
brutal music"? He listened to heavy metal, you fuck. He didn't sit
around and say, "let me summon up all of my opinions on the world
into a musical form" and out came "Beneath the Remains". Fuck no,
that certainly didn't happen. You're an idiot if you honestly believe
that the sound of old Sepultura was a naturally and originally
occurring thing on its own. AND NO, LETS NOT COMPARE BUZUM WITH "
DARK TRANQUITY". I find it hard to believe that you feel you have the
right to compare bands that you can't even seem to bell. I've never
heard anyone say that " DARK TRANQUITY" (har har) is black metal. It
sounds like you've read a few too many issues of Hit Parader. Dark
Tranquility is SWEDISH DEATH METAL. I've never heard it called
anything else. Perhaps you'd like to compare Mayhem with Mr. Bungle?
Furthermore, what the fuck are you doing comparing two completely
different bands like that? The point you were trying to make
completely eluded me. Take a look at the "weakest" black metal band,
which coincidentally is the most popular, Cradle of Filth. "RAPE THE
VIRGIN NUNS" they say. According to you, this is what black metal is
really about. Over-whelming hate for a culture responsible for
decades of oppression. Okay. Neat. CRADLE OF FILTH IS STILL POPULAR,
DESPITE THEIR LYRICAL CONTENT. I don't know where the fuck you come
from, but I seriously sympathize for your country. They must be
terribly ashamed of you, for you to be so bitter.
"Guitar is for niggers" - Varg Vikernes
Oh, and by the way, I have blonde hair and blue eyes, so "as your
brother", you must love me. You homo-erotic Aryan fuck. I don't
listen to metal because it bothers my parents. I could listen to
fucking carnival music all day if i wanted to piss off my parents. I
listen to metal because its what I love, regardless of the fucking
lyrical content or the stupid image behind it.
Hugs and kisses. Fucker.
Drew
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001
From: "Frederik Okholm" <doom@superevil.org>
Subject: War on atheism probably was a silly idea
Greetings,
In issue 53, I naïvely tried to start a war on atheism. There was one
attack from the other front, and even though I had a great private
correspondance with him before issue 54, only his first angry letter
appeared, allowing little reflection. Anyway, my main point with this
letter was to complain about the lack of response. With all the
spiritual and metaphysic lyrics and imagery of metal, be they
occult, pagan, antireligious or whatnot, I find it strange how few
discussions, or just mentions of these subjects, there are among the
listeners. Maybe you'd say that CoC isn't the place for this, but why
should subjects that abound in the interviews and reviews not exist
in reader feedback? Do they even abound? I think they should. And
maybe some people can't be bothered with having their great thoughts
contaminated by childish finger-pointing from the opposite end of the
intellectual spectrum; but hey, let's kill these sheep and allow them
transcendence :-) Anyway I'm just talking ideas, not dogma-spreading.
Screw the anti-atheism, then, if you want, but it would be nice to
hear what people think about the spiritual ideals of the bands they
like.
Magnificent creatures of glory
We have climbed down from the stars
To stand before you as idols
In splendour and perfection
Starmatter shapes of power
Cast from the seeds of the gods
As instruments of perfection
We are soverignty in flesh
Radiant race of pure beauty
Shaped perfectly as the pagan beasts
In elegance we welcome our future
As stellar master elite
-Thorns, 'Stellar Master Elite'
Frederik Okholm
---------------------------------
"I was an atheist, until I found out I was God."
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001
From: "Jim Tasikas" <info@rochestermeatsny.com>
Subject: The Metal Genre
This is to reply the comment made about metal and its evolution and
how we should progress metal music's stature in the public eye. A
genre centered around musicianship and not ideology.
Nokreth@gmx wrote the following:
Jim Tasikas, you write that metal should evolve in a more musical
derection and immediatly obandon its ideological views...
Reply: Do Not abandon the ideology, rather present it professionally,
creatively...center on the music for emotion and imagination.
But this is not possible, i say. the 2 are interlinked. Remove one
and the other crumbles. It crumbles either in the putrid hands of
commerce or suffocates.
There is some truth to this statement. But the real truth is that
most black metal music is garbage expect for that which is totally
true and passionate in it's ideology or music creation. (ex:
Emperor's demo, decent song writing, horrible playing skills, and
horrrible production, yet awesome because the music's ideology and
emotion are authentic.)
Then, there is true muscianship, creativity, idealogy and emotion
that the black metal genre has produced and that is music like Ved
Buens Ende's "Written in Waters"
Again this applies to all type of metal, not just black metal.
Weed out the garbage....raise metal's stature and present its
ideaology and creativity, technical music properly.
You mentioned sepultura as one of you recognised bands. But what
drove Max Cavalera to write such brutal music? I say it was his
fascistic love for his ancestry, his hate towards christian aliens
and government induced poverty.
Sepultura greatest release "ARISE" was centerened around the music,
when max began centering on political and religious issues in Chaos
AD and further next CD, in whatever that CD was called, that is when
the music begain going down hill.
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001
From: "The UnBulova Ripoff" <ubripoff@rsub.com>
Subject: What IS the REAL Black Metal?!
Hails and kills! I'm glad to see people having a useless debate about
what black metal is -- what religious doctrines it contains, what
sort of music it embodies, who should listen to it, bla bla bla --
without looking at the bigger picture. The argument about black metal
should not be about what it IS, but what it has BECOME. Personally,
the fact that Cradle of Filth signed to Sony Music should be a
wake-up call to BM fans everywhere. I'm not going to go CoF-bashing,
but the only reason Sony signed them to a contract is because the
band is based on an over-the-top image. Indeed, I've listened to
quite a few BM bands that played NOTHING that could be considered
good music (or, in some cases, mediocre music), and some of these
band members were going under grand titles like "Shub-Megawrath,
Infernal Discourse of The Gurgling Catacombs of Hell" or "Hel Bunbun,
Infernal Palpitations of The Dark Majesty of The Anti-Christ" and
playing music that kids on xylophones could master. Their very
existence was based on image, and not music. This, of course, is what
major labels crave, since that point has been driven home by every
third-wave rap-metal reject so loved by MuchLoud and alternative
radio stations today. Indeed, there seemed to be a glut of bad BM
releases in 1999 and 2000, and I fear that the floodgates will open
yet again for the genre, when trendy Edge 102 listeners (yes, a CoF
song made its way to the Edge TV channel, fuck knows why) parrot CoF
as the next Nirvana. Did these bands have any talent? Few did. Did
these bands dress up in Corpse Paint, look like Goth Talk rejects and
wear outfits that harken back to Ye Olde Days of Spinale Tap/Kinge
Diamonde? Yes, they did. Did they add ANYTHING to the genre? No. They
were simply there to fill an envelope, like the DM bands of the
mid-90's, the pop-metal bands of the late 80's to early 90's, and the
rap-metal/nü-metal bands of today. Unfortunately, they saturated the
market for black metal, causing the genre to become what it is today.
Bands like Celtic Frost, Mayhem, Marduk, and Darkthrone COULDN'T be
the forefathers of bands like Hecate Enthroned or Misteltein -- the
styles are too different.
Of course, what do you call "TRUE" black metal? I have an idea --
call it something like Hate Metal or lump it in with the "extreme
metal" tag. Yes, I know, I'm one of the stereotypical "TRUE" BM fans,
but as a genre, Black Metal will forever be soiled by the glut of
genre-fillers that brought it down as a whole. In my opinion, true BM
bands know the history and forefathers of their genre -- after all,
bands like Sodom, Venom and King Diamond are readily bandied about as
influences of these bands. The best BM bands know this, and will
still be performing their music long after the glut of copycats fade
into the obscurity they so deserve.
Feel free to send me hate-mail telling me how wrong I am!
CAMERON ARCHER
http://www.internettrash.com/users/theepisodes/
Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001
From: "___ ___" <satyr_icon_@hotmail.com>
Subject: Suggestion
Dear fan of metal,
I'm approaching you as a fan of the music you promote with your
website. I enjoy the contents you have. However there's something
more I'd like to see featured at your website: tracked metal music.
That may not say anything to you so to see what I mean please visit
www.metalscene.cjb.net . This site is a forum for many talented metal
musicians who don't get the appreciation they deserve. These people
provide great metal music for the underground scene and it's free for
everyone to download. I'm sure any metal fan would enjoy free metal
music so maybe you would be interested to perhaps write an article
about the tracked metal scene or even better: review some of the best
works of these musicians? Thank you in advance!
-Antti Ojala
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001
From: Robert Dulaney <smilingbag@usa.net>
Subject: A little fact
Hey I just stumbled on your site. I know it's been a while since
his letter but someone should let Steven know that Exorcist was
essentially a Virgin Steele side project which would explain the
similarities. Although it doesn't let DeFeis off the hook for trying
to cover it up and pretend it was a newer song. RoB
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T H E K I N G A N D I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC's resident motor mouth Adrian Bromley talks to metal music's
motor mouth King Diamond
by: Adrian Bromley
Okay, King Diamond fans -- get ready to do your homework and
some fact checking... Abigail is back in the spotlight. Yes, you
heard me true, music fans: King Diamond has resurrected the story of
Abigail in the much-anticipated new album _Abigail 2: The Revenge_
(out January 28th in Europe, January 29th in North America).
When King Diamond's master ghostly epic _Abigail_ was released
in 1987, metal music fans were scared out of their minds, but at the
same time fell in love with the ghastly tale of possession, murder
and mayhem. To this day, King Diamond's album is still a classic
amongst metal fans worldwide, a concept record that proves that
storytelling is indeed a powerful thing.
As the call goes out to King Diamond, yours truly can only
fathom how hard it must have been for King Diamond to go back in time
and rediscover what magic he had brought to the original Abigail
story and where he could take it from there.
But don't fret, my metal friends -- although _Abigail 2: The
Revenge_ could have turned into a horribly assembled sequel spurned
forth by money and record sales, King Diamond instead delivers a
remarkable storyline that captivates the listener, as well as one of
his most potent and chilling performances ever. Ooh, revenge has
never been sweeter!
About doing the sequel to _Abigail_, he starts: "When we were on
tour about three years ago, people were coming up to me and saying
that it would be cool if I made another record like _Abigail_, and I
was very against doing something like that, copying something that I
had done before. I am always into finding room for progression with
what I do with this band. I've never wanted to go back and re-do
something. The great thing about how the first record left off was
that there were a lot of things that you didn't know about the story,
stuff that was never fully explained, and that has allowed me to go
back and bring them into the spotlight. The setting is still the same
and the two main characters are there -- that being Abigail and
Jonathan --, so fans will know where they are and who is a part of
the tale, just eighteen years later."
"We had to be very careful with this album. I mean the scenarios
were coming into place and I know what had to be done, but the time
had to be right. When we recorded _Abigail_ the band was phenomenal.
Over the years, it just didn't seem like the right time and place, or
even the right musicians to get things going. But now it does. Three
years ago, when the ideas formed about possibly doing this, it wasn't
the right band. Now it is. The change in the line-up [which includes
guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Hal Patino and
drummer Matt Thompson -- Adrian] has had everything to do with going
forth with this recording."
"It is an amazing feeling knowing that we have someone like Matt
[Thompson] in the band", says King Diamond of the drummer. "I have
never been so excited about a drummer before. He has such an amazing
skill level as a drummer, and he is exactly what we needed. He added
this really special kind of complexity to the music, but at the same
time brought back an older feel to the music. It is amazing what he
brings to the band. Whatever Andy [LaRocque] or I came up with
musically, he could play and bring a special style to. Neither of us
could believe what we were hearing with his playing and it was
reminding us of the old days, but still new and fresh. I even tried a
few new voices to go along with these fresh ideas, styles of voices I
had never done before. It really got me excited about this album and
what we were bringing to it. This music captures the mood of the old
time of King Diamond, but just a bit more complex."
He continues about the line-up, "As well, getting Hal [Patino]
back in the band was great. He played on the original _Abigail_
album. And Andy, he is so underrated as a guitar player. He is always
doing stuff that impresses me and keeps me motivated in all of this.
And lastly, getting Mike Wead to play alongside Andy? Wow! I couldn't
have asked for anything better than that. Mike continues to blow my
mind with his guitar work. It was great to have him join the band,
and once he joined I knew we had a strong enough package to do
_Abigail 2: The Revenge_. We all knew that now was the right time to
do this. When the music was being recorded and I heard how it was
going, it just gave me so much inspiration."
"There are so many different vocal styles going on with this
record, and I really had to concentrate to pull it all off
successfully. I think I can say this for myself and the rest of the
band, that this is the best album that King Diamond has ever done and
the one project that I have been the most proud of. This is my best
performance ever!"
This was obviously a big task for King Diamond to undertake.
Were there any doubts in King Diamond's mind going into the record
that it couldn't be done, or once things started to roll did it just
take off from there?
"This record started out like any other King Diamond record. I
started working on the demos in my own small home studio, and just
got together the guitar tracks with a drum machine and some keyboard
work and brought the ideas to the band so they could see what I was
trying to bring out of the music. The demos contain no vocals or
solos, just the music. So from there we started to write, and when we
write as a band it can go anywhere, as long as the music is good.
There are never any doubts that it can be done, or we are making a
mistake. I knew the guys were able to make this a great recording
experience because they are all so talented. We all were so focused
and it just shows with the recording. This is the best album and it
just feels so right."
He adds, "The demos sounded pretty good, as demos would sound,
but once we got into the studio and added vocals and more harmonies
and beefed up the guitars, the music was just growing into something
great. Again, as I have said already, this line-up made this record
what it is."
And the secret to making a concept record? I mean, King Diamond
is the, er, king of concept albums...
"There is a certain way of doing things once you put yourself to
work on a concept record", says the singer. "I mean, I put myself
through a meticulous process of assembling ideas. When you start off,
you are usually thinking to yourself, "Man, how am I going to do all
of this? Will it work?" Making a concept record just seems so vast
and there is so much concentration involved in it. I remember being
in Mercyful Fate and wanting to do a concept album, but it wasn't the
right place or time to get into it. The music wasn't theatrical
enough. I held onto the ideas, and when the first King Diamond album
came out [1986's _Fatal Portrait_] we tied together five songs. It
sounded cool -- not the best it could have been, but it was the start
of something. When it came time to do _Abigail_ we just jumped right
into it [a concept album]. It was a real challenge and very
difficult, but the more hard work we put into it, the easier it all
came together. When you go into a concept album, you pretty much have
to know that all the songs have to work together. You can't omit the
songs. Everything must be as one."
"When I start making concept albums, I always make sure I know
where the story is headed. I like to know the direction. I try to
bring the theatrical element into the music as I am writing the
lyrics as well. Later on, as the record comes into shape, the
foundation of the album is there. From there, I already have my
mini-story on the go and I just push the creativity a little further
to match up the story and the music. The sequence of the songs is
assembled at a very early stage, and from there I go into each song
and finish off the stories, breaking them down into chapters and
making sure they are all congruent. The end result, to me, has to
come across as if I wrote the whole thing at the same time, while
deep down inside I know I didn't. <laughs> If you get the right
story, the right music and the right flow of things, any concept
record is possible."
The topic shifts to the making of the album.
"This record came together pretty much like every concept-like
record I have done. We had the earlier music working as a foundation
and then started to add guitars, and our new drummer Matt had a lot
of ideas for this record. He went out of his way to create some over
the top stuff and I loved all of it. I loved that shit! It really
made me more excited about the way things were heading with _Abigail
2: The Revenge_. I was missing a lot of this older style of playing,
a sense of really going out there with the music, and he brought it
back, and that really pushed me to go further with my vocal styles
too. Also in the studio, as expected, we have to work my voice around
the guitar parts, everything from the simple riffs to Andy's killer
guitar solos. About 70% of my vocal melodies that I had going in
work, the rest I have to work around what the music has become. In
the studio, I have to find the right voice to fit the music parts.
When I was working on the demos, I just had a standard voice in mind,
but with the music taking on such character, I needed to find the
right voice to capture the emotion."
"Some songs in the studio, I have to sing them all normal
straight through just to find out what works and what doesn't, or
where I will do the falsetto voice", he explains. "Then I make points
on the lyric sheets where the falsetto or growl voices go and just
have a good idea of what I am to bring to the songs. This allows me
to help shape the rest of the material, knowing where my emotions are
intensified and how they change. Creating harmonies of all types is a
lot of hard work, but it makes you really become part of the music. A
lot of this is planned beforehand, but it never fully works out once
you hit the studio."
As many of you will already know, King Diamond takes every inch
of his music very seriously. From the lyrics to the harmonies and
onto the atmosphere, he is a stickler when it comes to detail.
Everything must just right.
"I'll tell you something, Adrian", notes King Diamond. "When you
are doing something very theatrical like the music that I do, you
need to be as accurate as possible to have it come across as
credible. There is a part in the new record where you hear a little
girl, so we brought a six-year-old into the studio to play the part.
She has to scream for her mom. Is there anything more haunting than
that? <King Diamond starts to say in a low voice "Mommy! Mommy!"> Oh,
yeah! That is so creepy. Instead of hearing me do it in some voice,
getting the genuine thing just makes it even creepier when you hear
it on record."
I ask King Diamond about his career and the success that he has
seen. What keeps him inspired and wanting to keep doing this?
"I am so excited that I can keep doing this and I am so blown
away that our fan base is still so solid after all of theses years",
he answers. "I couldn't wish for better fans. They are so devoted.
Plus we are getting a newer, younger fan base and that excites me
even moreso. It is great to be able to play all of our songs, from
past and present, and see people just get so excited about them
still."
"I also love to be on stage. That is still my one true love",
King Diamond reveals. "I love to be on stage, it is the touring that
I don't like at all. Apart from the hour and a half on stage each
night, I am not into touring at all. It sucks. No food. Bad food. No
sleep. I don't party at all, because I have to be really responsible
about my voice and giving my 100% on stage the next night. People
expect you to be the best you can be on stage, and that means no
partying, and I am fine with that. But as I said already, being on
stage makes up for all the shit I put myself through touring."
While on the topic of things he dislikes about his career, has
King Diamond ever disliked any record(s) he has put out?
"I like all of my records. I just think out of all of them, I
was the most pleased with how this new one turned out, the line-up
and just the overall satisfaction of knowing that I was able to write
a great story. I look back at all my records and I know I put the
best work I could do into each and every album. I look at an album
like _The Spider's Lullabye_ [1995] and the drummer [Darrin Anthony]
never really was at the level that we should have had for that
record. He wasn't bad, he just didn't really do much with the music.
He was also on _The Graveyard_ [1996] and his work sounded good, but
that was also a record with a different mood and production work. I'm
sure I could find little things about each and every record, but not
this new one."
One of my favourite King Diamond records is _Voodoo_ [1998]. I
love it! I think that is a great record with a great storyline.
"Yeah, that was a great record", responds King Diamond. "I think
we were really able to get a strong story to go along with some
killer music."
Like all King Diamond records, they throw you into a scenario,
but this one felt as if you were there. You could just feel the
murkiness of the air.
"Exactly", he says. "If you are so into trying to reach a
certain level of authenticity with the story, you need to really put
a lot of hard work into detail and whatever else you bring to the
album. You have to really become close to the characters and where
they live and what they do to make it come across as the real thing.
You have to go all out. I know exactly what you mean by murkiness
'cause I feel it and people always tell me the same thing about
_Voodoo_. Now the hairs on my arm are standing up. <laughs> It just
gets to show that all of this means so much to me that people get a
lot out of what I do."
The great thing about the release of _Abigail 2: The Revenge_ is
that now fans of King Diamond's work can be a part of a unique
experience. You can now play both records back to back and just take
in the wonderful world of old and new.
"I hope people will do that. I mean, they know the characters,
it is just that this story has gone off into another direction of
sorts. I think I was in the right frame of mind to leave this alone
for a long time and only now, when everything was right, did I make
the move and follow up _Abigail_ with a second part."
In closing, King Diamond says: "I put a lot of hard work into
this record. It really drained me. After we had finished up the
record, I didn't even want to listen to it for a few weeks. I knew
about all the stuff that went into it and I just needed a breather
before I was to give it a strong listen at home and see what I had
created..."
So once you've had enough time away from the music, do you sit
down in a huge reclining chair, put on the King Diamond makeup, grab
a beer and blast the music?
Laughing, King Diamond blurts out: "Oh, man that is funny."
"You can hang up now if you like. I wouldn't blame you", I tell
him regarding my comment.
"No, no, that is okay, Adrian", he says with a slight chuckle.
"I have heard some funny questions over the years, one popular one
being, "Do you put on makeup when you wake up in the morning?"
<laughs> It never stops, but neither do I."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
T H E H A N D O F D O O M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride
by: Adrian Bromley
There are a lot of people in the metal music business who like
to think of themselves as rock stars. My Dying Bride singer Aaron
Stainthorpe isn't one of them; instead, Stainthorpe is a passionate
musician who breathes life and emotion into his music, creating
eloquent realms of love and darkness that cast their spells upon us
as we listen to their music.
The band's latest album on Peaceville Records, titled _The
Dreadful Hours_ [CoC #55], is a masterpiece of mood and darkness,
flanked by the band's love of depression and beauty. Continuing on
where their last album _The Light at the End of the World_ [CoC #44]
left off -- a return to their older form of death metal growls amidst
depressing music passages --, _The Dreadful Hours_ sees the band
expanding their work with enthusiasm and experimentation, but still
remaining true to their roots.
"I think _The Dreadful Hours_ is a nice mix of the
experimentation that we used to do as a band and the sound that we
brought out with the last record, a sort of returning to our roots
album", starts the singer. "The old death metal vocals are here,
things are faster and more aggressive, and we still have the slow,
miserable sections too. We've also added some contemporary touches
here and there to the music; that was done so that we could drag our
music out of this medieval mire."
"A couple of people who have already heard the new record are
saying that it sounds a bit like _The Angel and the Dark River_ [CoC
#8] and some parts from _34.788%... Complete_ [CoC #35]", explains
Stainthorpe about the early reactions to the new MDB disc. "People
are excited and it is a good compliment for us that people can still
see that we are still sounding like MDB, as well as recognizing what
we have done in the past in this new album as well."
About the recording process involved for MDB -- the band is
comprised of bassist Ade Jackson, guitarists Andrew Craighan and
Hamish Glencross, drummer Shaun Steels and keyboardist Yasmin Ahmid
-- the singer reveals: "We just try everything when it comes to
studio work and trying new ideas and sounds for the band. The things
that don't work get tossed out. We all pretty much think in the same
terms musically -- I mean no one is going to throw in a Beach Boys
riff or something like that. <laughs> We aren't that radical when it
comes to changing our music. We know what we can do and get away
with. We know how far we can push the boundaries for MDB. We just jam
a lot, and out of that mess and spontaneity comes the music. Things
will start to take form and we'll see songs start to take form and we
work on those. We are all democratic about how the songs are to come
together. We don't sit down with a blank sheet and say the song has
to be nine minutes long, fast here, slow here. Once we strike the
first note of a song, we don't know where the music will take us. It
could be fifteen minutes long, three minutes long, fast or more
aggressive. We just don't plan it."
And I guess if you did plan it all out, the impact of MDB's
music would be less effective then?
"Possibly. I think if you have a structure written down for
people to look at when writing music, then you are really going to
constrain yourself. If you have a structure and someone has an idea
and it doesn't fit into that agenda, the idea gets lost. We don't
bother with guidelines. They're stupid."
After so many years of creating music with MDB, what inspires
the band after more than a decade to continue doing this? What
inspires Stainthorpe?
"I have no idea, really. <laughs> That is one of the greatest
questions I always get asked. This is a struggle to be honest", he
admits. "We have never had a manager, so we have always done things
ourselves. We have seen the business side of things, as well as the
fan side of things. We have a really broad perspective of how things
are. And besides the fact that we are a big band in this genre of
music, we are still nobodies in the scene of music. Being a band in
the underground and with a cult following doesn't really amount to
big bucks. Everyone in the band has jobs. That is how we make our
living. The money we get from the band is really pocket money. Maybe
Andy will buy new guitars with what we make. We don't flick any of
our money away. The small amount of money that we do get back, we put
back into the band and to buy new equipment. We invest it into things
that will no doubt help the band out as we continue to create music.
We might buy a new game for our computer or something like that, but
we have never had the money to buy a new car or something crazy like
that. This is underground music and if you got into this to make
money, you have completely taken the wrong path."
"We have been at this for eleven years now and that is because
we enjoy what we do", he says. "We would have given up years ago if
it had been about the money. I think that is why a lot of bands give
up, because they assume that because they are in a band, toured the
world and sold records, that they should be rich. It doesn't work
like that. We have never thought that. We were fans of Celtic Frost
and Candlemass when we started off and we knew they weren't rich, so
we had no illusions when we first started off. We just thought it
would be brilliant to put out one CD. We have just been excited that
each year or so that we can put out a great sounding record. That
kind of thinking just pushes us a long each new album. We have never
imagined being signed to a major or rolling around in money because
this is underground noisy music and it is hard to sell."
So why have fans latched onto MDB over the years?
"I think it must be something like a soap opera on TV", he
responds. "I think some people will leave us for a year or two and
come back an realize that nothing much has changed. Other people
might leave it for a month or two and think loads of things have
changed with us. People change all the time. Most of our early fans
are probably married with children by now and they aren't into diving
off stages anymore. When we first started off, people were so excited
about what we were doing. Fans come and go all the time and we aren't
any different. Christ, I haven't bought a Candlemass record in god
knows how many years and that is because I have no interest in what
they are doing right now. I just don't feel like buying their
records. And our fans are like that too. We aren't out to win our old
fans back with each new album. Every band, no matter how dedicated
your fans are, you'll lose fans with each new album but you'll gain
some as well. It is great to see younger faces at shows now, new fans
that are just getting into our music. Every album you put out is
hit-and-miss with your fans."
About the makeup of the new disc and how it came out,
Stainthorpe comments: "I am still very much into what we did with the
last record and I thought for sure that _The Dreadful Hours_ was
going to become "The Light at the End of the World Part II". I don't
think I have changed very much with my style of writing since that
album and I wasn't sure of how things would end up. I had a blurred
vision of how things were going to be, but not totally sure of the
end results. I think the rest of the guys in the band were unaware of
how this record would be. I think this record has turned out better
than I had expected because there are certain elements that weren't
on the last record that are on this record. Those new ideas have
listed this album a bit higher than _The Light at the End of the
World_ and for me, it makes me feel good. It also makes the rest of
the band feel good, and you can see the smiles on their faces,
regardless of this being miserable music. We are really happy that we
created this album."
And knowing quite well that the music of the band is very
personal to them, so are the ideas behind songs. The singer explains
to CoC the ideas and emotions that influenced the music on _The
Dreadful Hours_, whether they are inspired by worldly or personal
events in his life.
"It is a bit of both, really. Generally, if I include something
of a personal nature, I try to disguise it a bit more", he offers up
about the songwriting. "I don't mind certain people knowing certain
parts of my private life. But if I am going to give over some of my
inner feelings, I am going to cloak them and make the lyrics more
surreal. I don't mind sharing things, but I am not going to open
myself up to everybody. If I am inspired by a book or something,
which will be quite obvious in the lyrics and will allow them to
follow the story I am telling. Influences for songs come from
everywhere for me: books, film and stories that people have told me.
Songs on any MDB record, the ones where people can't seem to get
their heads around and understand, those are the ones that have a bit
more of a personal touch to them."
What does Stainthorpe get out of a good MDB song or album? How
does it make him feel?
"It feels good, but even though I am not a perfectionist, I
always see room for improvement. Because we've built these songs from
scratch, nurtured each riff, note and lyric and even the artwork, we
see our creations from the inside. We have brought these things up
from tiny little atoms to the behemoths that they have become. We
can't see the music of MDB as outsiders do. It takes interviews like
this or talking with fans to really grasp what we have done. I have
interviewers telling me they like this song because of a certain
riff, and I think to myself, "that wasn't the original idea, but it
worked!" I have an idea and vision, and when I hear what other people
say, I think it blends quite well with what we have done. We are on
the inside looking out, while everyone is on the outside looking in."
In today's music scene, where there are almost as many genre
terms as there are bands, does Aaron see MDB as a different band
compared to others in the music scene?
"I think we are different", he begins. "When we started out, all
of these music journalists had a hell of a time describing what we
were doing. They strung together all of these words like doom,
gothic, blah, blah, blah, and ended it with the word metal. It was
great, because it meant that people couldn't pigeonhole MDB that
easily. Now when people describe MDB, they only have to use the name
and people who are aware of us know what to expect. I have seen MDB's
name pop up in other bands' reviews now, and that is good, because it
gives you a certain viewpoint to start off with the band's music. It
is great to know that "My Dying Bride" is almost a phrase to describe
a certain style of music. It is great to see how it has become for
us, but it was quite funny how people were so confused with what our
band was doing musically."
The topic turns to the mood of the band. For those of you out
there who have followed the band for years, you know all too well
that the mood of MDB is unmatched by other metal acts. The doomy,
gloom-like state of emotions that cloak each release is intense and
beguiling. I ask Stainthorpe about how the band captures that mood in
the studio. It must be difficult, right?
"We really try to get into the mood. I really try to get into
the mood, because when I write the lyrics I don't write them
half-heartedly. I really try to get into the mood of things",
Stainthorpe notes. "I try to dig inside myself and try to find this
really dark, miserable force. I only write the lyrics when I feel
miserably low. You can't write lyrics like this when it is a hot,
sunny day. It just doesn't work."
"When I take the lyrics into the rehearsal room, which is pretty
dim because there is only one light, I really try to get into the
mood and so does the band. When we get into the studio we have a good
laugh and drink cups of tea, which is a typical English thing to do
-- forget that rock 'n' roll Jack Daniels shit. <laughs> We have a
level head. When the riffs start to come together it begins to get
serious. Sure, if someone plays a bum note we all laugh at each
other, or if I forget lyrics the laughs come out and the amusing
moments come out, but we try and keep it fairly professional. It can
get carried away pretty quick in the studio if you start messing
around. We have been at this for a long time now and it is quite easy
for us to slip into these dark and doomy riffs. It comes quite
natural to us."
Did you ever think it would last this long?
"Not really. We were just so excited to put out our first demo.
Then we set a goal to tour Europe and we did that. Every goal that we
have every set out for MDB over the years has been achieved. We don't
really have goals anymore and that has made us perfectly happy with
what we are doing."
He ends, "You can't be into this music business for anything
else than happiness for what you do musically. We can't be in it for
the chicks, because we never tour. We don't make mega bucks, so we
aren't in it for the money. We are in this because we enjoy it. It is
that simple."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
N A Z A R E N E S A R E N ' T T H E O N L Y F I E N D S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Mika Luttinen from Impaled Nazarene
by: Paul Schwarz
I must confess, I have never been the most avid fan of Impaled
Nazarene. And yet, ever since I was first exposed to them, they've
stood out in my mind as individual: separated from any specific pack
by something -- something hard to pin down and articulate. Impaled
Nazarene are about the only band who have seemed to me like an
utterly absurd yet somehow vitally necessary element of the extreme
music scene in the Nineties, ever since I first heard of them back in
1996 when I was exposed to "Karmakeddon Warriors" -- from that year's
_Latex Cult_ [CoC #10] album -- via 'Into the Pit' -- a half-hour of
extreme metal music videos that used to follow Headbangers Ball on
MTV Europe in better days. Back then, the raw-as-fuck white-noise of
the 'nuclear punk' sound they were sporting at the time confused and
amused me almost as much as the visuals of the song's video: a group
of mad, mad Finns rocking out like lunatics while their singer pulled
plastic sheeting over his face. And yet still, a seemingly indelible
impression was left that just wouldn't shift -- even though it never
prompted me to look deep into Impaled Nazarene's back-catalogue. The
first Impaled Nazarene album I eventually checked out was _Rapture_
[CoC #32], but it left me cold -- and put me off concerning myself
much more with Impaled Nazarene's music. Though I accept that that
was a mistake, even today I haven't -bought- a single Impaled
Nazarene album. However, I would still maintain there is something
special and confusingly essential about the band. We need them. Not
'cause they are just some fun band, yet also not, in my opinion,
because they are an amazing band. On one level, Impaled Nazarene are
just a sterling example of doing what you want without stopping to
consider -- or, for that matter, -care- -- what the consequences
might be; however different Impaled Nazarene may have sounded on the
surface of things on their different releases, on a more intangible
-- maybe a 'deeper' -- level, each album caries their distinctive
trademark. Today, Impaled Nazarene's attack takes the sonic form of
what could crudely be described as a benzedrine-fueled combination of
thrash metal and Iron Maiden. 2000's _Nihil_ [CoC #47] marked the
beginning of this sound: a firm departure from their trip down the
'bad sound = good music' road which led to a dead end with _Rapture_.
The change in direction was facilitated by then-lead guitarist Alexi
Laiho (Children of Bodom), and his influence stuck with the band in
the form of a drive to become a more formidable, powerful group of
musicians. Sonically, last year's _Absence of War Does Not Mean
Peace_ proved that hard work pays off. _AoWDMP_ also gave the
impression that a tight, fiercely-competent musical outfit was behind
its creation -- which suggests that upcoming live shows should be
much more worth witnessing than was their 1998 performance at the
Milwaukee MetalFest [CoC #33].
After talking with Mika Luttinen as part of _AoWDMP_'s
promotion, I finally realised what single thing Impaled Nazarene
embody and epitomise that makes them such an individual, essential
part of the Nineties extreme metal scene, in my eyes. Impaled
Nazarene wear that attitude articulated by Overkill on their sleeves:
"We don't care what you say... fuck you!" Mika Luttinen, the only
surviving original member of the band, is forthright in his opinions
-- whether about Impaled Nazarene, the metal scene, or events in the
world -- yet he is not deluded. He implicitly recognises that in the
big scheme of things Impaled Nazarene are just a small part of a
huge, burgeoning scene. But he doesn't concern himself with such
matters. He concerns himself with his band, with doing the best he
and they can do in making music that they want to make, the way that
they want to make it. Though on the surface Impaled Nazarene seem
larger than life, this is all part of a form of presentation
essential to rock music, as far as Mika is concerned. Impaled
Nazarene don't believe their own hype, but they are a band who are
unfalteringly confident with making music the way that they want to.
When you come right down to it, Impaled Nazarene are bereft of
pretension, as honest as they come. Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't
really deny that they've earned an entry in the annals of extreme
music -- even if that entry should just read: "fuck off and die!".
I hope this interview with Mika Luttinen will interest both
long-term fans and those as yet unexposed to Impaled Nazarene. Enjoy
yourselves, and remember that I have, as always, tried to preserve as
much of the original integrity of the conversation of which this a
transcription as possible. Also worth bearing in mind is that this
interview was conducted in mid-October.
CoC: The new Impaled Nazarene album, _Absence of War Does Not Mean
Peace_: I recall getting the press release [announcing that the
above would be the title of the forthcoming Impaled Nazarene
album] ages ago, so I guess the title of the album had nothing
(directly) to do with where the world currently is...
Mika Luttinen: Uh, no, but we kind of hit the jackpot with this one,
didn't we?
CoC: In a good way, or in a bad way? I was gonna ask you how you feel
about being kind of plunged into...
ML: ...I don't personally care, it just proves that I was once again
right.
CoC: <hearty laughs>
ML: And especially the song "Absence of War" itself. It was like,
on BBC World there was this interview with one of these
fundamentalist leaders of the Islam -- I think it was in May this
year. I saw this interview where this guy just said like: "One
day the whole world is going to obey Allah." That: "We are going
to take over and there is nothing you guys can do about it, and
those who disobey, we will kill them." And when I saw that damn
interview, afterwards I was thinking like: who the fuck [do]
these people actually think they are? Do they seriously believe
that people will give up, you know, without a fight, that we will
just surrender without a fight? Like, hello, wake up: there will
be lots of people that will be fighting back and well, what d'you
know? I kind of like... when that thing happened [the destruction
of the World Trade Center -- Paul] it was a total disbelief for
me. I mean, I just couldn't fucking believe what was going on. I
woke up because I had been working and there was a message on my
mobile phone from our soundman which said: open the fucking TV,
you are not going to believe your eyes! And I opened the TV and I
was like: what the hell is this, the Independence Day II trailer
on the TV, or what?
CoC: Fuckin' right. I actually got in on the plane the day that that
happened. I had a feeling of disbelief at first.
ML: Absolutely. And I mean, what kind of sick mind must be behind, to
create that kind of plan?
CoC: Exactly, especially because it's not... there's not even
anything very symbolic in it: it's all about killing
civilians, it's not about property and it's not about, like,
government-type military stuff.
ML: Yeah, and the World Trade Center was lots of peoples from
different countries. I mean, it wasn't like that it's some kind
of US corporation's headquarters, so it didn't make any sense...
so, I kind of like... when I looked at my lyri
cs and I was seeing
that I was like: okay.
CoC: Premonition.
ML: Yeah.
CoC: Was the beginning of "Stratagem" [_AoWDNMP_'s first track, a
synthesiser-led intro] intended to have this sort of vaguely
middle-eastern tint?
ML: Yeah, it's on purpose. It's kind of like [an] intro toe
th "Absence of War" and because that song is very, very.
anti-Islamic So, we wanted to have this kind of intro that would.
give, kind of indication what's to come.
CoC: So is that one bit of the album but not all of it? I mean, it's
not an entirely anti-Islamic album. Is it just the "Absence of
War" song?
ML: It's that song, yes, and then you have -- let's say --
the typical anti-Christian songs like "The Lost Art of Goat
Sacrificing".
CoC: I was gonna say: what is the whole Impaled Nazarene 'goat motif'
about? You have _Goat Perversion_, you have "The Lost Art of
Goat Sacrificing"...
ML: Well, it's been just like... From the very beginning it was that
goats -had- to be there. I don't really know, I haven't really
-analysed- it: why we have it. But, it's something that just
needs to be there. You cannot have an Impaled album without the
goat.
CoC: "The Goat" in the sense of "Satan" or just "the goat"?
ML: It's... it's... <laughs> I don't know, it's... -- what' the
English word? -- it's a...
CoC: Trademark?
ML: It's a trademark, yes, exactly.
CoC: Alright: the goat thing is the kind of thing that, you know,
gets people's hackles up -- maybe not people in the metal scene,
but people outside it. If you had an album called _Goat
Perversion_ -- instead of just a 7" -- that would get people,
sort of, raised up. A lot Impaled Nazarene, in promotion and in
some of the stuff you say is things like that. Like, one of the
"cutlines" for this album is: Satan Wants You Dead! [the title
of a song on _AoWDNMP_]. I'm just curious how much this is kind
of making the band over the top to a purpose, or whether you're
vaguely serious about it in any way?
ML: Well, it's let's say 50/50. I mean, fifty percent of it is just a
pure rock 'n' roll game. That needs to have that; rock 'n'
rollers always have catch-phrases and shit like this. But on the
other hand, it also kind of sums up what we pretty much think of
this world. And it's of course... I mean, we don't... We are not
Satan worshippers or anything like this, but I just used the
Satan lot as a metaphor, because it's a strong word and it still
raises... You know, people are like: huh, what the hell is this
guy saying?!
CoC: Exactly, yeah, and it catches your eye as well.
ML: Yeah, absolutely.
CoC: In the rock sense. Would you ascribe any particular political or
religious position to the band, or would you just say you kind
of avoid terms like "anarchist" or "atheist"?
ML: Well, we... Well, I call myself "nihilist". I mean, I'm pretty...
CoC: In the Nietzschean sense? [I'm not sure if Mika heard this
question at this juncture. -- Paul]
ML: I mean, I used to be... I mean, I used to study occult and all
that shit, but it absolutely gave nothing to me in the end. I
think I was like twenty-six or something when I kind of like
realised that: I am gaining absolutely nothing from this; I am
just fucking losing money on this! So, for me lots of this occult
shit is pretty much the same as some kind of Christian idea: it's
just believing in something stupid that doesn't exist. I mean, at
least to me it didn't give anything, so I became very cynical
about lots of things. And so, what I believe in is that, well, I
know for a fact that one day I'm going to die. And so, it's the
only certain thing in life.
CoC: But you didn't move from, like, occultism into, say, philosophy,
or anything like that?
ML: No.
CoC: Right, so the nihilism thing isn't the true Nietzschean sense of
nihilism?
ML: No, not really. I mean, I agree [with] some of it, yes, but not
like I can say that I follow it. I just call myself nihilist
because I don't really believe in nothing.
CoC: Right, I see what you mean: you don't believe in any particular
values or a particular set of rules...?
ML: No, well, uh... actually, I'm lying to you, because I do believe
in alcohol and I do believe in the power of the pussy, so...
CoC: <laughs> Excellent! And possibly that huge combat knife you're
sporting rather fashionably <Mika laughs> on the back of the
album cover. <laughs>
ML: <deadpanned> Well at least it will give you street credibility,
doesn't it?
CoC: I've gotta say, man: really, really fucking good pictures you've
got done. Did you get them digitally edited or something?
ML: Yeah, it was taken with the digital camera and I just added some
light in the end. It came, actually, up because we were always
unhappy with our pictures but we never got any kind of budget
from Osmose. And they were always saying: your pictures suck. And
we said that of course they suck because we are just giving our
cameras to a friend of ours. Like: okay, we are standing here,
just start taking the pictures. So we said this time that we
really want to use a good photographer and got in touch with this
guy who got his prize and just said to Osmose that we are going
to do it and they said: okay. And when they saw the pictures they
were like: okay, this looks really great!
CoC: I think it definitely brings out the whole beer-swilling,
middle-finger-up kind of thing.
ML: Yeah, well, that photograph basically just sums up the whole
spirit of the band. I mean, you have the beer bottle and knife
and it's... I mean it looks [like] a bunch of lunatics who have
just escaped from the mental house.
CoC: Exactly, escaped from the mental house, headed straight down the
bar...
ML: Abso... <breaks up laughing> absolutely.
CoC: ...and now they're coming for you. <laughs> It's kinda cool,
though, because just the way that picture has got a new sheen to
it, the sound you've got on the album is very clear. I mean,
it's still very powerful, but you've really moved on in a very
odd sort of leaping forward, leaping back, leaping forward again
[way]. When you started with _Tol Compt Norz Norz Norz_ it was
all kind of really distorted and sounded like it was probably
recorded on tape and things. And you kind of moved away from
that a bit by the time you got to _Suomi Finland Perkele_. Then
there was _Latex Cult_ and then _Rapture_. And then recently
with _Nihil_ and _AoWDNMP_ you've sort of gained a melodic
angle, a more concertedly -metal- sound in a lot of ways. I'm
just wondering how you brought Impaled Nazarene to this point.
ML: It's kind of like -- especially with _Latex Cult_ and _Rapture_
-- I mean, of course we were happy at that time when they were
being recorded, but if I look back over our back-catalogue it's
easy to say that _Rapture_, especially, is the weakest link of
the whole thing.
CoC: I agree.
ML: The songs are not really that good and the actual production is
absolutely horrible. And when we did it, of course, it sounded
good, but if you play it after this album it's like: what fucking
demo tape is this? It's like a demo production.
CoC: It's funny, because I get the impression that maybe you realised
on _Rapture_ that, kind of like, not having a good sound didn't
work because, _Latex Cult_ -- and _TCNNN_, which is probably the
shittiest sounding album -- they actually kind of work. There's
something about them that works.
ML: I think that's true.
CoC: Whereas with _Rapture_ it kind of lost it, you know what I mean?
ML: Yeah, absolutely: I think the production killed lots of the power
on that record. And then, when we started doing _Nihil_ and when
we started writing these songs we had added finally the lead
guitarist [Alex Laiho, at that point -- Paul] to the band. And so
it was clear that now that we had finally two guitar players that
we kind of like wanted to get away from that punky kind of
writing style and started just wanting to get more back to the
metal feeling. And with _Nihil_ it was still... the thing was
that it was personally, for me, a really dark period of time
which I think you can see on my lyrics. But this new album, when
we started writing this -- it was summer 2000, basically, when we
started writing the material for this one -- and we just didn't
set any limits to ourselves. We said: let's just write whatever
comes up, and let's see that if it still sounds Impaled; let's
keep it, and let's just do what the fuck we have been doing. And
that's what we did and, especially our drummer came up with,
like, the song "The Lost Art of Goat Sacrificing", "Never
Forgive", "Via Dolorosa": these are his tracks and he's studying
music at the university, in Helsinki. So I think it's a lot to do
with the fact that he has also been studying music and he has
become a much better musician so that he can actually understand
core melodies and stuff like this. And we rehearsed like hell for
this album; we have never been rehearsing so much. So, I think it
shows and it paid off in the end, definitely.
CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean it's like: in a sense Impaled
Nazarene is the kind of band you wouldn't... I mean the
impression that you gave, especially around the time of _Latex
Cult_ and the kind of impression people got of you from then...
You know, from, sort of, _SFP_, more or less, you've started to
gradually gain more and more of a profile but the impression
people got of you is of a band, almost, that doesn't practice.
You know what I mean? The sloppiness [was] almost inherent. But,
I think what you say about the way you wrote this album
naturally really comes out but at the same time it's like an
album written naturally by people that can play better. So if
you were just coming out with ideas, you'd just come out with
better ideas and better arrangements.
ML: Yeah, absolutely, and I think lots of thanks go to Alexi Laiho
who played on _Nihil_, because he's so -damn-, -fucking-, -good-
guitar player. So that was the moment when the rest of us had to
start practising as well. I mean, that we could keep up with him
at least on some level; of course, it will be impossible to reach
-his- level, for us. But still it was kick in the ass like: OK,
that guy is so damn good that we have to at least -try- to get
better. And so it was a good thing that we had him in the band. I
think it was the kick in the ass that we needed.
CoC: Yeah, totally. It really beefed up the sound, I thought, having
all the melodies in it, 'cause I think with a lot of bands there
is only a certain place you can get to without varying the
formula a bit. And what's interesting is that this album does
sound very distinct, but to me it still sounds like Impaled
Nazarene. I mean, to you, what binds together Impaled Nazarene
all the way from _TCNNN_ all the way to now? I mean, there's
quite a lot of sound shift, and there's quite a lot of, like,
members coming and going and things...
ML: Well, I think the main importance is the fact that we know how we
must sound; that if your band name is Impaled Nazarene, it means
that when you hear the band name, you know that it's going to be
brutal music. It's not going to be some Bon Jovi shit or
whatever. And so, of course there has been line-up changes --
people leaving or people being kicked out of the band for
whatever reasons -- but we have always managed to find people who
replace these people who went away that we all share the same
influences. In the long-run it's been always people who were
definitely into Venom, into Sodom, Kreator... We all grew up with
this Eighties thrash metal shit and that, I think, still shows in
our music, definitely.
CoC: So it's people you could almost mould to the Impaled Nazarene
'idea'?
ML: But I hope that this line-up will last now because I think that
we are starting to run out of the members who are influenced by
all these bands. I mean, it's kind of hard to find, nowadays,
people, you know: the younger people have grown up with the
fucking Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, this symphonic black
metal stuff. So, these are persons that definitely don't want to
play Impaled kind of music.
CoC: Right, right, right. I mean, it's funny as well because
originally Impaled Nazarene was like the black metal band who
certain people didn't wanna call a black metal band. I suppose
most of them would be some of the people in the Norwegian scene,
although not all of them: I remember Impaled Nazarene being
surprisingly accepted but I think because you sounded -- for
want of a better word -- pretty fucking necro. But it's funny
'cause now black metal has gone so many different ways and
Impaled Nazarene are more Impaled Nazarene than anything else,
if you know what I mean, which is a good thing.
ML: Ja...
CoC: Would you say you try, or try not to, associate yourself with
that, sort of, 'tag' and that, sort of, 'scene', if that scene
even exists?
ML: Well, I don't actually think that exists anymore. I mean, it was
in the beginning of the Nineties and we were part of that at that
time but, you know, then it became so huge trend and... But, if
you look at it, most of these bands have either changed into
completely different directions, or then they have split up --
and we are still here. So I feel that we are doing something
right here. And there is one band that I look up to completely
and that's Motorhead, of course, because this is a band that has
proven, at least to me, that you can do your own thing. And
there's been times when they have been selling like hell, there
have been times when their sales have been a bit lower, but have
they given up? No, absolutely not. They have been continuing
doing the records, they have been touring, they have done their
own shit, and it earns them, in the long-run, the respect they
deserve.
CoC: Motorhead: they're just that special band where even though some
of their songs seem -- when you kind of try and analyse it too
much -- to sound the same, every song is great when they play
it. All the old stuff is great. And when you go and see
Motorhead live it's that thing where they come on stage, the
show begins, and three seconds after they take the stage, Lemmy
just goes: we're Motorhead, and we're gonna kick your ass!
ML: Yeah, exactly.
CoC: And every time you know that he's going to be right. <laughs>
ML: Yeah, absolutely. <laughs>
CoC: It's that Motorhead vibe. It's weird though, 'cause a band like
Motorhead -- and even a band like Venom -- in their day, made a
lot more money and sold a lot more records than Impaled Nazarene
and black metal bands did. Do you think the spirit is the
same even though the actual amount of commercial success is
completely different?
ML: Yeah, I think so. I mean, of course you must also remember that
when the bands like Motorhead started they were one of the,
basically -the- forefathers of the whole movement. So, of course,
it was easier for them to break commercially. But, I mean, when
we started it already started to be fucking hundreds or thousands
of bands and shitloads of little record companies and of course
when there is too much product on the market it's going to eat
from everybody, from everybody's sales it's going to affect.
CoC: Absolutely.
ML: And things have changed also, you know: everybody is burning
CD-Rs and shit, at home. And so we cannot estimate how much we
actually sell because how many illegal copies are there?
CoC: How much would you say the CD-R burning thing bugs you
personally considering that when you guys started there was a
big tape-trading network and that was a big thing as well?
ML: Yeah, but the tape-trading was still different, you know: with
these computers you can do even the covers and stuff.
CoC: Yeah, totally, but I would still contend that at the moment the
actual market for people buying burnt CDs is small. So it's
still a case of home copying. The difference might be whether
people bother to buy the albums now, but I don't know.
Personally, I do feel that what Osmose has done with their CDs
in making them non-computer-readable -- you know about this,
right?
ML: I don't... They have done this, or not?
CoC: Yeah, they have done it. They've been doing it since about June
when the Absu album came out.
ML: Well, it's about time, if you ask me.
CoC: On one level I can agree with you in the sense that it can take
money away from bands, but what I've found in my experience is
that people -- like in my case, for example -- whether it be
taping albums or copying them, if I actually like the album...
ML: ...You'll go out and buy it, yes.
CoC: And the amount of people you can expose to a form of music by
distributing it I think generally tends to increase bands'
profiles rather than lower them. So I think it's one of those
weird things where it's really difficult for a record company to
tell -- or difficult for a band to tell. The problem is that in
the end it all looks like lost sales. And I agree with you that
you can't tell how many you sell, but you also maybe can't tell
how many more you might not have sold if people hadn't been able
to trade with each other.
ML: No, well... You have a valid point, I must say.
CoC: You were saying earlier about worshipping beer and pussy and
things. And in the back of the album cover, and just generally,
there's this sort of ethos, this continuous thing with Impaled
Nazarene with having beers and middle fingers. Is that just
directly from the Motorhead ethos or is that even further back,
like punk?
ML: No, it's not really a punk thing. I mean, it's always been, I
think, our attitude from the very beginning -- even if in the
very beginning it was more like the Satanic kind of shit. But
even still we were showing the middle fingers on the photos, and
it's basically the "fuck off and die!" attitude. This is a band
that doesn't give a fuck about anybody else because we have been
doing our own shit. And we have been ripped off, lots of people
have been talking shit of us, but in the end you ignore it, and
you just say: "Fuck off and die!" And that's something that I
just understood: because I was going through all our CDs, I
understood that we haven't done a song called "Fuck Off and
Die!". So we are going to rectify this situation. We are going to
do a 7" EP, probably recorded in January. The EP is called _Fuck
Off and Die!_. There will be a song called "Fuck Off and Die!"
which will be our original song, and then we are covering on the
flipside the Voivod "Fuck Off and Die!", then we are doing the
Broken Bones' "Fuck Off and Die!". We haven't [yet] chosen,
'cause there are shitloads of "Fuck Off and Die!" songs around.
So, it will be like the ultimate statement from us.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
T H E M E T A L M A C H I N E C A R R I E S O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Tom Angelripper of Sodom
by: Adrian Bromley
In twenty years of existence, Sodom singer / bassist Tom
Angelripper and his band have put out fifteen albums, toured the
world and stayed true to their primary goal: play thrash metal music.
And the tradition continues.
It is no surprise that the band's latest album, titled _M-16_,
is knee-deep in thrash metal speed and excellence, a strong record
that many are heralding as one of the German band's best albums,
right up there with 1986's _Obsessed by Cruelty_ and 1989's _Agent
Orange_. While truly proud of _M-16_, Angelripper just sees it as a
continuing stepping stone in their crusade for metal music.
"When we started this band in 1981 I really wanted to play metal
music for a long time, but I never imagined that it would have lasted
this long. This is a real dream come true, especially now that I can
live from making music. After the release of _Agent Orange_ we were
able to go out and tour and party. We could record when we wanted to
and just have fun. The energy and excitement that the fans provide us
with also inspires us. It is a great feeling to play before people
who love your music. I just can't believe it has been twenty years."
"I'm 38 years old now and it has been such an amazing thing for
myself to be doing this job for so long. It is indeed the best job
that anyone could have. <laughs> I used to work in a coal mine back
in the early days and it was a tough job, but ever since _Agent
Orange_ I have had to become a bit more professional and take this
somewhat seriously if I want to make a living from our success as a
band."
And how do you feel about the prestige and respect that many
fans and bands give to Sodom?
Angelripper responds: "It makes me feel good knowing that a lot
of these black and death metal bands were inspired by the old Sodom
material. It makes me feel proud to know that even though bands like
Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir sell a lot more than Sodom in
Germany, that our records still sell and our fans are still behind
what we do. It makes me feel good knowing that people still believe
in what we have brought and continue to bring to metal music."
"When we started off in this music business, we never cared what
other bands were doing, and we are still that way. A lot of bands
come and go, with a lot of these bands signing contracts, making
money, playing for two years and then disappearing. It has never been
that way for Sodom. We believe in our music and what we do."
"Back in the '80s a lot of the metal bands were like a big
family. We all worked as a team and had a lot of fun", reveals the
singer. "Nowadays there is so much going on in metal music, many new
genres and just bands making music for money. It is too commercial
now. In the early days I used to buy all of the bands' albums and
keep up with them, but now there are so many bands coming out with
mediocre music, and I don't want to spend money on crap."
The topic shifts to the new album, _M-16_. A lot of people are
assuming that by looking at the album title, the cover artwork (a
Marine carrying a rotten corpse of a fallen companion and toting an
M-16 rifle) and song titles ("Napalm in the Morning", "Among the
Weirdcong" and "Marines") that the new record is a concept album
about Vietnam. Well, according to Angelripper, it isn't. He explains
the album.
"A lot of people think this is a concept album about the Vietnam
war, but it isn't. I am always writing lyrics about events that have
occurred in the world and historic things that interest me. We
traveled to Vietnam to get information about the place and talk to
the people and just become influenced by what went on there and how
things really are. We just used certain symbols of the Vietnam war to
fuel some ideas. There are a lot of hidden messages on this album.
This really is an anti-war album. We just used the artwork to shock
people. This album is like "Apocalypse Now" or "Full Metal Jacket",
two movies that were anti-war movies that wanted to show people what
reality is like. People are comparing this to _Agent Orange_ as well
because we used Vietnam themes there, but is has nothing to do with
it. It is a new album, with fresh ideas and thoughts." He continues,
"I look at great metal bands like Judas Priest and Saxon and read
their lyrics, and I just can't write like that. I need to write about
historical events and things that happened."
It seems as though each new album by Sodom is like a new chapter
for the band.
"I think each album we do is different, in regards to the themes
or the way it was produced, but the core sound of Sodom has never
changed. I would never let it change", assures Angelripper. "We
always make an effort to play thrash metal music and just do the best
that we can. Our albums get better as the years go on and I think
once you hear this record a few times you'll remember the songs (i.e.
"Napalm in the Morning"). I think many of these songs will be classic
Sodom songs in years to come."
"This album isn't the heaviest record we have done, that would
be _Masquerade in Blood_ (1995), but I think it is a solid one. Our
line-up is solid and it just seems to be going good for us."
While Sodom plans to head out on the road with Kreator and
Destruction (an amazing bill of the three classic German thrash metal
bands) in Europe, chances are very slim that such a tour will happen
in North America. Though there have been rumours, according to
Angelripper it most likely won't happen.
"I know we are going to go out on tour for five weeks in Europe
and then take a break and possibly head to South America and Asia,
but so far no promoter in North America has decided to book this
tour", he says.
Really? This seems like a killer tour! Why not?
"I really want to tour North America and have a huge tour, but I
want to work with a promoter that is really serious about handling
this tour and helping support us and to get us to play lots of shows.
We played three years ago at the Milwaukee MetalFest and it was the
first time we had ever played in the US. We got no support, no money.
We only played for half an hour and we weren't even allowed to bring
our own instruments. We had to go as tourists 'cause we couldn't get
the papers in order. [MMF's] Jack Koshick is a really bad promoter.
We are currently looking for a promoter to help us there. I am sure
the fans liked the show, but we didn't have fun at all. We only had a
backdrop with our name on it. We needed good instruments and Jack
Koshick wouldn't even help us out. We got nothing. It was just a real
nightmare for us. I hope in the future we can find a good promoter
worthy of helping us out. When we came to play Milwaukee we had
another show booked for Canada, but he [Koshick] told us he wanted us
to come and play and go home. He didn't want us to tour. It was
awful. He asked us to play March Metal Meltdown in New Jersey last
year, but we said "No way!" Never again will we deal with him."
He ends, "Next time we come and play North America we are going
to do it right. We are going to show North American fans that Sodom
plays real thrash metal and we do it all for the love of metal
music."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
B A C K F R O M H E L L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Schmier of Destruction
by: Adrian Bromley
Not much has changed for Destruction ringleader/singer/bassist
Schmier since I last spoke with him two years ago, when the classic
German metal outfit released their much-anticipated comeback record
_All Hell Breaks Loose_ on Nuclear Blast.
Since that point in time the band toured non-stop in support of
that record, played festivals and even found time to head back into e
thstudio once again to rekindle the metal magic that had re-entered
their lives -- a fire that had been dormant for more than a decade.
Their new album, titled _The Antichrist_, finds Destruction
tighter, faster and hungrier to spread the word of metal music.
Schmier is excited to be back with a solid new disc and a fan base
that has once again been rejuvenated.
"I think our return to the metal scene was very important for
metal. It seems almost impossible for a metal band to write their
best album after almost a ten year absence, but we did", starts
Schmier. "We needed to come back into the scene with a really strong
record like _All Hell Breaks Loose_ and to show people that we
weren't coming back for the hell of it. We came back showing people
that we still love metal music. It was important to come back with a
record like that and then go onto a disc like _The Antichrist_. The
last record brought us back into the spotlight; the new one shows
people that we are here for good."
About the experience of having to come back into the grind of
things as a band and the last recording experience, Schmier notes, "I
think the last record was a learning experience, because it was
somewhat new to us, to get back into the studio as a band and to find
out how things were going to be. We knew the last one had weak
production, but that was something we noted and made sure we focused
on this time around. We knew what we had to tell Peter Tagtgren [who
produced _All Hell Breaks Loose_ and the new one -- Adrian] to work
on, and what needed to be omitted. He is a great producer and really
made an effort to make us sound good."
"On the last record, our guitarist Mike Sifringer was a little
skeptical about the studio work at the beginning and how things would
turn out, but it turned out great right after the first sessions.
Peter was a great producer for us, because he just let the band be
the band. We did what we wanted to do in the studio and he just gave
us some great ideas and helped add to the sound. That is why we chose
to work with him again on the new record. He knew we didn't want
a typical death or black metal production sound, but rather a
Destruction metal feel to it. He succeeded on the last record and the
new one as well."
"I am really excited about this record and the songs on it", he
points out. "We toured for a year and a half for the last record and
wrote a lot of the songs during the breaks on tour. Things were just
flowing out of us and we had to capture them. We were back and we had
to keep things going."
He adds, "The good thing about what we were doing was that we
weren't pressured by anyone to write this material or sound a certain
way. There is a lot of pressure when it comes to making music, but it
is something that every musician must face. Making music is like
having sex. You get together, have fun and try new experiences. I
think the best thing about all of this was that we didn't tour
continuously for ten months and then come back and go into the studio
and write. We were doing small tours, returning home and heading into
the studio if we needed to. Had we toured for such a long period of
time, we might have not wanted to create music at the rate we were
doing. Having those stop-gaps to create was really cool to grow and
try new things. In the future, we will for sure use this same formula
to create music."
It seems almost impossible for a band to fade away and come back
after ten years and ignite such interest.
"I know, I know", he agrees. "It was weird, but we felt it. We
got together and just started to create music and play the old
numbers and you could feel the fucking magic. I am a metal fan with
taste I think and if I had started to see things turning out really
shitty for Destruction, when we were recording the last album and
coming back into the scene, I would have stopped it right then and
there. I am a fan of good music and I wouldn't want shitty music
bringing down the name of Destruction. I was pretty sure that this
three-piece [at the time Destruction was rounded out by recently
departed drummer Sven -- Adrian] would be able to make music and try
new things, but still maintain that Destruction sound that metal fans
have known and loved over the years. When we started off playing
again at festivals, it was us against all the new heroes in metal and
we had to prove ourselves. And we did. I was pretty excited when it
all started to work for us and we were recording demos again. I knew
that our music was sounding good, especially with early reactions
from the label, the fans and the fanzines. It was great to have
people excited about Destruction again."
Is there a special way Destruction writes material?
"I can't really explain how all of this happens, really", laughs
Schmier. "It just does. The music of Destruction, then and now, is
full of character. You know what to expect and you can always tell it
is us playing this noisy, thrash metal music. Even though when we all
come together to work on songs ideas and we all bring in new
approaches to making music for the band, it always ends up with a
real heavy, gritty sound. A Destruction sound. I recently re-mastered
an old Destruction demo from 1983 and it is so amazing how
Mike's guitar sound today is so similar to back then. The same
characteristics are there and it is his original sound that helps
make Destruction still sound so good."
Why do you think this new record turned out so rabid and
vicious?
"This is a very hateful record. It really is full of a lot of
anger and just allowed me to vent my ideas and thoughts", he
responds. "I hate religion. I think it just causes so much conflict
in the world today. We did a lot of travelling around the world in
places like Colombia, Turkey and other countries on the last few
tours that have so much turmoil regarding religion that it just
really helped fuel our thoughts on religion and what we brought to
_The Antichrist_. We felt that anger and it just carried over into
the songwriting for this new album. It made the record, really. I'm
glad we channeled into that sound and those emotions."
"We kind of knew what we wanted with this record, as did Peter
[Tagtgren]", continues Schmier about the production of the new disc.
"Early on with the writing of the material, Peter had asked to get
advance work of the music in pre-production so he could listen to it
and get some ideas flowing. He'd call me up and say, "Killer! Better
than the last record!" We were well prepared before we went into the
studio and the band was in the right frame of mind. Everything was in
sync. We made notes, as I mentioned before, and we wanted to make the
guitars better. Last album they sounded like shit and we wanted to
fix that for sure. And also, I have noticed that things seem to be
going too well for the band in the studio and I am a bit scared that
it is "too well". But, I think that just goes to show that we are
developing as a band and getting better as the years go on."
Do you ever compare the old Destruction with the new
Destruction?
"When we write songs together, Mike and myself, we go through
the ideas and see if we can use them for Destruction and not try to
copy what we have done before. As a songwriting team, we have grown
and become very honest with one another and about what ideas work and
don't work for Destruction. It is important to have the two of us
working as a team. We don't purposely go out and try to match ideas
with past Destruction songs, we try to make music that flows out of
us."
"We'd be foolish to try anything else, really. The fact that we
can still make good music after all of these years is a great
feeling. I am excited about what we have done here with the new
record and what we plan to do in the future."
And how do you know when a record is done and have the right
songs for that recording?
"When you have been doing this for such a long time as we have,
you just become very close to what you do and can feel the energy of
the recording process", he says. "You just experience the record as
it comes along. It is up to the fans to decide if it is your best
record or if it is great. As musicians, you always try to do your
best. We basically tried to do the same thing with this record as the
last one, though we had a few new ideas to try out. We didn't change
much. It is still the Destruction way in the studio. We are a lot
more sure of what we are doing now. Some people are saying this is
the best record we have ever done. I say this is one of the best and
could be compared to our _Infernal Overkill_ disc [1985], which many
say is our classic record. We got along really well for this record
and it shows. Any band that doesn't get along within the studio or as
a team, it shows. We were tight in the studio when we went into
record and people can hear that."
Learning to work as a team in the studio was something that you
had to learn all over again with the _All Hell Breaks Loose_ record,
right?
"Yes. The last few releases of Destruction more than a decade
ago was us just coming to the end of the energy between us. The
_Cracked Brain_ [1989] record was an average release for Destruction,
but nothing great. That was a time when I was learning about creating
music within the band, being a musician and understanding the music
business. It just all fell apart. Back in the early days of
Destruction, I got goosebumps when I played our music and that was
what pushed us forward. We lost that feeling and now, more than a
decade later, I am getting goosebumps again and that makes me
know deep down inside that we are on the right path with _The
Antichrist_."
And while things are going fine and dandy for Destruction right
now, Schmier admits that this won't last forever.
"The scary part about all of this that is happening for us is
that it won't be like that forever. Every one is excited, critics
love the record and our sales are up -- but how long will that last?
I'm scared not knowing if I'll be able to make this kind of good
music in the next few years. I might be able to, I might not."
He ends, "Even though I am thinking about all that could happen
in the future to the band, right now I am excited to be creating
music and being inspired to make Destruction sound as good as it did
back in the '80s. Making music for Destruction has been a rewarding
experience, with these two past albums being very special to me.
These albums proved that we as a band still have it in us. It also
goes to show that we have at least one album left in us. If I have my
way, we'll be making records for the next ten years. We came back to
the scene a few years ago and I'm not going to fade away that fast. I
just won't have it."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
E N T E R I N G A N A G E O F A N T I Q U I T Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Quorthon of Bathory
by: Adam Wasylyk
It's been a lengthy wait for Bathory's brand new studio album --
about six years, in fact, not including the re-worked _Blood on Ice_
opus. _Destroyer of Worlds_ [reviewed in this issue] is a mix of
sounds and styles from the past ten years (give or take), from
epic-sounding atmospherics to thrash-tinged moments. Those who felt
that _Octagon_ and _Requiem_ were disappointments and the Viking /
epic metal era was their shining moment in time will find partial
solace in the new Bathory release. However, those who appreciate the
aggressive thrash tendencies of Bathory will find individual tracks
worthy of hearing. One's individual tastes will play a significant
role in potential enjoyment of _Destroyer of Worlds_.
A lengthy chat with Quorthon took place shortly before I had the
chance to hear the record for myself, so many specific questions
about the album had to be omitted for obvious reasons. What turned
out to be a more retrospective chat than anything else, I found
Quorthon to be his usual self -- soft-spoken, polite and articulate
at times. After a preface discussion on hockey, centering around the
Swedish player Mats Sundin -- who incidentally plays on the Toronto
Maple Leafs -- our interview began.
CoC: So what song did you record today? Has it been titled?
Quorthon: Well, the chorus goes "Black death, pestilence", so we
haven't quite decided yet. It's like when we recorded
_Requiem_, we actually printed the album cover out before
we were 100% sure on the titles of the tracks. So we
haven't entirely decided on the exact title as of yet.
CoC: It's needless to say that Bathory fans are wondering what the
new material will sound like. Would it be a mix of styles
covered throughout the career of Bathory, or an extension of the
last Bathory studio album _Octagon_? Perhaps you could describe
the aura of _Destroyer of Worlds_ as you're writing and
recording the new material.
Q: It'll contain one piece of each sound and style we've gone
through. Eighteen years down the line, you're bound to have
learned something about the studio shit. But each time I go down
to the studio these days, there are all of these technological
revolutions since the last time I was there. Now when we're
recording, everything is basically done through a computer,
and I can't even fucking surf [the Internet]! Not that I'm
non-technical, but all of this computer language... it's not my
thing. It's different than the early Eighties, when you'd stand in
your garage with a small 20-watt Marshall and you'd record, making
sure your neighbour's lawnmower wouldn't end up on tape. Today
it's very clean; it's very technical. Being down in the studio
today is different, but hopefully it'll turn out like the old
Bathory but with a new sound. I'm reluctant to say it'll be more
intelligent as well, because that would be like saying we were
stupid in the old days. But back then we would record albums and
wouldn't care if a solo was played wrong, or my voice would break
up. These days CDs are more expensive, so you want a quality piece
to release. Not like "Ah, it's Bathory, just put it out. We don't
care much about production or anything." _Destroyer of Worlds_
sounds basically like the lost compilation album. One track sounds
like it came off _Hammerheart_, another sounds like it was
recorded during the _Twilight..._ sessions. A couple of songs will
remind you of _The Return..._, so you have everything. It's
difficult to please all of your fans, but hopefully they will have
at least half of the record pleasing them.
CoC: Tell me about your vocal approach to the album.
Q: Actually, I never rehearse my vocals. We don't have a rehearsal
space, so we just go to the studio and try it out. About 95% of
all of the Bathory songs, at least in the last ten years, goes in
B [as in B note? -- Adam]. I've never been able to figure out if
that's too low or too high for me, so I just scream and wait until
blood fills in my mouth and I get a headache. I would just stand
there and scream.
CoC: As some of the lyrics deal with topics like war and death, are
there any underlying concepts or themes that tie the tracks
together on _Destroyer of Worlds_? Or do the tracks co-exist on
their own?
Q: No, I wouldn't say there's a particular theme. The whole idea
behind the title _Destroyer of Worlds_ deals with Oppenheimer, who
while standing in the Nevada Desert saw the mushroom cloud from
the first atomic explosion, remembered a quote from a Hindu
script. "I have become death... I have become a destroyer of
worlds." The title track is about Enola Gay, dropping the bomb on
Hiroshima. And having spent so much time in Berlin, because Black
Mark used to be Berlin-based, although it's always been a Swedish
label, I could vaguely imagine Berlin in rubble. One track is
called "Death From Above", which is about the air force of Berlin.
There's another track dedicated to the 109 Fighter, so there's a
lot of air warfare on the new album, but there are no themes to
connect the songs.
CoC: Fans have always found an attractive quality in the
mysteriousness of the Bathory image. Was that something that was
practised and purposeful, or something that just came into
being?
Q: I remember up until '86/'87, during the time when I was actually
trying out a tonne of bassists and drummers, I found Sweden to be
not such a good place to form a band like Bathory. First, you have
Europe that sets the standard for what a metal band was supposed
to look like, to get up on stage and get a record deal. So then
people would come down to the rehearsal place and say "If I have
to play this song, or do what you're telling me to do, I'll sweat
and won't be able to get laid afterwards." So we wouldn't release
any pictures, and for all of the interviews to fanzines would be
my pictures. And that came out of a necessity of contact
with our small fanbase in those days. The whole anonymity and
mysteriousness just came out of it, and we realized that some
people were attracted to the mysteriousness. Then there was all of
this talk of a one-man band. Of course I played 80% of the bass on
_The Return..._, I played 50% of the bass on _Under the Sign..._,
I played all of the bass on _Hammerheart_ and _Twilight..._ and
stuff like that, but there's never been a one-man band situation.
But then we realized that every time people had to make a comment
about Bathory in magazines, they always had to print a picture [of
just me]. But we didn't do much to dispel the rumour. We're a
project. We're two guys having fun in the studio once in a while.
We don't feel the pressure of trying to make people believe that
there's a band behind the Bathory name. So for the mysteriousness,
we just kept our mouths shut. And since then I've realized that
people have more problems with my image than I do. People think
I'm living in a bat cave in Sweden, eating babies and drinking
blood. That's one of the more stupid rumours. I've heard some more
serious rumours as well. They're great as long as there's a little
tongue in cheek in them. And about 50% of the time, I won't do
anything to kill those rumours.
CoC: What other rumours have you heard over the years?
Q: All kinds of things. I'm going through town dressed as an
SS Officer on a Harley Davidson. Hmmm... there's just about
everything. <loud sigh> And from all that, you have fans send you
the stupidest things. I've had people send me their kid sister's
decapitated cats. Particularly during the mid-'80s, the Bathory
fans in America -- who were twice as many as our European fans --
I would have girls send me their pictures naked, covered in
nothing but pig's blood. One girl would send me a plastic bag
containing earth. I had to read her letter to understand why she
had sent this. She said: "I went to this graveyard under a full
moon, I masturbated, and I figured that this earth would be great
for your magical ceremonies." You start to wonder, "Man. I'm just
a hockey-loving, Harley Davidson-riding, long-haired hard rocker.
And that's all."
CoC: Fans usually always take an image too seriously.
Q: One night I was out with this girl, and I was on the subway. There
were these three or four teenage guys dressed up in black leather
coats, black boots, spikes, black leather pants and Bathory
T-shirts. Their faces were as pale as sheets, with long black
hair. They just looked at me and went, "UGGH! Quorthon!" How do I
explain that to a girl who doesn't even know I can play guitar? At
least 80% of my friends don't even know I can handle a guitar.
Whenever something like that happens, when business creeps into
your private life, that's when it aches. It's difficult to handle.
I don't want any part of that. That's another reason why we don't
photos. I communicate to those who enjoy my records through the
music alone. But they want this guy dressed up in black leather
underwear and spikes and blood all over the place like some of
pictures from the early '80s or something.
CoC: I heard that an ex-Bathory drummer now directs music videos,
with recent work including Madonna and Metallica. True?
Q: That's Jonas. Yeah, he was the first drummer of Bathory.
CoC: I also heard that he's semi-interested in making a Bathory video
one day.
Q: Well, he didn't tell me about making a Bathory video. I bumped
into him some time ago. The one thing he told me was after he had
done some shots one day with Metallica for their video, the
Metallica guys were in the studio playing some Bathory songs and
were asking him for autographs and asking him if he could ask me
for an autograph. I don't know of any of that is true, but in
order for him to get any more jobs over there he wouldn't be
saying stuff like that if it weren't true.
CoC: How do you look back at your self-titled project, which saw a
couple of releases in recent years? Will future releases under
the Quorthon name be realized?
Q: After _Twilight..._ I wanted to take a one-year sabbatical from
music, and get on my Harley and ride around Europe or the States.
The record label sorta freaked out and said "Hey, you guys stay
active or you're going to find out that there's more things to
life than being locked up in the studio." They told me to take
what I needed -- a guitar, a bass and a drum machine -- to go into
the studio for a week and a half and record whatever shit I
wanted, to see if anything turns out worth putting out on a solo
record. That sounded very challenging, because having being tied
to a band like Bathory for a decade or so [at the time], all of
the sudden you find yourself wanting to answer the question "Who
the hell am I? What do I sound like when writing something that
doesn't have to fall under the Bathory umbrella either sound or
style-wise?" I grew up listening to the Beatles and Sex Pistols,
so I figured, why not go in with my musical roots and go in there
and freak out for a week and a half with no ambitions or
expectations? And the nature of the critic is that if someone did
buy that CD, and if they thought it sucked, they wouldn't write a
letter saying so. When you go see a movie, you don't write a
letter to the director to say the movie is shit. You just don't
recommend it to a friend. But if you do see a good movie, you
recommend it. For those who enjoyed the first record, they wrote
to me and said "This one took me by surprise", so they are the
ones who asked for a second one. But 95% of the reactions were
confused. I was very happy that I didn't receive any downright
awful criticism like "Stop milking the legend" or "Call it quits"
or "Produce a real Bathory album". I probably won't release any
other material under the Quorthon name, though. The second one
would never had happened if it hadn't been for 3000 people writing
to me asking for a second one. And I emptied my testicles at the
time, since it was a double CD with 23 tracks. I sort of made a
point -- not everybody gets to make a record. Not everybody gets
to make twelve records. Not everybody gets to make three solo CDs.
If you can do it, why not try?
CoC: When was the bulk of the new album written and composed? Had
ideas for the new album been gathering for weeks, or months?
Q: Hmm... that's a good question. Actually, I wrote about a dozen
tracks and went into the studio, and I did so not to hear what the
songs would sound like, but rather what the studio sounds like. I
then went home and into my basement, where I wrote a couple of
more songs. The sound and atmosphere of the studio is very
important. Sometimes you realize a song is really going to suck no
matter how you record it. When you get a feeling for the studio,
you can see how a style could fit a studio perfectly. <Quorthon
takes another moment to compute in his head> I've written a total
of 28 songs since the beginning of the year, in which I scrapped
all of them except for one. And in the past month the majority of
the album was written.
CoC: So does studio work, after almost fifteen years, still excite
and thrill you? Is it what you consider the true Bathory
environment?
Q: If Bathory had promotional tours, live concerts, groupies and
drugs and whatever, I wouldn't be in this business at all. All of
this work is for the studio. I mean, Bathory is a studio project
and has been so since 1986. The studio is a happy place. It's a
place where you can walk around in your underwear, eat peanuts and
watch a video. At least 80% of the time when we're in the studio
we're laughing and not recording! Some of the greatest jokes and
some of the funniest moments I've had in my life were in the
studio. Then at the end of the day we'll go "Uh, should we record
something today?" "Okay, let's record a guitar or something", and
the rest of the day we'll spend laughing.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
M E T A L P R I D E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Dave Ingram of Bolt Thrower
by: Adrian Bromley
While the new Bolt Thrower album _Honour, Valour, Pride_
[reviewed in this issue] may not be my favourite Bolt Thrower album
(I just can't get into some of the material), it still does have the
strength and stamina that can been found within their classic
releases, like 1992's _The IVth Crusade_ and 1994's intense _...For
Victory_. The music, while taking in some new ideas, pretty much
stays true to the Bolt Thrower form and allows the war machine to
roll on.
One new addition to the band that is bringing some changes to
the sounds of Bolt Thrower is ex-Benediction singer Dave Ingram,
who replaced singer Karl Willets after the recording of 1998's
_Mercenary_. No doubt Ingram knew that him joining Bolt Thrower was a
big deal and put a bit of pressure on him and how things would work
out with fellow band members Gavin Ward and Baz Thomson (guitarists),
drummer Martin Kearns and bassist Jo Bench. He isn't complaining.
He's been a fan of the band for years and was excited to be a part of
this monstrous musical force.
As the call comes in from Dave Ingram from his home in Denmark,
I reveal to him that it had been a long time since we had last
spoken. The last time I had spoken to him was for CoC #2 (a long
fucking time ago, folks!!!) during the summer of 1995 and he was
doing press for his old band Benediction and their Nuclear Blast
release _The Dreams You Dread_.
"Oh", Ingram says. "You know I am in another band now, right?"
We both laugh.
The topic quickly turns to Bolt Thrower's new album, _Honour,
Valour, Pride_, the first with Ingram on vocals. "I am very proud of
the end results. I am very happy with the new record, as is everyone
else in the band. If we weren't happy with the end result of _Honour,
Valour, Pride_, we wouldn't have left the studio", says Ingram. "If
we were completely unsatisfied, we would have wiped it all clean and
started again. We are of that mind. We do take a lot of pride in our
work; it is hard work, but it was a lot of fun. We all worked hard
and we all did our part."
"We had a much bigger range with what we could do as a band this
time around. This was my first recording with the band, but I have
had loads of experience in the studio with my previous band, so all
of that helped make the recording experience a bit different this
time out."
Any first time jitters when starting off the recording with a
new band?
"No", states Ingram. "It felt really, really comfortable. There
was never any tension at all or any trepidation or holding back.
Regardless of me being in the band or someone else, Bolt Thrower is a
war machine that keeps rolling on and I am just glad to be a part of
it on this record and for future recordings with the band. The band
just rolled with what they had. There weren't any false starts when I
came aboard. It was all still pretty much in motion. It was totally
smooth."
What did you bring to the recording of _Honour, Valour, Pride_?
"We tried a lot of things in the studio with this album", says
Ingram. "I personally used three different type of microphones. I
used ambient ones, handheld ones and even sang in the control room to
get certain sounds. We tried different ways to get the parts down.
Some didn't work out, but others did sound awesome. What we did was
take parts of songs, lines or even words that held up and put it
together. So in fact, we recorded all the vocals like four times, but
just took from each technique."
He adds, "Even though new things are implemented into the sound
and direction of the band, it still remains Bolt Thrower. I have
always been a fan of the band, well before I joined, and I knew what
their ideology was and what they always set out to do with each of
their albums. I knew that they always strived to keep this theme
running throughout. When I was in Benediction we toured with Bolt
Thrower, so I knew everyone, and that made it an even easier move
into the band when I joined."
And what songs on _Honour, Valour, Pride_ do you think best
represent Bolt Thrower currently?
"I'd have to say all of them", says Ingram in typical musician
fashion. "Really, I think all are a great representation of where we
are now as a band. But on a personal level, I'd have to say the song
"Suspect Hostile" because of the lyrics. For me, some of the lyrics
in the song, I haven't seen before. I wrote that song with Gavin. We
tossed around a lot of ideas for that song, back and forth, and the
end result is superb. I love the way the lyrics ended up. I actually
got a huge buzz when we recorded that track in the studio."
So music really affects you?
"Yes, it does. It really gives me a high", exclaims the singer.
"I have been a huge fan of heavy metal since I got into Black Sabbath
when I was seven years old. I have followed music through many genres
growing up, and I always wanted to do be in a band and record albums
and tour. I got to do this, and it just makes me feel so good inside
knowing that I accomplished something I always dreamed of doing.
Being in a band is great. I don't care if this band gets good news,
bad news or just gossip talked about us. It is showing that people
know who we are and it makes me feel good. The whole band is proud to
have been doing this for so long and still be part of the scene."
You'd think after years of playing in Benediction and non-stop
recording and touring that Ingram would have grown tired at this
point in his career of making music and everything else that comes
with it. That isn't the case -- more like the opposite of how he
feels.
"It kind of feels like home", says Ingram exuberantly about
being in Bolt Thrower. "I don't want to use the word "comfortable"
again, but it just does feel that way for me. It just fits like a
jigsaw puzzle, really. I am glad that this is all working out and
that I know what to expect with Bolt Thrower. Bolt Thrower has never
taken any outside influence from anybody. Bolt Thrower has always
been Bolt Thrower and that is the way things are continuing for the
band into 2002."
He ends, "Bolt Thrower isn't arrogant at all, but we see Bolt
Thrower's music as one of a kind. There is nothing out there like
this and there never will be. Our crusade continues and we invite our
fans to come along for the ride."
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H E A R S E T O Y O U , W I T C H E R Y !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Sharlee D'Angelo of Witchery
by: Aaron McKay
You gotta admit, there are some bands you just like
unquestionably. Well, this Swedish five piece outfit is one of them
for me. Thundering bass and vicious riffs with gravelly, raspy vocals
-- I had little choice in the matter; these morbidly amusing gents
pulled me in like a traveling black hole from Hell. Complete with a
twisted comedic sense, Witchery unleashed _Symphony for the Devil_
(get it? Think Rolling Stones) onto a unsuspecting fanbase. I like
it, but then again there is little here not to like. Talk about your
contorted humor -- "Hearse of the Pharaohs"?
"Yea, it is kinda like a tradition that we have", begins the
ever-talented bassist. Sharlee continues, "We've always done the
wordplay thing. Why not have a little something there, ya know? The
people who react to it are kind of, ya know, "our people"", Mr.
D'Angelo spells it out for me very clearly.
What! Two instrumentals on _Symphony for the Devil_? "The thing
was, the first one that came about, "Bone Mill", that was one of the
songs that basically wrote itself with Martin [Axe], who was playing
some kind of drum pattern, and then Jensen [guitar] came up with the
riff to it", my interviewee conveys. ""Hearse of the Pharaohs" was
not originally intended to be an instrumental track", Sharlee
continues, "but before we came around to writing the lyrics for it, I
called Hank [Sherman, of Mercyful Fate fame] and asked him if he
wanted to come over to the studio and gang out. He said yea, an
d I'm
like could you bring your guitar?" <we laugh> Sharlee goes on,
"People think having Hank on the album was my idea, but it was really
Jensen's idea. Also, for Toxine [vocals], Hank has always been his
favorite guitar player -- all categories."
And after Mr. Sherman went wild over the whole thing? Sharlee
told me, "Well, then there was really no room for vocals [on "Hearse
of the Pharaohs"]. Why not just let it be an instrumental track? It
makes for a nice change of pace [on the album]".
Originally intended only for release as bonus tracks for vinyl,
but the European label (Music for Nations) for Witchery wanted to
include them; Witchery agreed, but they wanted those two songs for
the US version as well. I'll have to confess something here, the
bonus tracks on _Symphony for the Devil_ are out of this world. How
did they come about? Weren't "Enshrined" (killer bass opening, by the
way) and "The One Within" old Satanic Slaughter songs?
"Exactly", Mr. D'Angelo confirms. "All the other guys were on
that [self-titled] album except for Martin, of course. This was
before my time and I always -loved- that album -- I think it is one
of the most overlooked pieces of black metal ever. It was a treat for
me to come in and do my part on some of those songs." I'll tell ya
folks, I honestly believe that the -only- thing SS was missing was
the cavernous bass sounds of Sharlee D'Angelo!
There is -always- one song, at least, on a release that tells
you, hell yea -- this is what I like! Well, "Omen" was that track for
me. I asked for Sharlee's thoughts on that piece. "In this instance
here, I think great minds think alike -- it is my favorite, too",
confesses the bassist. "You know what it is with that song?
Instantly, when we were playing it, and especially when we got it
recorded and we could sit down and listen to it, the image that came
up in my head was like driving down the highway in the dark and you
only have the light from the dashboard. It is a great driving song."
Not only that, Sharlee, my friend, but your bass is kickin' ass on
that track, too, brother!
Jensen once alluded to Martin Axe's age in an interview I read.
I asked Mr. D'Angelo how old the drummer was. "He's 21", comes the
reply. Wow! He's got a real handle on his instrument. "Especially
"Called for by Death", Sharlee elaborates. "That song is a very, very
good example of how Martin works. It's got a bit of a Judas Priest
feel to it. Ya know, the -old- Seventies type Judas Priest". Do I?
_Rocka Rolla_ (and its cover) is beyond explanation. Ultimately Mr.
D'Angelo says, "He's so young and he -knows- his metal history!"
Some guitarists are seemingly incapable of laying down a good
solo, and Sharlee and I talked a little bit about that, but such is
-not- the case with the soloist supreme, Richard Corpse -- right, Mr.
D'Angelo?
"He put so much more effort into the leads this time and really
thought it through. He came up with some great stuff", Witchery's
bassist advises me. "Solos are an expression thing and if you aren't
in the mood, you aren't going to come up with anything good. This is
[Richard's] best lead work to date, I think." I agree. Some pretty
concentrated leads on _Symphony for the Devil_; very inspired.
Vocals play such a huge part in music, I believe. From the
bowels of the indecipherable like most on any Abyss track to using
vocals as an instrument as John Tardy did with early Obituary
releases, how it is sung matters. So, that said, what about Toxine?
"With the type of vocals, sometimes with all the screaming [with
other bands] it is just there to make the music more extreme", comes
my answer. "We come from the same school, I guess. With Toxine, he's
got impeccable timing and, in that sense, rhythm and all that
expression". So true. Sharlee continues, "It is not only what you
sing, but it's also the inhales and the exhales and their rhythmical
context -- what you do with it. With this album, [Toxine] is trying
different things, more lows and more highs. I think he is just
starting to sound more and more evil." Even though I agree,
especially with Toxine's efforts on this effort, I'd -love- to hear
it when he masters it -- and I think he's almost there...
What about you, Sharlee? Tell us about your style and emphasis.
He replies, "I don't really care that much if I can be heard or not
as an individual player. I'm more concentrated on whether I add
something to the music." Sharlee goes on. "Ian Hill [Judas Priest] is
a very, very big inspiration to me. The way he is also very simple
and the way that he works with the drums."
Intermittently I am permitted the rare opportunity to say the
current album from a particular band has exceeded the previous one;
_Symphony for the Devil_ has provided that opening. An uncommon treat
for me to have a sensible conversation with someone so knowledgeable
as the good-natured Sharlee D'Angelo. An album well worth your time
and consideration. Momentous thanks for the enlightening talk,
Sharlee. And permit me to say that I am so very glad you guys write
music and are into metal instead of long fairy tales, 'cause they
have a tendency to DRAGON... Get it?!
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C R E A T I V E B R U T A L I T Y U N L E A S H E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Alex of Sinister
by: Adrian Bromley
The world of death metal music, and the bands that make up the
genre, have continued to evolve over the years, some more than
others. One of the bands that has continued to crank out death metal
mayhem, but evolve and bring new ideas into their sound/style each
time out, is Dutch act Sinister.
From the early days of 1992's _Cross the Styx_ onto 1995's
brilliantly violent _Hate_ [CoC #2] and 1998's _Aggressive Measures_
[CoC #37], the band has continued to push the envelope for the realm
of death metal music. That hard work and persistence continues on
with the latest offering, and debut for Hammerheart Records, titled
_Creative Killings_ [reviewed in this issue].
Chronicles of Chaos caught up with longtime bassist Alex to talk
about the new album, the hiring of female vocalist Rachel and the
impressive artwork adorning the new album. We begin...
CoC: Line-up changes seem to have plagued the band over the years,
but yet the band carried on. What do you think that says about
the band and the music you make?
Alex: The most important thing for us is that everyone is on the same
level in the band. There has never really been any discussion
between the members about the musical direction of the band. We
all stand 100% behind our style and our albums. This is why it
is possible to create a good product like _Creative Killings_.
All the people that have left the band throughout the years
were in some way not motivated to carry on with the music and
the way we wanted to as a band. The musical heart of the band
was never damaged in any way. Most members who left the band
weren't really involved with the songwriting, so their loss
could easily be replaced by someone with a better attitude and
motivation.
CoC: Obviously with Rachel on vocals, the new disc has a new vibe and
flow to it. What do you think she has brought to the band and to
the new album _Creative Killings_?
A: What we all like about Rachel's voice is that it is a classic
death metal grunt. She really sings and bring a vibe to all the
new songs. I think that that is a great achievement, because
nowadays lots of the new singers just want to sing as low as
possible, which results in a lot of bands having a monotone sound
in the end.
CoC: With more than a decade gone by, what do you think Sinister has
to offer to the metal music scene? What do you think of the
current metal music scene?
A: I'm not really thinking about what our music could contribute to
the current metal scene. First of all, we make music for
ourselves. We don't follow trends, like a lot of others did with
the black metal hype in the middle of the '90s. We just aim to get
better at what we do. Our drummer Aad is totally devoted to the
American death metal music. I also like bands from the United
States, but I also appreciate bands like The Kovenant, Rammstein
and Cradle of Filth.
CoC: Musically, I don't think the band has been any tighter or more
brutal in sound. Was this a conscious decision, to be this
brutal and aggressive?
A: No, not really! Like I said before, musically we just do what we
are good at. I think each Sinister album is always a bit different
from the others. _Hate_ was a record with dark atmospheric parts,
while _Aggressive Measures_ was based on brutality and aggression.
_Creative Killings_ combines all of these aspects, which results,
like you said, in a tight, brutal and fresh record.
CoC: Talk to me about the artwork adorning the cover. Most bands of
this music genre go for grotesque or flat out violent images;
this album cover is indeed a work of art. Why was the image
chosen?
A: We always think up the covers ourselves. Our drummer Aad has
always had some great ideas. We think it's crucial to have a good
album cover. For this album we chose Jon Zig [Averse Sefira,
Houwitzer]. He drew a fabulous piece of work for us. The cover
really matches the album title.
CoC: Do you think Sinister has influenced any bands of the metal
genre over the years? If so, where do you hear it?
A: Indeed, some new bands see us as an inspiration for their own
music, which is a big compliment. But still, there isn't really a
band that has the same recognizable sound as we do. I think you
can say the same for a band like Immolation. They have a unique
sound within the genre. I'm sure that lots of bands are influenced
by Immolation, but there hasn't really been a band with the same
musical aspects. I think the same goes for Sinister.
CoC: Most veteran bands have slowed things down a bit and forgotten
their metal roots. It seems the opposite has happened to you.
What do you have to say about veteran bands altering their sound
and style?
A: What I hate is that even now people label death metal as a
secondary music style. Even bands that played death metal in the
past are pissing on the genre that made them well-known. There are
bands that pissed on the scene a few years ago that now, with the
higher popularity of the genre, are coming back with a new death
metal album and saying that they want to go back to their roots.
Sinister will always be a band that makes brutal music. If the
motivation to play the music this way ever disappears, then so
will Sinister.
CoC: Where do the song ideas and lyrics come from? What inspires such
devilish, evil thoughts?
A: I find inspiration in movies, books and philosophy. I think it's
important that the lyrics match with the music. In short: brutal
lyrics for brutal songs.
CoC: Is this a 24 hour a day job, or has the band had to juggle day
jobs to keep this going? How does that affect things?
A: We lived a couple of years without having jobs and putting all of
our time and effort into the music. However, I wouldn't recommend
doing that. There is a lot of pressure to tour and make albums
when you do this full-time. The sad thing about playing this kind
of music is that it is hard to earn a good living. In 1998 we all
decided to get jobs and keep the band as a serious hobby. It was
the best decision we ever made, because now we're playing in a
band more then ever. Touring and playing live is a vacation for us
now. Plus, we don't have to worry about money problems anymore.
CoC: Is this the best disc Sinister has put out or is this just a
continuation of Sinister's career?
A: To me it's just a continuation of our previous work, but I think
that we did a fine job with the new album.
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V O M I T T O V A N Q U I S H T H E V A T I C A N !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Alex Wank from Pungent Stench
by: Paul Schwarz
I first heard the name of Pungent Stench five years ago. I was in an
Italian restaurant at a friend's birthday dinner. A slightly late
guest arrived, made his apologies to his host, and produced a CD from
his jacket. On the cover of the CD was a grisly image depicting the
severed, putrefacting heads of two aged persons French kissing. He
waved the CD at one guest, inquiring as to whether he'd ever heard
it. When the answer came back as a negative, he exclaimed excitedly:
"These guys are sicker than Autopsy! They talk about chiseling your
mother's eyeballs out!" The album in question was Pungent Stench's
second album, released in 1991, _Been Caught Buttering_. The episode
above is quite illustrative of Pungent Stench's status back in the
early Nineties. With the death metal scene stuffed full of bands,
separating yours from the crowd was of paramount importance. Bands
tried to claim various accolades for themselves -- Mortician's "most
brutal" self-labelling was born out of this climate. Pungent Stench
were sold substantially on the twisted, gore-and-perversion-soaked
nature of their visual presentation and lyrics. This naturally put
them alongside Autopsy -- although for my money, there is nothing
astounding about Pungent Stench's musical material for the various
eras in which it was made. In 1995, Pungent Stench split. In 1998, a
compilation entitled _Praise the Names of the Musical Assassins_ [CoC
#29], which collected all the rare and unreleased Pungent Stench
material available, was finally released by Nuclear Blast as a sort
of farewell to the band. Many in the underground came forward to
praise Pungent Stench's career, and bemoan their passing. That wave
of praise was what prompted me to pick up various Pungent Stench
albums and check the band out. Though I discovered nothing that was
musically revelatory, I was consistently impressed with how well
presented Pungent Stench's albums were, and how consistently their
lyrics managed to cover subject matter that side-stepped dumb death
metal norms. Then, completely out of the blue, a new Pungent Stench
album turned up in the mail last Autumn: _Masters of Moral Servants
of Sin_. Over repeated listens, I was not only highly impressed with
how much Pungent had sharpened up and compressed their musical
material into tight and powerful Haunted-esque blasts of thrashing
intensity -- which nonetheless retained the creepy, 'necro' feel of
the Pungent Stench of old -- I was also amused and enthralled by the
twisted, strongly taboo themes they covered in their lyrics this time
out -- which, through a gruff but clear vocal delivery, could be
substantially understood even on casual listens. Lines like "Pull on
my trenchcoat, and grab my fathers gun" (from "School's Out Forever")
or "They crown me: paedophile rex" (from "Rex Paedophilius") made me
sit up straighter in my seat -- they also had me laugh out loud on
more than one occasion. Though I was pretty sure that the band had
their tongues planted in cheeks, I still wondered what Pungent Stench
were ultimately trying to say with _MoMSoS_: whether there was some
serious point being made. Thus it was, with many questions and a
genuine interest in Pungent Stench 2001, that I conducted the
following interview with Alex Wank.
CoC: What prompted the original Pungent Stench split, in as simple or
as complex terms as you wanna go into?
Alex Wank: Why we, more or less, split up, hmmmm... Well, I don't
know, it's... Back when we released the last one, _Club
Mondo Bizarre_, we did a European tour. Originally it was
fine and then we had a short break and we composed the
next record. Then we did the US and the US tour was really
long. After three months we had a really bad mood between
each other and we were just sick of everything. We ended
up at the point of no return and then we just didn't feel
comfortable, had no more fun and said: fuck it, you know.
Then we just stopped. We split up in '95, six years ago.
CoC: Six years down the line, what prompted you to bring the band
back together? What sparked it off?
AW: Well, I never thought that we would ever reform the band anyway,
because I thought: why? For what reason? And I couldn't believe,
myself, that I would enjoy starting everything again.
CoC: That's why you put out the _Praise the Musical Assassins_ CD?
AW: Exactly, in '97, and I thought: this is it, this is the epitaph
of us, and adios, you know. But then, I don't know, in 2000 I got
a phone call from Nuclear Blast: they wanted to re-release stuff
and remaster stuff and blah, blah, blah. And, you know, for all
their classic bullshit series they need bonus songs. And I said,
"I have no bonus songs, we used them for _Praise the Names..._.
What do you want?" And then they said, "Ah, maybe you can record
one." I said, "What should I record? I mean, we have no more
band." And then I talked with Martin and I mean, it was a
ridiculous question of Nuclear Blast's. And then, you know, we
talked and we met more and more and then we did sessions for us
and we enjoyed it. The bassist was not interested in metal since
we split. He finished doing music at all and he finished with
metal and everything. So it was just me and Martin: we met and
played around and enjoyed it and we said, "Before we record one
or two songs for shitty re-releases, we reform the band." And
then we just reformed.
CoC: Alright, fair play. So now that you have reformed and you've got
the ball rolling, is there some sort of purpose: do you think
something missing from the scene that you wanna bring back to
it, something particular?
AW: Nah, I don't think so. There's so many bands out, nobody misses
Pungent, I think. <laughs>
CoC: OK, that's interesting, because I do remember when you guys
split up and especially when _Praise the Names..._ came out,
there were a lot of people who, sort of, almost came out of the
closet to praise Pungent Stench. And people were like: this
[_PtNoTMA] is brilliant and it pays tribute to this amazing band
and stuff.
AW: Really?
CoC: Yeah! Because I mean, the death metal scene tends to have that,
you know, tends to have this way of remembering the underdogs,
the unusual bands, I guess.
AW: Yeah.
CoC: Why did you decide to sign with Nuclear Blast again?
AW: Well, they showed interest, of course, from day one 'cause they
asked about the re-releases, and then we said, "Yes, we can do it
in a proper way -- but we also reformed, by the way." And Markus
[Staiger, Nuclear Blast label boss -- Paul] was extremely happy
because he outed himself as a Pungent fan ages ago.
CoC: Yeah, he always seemed to support the band.
AW: Yeah, he really loves us. I don't know why, but he just enjoys us
and he thinks even the new one is killer. We've always had very
good support and very good friendship with him and the company
and the company grew with us and we grew with the company back in
the very old days. And he's thankful for us, until now, and
that's great of him. Why should we change? It's the perfect
company for us. We always worked together with them. They are not
too far away from us, etc., etc. So: perfect.
CoC: Nuclear Blast always worked well for you, I think.
AW: Yeah, and plus they need some heavy stuff again 'cause there's
too much... too much... useless metal on their company. <laughs>
CoC: Definitely. It's interesting because some bands had real kind
of... some of the death metal bands who started at the same sort
of time as you, Nuclear Blast kind of ran out on at various
times. But I think they started running out on them after
Pungent Stench split up, like in about '96/'97. Like Dismember,
and a couple of other bands who'd been on the label for a long
time.
AW: That's right. The whole scene really suffered, I think, with
sales and the sales of these bands. They went back and they
focused on other stuff and now the range... it's a totally
different range of stuff they have and there's hardly any death
metal. They asked me about a split 7" or whatever they wanted --
a gimmick -- and I said, "With whom?" They said, "Pick a band,
you know, from Nuclear Blast." And I said, "Come on, there's
nothing on your label which I want." <laughs> Nothing fits to us.
I mean, there's still Benediction, they have a pretty nice record
now out, of course, but there's not much left. Yeah?
CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. It's got very sparse compared to how
it was. Why the title "Masters of Moral Servants of Sin"?
AW: Why?
CoC: Yeah, what's the idea of the title, if any?
AW: Well, of course there are meanings: there are meanings for
everything. I mean, you have just a promo, so you don't
understand the whole concept of the whole thing.
CoC: That's one of my next questions, actually.
AW: The whole thing is -- hmm, where should I start? -- the whole
concept, the whole image, the whole lyrics, the whole artwork,
everything, all photos, everything of us is absolutely in one
direction. It is about religion -- Catholics -- about the church,
about the Vatican, about preachers and popes and whatever. The
title stands for it, and it stands also for us: we are the
Masters of Moral and the Servants of Sin, of course. And as you
see on the promo at least, there's this new symbol -- this logo
of ours -- which is also from the church. It's the "t" cross and
we just put the "s" on it and you have a nice symbol, also, for
the band. The "s" is a snake... whatever that means. <laughs> You
have many lyrics about it, of course -- not all, but almost all.
And it's better if you read and get the whole one, you know.
CoC: Yeah, that's what I wanted to do, but unfortunately I couldn't
do that before I talked to you.
AW: Okay okay, I see.
CoC: Fortunately, the record's production -- which is exceptionally
good, by the way...
AW: Thank you.
CoC: ...means that I can understand a number of bits of the lyrics,
so I can -try- and get into the lyrics.
AW: You can understand. It's pretty clear. <ha ha ha>
CoC: Yeah, it's pretty clear the whole way through. Will this cover,
this simple cover [featuring the symbol Alex mentioned above on
a black background], be the cover for the album?
AW: No. There was a plan for a very limited edition with this in an
embossed print on a leather box, but I think it's too expensive
for them so they don't wanna do it: whatever. So they'll do a
digipak and a regular CD with a very nice photo of us. So it
looks different.
CoC: The one on the back of the promo with you as priests? [standing
around a young girl dressed in white: an ambiguously disturbing
image.]
AW: Nononononononono. This photo is just for the promo. We had more
than a thousand photos done in two days and we have so much
material that we have, for every magazine, a different photo. <ha
ha ha>
CoC: Wicked! Great!
AW: So there's so much material that there will be a photo booklet --
it's just full of photos -- and we have an additional lyrics
booklet 'cause for the German market Nuclear Blast don't wanna
include the lyric booklet [Pungent Stench are on 'the index' in
Germany: media on 'the index' is only available on request to
over 18s -- Paul] so they only get the photo booklet and the rest
is getting both booklets.
CoC: Oh, right. That was the other thing I was gonna ask you: whether
the lyrics were gonna be included.
AW: Sure, sure: very important thing.
CoC: In comparison to your older albums -- although a lot of the
covers got edited for different markets, like the _CMB_ cover,
for the American market, was shrunk, and various things -- why
did you decide for this one not to do something that would be
more offensive or gruesome or what have you? Was it because
you've been so censored in the past?
AW: No, no, no. Not at all, no. I mean, we had problems but I don't
care too much, you know, if it doesn't hurt the sales. The
problems came so late with the band split up already, so I didn't
care, to be honest, you know. No, no. I don't know: we got older
and we think different now and when you read and see everything,
believe me, this record is the most extreme in the message, yeah?
<ha ha ha> But it's done in a more...
CoC: Subtle?
AW: No, in a more serious way, maybe, and everything is better
presented, you know, and more hidden maybe. There's almost no
chance for the Germans or whoever to try to censor us 'cause it
is done in a clever way, more or less. You know what I mean?
CoC: I see what I mean: you're being less obvious about it...
AW: Yeah, but on the other side it's super-extreme, you know?
CoC: Yeah, absolutely: but it's the kind of extreme that the fans
will get but the censors will miss.
AW: I hope so, at least.
CoC: But that's the idea.
AW: But still, Markus fears some problems here in Germany, that's the
reason why he asked about, you know, "Leave the lyrics for the
German market." And I said, "OK, we do an edition for the rest of
the world, of course, the rest of Europe, with lyrics and we can
do it without in Germany, no problem." But even the Germans can
order it from us, or from Nuclear Blast maybe, with the
additional booklet. We'll put it on our page, you know, and they
can download it: whatever.
CoC: Absolutely, yeah, that'll work. I'm gonna talk about the music
and then we can go back to the lyrics. This new album takes
a somewhat altered musical direction. It's still distinctly
Pungent Stench -- especially some of the delivery -- but the
actual pace is different. It seems a bit more thrashy. Something
about it sort of reminds me of the way The Haunted do very
pristine, violent trash. Did you consciously try to make this
album a break from the old albums?
AW: Well, we got better, as musicians, and we tried also to be... we
tried to make our best, you know. I mean of course, we love The
Haunted. This is a great CD; the last one is a great, a -killer-
record -- and Martin likes it too -- and I'm sure we got
influenced, somehow, by them, you know. I mean we didn't go into
a room and say: come on, let's do a Haunted song. But, you know,
if you listen to stuff you know you like then it's somehow in
your brain and maybe, you know...
CoC: ...it influences you.
AW: Yeah, somehow, you know? But we only tried to be... to make it a
very aggressive record and a pretty fast record. And Pungent
always is different from record to record.
CoC: Yeah, definitely.
AW: If you go through, everything sounds different. The most
important thing for me is that you recognise the band and I think
you do recognise the band.
CoC: Definitely, yeah.
AW: Absolutely. But it's something new and it's how Pungent should
sound like in 2001, I think.
CoC: Yeah, that's what I think. It's very sharp. I mean, technically
it is much sharper than your earlier albums.
AW: Yeah.
CoC: You crammed a lot more in, I think.
AW: You can't deliver a record like we did ten years ago, now. Maybe
a new band, a newcomer band or whoever, but not the band who did
it already ten years ago, you know. 'Cause people would say:
pschk, OK, that sounds like ten years ago. <hehu, hehu>
CoC: Exactly. I think it's good though, that you have tried to
develop, 'cause some bands who come back from the grave, as it
were, do sort of try an' do just old things because a lot of
them are trying to appeal -only- to their old fans...
AW: Yup, yup, yup.
CoC: ...'cause, I find, a lot of older death metal fans sort of
object to things that sound even vaguely different from what
they expect.
AW: Yeah.
CoC: So there you go. _MoMSoS_ is technically very cool and it's got
a lot of, I don't know: I really liked some of the melodies...
AW: There are more melodies, for sure.
CoC: Really cool, really sharp.
AW: Great.
CoC: It's definitely my favourite album by far.
AW: Thanks.
CoC: But yeah, OK, going onto the sick lyrics thing. You've done "Rex
Paedophilius", for example.
AW: Yeah.
CoC: It covers this deeply taboo subject of paedophilia to some
degree.
AW: Yeah.
CoC: I assume it's paedophilia in the church, but I'm not quite sure.
AW: Yeah, of course.
CoC: Do you worry that this is gonna get you in some sort of trouble,
for example, in England, or...
AW: No. Why? I'm very sure that it happens many, many times in
England.
CoC: Totally, I'm sure it does.
AW: So... it's just the truth.
CoC: Oh, definitely.
AW: Actually, when we recorded in July I got a phone call like the
second day we were in the studio, and my girl called me from
Vienna and she said, "A new, big scandal. A preacher was caught.
He had sexual intercourse with children from five to ten for the
last seven years." And what happened to him? Nothing. He went...
of course they threw him out of this church, but he went to a
convent and he doesn't even go to jail, you know. Nothing happens
and after a week the story was gone, you know. No news: they
tried to hide it. You know, I think this is unbelievable. I mean,
in what kind of a society do we live, you know?
CoC: I know, it's one of those subjects which gets covered every now
and again. I mean, Immolation did it on their last album as
well...
AW: Uh huh.
CoC: ...and it's incredible. There's all these things about the way
the Catholic church can protect itself.
AW: It's one of the cruelest things you can do, you know, to kill or
have sex with a child, whatever age. I mean, it's unbelievable. I
mean, that's really, totally extreme. It's a very good idea what
the English did, to put the faces on the newspaper. Very nice
idea. <ha ha> Nobody did that in Austria, you know. I don't know
why. Maybe the laws are different, maybe they can't, you know,
but I think it's a good idea, you know. I mean, these guys are
pigs and it's strange: it's always guys and many, many times it's
people involved in the church, you know.
CoC: The thing is that you've written the songs, as far as I can tell
from what I hear of the lyrics, from the perspective of the sick
person rather than from the, sort of, "You're bad!" perspective.
Why in particular did you decide to write it from that angle?
AW: <sharp inhalation> Well...
CoC: To offend people and make them think, for example?
AW: <abrupt sigh> Of course, yeah, of course, I mean, this is very
important for us. I mean, we try to be very offensive, but on the
outside also very much -- you know, we try to entertain our
people more or less, yeah? But there must be -- -must- be
<self-scoldingly> -- there -should- be a message or something
in-between the lines, you know?
CoC: Yeah.
AW: This is important, I think, so that people which really do like
our music and our image, they will have a good laugh, they will
be really entertained, but they will also read, they will think,
"You know, on the other side, it's true what they write." You
know? "They write it maybe in a harsh way but it's exactly what I
just saw last night in the news." You know?
CoC: Yeah, totally. Moving on to "School's Out Forever".
AW: Yeah.
CoC: This sounds like it was inspired by the Columbine high school
shootings...
AW: Yeah yeah, Martin did this, and he was said: absolutely, it's
from this Denver happening.
CoC: Did you hesitate in writing such a song?
AW: I have no idea. To be honest, you'd need to ask him. <hahahaha>
CoC: OK, fair play. Well, put it this way -- this is what I thought
was an interesting question: have you ever decided, in the
history of Pungent Stench, that a subject is too extreme or
taboo to be included, or would that be kind of to miss the whole
point of the band, that something -could- be too extreme for it?
AW: I don't think so. I think one of the most extreme things we are
talking about is -now-. I mean, "Rex Paedophilius" is pretty
extreme, I think, and... What should be more extreme, to be
honest?
CoC: Yeah, well, I can't think of anything but -in theory- would you
ever, sort of like, shy away? Is the idea of Pungent Stench, in
a way, to kind of not have those sort of boundaries?
AW: No, there should not be boundaries, to be honest.
CoC: OK.
AW: I mean, if something is happening in life, you should be able to
talk about it and of course also write a text about it. I mean,
it always depends -how- you write about it, you know?
CoC: Yeah.
AW: I hope that we succeed somehow, you know, that it's not -too-
positive for something. But I think we succeed; I think the
people know exactly what we're trying to say.
CoC: What you're saying, in a way, is that you don't wanna glorify
things as such...
AW: Absolutely not, but you know, on the other side, if somebody
reads lyrics like these of ours and this person's got nothing to
do with this death metal scenery, then of course this person will
be shocked. <huh, huh, huh> Totally, yeah. So, what can you do
then?
CoC: I know, it's difficult. Do you see Pungent Stench outside its
context in the death metal scene? Is part of the idea of making
the album, making the kind of album that -will- offend people
outside of the scene?
AW: I mean, I don't wanna offend people in the scenery and I think I
can't succeed anyway. <huh huh> So it's statements for people
outside, yeah.
COC: Pungent Stench was pretty much seen as the sickest band at one
point. I remember one incident about six or seven years ago when
a friend of mine had of a copy of _Been Caught Buttering_ and he
was talking to another friend of mine and saying, "Yeah yeah, I
got this, man. It's like, sicker than Autopsy! They talk about
chiselling your mother's eyeballs out." And this was kind of
what people went for at one point, you know?
AW: Uh huh.
CoC: I think at first that was possibly what marked Pungent Stench
out more than their music.
AW: Mmhm hmhm.
CoC: The fact that it was sooo sick.
AW: Well, I think Autopsy were pretty sick guys. I mean, for instance
the first record of Mr. Reifert under Abscess is unbelievable:
_Urine Junkies_. What a crazy idea! I mean, perfect, yeah, for
them. It's a pretty sick band, Autopsy and a lot of these guys.
CoC: I think Autopsy are great!
AW: We will bring them over next year with us.
CoC: Oh really!
AW: Yeah, I talked to Reifert already last month and they would love
it. So they will come -- not under Autopsy but under Abscess. But
that's OK, you know.
CoC: Oh, right, fair enough.
AW: But I don't know. Nowadays, to be honest, there are so many sick
bands around.
CoC: Sure.
AW: The underground, the -real- underground, is a huge scenery with
extremely sick and twisted bands. I mean, you can't top any more,
you know, nothing.
CoC: It has sort of plateaued a bit...
AW: Yeah, I mean, absolutely: nothing can get grosser and more sick
than it is nowadays. Back in our days it was maybe easier; not
too many write about it, not too many tried to be very extreme.
But maybe that was the reason why we changed and nowadays we
have, you know, a different way of offending.
CoC: Exactly, and I think part of the point for bands like yourselves
who realise that you can't just -be- X, Y or Z sick is that it's
how you actually portray it that matters. 'Cause just to have
sick lyrics doesn't actually cause that much effect. It's kind
of how you frame it...
AW: Exactly.
CoC: ...and how you present it that makes it interesting.
AW: Exactly.
CoC: What I like about the _Masters..._ album is that it is quite
sinister, you know, it doesn't just sort of jump out and say,
"Look, I'm offending you!" There's something a bit sinister and
a bit twisted about it, which is what's -good- about it.
AW: Great, great: that's what I would love to reach, you know, so
hopefully I succeed somehow. <huh huh>
CoC: Would you say a Pungent Stench album that didn't offend people
could exist? Does a Pungent Stench album have to do a certain
amount of shocking?
AW: Well... we are almost marked with it, so... We have our fun, you
know, we entertain ourselves with it, you know. I mean, if we
write a lyric like "Rex Paedophilius" and I have a good laugh --
and I -had- a good laugh -- then it must be a good one, you know.
<huh huh> And if it's packed very well -- you have to see the
finished product, it will be very, very nice and many people will
like it. I believe even if they don't like the music, they
will... hopefully they will like our images. Yes, it's very
important.
CoC: It always seems to have been very important to you to create
both a coherent image and...
AW: Absolutely.
CoC: ...something that's interesting. You work on it a lot harder
than some other bands.
AW: I mean, I hate these regular promo shots of bands where they
stand there in their T-shirts and -- I don't know -- watch the
sky. I mean, what's up? I mean <huh huh>, I wanna see something
interesting. I don't watch any movies where nothing's happening,
you know? I mean, I wanna see some images and I wanna get somehow
impressed, or shocked, or whatever; that's the reason why I like
the better movies more.
CoC: Unlike a lot of bands who just put the emphasis on the music,
you put the emphasis on the whole image and the whole...
AW: The music is important too, of course, sure, but it must... I
think to release a CD or to make a band...
CoC: Come alive?
AW: No, umm, everything is important, you know: the artwork,
the presentation of the whole thing, the images, the live
presentation. Everything. I mean, it's a whole: the art is the
whole thing, if it's perfectly done, you know. Not like, "I do
good music, but everything else I don't care." I mean, that's to
less, I think. At least for us...
CoC: How much is all the stuff you put in fantasy and made up, to
you? For example, on _CMB_ you covered a lot of S&M and deviant
sex and things: how much of that is part of what you are like as
people, and how much of it is just an image, or whatever?
AW: Aw <a huh>, that's hard to say. I mean, with _Club Mondo..._ or
with all records?
CoC: With _Club Mondo..._ in particular. I was just sort of focusing
on that because that's the kind of thing you could do without...
AW: <hah huh huh huh huh>
CoC: Well, some of it, without being arrested.
AW: OK, I got you, yeah. Umm. Well ummm... I like many things, you
know, but there are many things also included which are just
too... maybe not too extreme, but which are not my kind of
interests, you know? It's half and half, you know; it's hard to
say. But Martin, I don't know. He used to love the shit movies.
He was totally obsessed with it. I don't know what he's doing at
home. You have to ask him. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but,
you know, it's OK. I mean, I can watch it, of course, but I am
not an -experienced- person.
CoC: What are the lyrics to "Viva il Vaticano" about?
AW: Well, look at the Vatican, I mean, there are so many stories you
could write about it. It's unbelievable what is happening there.
And I'm very sure that we get maybe one percent in the news, and
ninety-nine percent gets by. This year I saw in the news -- I
heard it once -- that finally after -years- of trying to hide the
story, it came out that loads of Vatican priests raped -- I don't
know -- -hundreds- of nuns in Africa. You know, missionaries. And
they tried to hide this ridiculous story for two or three years,
but this year it came out somehow -- and it was a week in the
news and then it was gone. And I thought it was unbelievable and
it just gave me the idea of the Vatican, how sick and twisted it
is. And now this black guy, this preacher -- you remember him? He
married this Chinese girl and then he went to this "moon sect"
and he married there and then they tried to get him back in the
Vatican, and they got him back and then he said he doesn't want
to leave the Vatican anymore and doesn't want to see his wife. I
mean, it's unbelievable! It's decadence! Pure decadence since the
beginning! And I was also in the Vatican this year and I visited
everything and I loved it there. I mean, even the visual
decadence is great there, yeah? And then it gave me the idea for
these lyrics and then I just wrote a story about what could be,
you know, possible, and what my imagination is telling me about,
you know, the boys in the Vatican, and all this. <huh huh huh>
And then it's just nice rhymes and, you know, in an entertaining
way.
CoC: And while you're listening to it -- if you're not vulnerable to
the offensive stuff -- it is very funny, but it's also quite
shocking 'cause you don't expect to hear this kind of stuff even
on metal albums -- or at least you don't expect to be able to
-hear- people saying it: usually they just barf out this kind of
stuff.
AW: Perfect. I mean, that's exactly what we wanna do, you know?
CoC: Yeah, totally. I think it will have a really good effect live.
When are you guys coming over [to the UK]?
AW: We are trying to set up our tour for April/May and, as I said
before, we have had talks with Mr. Reifert and we will bring over
Abscess, I guess. I mean, he said that you can have Ravenous or
Abscess, whatever you want. But I think Abscess is even more
known and I think they will release a new CD on Peaceville next
year in the Spring, he told me. So I think it's perfect for them.
We have to seek for another band. There are some which we would
love to tour with. We will bring one or two over, you know, and
then find maybe another support and have a nice, good tour as
long as we can and wherever we can play, you know. So, I do hope
we come back to England.
CoC: Yeah. Well, I certainly hope so. I'll be looking forward to
seeing you.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
H Y M N S O F P R O G R E S S I O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Justin Broadrick of Godflesh
by: Adrian Bromley
Just ask Godflesh singer/guitarist Justin Broadrick what he
thinks about leaving his longtime home base, Earache Records, and
signing with Music for Nations (licensed in North America through
Koch Records) and he'll go on and on.
"A lot of the bands on that label felt like they were locked
down and couldn't really do much, so they decided to leave", he
starts. "It is a real joke amongst a bunch of the bands that left the
label, that when they get off Earache they go onto bigger and better
things. <laughs> I mean now with us going onto Koch we have better
exposure and are just able to do things on Godflesh's terms. It took
us a year or so to get off Earache."
What happened? Was it just the legalities?
"Yeah, it was just a bunch of heavy contract stuff. We basically
found a clause in the contract that said that the label needed to
approach us about doing another record and they never really did. We
took the contract to a lawyer who put it into layman's terms. We had
a few more albums with them, maybe two or three, but they never
approached us within 90 days or whatever it is to see about a new
album, so we were able to walk away from them. It is a bit more
detailed than that, but that is basically what it comes down to. The
label tried to fight it and say that we still had to record albums
for them and what have you, but we managed to get out of working with
Earache."
"I'm glad we left", Broadrick says pointing out that a lot of
their bigger name bands like Napalm Death, Cathedral and Pitchshifter
have left already. "It is a sinking ship, really. I don't know who is
left or what they have to offer, really. I know Morbid Angel is still
on the roster."
"I am just glad that we were able to sign with Music for Nations
and express to them how important it was to be on a label that would
help get our new album over to North America. They are hooked up with
Koch over there and it seems to be working out real well for us and
them. Everything seems to be going great and I'm very happy, the
longest I have been in some time."
The new album _Hymns_, which also features the talents of
longtime collaborator/bassist G.C. Green and now full-time drummer
Ted Parsons, is a much more stripped down and abrasive Godflesh. Like
each Godflesh album, the musical exploration of the music on _Hymns_
finds the band just taking charge of their ideas and not being afraid
to expand and dissect sounds. The overall feel of the record is an
abstract sound, with lots of things going on at once, but nothing
ever really staying put for too long.
On the subject of the new record, Broadrick says: "This album
feels like it is a new beginning for the band. We feel really excited
about having Ted Parsons in the band and working in the studio with
him. There are two noticeable differences with this record than any
past albums we have done. Unlike past albums, Ted recorded with us
live in the studio this time around and was also an important part of
the writing process for _Hymns_. Also, this album was recorded in a
professional studio (at Foel Studio in Wales, UK) rather than our own
studio. This was a huge studio with lots of engineers and people
helping us get the exact tones we wanted. This was quite an
experience for us. This album represents exactly where we want to be
with Godflesh right now."
"I have been hearing a lot of people, all across the board,
saying that this is a diverse and strange record and not just a
Godflesh record as they have come to know it. We never set out for
this record to end up a certain way because we were on a new label or
whatever the case may be. We made this record exactly how we made
every other Godflesh record. When I write riffs, I just write them.
Nothing influences me. I'm still as selfish as I have always been,
really. I just write what I want to write."
The question is tossed out to Broadrick: what about those
Godflesh fans that won't like what they hear with _Hymns_?
"You know what? I have learned so much from being in this
business for so long and I know that you can't satisfy everyone. You
just have to satisfy yourself. For a band like us, we appear to be
very confrontational on every aspect and we just like to write music
and take risks. We are not willing to make the same record each time
out."
"I like to hear what people think about Godflesh's music. I find
it interesting because I am so immersed in what I do that sometimes I
can't even describe it", he states. The main thing for me when it
comes to making music is that at the end of a song's creation if I
can't put my finger on what is going on, then it is fine for me. I
think I have always tried to maintain that with what we do. As long
as I can't pick out what genre the music can fit into, then I am
pleased."
"We want every album that we make to be a liberating
experience", points out Broadrick. "We want to be focused on the task
at hand so that we can shake off any pressures that may be coming
with it. We need to feel something from the recording experience and
know that we have put all we can into it."
He adds, "We always faced a lot of problems in the studio,
whether it be looking for the perfect guitar tone or getting the
drums to sound right. We constantly work at making everything sound
how we want it to sound. We have to go through all of the long days
with checking mics and fiddling with knobs to get the sound. I wanted
a particular sound with my guitar for this album, but after five days
of trying to find it in the studio, I settled with a sound that was
90% close to what I wanted. Studio work is a menace most of the time.
There were times in the past when I was hitting my head against the
wall trying to get things going for us and with this new studio and
all the help, it seems to be less of a burden. You've got to work
hard still, but at least there are others helping you find what you
are looking for."
Has the band found success in what they do, other than being
able to put out albums?
"I don't think we have ever hit the limelight with Godflesh, but
then again we wonder if our music is even suitable for a mass market
to digest. We are always looking for ways to get to more people and
for them to hear what we are doing, and hopefully working with Music
for Nations and Koch, they will be able to help us out a bit more.
Nu-metal is the big thing right now, but it all seems to be really
watered down right now. Sure rock is big right now, but it seems to
be weak interpretations of what it should sound like. We are hoping
with some exposure that kids will hear Godflesh and get something out
of what we do that they aren't getting from all of those hard rock
bands flooding the market right now. With Godflesh they will get
something real, whereas with these poseurs they won't."
"We generally think we are needed, we think the world needs
Godflesh. We don't mean that arrogantly, we just think the music
world needs a viable alternative. I say to all of these music fans
out there that music like this (that is flooding the market) will
come and go but Godflesh will always be there. That is the way it has
always been and will continue to be."
Looking at the evolution of the band and the music, the band's
last album (1999's _Us and Them_) seems like it was as far as the
band could take their sound and music, though _Hymns_ seems to have
rejuvenated the Godflesh camp. Now after legal hassles and jumping to
a new label, the band is ready to roll once again. About the makeup
and recording of the new disc, Broadrick reveals: "This turned out to
be a really long record for us. We put everything on this record that
we had recorded. We just couldn't decide what to take off. We racked
our brains on what should go and what needed to stay and it was just
so hard to decide so we kept it all on. In this end, we said "fuck
it!" We did eventually cut just one song, but that was more of an
experimental song with beats that sounded like something from _Us and
Them_. I didn't want anything like that on the record 'cause I
absolutely fucking hated that album."
Really?
"Yeah. I wanted nothing to sound like _Us and Them_. What was
going on at the time of my career with Godflesh was an identity
crisis. I'd spent a lot of time making that album and it almost
sounded like it was a remix of a remix album. There were so many
changes going on and it was just a regurgitation of what I had done
before. It was really fucking tiresome. I did a lot of that album
by myself, in a very hermit-like state of mind. I was in a
technologically obsessed state of mind and I lost sight of what
Godflesh should be. The end result was something very eclectic and
ambitious that didn't even sound like a Godflesh album. That album is
the sound of an identity crisis and we did it in public. I am glad it
wasn't promoted well."
Ooh, another jab at Earache?
"I guess you could say that they did a favour for us. <laughs>
I'll be the first person to stand up and say that I don't like that
album."
It's weird to hear a band say they don't like their recent
records. Usually bands hate their older releases instead.
"Yeah, that is the way things go for us in Godflesh. We take
risks and some people don't like everything we do, but that is the
nature of Godflesh: to explore. We have grown up in public and people
have seen us try a lot of different things. Some work, some don't,
but at least we are proud enough to admit when we do something
wrong."
Broadrick ends saying, "_Us and Them_ needed to happen for us to
get where we are right now. I'm glad we got that shit out of
Godflesh's system and we are moving onto bigger and better things. It
gave birth to the new Godflesh, a full band and just having a
positive outlook on what we want to achieve. We're ready for more."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
S P L I T T H I S !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with James Plotkin, about Atomsmasher
by: Paul Schwarz
James Plotkin's name may ring a bell with those of you who've not
been exposed to his more experimental work, but do own a few CDs from
the very early Earache days. You see, the first officially released
record to feature Plotkin was Old Lady Driver's self-titled debut.
With a name change enacted after the first album, James combined
groundbreaking guitar work with the possibilities of sound processing
and (with a little help from a friend -- avant-garde New York jazz
saxophonist and part-time noise terrorist John Zorn, known for
pushing the boundaries of musical extremity with such projects as
Naked City and Painkiller) created much extreme and unusual music
with OLD's next four albums. To date Plotkin made over twenty albums,
including a number of direct collaborations with other artists, and,
it is said, has experimented with various styles "from ambient drones
to progressive pop". He is currently involved in making what is
apparently some of most excruciating and nasty -- yet thoroughly
brilliant -- doom on the planet in Khanate with OLD [sic] buddy (har,
har) Alan Dubin and ex-Burning Witch [sic] and Sun 0))) man Stephen
O'Malley, and with the assistance of drum-insanity harbinger Dave
Witte and DJ Speedrach, Plotkin has delivered a frenzied mass of
quivering insanity in the form of Atomsmasher's self-titled debut
album. Trying to describe the experience of _Atomsmasher_ (HydraHead)
yields hopelessly inaccurate and often misleading -- not to mention
overly lengthy -- results, so I won't bother even getting into it.
Suffice it to say that this is a CD you -should- hear, especially if
you have a mind to hear music that truly deserves the label
"extreme". Whatever your opinions on Atomsmasher, I suggest you read
what James Plotkin has to say, for it is not only interesting and
amusing but, I believe, also profoundly insightful.
CoC: What led to your collaboration with Dave Witte? Have many
people mistaken him for a drum machine? Are there many other
drummers you would have felt confident could have performed for
Atomsmasher?
James Plotkin: Atomsmasher was a direct result of Witte and myself
wanting to collaborate for many years. When I got into
hard-disk recording I was finally in a position to
start something up. It's hard to imagine this group
without each of its individual parts.
CoC: Would you describe Atomsmasher as unique? I myself might,
but I don't claim any extensive knowledge of the extreme
electronic/noise scene.
JP: I should hope so, what point would it make to go on if it wasn't?
It's not all that difficult to be unique as it is to be
worthwhile. There's too much music in the world that doesn't
really need to exist.
CoC: Would you estimate Atomsmasher to fall outside the category
of "music" because it is so wildly divergent from what we
traditionally think of as music, and because it is so taxing
(yet, I say, marvelously rewarding) to listen to?
JP: Any reasons why Atomsmasher would not be referred to it as music
would be due to the limitations of the listener's imagination, as
opposed to the vast imagination of its creators. Personally, I
don't really care to speculate at what point sound becomes music
and vice versa. I consider some naturally occurring or incidental
sounds to be more musical than some of the shite that is being
passed on as music these days.
CoC: Some people have chosen to compare Atomsmasher with other bands
such as Fantomas or Dave Witte's collaboration with Chris Dodge.
Others have described Atomsmasher's music as "an insane mix of
Extreme Noise Terror meets Thelonius Monk, playing the weirdest
noise jazz that you're ever gonna hear" or as "what you get when
you combine grind and noise (in the Merzbow sense)" or as a
"unique combination of music that helps bridge the gap between
electronica and new punk metal -- it's the shit!" Would you say
comparing Atomsmasher to other bands is a fruitless exercise?
Have any of the attempts at expressing of what constitutes
Atomsmasher you've read or heard seemed accurate or insightful
to you?
JP: Some of the reviews I've read have been very insightful, but in
truth people will always get different things out of a piece of
music or art. Atomsmasher can be successfully compared to other
music, visuals, personal experiences etc. It's all about what the
sounds means to the individual listener. This sounds pathetically
pretentious, of course, but it's actually true. For myself,
Atomsmasher is about having a blast with extremely absurd yet
challenging sound manipulation.
CoC: Would you say Atomsmasher's music agenda could be compared with
the direction material from labels like Warp, Ninja Tunes,
Ambush or D-Trash is exploring? Would you say Atomsmasher could
be "allied" with the output of any of these labels, or other
so-called "tech noise" act? What do you think of "tech noise"?
JP: Certain aspects of it definitely fit in with forward-thinking
electronica and this "tech-noise" which I've not heard of before.
It basically comes down to the available tools for sound
recording/processing, and since they are constantly changing, I
suspect the music created and inspired by it will change
accordingly.
CoC: Would you say that the manipulation of electronic noise is
as respectable, or possibly a more respectable, skill than
traditional instrumental musical skills?
JP: I think they are two completely different skills and shouldn't
really be lumped together for a simple, surface base comparison.
As far as respectability goes, it should be the level of skill --
not the type of skill -- that should be subject to scrutiny.
Having said that, it should really be the results of whatever is
trying to be achieved that should be ultimately scrutinized. Some
barely-competent people make better music using horrid technique
than virtuosos that make skillful yet mind-numbingly-boring music
after decades of training. Yawn.
CoC: How much of the _Atomsmasher_ album was recorded live and how
much of it was sampled and electronically arranged in the
studio? Generally speaking, to what degree does the music of
Atomsmasher rely on studio-based tampering, and to what extent
can you perform it live (with electronic devices, but without
using large, pre-recorded sections)?
JP: Without hard-disk recording and processing, Atomsmasher would
not be possible. All parts are recorded live, though not
necessarily to the music. Most bass and guitar is recorded to the
arrangements while drums and vox are previously supplied, then
everything is subject to brutal manipulation and rearranging.
Live situations will be developed as they occur. Thus far I
have only done laptop sets of live manipulations and live
reconstructive mixes of existing material. Future sets will
consist of a live unit of three or more people combining
instrumental performance with electronics and real-time sound
manipulation. It's difficult to fly everyone out when the gig fee
is 200 bucks or less.
CoC: Is the sample at the end of "Placebo" actually from Sesame
Street or did someone mimic the voice? Also, may I just say:
WHHAAAT THE FUUCK!?
JP: None of the sounds in Atomsmasher are stolen. The vox in question
either belong to an old friend or possibly my father, whose tapes
I'm constantly debugging for assimilation into our gridwork.
Thank you for your exclamations.
CoC: Generally speaking, what sorts of sources are your samples from,
and do they have any purpose other than making the experience of
_Atomsmasher_ thoroughly weird?
JP: Every sound adheres to the basic rock guitar/bass/drums/vox
formula. With modern PC and Mac tools, you really don't need
outlandish sound sources to develop really bizarre sounds. The
sounds are carefully chosen though, maybe moreso than someone
m
ight think. Generally, it's a very dense overall sound so a lot
of attention is paid to giving each sound its own space in the
mix. I tend to dislike sonic clutter, and density doesn't usually
mean clutter if you know how to cover the frequency spectrum
efficiently.
CoC: In what way does the visual presentation of the _Atomsmasher_
album fit with its music? How important is good and extensive
visual presentation to Atomsmasher, and if it is important, why
is it important?
JP: Imagine it as a new toy, or a delicious piece of candy. Colors,
lines and scribbles, stimulation... presto! We get excited and
want to scratch the wacko-spot.
CoC: What can we expect next from Atomsmasher? Will it sound like
"the band who made _Atomsmasher_" made it?
JP: The next CD is for IPECAC records, home of the Melvins and
Fantomas. Same attitude, different sounds. I need to keep it
interesting for myself foremost, so it will always expand at
least a bit to each release. Also look for a HydraHead 7"
featuring a remix by Venetian Snares as well as a track from Jack
Plotkin's Atomsmasher...
Contact: mailto:jimbalaya9@earthlink.net
http://www.hydrahead.com
For an extensive article on, and downloadable discography of James
Plotkin: http://www.musiquemachine.com
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S P E N D I N G H O U R S B L E E D I N G F O R M U S I C
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Tobias Martinsson and Joel Lindell of The Provenance
by: Chris Flaaten
The Provenance is a young band from Sweden currently debuting with
the wonderful _25th Hour; Bleeding_ [reviewed in this issue]. If you
listen to their album, however, you may notice that they sound as if
they have been making music for decades. From the song structures and
arrangements to the production and execution, these young Swedes
express a level of maturity rarely seen in even the most established
bands. They explore a myriad of different genres and influences, but
don't lose focus where 99% of other bands would fall into a web of
digression and distractions. This sounds interesting, doesn't it? I
thought so, at least, so I contacted the band to find out more.
CoC: How would you describe your music?
TM/JL: Oh, that's a tricky question. We usually call it "flutie
metal" ourselves... But on a more serious note, I would say it
is a blend of '70s symphonic rock and goth goes metal... sort
of. A Portuguese guy once called it "multidimensional metal".
CoC: That's not far from my impression, albeit from the opposite
perspective, perhaps. I'm thinking more like "metal with goth /
death / prog / symphonic rock flirtation"... You're not easy to
describe, and that's a good thing! How happy are you with your
debut, then?
TM/JL: Very happy, considering the circumstances. It has actually
been a long time since we recorded it. We recorded it after we
were finished at work, so we had about three hours each day to
record.
CoC: The production is quite strong, so that's impressive!
TM/JL: Thank you. Joel, our drummer, works in the studio so we got a
very good deal...
CoC: How about the writing? How was the material written?
TM/JL: We wrote it over a period of a couple of years, actually, so
there are a few really old songs on the album, but some are
also brand new. "Listening" and the title track are among the
new ones, while "All of Reality" and "Ignominy Embodied" are
older. We write the music together, but of course we also
present individual ideas to each other. We have tried to write
complete songs individually, but we came to the conclusion
that the songs turn out much better if we write them together.
CoC: Does every band member have similar musical interests?
TM/JL: Yes and no. Everyone likes the metal scene, but some more than
others, I guess. Everyone is open to new influences and
musical styles.
CoC: I noticed you are all born in 1979. How did the band come
together? Old class mates, perhaps?
TM/JL: Me and Joel have known each other since we were about one year
old. The others are people we have stumbled across during the
years, thinking: "This person would fit in the band". The last
one to join our little family was the bassist, Jonnie.
CoC: So it is a coincidence of sorts that you are all of the exact
same age?
TM/JL: Yes, it is.
CoC: So, over to the music again. I hear a lot of different impulses.
Some are quite distinct, e.g. the My Dying Bride-like part on
"Listening" where you even seem to imitate Aaron's vocals.
TM/JL: The part on "Listening" was done on purpose. <laughs> Sort of
a tribute to one of our main influences.
CoC: What about other influences? I hear progressive rock elements
(flute and Hammond organ) as well as Arcturus-like moods.
TM/JL: Anglagard is a band that all of us like very much, and so is
Arcturus.
CoC: I still feel that you certainly have developed your own sound
and are in no way a clone of any of the aforementioned bands.
TM/JL: I guess we have developed our own sound, but we can still do
better.
CoC: Since it's been a long time since you recorded this, I imagine
you have new material on the way?
TM/JL: Of course, we've got dynamite material! About eight new songs
already, actually. We are planning to enter the studio in June
to record the next album. It will be produced by Roberto
Longhi (Transport League, LOK) and we're going to record it in
the Oral Majority studio. It will be heavier and fresher and a
bit more complex, but at the same time easier to grasp. The
dynamics in the structures are even bigger and more refined.
CoC: Sounds very promising! You will remain on Scarlet Records, I
imagine. How do you like the record company so far?
TM/JL: We signed a deal for three albums. The budget will be much
bigger for the next two albums. So far we're very pleased with
them.
CoC: I feel the production on your album is, as I said, impressive.
All elements are heard easily -- even the bass. The only
drawback is perhaps a slight lack of punch in the guitar sound.
I don't know how you feel about that, though...
TM/JL: Well, we had only one and a half days for mixing, so the final
result could be much better, we think. I think we're most
disappointed about the drum sound. But we only have ourselves
to blame for that, right? <laughs>
CoC: How has the feedback on your album been so far?
TM/JL: The only bad review we got so far is from Kerrang. The others
have been very good!
CoC: Nothing to worry about there, since Kerrang today isn't worth
the paper it's printed on anymore. Any feedback from your record
company?
TM/JL: Well, not yet, but I guess they're too busy working...
CoC: Do any of you have any higher musical education?
TM/JL: Yes, Joakim and Joel both have three years worth of musical
education, and so does Jonnie.
CoC: I see on your webpage that Emma also seems very artistic,
playing several instruments plus directing, dancing and whatnot.
I guess you have a solid musical fundament to build from despite
being a somewhat young band?
TM/JL: Yes, we do.
CoC: I know this is quite a heavy question, but could you say
something about each track on the album, like how/when it was
created, things you were hoping to achieve, concepts you wanted
to include, etc.?
TM/JL: As I said earlier, all songs are written by the whole band.
The oldest songs on the record ("All of Reality", "Ignominy
Embodied" and "Painted a Life") feel, at least to us, a bit
distant. We hadn't quite found our sound back then. I'm not
saying I don't like them, though. We've never set any
particular goals when writing. Our aim is, and always will be,
to make music we can feel proud of playing. As for concepts
and elements, the lead guitars at the beginning of "For Whom I
Bleed" was actually written by Joel and Jocke for a minor soap
opera, while on "Deluded Into Delirium" I borrowed some ideas
from Mr. Doctor of Devil Doll.
CoC: I was actually going to mention that the intro and opening
vocals are very Devil Doll-ish.
TM/JL: Thank you, we take that as a compliment. On "Shut Down" we
wanted a slight touch of the '70s. That is something that we
have developed in our new material as well.
CoC: Yeah, "Shut Down" certainly has the strongest prog rock feel,
followed by "Ignominy Embodied"
TM/JL: I can only agree, but "Iggy", as we call it, is also very
folkish.
CoC: I actually like the first two tracks best. Don't know exactly
why, but one reason could be that I find them somewhat more
"focused". They're more straightforward with moving riffs and
generally has a refreshing heaviness.
TM/JL: That's why we put them first... <grin>
CoC: What are your ambitions with the band? Where do you see
yourselves in three years, for example?
TM/JL: To rule the world, get laid and get drunk...
CoC: Words to live by! But seriously?
TM/JL: To go on a good tour and make even better music.
CoC: Speaking of concerts, do you have any tour plans?
TM/JL: No, but we really want to play live and are looking for
opportunities. We're going to talk to our label about touring
soon.
CoC: Well, thank you for the interview and good luck for the future!
TM/JL: Thanks for your time and interest. Don't forget to visit
www.theprovenance.com for the latest news!
CoC: Yeah, you do have a nice homepage. Who made it?
TM/JL: Me [Tobias]. A new one is coming very soon! So... we're done,
right? We can go and drink some beer now?
The Provenance is indeed metal!
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W H E R E ' S T H E S H O W E R ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Jan and Jerzy from April Ethereal
by: Paul Schwarz
April Ethereal's _Advent_ album of last year intrigued me from the
very first time I listened to it because, though it was slightly
rough in the production department, it was anything but predictable.
Compositions imbued with atmosphere, infused heavily with synth,
progressive in tendency and generally non-linear in nature brought
one band above all others to my mind: Opeth. Of course, what with
"April Ethereal" and "Advent" being the titles of two Opeth songs,
one might say that this was not a surprising thing, but other factors
about April Ethereal might have steered you away from such a
presumption. April Ethereal are from Poland, and represent somewhat
of an anomaly for a country which -- as far as the metal underground
goes -- is only substantially noted for its well-populated -- and in
a number of cases very good -- death metal scene. The unusual nature
of April Ethereal's music considering their national origins along
with that music's unusually frequent propensity for suggesting that
the band behind it had serious potential to do great things in the
future, helped encourage me to seek them out. The following e-mail
interview -- answered by Jan (drums and vocals on _Advent_; guitar
and backing vocals in April Ethereal) and Jerzy (guitars, basses and
keyboards on _Advent_; guitar and bass in April Ethereal) -- was the
result. Adrian is the band's current vocalist.
CoC: You are a Polish band. Poland has become known in the
underground primarily for death metal -- and a little for black
metal. You fit into neither genre, strictly speaking. Do you
find that the reputation Poland has today in the underground is
more a help to your career, or more a hindrance?
Jan: Greetings. It's difficult to say if it will help us or not. We
have observed that the Polish underground has really extreme
opinions about our music -- some people love us and some others
just hate us. Today's Polish underground is reviving the death
metal boom and all the bands who are playing other music, more
melodic and of course less brutal, have some problems with
existing in the underground. What will help us for sure is the
fact that the Polish underground is big and a lot of people have
a chance to listen to our music. I can't really say if it will
help us or not, because for me the Polish underground is really
chaotic and you don't really know what to expect.
Jerzy: For us it's sometimes difficult to exist in the underground,
because for example when we play live, we're usually playing
with two or three brutal death metal bands and with our
melodic and atmospheric music we create some kind of contrast
with the other performers. This contrast is often a help to
our career, because our band is seen as an original one in the
mass of death metal bands, but in other cases, people who come
to see a death metal show don't really understand our music...
Personally, I think that being an original band is a big
advantage and that the death metal reputation of the Polish
underground will only help us -- people will say, "Have you
heard this Polish band! Wow, they play brutal -but- melodic
metal, and -not- death metal."
CoC: I liked your latest album, _Advent_, I thought it showed a lot
of -potential-. However, I did think it showed a lot of areas,
particularly with respect to the album's production, which
needed improvement. I think you show the potential to make a
great album in the future if given sufficient time and money,
but at present I think you have only succeeded in making a good
album, not a great one. How do -you- feel about _Advent_, and
how much of April Ethereal's potential do you think it realises?
Jerzy: I'm really happy that you liked _Advent_. You're right saying
that we could improve the production and the whole sound of
this album, but I think that an artist can improve his work to
infinity, always finding something he could do better or in
another way. We had limited time and a limited amount of money
to record _Advent_ and I think we have done it the best way we
could at the moment. This recording shows our musical style,
our potential and our ideas. Personally, I like the sound and
the production of this record -- I've heard a lot of albums
with worse production! You can hear all the instruments and I
think that this record has its own atmosphere. Of course, our
next album will have better sound and will be different,
because we're still getting more experience as musicians and
composers and we have fresh ideas -- it's some kind of
artistic evolution. Our potential is growing along with our
experience.
Jan: For me _Advent_ represents a giant step forward in our music.
Before, at the time of our demos, we have jumped on various
kinds of music and tried almost all styles. Nowadays, we know
our path and we know how our music will sound like. As a writer
of _Advent_'s lyrics, it was a big step too, because I wrote
literally what I thought. I knew what the principal theme will
be and I exploited it to the end. I won't be able to write
another _Advent_ lyrically. We know now that we haven't recorded
the album of our lives yet, so _Advent_ is not representing our
full potential, but it represents the April Ethereal band AD
2001. The best one will come for sure. <he, he>
Jerzy: Adrian likes this record too, but he already has new ideas he
wants to put on our next release.
CoC: Do you have plans to extend the band's permanent line-up
further, to include a permanent drummer and keyboardist?
Jan: We are actually looking for a bassist, but in the case of a
drummer it's very hard to find a good one in Warsaw. If there is
a really good drummer, he is playing in five bands at the same
time, so it's almost impossible to find a drummer who will
understand and feel our music and will be able to sacrifice all
his energy for the band. A keyboardist, why not? But for the
moment our goal is to find a bassist, then we will think about a
keyboardist. For the drummer it will be our last thought <he,
he> and maybe we won't feel the need to find one.
Jerzy: We started as a duo, me and Jan. Now we are three with Adrian.
Maybe one day we'll find appropriate musicians to extend our
line-up. For now we feel very comfortable playing as a trio,
we're able to play live and we know exactly what way
artistically we want to go.
CoC: The influence of Opeth shows in your recorded work, yet you do
not sound merely like you mimic the band. This is good. In the
future, do you have a particular musical direction you intend to
follow? Will you try to avoid going down the same roads as Opeth
have?
Jan: A lot of people, at hearing that the main influence for us is
Opeth, say that we are copying this band. It doesn't make any
sense; Opeth is just an inspiration for us, we are not trying to
sound like Opeth or to play like Opeth. We won't follow the same
roads. We know what music we are playing and what music we want
to compose. Our next album will be, for sure, more progressive.
I think that we will use less drum blasts. It will sound heavy
but it won't be as brutal as _Advent_.
Jerzy: Opeth is one and only, and it's impossible to copy their
unique style. And we never thought of copying them. We have
chosen the name April Ethereal as a 'tribute' to Opeth, that's
all. Our guitar arrangements are harmonic, we use a lot of
acoustic guitars, but we follow our own path. We'll introduce
new elements to our music, our songs will probably be more
progressive and more complex, but we defined our musical style
on Advent and we will improve it for now. I think our songs
will always have a unique April Ethereal atmosphere.
CoC: How important is playing live to April Ethereal? Your music is
complex and disjointed in structure, and seems like something
that would be difficult -- but very interesting -- to play live:
what do you do live?
Jan: Personally, I love playing gigs. It's so powerful and it gives
me real satisfaction. That's true, our music is complex but we
are able to play it live. When preparing our set list, we have
chosen the songs which sound good live. For example the
"Hologram" track is too progressive to play it live and we will
probably never play it live. Our live set is powerful and really
kicks ass!
Jerzy: We compose the songs in order to be able to play them live
later on -- we don't record five guitar tracks in studio. Our
live show is powerful because we express emotions and because
Adrian is a very good frontman. Our music is complex but
communicates emotions and creates atmosphere, and I think it's
the most important thing when playing live. Live gigs are for
us an important way to promote our music -- people that never
heard about us have the opportunity to hear our stuff. Playing
live gives us so much energy that our songs are sometimes more
brutal, sometimes more powerful and always different.
CoC: Who are your main musical inspirations and what continues to
inspire you both to play music, and to head in specific musical
directions?
Jerzy: I started to listen to music with Pink Floyd, then came AC/DC,
some thrash metal bands, Slayer, Entombed and finally Opeth,
which is for me the most innovative band in the death metal
style. I think that every record I find interesting in a way
inspires me, but the main inspirations are Opeth, Porcupine
Tree, Tool, Dodheimsgard and the old Anathema with Darren on
vocals. I think that our musical style is a mix of those
inspirations with a big touch of our own creative power and
our own emotions. Adrian is inspired musically by Bathory and
lyrically by H.P. Lovecraft.
Jan: For me, the main inspiration is Opeth. Then, I may say Porcupine
Tree, The Gathering, Limbonic Art, Pink Floyd and more... I
listen to different kinds of music, and someone one day said
that when you listen to music just for fun, you get inspired.
CoC: How much do you worry about being musically original?
Jan: When we recorded _Advent_ we didn't try to sound as original as
possible. We have evolved through the years and we found our own
style. The fact that we are playing other music than death or
black metal means in a way that we worry about being musically
original, but only subconsciously.
Jerzy: For me originality in music is very important, because it's
the only way to communicate something and the only way to
create a link between the artist and his audience. When you
think of "Swedish death metal" you mean "Entombed, Dismember,
At the Gates..." -- you remember those bands because they
created something original. In that way we want our music to
be original and innovative, but it comes out without any worry
from us. You know, we never decided to reject a song because
it didn't sound original enough. Some of our songs are really
innovative (for example "Hologram" on _Advent_), in some
others you clearly hear some of our influences, but I think
this fact makes our record even more interesting.
CoC: Any final words?
Jan & Jerzy: We would like to invite everyone who seeks melody,
atmosphere, power and emotions in metal music to listen
to our _Advent_ album. Visit our official website or our
record label's website for additional information about
us, our releases, upcoming live gigs and our new album,
which we plan to release in April 2002.
Contact: http://www.aprilethereal.com
http://www.conquerec.com
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D I R T Y , D I R G Y M O T H E R F U C K E R S !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Chris Edmonds of Leechmilk
by: Adrian Bromley
The world is full of a lot of surprises, isn't it?
Just when you think you a music scene has somewhat become
stagnant, a band like Atlanta, Georgia's Leechmilk comes along and
adds some intensity and solid dirge-like atmosphere into the mix.
While the band's split CD with Ohio's Sofa King Killer, titled
_Guilty of Sloth / Crusty Mother Fuckn Rock and Roll_ (on Tee Pee
Records) may not be that well-known right now (though a slight buzz
has erupted), it will catch on if all things go properly for this
band. Good word of mouth and live shows will no doubt propel
this band into the spotlight. Who knows? Maybe this interview in
Chronicles of Chaos might just do the trick. I can only hope.
While there are a lot of bands nowadays that play this
sludge/doom kind of music, rarely does any of them exude as much
emotion as this band does. Other bands seem to go through the
motions, while Leechmilk makes an effort to deliver the goods in a
blinding fury. Where does that emotional factor come from?
"That's very kind of you", starts guitarist Chris Edmonds about
my comments of the band's material. "The difference may be due to how
long we have been doing this. I am from the New Orleans area
originally and have been playing this music for ten years. None of
our pre-Leechmilk bands amounted to much, because there was so little
interest from the industry side of things. The newer bands may have
missed the early days when the excitement and impact of this music
was more obvious. In recent years, sludge/doom or whatever has been
diluted quite a bit from its original form. The style that we play is
very stripped down and hopefully more intense, especially in a live
setting."
Listening to the music of Leechmilk, as you can do with almost
any band out there right now, the influences are obvious. Edmonds
lets CoC know what bands helped fuel the sound of Leechmilk.
"We all [the band is rounded out by drummer Charr, singer Greg
Hess and singer Dan Caycedo -- Adrian] grew up on Slayer, Black
Sabbath, Discharge and basic thrash metal stuff. That was a big
influence. We fell in love with all the Southern bands right away.
Bands like Dead Horse, Crowbar, EYEHATEGOD, Buzzoven and Harvey Milk
were and still are heroes to us. I think it still shows in our sound.
We get canned as an EYEHATEGOD band pretty often, which is hard to
take but also a compliment. I would like anyone that says that to
point out one single blues riff in any of our music. I try to steal
from lots of different people, not just one single source. For
Christ's sake, I may be a scumbag, but I ain't lazy."
So how does Edmonds feel about being pigeonholed as a
sludge/doom band? Does it bother him?
Blurts Edmonds, "It bothers the fuck out of me. The thing about
being labeled like that is that it does drive off potential interest
in our music. People feel safe when they can mentally store things
away in that manner. They feel safer and more secure knowing that
nothing is getting by them. They will not be able to hold that
feeling very long with this band. There are many surprises yet to
come."
There has been a buzz about the band -- do you notice that? "We
have heard that", answers Edmonds, "but we don't really know if it's
true or not. It's hard to get an honest assessment when you're in the
band."
How about reading record reviews, how do you respond to those?
"The reviews can be difficult. We have only had a few really bad
ones. Those I can laugh at pretty easily. The ones that really piss
me off are when they [reviewers] form opinions and it seems like they
really never even listened to the music. A lot of the more political
zines despise us immediately because we don't play their little game.
They slag us off because we don't print lyrics for them to inspect to
see if we fit their agenda. Fuck that! We will never print lyrics
now! We feel like it's no one's fucking business what we say. We
don't say it for them anyway."
While on the topic of songwriting, I ask Edmonds: does popular
culture and/or news inspire the material, or does it come from
personal experiences?
"It's all from personal experience. Sometimes outside events
will forge those experiences, but musically it's all personal", he
explains.
"Our music and lyrics are more of an exposure of scars both
physical and mental, it's like this is what makes us tick, what about
you? We don't feel that we should respond to current events or speak
down to the listener. We despise arrogance and you really have to be
a real prick to think as a musician your opinion means shit to
anybody. People don't need to be told how to think. They do need
someone to provide them with an hour or so of fun. We try to do our
best in that regard."
And how has the band evolved since the early days up to now?
"We have slowed down quite a bit. We were always slow but we had
more fast parts. The dooming down was more of an unconscious slide
than anything else", he reveals. "We are really influenced by the
Swedish hardcore and dis-core type stuff as much as we are by doom.
We have lost our way to a degree, and we will be returning to our
earlier sound soon enough. That is not to say that we won't be
dropping the bricks. We will always play slow."
Seeing that I have already worn this new split CD out, I'm
already looking for new Leechmilk material. The questions of when can
we expect new material from Leechmilk?, how does the material sound?,
any new ideas you experimenting with?, etc. get thrown out to the
singer, who responds: "You can expect it to be heavy as hell. The new
material will be the definition of Leechmilk. We will have the time
and support we need. We will release the next album and it will set
the standard as how we are perceived as a band."
He ends, "Everything up to this point has been coming from a
different place. We really feel like our backs are against the wall
this time and we are going to come out swinging like a motherfucker."
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_____ _ _ _
| |___ _| |___ ___ ___ ___ _| |___ ___| |_
|- -| | . | -_| . | -_| | . | -_| | _|
|_____|_|_|___|___| _|___|_|_|___|___|_|_|_|
|_|
_____ _ _ _
| |___| |_ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___| |_|_|___ ___ ___
|- -| | _| -_| _| _| . | . | .'| _| | . | |_ -|
|_____|_|_|_| |___|_| |_| |___|_ |__,|_| |_|___|_|_|___|
|___|
D A R K N E S S E N C L O S I N G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Keith Powers of Aphotic
by: Pedro Azevedo
The USA may be more renowned for their death metal than any other
extreme metal genre, but as of late a few bands have been emerging
within a doom metal style akin to what is more plentifully found upon
European soil. Aphotic, whilst showing their death metal roots, have
given a more atmospheric, solemn and sombre twist to their sound, and
both of their demo CDs [the first of which was reviewed in CoC #51
and the second in this issue] showcased a talented band waiting to be
given proper conditions to record an album and fulfill their
potential. Judging by the quality of their demo CDs, they clearly
deserve such an opportunity by now, and hopefully the next time they
are featured in Chronicles of Chaos will see them in Album Asylum
instead of New Noise, or Deadly Dialogues instead of Independent
Interrogations. I advise you to get in touch with the band, as their
demo CDs are well worth owning. Hopefully one of these days a
deserving label will open their eyes, see the -light- and sign
Aphotic. The following is an e-mail interview with guitarist Keith
Powers.
CoC: Aphotic is a somewhat unusual name for a band, in the sense
that it may not be part of everyone's vocabulary -- whilst
nevertheless carrying considerable meaning and feeling closely
related to your music. Can you tell us more about this name and
how you decided to use it?
Keith Powers: I came up with it. It seemed to be perfect for what we
were doing musically. Aphotic is a term referring to
the absence of light, more specifically the part in the
ocean that never receives any sunlight simply because
of the depth. Sunlight can only penetrate so far... The
name seems to set the mood to our music, and more
importantly, it is one word and is easy to remember.
CoC: Your second demo, _Under Veil of Dark_, comes in a simple yet
rather smart package. Similarly, I'd say the music inside might
not be mind-blowingly complex or incredibly technical, but it is
very effective and shows plenty of dedication and talent from
such a young band. What is your general approach to songwriting?
KP: We wanted a packaging that was simple, since it is a demo, but
yet something that catches the eye. It is also easier to send out
in the mail than bulky jewel cases. If we ever get the chance to
record a full-length album, we want to have it released in
digipak form. As for our music, it isn't incredibly complex, but
there is a lot to it; the recording was somewhat substandard. A
lot of things got lost in the mix because we didn't get a good
enough guitar tone. The frequency of the guitar too closely
matched that of a lot of the keyboard parts. We only had two days
to complete the recording, and that included mixing it. We felt
very rushed, not to mention that the air conditioner was not
working, and with all the equipment running in the room, it was
hell-hot. We let some things slide. We know how to improve our
guitar sound. Our guitars are fine, Steve and I both use Custom
Shop Jackson guitars, good 4x12 cabinets, but our heads are old
and we need new ones with more tone. Aphotic is trying to get
farther and farther away from that typical death metal sound.
More time in the studio would be needed too, of course. Then
people would be able to hear the complexity of the guitars
working through the multi-layered keyboards. When Aphotic writes
a song, it almost always follows the same pattern. Steve and I
come up with some guitar parts that create a certain mood or
atmosphere. The rest of the song flows out rapidly after that.
Steve then programs the drums, we both arrange it -- I usually do
most of the keyboards, but Steve does help, just like how I add
ideas for the drums. Chad then does the bass lines and writes the
lyrics.
CoC: I think _Under Veil of Dark_ might be better appreciated by fans
of the doom metal genre rather than death metal (I mean doom
metal in the more European sense). Who would you name as the
main influences behind the shaping of your musical direction?
KP: I listen mostly to Opeth, Katatonia, October Tide and Rapture. I
also listen to Anathema's first CD, old Paradise Lost, old My
Dying Bride, and some others along those lines. I like to draw
influences outside of metal too. The Deftone's _Around the Fur_
album is listened to quite frequently, as well as early Fugazi,
and again, other bands of this style. Once in a while I'll listen
to Hypocrisy, In Flames, or Nile too. Steve and Chad have a lot
of other bands that they listen to as well, of course. We don't
all listen to the same stuff, but that helps us get more
diversity in our music. The most important thing, though, is to
be unique and not try at all to sound like anyone else. Aphotic
has many influences, but ultimately we want to have our own place
musically. I think that we are well on the way to doing this. We
do have a lot more songs than what we have recorded.
CoC: What is your opinion of the American metal scene in general
these days? And the more underground scene?
KP: I hate it, to put it quite simply. I like to distance myself from
that as far as possible. As far as the underground here, I don't
really get into too many American bands, I guess. Not to say that
they aren't good, but more so that they aren't in the vein of
what I listen to.
CoC: You've stuck with the artificial rhythm section for this second
demo, even though I do find it adequate, I'd be interested to
hear your music with a human drummer. Are there any plans to add
one to the band?
KP: Aphotic has a person lined up to play drums -if- we are to get a
record deal. I really desperately want a real drummer. It would
add so much to our music. He would play on top of the programmed
ones, adding realness and a natural feel, yet keeping the steady
pace of the machine, also allowing us to keep the keyboards in a
live situation and keep our writing process the same. I want
people to understand that our two recordings are just demos in
every sense of the word. It seems that most people are regarding
them as true and real recordings, or in other words, "all that we
are capable of". They were basically thrown together with almost
no budget, no time, etc. If we were signed and actually had time
to spend in the studio, we would have better guitar sound, real
drums, more keyboard sounds, and better-programmed drum sounds.
The ones that we are using now are very old and out-dated. So the
programmed drums should hold no label back from signing us, since
we would have a drummer immediately upon such an offer.
CoC: Even though there are several other remarkable moments
throughout _Under Veil of Dark_, to me the second track
epitomizes what I like best about your music: your mixture of
grim yet emotional music and dark atmospheric passages working
at its best. Is there any particular track on the demo that you
are especially satisfied with, one that might be the best
indication of where Aphotic are headed?
KP: I'd have to agree with you on the second track. It does best show
what Aphotic is. The first track, "Precipice", is my favorite
song. The recording doesn't do it justice. There is an energy to
that song that cannot be matched. Hopefully we will get the
opportunity to play it sometime or to record it again under
better circumstances. It's hard to completely describe Aphotic's
direction, since only some things have been recorded. I hope to
get the chance to record some of our other songs and the new ones
that we are working on now. We are headed in a very satisfying
direction musically, though.
CoC: Going into more detail, what would you ideally like the music of
Aphotic to grow into in the near future?
KP: Aphotic's music has already grown and continues to do so every
month. We seem limited by our programmed drums, our lack of
keyboard sounds, etc. The music will continue to grow, but with
label help, we would be more willing to spend more time and money
on Aphotic. It's hard to justify spending every single extra
penny on equipment if we aren't ever going to go anywhere.
CoC: Is there a specific characteristic you would like all of
Aphotic's music to share in the future regardless of everything
else?
KP: All of Aphotic's songs have an atmosphere or mood to them. That
is the most important thing. They have to be brimming with
ambience and darkness. I like the feeling of building up emotion
in a song or in a part of a song, and then sucking it all out in
the next. I guess it's kind of hard to explain, but I can hear it
in my head and you can hear it in some of our songs that we have
already recorded.
CoC: How have the label negotiations been going? Judging by the
quality of _Under Veil of Dark_, I imagine it won't be long
before you find a suitable home for your band...
KP: It seems like everyone has been saying that, but it has yet to
happen. I guess it is kind of early yet. I have sent out to all
of the labels, but I know it can take a while to actually listen
to them. I hope that it happens not too far away, since we are
ready now to record a full-length. Now is the perfect time. If we
have to record another demo, it won't be for quite a while.
I won't record a full-length without label support. I also
can't see continuing if nothing happens after three independent
releases. I want to play indefinitely, but I can take a hint.
CoC: The final words are yours...
KP: If anyone wants to get a hold of our MCDs, Relapse now carries
both of them. Cursed Productions also has them for sale, and of
course you can get them directly through me for $5 each with
shipping in the US (add $2 per order outside the US). I'd also
like to thank everyone that has been involved with helping us in
the last year. We really do appreciate your support. Thank you
for the interview and I thank those that have taken the time to
read it.
Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, PO Box 8236, Green Bay,
WI 54308-8236, USA
mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com
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G H O U L I S H M E T A L F U N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Gary Lyons of Ghoulunatics
by: Adrian Bromley
All I could think about after hearing Montreal act Ghoulunatics'
new album titled _King of the Undead_ [see review this issue] was
"Woah! This is good!" It is a surprisingly impressive third album,
seeing that I felt their debut _Carving Into You_ [CoC #34] and their
last offering _Mystralengine_ were both mediocre.
After really getting into the new album -- a nice blend of campy
horror and groovy death metal --, I knew I needed to talk to the band
and find out what went right this time around. I have been playing
the new album on a continuous basis and have even decided to take up
French again -- well, maybe not. But I'm still cranking the disc!
Ghoul/bassist Gary Lyons corresponded via e-mail with Chronicles
of Chaos about the band's "horror groove music" and what it takes to
get noticed as an independent band in Canada.
CoC: Tell me about the music on _King of the Undead_ -- is it the
best music you guys could be making in 2001? What do you like
about this album?
Gary Lyons: Yes, this album is definitely our best one to date. I
think it's got more varied influences to it: some
songs are more hardcore, some even a bit stoner rock
influenced, but we never plan that in advance. We
[the band is rounded out by singer Patrick Mireault,
guitarists Patrick Gordon and Jarrod "Buck" Martin and
drummer Brian Craig -- Adrian] just play music that we
like. Everyone has their say on every song and it's only
when everyone is happy with it that it becomes a
Ghoulunatics song.
CoC: Why the love of horror themes? How important are those themes to
creating songs and bringing ideas into the band?
GL: We don't create songs with the horror atmosphere; it's the
artwork and the lyrics that express all the creepy stuff. Somehow
it seems that everything works well together. Also, horror brings
out those great feelings called fear!
CoC: What bands influenced you? Do you still hear those influences?
GL: I don't think we were aware of any influences when we started the
Ghouls; we just wanted to play heavy music and forget everything
else that we knew. Back then, other bands were copying bands like
Death, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary or Slayer. We didn't want to go
that route. We wanted to play our own music. Not that we invented
anything, but I think you can't say we are this style or that
style. I guess were a mix of a lot of different metal and
hardcore influences. Growing up we listened to bands like Dead
Kennedys, SNFU, Obituary, Faith No More, S.O.D and Black Sabbath.
If I had to pick one band that influenced us, though, I would
have to pick Dead Horse (R.I.P.). We're all really big fans and
we became even bigger fans when our former band Crypt Keepers
[which included original member singer Pat Mireault, bassist Gary
Lyons and guitarist Pat Gordon -- Adrian] toured with them back
in 1993. We've kept in touch ever since and it was an honour for
us to have Michael Haaga [ex-Dead Horse frontman, now playing
with Phil of Pantera in his side project Superjoint Ritual --
Adrian] do back vocals on "Mobster Fiesta Extravaganza". Mike
also does the solo work on "Suspicious Minds" and recorded one of
the guitar tracks on the jam at the end of _King of the Undead_.
Mike came up from Texas for a couple of days and we all had a
blast (and a hangover) doing it! I hope we can do it again.
CoC: It seems as though it takes a lot of hard work for Canadian
metal bands to get noticed -- do you agree? What do you guys do
to get noticed?
GL: That's for sure! We have a lot of talent here, but we need record
companies with a bit of cash to invest and belief in a band to
make it work. The only thing we can do is try and make the right
contacts and invest whatever money we can towards promoting
ourselves. That's sadly what it comes down to these days. You
could be the best band in the world, but without promotion you're
nothing, 'cause nobody will notice you. We just try our best,
have fun doing it and hope something will happen. If nothing does
come out of this, at least we will have stayed true to ourselves
and that's really what is important to us.
CoC: Like a lot of French-Canadian bands, you guys sing in French and
English. Which do you prefer? How do you approach each style of
song?
GL: We are an English band, no question about it. We will never write
a whole album in French; that's just not what the band is about.
Some people might consider us a French-Canadian band because we
are from the province of Quebec, but in reality four out of five
members are English. In the past we've had one French song per
album and one or two that were bilingual. We have one French song
on this new one called "Melodrame". The reason for this, I guess,
is that we are all bilinguals and that just comes out naturally.
When Pat (who writes all the lyrics) writes a song in French,
it's because it just feels natural to him to write it that way.
CoC: Pierre Remillard did a superb job with the production, making it
sound good but not too flashy. He really let the groove and raw
power of the band stay intact. When you went into the studio
with him, did you both know what was going to come out of this?
What did you learn?
GL: First of all, Pierre has been a friend of ours for about ten
years and knows the band well. He played two or three gigs with
us back in '96 when Jarrod left the band. That made it a lot
easier, because he knew what we wanted and where we wanted to go
with this album. We knew we wanted an album that would sound raw
an in-your-face with a live aspect to it. We recorded everything
live without any overdubs or cuts in two days and then recorded
the vocals in a day and a half. Pierre did a great job and
understood where we wanted to go right away. Basically, our job
was to play the songs, his was to record them -- that's all. No
arguments, no fussing over the sound of this or the volume of
that. We have our own sound and we wanted him to reproduce this
sound on the album, which he did. Pierre later told us recording
_King of the Undead_ was one of the easiest projects he'd done.
If we learned anything, it would be this: if you come prepared,
everything will go smoothly.
CoC: Do you like the whole business side of being in a band or not?
How involved in that does the band get?
GL: Basically, I manage the band and take care of pretty much
everything with the help of our friend Eric Galy, who is also our
booker and has been helping us out since day one. The business
side of being in a band can be tough and is not always pleasant,
but that is inevitable. Lots of people out there just want to
profit from your band when everything is good and when things
aren't so good, they won't ever talk to you. That's all part of
the business, I guess. All I can do is be true to myself, do my
best, try and respect a certain standard and try and gain respect
from my peers. In the meantime, Eric and I are working hard to
promote the new album. We will be touring Ontario and Quebec at
the beginning of 2002 and we are planning a Canadian tour for
next Summer if all goes well.
CoC: There is a lot of imagery with Ghoulunatics and what you do. Is
it demanding to keep it fresh or is it rather easy to keep the
ideas coming?
GL: It's something that comes easy to us. The horror side of things
has always been part of Ghoulunatics, because we're all fans of
horror movies and we always want to try something new. Over the
years, we've had lots of help from friends like Eric Gougeon
from Illusion Tattoo here in Montreal, who does some of our
merchandise artwork, as well as the Elvis Dead Story show
posters. Pat Tremblay, who did the cover art for _King of the
Undead_, also helps out a lot with posters and merchandise, which
gives us time to concentrate on other things.
CoC: What horror movie(s) would best represent what the band is
about? What are the band favourites? Mine would be "Susperia",
"Halloween" and "Demons".
GL: "Frankenstein" would best represent the band, because he's ugly,
sensitive and brutal. Our favourite horror movies are "Evil
Dead", "Brain Dead" ("Dead Alive" in the US) and all of the
"Tales From the Crypt" series.
CoC: What is the local scene like over there in Montreal? Do you get
to play many shows? What bands, besides Ghoulunatics, should we
look out for?
GL: The local scene is really good here. Lots of really good bands
are out there now, like Blinded by Faith or Neuraxis, for
example. The only thing missing would be serious record companies
with money to invest in their bands, and I'm sure you'd see lots
of Montreal bands "making it". We can play about 20 to 25 shows a
year on average in our province of Quebec; we play in our
hometown of Montreal about twice a year. There are lots of places
to play, all you need to do is get organized and make the right
contacts.
Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal,
Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada
mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com
http://www.ghoulunatics.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____ .__ ___.
/ _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____
/ /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \
/ | \ |_| \_\ \ | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____/___ /____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/
_____ .__
/ _ \ _________.__.| | __ __ _____
/ /_\ \ / ___< | || | | | \/ \
/ | \\___ \ \___ || |_| | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____ >/ ____||____/____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/ \/
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!
Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_ (Sentinel, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
Irish death/grindsters Abaddon Incarnate recruited Nasum's Mieszko
Talarczyk to handle production duties for _Nadir_, and he seems to
have been able to achieve the sound they needed to unleash their
aggression. This is one brutal, harsh, powerful piece of death/grind
we have here, and one that is also uncannily long at 43 minutes (24
tracks). While that length may work against Abaddon Incarnate to some
extent due to the record becoming a tad tiresome, it is not something
I am going to criticize, since it is not reached through any filler
tracks or clearly redundant material. Rather, Abaddon Incarnate's
thundering attack is usually quite reasonably varied, considering the
league they play in; add to that the fact that they can create some
considerably effective riffs and rhythms and deliver it all in a very
competent package, and _Nadir_ becomes a highly interesting addition
to any death/grind aficionado's collection. Furthermore, interesting
lyrics and stylish imagery complement the music. With tracks as
crushing and enjoyable as "They Use Dark Forces", "Aeons of Our
Dying" and "Traumatic Stress Solution", Abaddon Incarnate cannot be
denied the praise they deserve for having created something not only
very competent but also interesting in such a saturated genre.
Contact: http://www.sentinelireland.com
Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_ (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (8.5 out of 10)
If you like black metal and find Dissection to be one of the best
bands ever to walk upon this earth, then the German/Romanian band
Agathodaimon should be right for you. This is a band that has
developed a very atmospheric and unique form of black metal with
acoustic interludes and beautiful melodies, but also plenty of great
metal riffs and aggression. Another surprising feature on this third
album from the band is the presence of some very good clean vocals,
providing a nice contrast with the rougher elements -- which are of
course the most prominent ones. If you are just looking for some fast
and furious black metal, then you don't have to worry either, because
that can also be found on this disc. Black metal in a very simple
form is not difficult to play, but it is very difficult to make it
sound interesting and only a small number of bands manage to pull
this off. Agathodaimon is one of them and in my humble opinion they
are without a doubt the best German black metal band at the moment.
Production and sound quality are also impressive. If you want to
listen to some remarkable and unconventional black metal, then this
is a great album to check out.
[Adrian Bromley: "While black metal at heart, there are a lot of
complex ideas and musical arrangements making up this atmospheric
metal outing. Most black metal enthusiasts will probably liken
this band to Dimmu Borgir or a band of similar ilk, but those
comparisons, while warranted, are not really close to the real
deal. A good album for the most part, _Chapter III_ proves
that Agathodaimon are on the right path to keep their listeners
interested and to help keep themselves from going stagnant -- or
worse, sounding like the hundreds of black metal clones going around
in circles."]
Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7" (<Bootleg release>)
by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10)
An obscurity that even some of the most die-hard black metallers
won't know about. The long-lost demo from pre-Immortal band
Amputation has finally been exhumed and immortalized (sorry!) on a
bootleg 7", showcasing the roots of Norse death metal. Great deathly
sounds on offer here, a far cry from Immortal's pure-black debut,
but equally impressive and atmospheric. "Heavenly Grace" puts the
overrated Old Funeral material to shame, reaching a level of abyssal
darkness that Norse counterparts like early Darkthrone and Cadaver
only scrape the surface of. More technically polished than Tiamat's
_Sumerian Cry_, yet blacker than anything Morbid ever put out,
Amputation's demo deserves to be hailed as a classic alongside
_December Moon_ etc., and it's a pity this rarity won't be reaching
the ears of many, even as a bootleg. Limited to 100 copies only
(aren't they all?), this one-sided 7" slab is a must for anyone
realizing the importance of the early Norwegian death metal scene,
and worth any amount of effort to locate.
Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_ (Mordgrimm, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
I almost feel like -thanking- Anaal Nathrakh for not having forgotten
to re-record demo track "The Supreme Necrotic Audnance" with _The
Codex Necro_'s superior, powerful and abrasive production -- it has
to be one of the best album openers I've heard in a very long time.
A brief build-up, and then the mayhem is unleashed -- quite
literally, since Anaal Nathrakh have both been likened to Mayhem and
complimented by the Norwegian legends. Devastating black metal
blastbeats, remarkably infectious riffs, crushing slower sections and
the occasional dark atmosphere-building samples all combine into one
of the most outstandingly vicious, violent and enjoyable records of
recent time. The brutality in Anaal Nathrakh's sound quite simply has
to be heard to be believed, and then in addition to the sonic
detonation there is the underlying subtlety of their music, which
guarantees a final result that is at times amazing. The extremity
often borders on the insane, but music itself has by no means been
forgotten amidst the maelstrom of noise. Anaal Nathrakh had been
threatening to fulfill their potential for a while now [CoC #43,
#48], and _The Codex Necro_ is definitely something the band can be
proud of. A remarkable achievement in musical aggression; I nearly
shudder to think what could come next from this band if their
progression continues.
[Paul Schwarz: "There was never a British band who could sonically be
likened to Mayhem without it being an insult to the legendary
Norwegians before Anaal Nathrakh came along: a flesh-ripping
synthesis of biting, black metal blastbeats and searing industrial
sprinklings. Just give "Submission Is for the Weak" three or four
spins: you'll understand."]
Contact: http://www.geocities.com/anaalnathrakh/main.html
Angra - _Rebirth_ (SPV, November 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10)
While I'll admit I have never been a huge fan of Brazilian
progressive/power metal band Angra, I am rather impressed with the
band's latest offering _Rebirth_ with new singer Eduardo Falaschi.
The album is just so passionately executed, from Falaschi's powerful
vocals to the wonderful keyboard work or the solid guitar riffs being
played, that the listener gets swept up in the momentum of it all.
And when the album comes to an end, like myself, you will push play
and let it start all over again. I'd hate to think that the changing
of longtime singer Andre Matos is one of the reasons why I am digging
the new Angra, but that just may be the case. Falaschi's vocals emit
so much strength and passion, at times similar to Bruce Dickinson (no
wonder he made the short list to front Iron Maiden in 1994; he was 22
years old then), but still showcase his own style. A truly gifted
singer who was quite obviously the best choice this band made when
looking for a new frontman. One of the tracks on _Rebirth_ that
really hits a nerve in me is the beautifully sculpted song (piano and
all) "Millennium Sun". Just the harmonies and Falaschi's vocal range
make this an enjoyable listen from start to finish. Other songs
worthy of note are "Heroes of Sand" and the stellar "Judgement Day".
Fans of the band will no doubt enjoy that Falaschi has brought a new
sound/era to Angra, but still kept the same flow of ideas and sound
that made every fan of the band fall in love with them in the first
place.
Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_ (Osmose, October 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (9.5 out of 10)
What an improvement! This French black metal band has released
several semi-interesting, synth-laden discs before, but always
seemed like they could barely keep their heads above water. They
have obviously taken swimming lessons since then, however. _New
Obscurantis Order_ is an inferno of blastbeats, crushing riffs and
intense orchestral arrangements. My first impression was "Whoa, this
rocks!", and I have spent over two months unsuccessfully trying to
find a flaw in my initial impression. _New Obscurantis Order_ could
be described as a mix of Tartaros, Emperor's _Anthems to the Welkin
at Dusk_, Dimmu Borgir's latest album and typical French riffing and
harmony styles. Yet you can hear that this is the same band that
released _Drudenhaus_ [CoC #47], so their identity is somehow still
intact. The opener, "Mother Anorexia", starts off much like "The
Drudenhaus Anthem", but it quickly becomes clear that Anorexia
Nervosa has both matured and turned much more aggressive. Driven
forth by the incessant drum inferno -- courtesy of the amazing Nilcas
Vant -- and massive orchestral arrangements, the music is as intense
as it gets, and still epic and greatly interesting at the same time.
Even in the midst of furious blastbeats and hyperspeed riffs, they
manage to infiltrate harmonies and orchestral effects so the listener
never gets tired. Although I dislike the French chorus on the fifth
track, there isn't a weak song on this album, making it a very
consistent record indeed. Some excel a little more, though: the
symphonic and pleasantly chaotic "Black Death Nonetheless", the
equally fast "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" with its choirs and trance-like
chanting, and finally, the heavy and epic finisher: "Ordo ab Chao".
The album even comes in a limited edition digipak that also includes
a cover of the classic "Solitude" by Candlemass. Anorexia Nervosa
presents no radical new ideas for black metal with this album, but
they do have a unique sound and showcase extraordinary talent in
terms of both musicianship and composition. In a year when more
famous bands fail to induce excitement, _New Obscurantis Order_ is a
welcome surprise. Look for it on the number one spot in my top 10
list for 2001.
[Paul Schwarz: "This dose of speedy, technical, symphonic black metal
has really left me sitting on the fence. It's certainly an admirable
achievement from a technical perspective, but though I've found it
enjoyable enough, it's really not made the strongest impression on
me, despite the fact that -- on the prompting of others who proclaim
its excellence --
I have returned to it multiple times, sometimes
with headphones. It seems to be growing on me, but I'm not sure its
(currently limited) appeal to me won't start to fade rather than
magnify in the near future."]
Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_ (Black Mark, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10)
Bathory have once again launched a new attack on the world, to the
great joy of many loyal fans all over the worlds (how can I be sure
there is only one?). This review is for those of you who won't go out
and buy this album just because it is a new Bathory release. The
legends behind this band are many, but Quorthon (the man behind the
music) is nowadays very eager to kill all myths and weird stories
about Bathory. One of the true stories is that very few people know
the real identity of Quorthon, and this is a secret he won't
willingly give away. Another one is that the band once featured the
now famous video director Jonas Akerlund (Metallica, Madonna, a.o.)
on drums. Bathory has now been a one-man band for a very long time
and Quorthon is solely responsible for music, lyrics and most
instruments, even though some of his friends help out when it is time
to record. Although he was one of the creators of modern black metal
in the '80s together with Venom, the music he is now making is not as
black as before. However, there is still this cozy Bathory feeling on
every song on this album, with acoustic guitars, hypnotizing rhythms
and a somewhat fuzzy sound. I am not very fond of Quorthon's vocals,
though, since he doesn't really have the voice for it, but he is
still doing the best he can. Tracks like "Destroyer of Worlds" and
"Ode" make it clear that Bathory is still a band to rely on and fans
of the band will not be disappointed. If you are not a Bathory fan,
you may still want to check this album out, since they are now more
atmospheric than black metal. _Destroyer of Worlds_ is a new solid
release from Quorthon's brainchild, but unfortunately it can't
compete with some of his previous works.
Contact: http://www.blackmark.net
Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_ (Metal Blade, November 2001)
by: David Rocher (7 out of 10)
At a first listen, _Honour, Valour, Pride_ comforted me in my
_Mercenary_-induced belief that Bolt Thrower's works in my shelves
would forever stop at _...For Victory_. In fact, the first three
tracks on the legendary growling British deathsters' seventh album
totally failed to fuel any form of enthusiasm in me at the time, and
still feel, many a listen later, rather subdued, predictable and
dispensable. However, as track four, "Suspect Hostile" starts up,
things take a turn for better -- love 'em or hate 'em, Bolt Thrower
are still on track, unoriginal and efficient as ever, although the
seventh chunk of armoured death metal named _Honour, Valour, Pride_
is unfortunately plagued by a number of flaws which, I feel, prevent
it from being able to rival with the grandeur of earlier Bolt Thrower
milestones such as _IVth Crusade_ or _...For Victory_. Indeed,
producer Andy Faulkner fails to deliver the crunchy trademark Bolt
Thrower sound Colin Richards never failed to achieve or which, on
_Mercenary_, Ewan Davies somewhat succeeded in attaining. Another
problem is Dave Ingram's "I wanna be Karl Willets" vocals; it would
have been wiser by far to actually capitalise on the wholly different
texture of his vocals (which, for instance, are particularly brutal
on Benediction's _Transcend the Rubicon_), instead of having him
attempt to imitate the gruff, threatening growls so typical of Bolt
Thrower's former vocalist. Finally, the other, more striking problem
on _Honour, Valour, Pride_ is that... all in all, this is nothing
more than a competent, efficient, but totally uninspired rehash of
standard Bolt Thrower trooper gear; even though some tracks fail not
to showcase some great, powerful moments of crushing heaviness,
_Honour, Valour, Pride_ is globally samey and rather uninspired in
the long run. Sure, if you've never yet heard Bolt Thrower,
this rasping baby will keep you on your toes for quite a while
-- that is, precisely until you discover these Briton blasters'
former milestones, which will mercilessly relegate this chunk into
the oft-forgotten shelf of deja-vu releases. This very honourable
attempt at keeping Bolt Thrower's raucous, trademark sound alive is
unfortunately doomed to fail to become a valorous item on my CD
shelf, and is ultimately a release I would only show modest pride in,
had I previously unleashed masterpieces like _The IVth Crusade_ or
_...For Victory_.
Borknagar - _Empiricism_ (Century Media, October 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10)
Borknagar is an oddity. Even through frequent line-up changes and
variations in musical intensity, Borknagar still manage to come
across as unique and true to their sound. This only proves how vital
Oystein G. Brun's songwriting skill and ability to find suitable band
members are. Since their previous album, metal relatives Vintersorg
and Tyr have replaced Simen Haestnes. In addition to this, Borknagar
has taken on a clearly mellower tone and _Empricism_ is comparable to
_The Archaic Course_ [CoC #32] in this respect. The first thing that
struck me, apart from the new vocalist and improved production, was
that the songs seem more complete and evenly balanced. This was the
one thing I found lacking on _Quintessence_ [CoC #48]; solid
songwriting throughout the entire album. Still, there are no songs on
their new album that can rival songs like "The Presence Is Ominous"
from _Quintessence_. Hopefully, the next one will be as evenly
balanced as _Empiricism_, but with even better songs. As for the new
vocalist, Vintersorg uses his clean vocals very often -- in fact, he
uses them much more often than his superior vocal predecessor.
Vintersorg is a good vocalist, but his clean vocals sound somewhat
strained, whereas Simen's simply flowed gently and smoothly with
twice the intensity. The rest of the performances are top notch, with
Tyr's bass lines and Nedland's Hammond organ adding a fresh, yet
fitting, dimension to Borknagar's music. A very good album, but I
think they can do even better. Fans of both Vintersorg and Borknagar
should have no reason not to buy this album.
[Alvin Wee: "As much as I'd like to insist that the self-titled debut
is the band's best work, this new disc boasts a confidence and flair
that's hard to refute. Superb melodies and stellar musicianship
sealed in with a breath of originality put this a notch higher than
last year's boring _Quintessence_."]
[Pedro Azevedo: "Rejuvenated by new vocalist Vintersorg's stirring
vocal delivery, and also aided by Asgeir Mickelson's involved
drumming and Solefald's Cornelius' masterful keyboard work,
Borknagar have made one of 2001's most stunning returns to form. A
clear improvement upon _Quintessence_, _Empiricism_ is the product
of a band that currently shows great songwriting inspiration in
addition to their impressive technical skills."]
Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_ (Metal Blade, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (8 out of 10)
Usually me and power metal aren't the best of friends, but I have to
admit that when it is well done this subgenre is one of the most
powerful around. Brainstorm is perhaps not the best German power
metal band at the moment, but I was very impressed when listening to
their latest release _Metus Mortis_, which displays a very talented
metal vocalist, backed up by some great riffs and plenty of nice
melodies. Vocalist Andy B. Franck is new to the band and was formerly
a member of another German metal band, Symphorce, which some of you
probably know already. Brainstorm is not a new band either -- they
have been in existence since 1989 --, but it wasn't until now that
they were able to impress me with any of their music. The music is
close to the heavier American power metal sound with lots of
traditional heavy metal riffs. They actually sound a little like
Grave Digger minus the rough vocals and with more varied songs. There
are a few minor production flaws, but overall this album is one of
the best power metal releases in a while. The choruses on the
first couple of tracks are simply amazing and this album should
be appreciated by everyone with a love for power metal or old
traditional heavy metal.
Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_ (Kodiak Records, September 2001)
by: David Rocher (erratically oscillating from 0 to 10 out of 10)
Talk about the thin line drawn between insanity and genius, and the
name of French act Carnival in Coal springs to mind instantly. If
you ever thought the disastrously Cacophonous band Ebony Lake or
the incomprehensible Dillinger Escape Plan's _Calculating Infinity_
were weird, believe me -- they'll sound pathetically orthodox
and predictable once you check _Fear Not_ out. The sequel to
Carnival in Coal's 1998 release _Vivalavida_ is a collection of nine
heterogeneous, wonderfully genial, blatantly stupid, wildly grinding,
ludicrously funky, totally metal yet also totally non-metal tracks,
guaranteed to throw any even mildly sane mind off balance. Track
titles such as "Yes! We have no bananas" or "Daaahhh", say it all,
really. Blasting, keyboard-laden (yet somehow totally unsymphonic)
grinding segues abruptly disintegrate into funky beats with (I
suppose) wittingly silly clear vocals, delirious operatic female
chants, before breaking down further into pure Cannibal Corpse-style
blasting assaults, complete with groovy disco handclaps in the
background -- all this, of course, in the space of 30 seconds flat.
Sounds bizarre? Believe me, you haven't a clue. Whereas tracks such
as the delirious Sup cover "1308.JP.08" or the catchy "Gang Bang" are
potential metal hits in the vein of farcically redesigned Faith No
More, the very tongue-in-cheek "Don't be happy, worry" is a journey
into shape-shifting weirdness you could happily groove / headbang /
tap a light foot beat / stagedive / breakdance / mosh to. I'm
clueless about the side-effects of prolonged exposure to Carnival in
Coal, but I suspect they are one of the reasons why I woke up this
morning, madly in love with a goddamn penguin. Help.
Visit http://www.carnival.fr.fm to be erm... saved?
Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_ (Listenable Records, November 2001)
by: David Rocher (9 out of 10)
Now that the ungodly David Vincent's departure, associated to
creative stagnancy and video game-induced close-mindedness have
propelled the once glorious Morbid Angel into the sullen realms of
dispensable death metal, the joust occurring around the accession to
the much-sought Kings of (Death) Metal throne is subject to the
daily onslaughts of a massively plethoric troop of hairy, satanic,
growling, grinding, blasting contenders -- so far, however, to not
much avail. In the very, very black guise of one of the more lethally
convincing thanes to this throne come Dutch deathsters Centurian. One
MCD (_Of Purest Fire_) and one album (_Choronzonic Chaos Gods_) into
their career, Centurian had already shown to many a soul that their
technical, blasting death metal was an unhallowed force to be
reckoned with. _Liber ZarZax_ pretty much picks up where Centurian's
unholy and worryingly brutal _CCG_ left off -- this new release is a
blasting, searing eleven-track death metal mauling session that will
leave you with blood seeping from your ears and eyes, gasping for a
mere breath of burning air, which only comes in the guise of the
choking, dark instrumental track "Feeding Flesh to the Vortex". The
Dutch deathsters' metal attains insane levels of complexity, as Rob
Oorthuis and Oskar van Paradijs' intricate light-speed guitar lines
intermingle with Wim van der Valk's deliriously aggressive rhythmic
blasts and time shifts. Jerry Brouwer's roaring vocals and growling
bass lines efficiently reinforce this monstrosity's assaults. _Liber
ZarZax_ is one of the most utterly intense, devastating chunks of
death metal I've beheld since Nile's _Black Seeds of Vengeance_ [CoC
#50], and is beyond all doubt one of the largest, rustiest nails to
have been hammered into the Nazarene's wrists... ever!
[Paul Schwarz: "From a purely musical perspective, Centurian hardly
define themselves as apart from their influences, but yet something
about them keeps making me come back for more. Maybe _LZZ_'s
intense, deftly executed death metal acts like a placebo on me,
Covenant_ and _Retribution_-imprinted as I am; maybe the feeling of
pure conviction that Centurian's music emanates is enough to define
their individuality. I favour the former explanation, but that isn't
stopping me from, at present, thoroughly enjoying _LZZ_."]
Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) (Modern Invasion, November 2001)
Wait a second... what is this I hear? A flute? And its melodies are
a nearly constant presence throughout this record. Yet I could
almost swear Chalice's debut _Chronicles of Dysphoria_ [CoC #50]
featured quite a lot of violin! This turns out to be just about
the most obvious change in this Australian band's sound since
their debut, as this second full-length album of theirs sees them
following an otherwise predictable path. Their lightweight melodic
doom metal moves along at a sedate mid-pace, whilst the flute
and occasional keyboards accompany blue-eyed Shiralee's talented
soprano-like vocals. She does convey reasonable variety with her
voice as well, ranging from a more sombre tone to some competent
higher notes towards the end of "Catalepsy in Staccato Rain", in one
of the best sections of the entire album. And indeed, Chalice have
replaced their violin with a female flute player, whose work seems
diligent throughout the record; nevertheless, I did prefer the
violin, as the flute comes across as less expressive and to my ears
doesn't combine with their guitar sound as well as the violin did on
_Chronicles of Dysphoria_. Still, driven forth by some good female
vocals and all- round competent musicianship, Chalice deliver a
pleasant and melancholic record. It's neither terribly original nor a
competitor for best album of the year in its genre (that title
definitely belongs to Madder Mortem's excellent _All Flesh Is Grass_
[CoC #54]), but if what you are looking for is a relaxed, melodic and
mildly doomy record, then _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_ should
be a very safe bet. Chalice should really try to aim for something
rather more daring and emotional next time, however -- pleasant as it
may be, _AIttTR_ is still a somewhat disappointing follow-up to
_Chronicles of Dysphoria_.
Various - _Colorado Colossus_ (Root of All Evil, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10)
I've been finding myself spinning this disc more than one might
figure for a compilation. Fifteen tacks of barbarity await on this
fine sampler from Root of All Evil. Incredible cuts from bands like
Serberus (awesome beginning song), Corruption ("Hate Disorder" at
6:04 is a fine hardcore/metal crossover as I've heard since early
Crumbsuckers), Tirade (with their wonderfully eerie initiating feel
on "Zombie") and Silencer's "Mourning Star", providing the brief,
but heavily rhythmic final track. Drudgery's scourging power with
Voltaire's distorted and slicingly viscous offering both complement
the eclectic nature of this harsh metal potpourri. I think with the
right circumstances, Throcult, track six, may have a consequential
future in this business. The only two handicaps this comp has, in my
opinion, are Tread and Last Supper. Both bands presented songs on
this offering that were desperately tedious and altogether boring.
Bleeding Faith and their "Deep Cerebral Paralysis" cut came close to
the despondency of the other two aforementioned bands but for BF's
nice passage about the 2:40 mark. Undecided is a spectacular band on
this release, as they push the envelope of heavily ethereal gateways
to the borders of imagination. Undecided could use some coaching in
the vocal arena, though, and my advice would be to go harsh or
death-y -- the cleanish style is damaging to your intense musical
style. Dames Rocket's 3:15 was about 3:14 too long and accounted for
a full point off this compilation's score, but Haddy Poppish, Joe C.
Wails Gang, and Majority Rules, covered over Dames Rocket with a
thick, viscous lacquer of insipidness that totaled the other negative
two points this CD received. Other than the metal trash platitudes I
just mentioned, _Colorado Colossus_ gives a nice flavor of the true
(starving) underground. If you are adventurous enough, check it out
-- but beware the few pitfalls this endeavor lays open before you...
Converge - _Jane Doe_ (Equal Vision, October 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10)
Nearly seven years on from their _Halo in a Haystack_ debut --
thought by some to be the origin point of noisecore/metalcore --
Converge have made what for my money -- and in my limited experience
-- is their finest album. _Jane Doe_ is a powerfully durable,
irresistibly individual compound of many sounds and individual
approaches. Chosen from the kind of range that might seem unusual for
a traditional metal or hardcore crew but which is almost expected of
bands from the noisecore crowd who trace back to Converge, these
approaches are noticed like subliminal messages which later prompt
the listener to peel off the layers and behold -where- Converge seem
to have got their ideas from. The way great slabs of Slayer slither
through the cracks of "Bitter and Then Some". The way "Hell to Pay"
and "Phoenix in Flight" won't let you chill with Kyuss, because you
are being -chilled- by Neurosis. The band referenced don't represent
the core sounds of Converge, but they seem to be part of the Converge
whole in some curious manner. Like many noisecore records, _Jane Doe_
gets just the right balance between clarity, power, and raw,
close-quarters 'real' sound in its production to give almost every
contrasting aspect of the music its full impact. There is an attempt
at varying the balance and sound of different parts -- not close to
noticeable enough to affect the record's near-perfect cohesion --
which seems to seek their more clear and defined expression in the
final result. Though they have a tendency to be technically insane,
Converge not only have the musicianship to pull everything off with
more than just a pinch of style -- and a megaton of power to boot
-- but also have a natural aptitude for writing impassioned,
finely-crafted songs which few in the extreme music scene can
surpass. From the pure, furious energy of the opening salvo of
"Concubine", "Fault and Failure" and "Distance and Meaning", through
the psychotropic grooves of "Hell to Pay", the grove-laden catharsis
of "Homewrecker", all the way to the intense, eleven minute,
gradual outpouring of anguish of the title track, _Jane Doe_ is
simultaneously one the most brutally angry and one of most truly
impassioned records of the year -- it's among my five personal
favourites, in fact.
Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) (Dismal Records America, 2001)
The intensity of Crematorium comes in small doses, and that is a
blessing and a curse for the California act. Listening to the band's
latest four-song EP, a mixture of aggressive hardcore intensity and
death metal endurance, the band just steamrolls through aggressive
numbers like "Cast the Stone", "Carved From Deceit", my fave
"Unlearn" and a solid cover of Metallica's "Whiplash" (taken from a
Dwell Records tribute to Metallica) -- but at the end of the day the
listener is left with nothing really memorable about their numbers,
save for a few passages. The problem? A lot of the material sounds
the same, save for the cover song, and that itself does have some
similarities with the way the vocals are delivered. Crematorium does
have the intensity, they just need to control it a bit more and
deliver much more of a punch if they want to make a name for
themselves. Right now, they've got something mediocre, when deep down
I can tell they could have something big. A few more months of
planning could easily wield a truly metallic nightmare to contend
with. We'll have to wait and see if this comes onto fruition, won't
we?
Contact: Dismal Records America, PO Box 6488, Burbank,
California 91510-6488, USA
mailto:crematoirum@hotmail.com
http://www.daggas.net/crematorium/
Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
First off, Darkness Eternal has produced an amazing album cover this
time around, ten times better than the one that adorned the _Dawn of
the Suffering_ CD [CoC #48]. The last album cover was atrocious, as
my review had stated, and it is good to see things improved. And much
like the new artwork that is vastly improved, so is the musicianship
of this one-man band (George Valaetis). While the previous effort had
a pretty uneven pace to it, the new disc is well-balanced dark death
metal with some great, violent death growls and some masterful guitar
riffs, as well as a real grim atmosphere to boot. The most impressive
thing is the fact that Valaetis plays it all, yet it seems so
effortless and well assembled, as if a full band is in the studio
blasting away at the music. Coating the death metal approach with a
real dark edge to it, Darkness Eternal is definitely an unknown
Canadian band that should see more exposure in the next little while.
At least the band should, as Valaetis deserves it. You see? Hard
work, an abundance of passion and a little bit of guidance allows
most bands to find their best moments as the years go on. I've got my
eye on Darkness Eternal. Choice cuts: "Cross of Lives" and "To Save
the Lost".
Contact: mailto:darknesseternal666@hotmail.com
http://www.deternal.darkgod.net
Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_ (Moonfog, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
Once again a disappointment for punters hoping to point an accusing
finger at the album's commercial-looking cover, _Plaguewielder_
serves as a nonchalant reminder of who's who in the spluttering
Norse metal scene. Opening with choked whispers a la _A Blaze
in the Northern Sky_, "Weakling Avenger" showcases the cleanest
production Darkthrone has achieved thus far. Make no mistake,
however; the trademark Celtic Frost worship remains, shining
surprisingly well through the incisive mix. Nocturno Culto springs no
unpleasant _Panzerfaust_ surprises here, sporting his sore throat
remarkably well. Musically, _Plaguewielder_ falls between the speed
of _Transilvanian Hunger_ and the crunchier _A Blaze..._, with a
sound strangely modern yet classic. Not surprising for the enigma
that is Darkthrone anyway; few bands in the scene have managed this
level of consistency over so many releases without playing themselves
into a rut. The six long tracks prove that Darkthrone are capable of
more complexity than their trademark monotony gives them credit for,
and the variety attained throughout the album points a stout middle
finger at their countrymates having to turn techno in search
of diversity (read: Dodheimsgard). Long-time followers won't be
disappointed with the vinyl version (some say that's the only way to
listen to Darkthrone): a lavish gatefold in a brilliant matte finish
shows off some unconventional, yet strangely apt cover art. One of
the nicer Darkthrone packages, and might just be worth the cutthroat
prices Moonfog are charging for their releases.
Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_ (Unique Leader, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)
This is the fourth full-length offering from Californian
death/grinders Deeds of Flesh. Ultimately, there's not much for me to
say about this album. If you've heard one of their previous efforts,
then you know exactly what to expect from _Mark of the Legion_:
brutal, unrelenting death/grind with growled vocals and tight,
technical playing. Their riffs are very syncopative and percussive,
relying almost completely on rhythm. There are no atmospheric
sections, no female vocals, no acoustic guitars, very little melody,
and unfortunately, very little to differentiate the songs from each
other. And that's a shame, because otherwise, this is a good album:
the production is good, the playing is excellent, the packaging is
good, but the songs so completely lack memorability that there's
nothing that keeps it in your head after the last song is done. Fans
of the band will probably enjoy the album, but it seems I'm burned
out on the style.
Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_
by: David Rocher (2 out of 10) (Psychic Scream, November 2001)
There are no words more fitting than "atrocious" or "pathetic" to
characterise Destinity's second release. This French sextet, signed
to Malaysian label Psychic Scream, are a massively superfluous poor
man's Cradle of Filth -- maybe a tad more death metal than CoF, but,
over and all, undoubtedly a lot worse than their British mentors.
Despite the presence of at least one technically proficient guitarist
and a competent drummer in their ranks, Destinity can hardly claim
to do anything else but hopelessly drown in a grimy sea of
pseudo-symphonic black metal molasses, plagued as they are with a
vocalist who sounds just too much like Dani Filth for _Supreme
Domination's Art_ (more Dimmu Borgir song titles, anyone?) to awaken
anything else but nervous laughter whenever I try to listen to it.
And believe me, I've tried, many a time. And hence, have spent quite
a lot of time laughing nervously.
Diabolical - _Synergy_ (Scarlet Records, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10)
Sweden still has a lot to offer when it comes to metal, and
Diabolical are one of the country's most interesting young acts. Last
year they released an MCD through a small Swedish label, and it
showed that this was a band to be taken seriously. They have now
released their debut full-length album on Italian Scarlet Records.
Diabolical have developed further into an even more technical style,
and with a bigger label behind them the sound quality is also a lot
better. I can't help comparing Diabolical to In Flames, as there are
lots of beautiful melodies on this album, but Diabolical's sound is
rougher, darker and a lot closer to black metal. They sound closer to
Witchery, but a little less playful. Incidentally, the album's fifth
track is called "Guidance of Sin", and I can't help wondering whether
this title was chosen as a tribute to the Swedish band with the same
name. Anyway, if you think In Flames are moving away from the essence
of extreme metal but would still like to hear beautiful melodies and
great killer riffs, then Diabolical is a band worth looking out for.
If no major problems or obstacles lie ahead of this band, they should
go far in the near future.
Edguy - _Mandrake_ (AFM Records / The End, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
I won't lie to you; this is my very first encounter with the German
operatic power outfit Edguy, and I am duly impressed. Despite five
other albums by my count, I am just now being exposed to this band
due in no small part to The End's distribution of _Mandrake_ here in
the States. Eleven songs of metal driven by unmitigated will and
forcefulness thrust _Makedrake_ forward. I am a sucker of a good
opening track, and Edguy hands one over with a great track called
"Tears of the Mandrake". Undertaking this strong effort with such an
inspired song is exhilarating. Working itself from a quasi-techno
feel, "Tears of the Mandrake" congeals around a distinguished bass
sequence (a la Tobias "Eggi" Exxel) to accompany a dynamically moving
guitar solo right near the 4 minute 10 second mark; viciously
effective. Vocals are complements of Tobias Sammet and, at times,
would stir up Morgana Lefay reflections or thoughts of Blind
Guardian's vocalist Hansi Kursch. It goes without saying, Tobias has
an impeccable range. "Jerusalem" is chalked full of nice passages
and, as it turns out, very relevant currently. Nice guitar acoustics
precede "Nailed to the Wheel"'s campaign of sheer forcefulness and
stunning guitar work. "The Pharaoh" is the very next cut off of
_Mandrake_ to more-or-less transfix this reviewer. It accounts for 10
minutes and 37 seconds of this disc, so you know beyond a doubt Edguy
had something profound to say with this ancient feeling song. I heard
it loud and clear! The eleventh track on _Mandrake_ is entitled "The
Devil & the Savant". It is a limited edition bonus tack. Bonus is
absolutely correct in every sense of the word; a fantastic cut. It
reminded me of a highly energized Iron Maiden song off of _Seventh
Son of a Seventh Son_. "Wash Away the Poison", the album's ballad, is
a very weak spot, however. While doctored up with meaningful lyrics,
the infirmity of the song is nowhere near concentrated or potent
enough to detract from this effort's spiritual birthright. Unearth
this, until now, buried, magical prize -- if not for yourself, then
for the sake of potency itself.
[Alvin Wee: "Certainly a surprise after the letdown of 1999's _ToS_,
bringing back the simplistic melodies of _Vain Glory Opera_ in a
comfortingly mature package, reeking of Maiden at times. Complex
enough not to be chucked into the HammerFall camp, _Mandrake_ still
retains the gloriously sing-along choruses that made their early
work so endearing. More engaging than Avantasia and easier to
swallow than Taraxacum: simply a must for anyone even remotely
involved in the genre."]
Contact: http://www.edguy.nu
Edicius - _Aeon_ (Deadsun Records, October 2001)
by: David Rocher (7 out of 10)
French newcomers Edicius' first release strikes me as being a
surprising one indeed. Despite claims as unpretentious (and not
necessarily promising) as "grinding black metal", this outfit's
multi-facetted onslaught has succeeded in landing some form
of a rusty meat hook in my mind, which, for a considerable
period, had me coming back time after time for another lethal
dose of vicious, grinding, atmospheric, mid-paced, black metal.
Intrigued? _Aeon_ definitely had me feeling that way -- at a first
listen, Edicius' sound insanely fast and blatantly mean, but also
predictable and unappealing, owing to their harsh, cybernetic sound
and chaotic songwriting. However, as _Aeon_ unfolds, distinctly
vicious numbers such as "Gothic Breed", chunks of frenzied,
grinding fierceness such as "Bledemon" or "By Cold Anger" are
somewhat subdued by atmospheric counterparts such as the very
Norwegian-sounding "Tremendous Unknown", or the synth-laden interlude
"At Mo S pHereS". This contrasted variety of styles is both _Aeon_'s
strength and weakness: much as this first attempt proves to be as
efficient as it is addictive, at some point, it unmistakably
turns out to lack consistency, which leaves me to dwell on a
weird impression of listening to some annoyingly unfinished, albeit
extraordinarily efficient, chunk of totally extreme, warlike metal --
I guess the oft-shifting production, added to Edicius' totally
underground/rehearsal approach, only comforts this peculiar feeling I
am left with. However, I find myself more attracted to the unearthly
blackness and sheer harshness that emanate from every obscure corner
in this recording than I ever expected to be, and can therefore only
recommend that fans of extremist musical aggression cast an attentive
ear upon Edicius.
[Paul Schwarz: "French extreme metal has a curious but pleasing
tendency to be quite at odds with what is going on in the rest of
the scene. Though _Aeon_ could vaguely be fitted into the "black
metal" genre, this isn't because it is a stylistic doppelganger of
the "black metal" style, developed or in its raw form. _Aeon_ likens
itself to early black metal because it captures a sound that refuses
to let you get comfortable."]
Enslaved - _Monumension_ (Osmose, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10)
This one will require quite a bit of literary paint on the canvas
before a reasonably accurate picture can begin to form in the
reader's mind -- something that comes as no surprise after _Mardraum
- Beyond the Within_ [CoC #50]. With _Monumension_, Enslaved have
significantly changed their sound, yet it is still a somewhat logical
follow-up to _Mardraum_, in the sense that it expands on _Mardraum_'s
experimentation, which itself was based upon its superb predecessor
_Blodhemn_'s aggressive style. Unfortunately, while _Mardraum_ was an
enjoyable and highly impressive record, _Monumension_ occasionally
comes across as too over-the-top in terms of its experimentation, and
the album as a whole lacks some focus and consistency. The Viking
thread that ran through every Enslaved release isn't very upfront
here, and the vocals are now sung in English instead of Norwegian,
which is a loss. There is also less black metal and more of a death
metal sound, and then there's all the atmospheric, experimental and
retro elements (in both a metal and rock sense) that Enslaved have
thrown into the mix in a much higher dosage than before. Enslaved
treat you to their rocking side and also their mellower, more
atmospheric side, plus some older Enslaved to boot; what they fail to
do is put it all together as a cohesive record. Most of the album is
still very enjoyable and certainly has some remarkable moments worth
much more than a 7.5, but the major problem comes from the two tracks
Kronheim wrote, plus the outro and the folk-like track that follows.
Four tracks totaling over 23 minutes of what is mostly uninteresting
material that, in the case of Kronheim's mid-album tracks, severely
disrupts the flow of the record. The production also failed to
impress me. Overall, this is a record where Enslaved seem to tease
the listener with numerous fine passages, only to create a whole that
is less enjoyable than their previous output. Whether or not Enslaved
are going through an identity crisis, _Monumension_ does prove that
they can cover a lot of musical ground; but I'd -really- like them to
go back to creating reasonably focused and truly enjoyable records
again.
[Paul Schwarz: "Personally, I found _Mardraum_ [CoC #50] an overly
incongruous affair: I didn't get it -- though I intend to go back to
it now. _Monumension_ I have come to really like a lot. It manages
to combine hypnotic intensity -- which occasionally nods towards
Pink Floyd-esque psychedelia -- with a clear but gritty metallic
thrust which is unpredictable enough to keep you on edge, but
grounded enough to draw you in. The best Enslaved since _Eld_ [CoC
#20], in my view."]
Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_ (Beyond... Prod., 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (9 out of 10)
Italy's Ensoph have finally released the full-length follow-up to
their 1998 EP _Les Confessions du Mat_ [CoC #40]. _Bleeding Womb of
Ananke_ is similar in style to that album, though more refined. Their
sound is somewhat hard to describe, in that they take elements that a
lot of bands use -- female operatic vocals, black metal vocals, clean
guitars, electronic influences, and classically-influenced keyboards
-- but are able to combine them in a way that's unique and original.
Their sound is quite gloomy, even in the parts which are more
up-tempo. I guess they could fit in the "atmospheric metal" genre,
but closer to the Decoryah / In the Woods... side, as they're
more atmospheric and less metal. Actually, the mix is about half
metal, half more atmospheric sections, but I tend to remember the
atmospheric sections more, as their influence permeates all of the
music. Their sound is also quite diverse, and it's hard to think of
anyone in particular that they sound like, though the elements they
blend together aren't completely original. Overall, this is an
excellent offering from a band with the courage to define their own
sound, and is worth tracking down for fans of the atmospheric metal
genre.
Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) (Rage of Achilles, 2001)
The debut EP by Sweden's Forest of Shadows contains three tracks of
melodic doom/death lasting a total of over half an hour. Slow and
mournful, Forest of Shadows combine death and clean vox, and also add
an array of other instruments for a mildly orchestral feel. The music
isn't overly complex, yet contains enough variety and changes
frequently enough to avoid any monotony if you enjoy this kind of
doom metal. Simultaneously funereal and catchy enough, the music
contains a strong emotional charge as well as a pleasant kind of
unpretentious quality. Forest of Shadows manage to successfully
gather influences from several of the European doom metal giants and
use them without coming across as very derivative, especially for a
debuting band. An impressive debut by these northern doomsters, and a
smart signing by Rage of Achilles.
Contact: http://www.rageofachilles.clara.net
Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
I was actually very excited when this record landed in my mailbox. I
had seen Quebec's Forgotten Tales in their early stages of their
career opening up for Nightwish in Montreal in November of 2001. I
distinctly remember being blown away by the powerful presence of the
band and the wonderful arrangements that they played during their
short, but well received, set. Finally, a year later, _The Promise_
is here and fans of power metal music will no doubt want to check
this young band out. With some great production on their side (thanks
to ace producer Pierre Remillard), Forgotten Tales get the most out
of their epic power metal numbers, especially when singer Sonia
Pineault hits the high notes. What a voice. Fast paced and very tight
(a la Stratovarious / Blind Guardian), the music of Forgotten Tales
coats itself with some slick guitar solos and fancy keyboard work
(check out numbers "World of Truth", "Far Away" and the four-part
epic "The Tale of Neeris"), rarely losing momentum. Sure this band
may be inexperienced, in regards to touring and studio work, but they
have their chops down. Give this band a little more time to hone in
on their skills and a label that believes in them, and the sky is the
limit for these power metal warriors and fair maiden.
Contact: http://www.forgottentales.com
Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_
by: Adrian Bromley (2 out of 10) (Crook'd Records, December 2001)
What the hell is this? Since 1990 (and from the ashes of Nasty
Savage), Gardly-Loo! has been reeking shit (literally!) with their
shows and albums, but yet, I have never heard of them till now. Now
explain that? Is there some underground metal scene more underground
than the one now that I would have missed them? I don't think so.
File this under GWAR-like material, but maybe a few notches down.
Obviously the bad lyrics and themes make this even less enjoyable for
me, a culmination of early demos from 1991 and newer material. While
the music is okay at small doses, songs like "You're Nothing But a
Piece of Shit", "I Like Shit" and "Garbage Dump" do nothing for me
but make me irritated. I'm guessing that crowds into GGAllin, The
Mentors and GWAR will be all over this like, um, flies on shit, but
for the average metalhead, no one will care. At least I hope not. But
guess what? Crook'd Records is going to release their older records
_Stool Sample_ and _Perverts on Parade_! Can't wait...
Contact: P.O. Box 25, Jamestown, NC 27282, USA
http://gardyloo.50megs.com/gloopg.html
Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
I have always had a love/hate relationship with this Quebec metal
outfit (which goes back to their _Carving Into You_ demo [CoC #34]).
While I like the overall groove and grind of their death metal style,
I have always had problems with the band's production and overall end
result of material. That is until now. Obviously, years of hard work
and some feedback has allowed this band to pick up the momentum and
actually assemble a solid recording. Pierre Remillard (of the great,
but now defunct, Obliveon) did a superb job in bringing the band's
sound to the forefront without polishing it too much. Still raw at
times, the music is allowed to breathe a bit instead of being held to
one certain sound or style. _King of the Undead_ has a real cool,
kind of campy horror death metal feel to it. Catchy guitar riffs,
somewhat clean death metal growls and a tight rhythm section help
make songs like "Mobster Fiesta Extravaganza" and "Oh God! The
Stench" seem like rock 'n' roll anthems. I kid you not, folks!
Looking for a good time where you can sit back, have a beer and just
rock out to good metal music? Then be sure to check out Ghoulunatics.
Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal,
Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada
mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com
http://www.ghoulunatics.com
Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Baphomet/Relapse, October 2001)
One of the first releases on Baphomet/Housecore (label run by
Pantera's Philip Anselmo and Necrophagia's Killjoy and distributed
through Relapse Records) is the ultra-sick 'n' twisted album _Force
Fed on Human Flesh_ by Gorelord. Soaking itself up in horror-filled
themes and dirty metal riffs, Gorelord pounce on the listener with
its abrasive onslaught and wickedly creepy soundclips. With a crisp
production and an vibrant attitude to back it up, Gorelord makes an
impact with songs (destined to be classics) like "Crushed Skull on
Christian Shoulders", "Alive When Fucking the Dead" and "Chainsaw
Ripping Skin". While veteran Relapse act Mortician may be somewhat
stagnant with their horror-themed musical masterpieces of late, it is
good to see a band like Gorelord kicking the shit out of us in such a
maniacal frenzy. Note: this album comes with a 18+ warning sticker
that says this album may be "too intense for some listeners". Good!
Let Gorelord scare off the pansies and keep making uncut, brutal
music for us die-hard metal music sickos.
Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10) (WWIII, 2001)
Not often do I say this, but I don't believe that I would even
consider comparing this outfit to anyone else. Headhunter (Death
Cult)'s label, WWIII, feels it necessary to draw a similarity to
Krisiun and Raebelliun; not me. This Brazilian four-piece is rich in
both craft and skill. Deeply strained but clear vocals, accentuated
by phenomenal drum work, are a couple of mighty big selling points
for these longhairs. Even more attractive is this group's practice of
involving the listener in each of the nine tracks by developing the
material from good to better to great from start to finish. The bass
is evident, as I like it, and the wreckage is ubiquitous. "From Dream
to Nightmare" is all I need to say to represent the aforementioned
attributes on this astounding CD. With the addition of the two
bonus tracks of enlightening truculence, you are sure as hell in
for a rude-ass awakening! Discover something new and find out
why Headhunter DC are called the "forefathers" of the Brazilian
underground.
Contact: http://www.ww3music.com
Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_ (Hellion Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (6 out of 10)
Hellion Records, arguably Europe's flagship power metal store,
unleashes part two of their not-for-sale promotional CDs, distributed
among their loyal customers and fans. Always a good taster for the
goings-on in the often inaccessible European power-prog scene, this
one was welcomed as it marked the return of three '80s legends:
Tresspass, Culprit and Q5 (now Nightshade). Not Fragile blast open
the proceedings with promisingly blazing leads, but never go beyond
the simple-mindedness of pre-_Keepers_ Helloween or early Grave
Digger. Still, as a debut, _21st Century Ballroom_ promises to be
a solid slab of old-school Teutonic steel. Fellow debutants K
Octave disappoint with their brand of downright obsolete US metal.
"Breakneck" might have come straight out of those delete-bins of the
eighties and you wouldn't be the wiser. Former melodic-rock geniuses
Q5 have never quite recovered from their slump after the one amazing
debut record, and despite upping the volume a little on "This Thing
Kicks", remain firmly lodged as purveyors of solid-yet-unimpressive
NWOBHM-style rock. Anyone who remembers bona-fide NWOBHM classics
like "One of These Days" will salivate at the mere mention of
Trespass; taken off their _The Works II_ collection, "Man and
Machine" is another irrefutable stamp of quality for a band that
doesn't quite need it. Culprit finish off this five-tracker with an
energetic blast, being a stunner from the re-release of their
semi-classic _Guilty as Charged_ album. Chock full of hooks and
heart-pounding rhythm, this is traditional metal at its best, but
nothing new to those already savvy to eighties metal. Not more than a
6 for the variable quality on this disc, but makes for a good
all-in-one review of the albums available on the Hellion label.
Contact: http://www.hellionrecords.de
Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10)
From Denmark they are, but from Norway they could very well be:
Illnath are another band in the long line of Norwegian-sounding,
keyboard-sweetened melodic blackened metal ensembles. This _Angelic
Voices Calling_ EP is an independent release, and as such I must
admire the band's professionalism and the quality of the production,
both clearly good enough to rival most of what gets released by some
important labels these days. Sitting somewhere between Cradle of
Filth and _Enthrone Darkness Triumphant_-era Dimmu Borgir, Illnath
are really quite good at what they do, which is admittedly commercial
"black metal" -- and I must again emphasize the impressive quality of
this release given the fact that they had no label support. Despite
the annoyingly sweet keyboards, Illnath are able to gather some good
momentum (especially on the title track) and create catchy passages
as well. Nothing really original or challenging, but nonetheless
quite enjoyable -- as a demo, it would have been worth a 5 out of 5,
but then again this band is clearly not in demo stage anymore.
Illnath need a less derivative sound, better atmospheric use of
keyboards and a bit less CoF-like vocals, and they do seem to have
enough potential to deal with these issues in the future. Definitely
worth giving Illnath a chance if you are a fan of this genre, and
labels would be equally well advised to do so.
Contact: http://www.listen.to/illnath/
In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_ (Century Media, November 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis (4 out of 10)
I was under the impression that Swedish melodic death metal was
supposed to be catchy. Classic melodic death songs such as "Blinded
by Fear" (At the Gates) and "Zodjackyl Light" (Dark Tranquillity) had
insanely catchy hooks that embedded themselves in your mind for days,
sometimes weeks afterwards. Now what if, say, At the Gates wrote some
melodic death songs without the inherent catchiness? If they did, it
would probably sound something like this album. Totally boring and
extremely tedious. Despite repeated listenings I am not able to
recall a single riff. This album isn't without some merit, however,
as In Thy Dreams demonstrate that they are more then adequate
musicians -- it's just a pity that they are such bad songwriters.
Hopefully their next release will see them realising their full
potential, writing some more memorable songs.
Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_ (LSP Company, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10)
It wasn't without some hesitation that I decided on the rating above,
as these Belgians' debut really suffers from its poor production --
which not only denies their music the sonic impact it might have had,
but actually becomes actively annoying as well. Still, mediocre
as the production may be, it doesn't render _Sculptured Humans_
unlistenable, and beneath the surface Infernal Legion occasionally
show glimpses of potential. Their thrash attack -- which has been
injected with a small dose of blackened metal -- is hardly a novelty,
but nevertheless does carry some quality, mainly during the faster
sections. Overall, _Sculptured Humans_ is neither original nor
remarkable within its genre, but given a decent production the band
will surely be able to do better in the future.
Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com
Iniquity - _Grime_ (Mighty Music, January 2002)
by: David Rocher (8 out of 10)
Iniquitous drummer Jesper Frost Jensen is a deserving man indeed -- a
hard-working musician in the death metal underground since 1989 who
did not get the opportunity to release a full-length album until
1996, when Iniquity released their first doom-laden chunk of death,
_Serenadium_ -- after which Iniquity's world fell apart owing to
continuous, unceasing line-up changes, leaving only founder member
Jesper Frost Jensen in the band. The interestingly gloomy, yet not
overwhelmingly indispensable material on _Serenadium_ was however not
exactly ominous of Iniquity's forthcoming tracks, as the Danes' 1998
MCD, _The Hidden Lore_, saw them veer towards some hard, violent and
technical death metal, a direction which they have since then stuck
to -- and by which _Grime_ totally abides. The opener _Tides of
Vengeance_ sets the mark clearly enough: massive, raging and blasting
rhythms, speeding axe lines with a cool, snapping crunchy feel,
bowel-churning low-case riffage laden with distorted harmonics, and
brilliant, thick, blood-curdling vocals. All throughout the maiming,
seething 45 minutes of supermean death metal on this disc, the
really enjoyable point about _Grime_, besides its blasting fury and
sweaty intensity, remains the fact that it does -not- sound like
your average Scandinavian death metal album; offering a balanced
compromise between all-out burly American-style thrashing brutality
and typically aggressive Scandinavian melodies, _Grime_ is merely
catchy upon a first spin, but soon becomes annoyingly addictive. The
sheer, bare-toothed meanness of this blasting sample of Danish
cookery works a treat indeed, and if proof was ever needed, _Grime_
has instantly blasted its way into my five most frequently spun death
metal albums these days.
Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_ (Metal Blade, July 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (6 out of 10)
After the band's astounding major-label debut last year, one would've
thought Jacob's Dream capable of producing more than the mediocre
rehashing of passe ideas that _ToW_ turns out to be. While the
self-titled disc could be forgiven for its considerably derivative
nature, this sophomore effort (discounting the elusive demo-MCD)
lapses into directionless banter and strained operatics on the part
of Geoff Tate-soundalike David Taylor. Mellow rather than melancholy,
the Queensryche worship plods along at a tedious pace, livened up by
the occasional flashes of melodic brilliance characteristic of
their earlier material. Ballads are evidently a strong point, and
the emotionally-charged "Sarah Williams" puts the debut's "Mad
House of Cain" to shame. The sheer forgettable nature of the
rest of the material places the band alongside nearly-made-it
power/prog wannabes like Avalon; the hints of greatness peeking
through at times can prove infuriating to a listener familiar with
the promising first album. Still, it must be said that _ToW_ is more
of a disappointment than a complete disaster; with the rash of
sub-standard, post-HammerFall Eurometal, _ToW_ looks rather good in
comparison.
Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - <split>
by: Quentin Kalis (5 out 10) (Dead by Dawn / Dissident Records, 2001)
This CD features five tracks from each of the aforementioned
Australian bands. Jesus Anal Penetration open the CD with an
overlong sample, presumably filched from some (horror?) movie, before
launching into their brand of brutal death metal. The band name,
song titles such as "Molestation and Murder" and "Force-Fed Holy
Bullshit", along with the inane anti-Christian lyrics, suggests a
band attempting to be as outrageous as possible. If only they had
expended some of the energy and effort they spent on trying to be
shocking into producing decent music... Oni are the more cerebral of
the two bands, presenting a death metal contemplation of Sun Tzu's
"The Art of the War". Lyrically they run circles around Jesus Anal
Penetration; but musically they are only slightly better, they alone
saving this CD from a 4 out of 10 rating.
Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
Man, you gotta love heavy metal / rock 'n' roll and those who worship
it every second of their waking day. That is why I like Killer Khan.
I liked the last album I reviewed, 1999's_Kill Devil Hills_ [CoC
#41], and that is why I am down with the re-release the band's 1997
album _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_. This is just great metal / hard rock
in the vein of Ozzy Osbourne (singer Killer Khan sounds exactly like
the Ozzy!), Black Sabbath and any old '80s metal act, but not cheesy
at all. The music here is done with intelligence and passion. The
album moves along with some sinister guitar riffs, haunting vocals
and just a real fun vibe all around. You'll be headbanging and
pumping your fist to songs like "Leather and Lace", "Kamikaze" and
"Vanishing Point". Who says metal is dead? As long as Killer Khan is
waving the metal flag, we can all sleep good at night knowing that he
is doing his best to stay true for us metalheads. Gotta love the big
guy, eh?
Contact: P.O. Box 1466, Mooresville, North Carolina 28115, USA
mailto:khanmetal@webtv.net
http://www.killerkhan.com
King's X - _Manic Moonlight_ (Metal Blade, September 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (2 out of 10)
There are so precious few hours in the day, so I cannot fathom why
you would dedicate so much as a second listening to this horrendous
conglomeration of unadulterated musical sess. Truth be known, the
only reason I got past the first track on this incorrigible effort
rests exclusively in the fact that it is my job. If this article
takes an unapologetic negative slant before I can assess my thoughts
from what I am hearing (unfortunately for about the third time
through the disc), I wanted to tell you what the two points that this
CD got originated from. The bass, on a hit-and-miss basis, is
fairly convincing; Doug Pinnick, also picking up lead vocal duties,
demonstrates a fine low-end style. The positive, although somewhat
namby-pamby, lyrics also did not detract from _Manic Moonlight_.
Underplayed both on instrumentation and writing fronts, King's X
typifies most every aspect of the banal and stereotypic in music.
Radio-friendly through and through, I find this band's approach
drained and weary. "Static" is a near perfect example of everything
mentioned above; good bass, mostly reassuring lyric, but the monotony
becomes overwhelming. OH, the redundancy! I loathe to say that I
could care less about this three-piece band claiming nearly twenty
years on the scene, but that is the fact, pure and simple. I would
have thought they would have found something better to do with their
time. I've spent too much time on this review already. Even fans of
this group will have to tread cautiously -- the rest of us can shun
the ten tracks on _MM_ like the plague.
[Paul Schwarz: "I have never understood why anyone would waste any
part of a finite existence on this earth listening to King's X:
_Manic Moonlight_ exemplifies why. Repetitive and boring rock
lacking power, dynamic, decent lyrics or anything I could see the
point in. However, I do confess that I really don't feel that well
equipped to judge King's X; for obvious reasons, I own nothing which
sounds much like them at all."]
Kronos - _Titans Awakening_ (Warpath Records, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
If we aren't going to sound different through our musical ideas or
execution, then at least let's pick a weird sound mix. OK, maybe that
-wasn't- the idea behind _Titans Awakening_, but Kronos did end up
with a strangely separated guitar sound, leaving a rather wide center
stage for the bass, vocals and especially the prominent drums. The
death metal on offer here tends to be fast and furious yet
occasionally groovy, with an obvious highlight on the very upfront
drums, and Kronos keep some strong momentum throughout most of the
record. Only during "Bloodtower" do they go out of their way to
create something different, but even though they are successful
in that specific case, the rest of the album is a lot more
straightforward. Most of the highlights occur during the first half
of this 38 minute long album, causing my rating to be somewhat lower
than what the promising first four tracks seemed to indicate. Kronos
do create a strong and dynamic percussive attack throughout, though;
_Titans Awakening_ is quite an enjoyable disc overall, subtly
different from the norm even if hardly original in a significant way.
Contact: mailto:warpath@wanadoo.fr
Lacrimosa - _Fassade_ (Hall of Sermon / Nuclear Blast, November 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10)
Anyone remember that song "Copy Cat" by Swiss act Lacrimosa? That was
a cool song, one of my faves a few years back. But after that, I
never really followed much else in Lacrimosa's career. So it was a
surprise to me to know that the band was still around in 2001, having
already worked hard for the last ten years to make a name for
themselves. The band's new album, titled _Fassade_, is a poorly mixed
assortment of choirs, gothic overtones and female chantings that seem
to go nowhere. All of the music seems to be overproduced, with the
vocals and other arrangements just acting as attachments to slick
production (check out songs like "Senses" and "Stumme Worte"). There
really are no intriguing aspects to the band's music, no real hook to
draw us in. My biggest problem with Lacrimosa is their overall
approach to the music they create. It sounds too pompous, too
egocentric, and that makes me feel uninterested. No doubt there is a
fan base still for Lacrimosa and I bet they all wear frilly clothes
and drink wine by a fireplace each evening, too. Ugh! No thanks.
Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_ (Paniac, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10)
It takes a cover painting as brilliant as this to convince the
underground types to drop their black/white sleeves for full color
ones... still, limiting it only to the vinyl edition retains the
notorious elitism of the scene. Decked out in glorious hue comes the
steaming new offering from Belgian barbarians Lugubrum, black and
twisted as ever. Already semi-famous for their brand of "Boersk
Black Metal", Lugubrum smash home their claim to being one of
neo-BM's sickest troupes these days, amalgamating a gurgling riot of
slowed-beyond-recognition Mayhem, classic Darkthrone rhythm and an
impeccable ear for dissonance to create one of the most nauseating
finds this quarter. I'm hard pressed to explain the twistedness
of this band's black art; suffice it to say that _Al Ghemist_
reeks of an underground stench paralleled only by early Mayhem or
Carpathian Forest. Alternating mid-paced, almost-tuneful riffing
with swirling passages of diseased sluggishness, the record never
lapses into the monotony typical of this genre (read: Clandestine
Blaze), yet retains the hypnotic aura of evil often alluded to in
early interviews with Fenriz. Still, it never once strikes me as
being even remotely essential listening, considering the deluge of
such material out there. The breathtaking cover art done by the
guitarist himself remains the most striking aspect of the album,
the Cathedral-shot-to-hell feel of the painting epitomising the
hallucinatory twistedness Lugubrum stand for. All in all, an album to
be treasured more by the die-hards than anyone else, and more so for
vinyl-maniacs: an extra track and the fabulous artwork are not to be
found on the CD version.
Contact: mailto:paniac@wol.be
Lullacry - _Be My God_ (Century Media, 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis (6 out of 10)
Female fronted Finnish band Lullacry perform what they call "heavy
rock", which I guess is an apt enough description. As can be expected
from a female fronted band, the music is not that aggressive, tending
to focus more on emotions and atmospheres than on violence and
brutality. Despite the slight gothic flavour, this is a very
commercial sounding album and it will not appeal to everyone. The
vocalist, Tanya, displays considerable variety in her vocal duties --
from loud, shouty vocals to softer, more ethereal singing. And in
case you're wondering, there are absolutely no death metal style
growls! While I can appreciate the merits of this release and it will
undoubtedly have its fans, this album its just too commercial
sounding for this reviewer. If the guitar was just slightly less
heavy (or maybe not), it wouldn't take a great stretch of imagination
to picture this album riding the cha
rts.
[Paul Schwarz: "_BMG_ is an excess waste gas of the Scandinavian
metal scene -- one even more toxic than the boringretrotruemetal
and excessivelymelodicnon-deathmetal emissions of past years. With
boring riffs and idiotic lyrical phrasings stolen from the same
pub/bar band as Gandalf, Lullacry attempt to come up smelling like
roses by having a female singer -- and with the aid of good
production make a pop-rock album that attempts to feign possession
of credibility. Yay for progress!"]
Macbeth - _Vanitas_ (Dragonheart Records, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (6 out of 10)
Since the days when only Theatre of Tragedy, Tristania and a few
other bands existed in the genre, there has been a real explosion
of gothic doom metal in the world, with new bands popping out
everywhere. One of the most well known Italian bands is Macbeth who,
as the name implies, are inspired by one of Shakespeare's works of
genious. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be very nice towards Shakespeare
if I compared this album to one of his masterpieces, because the
music on _Vanitas_ never even reaches the high standards that we are
used to hearing from the aforementioned bands. _Vanitas_ is not a
terrible album, but it leaves you without any feeling whatsoever,
which is not a good thing. I think it might work well as background
music, but that is not what I want a metal album for. The
Shakespearean atmosphere is nowhere to be found on the album, but it
does have its moments of joy -- very few of them, though. One of
those moments is the great sequence of riffs on "Diablo y la Luna"
which is a very nice song that shows the best of this band. Female
vocalist Morena is a lot more beautiful then the music itself,
however. If you are a hardcore Shakespeare or gothic metal fan, then
_Vanitas_ could very well be worth your time, but personally I am not
very impressed with the result of this band's second album.
Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_
Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_
by: Pedro Azevedo (both 8.5 out of 10) (Dark Symphonies, 2001)
One could tell by Maudlin of the Well's debut [CoC #46] that they
weren't a band willing to take an easy path; but releasing two
full-length albums simultaneously is a rather considerable risk to
take and requires a very trusting label to back it up. _Bath_ and
_Leaving Your Body Map_ are two separate discs, visually linked by
the artwork but not available as a double-CD set. Whilst the balance
of heaviness and mellower sections does differ, this duo does not
follow the kind of structure Opeth are known to have been planning --
one heavier CD and an entirely mellow or experimental one. The music
is overall melancholic, dreamy and atmospheric, but Maudlin of the
Well insist on conveying a wide spectrum of emotions and musical
influences with their music within both the mellower and harsher
passages. The beginning of _Bath_ provides a striking example of
Maudlin of the Well's dichotomy: opener "The Blue Ghost / Shedding
Qliphoth" is a lengthy, tranquil instrumental piece, contrasting
with the harsh doom metal of the second track, "They Aren't All
Beautifull". However, with about 120 minutes of music spread across
the two CDs, you can probably imagine how much experimentation
Maudlin of the Well have thrown into _Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body
Map_. Many sorts of vocal styles are used, as well as a wide array of
instruments besides the usual metal setup, including clarinet, piano,
flute and cello. I have to admire the audacity of this band, whose
music is not only wildly experimental but also vividly expressive --
even if not constantly interesting. The clean male vocals are still
not really to my liking, but each of the two discs, or both of them
as a double-CD set, are worth hearing as a whole rather than picking
out the bits you don't like. This may not be the kind of listening
experience I'm looking for very often, but it is nonetheless quite a
rewarding one in the case of Maudlin of the Well's double output.
_Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body Map_ are just about equally worthy of
purchase in case you decide to look into this band's adventurous
work; I would recommend purchasing both if you are interested after
hearing some samples. The varied and unconventional nature of Maudlin
of the Well's music may not be to everyone's liking, but overall it
worked well for me despite the fact that I am not impressed by
experimentation for the sake of experimentation -- but then again,
that is definitely not what Maudlin of the Well are all about.
Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com
Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7" (<Bootleg release>)
by: Alvin Wee (5 out of 10)
Another bootleg thorn in the side of the King and Co., this time in
the form of a 7", annoyingly elusive compared to the ubiquitous _All
Witches Night_ EP. Taken off the band's live ceremony at Wacken '99,
the three tracks here have little more to offer than being another
addition to hardcore fans' libraries. The disc isn't too impressive
sound-wise, but played at high volume, "Nightmare" and "Desecration
of Souls" sound pretty convincing, if a little messy. "Melissa" on
the B-side is equally unpolished, and it's quite clear the open-air
concept doesn't quite gel with Fate's dark-epic sound. Packaging
is equally mediocre: red print on a black sleeve captures the
underground feel but just doesn't stand up to the color of _All
Witches Night_. While this EP will attract die-hards because of its
rarity (I've only ever seen it once for sale all these months), I'd
stick with the excellent _Shadow Nights_ or _Live Oath_ bootlegs any
day over this one.
Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_ (Iron Pegasus, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10)
Certainly a relief to see these legendary Italians getting the sort
of distribution they've been lacking throughout their fourteen-year
existence: the two previous releases have been a pain for most to lay
their hands on. A cult this hallowed deserves more than a pedestrian
CD release, and Iron Pegasus once again do a handsome double-vinyl
presentation of this long-awaited masterpiece. A refreshing breath of
dank dungeon air in this commercial age, as the typically necromantic
cover suggests; long-time devotees will recognize the classic 'Drape
sound polished up and surprisingly lively, yet retaining the infernal
darkness so prized on their early rituals. For the uninitiated,
_Tolling 13 Knell_ might prove an excellent accompaniment to the old
Necromantia/Varathron-type records lying in your basement, though
it's likely anyone familiar with those would already be a part of the
'Drape fellowship. Describing the album as anything other than
"old-school Greek" is a futile exercise; Mortuary Drape's classic
combination of heavy metal sentiment with utterly necro riffing is
something that defies explanation altogether. Atmosphere is of prime
value it seems, and _T13K_ absolutely reeks of the same damp
caverns and dripping dungeons first seen on Barathrum's early
albums (remember _Hailstorm_?), although it must be said that the
band's 1992 _Into the Drape_ impressed me far more with its
black-mass-in-a-chapel ambience. Not to waste any more words on what
is either an essential or worthless album, depending on your
orientation, this vinyl version comes more highly recommended than
the CD: if not for the impressive layout (gold vinyl), then for the
four(!!) bonus tracks tacked on at the end.
Contact: http://www.ironpegasus.com
Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10) (Drakkar Prod. Vinland, 2001)
It's paradoxical how elusive this album has remained despite its
status as a flagship monument of the French underground. Pioneering
the raw and primitive, yet bewitchingly melodic French sound, the
original Drakkar issue of _Vampires..._ has thus far only been
available for cutthroat prices to many dedicated followers (the
second, ridiculously limited vinyl run of 100 copies on EAL not
helping either). A fitting release to mark the debut of Canada's new
Drakkar branch, showcasing the label's expected penchant for all
things grim and primitive. Packaged in a suitably minimalist setting,
_Vampires..._ retains a strong thread of guitar melody through
the harsh cacophony of dungeon-esque soundscapes that make up
Mutiilation's repertoire. It isn't hard to see how this classic
work has influenced bands like Warloghe and Judas Iscariot, and
_Vampires..._ easily puts the majority of the neo-black metal scene
today to shame. Even in comparison to the _Remains..._ album,
Mutiilation's earlier work shines with a raw passion that elevates
the material from mere buzzing monotony to a masterpiece of infernal
ambience. Hints of Darkthrone (circa _Transilvanian Hunger_) surface
on tracks like "Tears of a Melancholic Vampire" and "Born Under
the Master's Spell", but always with a characteristic Mutiilation
acerbity that might be attributed to Meyhnach's caustic vocal
desecration. Drakkar Vinland's packaging values pale beside EAL's
brilliant rendering of the album as a double-LP set; still, I
wouldn't expect the 500 copies of this to last very long at the
distros anyhow.
Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_ (Scarlet, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10)
Nightshade is a Swedish band that was formed in 1995. After having
gone through some line-up changes and the recording of three demos,
they have now signed a record deal with the quickly growing Italian
label Scarlet Records for three albums. The first one has been given
the title _Wielding the Scythe_, and beneath the nice cover art from
Joe Petagno (Motorhead, a.o.) there is a disc filled with the music
that made the Nordic countries some of the leading metal nations in
the world. The most obvious influence for Nightshade is derived from
the bands that created the Gothenburg sound: At the Gates, In Flames,
Ceremonial Oath and other well-known acts. I can't help it, but I am
very partial for melodic death metal when it is well done, and these
guys are by now highly skilled musicians -- something you can easily
tell when listening to this debut album of theirs. Besides the great
guitar riffs, there are also some very nice keyboards added that give
the band a very fresh sound, with some minor folk music influences as
well. Sweden is still going strong and Nightshade is another new band
to look out for. They may not have the power of The Haunted, but they
have something else which is just as important: the melodic beauty of
bands like In Flames and At the Gates. Most of the tracks on this
album are great (with the exception of the somewhat foolish-sounding
"Sanctum") and the growled vocals are also very nicely done. My final
judgment on Nightshade is that they sound like a modern mix of old In
Flames and the latest Old Man's Child album: thrashy, melodic and a
little black. The production was handled by Pelle Saether at Studio
Underground in Vasteras, and once again he has done a more than
satisfying job with the sound. If you like melodic death metal done
the Swedish way but still would like to hear something fresh, then
this album is worth checking out. It will be most interesting to see
where Nightshade will take us in the future.
Contact: http://fly.to/nightshade/
http://www.scarletrecords.it
Peccatum - _Amor Fati_ (Candlelight, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)
Peccatum's follow-up to their debut _Strangling From Within_ shows
them moving in a more straightforward direction. The songs on this
offering are less classically-influenced, less avant-garde, less
disjointed, and less pompous. The vocals once again range from black
metal shrieks to King Diamond-like falsettos to operatic female
vocals to harmonized and multi-part choir parts. At times, the vocals
are great, and at others, they're completely annoying. In fact, that
description applies equally well to the music, which has some nicely
constructed sections juxtaposed with some cruder sections. Some parts
of the album seem a little unfinished, and some of the song
structures don't flow as well as they could with a little more
polish. But even with these weaknesses, the songs flow much better
than those on their debut. In addition, the production is much
improved, with a much fuller sound overall. The playing is once again
competent, though not overly challenging. Ultimately, I think this is
a better album than their debut -- even if it isn't as original -- as
it shows them getting past their "being weird for the sake of being
weird" stage.
Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_ (Spitfire, December 2001)
by: David Rocher (8 out of 10)
Now, this is a surprise. Urticaria usually is the law when the words
"nu-metal" are uttered within a twenty-foot circle around me, so a
quick look at Pissing Razors' credentials instantly cast a very
grievous shadow over the review of their third release, _Where We
Come From_; however, a first listen soon revealed a gem which the
denomination "nu-metal" cannot hope to encompass. Pissing Razors'
music evolves, lives and mutates many celestial spheres above that of
Scott Ian's proverbial "Backstreet Boys with guitars", and throughout
the massive, powerful and intense 36 minutes of their sophomore
release, Pissing Razors clearly prove that they will never need to
rely on anything else (like fancy masks, stupid red jumpsuits, or
pathetically immature vocalists -- not that I'm pointing at anyone in
particular, of course) but their musical creativity and technical
proficiency to make themselves a name in the -Metal- (not "nu-metal")
world. Even though many a riff on this very political creature does
delve into the basically groovy registers of nu-metal, Pissing Razors
move with impressive ease in the poisoned waters around Meshuggah,
Fear Factory, Sepultura on _Chaos A.D._ or Face Down. Rhythmically
speaking, this American quartet are nothing short of awesome -- the
shifting, syncopated and neck-snapping rhythms delineated by the
string section fronted by Rick Vallez and Cesar Soto are flawlessly
backed up by the totally brutal, ruthless skinthrashing of their
obviously arachnid drummer Eddy Garcia. As to the vocals, they could
scarcely get better in this style, writhing somewhere between early
Rob Flynn-style anger and harsh Jens Kidman power. The force that
irradiates from tracks such as "Born to Serve" or "Vengeance Is
Mine", the cool, thrashing tones oozing from "Opportunidad" or the
raw technicality and murderous groove showcased on "Justice Denied"
make Pissing Razors' latest effort to date a sheerly addictive chunk
of grooving, spine-snapping violence, which displays enough musical
qualities to make it well worth a cautious, cursory listen -- no
matter how much you loathe any form of metal even remotely related to
baggy trousers.
Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_ (Crook'd Records, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
Unlike the other shit that Crook'd Records put out that I reviewed
this issue of Chronicles of Chaos (i.e. Gardly-Loo!), thrash / death
metal act Precipice is better by all accounts, but definitely not top
of the genre. More like stuck in the middle-half of the metal
world, obviously lacking something that is keeping them back from
garnering mass attention. With a nicely produced demo from Morrisound
Studios, this eight-song offering has its moments, especially on the
abrasively charged "Lords of Darkness" and the dark flow of the title
track. Vocalist RJ Hagenew is adequate, but he needs to do away with
the rather weak clean vocals / talking segues and just keep it fast
and brutal. As for the music, as mentioned before, it lacks some kind
of character. With multiple listens, it seems as though the band has
taken in all of their influences and just worked them into their
material, rather than trying to have some kind of attempt to create
music inspired by themselves. In other words, their influences are
more apparent than their own original sounds/ideas. Some re-working
of their material, adding in some darker textures and a faster pace,
might make Precipice a contender one day.
Rakoth - _Jabberworks_ (Code666, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors (9 out of 10)
The Russian band Rakoth managed to create one of the most innovative
debut albums ever in late 1999 [CoC #45] and were rewarded with an
interview here in Chronicles of Chaos [#46]. Tale-like lyrics and
vocals, beautiful melodies with flutes, clean male vocals and black
metal vocals painted a very impressive soundscape that managed to
entrance thousands of people all over the world, including myself. I
was therefore very eager to listen to their new material, and I was
not to be disappointed, because Rakoth have proved once again that
they are one of the most creative newcomers on the metal scene. Now
that they have found their way to Earache Records through their new
sublabel Elitist, their music will be available to a much larger
crowd. Those metal fans who want the genre to develop and experience
new fresh sounds should go check out Rakoth right away. _Jabberworks_
also features a real orchestra which Rakoth added to their own
unconventional sound, allowing them to create the perfect follow-up
to _Planeshift_. This is pure art crafted with real passion, which is
very rare in today's music business.
Contact: http://www.rakoth.cjb.net
http://www.code666.net
Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_ (Listenable Records, October 2001)
by: David Rocher (8 out of 10)
Spin this beast, and bang -- a very Swedishly aggressive opening
riff, pummeling drums and a throaty Marco Aro-style roar slap you in
the face, the premises of a forty-something minute-long mauling
session surgically delivered by amazing "Gothenthrash" newcomers
Reclusion. Whereas over the past two or three years many bands or
projects swimming in these waters -- such as Terror 2000, Hatesphere,
Diabolical or Carnal Forge -- have faced their ability to deliver
quality, thrashing death metal with their complete incapacity to rise
above (or even merely paddle away from) the hairy packs of death
metallers cruising in the same pond as them, Reclusion have proved,
in the space of their single, crunchy, varied and powerful release,
that they are the newfound bosses in the turbid Swedish death metal
swamp. Their musical abilities, for one thing, combined with the
unusual and sharp ways in which they use them (such as on the
unusually groovy eponymous number "Reclusion"), turn what could have
been another mildly satisfying, yet hopelessly derivative offering,
into this murderous slab of metal might. From the all-out, chunky
and bilious rhythmical aggression they deliver right over to the
virtuoso, compelling leads effortlessly churned out by their very
inspired axeman, _Shell of Pain_ is one of the most gutturally
satisfying releases this genre has ever witnessed -- in this
particular field, I don't recall having this much fun with a
"Gothenthrash" CD since Darkane kicked my head in and teeth out with
their godly debut _Rusted Angel_ [CoC #42]. Enough said, I believe.
[Paul Schwarz: "At a stretch, you could call this "Gothenburg Bay
Area thrash". Reclusion are competent, powerful and sometimes even
verge on intense, but they don't have enough pure thrash force to
beat The Haunted or The Crown, nor the melodic leadwork to outshine
the likes of Darkane and Soilwork. Nonetheless -- excluding parts
like the primary verse of "Reclusion" where things get unpleasantly
"in-yo-face" in simplistic, macho-posturing, Machine Head style --
Reclusion have delivered a good, aggressive-and-melodic metal album
in _Shell of Pain_."]
Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_ (Cold Blood Industries, 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis (8.5 out of 10)
Like many black metal bands, Salacious Gods have an affinity for
excessively long song titles (try "The Prolongation of the Search for
the Citadel of the Crowned Serpent") and there is the obligatory
photo of the band bedecked in corpse paint and looking grim -- not to
mention the use of pseudonyms --, but don't let these cliches put you
off. This sophomore release from Dutch quintet Salacious Gods is
easily one of the best black metal releases I've had the pleasure of
hearing this year. While the vocalist has the unfortunate tendency to
remind this reviewer of Dani Filth in one of his more subdued
moments, this is no copycat Cradle of Filth band. One element
which helps to separate them from the black metal masses is
their occasional use of what can only be described as "happy" or
"uplifting" riffs. While this might sound out of place within the
generally bleak atmosphere of black metal, it works surprisingly well
and has before on other black metal releases -- most notably on Dimmu
Borgir's excellent _Stormblast_ album. Keyboards are also present,
but their selective use means they complement rather than overpower
the guitars. Personal favourite is "Manifest of the Phantoms Fasade"
(sic), an infectiously catchy song worth 10 out of 10 by itself.
Unfortunately, only the title track comes close to the calibre of the
aforementioned song, but the other eight tracks are still of
sufficient quality for _Sunnevot_ to fully deserve its high rating.
Contact: http://www.coldbloodindustries.com
Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_ (Heretic Sound, October 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10)
On the front cover, four shrouded penguins stand against the sunset.
"Of Satan's evil Penguins you must beware", they warn beside their
symbol inside: a simple symmetric composition with three 6s, an
inverted cross and two large penguins side by side within a circle.
If this and the band name itself don't seem ludicrous enough to you,
then have a look at some of the song titles: "An Evil Shade of Pink",
"The Return of the Undead Smurfs (Gargamel's Revenge II)" and "Mutant
Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". Can this get any weirder? Hell yeah.
This is a band that insists on sharing the credits on two songs with
Vivaldi; a band whose members are Killerpenguin, Monsieur Malice,
Killhammer and blonde vocalist Slayerprincess; and yet, perhaps
paradoxically, a band who -can- play interesting, serious-sounding
black metal, repeatedly belting out "Penguins, arise -- the day has
come" with grim conviction upon the doomy riff that opens the album
during highlight "Antartic Winterstorm". Doom, folk and classical
influences are all occasionally heard in the band's black metal, and
much as their imagery and some of the lyrics can be hilarious,
musically these jesters still deliver a generally convincing album. A
few tracks do drag a bit at times, though, and some more of the
aggression shown on the final track would have been welcome elsewhere
on the album. Even though this is being released by a small
underground label, the booklet has been printed on good quality
paper (better than you usually get from professional labels), the
production is quite adequate and the musicianship competent. A rather
witty, interesting and worthwhile record, apart from the insufferable
ending of "Mutant Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". I recommend you give
these guys a chance.
Contact: http://come.to/hereticsound/
Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_ (Nephilim, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (6 out of 10)
Hungarians Sear Bliss have returned with their third full-length
effort. Whereas I greatly enjoyed their 1995 demo _The Pagan Winter_,
their offerings since then haven't done much for me. Clearly the most
distinctive element of their sound is their use of trumpets over
aggressive and atmospheric death/black metal. Unfortunately, while
these elements were well-integrated on their demo, the horns are now
relegated to a much smaller portion of the album. Generally, they
only appear in the atmospheric/melodic keyboard sections, which --
despite being very well done in their own right -- seem tacked on and
superfluous. Part of the reason for this is that the death/black
sections have gotten more aggressive and less atmospheric. While this
is a reasonable change for a band to make, it works against Sear
Bliss, as without atmospheric keys and horns, there's really nothing
to separate them from the hordes of similar competent bands doing the
same style. This is a decent album, but I'm afraid these guys have
lost touch with the things that made their demo so good. Perhaps with
some refocus, they can find the magic again.
Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6.5 out of 10)
These unsigned Austrians seem keen to show us that they are capable
of playing various styles of metal on _Hopeless Age_, sewing them
together as songs. They can lean towards death metal, change to
something more blackened, and then go into a slower, doomier section
-- and they keep occasionally shifting back and forth throughout the
record. Overall they do so reasonably well, even though -- as one
might expect -- some passages work a lot better than others.
Generally, Septicemia do not really overdo it and manage to keep
things fairly consistent. Despite their unsigned status, Septicemia
are a tight and competent band -- in fact, this is not a demo tape,
but rather a 49 minute long album. The production is average: it
carries some hiss and not every track was recorded at the same volume
level, but it does get the point across reasonably well. Septicemia
tend to fare better during the faster passages, where they often show
some good guitar work, but even though there aren't any really bad
sections, quality does vary significantly throughout the record. They
do need to weed out the weaker elements in their music -- which of
course isn't to say that they should forget about variety. Still,
this debut disc is worth a listen and may well get them some decent
label support for the future.
Contact: http://www.septicemia.start.at
Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10) (LSP Company, November 2001)
How can a band play "atmospheric black metal" and have lyrics such as
"Please give me, oh give me, tenderness" on its opening track?
Consider that verses such as this are delivered not only by a female
vocalist but also through blackened rasps, and you'll probably
imagine how odd it sounds. Fortunately, however, things aren't quite
that bad throughout the record as far as the lyrics are concerned;
things do improve substantially after this disastrous start (or else
the rating above would have been very different). The female vocals
are below average, but overall the band does put together some
decent, although derivative, music on _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_.
Even if their music may be -slightly- blackened beyond the raspy
vocals, it is essentially very melodic and heavily keyboard-enhanced.
However, they do need to increase the intensity of their music and
either improve the female vocals or change the way in which they are
using them. Signs of Darkness sound like they still need to mature
quite a bit, become more unique sound-wise and also both conceptually
and musically more interesting. This may not be beyond their reach,
however, as they do show some qualities in this album, which --
considering the kind of music they are actually -aiming- to play --
is overall competent but just about passable. Although it is far too
sweet for my taste, _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_ does have some
qualities that may make it worth a listen.
Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com
Sinister - _Creative Killings_ (Hammerheart, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10)
Is having a female death metal vocalist a novelty? Hell no. Is having
one as good as Rachel? Shit yea! Sinister has obviously had an
overabundance of lead growlers, but Rachel (former Occult) does a
marvelous job of moving this band forward in ways never though
possible. "Storm in My Mind" is an illustration of this band at its
finest; the song captures all that is harsh and blistering in
Sinister's domain of damnation. The raw power discharged from
_Creative Killings_ is nearly incomprehensible. I will say this,
despite Rachel's peculiar charm figured into Sinister's sound, these
shepherds of death metal have many sheep of the same flock in their
heard. What I mean to say is if you liked _Aggressive Measures_ [CoC
#37], you'll take to this one like ducks to water. If you favored,
say, _Bastard Saints_ [CoC #14], _CK_ might be a wee tougher of
a sell. "Judicious Murder" is nearly far and away my favorite
on _Creative Killings_ with all its well-timed power beats of
profanation. Not everything about this twelve year old band is
superseded by its tenure; the vocal approach is new (and nearly
impossible to differentiate from any of the greats on the scene) and
even tough Sinister's style remains predictably discordant, songs
like "Reviving the Dead" take the this band's prospect for bigger and
better things to levels unthought of in recent history. To borrow a
word from their title -- this newest Sinister is truly a very
creative undertaking.
[Paul Schwarz: "I have, at one point or another, owned every
full-length Sinister album. It's not something I'm proud of, but
it's a fact. _Creative Killings_ is the only Sinister album
currently in my possession, but that's not 'cause I like it anymore
than I liked the others. Sinister have delivered another Sinister
album: that's about as much as I can tell you. It sounds about as
good as anything they ever did, to me, and if my copy wasn't a promo
it would have been taken back to the store it came from weeks ago."]
Contact: http://sinister.wingsofdeath.nu
Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10) (Napalm, November 2001)
I had a really bad reaction to the Napalm sticker that sat atop the
front cover screaming about the fact that the music inside was
heavily inspired by Tolkien's literary work. Some of us already knew
Summoning were a Tolkien-inspired project, but even those who didn't
would probably get a hint from the oft-repeated "in the darkness...
bind them" sample in the somewhat annoying "In Hollow Halls Beneath
the Fells" -- unless they couldn't care less about Tolkien to begin
with. Yet Tolkien is an increasingly fashionable name, so I wasn't
surprised to see Napalm trying to cash in, just displeased that
Summoning's aura was damaged so carelessly. Overall, the music on
_Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ takes me on a journey to strange
luxuriant forests and imposing castles beneath bright sunlight, where
a somewhat warlike atmosphere resides. It completely fails to take me
to the dark mountains, mysterious impenetrable forests or unspeakably
grim fortresses its predecessor _Stronghold_ painted so vividly,
however. This change is quite aptly described by the difference in
album titles, in any case: _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ is much
more obviously Tolkien-inspired than _Stronghold_, which was in my
opinion the darkest album Summoning ever released (their debut is
hardly part of the equation here). Even though the artificial drums
sound as thunderous as before, the guitar sound is weaker on _LMHSYF_
and the keyboard approach is somewhat different -- at times perhaps
more akin to their earlier work. _LMHSYF_ is majestic, multi-layered,
atmospheric and impressive overall, but lacks much of the sombre,
doomy, towering feel of _Stronghold_. I have little doubt that this
was the whole purpose behind _LMHSYF_, but much as I can enjoy the
record, I am unable to appreciate it as much as _Stronghold_. Despite
tracks such as "South Away", "Our Foes Shall Fall" and "Farewell",
the songs tend to seem somewhat inconsequential compared to the
intensity of _Stronghold_. A superb and highly atmospheric album, but
unfortunately one that stirs comparatively little in me after
_Stronghold_.
Teabag - _Teabag_ (Blue Meannie Records, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
As stupid as this is going to sound, Teabag fucking rocks! It sounds
stupid, doesn't it? But trust me, my metal brethren, the music of
Teabag is anything but lame -- more like triumphant, melodic and
impressively sculpted. From the ashes of Psychotic Waltz and DFA,
this metal act has created a sound and style that stretched many
boundaries, something they set off to do from day one. From the
solid power grooves, melodic vocals and progressive / old school
metal qualities, Teabag flourishes on this eight-song offering
-- especially the harmonious "Shadows", the blistering-drive of
"Earthbound" and opening track "Resisting Possession". New singer Ron
Lerma has an amazing voice that echoes well above the thunder of the
band and guides the listener through many intricate passages. I hope
many of you check out Teabag, as they will surely be several
metalhead's cup of tea. Now that sounded stupid again -- but I
couldn't resist.
Contact: http://www.teabagmetal.com
The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10) (Lux Inframundis, November 2001)
The Chasm are the best death metal band on the planet at the moment.
It's really that simple. The Chasm capture all that death metal in
its essence is and can be when serious, skilled and gifted musicians
with their hearts in their work are behind its creation. A taste for
gloomy atmosphere and epic, doom-influenced progressions and lead
work colours the black waters of all The Chasm's death-cultic, heavy
and powerfully metal compositions. Beginning with a creepy, creaking
acoustic guitar-passage intro entitled "Root of Damnation", _Reaching
the Veil of Death_ suddenly explodes into the violent, primitive
brutality which characterises the beginning of its title track.
Characteristically The Chasm as this carefully controlled and paced
maelstrom of choppy death-riffing guitars and destructive drum work
is, after two or so minutes I began to wonder if the Chasm
had decided to abandon the deep, affecting combination of subtle
dynamics, piercing leadwork and talent for gloomy harmonies which had
so characterised the broader side of their character -- and which
seemed to have become so integrally a part of them. I wondered if
dissatisfaction with the label world had inspired Daniel Corchado
(guitar, vocals), Julio Viterbo (guitars), Antonio Leon (drums) and
Alfonso Polo (bass) to deliver a violent "Fuck you!" of pure,
straightforward-death-metal-styled Chasm material. Then my CD counter
clicked over to 2:11, and suddenly that broader side of the Chasm
took full hold of me in the form of a monstrous, epic, spiraling lead
suspended over a musical landscape which had almost antithetically
changed its pace. The two truly new songs of this six-track,
four-song EP are Chasm songs of the very highest order -- possibly
the Chasm at the best they have yet been. From the sounds of
it, their fifth album -- hopefully to be released next year --
will see the Chasm reach a new level of excellence in their
reconciliation of destructive, death-cultic metal and emotionally
expansive, melody-fueled and doom-inspired depth of expression. That
fifth album may well also be put out under the Lux Inframundis
imprint, i.e. by the band themselves. A deal with Dwell went rotten
around a year ago: The Chasm's faith in the label world was
understandably shaken by being cast out by a label on which they were
by far the best band. Coming back to _RtVoD_, the remaining two
tracks -- excluding instrumentals and new songs, that is -- comprise
a re-recording of "The Gravefields" from 1996's _From the Lost Years_
[CoC #13], and a cover of Bulldozer's "Cut-Throat". The former
is stylishly executed, bringing clarity and power to the more
predictable, linear structures you'd expect from the band's infancy,
and breathing a new, -different- life into what fanatics like me
might call an "old classic". The latter is by a band I've never
heard, but have heard a lot of -really- bad and -really- good things
about; I've heard it said more than once that choosing to cover
Bulldozer says a lot about a band's own music, with both negative and
positive connotations attached. All I can say is that "Cut-Throat"
makes a brutal, direct and fitting closing song for _Reaching the
Veil of Death_. Either the Chasm owe much to Bulldozer, or they have
made "Cut-Throat" their own in performance, because -- ignorant of
Bulldozer as I was -- I originally believed it was just an especially
simplistic Chasm song! As far as I'm concerned, if you're a fan of
death metal, then you should hunt down this EP and _Procession to the
Infraworld_ [CoC #45: I would give it a 10 out of 10 if I were to
review it today] if you haven't already, and prepare yourself for The
Chasm's fifth album. (If you get hooked on their music in the
meantime, then I suggest you also hunt down _Procreation of the Inner
Temple_ and _Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph_ [CoC #40] to
satiate yourself.) There are only a meagre few bands out there who
can consistently make death metal which affects me deeply, broadly
-and- inexorably: The Chasm are probably the best of that bunch.
[Adrian Bromley: "Ah yes, the underdogs of the death metal world
return with another great platter. Vocalist/guitarist/crusader
Daniel Corchado leads his cohorts through one of the most punishing,
technical yet dirge-filled death metal discs of 2001. Unlike the
traditional sounds of death metal music these days, The Chasm's
title track radiates an aura of determination and intensity that is
so real and not forced. Emotionally draining and unsettling at
times, the rawness of this death metal attack will leave you numb
and bewildered well into 2002. Hopefully now some labels will wake
the fuck up and sign them."]
[Pedro Azevedo: "The Chasm continues to excel at creating involved,
dynamic and well-crafted death metal dirges. Not only are both of
the new tracks on this EP very good, in _RtVoD_ The Chasm also
managed to combine them with varied material (an old song, two
instrumental tracks and a cover) and achieve a consistent result.
The Chasm are definitely not your average death metal band, and this
EP should be more than enough to convince a worthwhile label."]
[Quentin Kalis: "Although _RtVoD_ is essentially an odds and ends EP,
it is nevertheless one of high quality. Whether they are performing
a relatively slow song ("The Gravefields"), a frenzied intense cover
version (Bulldozer's "Cut-Throat") or an evocative instrumental
("Embrace My Funeral"), The Chasm never fail to display considerable
diversity and skill. The very embodiment of death metal in the third
millennium."]
Contact: Lux Inframundis, 5858 S. Kedzie Ave., PMB# 6,
Chicago, IL 60629, USA
mailto:luxinframundis@juno.com
The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_ (Scarlet, November 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (8.5 of 10)
It's always great when new bands deliver interesting and good debuts.
The Provenance does much more than that; despite being young and on a
low budget, they have made a well produced album full of complex and
excellent music. The band flirts with doom, goth, avantgarde, prog
rock, folk music and extreme metal. But not only do they draw from
a wide spectrum of subgenres, they also use a broad range of
instruments and vocal forms. Emma Hellstrom's beautiful vocals, flute
playing and synth / Hammond organ lines maintain a large share of
the symphonic and melodic aspects, while fellow vocalist Tobias
Martinsson seems to be the bridge between Emma and the metallic core
of The Provenance by performing death growls, clean vocals and fifty
percent of the guitar duties. Most bands -- especially young bands
like this -- would fall into endless digressions or simply drown in a
chaos of arrangements. The Provenance have avoided this and clearly
has focus and identity in their music. The level of maturity seen in
both composition and musicianship is actually downright surprising.
The opening track, "Deluded Into Delirium", opens with a grand, heavy
riff, continues through Devil Doll-like vocals and moods before
venturing into both heavy and soothing guitar/vocal harmonies. The
second track has much of the same intense and epic feel, while they
on the third track start to include Emma's talents more heavily.
Through the folk-like "Ignominy Embodied", the My Dying Bride tribute
at the end of "Listening" and the goth feel of the closing song,
_25th Hour; Bleeding_ is a musical journey worth going on. Somehow, I
still feel they have the potential to get better; maybe even much
better. I actually had to deduct half a point from their rating just
to make room on the scale for their next albums!
Therion - _Secret of the Runes_ (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)
Therion's latest release continues the development the band has gone
through since 1996's groundbreaking _Theli_ [CoC #14]. This time
around they've emphasized the elements from progressive / power metal
in their sound, making it heavier and more metallic, with less of a
reliance upon the orchestral sound that we've come to expect from
them. The progressive / power metal elements complement their
classical side, and the styles are pretty well integrated. That isn't
to say that this is a radical change of style, though. Most of the
songs are exactly what you'd expect from Therion, but the addition of
some more diverse elements in a few of the songs helps to avoid
monotony. As you would expect, the playing and production are
top-notch. Overall, this is a good release from Therion. It shows
that the band aren't willing to rehash the same material over and
over again, but instead are willing to develop and explore their
style. It shouldn't disappoint their current fans, but shouldn't
change any minds about them either. If at all possible, you should
probably search out the limited edition version, to hear their
amazing cover of Abba's "Summernight City". Seriously, this is one of
the best songs on the album.
Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_ (Mars Hill, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
The first time I spun Torman Maxt's second offering, _The Foolishness
of God_, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the eerie
cleanliness of the sound and ideas. The harmonious progressive vocals
and technical know-how, not to mention the Christian views and ideals
expressed within, had me a little perplexed at what was going on with
Torman Maxt. But after a few more spins, their creativity started
to show some light. No, I wasn't converting my faith (I'm not
religious at all), rather taking in their sounds and ideas and
understanding what talent these guys have. Musically, the trio's
music is enormously rich in texture, twelve songs broken up into four
sections/acts that all seem to mold into one. The religious themes
are a bit heavy at times, but the continuous evolution of the music
as the album goes along allows the average, not religious listener,
to get something rewarding out of this. Not for everyone, but I'm
sure progressive metal fans have heard the name discussed within
their ranks and have at least sampled some of their work. Torman Maxt
does showcase a wondrous world of tranquilness, understanding and
complexity all rolled into one. I liked this album quite a bit, so
I'm already in the process of tracking down their much talked about
first album _Just Talking About the Universe... So Far_.
Contact: http://www.tormanmaxt.com
Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_ (Valgalder Records, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)
This is the debut full-length offering from Russia's Tvangeste. Their
sound is a pretty standard one for that area of the world: raw black
metal underneath layered keyboards. A good starting point for
comparisons would be Nokturnal Mortum's great _Goat Horns_ [CoC #31].
Their songs are roughly equal in length, and feature a similar
rawness to the guitars and keyboard layering, though Nokturnal
Mortum's keyboards are much more dominant in their music (since at
the time of this recording, they only had one keyboardist -- they've
since added a second, though!), and their music is much more involved
and complex. Add to this basic style some prog/power touches, such as
strong harmonized guitar leads, and some nice female vocals, and you
have a rough approximation of Tvangeste's style. While it isn't
terribly original, it is reasonably well-done, and there are a few
excellent moments on the CD. Unfortunately, these are too few and far
between to really make this a great CD. With some improvement, I
think they have the potential to be great. Recommended for fans of
keyboard-heavy black metal, but not really essential.
Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_
by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10) (<Independent>, July 2001)
Germany's Victim have made their first two self-produced CDs
available as a double-CD set. Of the two CDs, _Faces of Death_
is undoubtedly the superior one, despite the inferior production
(especially the drums, which exhibit a hollow, demo-sounding quality
at times). In spite of this (or maybe because of it, as it did not
impede my enjoyment of this album to any great degree), _Faces of
Death_ is a good album that still maintains its place in my CD player
and would have been worth a 7.5 on its own. It also displays more
variation than its follow-up _Cocktail of Brutality_, although still
staying safely ensconced within the realm of brutal death metal. Be
sure to check out "A Tribute to Macabre", which according to your
disposition features either an insanely catchy or mind-numbingly
irritating riff! A spoken word intro detailing various gruesome
statistics sets the tone for what is to follow on _Cocktail of
Brutality_. The production is better than before, yet they have lost
some of the passion and intensity of the first album. Nevertheless,
songs such as "Serial Licence" and "Bloodshed" are still worth a
listen, though the album itself is only worth a 6. While neither
exceptionally technical nor terribly original, Victim are worth
seeking out. Considering the amount of assembly line power metal acts
on the rosters of some of the larger labels, it is a mystery to me
why they are still unsigned.
Contact: Benjamin Jahn, Bismarckstr. 22, 95444 Bayreuth, Germany
mailto:benni@victim-deathmetal.de
VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
My interest in atmospheric/soundscape project VLE continues. In last
issue, I raved about the VLE offering _Book of Illusions - Chapter
I_, saying that the release was "one of the most dazzling, brave and
impressive independent offerings I have received in sometime". I
still stand behind my comments. I love that record and the dynamic
and adventurous ideas it takes upon itself. As I had expected, _Book
of Illusions - Chapter II_ continues where VLE had left off, but not
in its entirety. There are some changes within. While still as
grandiose and overflowing with beautiful soundscapes as the previous
offering, _Chapter II_ finds VLE exploring more with feelings and
emotions, soft keyboards, sweet harmonies and a slight dark edge
(very subtle) comes over the music as well. Listening to _Chapter II_
I am once again thrust into colourful and cosmic trance-like state,
guided by the changing medleys and the creative genius behind this
one-man project. Just check out the beauty of songs like "The Dancer"
and "A Scene From a Tree". Is this as good as the first offering? I
think so, but on many different levels. I'd recommend music fans
wanting to investigate VLE to scope out both _Chapter I_ and _Chapter
II_, as they are both worth it. And listening to them back to back is
quite an experience to boot. Once again, I await for new VLE
material. Hopefully something new will surface in 2002.
Contact: VLE, 455 West 34th Street Apt.14C, New York, NY 10001, USA
mailto:vle25@hotmail.com
http://www.mp3.com/vle/
Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_ (Shindy, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)
The Czech Republic's Vuvr play a unique jazz/metal hybrid. Their
jazzy parts bring to mind Candiria, Cynic and Atheist, though their
sound is much more diverse, including such questionable elements as
funky bass lines and what I'll call -- for lack of a better term --
"lounge jazz". Their metallic parts sound like a cross between a
toned-down version of Dissonance (Slo) and Voivod's _Nothingface_.
Their riffs are angular, and the music changes frequently. Not only
do the riffs change often, but when they don't completely change,
their presentation changes: a guitar changes to a harmony or a
counterpoint line, the picking style changes, etc. Only very rarely
do the band settle down and play the same riff exactly the same way
for more than a few seconds. Unfortunately, the integration between
their two styles isn't as tight as it could be. In that way, they're
very similar to Candiria's _Surrealistic Madness_: several purely
jazzy songs and several heavy songs with slight jazz influence. The
vocals are mostly growled, but vocal parts are few and far between,
as this album is heavily focused on music. The production and playing
are top notch, and the packaging is more than adequate. This is an
interesting album, even if it isn't a completely successful one.
However, fans of jazz/metal hybrids will find this a worthy and
unique part of the genre.
Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_ (DSFA Records, July 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (7 out of 10)
Within Temptation made a promising debut [CoC #20] and I quite
enjoyed their last EP, _The Dance_ [CoC #33]. The band appears
slightly renewed on this album: gone are the death growls and the
doom-like, intense riffs that accompanied them. Sure, they still
throw down some heavy riffs on this album, but they generally lack
the speed and punch of their predecessors. That doesn't necessarily
say anything about the quality of this album, though. _Mother Earth_
opens with its heaviest and most pompous track: featuring heavy --
and tasteful -- use of flutes and synths, this song quickly
establishes the fantasy-like setting that will continue throughout
the album. Within Temptation have definitely gotten more epic, but
simultaneously more mellow as well. Tracks three, six and ten are
slow ballads, comprised mostly of piano and Sharon's vocals. Nice,
but a little too "easy listening" if you ask me. As a matter of fact,
I find Sharon's vocals tiresome and limited on this album. She
certainly is a good vocalist technically and has a soothing voice,
but she always sounds sad and almost, well, whiny. If she were to
communicate happiness, hope or fury with her vocals, it would lack
credibility. Because of this, Within Temptation's music is now
confined to a small niche of the emotional spectrum -- whereas
earlier they were able to bring in death vocals for other effects.
The energy in Within Temptation's music now lies in the instrumental
passages, especially those found in tracks one, four and seven. These
passages are a little scarce, however, which causes me to lose
interest after that seventh track -- and that usually includes
skipping the first two ballads as well. For those with a smaller
crave for intensity than me, this album could very well be a gem,
though: the compositions are elaborate and well performed, and
the album certainly doesn't lack variation. Recommended for easy
listening.
Without Face - _Deep Inside_ (Dark Symphonies, October 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)
Mixing male and female vocals is hardly a novel thing to do these
days, but Without Face try to give that formula a different twist by
inserting thrash where death metal would have normally been used.
These Hungarians have a female vocalist who will sound (and look)
like an angel to many of you, but some of her duets with the male
vocalist tend to come across as rather disjointed. On her own she
does very well, however, and Without Face also alternate the female
vocals with thrashy rasps for a somewhat better, if slightly odd,
result than the clean vocal duets. Their synth-enhanced instrumental
section also reflects this duality, by shifting between somewhat
progressive lightweight doom and thrash sections. The whole thing
fails to come across as particularly engaging, however; Without Face
are competent musicians and may have plenty of potential, but at this
point in time they don't really excel at any of the styles they are
trying to mix during this 35 minute debut album. Since apparently
this material was recorded back in 2000, I'm left wondering how the
band has progressed since then -- they do appear to have some
potential, so perhaps their next release will be above average.
Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com
Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_ (Metropolis, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10)
My not liking a :wumpscut: release should be like the sounding of the
second trumpet in Revelations. I hope this isn't the case in any way
shape or form, but the fact of the matter is this release is not what
I would expect from the superior band I reviewed in CoC #49. Please
take a look at that write-up, as I would very much like to remember
this band for its efforts on _Bloodchild_ and not _Wreath of Barbs_.
However, starting off this release with "Opening the Gates of Hell"
was very promising indeed. The more pneumatic "Deliverance" and
"Wreath of Barbs" come next; not at all ill-fated, and the latter
track utilizing some very, very cool fuzzed-out computer vocals, but
not up to the beginning song by any stretch of the imagination. Here
is where things go South like a drug runner from the police. Holy
shit! What is it with the female vocals on "Dr. Thodt"? I almost
haven't the articulation about me to communicate to you the sheer,
overt and alarmingly horrendous factors making up this track's
insipid repulsion(s). What's more, :wumpscut: blasts the listener
again with "Troops Under Fire", a boring ding-ding-ding-ding cut
sounding more like a railroad crossing gate than an industrial track
from a mostly respectable outfit. "Troops Under Fire" follows the
most attractive song on the disc after the opening cut -- it is
called "Christfuck". The title is astoundingly infantile in every
sense of the word and then some, but the music behind the song is as
solid as one has a right to expect from :wumpscut:. The vocals and
repetitious nature on "Line of Corpses" threaten to diminish the
track beyond repair, but with "Hate Is Mine" as the next track, "Line
of Corpses" might as well be something off of killer _Bloodchild_
album. "Bleed in Silence" and "Eclipse" are nearly unspeakable in
their atrocity, so seek out _Bloodchild_ and forget _Wreath of Barbs_
even exists; Heaven knows I'll try. Do us all a mighty big favor and
lose Aleta Welling, Rudy (Ratzinger -- founder); the female vocals
almost destroyed this otherwise mediocre effort.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
__ __ _
/\ \ \_____ __ /\ \ \___ (_)___ ___
/ \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
/ /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/
\_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|
If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo, including a
bio, if you want to be reviewed. We accept demos either on
traditional media or MP3 format. E-mail us at
<mailto:Demos@ChroniclesOfChaos.com> to know which is the most
appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape, in case
you are sending one, or to indicate the location of a website from
which we can download the MP3 files of your entire demo (but do
NOT send any files attached to your e-mail).
Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_ (4-track demo)
by: David Rocher (*****)
The return of Green Bay's atmospheric death trio is one I awaited
indeed. Aphotic's eponymous first demo [CoC #51] had already struck
me as a sample of finely crafted tracks of forlorn beauty, and these
four new tracks merely comfort me in my opinion that I have stumbled
upon one of the finest unsigned bands I have ever heard. Aphotic have
successfully evolved towards introducing new elements of technicality
and discreet variety in their ambient death metal, and the material
on _Under Veil of Dark_ is memorable indeed. Fine melodies placed in
quiet repose on a powerful, compelling rhythm section -- alas still
filled by a drum machine, which is realistically the -only- point I
can even mildly begrudge _Under Veil of Dark_ --, simple, extremely
charismatic vocals -- very similar in style and inspiration to those
of Micke Akerfeldt's -- turn deeply introspective tracks such as
"Precipice" or "Atmosphere" into monuments of forlorn, beautifully
ornate sorrowful metal. With their second demo, Aphotic have raised
their music to a new tier, and although they do not, as of yet,
display the maturity of masters _Brave Murder Day_-era Katatonia or
present-day Opeth, they are quite clearly revealing themselves as a
powerful, emotional force to be reckoned with... provided a label
plays its cards right and grants them the chance they so direly
deserve.
[Pedro Azevedo: "Sounding a bit like a more death metal version of
the Katatonia side-project October Tide, Aphotic show vast potential
in this demo. Tight, intense and atmospheric, the music clearly
proves that this is a band that can grow into something special in
the future, if they are given that chance -- and they definitely
should be."]
Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, P.O. Box 8236, Green Bay,
WI 54308-8236, USA
mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com
Binding - _Relict_ (6-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (***--)
Sounding like a weak cross between Nine Inch Nails and mid-era
Pitchshifter comes the duo of Binding. Their music -- an abrasive
(yet varied) onslaught of industrial rhythms and distorted vocals --
sounds good, but there seems to be something missing here. The
production is adequate at best, and that leaves me to believe that
maybe with a bit better production then the band's ideas would be
more enhanced and direct. This style needs a good production to allow
the music to pummel us as the material unfolds. I also think the duo
of Dan Hinds and Nels Bruckner are trying too hard (at certain points
on the album) to bring multiple styles of sounds into the music.
Certain songs sound too weighed down with ideas (i.e. "Bitter
Spirit") and that causes the material to suffer. Also, the vocals
need to be worked on, as the heavy drive of the music seems to be
mismatched with the slow, out of sync vocals. _Relict_ is a good
demo; it just needs a little bit of a touch-up. Note: cover of Devo
classic "Girl U Want" is pretty good.
Contact: Binding Station, P.O. Box 5965, Bellevue, WA 98006, USA
mailto:nelsb@bendcable.com
http://the-plague.com/binding/
Biomechanical - _Distorted_ (4-track demo)
by: Alvin Wee (*****)
Years since I receive a demo to get all hot 'n' excited about, and at
the snap of a finger, these lads from London send one winging my
way. It's a surprise Biomechanical isn't already a household name
in prog-power circles given the awe-inspiring potency on this
four-tracker, but it won't be long before some European eagle-eyes
pick this quartet up. Opener "The Awakening" sears faces with its
deliciously disharmonic riffery and surprisingly melodic chorus,
reminiscent of the Stateside tech-wizardry of Fates Warning or
Queensryche, but with all the muscle and attitude of a furiously
provoked Iced Earth. Indeed, portions on the subsequent "Do You Know
Me" sound eerily like their frozen cousins across the pond, and the
grandiosity of "In the Core of Darkness" wouldn't sound out of place
on _Stormrider_. Never once does the band sound weakly derivative,
however; if anything, their versatility shines through impressively
in the rapid switches between Metallica-style strongarm-thrash and
the filmic bombast of Dream Theater. Such a description can only do
injustice to the brilliance of the material on offer here --
comparing a band as inventive and polished as this to any other is an
ultimately futile task. Hardly a bone to pick with what turns out to
be one of the most unforgettable demos ever, as even the occasional
Fear Factory-style shouts fit perfectly in the already mind-boggling
music: complex enough to impress but never once losing the ear
of even a die-hard traditionalist like me. Drop by the equally
impressive website for a preview of a band possibly on par with
greats like Spiral Architect or Nevermore. I wouldn't be surprised
seeing an album of theirs in the newest Hellion catalog.
[Paul Schwarz: "Biomechanical's fusion of power, prog and thrash
metal elements into a single sound -- and one which is markedly
-theirs-, rather than the doppelganger of another band's -- puts
them alongside such acts as Iced Earth, Nevermore and Evergrey:
bands who
manage to make individually characteristic, broadly
original metal which, though cast from a traditional mould, is
nonetheless both modern and heavy. It's about time a quality band of
this sort emerged from metal's birthplace. Biomechanical sound like
they could well become leaders and not followers in their field."]
Contact: http://www.biomechanical.co.uk
Blessed - _Consume 3000_ (4-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (***--)
The production on this demo is excessively bassy, but Blessed's
harsh, oppressive and somewhat Swedish-sounding death metal still
manages to show some promise. The band tries to pull out some twisted
harmonies and does so with moderate success, and despite the limiting
artifical drums they still had to use on this demo CD, they do at
least have something reasonable to build upon. The doomy atmosphere
and somewhat despondent death grunts give this demo some character,
but the band still needs to become a tighter unit -- how successfully
they manage to incorporate a human drummer into the band should prove
very important for their future.
Contact: http://go.to/blessed/
Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_ (3-track demo)
by: David Rocher (****-)
Another pack of talented newcomers from the region of Rennes,
Brittany, comes in the guise of the brutal hardcore outfit named
Field of Illusion. As a definite disliker of the hardcore genre --
the attitude, general stance and, most of all, the goddamn music
usually succeeds in boring the living daylights out of me --, I was
more than wary about reviewing this three-track demo. However,
the wariness I displayed took a turn for the best, since Field
of Illusion seem to be clearly and prominently influenced by
hardcore-laden acts such Dying Fetus and the once glorious trash
scene, with a vocalist who sounds uncannily like Holy Moses goddess
Sabina Classen. Although FoI's hardcore influences are pretty obvious
and unconcealed, this demo generally has the aggressive flavour of
thrashing metal, as downright slow, almost doomy parts are blasted
away by massive, stomping death metal-tinged hardcore onslaughts, to
which I am unwittingly nodding my head, neck and torso as I write
these lines. FoI's first demo features generally catchy, competently
played, well-produced and professional material from this band --
I'm more than pleasantly surprised, despite the fact that some
excessively stomping hardcore-style segues have, at times, had me
dwelling upon a rather dubious sentiment of dislike.
Contact: Ludovic Pecot, 23 Rue de Montual,
35590 La Chapelle Thouarault, France
Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_ (4-track promo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (****-)
Godless describe themselves as purveyors of "epic death metal". The
"epic" bit may be debatable, but at least they do seem to strive to
achieve it. The disc in question is what the band calls a "rough mix
promo" of a four-track, half-hour record. They specifically state it
is -not- for sale, just promotion; I assume they are either getting
it properly mixed and packaged on their own or hope to find a label
to help them do so through this promo. In any case, _Let There Be
Darkness_ consists of obscure death metal with mostly raspy vocals
and plenty of involved lead guitar work. Godless also experiment with
more complex song structures -- as indicated by the nearly fifteen
minute long third track -- and the final track even sees them playing
some rather competent doom/death. Production-wise, my expectations
weren't exactly high after reading about the "rough mix" thing, and
indeed this CD sounds every bit like your average demo tape, but I
shall refrain from dwelling on this subject too much since the sound
is apparently meant to be perfected. The rhythmic backbone is
provided by what sounds very much like a drum machine being used in a
rather limited way. This doesn't exactly destroy the music, but a
good human drummer could certainly add an extra dimension to the
whole thing. Still, taken as a demo CD, the material is quite good
and reasonably varied, and shows that this Greek band could be on
their way to recording some rather interesting things in the future
if they are given a good opportunity to do so.
Contact: mailto:godlesstheband@yahoo.gr
In Grey - _Above_ (2-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (****-)
This is the third demo CD In Grey have sent me [CoC #42, #52], and
after the disappointing second one they now seem to be firmly back on
track. A measly 7+ minutes are not a lot to judge a band by, but they
do at least provide a reasonably strong indication that In Grey
are headed somewhere more interesting than last time. "Above" is
distinctly goth metal, and not bad at that, with some improvements in
the clean vocal area as well. "I Amaze" is a more atmospheric song
and more to my liking. Both tracks, but especially the latter, bear
slight resemblance to some aspects of Katatonia's recent work as
well. Not much else to write about such a short demo, except that the
musicianship and production cannot be faulted, especially considering
this is a demo. I shall be significantly more interested in hearing a
more substantial disc from In Grey now -- and considering they have
been around since 1992(!), perhaps it is about time they get their
opportunity.
Contact: http://www.in-grey.com
Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_ (3-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (***--)
Featuring two members of Ragnarok, this Norwegian band perform mainly
mid-paced black metal. For some reason unclear to this reviewer, they
have two bassists. The guitar sound is somewhat subdued, but that is
more likely to be a fault of the production rather then a deliberate
attempt at restraining the guitar. The drumming is terrible, but then
again this is a feature of all NeoDawn Productions demo releases, so
I wouldn't hold that against them. Kharon do succeed in creating
sinister atmospheres without the incessant and unnecessary use of
keyboards. A notable first attempt.
Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de
Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_
by: Adrian Bromley (**---) (10-track demo)
What could have been a promising release from Denmark musician Klaus
B. Hansen and his cohorts turns into a murky and downright bland
death 'n' roll extravaganza. The production is real poor sounding and
the music is far from original. The music here takes a huge chunk of
its sound/style from the mighty Entombed and injects it with a sleazy
sex drive that would make most whores proud. While not shit, Hansen
needs to rework the material here and clean up the production first
and foremost before most metal fans will find this interesting, Maybe
this is still in the working stages? Who knows? Whatever the case may
be, Hansen needs to clean up this trashy, sex-fueled metal machine
and tone down the whole party feel for the album, 'cause it goes
about as far as the town drunk goes after ten pints. Not far at all,
eh? Only track worth mentioning is the blistering "We Kill".
Contact: HYR Inc. Prod., Vesterbrogade 37 1TH., 1620 CPH V, Denmark
Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_ (4-track demo)
by: David Rocher (**---)
Try as I might, my attention merely fails to be allured by the four
death metal tracks on this Breton act's first demo CD. While they
are not ultimately bad, and appear to be technically proficient,
Manorblatz simply lack the sparkle and professional attitude that
will likely get a label to cast an attentive ear on them. The general
syndrome which Manorblatz seem to be suffering from is that, akin to
the opener track "Reduced to Ash", their material features some good
individual riffs and only decent vocals (somewhat reminiscent of
Loudblast's Stephane Buriez), but is in turn reduced to not much more
than ash by an overtly loud drum machine, a blatantly uncanny song
structure and rather pointless guitar leads. Manorblatz in fact seem
to want to cram that bit too much of everything under the sun into
their metal, and thus end up inconsistently running around all over
the place without actually getting anywhere. However, on a more
positive note, there is capacity for improvement here, so I can only
hope Manorblatz will use that for a forthcoming release. The four
tracks on this MCD will soon be re-released on a split CD with German
black metallers Nachtmahr, so that may be the chance to check both
these bands out in one session, if you care to.
Contact: Charles Castrec, 17 square Auguste Dupouy, 35700 Rennes,
France
Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_ (6-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (***--)
Yet another band utilizing the "necro" prefix. "Necro" must be most
overused prefix in metal along with "dark". Fortunately, this
complete lack of originality in choosing a band name is not reflected
in their music. After opening with a lame intro of barking dogs, they
explode into their frenzied blackened death metal assault, their
razor sharp riffs embedding themselves well within your brain. As
with all NeoDawn Productions, the drumming sounds atrocious; yet in
this case, it doesn't detract from their sound. Instead, it makes
Necroplasma sound even more aggressive and intense. And to think that
all this noise is created by only three guys! Well worth checking
out. Watch out, these guys will have a record deal soon enough!
Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de
Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_ (10-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (**---)
While I must give Tony Mikkelson (the lone member in the act) props
for making an effort to push Terminal Descent into the right
direction with the brutal death metal attack of this ten-song demo, I
am sad to say that the musical arrangements do nothing for me, other
than the interesting number "Taming the Beasts". While a brutal
assault is unleashed in sporadic intervals throughout, the remainder
of the music here flows with a rather sedated and annoying groove,
joined by gruff vocals that don't sound too intense -- something the
music could have used. No doubt Mikkelson is eager to make things for
Terminal Descent; I just think a bit more time toning the brutal
attack and tightening of the song structure needs to be done before
results start to take shape. Who knows? Maybe some new band members
might help shape things up a bit better. For now, the present state
of the band comes across as uninspired.
Contact: Terminal Descent, c/o Tony Mikkelson, 236 N. 11th St.,
Forest City, IA 50436-1516, USA
mailto:eternalmindset@aol.com
http://www.members.tripod.com/terminaldescent/
Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ (5-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (*****)
This first demo by one-man band Vinterriket presents us with five
dark ambient, almost entirely instrumental tracks. Considerable
variety is displayed within the five songs, ranging from sinister
synthscapes to more reflective moods, with neoclassical sounding
synths coming into play at times yet never failing to maintain a
cold, desolate atmosphere. Yes, this entire album is keyboard/synth
based. So what? Keyboards can display a variety of emotions and
moods. Anyone who has the slightest interest in this underrated
sub-genre of extreme music should check out this demo. An auspicious
start.
Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com
Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_ (3-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (****-)
This 7" was recorded between _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ and _Sturme der
letze Stille_. _Det Svake Lys_ contains three dark ambient songs
pretty much like their first demo. What I appreciate about this demo
-- and _GJS_ -- is that Vinterriket doesn't rely on endless
monotonous loops to create atmospheric tracks: he (it's a one man
band) instils all the songs with considerable variety. After opening
with the title song, which is nothing more then a brief intro, they
launch into "Nattefrost", a beautifully evocative piece of music.
"Zauber Oer Nacht", the third track, is by contrast more ominous and
mournful than the preceding track. While not quite as good as _GJS_,
_DSL_ it is nevertheless still worth hearing at least once, if you
have even the faintest interest in dark ambient soundscapes.
Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com
Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_ (6-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (**---)
What a disappointment. After the brilliant first demo, Vinterriket
just had to unnecessarily "try to expand their sound" with the
addition of clean male vocals and drums. While I can't blame
Vinterriket for wishing to experiment, I wasn't impressed with either
the vocals or the drums. The monotone vocals, while excellent in
emphasising the dismal nature of the songs, do start to get a bit
irritating after a couple of tracks. The drumming, which at times
sounds as if it should be backing some death or black metal track,
generally doesn't fit in with the softer ambient soundscapes.
Furthermore, the tracks do not really have their own identity and
tend to blur into one indistinguishable mass. A pity, since I really
loved their first demo. Still looking forward to their next release,
though.
Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com
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\/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/
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\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, A BILL TO FORGET
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC attends Tristania, Rotting Christ, Vintersorg and Madder Mortem
in l'Antipode, Rennes, France, on October 4th 2001
by: David Rocher
Obviously, for a mildly cantankerous individual such as myself,
something was not right from the very second I checked this night's
bill out: from what I grasped, Finntroll were cancelled owing to
their "Joik" singer Jari falling ill, and worse -- why the hell were
Rotting Christ not announced as headliners to this show? With this
rather irritating interrogation in mind, I nonetheless was very eager
to check at least three of the bands on the roster this evening out,
and was also rather intrigued to see whether Vintersorg would succeed
in boring me out of my shoes in five minutes flat, as they had done
at the Wacken Open Air this year -- quite possibly, fans will argue,
owing to the rather averse conditions at the "Kult" German festival.
I didn't really know what to expect from Madder Mortem. Much as
I truly enjoy their two full-length releases, _Mercury_ [CoC #37] and
_All Flesh Is Grass_ [CoC #54], I was very unsure as to how they
would fare on stage; they did, in fact, fare pretty damn well. Their
attitude, for one aspect, was very appreciable -- the Norwegian
quintet seemed honestly chuffed to be playing that evening, and the
intrigued crowd, gathered in small numbers around the stage, reacted
enthusiastically. Madder Mortem focused essentially on the more
muscular excerpts of their second album, and devotedly stormed
through powerful renditions of tracks such as "Breaker of Worlds",
"To Kill and Kill Again", "Ruby Red", "Turn the War On", "4
Chambers", as well as a track from their debut _Mercury_ (maybe
"Under Another Moon" -- my memory fails me). All throughout their
set, Madder Mortem's frontwoman Agnete M. Kirkevaag energetically
strode, jumped and headbanged around the stage, and seemed delighted
to notice that the band's performance had got a few headbangers
going; Madder Mortem in fact broke into an unreleased track, one of
their heaviest so far, which a beaming Agnete fittingly announced
with the words "Here is a track for you to headbang to!", a
commandment which the few metallers gathered at the front were only
too glad to heed to. Obviously, the half hour or so which Madder
Mortem spent on stage in Rennes was as appreciated by the fans
and intrigued observers as it was by the band itself; their
unpretentious, convincing and surprisingly heavy posture does them
great credit -- I look forward to seeing them again, and wish them
well, for they are truly a deserving band.
Rather nonplussed at the prospect of seeing Vintersorg live
again, and having heard some of their material being aired on a car
stereo on the Antipode's parking lot, I nonetheless let curiosity
wash over me, and proceeded back to the stage as the Norwegians took
to the stage. Well, I admit I was more than pleasantly surprised that
night, as Vintersorg amazed me by the quality of his vocals and his
general presence on stage, more than just partly due to the angered
expressions that played across his face as he sung lyrics that were
obviously very meaningful to him; in fact, all musicians that night
put on a great show, playing both tightly and emotionally, and
Vintersorg delivered a very entertaining three quarters of an hour of
epic, blasting and melodic metal. The most impressive point was the
insane ease with which Vintersorg shifted between vocal styles,
moving from rasping black metal screams to perfectly on-key melodic,
epic chants in the space of a split second -- wow! Surprisingly to
me, Vintersorg concluded their very convincing performance that night
with an equally convincing cover of Uriah Heap's "Starshooter".
Another in-depth listen to a CD of theirs has since then proved to me
that I'm not much of a fan of theirs when they aren't on stage, but I
can only concede that with the right conditions gathered as they were
that night, Vintersorg are an excellent, distinctly potent live act.
The next on the list were Greek black metal legends Rotting
Christ, who were the main reason to my presence that night; I was
obviously not alone, and as they appeared on stage, the small crowd
attending their set (insanely enough, many wimps and poseurs had
actually left the hall after Vintersorg concluded their set) erupted
into a throaty welcome roar. During the forty-five minutes which they
were granted up there, the unholy five-pointed star played an array
of material from all their albums, bar _Passage to Arcturo_ and _Thy
Mighty Contract_ -- a bit of a letdown to me, especially as they
instead concentrated on their rather indigent works _A Dead Poem_ and
_Sleep of the Angels_. Although those songs, despite being distinctly
soft in the knee, actually sounded quite convincing on stage, I
was totally elated when they played "The Fifth Illusion" from
_Non Serviam_, "King of a Stellar War", "Archon" and another
track ("Diastric Alchemy"?) from the brilliant _Triarchy of the
Lost Lovers_. Seeing the Hellenic sorcerers live was a bewitching
experience for all the followers they had gathered that night --
their set was flawless, beautifully unholy and extremely powerful,
and totally failed to subdue the lingering feeling of anger the clung
to my stomach when I first noticed they were merely -opening- for
Tristania.
After Sakis and his brethren left the stage, I was torn between
two choices. The journalist in me felt that he should attempt to
withstand at least two tracks of gothic goo-metal (which he finally
did, forcing me to act akin), while the seething, outraged Rotting
Christ fan in me screamed at me to turn on my heels and bluntly
ignore the Norwegian romantic-metallers' performance. Well, as I just
evoked, the journalist in me pulled it off, and I stood my ground --
or at least, I tried. I had only ever heard two tracks from
Tristania, so, I thought, my resentment was maybe unfounded. Wrong,
and totally so. Tristania, my friends, are terrible on CD, and are
absolutely -pathetic- live. Their cheap, keyboard-laden metal was as
tedious to me as it was sadly successful that night, and their
frontmen did nothing to lighten my heart. Whereas their very
diminutive male screamer, sporting one of the silliest looks I have
ever witnessed, rasped, headbanged and raised countless signs of the
horns to the attending crowd, Tristania's lead vocalist put on a
(very feeble) alluring glare whilst attempted to lasciviously sway
her hips, when she was not standing three feet back from the mike to
indulge in some playback chanting. I am aware that her tentatively
arousing stances may provoke rather drastic testosterone surges in
many a male fan of theirs, but they totally slipped over me, and
after two tracks, I got bored of being pelted with sickeningly sweet
tragicomic metal and frilly-collared velvet clothes, and headed
outside with a blase shoulder shrug and a deep furrow barring my
forehead.
The most sickening consideration strikes me as being the fact
that Rotting Christ released their _Satanas Tedeum_ back in 1989;
now, I agree I'm probably pushing it -hard-, but a wild stab in the
dark would suggest that when Sakis first raised the sign of the horns
grabbed on his unhallowed path to Greek black metal supremacy,
Tristania's members were little more than a malicious gleam in their
respective parents' eyes; yet, that night, they had Rotting Christ
-opening- for them. Obviously, business embodies an ever-increasing
segment of the metal world, but a bill such as this evening's is as
offensive to me as it is disrespectful of a pioneering band's genius.
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M U R D E R ! D E A T H ! T O K E !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enslaved, Electric Wizard, Macabre and Horde of Worms
at the Reverb in Toronto, ON on December 18th 2001
by: Adam Wasylyk
Having to make a last minute decision to attend the night's
festivities, due to the unconfirmed status of many bands on the bill
-- the Canadian/US border can oftentimes be an unpredictable obstacle
in the face of tours -- thankfully the correct decision was made, as
the bands on hand would play what turned out to be one of the best
shows in 2001.
Florida's Diabolic ended up not playing -- one of its members
was denied entry -- and I later heard that the members of Electric
Wizard had to take a taxi into Canada in order to play. Despite the
theatrics that occurred behind the scenes, the bill still proved to
be a strong one.
Toronto's Horde of Worms opened the night to scattered applause,
as many who would be in attendance had not been let in yet. Having
had only three hours notice before playing may have had something to
do with their lack of bite on this night, and the lacklustre sound
didn't help. Their material just didn't seem to shine as it does on
disc. What turned out to be a good set could have been much more, had
circumstances been in their favour.
Ah, Murder Metal. The fiends from Chicago were in good form
tonight, as the well-toured Macabre have had almost two decades to
develop and sharpen their live bite. Delighting the audience with the
storytelling hysterics of singer/guitarist Corporate Death, "Dog
Guts" was the first plate of horror to be offered to its fans, which
was eagerly consumed. The band's prior LP _Dahmer_ would prove to be
well represented tonight, as additional tracks "Scrub a Dub Dub",
"Exposure" and the pulverizingly heavy "Hitchhiker" were performed
with the usual Macabre gusto. And what would a Macabre set be without
its classics? Killer tracks like "Zodiac", "Vampire of Dusseldorf",
"Montreal Massacre", "Albert Fish Was Worse Than Any Fish in the
Sea", "Nightstalker", not to mention the inclusion of "Killing Spree
(Postal Worker)", a track off _Gloom_ [Dr. Holmes (He Stripped Their
Bones)] and a glimpse into their next LP _Murder Metal_ to be
released next spring, in the form of "The Hillside Stranglers". An
appetite for murder now satisfied, it was on to greener pastures...
"Green" being the key word in the sound and style of the UK's
Electric Wizard. Having had ample time to consume some green in
between sets put me in the right frame of mind to maximize my ability
to absorb the super heavy riffs that the trio would produce in their
40 odd minute set. What I immediately noticed about the live
stoner band was how relaxed they were. This may be an obvious
observation, but when their live persona is compared to Macabre or
(later) Enslaved, one will notice how the vibes differ. An intimate
atmosphere was achieved; it was as if the crowd had been invited to a
jamming session. And god dammit it was heavy. Very heavy. It was as
if they had taken a page from the book of Black Sabbath and tore it
into pieces, using the fragments as rolling papers for their cosmic
weed. It quickly became apparent that I was either on par or higher
than the band themselves, as moments of self-introspection took my
mind away from the hard working trio on stage. And their drummer sure
knows how to beat those skins. I'll have to check them out on disc
when I get the first chance to do so. Hey, where did that joint go?
Ah, it's in my hand. Fly on, you crazy albatross.
As they proved to me at last year's Milwaukee MetalFest,
Enslaved may very well be one of the top live metal bands touring
today. They perform their material with such feeling, with such
energy. The intensity never gets a chance to lull, which is surely a
testimony to the quality of material they've created over the years.
Simply put, they're just that good. Opening with "Slaget I Skogen
Bortenfor", a devastating opener, which was performed brilliantly
sans keyboards. It proved to be a strong first impression by the
band, who could have easily decided to coast from there on in had
they wanted to. Keeping the intensity high -- and their set list
diverse -- newer songs like "Convoys to Nothingness" and "Vision:
Sphere of the Elements - A Monument Part II" off their new disc
_Monumension_ were worked in effortlessly between classic tracks such
as "Eld" and "Wotan". Having made the impression they wanted to, they
left a crowd exhausted and wanting more. An incredible performance,
one of best sets I had the pleasure to witness all year.
And so ended one of the more diverse tours to hit Toronto in
some time. One could make a point that this tour is a clear example
of different types of metal uniting under one single cause -- that
unification is more productive than segregation. Think about it.
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T H E I R S P E C I A L F R I E N D P I N K Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anathema at the Hard Club, Gaia, Portugal
October 20th, 2001
by: Pedro Azevedo
Oh dear. It is a good thing that I'm not into joining fan clubs,
or else I might find myself thrown out of the Anathema club one of
these days. Not only did I give their latest album _A Fine Day to
Exit_ a measly 7.5 [CoC #55], I am actually about to criticize this
live performance of theirs more than I shall praise it. And Anathema
were my number one choice for band I would most like to see live...
So was it really that bad? Paradoxically enough, no -- not at
all, really. As a matter of fact, this was a very good gig... for a
highly professional rock band, that is. Anathema have been around for
quite a few years now, and quite clearly they've grown tired of a few
things in their music. Danny Cavanagh's current rock approach to
guitar playing quite simply fails to convey the emotion his work
once did; Les Smith's keyboards fail to compensate for that; new
(temporary?) bassist George looked both uninterested and longing
to be someplace else. Drummer John Douglas was both technically
impeccable and seemed to be enjoying himself, but it was pretty much
down to Vincent Cavanagh's mesmerizing vocal performance to keep the
whole thing above average. Which, as a matter of fact, bears striking
resemblance to the way I feel about their latest album.
Contrary to the previous night in Lisbon, where from what I
heard Anathema played only a few songs from the new album, this time
they played around half a dozen of them. Vinny showed enough irony to
try to perform a head count on the people who actually had the album
midway through the concert, but bitter irony it was: most people
didn't know the new songs, but then they were hardly engaging in any
way like Anathema used to be.
Like I mentioned before, it was Vincent's superb vocals that
carried the band along throughout the gig. Nevertheless, the
charismatic frontman's approach to the band's music these days often
allows him to be quite the jester between songs -- which is all fine,
except for me it tends to ruin the deeply emotional music that's
supposed to follow. One example of that is when Vinny told the
audience "See? We can smile too!", followed by a big grin; funny, but
then he introduced the following song with "We're gonna play a really
miserable song for you now" -- by then the song was half ruined
already as far as I was concerned, and the emotion he showed while
singing it consequently came across as less than genuine. I'd rather
see Katatonia's Jonas Renkse hiding his face behind his hands and
staring at the floor for most of his performance -- at least it
relates to the band's music a lot more.
Before Anathema went on stage, Portuguese opening act Divine
Lust tried to impress the audience by playing an Anathema cover and
having Vinny do some vocals. I believe it was "Shroud of False", but
since the whole concert started a good hour earlier than scheduled, I
missed it, together with the rest of Divine Lust's performance. I was
told by various people that Vinny appeared on stage for that cameo
wearing big eyeglasses, a hat with two antennas and also that he ate
a banana on stage.
Throughout the hour and a half Anathema played for, they
performed with superior musicianship a selection of tracks from their
last couple of albums. The _Judgement_ material came across better
than the new songs, in my opinion, but they seemed to pick a lot
of calmer material off _Judgement_ as well -- adding up to an
excessively soft performance, in my opinion. "Fragile Dreams" was
sung mostly by the audience, to the band's obvious delight, but it
was the only track off _Alternative 4_ besides "Empty" to make it to
the setlist. Similarly to the other time I saw Anathema live, they
wrapped it up with "A Dying Wish" from the immortal _The Silent
Enigma_, and a cover song. "A Dying Wish" (or "frying fish", like
Vinny amusingly announced it) included a couple of rather lengthy and
noisy interludes, but lost none of its impact; I felt saddened at how
much more enjoyable it was than their recent material. This time the
final cover song was a very heartfelt version of Pink Floyd's
"Comfortably Numb", after Vinny had added some more theatricals
talking to his invisible friend Pinky. Vinny then said goodbye and
wished everyone a good life, and so ended the gig.
Having already seen Anathema once in Manchester, I was less than
impressed by Anathema's _A Fine Day to Exit_-enhanced setlist. The
sound, lighting, scenario and performance were all superb this time,
but the unimpressive new material and a few annoying details made it
a lot less enjoyable for me than I had hoped. Like I wrote in the
beginning of this article, this was a superb gig for a rock band; but
I feel Anathema have lost a lot of what made them special to me. On
the other hand, they seem to be steadily growing into the new Pink
Floyd, or maybe something even bigger than that.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
C U T T I N G T H R O U G H T H E S H I T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nitemare, Razor and Reckon With One
at Lee's Palace in Toronto, ON on November 24th 2001
by: Adam Wasylyk
Ah yes, the local metal show. It's unfortunate I don't attend
such shows anymore, but for good reason. Simply put, the local bands
of today that are able to hold my interest for more than five
consecutive seconds can be counted on one hand. God knows it didn't
used to be this way.
As many metal fans in Toronto will attest to, the mid-to-late
'90s contained the worst years concerning tour stops of international
acts. In those years I remember checking the primitive websites of
Earache and Metal Blade, hoping to find a Toronto tour date under a
Tours link. But I would find no such luck. I, like many, took solace
in what we had available to us: the local show. The bands were
exciting, energetic, and passionate. I made my first connections in
the underground scene through my friendships at these very shows.
Those were the days.
As 2001 draws to a close, local metal fans had a lot to be
thankful for. Most major North American tours had Toronto stops, with
its last of the year featuring the mighty Enslaved. But the
local shows continually feature acts that are either overexposed,
unoriginal, or flat out awful. While the bill on this cold November
night wasn't overly thrilling, I found the pull of Razor too strong
to resist. After all, "Evil Invaders" was a favourite song of mine,
having seen the music video countless times throughout the years. And
it was a Saturday night as well -- what the hell, right?
We arrive at the infamous Toronto club as Reckon With One are
taking the stage. When I soon discovered what was emanated from the
speakers was not to my liking, a lengthy bathroom break and some
light conversation with metal folk was in order. I would also take a
moment to observe those in attendance tonight. I immediately noticed
that I was the youngest in attendance. The scores of old tasseled
leather jackets, fluffy mounds of hair and tight blue jeans proved to
be a humorous point in my mind as the night progressed. Not feeling
out of place was nearly impossible. I was far from home, my bed
becoming more attractive by the minute. As Reckon With One played to
the 15 individuals who physically expressed their interest upfront,
it came to an end. And not a second too soon.
It's worthy of note that Razor has played major metal festivals
in Europe in the past few years, playing to legions of appreciative
fans. On this night, less than 150 people would come out to see one
of the more important metal bands to come out of Canada. Pathetic,
isn't it?
Opening with "Miami", the newest incarnation of Razor played a
decent mix of both old and new material, attempting to satisfy the
pangs felt by those who appreciate this speed/thrash Canadian legend.
Their set draws to an end, and as the drummer hits his last beat he
flings his sticks into the audience. Having moved to the front at
this point in time, the stick flies in my direction. I ready myself
to catch it, but find that it has already hit the face of Chronicles
of Chaos co-editor Adrian "The Energizer" Bromley, sending him to the
ground butt first. The stick finds the ground at my feet, still
spinning from its tumultuous ride. I quickly kneel down and snatch it
into my hand. It was mine. I rise to my feet, as a feeling of victory
overwhelms me. I can almost say with absolute certainty that I would
have felt the exact same way had I been holding the Olympic torch
instead. As I look to those in my circle of friends for both
congratulations and jealous acknowledgment, I realize that Adrian is
still on the ground, gazing at me with a look of bewilderment. So I
helped him up, and continued to revel in my excitement.
Razor hit the stage for an encore. Their singer poses a question
to the audience: "What do you want to hear now?" As if the answer
wasn't completely obvious to anyone in the club who wasn't old enough
to experience an early form of senility. Still standing close to the
stage, I yell "EVIL INVADERS!" loud enough for those in the back to
hear me. It proves impossible for the band to hear my request. "So
you wanna hear "Evil Invaders?", the vocalist asks, toying with me.
They rip into it, and what a moment it was. Securing my drumstick up
the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt, I surprisingly begin to mosh.
Surprisingly, because I had never done it seriously beforehand. It
was worth it. A great rendition was performed to my delight -- my
aural orgasm for the night had been achieved. As the band finished
their set, so did one of the best local sets of 2001.
Exhausted by Razor's set, I had had enough. A car ride home
would reveal itself, proving too difficult to turn down. As we exit
and circle around the club to the parking lot, we run into the
drummer of Razor. While not having a pen to autograph my stick, he
gives me the next best thing -- biting down on the end of the stick.
His molar and incisor indentations forever immortalized in wood, we
begin our long journey home.
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::.: ::: : : : : : : : : : :
Here is where things get ugly. Writer's Wrath gives our writers a
chance to voice their own opinions about certain hot topics in the
scene today. Check out this column for the most obscene and
controversial ramblings this side of the National Enquirer.
C H A O T I C C A N V A S O F C R E A T I O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC gathers the insight of metal graphic artists
Travis Smith, Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel
by: Pedro Azevedo
Prologue
~~~~~~~~
I shall not pretend to know what really influences your first
impression of some album you pick up from a shelf in a store, see in
an advert somewhere, or receive in the mail. But as far as I am
concerned, the cover art, layout and general imagery definitely help
set the mood for the music. This is not to say that there cannot be a
great album without fitting artwork, but, as is the case with lyrics,
something seems to be amiss in the album if the artwork does not
befit the music. Far beyond the first impression I mentioned, the
artwork can blend with the music inside, complementing and enhancing
it.
I could talk about "unsung heroes" when discussing the artists
behind some of the CD covers in your collection, but names such as
Dave McKean and Travis Smith are quite well-known these days. Some
others, however, despite their talent and potential, are far from
achieving that status. The following article aims to harvest ideas
and opinions from some of these artists whose work adorns the records
we own. Instead of attempting to contact every one of the most
well-known artists I could reach, I opted for some variety and
instead contacted artists of varying fame and reputation -- the main
link between them, besides metal, being the quality of their work.
The reason behind the decision to place this article in Writer's
Wrath is essentially the somewhat unusual nature of the subjects
discussed throughout the four interviews, which is occasionally
hardly related to music at all.
Here, and also at the end of the article, you can find links to
the artists' respective websites, where you will find samples of
their work. I hope and trust you will find something worthwhile
there, and also in this article.
Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com
Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com
Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/
Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary)
A Portrait of the Artists
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This section is far from pretending to serve as a biography of
sorts for these four men. Rather, it intends to briefly mention some
of their work to help you visualize their creations -- although
perhaps ideally you should start browsing their websites as you read
on.
Travis Smith is undoubtedly the best known of the four as a
graphic artist. As far as metal is concerned, and given his
impressive rise in the last couple of years, currently he is perhaps
second only to Dave McKean. Katatonia's _Tonight's Decision_ and
_Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, Opeth's _Blackwater Park_, Nevermore's
_Dreaming Neon Black_ and _Dead Heart in a Dead World_, Suffocation's
_Despise the Sun_ EP, Novembers Doom, Anathema, Death, HatePlow,
Devin Townsend... The list literally goes on and on, and seems to
keep getting bigger by the day. Travis Smith is possibly the most
fashionable, and unquestionably one of the most talented, graphic
artists in metal today.
Niklas Sundin is currently one of the bright rising stars in the
field. Well known for his guitar work in the band Dark Tranquillity,
he has recently created cover art for several Century Media acts,
including his own band, and business seems promising for him. In
addition to Dark Tranquillity's _Projector_ and _Haven_, he was
responsible for Sentenced's _Crimson_, Eternal Tears of Sorrow's
_Chaotic Beauty_, ...And Oceans' _AMGoD_ and Flowing Tears' _Jade_,
among others.
Juha Vuorma is a name that may sound familiar to some of you,
but is unlikely to be widely recognized. He hasn't been involved in
projects with major bands, yet with his distinctive style he has
created some of the most impressive artwork in the metal world. My
favourite has to be the illustration for In the Woods' song "I Am
Your Flesh", but he also created remarkable art for Arthemesia's
_Devs-Iratvs_, Unholy's _Gracefallen_ and Kalmah's _Swamplord_.
Pedro Daniel is a name you may remember from the Chronicles of
Chaos website. He was the one responsible for the creation of our
introductory page as well as our logo. More relevant to this article,
however, is his work for several more or less underground bands,
mostly within Portugal. Although less visible to the masses, his
talent is comparable to the others' and he complements the spectrum
of artists I aimed to gather for this article.
Let us then begin where it all begins for the artist.
The Process of Creation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What makes me want to create the images is whatever makes a
writer want to write or a musician want to create music", begins
Travis Smith. "It's just something inside that you need to let out.
The process is usually very chaotic, because I tend to have more than
one thing to concentrate on at a time. The hardest part usually is
getting the best idea for each thing, and then it's a matter of
finding the best way to make it work. If it's for a CD, I have to
study the theme or find out some details about the songs, and then
see what comes to mind. Usually a few good things do come to mind,
and I pick a few I'd like to do from them. Then it's just a matter of
doing the photos and drawings to build the piece."
For Niklas Sundin, "the process itself can vary a lot. It is
very important not to sit in front of the drawing board or computer
all the time, and instead constantly feed the mind. The process can
be very organized as well as very chaotic and incidental, but the
best artwork is often the result of a hard working discipline." He
adds: "I've always been drawing and painting and was interested in
art long before I even touched a musical instrument -- so it's a
natural urge for me to be visually creative."
"If I create a CD cover and get very detailed information about
the image from a band, I just do exactly as I'm told, usually a
"traditional" figurative painting", reveals Juha Vuorma about his own
process. "But sometimes I just get a title or so. In such cases I can
create the picture pretty much the way I want to. I usually start
with something the title reminds me of and experiment with that --
create sketches, or start painting something -- and when it seems to
feel right, I add the details. If it's not a CD cover but rather a
painting I create for myself, I usually have some kind of an idea
what it's about, and the process is quite similar to the one I
described before. Or else it can be just plain playing around with
colours and forms until it clicks." He concludes: "I've drawn since I
was a child, and just never stopped ever since."
"There isn't a sort of process table that I follow every time
I'm on this type of project", Pedro Daniel contributes. "Although art
and design processes usually follow different creative paths, I
really believe that, in such case, I get to follow a middle path...
in between the two. A design project is generally based upon solid,
objective definitions, and must accomplish the purpose of selling
something -- literally or not. As for art, although nowadays it also
serves the purpose of selling, the starting point is far more
subjective and volatile than what design is all about." He continues:
"It's hard to say where it all begins. The first thing I usually ask
from the band is the name of the album or demo. I guess that is truly
the starting point. The creative process itself obviously begins
afterwards. Usually the band has a pre-defined idea of what they want
for the layout -- some are pertinent and others are not that
pertinent, but they are all valuable to me because they enlighten me
on how the band thinks about aesthetic subjects. Someone once said
that there is order in chaos, and that's quite true. From a myriad of
apparently unrelated elements, beauty is created and order is
restored. When I start a project, my desk is a small model of what
chaos might resemble; slowly I get to put aside what's worth using
and what's not and things start to gain shape."
The Customer Is Always Right
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The degree of detail artists get from the customer -- usually
the band -- tends to vary greatly between projects, at least to these
four gentlemen.
"Sometimes I am given total freedom; some other times I am given
freedom to start with any ideas I might have and the band will give
direction or make changes along the way. Sometimes, however, the band
already has a specific idea they want, and I try the best I can to
realize it for them", states Smith.
Sundin shares Smith's experience. "Sometimes there's already a
clear concept from the band or label, and then it's my job to
communicate that concept as effectively as possible on the front
cover. On other occasions, there aren't any ideas at all and my hands
are free to come up with a suitable concept. Both situations suit me
fine."
Vuorma has more to add: "I think most of the time bands just
pick up a painting from my collection, one that they think fits their
concept. Sometimes I also create paintings according to the bands'
visions, though, and that has very often turned out to be pretty
good. I think Usurper's "Skeletal Season" was a good piece; the
Usurper guys had a clear vision about what they wanted. Classic
horror, old style, blue and greyish painting -- like an old movie
poster. It turned out pretty good and I also like the album, kind of
like classic '80s thrash/doom era metal. Some ideas from some bands
have not been very interesting, though."
Daniel elaborates on this: "Some bands can express their ideas
about the layout better than others. Usually, the band says what they
do -not- want to use, rather than what they do want. Some just say
they want a gloomy look, some others say they want a more modern and
clean look, and others say they want something simple -- you name it.
This is usually the degree of detail I get. Which is, by the way,
fine as far as I'm concerned. I prefer it when the band trusts my
judgement."
Still, I imagine that if I was in their place, having to create
something that would hopefully connect or complement the music, I
would be quite interested in hearing some of the band's material
beforehand. Pedro Daniel agrees. "Besides the name of the work to be
published, I always ask for samples of the band's sound. Although I
might know they play a certain style, it's obvious that until I hear
it, it's a bit like working blindfolded. Sometimes I get to hear
it... some others I don't."
Sundin discusses his preference on this subject and balances it
with what usually happens in reality. "Usually, cover artwork is
commissioned months before the band even enters the studio, so it's
not always possible to listen to the music. But it does feel
important to hear at least a sample of what the band is doing, in
order to get a better view of how to present their music in a visual
form, so I try to get something to listen to before starting to work
on the project."
Smith concurs: "I don't ask for samples very often, but I like
to. If I can, it really helps to have the band's music playing while
creating the images. If I can't get something new while working, I
usually play the band's older albums, if any, to help with it.
It's not necessary, but it really helps with the motivation and
inspiration if I have something."
Vuorma's opinion differs, however: "I don't usually hear any
samples. Bands often just pick up a painting I've already done.
Sometimes, though, I've heard the music as well... but I must confess
I don't get much inspiration from the band's music. The best bands
I've done art for (SFB and Immortal Dominion) were unknown to me
musically until I got their CDs after my art was printed on them."
McKean Enters the Picture
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When time came for the "influences" question, I had to mention
Dave McKean (unofficial website at http://www.dreamline.nu). Sundin
was not surprised. "It's hard to avoid mentioning Dave McKean when
talking about digital art or the kind of mixed media collage
techniques that he pioneered -- so, yes, he has definitely inspired
me. Other artists I admire range from contemporary ones such as David
Ho, Odd Nerdrum, Alessandro Bavari, Ashley Wood and Wayne Barlowe to
old heroes like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon, Hieronymus
Bosch, Max Ernst and so forth. In the album cover field, Travis Smith
and David Long are doing excellent work. I'm also a great admirer of
comic artists like Art Spiegelmann, George Herriman (Krazy Kat) and
Joakim Pirinen. My tastes are very wide and not limited to the style
of illustrations that I do myself. Inspiration can come from all
sorts of places, really."
Travis Smith was hardly surprised, either. "Yes, I guess McKean
is an obvious one, but it's really not intentional. It's more of a
subconscious thing. He is probably my favorite artist. I discovered
him about the same time as I discovered Photoshop and he made a big
impression on me, so I'm sure it filtered in as I was learning. There
have been some things I've done that I had to throw away because I
discovered later they looked a little too much like his stuff", Smith
reveals, "but even so I really liked them. I've heard that from the
beginning." Sundin had mentioned Smith as one of his favourite
artists, possibly unaware of a certain reciprocity: "I also admire
Niklas Sundin, Hugh Syme Mid, Ashley Wood, Necrolord, etc.", states
Smith.
Pedro Daniel chooses a different route: "I really don't know how
to answer that. The brain of a designer or a graphic artist is like a
sponge. You absorb every damn thing around you. It's like goddamn
Kubrik's "A Clockwork Orange". Sometimes I may be using influences
from HR Giger, sometimes McKean, sometimes from some shocking photo I
saw in a newspaper three weeks earlier... I don't know. All I know is
that I can use my memories, my knowledge of art history, my
sensibility in knowing that a certain palette of colors suits a
certain set of feelings and notions. All that combined with a camera,
a Macintosh computer and a scanner gives the final result.
Vuorma is rather more surprised when I mention McKean, since the
Finn is not a digital artist himself. "Dave McKean? Well, he does
mostly computer art, right? I'm a painter. I like his stuff, though,
his impact on the scene is tremendous. Most of the cover art in metal
nowadays is computer art -- digital collages, like his stuff -- and
many of them could have been made by McKean. He was the first with
that kind of style and it seems everyone has been influenced by him
-- probably myself too", says Vuorma. "I must admit I'm not really an
"art freak", and do not follow the art/illustration scene much. So I
don't know whether I have any special influences. Artists I like,
besides maybe McKean, are Frank Frazetta, Ivo Milazzo (a comic artist
from Italy whom I see as a genius -- not so famous, I guess, but can
draw a whole personality with just a few lines; he is mostly known
for his work with the Italian western comic Ken Parker), Gino
d'Antonio (also a comic artist from Italy), Edward Hopper, Mike
Hoffman and some Finnish painters like Hugo Simberg."
Travis Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inspiration? "I get a lot of inspiration from just little things
in life, people I meet, and watching my daughter in her daily
activities -- a lot of the ideas I use a child in are inspired by
her", answers Smith. "Usually music and stress guide me while
working, or just anything that happens to come to mind. Sometimes I
glance at something and it looks like something different, and then I
see it for what it is but I keep the memory of what I saw for an
idea."
Smith's artwork for Opeth's _Blackwater Park_ is amongst the
most impressive I've seen to date. Was it created specifically for
Opeth from the beginning? "Yes, it was created specifically for that
album. I started off in my usual more photographic style and it
wasn't working at all; so I kept some of the photos and tried
incorporating painting and pencil, which worked very well. I just
started doing pictures based on how I interpreted the lyrics -- for
instance, the cover was based on a line I read in the lyrics
involving mist and a group of liars. The band just picked what they
felt was best for them."
I was rather dumbfounded to find out in his website that Smith
had actually created two more images in the same vein for _Blackwater
Park_ which have been left unused -- and the album's booklet is
pretty thin. What happened? Didn't Music for Nations want to spend
any more money on the artwork? "No, it wasn't a matter of money or a
label decision. The budget was fair and I was willing to go a little
extra for the artwork, as I usually like to do. The truth is, the
band simply didn't want a lot of art in the booklet, and declined to
use any more of the art I submitted -- which was, I think, six or
seven other finished ideas."
I also greatly admire the work Smith did for Katatonia's
_Tonight's Decision_ and _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_ -- both of which
are quite different from the Opeth work. "Actually, to this point,
creating the Katatonia CDs has always given me the most adventure",
Smith reveals. "For example, when starting _Tonight's Decision_, the
band told me a story about trains and old tunnels, and memories and
"ghosts"... And I got a vision of tracks going off into the distance
as far as you can see. Well, there's nothing like that around here,
but I knew of some out in the desert that I saw when I was a child,
so we did an eight hour drive just to get the photos of the tracks. I
never found any tunnels, though, and time was running out, so I tried
to think of other ideas to do and the first one I thought of became
the cover."
"For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_", he continues, "Jonas basically
described the kind of imagery he wanted, which is what you see in the
package. I had to go into a really bad part of the city to get the
shots. It was kind of creepy, but I think that helped it. The cover
was supposed to be different at first, but I remembered Jonas telling
me about an idea with a bathroom, which I found in an old abandoned
house in the woods. I broke into it with a friend and it stunk of rat
shit, but I saw the bathroom and remembered Jonas' idea, so I shot
it. They liked it so much that with just a few alterations they
picked it for a cover. I really like the way those CDs came out."
Are there any particular pictures on either of the Katatonia
collections especially meaningful for Travis? "I like all of them",
he answers. "But yes, on _Tonight's Decision_ I love the cover, The
man sitting on his trunk with the train ghost, and the hanging chair.
For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, I like the cover, and the piece with
the rock that looks like a headstone with "love" written on it. And I
also like the piece with the sign that says "end" but the road keeps
going, which was taken by a friend of mine."
One work of Smith's that I am a lot less fond of is the new
Anathema cover art for _A Fine Day to Exit_. It just looks too light
and commercial to me, despite the subtly dark theme behind it. How
specific was the request behind this particular project? How pleased
is Smith with the result? "That idea was the band's", he replies.
"They told me what they wanted. They came up with it after long
discussions of what to do and some of the ideas I had. It's very
light because it is supposed to be a clear, sunny, "fine" day. In
spite of that, it is a very dark piece and I really love it. It was
up to me how to make it work. I shot the beach separately, but the
car all at once. I didn't want to put in all the little details in
the car later because I was afraid of it looking fake. Problem was, I
had to do the setup a few times and reshoot, because some of the
details weren't right, and it is very hard shooting something like
that in a car."
I also wondered about the story behind Diabolical Masquerade's
_Death's Design_ -- Blakkheim went on about it being a soundtrack for
a movie that never existed, yet the album's artwork is Smith's... "I
think you better ask Blakkheim about that one", he answers with an
amused grin.
I could go on and on with questions about albums -- Nevermore,
Death's _The Sound of Perseverance_, HatePlow, Devin Townsend, etc.,
but I had to wonder whether any of them were especially relevant in
Smith's portfolio, whether he was especially pleased with any one of
them. "Yes, I still keep a few older things in my portfolio", he
says. "I like to keep it small so I can concentrate it mostly on
newer stuff and a few things I am especially proud of. Of the ones
you mentioned, I am most proud of [Devin Townsend's] _Terria_, with
Nevermore following -- but there are many others as well. I think the
stuff I've done this year is my best so far."
It is certainly a very good sign when you can honestly say that,
and the man behind the Seempieces studio seems determined to do even
better in 2002.
Niklas Sundin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Much like Smith, Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin has
plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his future as an illustrator
-- at least judging by the artwork he has created so far. But whilst
Travis Smith has his Seempieces studio, Sundin founded Cabin Fever
Media. "There are no masterplans or agendas for world domination with
CFM", says Sundin. "When I decided to quit my old job in order to
start freelancing as an illustrator, it was clear that I also needed
to register a company in order to make the practical concerns (taxes,
bookkeeping, etc.) easier. It's more or less what you have to do if
you're self-employed in Sweden. Cabin Fever, taken from an old Nick
Cave song, seemed to be a suitable name, so I went for that."
Back in November, when this interview took place, Sundin's CFM
website was still closed. The Swede explains. "It's pretty insane
that I still haven't been able to get a proper website online after
nearly two years, but I've been constantly busy and have given the
highest priority to client jobs. Also, I'm way more pedantic when it
comes to my own personal projects, so I've had several versions
almost finished only to decide that I want to try another approach to
it. But something will happen on the site within a week or so."
Indeed, the website is now online.
Sundin has also created artwork for his own band Dark
Tranquillity; I ask Sundin about _Projector_ and _Haven_ and how the
insight he had into the band's music helped him connect it to the
images. "It's a very different situation when doing artwork for
your own band", he states. "On the Dark Tranquillity albums, I'm
obviously much more involved with the musical and lyrical content, so
it's easier to really
get beneath the surface. On _Projector_,
the whole lyrical approach circled around an introspective,
problems-getting-magnified theme, so I used a lot of circular shapes
which implied camera lenses and projectors. The booklet footage
featured torn pieces of film, and the whole atmosphere was one of
perceiving things through a filter. _Haven_ was a much more colorful
album, so it seemed suitable to have a fresher color scheme based on
white panels. _Haven_ is a metaphor for our band activities and for
using music as a means of escaping from everyday dullness, so I
showed this connection by featuring pretty dirty and blurred photos
of the band members in the rehearsal room. Nothing fancy at all, just
the reality of six out-of-shape slobs playing metal."
Besides his work for Dark Tranquillity, Sundin has created cover
art for quite a few bands already: Sentenced, ...And Oceans, Eternal
Tears of Sorrow and Flowing Tears come to my mind. Sundin says it is
just a coincidence that they are all signed to Century Media, and
refuses to name any pet projects. "After a project is finished, it's
more or less dead and buried for me, and I proceed to the next
assignment. I usually notice the things that I could have done
differently if given more time and resources, that's all. All the
projects I've done are hopefully meaningful and worthwhile in their
own way, but I don't really line up all the album covers I've done
and masturbate to them. It's the same thing with music. People often
ask what my favourite Dark Tranquillity song is, and it's always the
one we're currently working on. Once a song has been documented on
record, it's old news and not very interesting anymore."
Finally, I cannot avoid asking about the new Dark Tranquillity
album on the works. "It's going very well indeed", Sundin reports.
"We're rehearsing on an almost daily basis now, and the material is
really starting to take form. It's still a bit early to give any
accurate predictions on how the final recording will sound like, but
the material we currently have covers every facet of the band.
There's everything from _The Gallery_-like progressive melodies to
acoustic passages to some really fast and intense stuff, so it's
going to be a diverse album that will surprise a lot of people."
Juha Vuorma
~~~~~~~~~~~
"What guides my state of mind whilst at work on a given project?
Uh... nothing special", Vuorma unpretentiously states. "I just
concentrate on the painting, work hard, do my best... the painting
will find its way, or it will get spoiled, like it happens many
times."
The artwork that In the Woods... used for their song "I Am Your
Flesh" (from _Omnio_) was the first time I saw some of Vuorma's work,
and I was thoroughly impressed by the strength of that image and the
way it connected to the music so well. "Yeah, Jan of In the Woods...
also seemed to think it fit the title perfectly", admits Vuorma. "But
I did not make that piece specifically for that title, actually. I
had already made the painting beforehand, and it was on a sample
sheet I sent to Jan. He called me immediately, as he felt that piece
fitted their stuff 100%, and so they got it. And I liked the album,
_Omnio_. I was pleased that the painting was on the LP cover [as well
as inside the CD booklet], as I'm into vinyl myself. Don't ask me
about the original meaning of the painting, though -- I don't know",
he chuckles. "It was a half abstract piece that just turned out the
way it did."
Vuorma also created artwork for Unholy's _Gracefallen_ -- rather
extreme music there, and again his artwork seems strongly linked to
the music. Could it be a coincidence again? "The artwork on Unholy's
_Gracefallen_ is perhaps my favourite of all my album art. I only got
a few lines from the band to express the ideas in the songs and was
free to do it my way. The band gave me no lyrics or info on what the
songs were about, just some feelings and impressions -- and that was
a great way to do it. The paintings for the songs "The Wanderer" and
"Daybreak" are my favourites. Not much detail, just feelings. It was
a very refreshing thing to do -- not just the usual heavy metal
"dark-horror-sadness" cliche stuff. I'm not too pleased with the
cover painting of _Gracefallen_, though -- the booklet paintings are
much better."
The stylish wolf Vuorma created for Arthemesia's _Devs-Iratvs_
album cover, is an example of the Finn's oft-used fingerprint-like
traces -- which seem to have become a rather distinguishing
characteristic of his. "Arthemesia liked that piece and picked it up;
it was already done as well. But yeah, those fingerprint-like traces
are like a trademark of mine. Too strong a trademark, obviously --
one record label said my work was too recognizable."
Vuorma hasn't been as active in the field as Smith or Sundin
lately. Is he still interested? "Yeah, just not getting much stuff
published lately. I guess I'm still interested in doing art for the
metal scene as well, as long as the concept is interesting, but
there's probably not so much room for painted art anymore since
computer art stepped in. I've done a couple of digital collages
myself, but that's not really my stuff... I want to stick with
painting, and painting is what I'll be doing in the future too."
Pedro Daniel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I mainly follow my intuition and pleasure when combining
multi-sourced imagery. That's when design meets art. When you
technically know how to combine visual elements along with feelings",
states the Portuguese artist.
Amongst the work he has done for underground bands, Daniel has
created art that can rival what gets done for higher profile labels
these days. One of those works is the Autumnal landscape he captured
for a Brazilian band called Akashic. "Well, Akashic was one of those
rare cases where I had no contact whatsoever with the band.
Everything was arranged with the guy at their label, Scallabis. I
entered the Akashic process during its second phase. Some promotional
flyers had already been designed by someone else. At that point, they
asked me to follow the graphic concept on the flyers and adapt it to
a CD cover. Later on, they decided to abandon that graphic concept
and develop a new one. That was when the result you mentioned came
up. Due to the name of the album (_Timeless Realm_), there was a wish
from both band and label to use a watch, which had been an important
part of the previous design, so I had to stick to that. Conceptually,
I wanted to create an image that would reflect a place where time
stood still, eternally frozen. I had a few pictures from a beautiful
park in England, in a rusty Autumn, which had that "frozen in time"
sort of look. The rest, as you might understand, is intuition and
pixels..."
Daniel's answer when asked whether he has any favourite projects
amidst what he has done so far is short, and yet carries an unusual
twist: "Not really. They're all my "children" in the end. Some are
less defective than others, and I like them all for different
reasons."
The former Sculpture bass player is equally succinct when asked
to highlight any particular bands he has worked with as especially
worth looking into. "Even though I have to create an empathic link to
the band and their sound, I rarely get "addicted" to it. I could name
a few bands, but I prefer keeping that to myself."
The Portuguese metal underground has been Daniel's major source
of metal customers so far. "The Portuguese metal underground scene is
a tricky subject of debate. There is, without a doubt, an increasing
notion that quality and professionalism score when it comes to
achieving certain goals, and bands are truly beginning to understand
that no matter how good the music may be, a CD is a product that has
to be -sold-, and it must be sold as a whole. Some people might agree
with this, others might disagree."
He finishes: "When it comes to criticizing, everybody has a word
to say... But when it comes to getting a decent job done, words and
talent are often lacking."
Do visit the websites listed below if you haven't done so yet,
in order to find out more about the plentiful talent behind the words
on this article.
Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com
Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com
Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/
Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary)
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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. Judas Priest - _Sad Wings of Destiny_
2. Absu - _Tara_
3. Immemoreal - _Temple of Retribution_
4. Absu - _Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L._
5. Venom - _The Best of Venom_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Virgin Black - _Sombre Romantic_
2. The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
3. Sword - _Metalized_
4. 16 / Today Is the Day - _Zodiac Dreaming_
5. EverEve - _E-Mania_
Brian's Top 5
1. Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_
2. Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_
3. Death - _Human_
4. Love History - _Anasazi_
5. Agony - _Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust_
Alain's Top 5
1. Lacrimosa - _Fassade_
2. Keelhaul - _II_
3. Solefald - _Pills Against the Ageless Ills_
4. Akercocke - _Goat of Mendes_
5. Anathema - _Resonance_
Adam's Top 5
1. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_
2. Electric Wizard - _Dopethrone_
3. Enslaved - _Monumension_
4. The Misfits - _Cuts From the Crypt_
5. Nirvana - _Nevermind_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Borknagar - _Empiricism_
2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
3. Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
4. Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_
5. Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_
Paul's Top 5
1. The Chasm - Reaching the Veil of Death
2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
3. Testament - _First Strike Still Deadly_
4. Opeth - _Morningrise_
5. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_
Aaron's Top 5
1. Death - _Spiritual Healing_
2. Hypocrisy - _10 Years of Chaos and Confusion_
3. Bethlehem - _Schatten aus der Alexander Welt_
4. Sodom - _M-16_
5. Phobia - _Serenity Through Pain_
David's Top 5
1. Gehenna - _Malice_
2. Embraced - _Amorous Anathema_
3. Grievance - _The Phantom Novels_
4. Arch Enemy - _Wages of Sin_
5. Thyrane - _The Spirit of Rebellion_
Alvin's Top 5
1. Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise_
2. Sarcofagus - _Envoy of Death_
3. Current 93 - _Sleep Has His House_
4. Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
5. Edguy - _Mandrake_
Chris' Top 5
1. Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_
2. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_
3. The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_
4. My Dying Bride - _The Dreadful Hours_
5. Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_
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DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #56
All contents copyright 2002 by individual creators of included work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.
