___ _ _ ____ _____ _ _ ____ ___ __ ____ ___ / __)( )_( )( _ \( _ )( \( )(_ _)/ __)( ) ( ___)/ __) ( (__ ) _ ( ) / )(_)( ) ( _)(_( (__ )(__ )__) \__ \ \___)(_) (_)(_)\_)(_____)(_)\_)(____)\___)(____)(____)(___/ _____ ____ ( _ )( ___) )(_)( )__) (_____)(__) ___ _ _ __ _____ ___ / __)( )_( ) /__\ ( _ )/ __) ( (__ ) _ ( /(__)\ )(_)( \__ \ \___)(_) (_)(__)(__)(_____)(___/ Fifth Anniversary Mega-Issue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, August 12, 2000, Issue #48 http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti Coordinator: Adrian Bromley Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo Assistant Copy Editor / Contributor: Brian Meloon Contributor: Adam Wasylyk Contributor: Paul Schwarz Contributor: Aaron McKay Contributor: David Rocher Contributor: Alex Cantwell Contributor: Matthias Noll Contributor: Alvin Wee 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 . For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the Details section at the end of this issue. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Issue #48 Contents, 8/12/00 --------------------------- * Editorial * Loud Letters * Deadly Dialogues -- King Diamond: The House That King Built -- Dismember: Dissecting a Decade of Dismemberment -- Glenn Danzig: Machine -- Earache Records: Foreseeing the Future of Music...? -- In Flames: Molding Their Visions -- Broken Hope: Broken but Not Subdued -- Demons & Wizards: Satan and Merlin Unite! -- Aghora: A Cynical Eastern Gathering -- ...And Oceans: Scandinavian Domination -- Saturnus: For the Loveless Lonely Lives -- Rapture: The Futility of it All -- Thy Primordial: Reasoning With the Heretics -- Necrophagia: Gore Is Fun -- Malevolence: Malevolently Materialized Martyrdom -- Decapitated: Beheading the Eastern Prophets -- Rebaelliun: Pyromaniacal Slayers Assault Paradise! -- Jag Panzer: Staging a New Sound -- Mental Home: The Shores of Inner Thoughts -- Burning Inside: Burn Florida Burn -- Altar: The Shrine Unshrouded -- Transport League: Still Fighting for Exposure * Album Asylum -- A Perfect Circle - _Mer de Noms_ -- After Forever - _Prison of Desire_ -- Altar - _In the Name of the Father_ -- Anaal-Nathrakh - _Total Fucking Necro_ -- Ancient Wisdom - _...And the Physical Shape of Light Bled_ -- Angel Dust - _Enlighten the Darkness_ -- Angelwhore - _Superman_ -- Apollyon Sun - _Sub_ -- Ashes You Leave - _The Inheritance of Sin and Shame_ -- Asiatic Spike - _Beastial Warfare_ -- Asphyx - _On the Wings of Inferno_ -- Autumn Tears - _LPfDC Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel_ -- Axel Rudi Pell - _The Masquerade Ball_ -- Ayreon - _Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer_ -- Black Label Society - _Stronger Than Death_ -- Blinded by Faith - _Veiled Hideousness_ -- Blood Storm - _Pestilence From the Dragonstar_ -- Bloodbath - _Breeding Death_ -- Borknagar - _Quintessence_ -- Charon - _Tearstained_ -- Chastisement - _... But Lost We Are_ -- Circle of Nero - _Massive Obliss_ -- Coffin Texts - _Gods of Creation, Death & Afterlife_ -- Corvus Corax - _The Atavistic Triad_ -- Cruachan - _The Middle Kingdom_ -- Various - _Curse of the Demon: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate_ -- Dark Funeral - _Teach Children to Worship Satan_ -- Dark Tranquillity - _Haven_ -- Darkness Eternal - _Dawn of the Suffering_ -- Defaced Creation - _Serenity in Chaos_ -- Descend / All That Is Evil - _Split CD_ -- Destruction - _All Hell Breaks Loose_ -- Dying Fetus - _Grotesque Impalement_ -- earthtone9 - _hi-point_ -- Entombed - _Uprising_ -- Even Song - _Of Man's First Disobedience (Expulsion From the Divine Abode)_ -- Everon - _Fantasma_ -- Exciter - _Blood of Tyrants_ -- Fates Warning - _Disconnected_ -- Fleshcrawl - _As Blood Rains From the Sky... We Walk the Path of Eternal Fire_ -- Grief of Emerald - _Malformed Seed_ -- Grimm - _Nordisk Vinter_ 7" -- Hair of the Dog - _Rise_ -- Hatred - _The Offering_ -- Hypnos - _Hypnos_ -- Hypocrisy - _Into the Abyss_ -- Impaled - _The Dead Shall Dead Remain_ -- Impaled Nazarene Vs. Driller Killer -- In Flames - _Clayman_ -- Incantation - _The Infernal Storm_ -- Jag Panzer - _Thane to the Throne_ -- Juvenes - _Riddle of Steel_ -- Keelhaul - _Keelhaul_ -- Linea 77 - _Too Much Happiness... Makes Kids Paranoid_ -- Long Winter's Stare - _The Tears of Odin's Fallen_ -- Lux Occulta - _My Guardian Anger_ -- Mayhem - _Grand Declaration of War_ -- Mental Home - _Upon the Shores of the Inner Seas_ -- Milligram - _Milligram_ -- Murder Corporation - _Murder Corporation_ -- Nightsky Bequest - _Of Sea, Wind and Farewell_ -- Nile - _In the Beginning_ -- Nokturnal Mortum - _NeChrist_ -- Obscenity - _Intense_ -- October 31 - _Meet thy Maker_ -- Opprobrium - _Discerning Forces_ -- Orth - _Feed the Flames_ -- Overcome - _Immortal Until Their Work Is Done_ -- Pain - _Rebirth_ -- Pantera - _Reinventing the Steel_ -- Power Symphony - _Lightbringer_ -- Primordial - _Spirit the Earth Aflame_ -- Raging Speedhorn - _Raging Speedhorn_ -- Various - _Raise the Flag of Hate: A Tribute to Kreator_ -- Red Harvest - _Cold Dark Matter_ -- Rorschach Test - _Peace Minus One_ -- Running Wild - _Victory_ -- Saturnus - _Martyre_ -- Sick of Society - _Sportsman Sound_ -- Sincronisity - _Winters of Despair_ -- Sinergy - _To Hell and Back_ -- Spiral Architect - _A Sceptic's Universe_ -- Stormhammer - _Fireball_ -- Suicide Culture - _Hallow Be the Agony_ -- Summon - _Baptized by Fire_ -- The Chapter - _The Chapter_ -- The Gathering - _if_then_else_ -- The Project Hate MCMXCIX - _Cyber Sonic Super Christ_ -- Thornspawn - _Blood of the Holy, Taint thy Steel_ -- Thy Primordial - _The Heresy of an Age of Reason_ -- Thy Serpent - _Death_ -- Tidfall - _Circular Supremacy_ -- Twilight Kingdom - _Adze_ -- Unmoored - _Kingdom's Greed_ -- Usurper - _Visions From the Gods_ -- Vehement - _Unbalanced for Mankind_ -- Venom - _Resurrection_ -- Violation - _Moonlight's Child_ -- Vordven - _Woodland Passage_ -- Winterblut - _Der 6. Danach_ -- Wolf - _Wolf_ -- Yogge Sothothe - _Yogge Sothothe_ * New Noise -- Actual Time - _Actual Time_ -- Belshazzar - _Sie Nur Ad Astra_ -- Bongwater666 - _L-yeyed/Tanner_ -- Butterfly Temple - _Baec_ -- Condition Red - _Back in Business_ -- Midnight Scream - _Midnight Scream_ -- Omnium Gatherum - _Promo 99_ -- Scald - _Nematoid: Specimen Parts I-IV_ -- Shaw Shank - _Beautiful Bedlam_ -- Soul Destruction - _United in Obscurity_ -- Suffering Souls - _Cries of Silence_ -- Te Deum - _Demo 99_ * Classic Carnage -- Atheist - _Piece of Time_ -- Basil Poledouris - _Conan the Barbarian_ -- Carnage - _Dark Recollections_ -- Celtic Frost - _Morbid Tales_ -- Celtic Frost - _To Mega Therion_ -- Celtic Frost - _Into the Pandemonium_ -- Crumbsuckers - _Life of Dreams_ -- Crumbsuckers - _Beast on My Back_ -- Cynic - _Focus_ -- Deceased - _The 13 Frightened Souls_ -- Dodheimsgard - _666 International_ -- Manowar - _Fighting the World_ -- Manowar - _Kings of Metal_ -- Manowar - _Battle Hymns_ -- Manowar - _Hail to England_ -- Manowar - _Sign of the Hammer_ -- Nocturnus - _The Key_ -- Rush - _2112_ -- Spinal Tap - _Spinal Tap_ -- Anathema - _Serenades_ -- Anathema - _The Silent Enigma_ -- At the Gates - _Slaughter of the Soul_ -- Dark Tranquillity - _The Gallery_ -- Emperor - _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_ -- Enslaved - _Blodhemn_ -- Katatonia - _Dance of December Souls_ -- My Dying Bride - _Turn Loose the Swans_ -- Summoning - _Stronghold_ * Chaotic Concerts -- Milwaukee MetalFest XIV -- Another Pilgrimage to the Metal Midwest -- Crusade to the Carnage Capital -- The New Millennium Maiden Slayers: Iron Maiden, Slayer and The Almighty in France -- The Maiden Voyage to a Brave New World: Iron Maiden, Slayer and Entombed in England -- Air Guitar Raid on Zurich: Iron Maiden in Switzerland -- Devil's Plaything: Danzig, Six Feet Under and Disturbed -- There's No Mercy in Satan's Oven: Deicide, Immortal, Cannibal Corpse, Marduk, Vader and more -- Scotland Skinned Alive: Dismember, Akercocke and Infestation -- Invadering From Across the Seas: Vader, Vital Remains, Fleshcrawl and Rebaelliun -- Pledge Your Allegiance! Suicidal Tendencies in London * Writer's Wrath -- Machine Head Are Becoming Manowar! * What We Have Cranked * Details =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____) / /) , , /) )__ _(/ _/_ _____ _ // / (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_ (_____) by: Pedro Azevedo [Welcome to the fifth anniversary MEGA issue of Chronicles of Chaos. This month I have turned over my coveted privilege of editorial writing to my workhorse of a co-editor, Pedro Azevedo. As I've told everyone, I've recently, voluntarily, turned my life upside-down by moving to the United States, getting married, graduating University and getting a new job. As a result of the extremely busy schedule I've been trying to live with, I have had to turn almost all of my duties over to Pedro (who already does more than his fair share each issue of CoC). It is for this reason, that I most graciously relinquish my editorial to him. Knock 'em dead boy... -- Gino] In August 1995, Gino Filicetti, an e-mail-less Adrian Bromley and Brian Meloon assembled and distributed the first issue of Chronicles of Chaos. For the past five years, their initial vision has grown and evolved into what you now behold without ever losing any of its unique "personality". This is CoC's fifth anniversary issue, and also by far our biggest to date (twice as big as the previous record-holder, actually), and contains an unprecedented number of interviews and album, demo and concert reviews (including our coverage of this year's Milwaukee MetalFest), a special Classic Carnage section and a Writer's Wrath article. A proportionally massive amount of hard work went into this issue, which makes it even more special to us -- but we are already planning special treats for the future as well: expect a full report on the first ever European CoC reunion soon... We are also welcoming new members to our staff. First of all, we are pleased to announce that Alvin Wee is now a permanent staff member, and deservedly so. In the near future you will also be likely to find the work of three promising new contributors in CoC: Chris Flaaten from the cold fjords of Norway; Eli Fishbein, who will be writing from Israel; and from the USA, Scott Andrews. As I write my first editorial, I know just how special Chronicles of Chaos is to me. In fact, I am sure I can speak for the entire CoC staff and say we are all truly proud of writing and working for this remarkable publication. But we also believe CoC is very special to many of you readers out there. Rest assured that we will continue striving to keep its spirit alive and stronger than ever, and after five years we still doubtlessly intend to keep doing so for as long as we possibly can. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As many of you readers may recall, awhile back, we put out the word that Chuck Schuldiner, Death / Control Denied frontman and death metal pioneer, had been afflicted with a deadly condition for which expensive experimental surgery was the only hope. To help the Schuldiner family in their time of need, we at CoC decided to take up a collection amongst the staff, and any of our readers who felt so inclined. As you may also have noticed, we did not follow up with postings of reader donations as promised, though only because there were none. While we were only able to collect from within our ranks, we would like to think that our bringing this issue to your attention prompted at least some of you to contribute directly to the Schuldiner family, perhaps being a little wary of sending your hard-earned dough to total strangers. Chuck appears to be well on his way to recovery, which is the most important outcome of this ordeal. And to the one reader who sent in the cheque made out to "Chuck Schuldiner Appeal", we thank you, even though we were unable to cash it without opening a special account under that name. Your thoughtfullness is commendable. -- Alain M. Gaudrault =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M""MMMMMMMM dP M MMMMMMMM 88 M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP dP .d888b88 M MMMMMMMM 88' `88 88 88 88' `88 M MMMMMMMM 88. .88 88. .88 88. .88 M M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8 MMMMMMMMMMM M""MMMMMMMM dP dP M MMMMMMMM 88 88 M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b. M MMMMMMMM 88ooood8 88 88 88ooood8 88' `88 Y8ooooo. M MMMMMMMM 88. ... 88 88 88. ... 88 88 M M `88888P' dP dP `88888P' dP `88888P' MMMMMMMMMMM This is the column where we print those lovely letters our readers decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative, ignorant or just plain spelled wrong, you can rest assured that they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own letter here, e-mail it to . All letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos. Date: Sat, 27 May 2000 20:38:31 +0930 From: "Frank" Subject: Satanists VS Christians and anyone else who wants to join the battle Ok, for all of you out there who appear to have completely the wrong idea altogether here is my view on this whole religion debacal: Satanism is a respectful religion in which one emulates satan and becomes his/her own god there for satanists are not devil worshippers and aren't necessarily out for christian blood. In my opinion christianity is a harsh religion which merely allows weak minded people to blame all the problems in their life on someone else - their god. I do not believe in god therefore I am not part of either religion (note here that if you claim to be a satanist you need to realise that you are also to an extent, accepting christianity into your life). I just think that life is going to be good so long as you do what you want, be who you want to be and enjoy it! You don't need a superior being standing over you to make sure you smoke the right drug. Oh no, god doesn't allow drugs does he? Well there goes your fun! Catcha Date: Fri, 09 Jun 2000 21:03:37 -0600 From: "S.R. Prozak" Subject: a damn troublemaker speaks... Greetings, I must say I am honored to be mentioned in C.O.C. by so many angry people. I have found in this life that there are usually both leaders and followers in any grouping, and that the latter take on leadership abilities when the continuity of their existence as followers is threatened. I'm glad to see that you followers are upset. In your complaining, "I don't like the debates about Christianity in metal" becomes a rallying cry for those who feel directly opposed to the ideology predominantly expressed by metalheads in those debates, or for those who think they are becoming "free" by ignoring issues that bring up conflict. That is after all, social courtesy and good business. This is the same response as moving to the suburbs: You're crazy, and we're locked up with private security. Their argument boils down to a complaint that we are being selective and not "fair" to all democractically equal but radically different beings. Because in this merciful world, of course, "selectivity" is one step away from hatred. But something made metal distinct - an internal selectivity? Look at why metal emerged from history. There were all these people making a good income with progressive rock and "70s" style neo-bluegrass disco cheese. Why be "hateful" and "dark" and "occult"? Black Sabbath, until the Christians dragged them down, *did* have an artistic suggestion in mind for the times - to abandon the way of thinking that had even infested all of the 1960s movements that had become commerce. These first metal musicians, like metal musicians now, hated the transparent world of material control (religion, society, state) and the meaningless rules it accumulated, but most of all, they had a spirit that was - better? - than the one it contrasted. They wanted to live life to extremes and not fear the "bad" or "negative," even if that meant a morbid nihilism of accepting death. Metal has been the culture outpouring from that theory, and through its eras it has successively identified enemies: heavy metal (christianity, normals, war, society); speed metal (nuclear war, the middle east, organized religion, police brutality, society, environmental destruction); thrash (society, government, religion, illogicality, environmental destruction); death metal (people, society, rules, morality, Christianity, new agers); black metal (christians, jews, non-whites, god, society, normals, the merciful). You may notice that "Christianity" or "religion" appears many times on that list. It enemies are not its betters, but its opposites: the theories that compete with its own and its own claim to independence. This is an issue of metal's leaders versus society's followers. This issue will not go away, nor will it ever be resolved, because there will constantly be a part of the Christian religion wishing to neutralize the "threat" of heavy metal and heavy metal attempting to work for its independence. This is simple competition. Those urging the issue "go away" are trying to strip metal of its cultural heritage in philosophy and politics so that Christianity may have a voice for propaganda in a genre that directly contradicts Christianity. If you can corrupt your enemy's will, you win. This is what the followers hope to do. They hope to make things difficult for ideology so we all give up and conform. Thanks to an intelligent editorial policy, you heard it here. --- Live Jesus Christ Sodomy Video!!! http://www.anus.com/altar/ Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 15:31:46 +0200 From: thomas mao Subject: christian metal hi everybody i know, everybody's overstuffed by the christian debate, but i'll get to the forefront 'cause definitely i want to have the last word on this subject 8 ) i think you (nearly) all missed it. did anyone involved since Coc42 lift his ass up to define the 'christian metal' label ? come on ! i mean john tardy's a hobby gardener; did obituary play 'gardening death metal' ? it's lame folks. if the christian label is needed, it must be that the musicians develop biblical views through their music, not passively being christian. so you can be christian and compose unchristian metal, and when you EXPLICITLY call it 'christian metal' then that's that it's propaganda or marketing strategy etc. in either case that doesn't relate to the music itself; i think it's clear, 'cause the mechanisms by which you illustrated jesus' word could as well serve an inverted purpose (in history this is the contrary : music took on the satanic duties first) > 'christian' is an ideological connotation indifferentiative of the musical forms. metal is about sublimating one's mind. it's something that tackles our innate perceptive capabilities. it's something highly individualistic. then you'd legitimately reply : what about concerts, why are they so important ? the parameters are different here ; that's more a sociological stuff that has nothing to do with music. there's the human factor, the 3D sound plus various stimuli that are likely to push you out of critical lucidity. now WARNING : if you're heartedly headbanging along the hardcore metal stuff, if you don't wait for the end of the songs to put out first appreciations, if from one riff to another you lose memory, if you don't collate/corroborate elemental variations and/or prefer to dig aesthetical impact and musical consistency, i see no pt for you to follow me. (please check out my reviews at http://perso.club-internet.fr/thaumas.) where the hell does it fit into anything? for sure, christianity binds people through doctrine. religious music is overtly simple for this sake ; anyone into religious music knows how this is rigorous, rigid (the gregorian/council thing for instance) and moves on to more and more accessible areas. but this IS the same gregarious force of the concert shit ! the more people you take in, the bigger the chance you have to build a solid basis for mass/congregational formation (i know people who got involved into christianity for the majesty/solemnity of its church music), whereas metal helps in exploring one's inner potential. so i think that metal is NOT anti-christian music : it's satanic when you take it from the christian side; it's neither especially 'christian', in that music is generic to beliefs, but music can reduce itself to ideology lyric-wise. i think that as its power is essentially narrative and not analogic/phenomenologic in the meta-psychic way, metal with pro-christian lyrics has a good chance to tread in polluted waters. also one word for the 'true' christian metal played with balls : christian guys can make art as well, but i'll get as far as this : when this is art as approached above, they're BAD christians that suck both the metal and christian things. thaumas not check my band, AAAAARGH!bloody 2-handed chainaxe blow at http://perso.club-internet.fr/thaumas Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 20:33:44 +0200 From: "Jackie Smit" <1998549750@wwg3.uovs.ac.za> Subject: The great Christian metal debate Hi! I am so fucking sick and tired of hearing every boring, pimply faced wanker with an e-mail address, a computer and a keyboard moaning and groaning about how cool Christian metal is, or how much it sucks. And then to top it all off, we have idiots like Alla Xul who do exactly what they supposedly hate, which is preach. I'm a Christian as well and to me it's a very personal thing and I NEVER try to tell other people that what they believe is wrong, because I feel that their paths will lead them along the way that was destined for them. Even though I'm a Christian, I dislike almost all so-called Christian metal, because the bands (especially Mortification) sort of expect a person to listen to them based soley on lyrical content, even though their music is a load of shit. I listen to music which sounds cool to me and I don't care from what genre it is either, as long as the artist I'm listening to has talent and can make me say WOW! In fact, my favourite bands/artists are Devin Townsend, Samael, Morbid Angel, Emperor and The Kovenant and none of them are what you'd call Christian. I do however derive immense enjoyment from their music, and I have found much of what they have said with their music and (yes, Alla Xul) even their lyrics to be a great source of personal strength. The fact that their religion differs from mine, is inconsequential, because I see it merely as a difference of opinion. So, what I'm trying to say is, that music should be judged on music alone and not on lyrics. If you happen to like the lyrics, then it's a plus. The worst lyrics in the world aren't written by Emperor or by Tourniquet - they're written by Dez Faffara who is probably the biggest asshole in all of music, apart from Phil Anselmo. And please pick another topic to write about, because this is getting annoying! Thanks to CoC for a brilliant zine and best of luck in the future. Jackie Smit South Africrap =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __ \ | | | | _ \ _` | _` | | | | | | __/ ( | ( | | | | ____/ \___|\__,_|\__,_|_|\__, | ____/ __ \ _) | | | | _` | | _ \ _` | | | _ \ __| | | | ( | | ( | ( | | | __/\__ \ ____/ _|\__,_|_|\___/ \__, |\__,_|\___|____/ |___/ T H E H O U S E T H A T K I N G B U I L T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to King Diamond by: Alex Ristic "Nobody does it better!" A cliche and well used, but one that aptly describes all that is King Diamond. Compared to him, no one writes more involved concepts or stories on their albums, no one else gets the best out of their musicians like he does, and maybe, just maybe, some have an equally entertaining live show (but King getting cremated on stage is tough to beat). It's now time for a new opus from the Great Dane, in the form of _House of God_, an involved story and album that continues to bear the Diamond seal of approval and will entertain his many fans. The following is the near hour long conversation that Chronicles of Chaos had with the King. CoC: Only getting a promo copy of the album, I don't have a set of lyrics. Can you please tell me what the story is about? King Diamond: Oh, great. That's not what you want to hear, right? That's not really your fault. They [the record label] need to do that kind of stuff. Anyway, the story itself, the scenario takes place in Southern France; I took it from real life. But that actual story that takes place in that scenario is, of course, my doing and has nothing to do with what really exists. But there really is a church in Southern France, upon a hill, that has this inscription over the door that says "This place is terrible". And at that very place it also has a devil that looks you right in the face as you walk inside the main entrance; very strange. I think it has up to about 20000 visitors a year, tourists they say, that come to look at it, and most of them don't actually go into the church because they feel appalled by the thing in the church, and they feel like something is wrong. The story goes about the church itself, and I kind of used that for just that short theory that you hear during the intro of the album, and that is that they talk about this priest that was in charge of this church. He supposedly found, like I said in the beginning, there's a foreword that talks about this story taking place 200 years ago, and the main character in the story has chosen to tell the story as if it happened to himself. But he's changed some names because he had to, and in the end just remember that this is just a story, and most stories are exactly that: something told by someone else without the actual facts to prove it. But there is a story about that church, that goes like this priest supposedly finding these four scrolls that talked about Jesus, if you believe in him for real and as having lived and all that stuff. It says, in those scrolls, that he actually lived at this church, with Mary Magdalene, having married her and founding a new dynasty, and that he never died on the cross. And this priest also found a secret grave that indicated that Jesus was buried there, but he brought these things to the Vatican and came back from there a filthy rich man, as if he had something that they did not want out. Later, when he died, he tried on his deathbed to tell these secrets to his housekeeper, but never managed to get to the actual secret before he did die. It's kind of shrouded in mystery and these weird theories about it. And I think, if that was really the case, it would be good for Christianity. The whole foundation that he died for our sins would be out the window, and that would not be very good. So that's kind of put into that intro. But from then on it is completely about my own story, dealing with this character who's out travelling in the mountain regions of Southern France, and suddenly finds himself lost. He's been there many times before, but now the roads look different, and he hears this distant howl, wolves howling, and suddenly finds himself surrounded by wolves ready to attack. And he's preparing himself to die when suddenly this big black and silvery white wolf steps forward with magically blue eyes, and all the others kind of step back scared of it. And this wolf talks to him; not verbally, but actually with its mind, and tells him to follow it. And he does that, and they travel up the mountainside to the top of the mountain where they get to this church that looks horrible from the outside; it's in complete decay. Once they get inside the church it completely changes before his eyes, and becomes this beautiful church, but there are some odd things in there that don't normally belong in a church. Like, there's two pulpits in there; one of them is decorated with these protective gargoyles, while the other one has these little figures of demons having fun. And there are all these mirrors with crucifixes, and there's also this little devil figure sitting by the altar. It's just like "whoa", it's a little chaotic because it doesn't seem to belong together. When he's inside that church, suddenly the wolf sheds its skin, right before his eyes, as the church is changing too. Out of it comes this beautiful lady; he's never seen anything like it. He immediately loves her sight, there's no doubt. He doesn't even care where she came from or what she was, or anything; it's just like "Wow, this is it!" He never experienced that feeling before. From that point on, for a couple of days, they have a lot of fun in this church. They have sex everywhere in this church; just having a really cool time. But somewhere along that line, one morning he sees this girl kiss the black devil figure as he wakes up, and he's like "What the hell was that?" And then he starts paying attention to these strange things that are in the church, and suddenly the girl approaches him and says: "There's something I have to tell you. I have to give you two choices now, because I have seven days left. I swore by signing a sacred pact to be a guardian of this church for a year. When this year is up I will either die, or you can sign this pact and take over the guardianship. By doing that you can set me free and I can walk out the door as a woman. Otherwise, I have only been able to leave this church as a wolf, as part of the pact. But I would be able to leave as a woman and continue my life, but the second I step outside my memory will be erased and I will not remember ever having seen you, and I will not be walking back into the church. It will be the last time you see me. The other way, I have seven days left, so we might have two more days of fun but then you will have to experience me dying in front of your eyes." And he simply can't handle that part, so he decides, unselfishly, to set her free. And he signs the pact, and she leaves, and suddenly he finds himself in this situation where he can only leave the church as a wolf, which gives him nothing. He becomes very lonely, and he feels a loss with her, and he starts drinking and he gets very, very frustrated about the whole thing; he doesn't even know why he's in the church. "What is it I'm guarding?" He's not been told anything. It turns into desperation, and then, finally almost insanity, where he goes crazy in that song "Help!!!", and starts smashing all the mirrors with crucifixes in them, because he can't stand looking at his own misery. Suddenly, when he smashes that last mirror, it triggers a mechanism that moves the altar, and that leaves a big black whole in the floor where there are stairs leading into the dark. And he knows that he has to go there; there's nothing else for him to do, so he does that. As he walks down there he finds himself, suddenly, with a candle in his hand and these long narrow hallways, and there are lots of little side chambers full of human bones. From one of these side chambers there's a light coming, and he walks in that side chamber, and in there finds this Virgin Mary statue and it's full size, big, carved in wood. And seeing another religious symbol, he starts smashing its head and realizes that it's hollow. There's something inside, and what he finds inside is a mummy that's wearing a crown of thorns; that's obviously Jesus. He starts to take the bandages off the head, and in through the eye sockets he can see a light, and this light starts coming out of the eye sockets and then he hears this scream from inside of it, and he turns around and starts running for his life. Then this light comes after him through these hallways, and he makes it back up into the church, and there, this light follows him into the church, and fill the entire church. There's all these faces and bodies floating around in it. Then the two have a confrontation, and of course the person asks the light "What are you?" And it says back to him that it's the highest there is. Then the guy says "Well, what do you mean?" And it's like "Well, there's nothing higher and you don't need to know what I really am. It doesn't matter. You have totally over stepped your boundaries, you were not supposed to have seen or found what you found. I will never explain to you why we kept him down there." He's referring to Jesus, the mummy. It says that "There could be a couple of different reasons, of course, it's obvious that we might have kept him away from God, so he would never find him and put him back on Earth again. Another reason would be to keep him safe from people like you", he says, "who could probably crucify him again, or try to. Or it could be something else. It's none of your business. All you need to know is what we are, not what we are about." And this guy says "Well, that's no good for me. I'm not going to serve some unknown god. If you really are the highest God there is you need to prove it to mankind, not just me. You need to prove it to everybody at the same time that you are the only one in existence. Then you need to explain to us why we are here; what is the meaning of life. None of us really know. We're only guessing, still today, we are still guessing about all the different gods there are. No one has the proof that their god is the right one. No one on this Earth has been able to prove to the rest of the Earth that what they're believing is the right thing. We'll avoid a lot of bad stuff; all the wars that are going on in today's society. Ninety per cent of those are based on religious differences. Because we have all these different gods, no one has ever been able to prove he's right." He says: "Tell us what the meaning of life is. Show us death, show us what's after death. Explain it to us and show it to us so that we know. Give us some guidelines to assist this Hell that we are sometimes going through on this Earth. And this god says: "It's not for you to know these things. You just live your life the best you can, and leave the rest to us." And this guy is like "I can't do that. I will not accept that. If you can't do that, it's probably because you don't know the truth yourself. You're probably just another puppet on someone else's higher strings. And you really don't know the truth, that's why you can't tell me. What effort would it really be for a big God to show itself to us on Earth for 20 minutes? Just 20 minutes man, that's all we ask. Is that really that much to ask? It could be that the real reason is that there may be no gods at all." So, they have this confrontation and this guy will not buy what this "god" says. So he says to the god: "You know what? I'm a man of logic, and I will prove to you that I can think for myself and I can take according action. What I am going to do is, I have nothing to live for in this church. I'm imprisoned in this church. I can't even leave the church as a human being, and you won't tell me why I am here? You give me no choice. I want to find out, and there's nothing else to do in this church anyway, so what I'm going to do is choose death over you, and you just try and stop me, because you can't." So he takes a rope in his hands, and throws himself off this high tower and he hangs himself. At last comes the instrumental "Peace of Mind", which is what he finally finds. It's a funny dilemma that we have here on Earth sometimes; we don't know why we're here, and we'll probably never find out until we're not here anymore. What I'm trying to say with the story is some of what I told you before; it blows my mind that we have all these wars based on religious differences, even today, even though people don't know whether they believe in the right god. Even though you think you have the right god you can't prove it to anyone else, for the very fact that you might not be right. And for the fact that we don't actually know why we're here on Earth; none of us do. I'm accepting that I don't know it, but at the same time I know that no one else knows, and I'm accepting that I don't know what death is and what's coming after death. I don't have any proof for that, but I also know that nobody else has that proof. But a lot of people spend their time worrying about that. Worrying about things?, you can worry about death and what it consists of for the next 20 years and you won't get the answer. You're wasting your time. Some people are even scared of death, they're fearing death. And when you ask: "What is it that you actually fear?", you don't know, because you don't know what death is about. I have chosen to be extremely logical about those things, and I'm telling myself that I'm not going to be afraid of something I don't even know. It could be the best thing ever; I don't know. But since I don't know I'm not going to waste my time worrying about it. I'm not going to waste my time here on Earth trying to figure out why I'm here, because I won't. Though these answers, maybe if there is this big god somewhere, and if it ever decides to give us a little time of day to show itself and explain it to us, then maybe I'll find the answers. But that might never happen in this lifetime, so why would I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the reasons are? I'll never have that chance. Instead of wasting all that time I'm going to do things that I know make me feel good, and that way I'll live a better life here on Earth. And if more people did that we'd have a much better world. More people would feel better, and when you fell better you have a surplus of giving, that would be a much more positive environment to live in. At the same time it would stop those stupid, insane wars where people are trying to prove that they're right by fighting someone else. If I could meet Einstein and beat him up, it doesn't mean that his theory is wrong. To me, these wars and people trying to prove and shut others out, because they think they've found the right god, they can't prove it to anyone else, so how can they be so sure they're right? It's a guess, a theory. I can come up with a theory that's just as meaningful, which just goes to show how stupid that really is. I can tell you that I have a yellow flower in my yard, that's really big, and that's God. It speaks to me. And people would say "That's really insane." But I can say: "What do you mean? You say your god speaks to you. You can't even see your god. At least I can see mine. This flower tells me that if you don't believe in the same thing that I do, then I should kill you." That's how crazy it really is. It blows my mind man, I can't get it through my little brain how people can act that way, and we still do. I certainly respect that people believe in different gods. If people would only use it for what it is, it's almost like, and I mean this in a positive way, a pacifier. It calms you down, in respect to the questions that you will never get the answers to. Human beings hate chaos; we want to put things in little drawers. They worry about death so much that they have a need to create a god that, in Christianity for instance, says there's a heaven. "That's where I'm going to go." Fine, if that soothes you that's great, but don't hold it against other people for not believing in the same thing that you do. That is what this album is very much about. CoC: This album seems to have a lot of social issues involved in the story. Do you think that will surprise people? KD: They all actually do. It's kind of like things that bother me for a year before I do an album, that's usually what I write a horror story around, so I can put those human issues into the story. Like _Voodoo_; it also deals with that kind of stuff. I'm not fearing other people's way of life. Instead of being scared of it, if you can research and you have a chance of finding out what it's about, do that first before you start taking drastic measures to get rid of it. You might find out that it's harmless, and you don't need to do anything at all. It would take you maybe a couple of days to read a book on it, and you'll find out that voodoo is harmless if you leave the people alone. But if you try to interfere and destroy their stuff, they will take into consideration that their life is being destroyed, and that's actually what you would do by trying to destroy a voodoo burial ground. There's so many things that people don't know about, that they don't want to take the time to find out about, if they actually can. But there's always social issues in all King Diamond albums; jealousy, greed, hate, love. There's a lot of these human issues woven into these stories, and the stories themselves may take place in another time period, but those human issues are the same, and very valid today. Some of them take place today. _The Graveyard_ was dealing with child abuse. There's always these issues, but this album, though, goes very deep because it actually goes in and touches on religious beliefs, in a very down to earth, logical way. It's deeper than anything else we've done. CoC: _House of God_ is your first direct reference to Christianity since _The Eye_. Has this album been something that's been planned for a long time? KD: No, actually not. And it's not directed at Christianity either. As soon as the word "God" is thrown in there most people take it for granted, but there are many gods in this world today. There are many different gods that people believe in, and that's why the church itself, that I use, is set up in a weird way. There are two pulpits; which one is the right one? There is God and Satan in this church; that's of course Christian gods -- both of them, which is something Christians sometimes forget, one of their gods is Satan, created by their own God that's supposed to be perfect. He created an imperfect angel and threw him out of Heaven and into Hell, which he also created. So therefore he created evil. But that doesn't matter. It's in a general sense that I talk about the "God", that no one has proof that their god is the right one. Christians have never been able to prove to Muslims that they have the only correct way to believe, because they can't, and probably because they don't have the right god. It's a guess, it's purely a guess. But maybe I could turn around and say that the Christians are right, but they can't prove it. Maybe the Muslims are right, but they can't prove it to the Christians. If there ever was one, or is one, he has never taken the time out to visit us here, and at the same time to show all of humanity; that would give the proof. That's what the guy asked for in the story; "Show yourself to mankind. Not just to me, I don't know if you're real or if you're not. You could be from the spiritual world and claiming to be the biggest god. If I were Christian I might think you're Satan trying to tempt me into following you." CoC: All your stories have a lot of detail. In a past conversation for the _Voodoo_ record, you had mentioned that you performed a lot of research for the album. How important is it to research a topic so thoroughly? KD: It's only important if it's a subject that I really want to write something about, and I don't know about. I didn't know anything about voodoo except what people get from watching movies. They chop the heads off chickens, drink the blood, and they dance crazily, and they stick needles in little dolls. That's pretty much what I knew. The reason for trying to find out, again it's often coincidence, but the music for the actual song "Voodoo" was written before I started writing that story. But it had those tribal drums in it that gave me the feel, I had all these visions in front of me with these voodoo dancers dancing crazily around the fire. I was like "Wow man. Maybe I should see if there's more to voodoo than just these two little things, because if there's only these two little things it's not interesting enough to write a story about." So I borrowed three books and started reading about it, and I found out how deep a religion it really is. I had no idea about the stuff that comes into it, and that it's actually a religion and not some kind of cult thing. CoC: What about _House of God_? KD: I read about this church from Southern France in the newspaper, but that didn't inspire my story. It inspired the place where I put the story, and the twist for the intro. It's like the same kind of theory, like what would be if suddenly we found out aliens are for real? Visitors from outer space; there are other populated planets in this universe, a universe that we can't even comprehend how big it is. To think that there would not be some kind of life in a universe that's bigger than we can ever imagine, I think is ignorant. I think it's ignorant to say that there could not be life anywhere else, just because we haven't found it yet. We can't even comprehend the beginning of time; we have no idea of how things started. Some scientists have a theory about a big boom, but it's pretty obvious that a bunch of molecules have to bump into each other to create a big boom. So where did they come from, and where did the space come from that they were in? We can keep going and we'll never hit that wall that says "here is the right space". We like to do that, we like to create order out of chaos, because it bothers us so much to have chaos. We can't exist in chaos, which is why we probably create all these gods and other things, to try and make sense of it. But we also know that if you have a rocket, eternal life, and eternal fuel, would you ever hit a wall out there, and what would be on the other side of that wall? It's just weird, and our minds go "This is -not- fun." Same thing with some of the other stuff that we mention in this album. It's not fun to think about not having a clue as to why you're alive; what are you supposed to achieve with life? And what's going to happen afterward? You don't have a clue about these things. I certainly would love to have these answers, but at the same time I know I'm not going to get them. Why would I waste my time on these things when it is a waste of time, really? It is fun to talk about, it's a good brain exercise, just as long as you know before you start to talk about it that you'll never get a result out of it; you're never going to a reach a conclusion because there is none. It's interesting to sit and talk about because you can throw all these theories around. That's fun stuff, as long as you don't take it more seriously than that. CoC: When you were going into production for this record, I had seen and heard rumors that this album would be _Voodoo_ part two, much like a connection between _Them_ and _Conspiracy_. I'm wondering if that's sitting in a vault somewhere? KD: No, actually not. I know that it's set up to go straight on into another one, and you could do that with several of our albums, actually, where there's room for continuing. Even though it's not the case, it would look like I had run out of ideas, so I just went on with the story I had started. Actually, before I went on with _House of God_, I had three different stories. I had written a lot of notes while I was out touring with Mercyful Fate, and when I came back home -- other people stay in my house taking care of it when I'm gone, they keep all the mail; I have to sort through it when I get back. All my notes got lost in that pile; I couldn't find them, and I had three stories that I could choose from, depending on the mood I was in. Then I read one day about the church in this newspaper. Then it was like "Wow. Could actually put some of those thoughts I've had in the past year, about how unbelievable it is that we have these religious wars even though people can't prove that they have the right god, and why we're alive." I think about that sometimes, you know, and then I grab myself and say "Don't waste your time on this stuff, because you won't find the answers." The same about death and fearing things that I don't know if they're good or bad. So I was like "Wow, maybe here's the opportunity to do that." So suddenly it got very deep and heavy and I had to have a talk with Andy [LaRocque, guitarist] about it and said: "This is really deep. I don't know if we should do this stuff at this point." And we discussed it a little bit, and a couple of days later I called him and said: "We're going for it. I don't give a shit, man, let's just do it." And we did it. Afterwards, probably not until after I came out of the studio, I actually found all those notes for those three other stories. I don't know. It's not like I was thinking "Oh, there was a purpose to that." No. I know why it happened. There was a big mess when I came home, and they got misplaced. I'm actually glad now that they got misplaced, because it gave me the opportunity to do this other thing. CoC: You welcome along two new band members on this album in Glen Drover and Dave Harpour. How did they wind up joining? KD: Well, Glen started before we started the _Voodoo_ tour in '98. The guitarist, Herb Simenson, quit the band before the tour for family reasons; he wanted to spend more time with his family. And I respect that. People's lives change. I've been around so long, and you really have to be prepared to sacrifice a lot, specifically as long as I've been in this business. Some people can't; their values are different from mine. Their priorities are different, and like I said, life changes. But Glen I'd known six years before that; he actually sent me videotape of himself playing our songs a long time ago. I always kept him in mind because he has a very unique style and would fit perfectly in the band. Suddenly here was the chance. I called him up and said: "Do you want to go to tour?" He's like "What? You're kidding!" "No, I'm serious, man." And he prepared for it and he did it; he did a killer job on that tour. He fit in so perfectly that there was no doubt that he would work out in the studio too. And then going into the studio he really proved himself. Tons of ideas, he has killer technique, he works fast. He's there ready to sacrifice, and that was perfect. Then, coming off the tour, the same thing happened with the bass player. The family situation. He married his girlfriend, who has a ten year old daughter, and they bought a house and were talking about having another baby. I was like "Are you sure you can tour?" "Uh, no." "Well, we need an answer before we go into the studio, because I don't want to be in a situation where you record the album but I have to find another guy to go on tour. It's unfair to us, the new guy and everybody else. You need to notify us in good time." And that's what we did. John, actually, our drummer, suggested Dave, who lives here in Dallas too, because he played with him ten years ago in a band called Chastain, and he said he was amazing -- and he sure was. Now he's in the band, and he seems like one of those guys who would sacrifice anything for this. He's totally into it, and always was a King Diamond fan. None of us can wait to go out and tour for this. And we have a brand new production for _House of God_ that's been built in Sweden. When we hit the big stages we can put everything up; it's going to look awesome. We're bringing the coffin again so we can do the cremation trick. There's going to be a lot of stuff to watch, and the set we're going to play will be very interesting too, because if you saw us in '98, half the songs you see will be different. That's quite a big exchange of songs. Of course you'll hear the intro from the new album at some point, and then we'll play five songs from the new album, two from the _Voodoo_ album and then we completely jump over _The Graveyard_ and _Spider's Lullabye_ on this tour, for the very specific reason that we noticed on the '98 tour a lot of new young faces in the audience, and they have not seen us play quite a few of the older songs. So we're trying to emphasize more of the old set, compromising a little bit with the mid-time _Spider's Lullabye_ / _Graveyard_ area. There are songs in the set that Andy and I haven't played in ten years. We're playing "No Presents for Christmas" again, "Black Horsemen", "Dressed in White", and then there's one we've never played from _The Eye_, "Burn". Still, you'll get "Welcome Home", "The Invisible Guests", "Sleepless Nights", "Abigail", "Family Ghost". It's a long set, a lot of songs, and it's so much fun when we're playing it. It's going to be very cool and refreshing for those who come to see the show. CoC: You mentioned having to sacrifice a lot to be where you are. Have you ever wanted a family? KD: Well, I love kids, you know, but my marriage did not work out -- but there were different reasons. I'm not involved with anybody at this point. The past five months, before I started my share of the writing for this album, it was a crazy time -- I'm glad I wasn't involved with anybody at that time. The Mercyful Fate tour last year went on for a little longer than expected, and we had already booked time for the studio, for the third of January, for King Diamond, and when we came off the tour it was only two months until Christmas. So I had to change my whole writing habits around, and do it differently and actually spent maybe even double the time that I normally do on this album. I did that by actually -- and this literally -- spending every minute that I was awake in those two months in my music room, working on my songs and the lyrics. I didn't watch one movie for two months, I didn't listen to one CD for two months. I saw two human beings that I know, face-to-face, that I talk to, and that was the drummer, one time to give him the CDs of the album for him to give to the others, and I saw the studio owner once because sometimes we watch Monday Night Football together. That's it. Otherwise, I saw a couple of grocery clerks buying food, but that conversation only goes so far as "Paper or plastic." It was really strange afterwards, finally going into the studio, even though I know all the band members really well, it was still like "What is this strange feeling? There's human beings walking around me, talking. What is this?" It was when you kind of like stand there, and look at yourself, and think "What the hell, man. What did you just do? Isolating yourself for two months like that." And then going into the studio for three months. Andy was there for two months, the other guys a couple of weeks each, but me and the co-producer, Kol Marshall, we were there for three months. I mean three days off in that whole period of time, and working a schedule that is 12 to 14 hours every single day; in the end you're pretty burnt. And then you come out of the studio and it's almost Summer time -- it was about to become Winter in Dallas when I started to write. I mean, it was worth it, but five months just flew right over my head. CoC: You hooked up with the Usurper guys for their album. How did that come about? KD: It's not very much, you know. It's not like I'm featured on that album in any way. It's just a little guest appearance, doing one verse, and I think a bridge. They recorded at the same studio. They had booked time at Nomad Recording, in Dallas, and the problem was we were not done, and we spent a month more than we had scheduled. And they had booked time there and arranged for flight tickets, hotel and all that kind of stuff. And suddenly it's like "I wonder if they can change it or not?" I had to tell the studio owner: "I can't stop now. I'm not going to leave the set-up we have now and then try and get back to that and re-capture the sound; no way in hell. If you force me to do that you'll never see or hear me again, and that's a guarantee." And that's just from the business side, because we're the best of friends. And he said: "No, I know. You've got to call those guys and tell them what's going down." "I'd be willing to, if they find that interesting at all, if it means anything to them, I don't know what they think of King Diamond, but I would be willing to do a little guest appearance on one of their songs if they wanted me to. If that would make it attractive for them to hold off until we're done, and change their plans and everything." And they really loved that idea. Then we made everybody happy. The owner was not forced to say "You can't come in here and be an asshole", and not keep his word. It worked out very well that way, but it was strange to do, man. I mean in two hours I had to go in there and figure out what the riffs were. I'd never heard the music before in my life; and then sing someone else's words, of which there were too many for me. I don't sing in that way where I kind of growl a lot of words in a short time. It was suddenly "How do I do this?" I had to come up with vocal melody lines on the spot, and still get the feel for the music, do it right, and actually re-write some of the words so it didn't change the meaning that they were after, to give me fewer words so I could actually sing like I do; my style. That was definitely a challenge. I was suddenly realizing "This is so odd, man." In two hours it actually worked out. I found some cool melody lines, and I think I recorded up to eight vocals, actually, in some of the parts. It worked out well, and it was fun. It was a fun experience, but it was odd. I had never done that kind of thing before. I would certainly prefer, if I ever had anyone approach me wanting me to do a guest vocal appearance on a song, it would be like "Yeah, if you let me write my own words. Tell me what your story's about, but let me write my own stuff. That way I can better relate to it, and put more emotion into it." It would be much easier. Then have them give me stuff in advance, so I know what I'm going into. CoC: I talked with Snowy Shaw recently about his band Notre Dame. He said he still gets along well with you, but there were things that bugged him about his time with you in the past. KD: Oh, really? Maybe he is, I don't know. I never talk to him. I saw him once, in '97 when we toured and played Sweden, he came to the show. I have no relationship with him, really; I don't talk to him. CoC: He didn't say anything negative, really, but he said he felt he wasn't given enough room for creativity in the drumming. KD: You see, that's the danger sometimes for people if they don't see the big picture of what a band is trying to achieve. When we recorded _Time_ [Mercyful Fate], a thing you don't want to hear somebody say, just because they get a chance of recording an album and there's actually time to record it properly, you don't want to hear that person say "Oh great, now I finally get the chance to show what I can do, so I'm going to do everything on this album that I ever learned to do." It's like "No, no, it's not a solo project. We don't need drum solos everywhere, we need songs to work like they're meant to work. We don't need big drum breaks every time a verse goes into a bridge goes into a chorus." That's like stretching over five bars or so, and that breaks up the whole flow of the song. If that's your way of arranging a song then you have to be held back, you have to be told "That doesn't work. You're killing the song." The same goes for a bass player. The bass player we have now is so skilful, Dave, you know. He can do anything with a bass; it's unbelievable. But he has that sense for arrangement. He knows when to add some stuff, where he goes off into his own melodies, it still fits and enhances the music. That's a person that has a feel for arrangement. If you don't have that feel then you need to be told, because I'm certainly not going to be sitting there listening to somebody destroy an album just because they have to show every little thing they've ever learned, every little lick they've ever been able to play, but have not had the chance to play on an album. It's not going to be a compilation of Snowy Shaw tracks. That's not the way it works in this business; we've been around for a little too long to let that happen to an album. It's always the song that comes first. The songwriters have a vision of what they want to come out of a song, a certain expression, a certain feel, and then you try to get that out of the music. There's always so much space in our music for you to show off anyway, as a musician; always. But you can't turn it around and suddenly turn it into that new guy's solo project. I have no outstanding things with Snowy at all. He's always been a very cool person. But I know exactly what he's referring to there, that he could have felt that he was being kept back a little bit, but that was a necessary evil, otherwise we would have ended up all over the place. CoC: For my last question, I would like to know your thoughts on some of the King Diamond tribute records. KD: I have not heard them. All I ever knew of that was that I saw an ad in a magazine. I have not heard it, or seen it or anything else. The first time I knew of it was when I saw an ad in a magazine, and the funny thing about it was that I don't mind that. It's not like I'm sitting here being pissed off or anything. But it did say something like "The only King Diamond tribute album endorsed by the King himself." The first time I saw the album I was like "Oh yeah? Really?" In any way, fans or record labels, whether they make money or not, making an effort to pay tribute to someone that influenced them to maybe start becoming musicians themselves, or entertainers, it's a big honor, always. And it doesn't even matter what it sounds like. The most important thing is that they should not try to sound like us. It should sound like their own band sounds. It should be as if that band just plays one of our songs, which is what it really is. I have so much respect, and I'm honored, that people have taken time out to do that. But it's kind of funny when you see an ad in a magazine for something I've endorsed and I haven't even heard about it. CoC: Thanks very much, King. It was great to talk to you again. KD: Vice-versa. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DISSECTING A DECADE OF DISMEMBERMENT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Dismember's Matti Karki by: Paul Schwarz Ascending to Chaos ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At the steel doors of Glasgow's Cathouse, around six in the evening. Finding myself having to half-shout "I am here to interview DISMEMBER!" at a door on a street in a city previously unknown to me does make me feel awkward. That I am of course asked the classic follow up "Which publication are you with?" and proclaim to street and door alike "CHRONICLES OF CHAOS!" does naturally not settle me. And once stairs had been ascended and band found crammed into a low ceilinged room -- tables covered in tour-rider-requested fluids and multiple copies of a German compendium-of-metal mag, prepared in readiness for the upcoming Summer festival season, littering what tabletop space remained --, the first thought from Matti Karki upon establishing who I was and why I was there was: "Let's go outside." Having already found my dictaphone's batteries dead and now standing in a bare fire-exit corridor with a notepad clumsily trying to account for my lack of recording device, it suddenly dawns on me how laid back and fan-like the bearded singer is; despite my situation, I am quite at ease. Thus, Matti's answer when I ask him why he and his bandmates still struggle on with Dismember, nearly ten years down the line from their classic _Like an Everflowing Stream_ debut, is unsurprising. "We just do it for fun, really. We enjoy doing the band, so that's what we do." It's hardly an unusual sentiment, but rewinding Dismember to the beginning of the nineties we see Matti and his bandmates on their album's back cover drenched in pig blood; we see a band with a strongly defined image. Dismember are furthermore a band very much from a scene, the Sweden's Stockholm "death metal" scene. "We don't give a fuck about the scene now -- we have families and jobs and all that; we don't have time to anymore." Matti's response today will no doubt prompt the metal die-hards among you to cry sell-out, poseur or rock-star, but why -should- Dismember take interest in something which no longer interests them? The scene Dismember emerged from no longer exists and even the -extreme- music they care about seems to lie mostly in the past. Acts of the Repeatable ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Autopsy rules!" followed by the lifting of a nondescript hooded sweatshirt to reveal a _Severed Survival_ original cover t-shirt (which inspired hideous jealousy in me). That was the impassioned reaction of Richard Cabeza (Dismember's former full-time bass player) -- stirred from his concentrated joint-rolling on only this one occasion -- to Matti and I's conversation later on in the original low-ceilinged band room, then vacated by the other members. Cabeza is filling in for the band on this tour but will not commit to Dismember anymore. All are still friends, and Matti respects Richard's decision fully. Conversation had moved onto the subject of Autopsy, a band close to Dismember's collective heart, but closer yet to Matti's: he positively worships them and has in past interviews proclaimed _Mental Funeral_ as the best death metal album ever. We were just previously salivating together over the prospect of the Ravenouz album due out in September. Ravenouz is a new death metal project featuring Brutal Truth / Nuclear Assault / SOD bassist Dan Lilker, Killjoy from Necrophagia (who also features in trans-Atlantic black metal supergroup Eibon) and Autopsy's Chris Reifert. "Chris Reifert is the Midas of death metal: everything he touches turns to gold!", exclaims Matti -- and deriders to this claim should remember that Reifert is -not- involved in Abscess --, prompting an espousal of the merits of Autopsy. "Autopsy's structures, the riffs, are simple -- they're easy to play. But the -feel- is what makes it so amazing." And we should not forget that this feel was born of a band playing in a garage. The relevance is to the Stockholm scene from which Dismember comes. Back in the day Dismember were among those such as Nihilst (later to split into Entombed and Unleashed), Corpse (later to be known as Grave) and others doing the local rounds together. "The inspiration for the Stockholm scene was all this aggressive, noisy stuff like Repulsion", Matti explains. "That's why it always has this raw dirty sound." Matti and I in the process of juxtaposing Stockholm's late-eighties scene with another certain Swedish metal scene of the nineties: "I don't like the Gothenburg stuff, really, they are very power metal influenced. It is very technical; there's like a million notes -- Magnus [Sahlgren, guitarist] is into all that technical shit like Yngwie Malmsteen too --, but there isn't much feel, in my opinion. We were always about -feel- more than technicality, like Autopsy and Repulsion." In fact, Matti's so obsessive over Autopsy that he has a band to effectively pay tribute to them. Murder Squad is the entity through which he began this, one black sabbath. "Murder Squad began because me and Uffe from Entombed and a few other guys used to jam together on a Sunday and try to get over hangovers. We needed to play something easy so we ripped off Autopsy. We would just smoke pot, drink and jam out these cool riffs." It may sound like something unsuitable for public consumption, but Matti and his cohorts, after a few years with Murder Squad on hold for various reasons, decided to take the first-album plunge. "The record has a one-day production, it was on a low budget, we did it fast. We think it might be too good a sound, though." A one day production with "too good" a sound? Does it seem like an oxymoron? Well, you obviously don't share Matti Karki's tastes in music. Reeking Over the Coals of Memory ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Matti and I sit with band manager Stuart Ness and talk music. We all agree that Mortician are rubbish, and bemoan why a label with such a consistent roster as Relapse -- who are also strongly touted to put out Murder Squad -- keep this rather low quality band on their books. I suggest that they may be Relapse's biggest seller, judging on past Milwaukee MetalFest crowd draws. Next up is Carcass. I, predictably, sing the praises of _Necroticism -- Descanting the Insalubrious_; Stuart, straight out of leftfield, opts for first and last as his only interests. Matti bemoans the clean, boring sound of _Symphonies of Sickness_ before proclaiming that... "_Reek of Putrefaction_ is the ultimate brutal, extreme music album." Which was not a phrase I thought I'd -ever- hear. "It has all kinds of noises and blasts. Still, today, no band has topped it. I don't like any Carcass album but the first one. And the rough mix makes it even better." Yes, unbelievably, the muddy mess of a sound that is _RoP_ was re-mixed from an original recording deemed by the band to be worse, but not by Matti. Matti had, and may resurrect, a similar project to Murder Squad by the name of General Surgery, which pays homage to _RoP_ like Murder Squad does _Mental Funeral_: by unashamedly ripping it off in style. Shadows of the Past ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So now it should make sense how a one-day production is too good for the sickening tastes of Mr. Karki. He is nonetheless excited to finally be putting out something tangible from Murder Squad. Matti is happy with Dismember's new album _Hate Campaign_ -- as he is happy with all of Dismember's albums apart from _Massive Killing Capacity_ ("I like some songs on it but I don't like the production. I can't listen to that album all the way through without at some point going "What the fuck was I thinking there!?"") -- but he is more excited to be putting out the Murder Squad album. The feeling for him is more like when Dismember originally made their now-classic _Like an Everflowing Stream_ album. But did it occur to Matti at the time that Dismember were making history, making a record that would someday be spoken of as a classic? "No, we were just excited to make a first album. Carnage [see review of the re-issued _Dark Recollections_ in the classic reviews section] was rushed and collapsed before the album even came out; Mike left to join Carcass only a few weeks after we finished recording the album. After that, Fred [Estby, drums] reformed Dismember and he asked me to sing. Of course I accepted." "When we got the contract from Nuclear Blast we were just excited to be able to be signed. Our relationship with Nuclear Blast is pretty non-intervention; they don't have any creative control, we just get money from them to do our thing." A classic example of this comes up as we discuss the video for "Dreaming in Red". I tell Matti that it's probably my favourite music video ever. "The shots of the band were done in one day", he reminisces, "then this freak who was doing it filmed all the other shit on his own, without us, without even consulting us. Nuclear Blast had nothing to do with it, they just gave us -some- money for it." Unfortunately I didn't ask Matti whether Nuclear Blast were the impetus behind Dismember's blood-splattered appearance on _Like an Everflowing Stream_'s back cover. However, I did ask him whether the whole mess the band got into over that first album, which centred around the track "Skin Her Alive" for which the band went to court in the UK on charges of obscenity, was an intentional ploy to get publicity; did they know it would cause such a ruckus? "No, we didn't originally set out to cause offence. "Skin Her Alive" was about what happened in the house next door to me. I retold it from the killer's point of view, though. Once customs seized it they weren't too happy. We went to court for that and so on the next album, _Indecent and Obscene_, I wrote "Eviscerated (Bitch)" to get up their noses, to piss them off. But by then no-one really cared about all this stuff and so no-one noticed." Pulling cheap death or black metal shock tactics up short is fine by me, but when "no-one really cares" starts to apply to a band's output, that's when there's a problem. Dismember are self-confessed non-innovators, but they've always had people who cared, who noticed what they were doing. "It's not our intention to innovate; we just to do Dismember but keep things fresh." One of the methods for keeping things fresh over the last three years has been the influx of Iron Maiden-esque melodic stylings, juxtaposed with the head down and brutal Swedish death metal attack which Dismember have never abandoned. "We grew up with Iron Maiden, they were an influence from early on, so that comes out in some songs. But we put a brutal slant on it. We contrast the brutal with the melody." Beyond Good and Evil ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Matti's explanation of what Dismember are doing is plain and unpretentious, and the latter term is also applicable to the band on a musical and lyrical level. To provide some prompting, I brought along some books I figured Matti probably would have seen or even read, being a death metaller of the early nineties. The books were "Dagon and other Macabre Tales" (a collected volume of H.P. Lovecraft's stories), "Beyond Good and Evil" by late-eighteenth-century German philosopher Freidrich Nietzche and the infamous "Necronomicon", which is believed by most to be faked but claimed by some to be the actual final testament of one Abdul Alhazred who, writing in Damascus in the eighth century, espoused the magickal (sic) secrets of ancient Sumeria. All three are classic nineties death metaller fare. "Necronomicon"'s introduction unwittingly lists a plethora of extreme metal acts, song and album titles, many of which also unsurprisingly appear in Lovecraft. Neitzche, on the other hand, is a philosopher in the academic sense, recognised as worthy of study by universities and schools. He was chosen on impulse because, as any of you with _Hate Campaign_ will know, the title to this book of his was stolen by Matti for a song title. "And that's all I got from Nietzche", claims the singer. "I found his ideas interesting, but I didn't think he was right. You should talk to Magnus about this, he has a degree in Philosophy." The singer didn't believe that the "Necronomicon" was based on truth either. Matti's reaction to Lovecraft was simply to repeat the author's name as if regarding an old friend not visited for aeons, but who deserved at least one last visit before the end. All this literary dabbling happened as we stood in the fire corridor and just as I am about to put the books back in my bag, the rest of the band leave the practice room to soundcheck. Matti brings the Neitzche text to Sahlgren's attention, who regards it much as Matti did Lovecraft before. Sahlgren and I resolve to talk philosophy later, but it doesn't come together on this evening -- maybe next time Dismember visit the UK. However, though the gig that evening at the Cathouse turned out to be a roaring success [see Chaotic Concerts], I wouldn't hold your breath for such an event. This was Dismember's first show in the UK for nearly eight years, and touring has not recently produced the most positive of experiences for them. The band's last proper tour "organised" (that's definitely a broad use of the word) by the Metalysee agency turned out to be a deliberate rip-off and a hideously bad experience all round: it contributed to Richard's original departure. All the same though, Dismember soldier on. "We are playing for our fans, for them to see us live", Matti plainly states. "Maybe we'll also gain a few more fans by playing live." Matti's final offhand remark is eerily played out as I am in the process of leaving the Cathouse after Dismember finish their set... "I don't believe it! They don't have any more CDs!" The comment is from a fellow student at my university who I quizzed before the gig as to what he figured to the new Dismember material and got the response that he'd never heard the band: he was here on a friends recommendation. I gave him the name of a good mail order business he could contact for a copy of _Hate Campaign_. "Why aren't these guys bigger? I mean, why aren't they bigger -in the metal scene-?!", he incredulously adds. There are a ton of reasons I could posit to answer his question, but in the end, and based on my own affectation for the band, I sometimes find it hard to believe that Dismember aren't at least a -bit- more popular. Time will tell, and since Matti says that Dismember will keep doing their thing as long as they are able, time may be on our side. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M A C H I N E ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Glenn Danzig by: Aaron McKay The word "machine" brings to mind concepts of precision, well-timed movements and, for some reason, the late Harvard professor B.F. Skinner, known for his behaviorism school of psychology. Speaking of the science of mind and behavior, "machine" also consciously surfaces the movie "8mm", the shadowy thriller starring Nicholas Cage from Columbia TriStar Pictures. If you haven't seen the film, then you won't understand what "machine" has to do with Glenn Danzig. Without going into too much detail, Machine, a fundamental character in the movie, is a hulking beast of a psychopath who, evidenced by the irrefutable shrine to Mr. Danzig in his room, is a big fan of the band. In spite of some -obviously huge- differences between Machine and myself (i.e. the "8mm" character is certifiable and I'm not!!), we do both seem to support one truly great musician. Having been informed of the Danzig / Six Feet Under / Disturbed show in Cedar Rapids later in the week, I hurriedly engineered an interview with Mr. Danzig for a pre-show critique on the Wednesday before the concert. Glenn was cordial and accommodating on the phone during our twenty-plus minute conversation. Attentive to the pressures of bringing on a new bassist, preparing for a two month US/Canada tour, all the while doing press for individuals like myself, I did my damnedest to smooth the interview into Mr. Danzig's schedule as easily as possible. Very few artists seem as busy as Danzig right now. "I just came from mastering the Samhain box set", begins the incredibly congenial Glenn Danzig. "I have to go through tons of hours of live cassettes, DATs and tapes and pick the best of. It's real sloppy and a real pain in the ass." Set for a June release, the Samhain box set comes complete with the sometimes referenced comic of Danzig's second band. "It's going to be in the box set", the Master continues. "We put the cover up on the website." As you might imagine, as loyal CoC readers, having an artist as interested in putting things out there on the Internet is a true and sincere pleasure. Glenn elaborates: "Part of the reason we do it is so the fans can go on there and see the "real deal". Over the years, people have printed a lot of shit, not just me, but a lot of other artists, and this is a way for artists to say, "Hey! That's bullshit!"" Speaking of intense interest in the Internet, Glenn actually has two covers of the new album: one general release and one solely Internet. Mr. Danzig adds: "Marty [Edmond] did the original cover, came in and we looked at it -- it was awesome, but she's totally naked. I mean, he went into great detail on some parts of her anatomy." Simon Bisley (a.k.a. Biz) enters into the release cover discussion. "I called up Biz and he's like, "Yea, I'd love to do another cover"", Glenn chimes in, "you know, he did the _Thrall..._ cover." That one becomes the general release cover and subsequently Marty Edmond's design is relegated to the Internet site. Contributing to demands on Mr. Danzig's time, there's been a recent line-up revision. New bassist, huh? "Yea, Lazie wanted to spend more time with his son Rocko, who's about four going on five years old", Glenn replies. "Howie's awesome. It's all really, really good. We've been rehearsing for the past three weeks and it is actually more solid -- not to dis Lazie or anything", the band's founder adds. Also, B-sides of Danzig's material are on the docket for release. "Actually, I'm mixing all these European B-sides right now; they are new tracks", Glenn points out. "They're not leftover tracks or anything. There is an unreleased tracks record that'll be coming out next year", the undaunted Mr. Danzig assures. Glenn goes on: "That is just stuff from everything from Danzig One to Five; there might be some Danzig Six stuff on there. The stuff that I'm in the studio doing right now, besides the Samhain thing, is I'm mixing these tracks from European singles. There is a cover of [David] Bowie's "Catpeople" on there, and there is this song called "The Coldest Sun" on there. There are four original tracks and two cover tracks", Danzig verbally illustrates. Would you believe there was some trouble with a label not wanting to put out material by this quintessential outfit? Me either, but Disney was clued in that the sixth album ways slated for release on its Hollywood label. "We had a problem as soon as the record came out, about three weeks in", Glenn explains. "They freaked out and were getting protests or whatever via e-mail -- everything. Originally when we did go over there we were told that Disney would have nothing to do with us; we'd be autonomous. I was supposed to get my own label there, actually." Finally distancing themselves from Hollywood and avoiding a lawsuit, the band settles on a newer, centric music company, E-magine Entertainment. "After I finished recording Danzig 6 and started talking to the major [labels] again, I go, "it's just going to be the same bullshit"", Glenn picks up on the story. "I started talking with Christoph [Ruecker, co-founder of E-magine and an ex-BMG executive] and he told me what he was starting. I decided this would be the best direction to go in." So it was, I think. Christoph additionally participated on _Satan's Child_, cited in the CD's liner notes as supplying executive direction. According to Glenn himself, the band's fans voted the gratifying new release as the finest of the group's history. Hence, I think it safe to say that Danzig, along with E-magine Entertainment, orchestrated a powerful new album primed for a huge North American tour. Vision of Disorder had their tour support pulled, however, fear not! Looking out for the fans' best interest, Hatebreed has been added for some East Coast and Canadian dates. Glenn Danzig, the multi-talented, pleasant and extremely affable artistic authority, finishes: "It's pretty crazy [right now]... It has never really been hard for me to do all the different things [at once]. I know what people are capable of; nothing shocks me." This last comment leads me to speculate that Machine would be gratified. Look for many great things to come from metal's Man in Black. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= F O R E S E E I N G T H E F U T U R E O F M U S I C . . . ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Digby Pearson, head and founder of Earache Records by: Paul Schwarz Digby Pearson (or Dig, as he is more commonly known and also referred to on various album sleeves) started Earache Records in his own bedroom in the late-eighties. Earache went on to help release not only some of the first grindcore albums ever in the shape of debuts by Napalm Death and Carcass, but also, as Earache grew, the label became one of the most important homes for death metal in the nineties. Morbid Angel, Carcass and Entombed, among others, found their first home and recorded all or most of their releases last decade under the Earache banner. Around 1995/6, various techno albums began to surface on the label (as part of a deal with the New York based label Industrial Strength), and Earache's main logo was changed from eardrum-splatter original to a more shiny, rounded piece of graphical work. Many people lost faith in Earache; by the middle/late-nineties death metal or grindcore albums with real punch appearing on the label were few and far between; Carcass and Entombed had left, citing money as one influencing factor, for the "greener pastures" of the major label, Columbia -- which they subsequently released nothing on, the former splitting partially as a result and the latter taking a lengthy break between albums three and four; Morbid Angel had seemingly split after the departure of David Vincent; only a few bands such as industrial heavyweights Godflesh remained from "the good old days". It didn't help Earache's reputation that, in a relatively short period of time, they released a lot of B-side compilation albums, live videos and the like from their departed or defunct artists. Though admittedly these were in most cases "contract fillers" that Earache were, of course, well within their rights to release, from the perspective of some of the bands and their fans such releases seemed like needless, money-grabbing cash-ins. In early 1998 things began to change. Earache's newly formed Wicked World imprint label began releasing material more in the vein of the stuff which had made Earache a big name. Additionally, Morbid Angel released the brutally brilliant _Formulas Fatal to the Flesh_ [CoC #28], which definitely bolstered confidence in the label from quarters who had got the impression that Earache were "running out on metal". 1998 was a good year for Earache, producing a number of well-received and exceptionally brutal albums, and since then Wicked World has helped keep Earache in the game of unleashing brutal metal albums. However, recently Earache took a step I, in my ignorance of the inner workings of the industry, had not seen coming: they released their entire back-catalogue to Emusic.com for sale over the Internet. Interested, I asked to talk to someone at Earache, and Dig was suggested. Though surprised to be offered a label's founder and head for an interview in our pages, I of course jumped at the chance to talk to someone who'd helped release (and, it -seemed-, produce) so many releases that I own and cherish. It turns out that Dig is big into "the digital revolution" and where it is taking things, so it made every bit of sense to talk to him about the Emusic deal, though of course I didn't restrict conversation only to this issue. CoC: Are you ready to answer questions on the Emusic thing? The whys and the wherefores? Digby Pearson: I'll chat all day long if you want, 'cause I'm really into it. CoC: First, on a different point, are Earache still, in this new millennium, centralising themselves on metal, or are you going to be branching out with the main label and possibly relegating metal to the Wicked World side of things? DP: No, hardly. I don't know how much you know about Earache's history. CoC: I know a fair amount. DP: Well, I wouldn't call ourselves a metal label. Extreme music, in all its guises, is what I try to say, which confuses a lot of people. Metal has been a thing that we're most known for: death metal and grindcore things. Nothing wrong with that. I personally grew up listening to that sort of stuff, Slayer and all that -- still my ultimate favourites to this day. That's what Earache's always going to be doing, to be honest. The confusion arose because three of four years ago we started to get -- I personally started to get really into, how can I put it... dance music, I suppose. In all its forms: drum 'n' bass in the UK, pirate radios and all that sort of stuff. I became a big convert to the programming skills, people who program beats on computers and stuff like that. And I thought it was just as much a skilful art and a way to be creative as normal bass/guitar/drums/vocals outfits. CoC: I have to say, I agree with you on that. DP: Do you? Well, yeah, not many people do actually. That's one of the things that makes Earache interesting as far as the label goes, I think. We're very maverick in terms of what we do, because we don't have any sort of central head office, Sony don't own us or we're not part of the Zomba group -- so many labels have a corporate headquarters and a chairman and board that you have to answer to. And Earache's so street level compared to that. We're big in one sense, but if you actually saw our operation here -- we're a bunch of fuck-ups sitting in a little office in Nottingham, basically. CoC: On the earlier releases you helped with production as well... DP: Well, that's part and parcel of the thing: I was in the studio with the bands doing it. I don't think I actually touched the mixing desk back in those days, but it was part of an ego thing as well. A lot of labels have done it, early Cacophonous ones would have Nile as the producer and even Nuclear Blast records would have Markus Staiger as a producer. It's basically a perk of the job. I stopped doing that years ago because it's just an ego boost and I don't really need that anymore. But as far as the Earache label is going, we've flirted with electronic music, the real extreme end of it, the gabba stuff, and we tied up with the Industrial Strength label in New York and I became a big fan of that label's output, really. I thought it was fairly extreme but done in a different way. I think I'm seeing reverberations of that little thing that we did a few years ago: a lot of people are a lot more accepting of programmed beats. It's just the way the world is now: even black metal bands, it's like the new thing to have programs and experiment. It's another instrument to me. CoC: I don't know quite how it has filtered its way in, but it has become way more accepted. I do agree with you that in general people who like extreme music in the metal sense tend to say, "and not all that dance shit!". I suppose I'm lucky myself, because I grew up not with just a metal crowd of people. I grew up just with a crowd of people who love music and so I got to hear what I term "good" techno. There's a lot of -bad- techno out there just like there's a lot of bad metal; there's a lot of poor, boring house and poorly constructed techno. So, people get the impression that it's totally uncreative. If you actually listen to something like Future Sound of London you get quite a different impression. DP: Yeah, it's a real art in its own right and I think it's going to be accepted: the sampler. The "Q-Base" on the computer is just another instrument just as valid as everything else. But to answer your original question, I am actually bored of that now, believe it or not. We've had our flirtation with a lot of programmed beats artists and spurred on, I suppose, by Wicked World's success. Dan, the label manager here, had said to me, "Dig, do you realise that all these techno bands that you keep signing are diluting our appeal to our fanbase, our real bread and butter death metal fanbase?" And I was like, "Shit, you're right!" He was dead right, actually. So he was like bursting at the seams and Wicked World is basically Dan's A&R input. I said, "We'll give you another label name." It's all part of the Earache thing, but it's just concentrated on Dan's ears, basically. Those bands have done really well so far: Hate Eternal especially and Decapitated are doing really well. CoC: It has got a response as well, the Wicked World label. Some people do say, "Why aren't these records on -Earache-?!" After that, though, people are quite pleased. You get something from Wicked World, you know the general idea of it. DP: In a way it's going back to what Earache started as, it's a sort of a purist label and it'll be only underground metal bands on it: Dan's not into experimenting and that's fair enough, and I appreciate that and it's actually great. And it'll be for the purists, the underground purists, they'll be nothing but extreme underground metal on it. I don't want to say "death metal", but it's predominantly death metal. Gandalf are coming out with an album that's kind of hard to explain. It's actually brilliant: it's like AC/DC meets Carcass. It's really anthemic, fist-in-the-air kind of metal, with heavy vocals and heavy riffs; it's bizarre. Dan can speak better about it. Anyway, Wicked World's doing well and in a way that's had an impact on Earache. In my world the sub-label is now driving how I think about metal again. So we're actually in discussion with a few, newer metal acts to be released on Earache. I mean, we've never really given up on metal. We've had this bad press from a few quarters who just think Earache is putting out weird shit these days or techno shit. A band like Berzerker is interesting for me. I do like it. It's extreme. We're going to have some more extreme stuff coming out on Earache that'll surprise a few people, hopefully. I wish I could tell you the names, but they're not signed up yet. But at the same time we're doing bands like Linea 77, who I'm particularly into, who could be construed as on the Deftones' side of things. I think it's quite valid. I don't think death metallers will particularly take to it, but I think they're an extreme band in their own right and quite cutting edge and current: I like 'em, anyway. I mean, that's the ultimate thing: it's my label so we put out what we damned well feel like, really. CoC: Moving onto the main topic of discussion, one of the things I love about the Emusic conversion is I've now got one of the ultimate contradictions in terms: I've now got "Technology Is Gay" on MP3. What made you decide originally to put the back catalogue on Emusic.com? Because not -that many- labels have yet signed these kinds of contracts [though there are, I discovered upon really looking, a lot more than I thought when this conversation with Dig took place --Paul], a lot of people are -very- dubious about the whole conversion to the Internet. They think it will possibly kill them [the labels], and give the power to the bands. What made you decide to really go for it? DP: Well, again, we've embraced technology since the Internet was getting past the technologists stage and moving to mass popularity. We had an Earache.com site in 1995, which is a long, long time ago in Internet time, and we had, within a few weeks, some of our music available for digital download from the site. It was the obvious thing to do as far as we were thinking, we didn't really have any second thoughts about people downloading it and that ruining our CD sales. That's absolute bunkum, in my opinion. As will become evident, in my opinion, in the next few years. It's a whole new -paradigm-, to use the current buzz-word, it's a whole new way of looking at music. I'm not a Nostradamus, but it's a new thing and Earache wanted to be involved in it straight away and that's why we didn't say no when Emusic was knocking on the door, basically. Any label that doesn't want to embrace the MP3 revolution is kind of crazy, really. They're hangin' onto an old mindset. Music: you can now download it, it takes a few minutes if you've got a good modem, and you've got a track. CoC: One of the reasons I was prompted to do a piece is because I'd never really bought MP3s before. At university, I'm on a LAN so I can download it really fast. I ended up getting really into the whole downloading thing. DP: It works, doesn't it?! It's amazing, isn't it?! CoC: It also allows you to get stuff which is different or rare or stuff like the _Love of Lava_ which was only re-released with the entire album. DP: Which you wouldn't want to buy anyway... Actually, that's a funny one because each song is really only a solo, so one of the catches is that Emusic, with our permission, also allow a thirty second free sample of each song as well, so if you're lucky the _Love of Lava_ might actually have the whole song. I'll have to check. The full version might be forty seconds, so why bother? Unless you want to pay a dollar for the extra ten seconds... CoC: Is it Emusic's policies on the albums and tracks or can you put different prices on the albums? 'Cause the songs are universally 99 cents, so you can pay forty dollars for an AC album... DP: No, you can download the whole album for $8.99... CoC: Yes, but theoretically you could pay forty dollars for an AC album if you wanted to. DP: But you wouldn't, you'd pay $8.99, wouldn't you? CoC: Fair play. It's kind of interesting, though, 'cause you can get Iron Monkey's _Our Problem_ for less than $8.99... DP: That's true. We've gone with the standard pricing that Emusic advise and it's their experience of the pricing. It's still such a new thing -- the prices could come down, presumably will do. You can get it, presumably, on MP3 from Napster for free. I do. Though we use Macster 'cause we have Macs here. We just thought, MP3s are out there, the genie is out of the bottle; why pretend otherwise? Also, we want to embrace that as well. When I've heard stories about how people have used Napster, people who've sort of gone out of music and Napster's revitalised their interest because you can get hold of stuff quite easily. So, you read about bands and you haven't got it and it's hard to get. Napster just brings it to your desktop, your PC or Mac, straight away, and you can just enjoy the music and become exposed to new music. CoC: The other thing I was curious about was: was it just a decision to put it on the Internet just for the sake of it, just to get it out there, or is it for a particular market? One of the advantages of Emusic is that though I, living in England, -could- get it through the mail, if I lived in some country which didn't have all of Earache's releases available to me... DP: Exactly. CoC: So would that be a lot of the purpose of it: so people can get it wherever they are in the world? DP: Exactly. It's also a phenomenon 'cause we don't have physical distribution of our CDs in every territory; we have it in most territories. We have a lot of Malaysian people actually -- it's hard to get deals over there to distribute the CDs, it's a different market. I don't know why we just haven't really cracked it. CoC: I think they have quite an oppressive government, don't they? DP: Absolutely dead right, you've just reminded me of the reason. We've had deals before and they've gone sour; the minute we put out something crazy they go: "We can't release this." In Singapore, for instance. CoC: I've got letters from people in the past saying "don't write back using my band name". DP: Yeah, our deals have fizzled out in those places. So there you go, the beauty of the Internet and MP3. I think they're bringing plans in to try and censor it, they're always talking about it. But now our music is available for legal download, globally. We've noticed a few e-mails from China, and we've had no distribution in China ever, physically. There's a steady trickle of Chinese e-mails, I don't know if they're picking us up from the Internet or whatever, or downloading those tracks. It's a fantastic feeling to know that we're reaching places -- that's the power of this thing, it's a powerful tool. You never know, it might actually lead to a physical distribution deal. CoC: If you permeate the market, people get used to it and they might as well let you distribute the CDs. I have to say as well, the catalogue you've got on there is the whole -available- catalogue. DP: It's the whole damn thing, supposedly, everything. Every record, I mean there might be some gaps there where they haven't uploaded it yet, but technically it will be every CD, every track that Earache has ever released will be on there sooner or later. Some of our early releases have not been available since their release and they've become sort of collectible things, and they're supposed to be up there because that's the beauty of it again: there's no inventory for us, we don't have to keep CDs or vinyl; it's just available for download as and when people choose to download it. I know that the whole beauty of it for me was to have our complete and utter catalogue up there for download. There's no reason why some albums are up there and other albums aren't, it's just a matter of: our biggest bands are up there first and then the other stuff will probably be put up later. CoC: I didn't yet notice stuff like Carnage and Old Lady Drivers... DP: They will be up there. CoC: And especially bands like Spazztic Blur are a bit of an underground classic... DP: That's a band I was going to mention: it's meant to be up there. They've got the master, all I can think is they haven't got around to it yet. We've got a total of two thousand tracks available on that. Ten years of Earache are now available for download. In theory, you can hear a thirty second sample of everything we've ever done, every track. The power of it is still hitting home, to me. I mean, to do that in the physical world you'd have to... I don't know. CoC: It's great for the older, less requested stuff. If one person wants one copy of one album it's no difficulty. You don't have to repress a thousand copies. DP: That's another beauty of this: it makes our catalogue complete and available on an individual download basis. Spazztic Blur is one that I'm looking at to get on there as well. There's no CD available of it, it was only ever released on vinyl. Technically, our whole catalogue should be up there in the next weeks. CoC: What other re-issues do you have planned? You've done Massacre and Carnage. Might you use the Emusic site to determine what re-releases you do in the future? DP: It's debatable. Unless there's a huge, huge demand, I don't think we'll be doing any more re-issues of so-called old classics. CoC: No Cadaver then? DP: Cadaver's possible because one of the bands we're thinking of signing is the new Cadaver: Cadaver Inc. [A stupid name in my opinion, but, I admit, I got it wrong: I reviewed the Cadaver Inc. demo as Cadaver back in issue #47 -- Paul]. We're close to signing them. That's what's so funny to me: when we did Cadaver originally, no-one gave a fuck about it, it was just some weird band from Oslo, Norway, pre-black metal and pre-all the murders and stuff. If we have a huge demand for Cadaver after Cadaver Inc. comes out then there's a slim chance we'll be re-issuing, but it just seems kind of why now, you can just download it, can't you? CoC: I think the concern from people is that a lot of the fans of the old Earache stuff aren't technological people that own computers. A lot of them are still CD collectors working a nine to five day job and so until MP3 players become part of stereos I think people will say that you're kind of leaving out the old fanbase because they won't have the capacity to get the MP3s; that's the problem. DP: I guess then it would be a case of if there's sufficient demand. From a record company's point of view you've got to sell at least five hundred or a thousand to cover the costs, really. And that's a pretty big number, really, for something that's many, many years old. [Conversation turns to the Carnage album -- see this month's classics section for a review -- and then comes to Napster.com.] DP: Napster is as we speak transforming the music industry. And I'm a big fan of it, actually, even though it could put us out of business. It's about the music in the end, and I'm sure we'll find a way to get involved with it. I've been talking to Napster in America about doing something. It's amazing the mixture of music you can get on there. The smallest band; someone somewhere has got their out of print 7" or something, on MP3. We're big fans of Napster, so I guess with the whole Emusic thing we're actually having our cake and eating it. Napster lets everyone swap MP3 files for free. I don't know, as long as the music's out there and people are enjoying it, then I think it is just promotional stuff and at the end of the day people will want to either download the full album or buy the CD. Either way the artist will get paid at the end of the day, through us, the label, and everything should be OK, hopefully. CoC: I think the whole MP3 "scare" is about equivalent to the "home taping is killing music" label they used to have on vinyls. In the end, if you tape something for someone, they don't keep the tape and never buy the CD unless they don't have the money to buy the CD. Most people who love an album will buy it on CD. It's not just a question of honesty, people like to have albums. I don't think that will stop. I think people will still want albums even if they have MP3s: they're nice to have. Maybe a generation from now kids won't even care 'cause they won't even have this whole CD [hangup]. DP: I think there is a revolution imminent about how people treat music. I think music's going to become like free software. The only thing that really bothers me is when we get e-mail from guys like this guy, I think he's in France, who compile like four CDs of MP3s of death metal, basically -- it's got four hundred tracks on it --, for ten dollars he's offering it. That's actually getting us pretty annoyed, because he's actually charging, basically, for compiling four hundred of his tracks onto a set of four CDs. CoC: I think that's where you have to draw the line: if you want to use someone else's software, that's cool, but you can't sell someone else's software. DP: Exactly. If Napster started charging, then they'd be closed down. The fact that it's totally free is what makes Napster the equivalent of tape trading: there is no charge. This CD thing, I mean four hundred tracks is some labels' entire output. A lot of the labels have sent each other e-mails about this. Although, I was talking to the guy at Century Media about it and he said he didn't want to join the MP3 revolution <laughs> just yet, so it's weird that you can't get any of the German label bands on MP3 -- they've got different attitudes. All the tracks that are on this guy's compilation, with the four CDs, we're going to try and e-mail him and make him see the error of his ways. [Conversation moves through various topics and we get into the idea of people taping or trading for CDs as a form of promotion.] DP: At the end of the day, from a record company's point of view and from the artist's as well, we want to get people to hear the music and whatever technology or tools there are to achieve that aim we want to use them all and that's kind of why we're here. I'm just glad that you discovered some of our stuff that you wouldn't otherwise have discovered 'cause then it will have proved the whole point, I suppose. [I was talking to Dig earlier about my buying via Emusic certain Earache releases that I'd been meaning to check out. -- Paul] [Conversation moves again to Napster in connection with use in universities, where Dig says it has in some places been banned; we then proceed to the freedom the Internet offers: how difficult it is to censor?] CoC: That's the great thing about the Internet, I think, especially for underground music because underground music has always been beaten down a bit by lack of exposure and the attitude taken to it by certain people. Earache was really helped early on by John Peel's patronage of Napalm Death and Bolt Thrower. [We chat about the possible redundancy of journalism in the future, accounting for the possibility for fans of simply listening to a release rather than having to read a review.] DP: I'll tell you what I think is going to be needed: I think it's all going to be about trusting people in the future. If you go on Emusic, go to genre "metal", it's got an A-Z. You haven't got time to wade through every band that's got an MP3 out, and MP3.com is even worse. [MP3.com becomes the topic as we discuss demo bands and I tell Dig about the fact that many of my recent demo reviews have been of MP3s.] DP: I think it's all going to be down to tracks in the future. I think it will just be compilations that will rule in the future. Like, "here's this month's selection of the best stuff out" and it'll be the people who you trust to make those selections who are the Sonys or whatever of the future. It'll be the ones who are the experts in the music genre that people trust. Good MP3s will aggregate around those people and then other people will know that instead of wading through all the MP3s, it'll be, "I'll just go for the readymade compilation that my selector has already done", to use a term from dance music. I think it'll be the same as where DJs decide the tracks in the dance arena, because you can't be arsed to wade through every track, you trust the DJ to do it for you. The same, in rock. CoC: It happens in a lot of industries. That's one of the purposes of service industries: to cut down the amount you have to look through stuff. A good search engine does that. It can be depressing as well, trawling through MP3.com, because although there are plenty of good bands there are lots of -really shit- bands. Bands I think are starting to record way too early. DP: Oh, absolutely, yeah. CoC: There is an over-abundance of bands who spend three weeks together and think they need to get a release out. DP: Oh, tell me about it, we get demos like that every day. Some of them I'm tempted to say, you know, "Ring us back in two years time." But actually they usually end up on a French label before then or something like that. It's actually shocking the amount of bands we see and then they end up with a CD deal. The labels are to blame a lot of the time 'cause they just add to the crap out there. CoC: Certain magazines contribute to it as well, if you don't tell a band they're not very good when they are not very good. A lot of the time they won't get that much better. DP: Bands do get better, actually. Some bands are absolutely crap and then they can have a burst of creativity and get very good very fast. CoC: Fair enough, but what I meant was that it's less common or less likely for a band to get better if they're not aware of the fact that they have to improve. If you get ten out of ten consistently for each album, then why change your format? Unless you're a particularly creative person. [We wound up our conversation talking about CoC itself and the fact that Morbid Angel's new album will be an MP3 promo as well as eventually being physical.] To date (August 7th), only the non-deleted Earache catalogue is available on Emusic -- no Spazztic Blur yet... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M O L D I N G T H E I R V I S I O N S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Bjorn Gelotte of In Flames by: Adrian Bromley Sweden's In Flames are easily one of my favorite bands out there. Their music is a brilliant meshing of death metal vocals accompanied by powerful melodies and some of the coolest guitar solos that have been displayed within the metal scene in recent years. Their constant evolution and groundbreaking work within the melodic death metal scene has stationed them high up on the list of bands to be inspired by and copy. Their new work on _Clayman_ [reviewed in this issue] is breathtaking and we are indeed blessed with the notion that the band is just hitting their stride, no doubt anxious to see where their music takes them within the next few years. "When we start to record an album, we never really plan what we are going to do or where we are going to take the band", starts guitarist Bjorn Gelotte about the ideas that inspired the new disc. "We just used the inspiration that we got from touring and just meeting people. We just bring into the fold ideas and inspiration from how people are reacting to what we do." "We also try to look at what we did with the last record and try to take the music of In Flames one step further. I think that is quite obvious since we have the same line-up now that we did on [1999's] _Colony_ [CoC #40] and that makes all of us feel more comfortable with what we do. We [the band is rounded out by singer Anders Friden, bassist Peter Iwers, drummer Daniel Svensson and guitarist Jesper Stromblad] grew together on this record and we took it to the next level." Indeed they have. Ever since their debut album, the death metal-tinged disc _Lunar Strain_ (Wrong Again Records, 1994), In Flames has gradually taken on a much more melodic overtone within their music, a change brought forward in their punishing (and in my eyes classic release) _The Jester Race_ (1995) [CoC #12]. Since then, the band has managed to capture a real solid feeling of creativity and musicianship in the last few years by putting out one impressive record after another. While the band does have a very faithful following, a lot of fans of the band feel very passionate about the work on _The Jester Race_ and think that much of In Flames' new work is just a continuation of that, not really breaking from that mold. About those comments from fans, Gelotte answers: "Let people think what they want. Some people even want us to go back and record another album like _Lunar Strain_. Why should we do that? That would be like living in the past. We are getting older now and are being influenced by many different things these days. We have much more diverse music styles than we had when the band first started. It would lying to ourselves and In Flames if we just stayed in the past, because we are always trying to move forward with each recording." "It has never been this easy to create songs for a record, but this time it was", states Gelotte of the recording of _Clayman_. "We were on tour in the United States, the first one we have ever done, and we were so inspired with this tour and the great experiences that we had, we didn't waste any time when we got home. We just started writing and it came together very fast. It was all pretty much done within the time frame of a month. It was very fast and it felt so good to be able to go into the studio inspired and get it all done so quickly." "This whole idea of being inspired to write music is something new to us. A while back we would normally have to book studio time to get things rolling for us and working on music and inspired to write for an In Flames record. It isn't like that anymore. We used to be very lazy, but this time around it was the total opposite. After the tour, we just couldn't stop writing and we didn't want to. We didn't want to stop the momentum of all this." How does Gelotte and In Flames feel about all of the respect they have garnered over the years? "It is very flattering to hear people speak so highly of In Flames and reading how all of these bands are influenced by us, but I also got to thinking about all of that too. When you create music you are trying to create your own identity, and if you don't, something gets lost along the way. There is already one In Flames. The world probably doesn't need another one and people must know that they can use what we do and get influenced by it, but then they need to take it to their own next level and get their band noticed." I ask Gelotte about the perils of being lumped into a music scene, In Flames most notably thrown into the "Gothenburg" Swedish metal scene. He answers: "We have always tried to do our own thing. We were there when this whole "Gothenburg" scene took off. We were there in the beginning and we had to decide just where we were going to go as well. It was the only way for us. I don't think we followed trends or tried to stay within a scene sound. We don't know what we are going to do next and I think you can hear that with what we do, especially on the new disc and how some of the choruses and ideas have been done. We aren't afraid to do things like that and I think it is important to be dynamic and have songs that'll come across solid live, because let's face it, we like to tour and play for our fans. Everything is important to us and our music and I think it is important for many bands to stay focused on what you do and let things happen, and not have a great plan." What inspires Gelotte and his songwriting / guitar playing? "I would have to say the touring and most importantly the line-up of the band. We have been the same band for the longest time now and we are like a family. For the last few years In Flames has kind of been a project with members being used from other bands to help In Flames, but now we are a full unit with all members devoted to the cause of In Flames. It used to be Jesper and myself telling people what parts to play and all that, but now everyone brings into the group their ideas and we function as a full unit. This time around, and over the last year or so, everything seems to be great for us and working as a team", says Gelotte. "It just seems very relaxed and that is a great feeling." On the topic of the album title, Gelotte responds: "We had a bunch of names to go as the title, but they didn't work out. We chose the title _Clayman_ because it was very short and easy to remember, just like the last record _Colony_. Also, the name seemed to fit very well with the concept of the record too." As always it seems, an In Flames release is a big deal and that means big pushing by their label, Nuclear Blast. So how does Bjorn feel about all of the press work and hype surrounding each release? He comments: "I think doing press is a lot of fun and it is great to talk to people that like metal, as well as meeting some very interesting people. I think it is more of a necessary evil for us because we just want to play the music. That is the main reason why we started all this. When we started out, we didn't want to talk to the press, but this is needed to help push the band name and make things smooth for the label we work with and the people who help us out. Oh well, it is only for a short time when the record is coming out and the rest of the year we get to play music and tour. Now -that- is exciting." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B R O K E N B U T N O T S U B D U E D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Brian Griffin of Broken Hope by: Aaron McKay From _Bag of Parts_ to "Engorged With Impiety", featuring James Murphy, to "Siamese Screams" and the phantom instrumentals of "Deadly Embrace", finally to "War-Maggot", I've braved the delineated path of these authoritative metal connoisseurs. Having waited patiently for the release of _Grotesque Blessings_, I eagerly clamored for a chance to canvass Broken Hope topics with Mr. Griffin via an e-mail exchange. The typed dialog to come is both encouraging and daunting concurrently. I encourage you to read on further to harvest the seeds of erudition from the indisputably busy and exceedingly talented Brian Griffin. CoC: With all your commitments with, for instance, EmSinfonia, producing, engineering, mixing, mastering and guitar duties for the mighty Broken Hope, you and Erik Rutan [Hate Eternal / Alas] could be accurately described as a couple of the hardest working men in the business, huh? Brian Griffin: I would have to agree there. I can't speak for Erik, but I do know he is the same as I am when it comes to dedication to our craft. I have been doing this for ten years and it never gets boring. I like to devote all of my time to music in one way or another. It is great to be in more than one band as well as have a studio to work with other bands. Music is my life and everything else isn't quite as interesting. As a matter of fact, I have just started my third band, which is another death metal project, but more extreme than Broken Hope. I can't imagine slowing down. I just want to try a lot of different styles, because I wouldn't be happy just sitting around watching someone else do it. CoC: Having been exposed to Broken Hope for a great number of years, the band seems to be extremely proficient in self-promotion. What do you think? True? And, as a follow-up to that question, was it Martyr Music's ability to give BH the support the group deserved, finally, that made you go with this up-and-coming label? BG: Broken Hope has always been self-sufficient. We can't rely on someone else to get us to the next level. All bands really need to work hard to get to where they want to be, nowadays. If you expect to get something done you really have to do it yourself. Martyr has made us a priority and I think that is what we really needed at this time. They know what needs to be done because of their years of experience in the industry. We bounce ideas off each other and the band/label relationship we have could not be any better. Things are getting easier as the label gets more well-known and being on a label that actually knows the scene is a big plus. CoC: I believe I can hear Broken Hope influences in others bands' material. What do you think about the influence BH has effectuated on music and brutal death metal in specific? BG: We definitely have our influences and they are quite varied. I think it is a great compliment to have another band be inspired by what you have done. We are definitely not innovators anymore. We have been around awhile like a lot of the older bands and the newer acts have definitely taken what we started with to a new level. Back in the day there weren't many death metal bands, but now there is one on every block. This was all started by the bands that were around ten or twelve years ago and it is great to be one of those bands. CoC: Seems to me that for a long time Broken Hope was kind of an undiscovered treasure in the world of metal. Would you agree, and do you think this is changing? Is the band more exposed now? BG: I wouldn't say we were a treasure, but we definitely didn't get the push we were hoping for in the past. With all of the competition it is difficult to make your mark, but I think sticking it out all of these years has shown that we are definitely a group of guys that are willing to do it for the music and deal without the recognition if that's what it takes. We are getting quite a bit of exposure through Martyr because they are more in tune with the scene and know what media outlets will benefit us the most. CoC: Speaking of hidden aptitude, how would you characterize the notoriety you've achieved through your production efforts with other bands, in addition to Broken Hope? BG: I am still working on getting my name out there as a producer. It is a never-ending job. With today's technology everyone thinks they are a record producer and that makes for more competition. In the past I concentrated on death metal recordings, but now I am expanding into all styles. I plan to do this for the rest of my life and I feel it is time for me to try it all and not get pigeon-holed into one genre. I also find it a good idea to record other styles so it keeps my ideas fresh when it comes to the death metal albums I record. It is too easy to get into a routine and make everyone sound the same and that is the stage death metal is at now. I am very fortunate that the death metal scene has given me a name as a producer and I have enjoyed working with all of the bands and I can't wait to work with more. It's a great start that I am going to expand on, but I will never forget where I started from. CoC: There seemed to be a little bit of a "lag time" in the release of _Grotesque Blessings_. What was happening? And could you possibly elaborate on the situation with Joe that was brought out on the Broken Hope webpage, www.brokenhope.com? BG: I took some time off from Broken Hope to work with my other band EmSinfonia and do a lot of studio work. In the meantime nothing was being done with the band, because the other members aren't 24/7 music guys like I am, so they took the break to do other things. Once we found the right people to write with we got things together for _Grotesque Blessings_. As far as Joe goes... he is back with us. He decided he was not ready to do the tour we had booked and bowed out at the time. We in turn could not fail our fans and decided to go on with the tour with a different vocalist. It went well but we are glad Joe has decided to continue with us. CoC: Speaking of Joe, on the new album I would say that his vocals are somewhat more distinctive and discernible. Is this accurate? BG: The band and Joe made a decision to try and make the vocals more understood this time around. In my opinion Joe is at his best this way, instead of trying to do a million words in every line. We concentrated on less lyrics to make things easier on him. CoC: Was there more of a co-operative writing effort on this album between you and Jeremy? BG: Not really. Jeremy and I have been working the same since the beginning. We each write our own songs. We both have different capabilities and each one of us has progressed in our own way. Our style in writing and structuring varies. The fans seem to like the variation in the songs. If we were to collaborate too much every song would more or less come out too predictable. CoC: Interesting the way the band utilized three other bassists in addition to Brian Hobbie, the group's "full time" bass player, and then some bass work by you, as well. How did this come about? BG: I had originally planned on doing all of the bass on the album, but between writing, recording the guitars, leads, and producing and engineering alone, I found myself needing fresh ideas. I did in fact play a lot of bass on the album, but it was good to have input from the other players. CoC: What would you say the biggest selling point is regarding _Grotesque Blessings_, as opposed to other prominent Broken Hope releases? BG: _Grotesque Blessings_ is by far more advanced in playing. We have better structuring and have really improved since the last album. The vocals are more intelligible, the drumming has more flare and the bass playing is more diverse. I guess there are quite a few selling points. It is also our best layout and cover as well. CoC: Would you recommend _Grotesque Blessings_ as a "first CD purchase" to inaugurate someone new wanting to get into Broken Hope? BG: Yes, I would. But, then again, it is just my preference, because I prefer to hear a band at their latest stage of progression. If you were to buy this one and _Swamped in Gore_, you would definitely think it was two different bands. CoC: Last couple of years I've seen you and Jeremy Wagner at the Milwaukee MetalFest. Any chance that you'll play this year? BG: We go there to promote the band. MetalFest has become less appealing to us as the years have gone by. It is great to go see up and coming bands, but the scheduling is usually screwed up and it gets difficult for a band to put on a good show. I doubt we would do it again. CoC: A pretty reliable source informed me that "Bag of Parts" made it on the play list for this coming tour! I, for one, think this is fantastic! BG: Yes, it did. We consciously made an effort to add songs that get requested at the shows. It was great to have a variation in the set this time around. Some of the songs took people by surprise. CoC: As a colleague of Chuck Schuldiner's (and a true friend of his as well, I'm sure), can I impose upon you for your thoughts on his situation? BG: We are not close friends that keep in contact all of the time, but meeting and working with him was a special time for me. He is the kind of person that you can be around for a short time and consider a good friend. I can't think of anyone more supportive and personable to work with. Chuck is an amazing person. What can I say? He has done it all, and his contribution to music has definitely inspired all of us. The strength he has shown in battling his illness is just what I would expect from him. Nothing can stop him and I am confident we will be hearing him play for years to come. It is great to see all of the support everyone is giving him in return for what he has done. I hope he has a speedy recovery so he can get back to what he enjoys, and that is writing music for all of us. CoC: It has been an honor to conduct this interview with you, Brian. Please conclude any way you would like... BG: Thanks for the interview, Aaron. Thanks to everyone for supporting Broken Hope throughout the years and the rumors!! Contact: http://www.brokenhope.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S A T A N A N D M E R L I N U N I T E ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Jon Schaffer and Hansi Kursch of Demons & Wizards by: Adrian Bromley and Aaron McKay Metal fans would probably think that Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer and Blind Guardian singer/bassist Hansi Kursch would have a difficult time venturing outside of their own bands to start up their new project, Demons & Wizards. Actually, according to Kursch, it wasn't that hard to do at all. "It all just happened quite easily for us to get this together", starts Kursch when asked about the formation of D&W with guitarist Jon Schaffer. "It has been such a great time. Jon and I have known each other since the early '90s, and we knew what to expect from us getting together with our ideas. We're both professional and we were very confident with the musicianship we would bring to D&W." "We'd talked about doing this for a while now", explains Kursch. "One day a while back we got together for an afternoon and just jammed. We got such a good vibe from that time and felt with chemistry that good, it would be a waste to not put these talents together. We just waited for the right time to do this. This was very easy to do for us, really. I mean there is so much we can do with Blind Guardian and Iced Earth, and there is so much else that we can venture out and do with D&W." "The first time we met was on a promotional tour that I was doing", co-founder Jon Schaffer clarifies. "We ran into each other at a disco and the guys from Rock Hard magazine said "This is Hansi from Blind Guardian and these are the guys that you are going to be opening for", so we hit it off instantly there. Really, it was kind of a magical thing that doesn't happen between bands normally; we became brothers right off the bat -- right from the first day!" The band's self-titled debut for SPV is a wicked combination of heavy-duty '70s guitars, breathtaking choruses and some of the finest melodic vocal stylings to hit metal in some time. Kursch and Schaffer have taken their talents from their current bands and etched them into D&W, but still set out to bring something new to the metal genre. Together, the imaginative magic between these two uncommon individuals confidently exhibits itself on no better place than "Fiddler on the Green" and "Winter of Souls". "I just wrote that music [for "Fiddler on the Green"] and sent it over to Hansi. The whole concept is his and it's based on a true story", Jon elaborates. "[Hansi] was out walking his dog and he saw a little boy get killed on a bicycle -- hit by a car. Well, it happened again, like a week later -- same spot, same place in his neighborhood in a place where something like that would never happen. Over in Germany, the Fiddler is like what we call the Reaper." Sounds like the Demons & Wizards album cover, wouldn't you agree? In summary, the Fiddler makes a mistake and takes this little boy's life too soon. Thusly, he promised the boy he'll create this paradise for him. The girl in this scenario would have been this little boy's future wife, so the deal is that the Fiddle makes a heaven for this pair as part of the bargain. In case you were wondering, this is Jon Schaffer's favorite track. ""Winter of Souls" goes back to 1986 or something. I stumbled across it and added one new section, the clean bridge part towards the end; then it kicks up and gets heavy, that's new", Schaffer illustrates with his typical insight. "Hansi liked it a lot and I like the vocal melodies he came up with. In addition, he lyrically based it on the King Arthur and Mordred thing." About his songwriting style and approach to the D&W material, Kursch says: "I find the material of D&W a lot darker. The topics range from weird fairy tales, bizarre dreams and fictional ideas, to life experiences. A lot of the stuff is more brutal that most of the stuff I would normally be doing with Blind Guardian. It was great to break away from a type of mold here", admits Kursch. "The thrill of making music was awesome. The best part was the whole spontaneity of things." But what about those who are calling the new D&W record a meshing of Iced Earth and Blind Guardian styles? Kursch answers: "We never considered to do anything in between our bands' music or go a certain direction with the D&W sound. Jon can't deny his songwriting style and I have a very identifiable vocal style. While it may be an amalgamation of us creatively, I still hear something new with what we are doing." The last three songs are a trilogy, right? "Yea! And I can't be blamed for it", Schaffer jokes good-naturedly. "Everybody's like, "Schaffer did another trilogy". It's not the case this time." This Dante-esque, near-_Stormrider_ abstraction is a wonder of de-evolution as a gnome takes a human through a losing faith scenario as it ranges from Creation to Revelation. Jon concludes: "I like dark stuff, man." Many great things are in store for this praiseworthy band collaboration. Kursch finishes: "I hope that people who listen to the record two or three times will come to the conclusion that this isn't a straight copy of Iced Earth or Blind Guardian. It is a whole new experience, and an exciting one at that." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= A C Y N I C A L E A S T E R N G A T H E R I N G ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Santiago Dobles from Aghora by: Paul Schwarz Let's note that cynical is present here in its ancient use: as a means to achieve virtue. Aghora are no depressive, frustrated, baggy-pants metal brat pack, nor some violently thrashing death troupe; they have both a positive outlook and a wide-ranging musical scope. Aghora also have the talents of Sean Malone and Sean Reinert (Gordian Knot and ex-Cynic bassist and drummer respectively) filling their rhythm section, and a female vocalist, Danishta Riviera, on vocal duties. When one adds the guitar playing of Charlie Ekendahl and Santiago Dobles (who is also the band's central figure) the result is a progressive, eastern-tinged but defiantly riff-laden journey which has proved to be one of the few truly original and creatively unrestrained releases I have heard in recent years. Aghora really are on to something different with their self-titled debut release [CoC #47]. I caught up with Santiago Dobles to discover from where this technical and unusual outfit has emerged, how things came together for them, and where they might hopefully be taking music and people in the future. CoC: How would you describe the style of music of your self-titled debut album? Santiago Dobles: It's hard to really describe, but to me its like putting World music, fusion and metal in a blender and creating a balanced concoction. I think the style is actually something new. CoC: It would be fair, I think, to say that there is a strong influence of prog-rock/metal (with elements of jazz) running through your music. Why did you choose to combine female vocals with the this rather technical and somewhat instrumental tapestry? SD: It was what I was hearing in my head. I was fascinated with the idea of trying to fuse all the elements I listened to into one sound. Danishta, to me, has a wonderful voice. Her tone is very sincere and angelic-like. CoC: Whom would you say are influences for you as a player? What records would you say have most influenced the style of _Aghora_? SD: I am very influenced by Allan Holdsworth. He completely leaves me mesmerized. I am also always inspired by Steve Vai, Frank Zappa, Jason Becker, Brett Garsed and Greg Howe. As for the _Aghora_ sound, these following albums had a deep impact: Cynic's _Focus_ and the later _Portal_ and _Aeon Spoke_ demos, Mahavishnu Orchestra's _Visions of the Emerald Beyond_ and _Inner Mounting Flame_, Shakti, Tool's _Aenima_, Meshuggah's _Destroy Erase Improve_, Peter Gabriel's _Passion_, Bjork's _Post_, Alanis' _Jagged Little Pill_, _Supposed Infatuation Junkie_, Dead Can Dance's _Aeon_, Steve Vai's _Passion and Warfare_. CoC: Are Aghora spawned of a "scene" of similar music? SD: No, unfortunately the legendary metal scene of south Florida no longer exists in the way that it used to. Aghora is spawned out of the lack of a scene and out of every artist that has inspired us. CoC: How did you first come into contact with Sean Malone and Sean Reinert of Gordian Knot / Cynic and how did you come to use them as your rhythm section? SD: I met the entire band [Cynic] when they performed live in Miami to support the _Focus_ album. This was back in 1994. Afterwards I began taking guitar lessons from Paul [Masvidal]. As time went by I made friendships with all of them. They are all incredibly cool people. I pretty much stayed in contact with Paul and the rest of the band. After Paul left to California, I began to communicate more with Sean Reinert. At that time I was writing music that would later be used for Aghora and I needed to form a band. I asked Sean if he wanted to play drums. He listened to the music and showed interest in developing what later became Aghora. As for Malone, things with our original bassist didn't work out; so Sean and I both suggested to each other to contact Malone and see if he would be interested to join. I called him in Oregon, and he said it would be an honor. Of course it's been a dream come true for me to work with both Sean Reinert and Sean Malone. Not only are they amazing musicians, they are truly unique and down to earth people. CoC: How much did Sean Malone and Sean Reinert contribute to _Aghora_? SD: Sean Reinert and I have had more time to play together than with Sean Malone. Reinert has been contributing to Aghora since 1997. I have always given him the freedom to be the backbone for Aghora. In my opinion, he is the one that sets the vibe and the power. For the album, Reinert had a lot to do with the feel and helped in making the songs come alive. He added the dynamics. Also he helped with writing "Jivatma" and "Anugraha". As for Sean Malone, he came into the band in the second week of recording the album. I sent him charts in Oregon along with basic tracks of the album and demos. In less than three weeks he learned the album and created his bass parts. His bass parts completely filled the vibe missing in Aghora. Sean has such a unique style and control over his instrument and expression. When he was recording the album I was very confident that his contribution would turn Aghora into something higher or more evolved. He came down during the mix down sessions and helped mix down and produce four songs. He has an incredible talent both as a musician and as a creative force in the studio. CoC: How did Aghora come together as a band and when? SD: I always had the idea to form a group where together everyone was extremely tight and yet as individuals everyone would shine. The idea to create this band was cultivated while I was attending school in Berkley in 1995. At that time, I was beginning to sketch ideas which later evolved into music for the band. It wasn't until I moved back to Miami in 1997 that the band became a reality. Originally the band consisted of Charlie on rhythm guitar, my sister Danishta on vocals, Andy Deluca on bass and Sean on drums. Because Andy lives in Chicago and everyone was extremely busy with school, our rehearsals were limited. While we recorded the '98 demos we got to rehearse only once. For the '99 demos, we had to rely totally on faith in each member because rehearsal time was non-existent. At that time, Sean Reinert moved to Los Angeles, so we only saw each other a few times in that year. When the opportunity came to work on the album we had to hurry and prepare everything for the recording sessions. Sean came back to Miami for rehearsals. At this time, things didn't work out for us with Andy and we parted ways with him. Two weeks into the recording of the album during the summer of '99, we asked Sean Malone to join the band. His entrance definitely helped Aghora evolve towards the direction we wanted to go. In my opinion the band started to sound like a band and come together while we were creating the album. CoC: In writing the music for _Aghora_, were tunes penned by you and brought before the band in a mostly-finished format or is it primarily a project based around jamming and improvisation like much jazz, for example, is? SD: Basically, I tried to give the band a very complete "rough draft" of the songs. It's a bit of a long process, but I think it helps to have some form of foundation before you actually make things "final draft". The album is very structured. The music was composed for the musicians involved. Most of the music was written between 1997 and 1999. After I completed the basic structure of the songs, I would sequence them with MIDI and record a demo with guitar parts and melodies. After this process I'd give the band their copy of a demo and charts. I then had them mould their sound and style into the music. After that, Charlie, Danishta, Sean Reinert and I would rehearse it and get it ready for the studio. Most of the parts stayed the same but some things ended up coming out more and feel more alive. It ends up getting the band's sound. This was basically the process we used for recording the album and our demos. Sean Reinert and I would rehearse together to bring the dynamics out and to get the overall feel right. The only songs that were based around jamming where "Jivatma" and "Anugraha". For these two songs we wanted a breath of fresh air to the album. "Jivatma" was completely improvised. We wanted something different from every other song. CoC: What is the lyrical focus of _Aghora_? I notice elements of what I think is Hinduism and certainly a focus on "the divine". SD: The whole album has an underlying message of looking within or "unplugging from the matrix". Ever since I got into eastern philosophy I began to think and desire a goal of self-realization, detachment and compassion towards everybody. It's difficult now to be a "detached" person because we easily get caught up in things that keep us within the "Veil of Maya" or the "Matrix". Every human being has the potential to do great things. So my idea was to present a message of positivity and self-discovery based both on philosophies and on personal experiences. CoC: Are the lyrics of Aghora important or are they merely to give backing to the music and a wider scope for audience acceptance; could Aghora have been an instrumental project? SD: The music and lyrics are very important to the whole picture because they give you the imagery and feel for the struggle we constantly battle against our own Ego. I don't think Aghora could have been an instrumental project. It wouldn't seem right without Danishta's voice and the lyrics. CoC: What do you consider "capturing the individual soul of music" (as you credit Shakti and the Mahavishnu Orchestra with doing) to be, and do you think you have achieved it? Is it your aim to achieve it? SD: Well, I think it means to capture your self within a moment of true expression. Bands that inspire me such as Allan Holdsworth, Frank Zappa, Shakti and Mahavishnu Orchestra relied heavy on improvisation and being in the now. It's as if they channel a higher state through their instruments. You can hear it on albums like _Shakti_, _Shut Up & Play Your Guitar_, _Inner Mounting Flame_. To me it represents the idea of life. You have to always be in the moment. I don't think being in the moment is a state that can be mastered, but it can definitely be achieved and experienced. I think on songs like "Jivatma" and "Existence" Aghora experienced those magical moments of being eternal in the moment. "Jivatma" is full of this feel. It reminds me of a modern day raga from India. You can also experience the soul captured in Sean's drum solo in "Existence". In my opinion it's a classic moment of true expression. We hope to go deeper into this "experience" in the next album. We found out later that Aghora in Portuguese means "now". It's an interesting coincidence with the vibe we wanted. [In fact, the Portuguese word for "now" is spelled "agora" and not "aghora". -- Pedro] CoC: Why do you create the music of Aghora? (E.g. success, your own musical fulfilment, to bring a message to the world, etc..) SD: There is always the want to satisfy your musical thirst. I have been very dissatisfied with the heavy community because everything nowadays tends to sound the same and has no inherent value to it. I wanted to compose what I hear in my head. I wanted something that satisfied my thirst musically. As for the message, I think a lot of music today tends to be very negative and gives of a very violent message. I don't think there is anything wrong with aggression or raw power, but I do think it should be harnessed and sublimated to a higher state. That type of energy can have a strong impact on kids if it is fused with intelligence and something positive. We didn't want any negativity around the music. I think it's time for people to somehow uplift themselves and begin to find ways to evolve. If Aghora makes some kids somewhere in the world think and open new doors to things like philosophy and evolution within the arts, you will have a higher resonating consciousness moving towards great potential. And before you know it, a "new" scene will arise. CoC: Why did you decide to put out your debut record on your own (or your brother's?) label? Did you try to get a record deal through normal channels? SD: My father has been supporting our efforts since day one. Together out of frustration we established Dobles Productions in order to secure the rights of the band and not get screwed by the industry. We grew tired of waiting around for labels to simply play around with us. A lot of labels either wanted to exploit our creativity or simply wanted to change our ideas. We wanted to stay true to ourselves and maintain integrity in our work. A lot of labels turned us down because they felt the vocals weren't "metal" enough for the heavy labels and the music wasn't "progressive" enough for the prog labels. They would also complain because the lyrics' message hints towards eastern thought. Some even went as far as to say that the message of the lyrics is religiously controversial and offensive to Christian beliefs. They all came back telling us they would be risking a release that was so different from everything else they have released. It seems they are afraid of change or anything new. Everything has to sound like something that has already been done. It's almost as if they set the standards on what is considered "good" in the scene. So they are the ones that start the trends and keep up the cliches that end up polluting the industry for good artists. CoC: Is there a meaning or a connotation to be derived from the rather understated artwork and presentation (grey is not the most striking of colours...) of the _Aghora_ CD; does it give a message of some sort? SD: There is no hidden meaning, we just wanted a simple album cover. We wanted this album to be as organic as possible. The entire album has a rawness to it that seems as if the band is in the same room with you while you listen to it. This is what we wanted to achieve. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S C A N D I N A V I A N D O M I N A T I O N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews K-2t4-s of ...And Oceans by: Adam Wasylyk Finland is quickly becoming the hottest place in Scandinavia to hear metal music that's brutal, melodic, and challenging. Already a healthy scene with mainstays such as Impaled Nazarene, Sentenced and Amorphis, a younger crop of bands are making sure to carry on the country's proud tradition of creating music worthy for the ears of metal fans worldwide. While many of the elder bands in Norway, for instance, find themselves in a transition state -- maturing beyond their roots -- Finland's young and upcoming acts find themselves with an excess of aggression and the compulsion to purge. A classic example is ...And Oceans, whose second album _The Symmetry of I, the Circle Of O_ (on Season Of Mist) [CoC #44] combines great riffs, strong harmonies, harsh blastbeats and powerful vocals. It must be in the water or something, as this part of the world is creating some of the most creative and innovative metal presently. And don't expect things to change anytime soon. Vocalist and co-creator K-2t4-s picks up the story as he explains his thoughts and feelings on _The Symmetry..._: "The album was recorded at Tico-Tico Studio here in Finland", he begins. "It was released as a double digipak with a bonus disc containing ambient material which was spontaneously created in the studio, in addition with just a normal jewel case with the regular metal CD. Overall we are still pretty satisfied with the material and our previous releases, but of course there are things that could've been more properly done. One can never be too satisfied by one's own material, and that's the reason why one keeps releasing and making more material. I think the new album will be more like a well-done [piece of] beef compared to the half-raw beef _The Symmetry..._." Getting a little more in-depth, K-2t4-s mentioned what originally spawned the idea for this ambient creative outburst, and what additional bands were involved. "The idea came long before entering the studio. Originally there were two bands, Puissance and Tiermes. Puissance did their job, but Tiermes were too busy with their minds that they didn't have the time to finish their track. We just wanted to add some special atmospheres to the album and these bands in question would've contributed by doing some material for us. Both bands are also very different to each other and therefore it would have suited the concept perfectly." So will you continue to create that sort of music in the future? "I don't think we will continue creating that much ambient type of music for our next release 'cause it got a bit monotonous and boring. Nothing against monotonous music, but we just want to constantly move on instead of suffering from stagnation." With The _Symmetry of I, the Circle of O_ being ...And Oceans' sophomore album, I made sure to ask about their debut album, entitled _The Dynamic Gallery of Thoughts_ [CoC #33]. "Well, we are not that satisfied with the previous material, but I guess that's pretty normal", the frontman honestly states. "There are so many things that could've been done differently in the past. Some things are better on the debut album, but musically and lyrically _The Symmetry..._ is much better; it's more personal and colorful. I guess the debut album was an OK release -- nothing more, nothing less." He also discussed the band's first recording -- a 1995 demo entitled _Wave_ -- along with their first official demo, which will soon be re-released. "The _Wave_ demo was an unofficial demo tape which was more technical and sounded more death metal than the material released after that particular tape. I don't think we will ever release it on CD, even if the sound quality is damn good. The first official demo, _Mare Liberum_, will be pressed on CD before Fall and released by the Italian label Nocturnal Music. The demo CD will also contain five live tracks from our European tour." Our conversation turned back to _The Symmetry..._, in which the first-time listener is confronted by a tracklisting with titles like "Acid Sex and Marble Teeth" and "I Wish I Was Pregnant". So I had to ask, what exactly is going on here lyrically? "The track titles should be seen as different sides of the same coin and as different coin of the same sides, if you prefer", begins the rather perplexing explanation. "Physical phrases are combinations of letters and numbers modified into codes in our mental vortex and [your] individual interpretation and comprehension is the energy of systematic thinking. Man is divided [into] mental sides, like a coin in its physical existence, and therefore the energy is visualized one way or the other, stronger or weaker depending on the person in question. Actually, I don't think it makes a difference which side is stronger 'cause both are naive and affected by conservative rituals, but they still do compensate each other. The semantic aspects of the written lines are as black as they are white, but yet they stay on the personal level. I stand behind the lyrical curtain, but it's up to the listener to decide what the deeper semantic construction is all about. I don't want to affect anybody particularly, 'cause it's always better for the listener to construct his own surrealistic mindworld into something suitable for him and his mind. Find the oppositions 'cause contradictions can be constructive." Hmm... I think I got it... The oddly named vocalist also commented on the upcoming movie the band are working on, and all of the work that has gone into it thus far. "Actually, it was planned to be more like a short movie, about 12 to 15 minutes long, containing two ambient tracks and one metal track. The material has been shot with three different cameras, one 8mm, one 16mm and one security camera, and of course everything is black and white with some moments containing excessive light. The screen will be divided in at least two separate pictures, depending on where we can edit the film, and with different topics rolling on at the same time. We've got about 13 hours of material, but we still have to go through the whole material, do the cutting and editing. It's very time demanding, but we're working on it and hopefully we'll get it finished sometime this year. The head man behind the cameras has done a lot of short movies and won some cultural prizes for his work, but he is very busy with his own job and is often abroad, so we'll just have to wait for the right moment before finishing the movie. Maybe we will take the tracks from our next album instead of _The Symmetry..._ 'cause those tracks seem a bit old and boring for our current existence." ...And Oceans is composed of six musicians (guitarists Neptune and de Monde, vocalist K-2t4-s, bassist Gaunt, keyboardist Anzhaar, and Grief on drums) who find themselves involved with several different bands in the Finnish metal scene. Speaking about this, K-2t4-s states: "Some of our members are involved in different bands, but they are not project bands. They were all formed before ...And Oceans, but due to the fact that it's very difficult to find competent and interesting members around this neighbourhood. Our bass player, drummer and keyboard player are part of Black Dawn, who recently recorded their debut album on Necropolis Records. Our drummer is also part of Enochian Crescent, who are signed to Avantgarde Music; and our bass player is part of Rotten Sound, which is also signed to Necropolis Records. All bands are important for the members, and there's no sort of competition between the bands." I concluded by congratulating him and the band for signing to Century Media, and asked how that deal came about, along with what the current status of the band is. "We just sent over some promo packages to several labels in order to gain knowledge about what different labels thought about us. Several labels showed interest, but as Century Media seemed like a great label we thought we could move on and sign a contract with them. We haven't really discussed any details about tours or anything yet, because we have a lot of stuff to do with our material at the moment. Hopefully we'll head out for a tour later, but we'll see what happens after the release." And what about newly written material? "We have basically seven tracks completed for the next album and I think we'll make two more before entering the studio in September. I think the new material is more rhythmic and vibrating than the previous material." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= F O R T H E L O V E L E S S L O N E L Y L I V E S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Peter Poulsen and Thomas Jensen of Saturnus by: Pedro Azevedo Saturnus managed to make a significant impression within the doom metal scene with the quality melodic doom/death of their debut _Paradise Belongs to You_. However, for me it was its successor, the very broken-hearted MCD titled _For the Loveless Lonely Nights_, that most clearly proved there was something special about this band: the emotion was definitely there, both on the melodic doom/death tracks and on the acoustic ones, supported by well above average musical quality. The recently released full-length follow-up to that MCD, _Martyre_ [reviewed in this issue], is another worthy effort by the band, even though I have mixed feelings about a few of its songs. Still, Saturnus, who started out as a melodic death metal band and then played what seems to have been a rather life-changing gig with My Dying Bride, seem poised to maintain their place as one of today's melodic, dark-romantic doom metal's highest exponents. Having once played with a choir inside a church and having been nominated for the Danish equivalent to the Grammy awards in the past seemed to be further subjects for interesting conversation; so here is a brief e-mail chat with guitarist Peter Poulsen and vocalist Thomas Jensen. CoC: You seem to have been somewhat influenced by My Dying Bride, with whom you played a gig in 1996. How influential was that to your progression as a band? Peter Poulsen: In the beginning of Saturnus we played melodic death metal, but the gig with My Dying Bride in 1996 opened our eyes to something else that could express our music better. Maybe that's why we have those influences from My Dying Bride. CoC: These days, however, the evolution of your musical style tends to remind me more of the kind of path followed by Anathema towards a lighter and more melodic form of doom metal; yet you certainly have not forsaken the death vox on _Martyre_. Most bands, however, would probably say death vox do not fit well with the kind of melodic, broken-hearted doom you play -- I disagree and feel the death vox do suit your music very well. Do you think they will continue to be a part of your music in the future? Thomas Jensen: As the years pass you evolve from what you started from, and will on your way maybe end up in another place, different from where you started. Maybe the death vox will stay. Maybe they won't. It's all in what you feel at the moment. CoC: Where do you think your sound might evolve to next, emotion-wise and also as far as becoming instrumentally softer or heavier again? PP: We can't say, for the time being. But we're creating some new material, and it will take us further on the way to expressing ourselves in this particular moment in time. So it will still be Saturnus again, just new! CoC: Speaking of Anathema, you have now included a new half-sung, half-growled vocal style, somewhat reminiscent of Darren White [formerly of Anathema and The Blood Divine] but sometimes maybe more "rocking", together with your death grunts and clean vox. Why did you decide to use this new vocal style in your music? TJ: Because Darren White is my favourite singer!! CoC: Can you tell us more about your 1997 concert in St. Stefan's Church with a female choir? That's quite an unusual event for a metal band... PP: That is quite an unusual event for a metal band indeed, and it caused quite a stir in the Danish church. Klaus Olsen, a sound/picture artist, had been involved in an arrangement in the church the previous year, and the priestess, Anne Braad, said that she, for long Friday (you know, the day long ago when somebody was crucified to death), needed death and destruction!! Klaus answered her: "I know a band that I guess will be very interested!" And that's it. CoC: Another thing which is rather unusual for metal bands is to get nominated for national music awards, yet you were nominated for Best Hard Rock Release of the Year for your _For the Loveless Lonely Nights_ MCD in something that is supposed to be like the Danish Grammy awards... How was it like? And, by the way... who won? PP: It was great fun to be nominated for the Danish Grammy awards (free food and beer). It was the second time that the "best hard rock" category was included in the show. We didn't win the award, but we won the party... so fuck the prize! Superfuzz (at the time an unreleased, unknown band... I guess they stopped playing as well) won the award and we were very happy on their account... bull... CoC: You had Flemming Rasmussen, of Metallica fame, as your producer for _Martyre_. What motivated that? Are you happy with his work? PP: Mr. Flemming "Trainconductor" Rasmussen is a very gifted man who knows his ways in every kind of music; and we talked about the possibilities for havin' him doing the CD, contacted him and he was open and keen on doing the project with us. It's very nice when you can work with a man you have been talking and listening to all your childhood. We hope he's up for the next CD, which we are at this time working hard on! CoC: What about the album itself, how much of a progression do you feel it was from your past releases? How satisfied are you with it? PP: Of course there must be progression from one release to the next; you grow as a person and as a musician and you reflect about life as you grow with it. -We- are very satisfied with _Martyre_, it just couldn't be better! CoC: Despite some changes, _Martyre_ carries on your darkly romantic doom metal style. Do you think you can write, play or even enjoy such broken-hearted, gloomy music even if you're feeling good and things are going well for you, or does it take some real feeling behind the music for you? PP: As said before, we grow all the time and every particular moment in your lives brings sadness and happiness with it. We are very happy people on the outside, but yet we cannot deprive ourselves of the nothingness we grow in. The music and lyrics will stay sad with us. CoC: What kinds of music does the band generally enjoy these days? PP/TJ: We can only speak for ourselves. In comparison it will be something like "mainstream rock", metal in general, pop... whatever; we're not that fixated on style, names or production, just as long as the music talks to us! CoC: Is there anything else you'd like to mention to end this interview? PP/TJ: Stay heavy and keep smiling... Saturnus is coming to a town near you... and tell all your friends we're "nice" people... Contact: http://www.saturnus.dk =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E F U T I L I T Y O F I T A L L ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Petri Eskelinen of Rapture by: Pedro Azevedo Rapture's remarkable debut _Futile_ [CoC #45] was one of 1999's best surprises: an emotionally gripping album, music drenched in sadness and the sense of all-encompassing futility indicated by the album title. It was, however, immediately labelled as Finland's answer to Katatonia's _Brave Murder Day_, which is understandable but also an unfair suggestion of lack of originality that the band did not deserve. Indeed, regardless of eventual similarities, _Futile_ is still an album that is very relevant. It was one of the highlights of the year for me, and I can't wait to hear its successor. The following is an e-mail interview with vocalist Petri Eskelinen. CoC: Quite a significant part of the doomiest bands around these days seem to come from Finland -- Rapture, Unholy, Skepticism, Dolorian, etc. --, more so than from other Scandinavian nations. What is it about Finland that you think might cause this? Petri Eskelinen: I don't have the slightest idea. Could be the long, cold winters. Then again, we have the highest suicide rates in the world, I think. Finnish people are generally kind of introverted and... I really don't know, 'cause everybody tells me that I'm not your average Finnish bloke, but rather really extroverted and sociable. CoC: What do you think of the Finnish metal scene in general? How does Rapture fit in it, what is it that you think can make you special? PE: The Finnish metal scene... I really don't know if there is a "scene" anymore. At least I haven't been involved in it anymore for a long time. We have some very, very good bands here, but as far as the demo scene goes, I don't know. I don't think I have the energy to be interested in demo bands anymore, unless somebody comes up to me and really recommends something. About fitting in the scene, I don't quite understand what you mean by it, since I don't think there's too much of a scene to fit into. [I was thinking of this "scene" as being formed by the bands that I mentioned in the previous question, amongst others. --Pedro] We just do our own thing to please ourselves. And what makes Rapture so special to me is that it's something I'm deeply a part of. Whatever makes it special to someone else, I really can't tell. That's something for each and every one to decide for himself. CoC: Do you think there might be a chance that Finnish doom became known more or less like Swedish death or Norwegian black did, despite the obvious differences between the aforementioned Finnish bands? And would that be a good thing, in your opinion? PE: Firstly, I don't feel we're that much a doom band. Secondly, doom will never be as big as black metal, 'cause it's far more extreme and hard to swallow than black metal. Plus, there's nothing "cool" in doom to scare your parents with. If doom were to become big or whatever, I couldn't care less. There would still be a lot of good bands to listen to. CoC: What about Rapture, what makes you want to write and play music as sombre and sad as _Futile_? PE: Well, our guitar players write all our music, so I'm not in a position to say anything about that, but I guess they only want to express some of their own feelings through this kind of music. That's what I personally try to do when I'm writing lyrics. This band is -- and I think I can safely speak for the whole band here -- an outlet for expressing emotions that would otherwise pile up and later come out in some unhealthy way. For me, it's a way to release depression, frustration, and for example anger through words and music together. It's a great feeling to have found people around you that can put into music the things you yourself put into words. CoC: What feelings would you ideally like to induce in the listener with your music? PE: Liking good music or art in any form is a matter of relating to what the musician/artist has tried to say. Well, not always, but in most cases. I'm not trying to induce any feelings in our listeners. Whatever feeling you get from listening to Rapture is fine by us. We play music only to satisfy our own need to create and release some feelings from our inner selves. CoC: To what degree do you feel you have achieved that with _Futile_? PE: If I didn't play in Rapture, I'd be a fan, I guess... I think it's a good album and I do get the chills whenever I listen to it. I guess that's a good indication that we've achieved something, since we wrote it for ourselves. I've had people come up to me and say that they've cried listening to the album, so... CoC: How concerned are you with all the criticism about _Futile_ sounding a lot like Katatonia's _Brave Murder Day_? Will it be a priority for you in the future to reach a more distinctive sound, or are you more worried about just creating music you're satisfied with? PE: I don't care. I know that we're different than Katatonia and it will most definitely not be a priority to "reach a more distinctive sound" in the future. As I said before, we write music that comes to us naturally and to please ourselves and ourselves only. CoC: What main changes can we expect to find in Rapture's next release? Will you be treading a similar path as far as the emotions you express with your music? PE: Oh yes, definitely. I still have some demons to exorcize and I think the guys have their share of emotional distress as well. Only time will tell... We write the kind of music that comes to us naturally, so it's impossible to say what will come next. Of course every band grows and evolves, but don't hold your breath expecting a pop record! We will possibly try out some more clean vocals and concentrate a bit more on the general atmosphere... CoC: What are your plans for the near future? New album on the works? PE: We're playing a show here in Helsinki on the 5th of August, so we're rehearsing like hell at the moment. After the show, we will begin rehearsing some new songs and continue writing more new material. The new album will probably come out in late Summer or Fall 2001. CoC: Is there anything else you'd like to add to this interview? PE: I guess all is said and all is done. Thank you for the interview and sorry about the delay... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= R E A S O N I N G W I T H T H E H E R E T I C S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Mikael Andersson of Thy Primordial by: Alvin Wee It's always sad to see how some quality bands in the underground are neglected; especially one as promising as Thy Primordial. Perhaps it's their lack of truly outstanding innovation in an overcrowded scene. Or maybe the lack of promotion. Either way, the band hasn't been getting the attention they deserve -- not from the fans, and even less so from the press. Hoping to expose the work of this underrated group, I summon Mikael Andersson -- axeman, composer and spokesman for one of Sweden's most underrated acts -- from his Northern lair for a quick "what's up" chat. Thy Primordial still haven't made the impact one would have expected from a young and talented, if not incredibly unique, outfit. Despite having been released ages ago, little has been seen or heard of _At the World of Untrodden Wonder_, the band's third album. [CoC #46] "_At the World..._ has been out for some time for sure. Almost a year, I think." A case of poor promotion, perhaps? "We have done pretty much only interviews to promote the album. But nothing else other than that for promotion." In a scene where marketing speaks as loud as the music itself in securing the success of a band, the work of individual labels has become crucial in determining the outcome of new releases. "I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in Sweden and most of Europe there has been almost no promotion at all for _AtWoUW_; I saw an ad for it in Close Up mag [Sweden's largest metal publication -- Alvin] some time ago, but that's all I've seen." I suggest that working with Pulverised Records (the premier Singaporean label that introduced Amon Amarth to the world) hasn't been altogether favorable, but the Swede is quick to point out: "The promotion for _Where Only Seasons Mark the Paths of Time_ [CoC #20] was a lot better, at least in Europe. And otherwise I don't see any big problems working with them, except for all the delays that have cursed the band." Thy Primordial must have realized that taking up a contract with an unrecognized, Asia-based label would be a gamble in its own right. Delays would be inevitable, and promotion would no doubt be inferior to that of an Europe-based office. So how did their relationship begin? "They wrote to us asking for material. We then sent some samples from each of our demos and promos. They liked what they heard and sent us a contract for three releases, which we, after some changes, decided to sign. What made us sign with an "exotic" label was that there was no other interest from any labels back then." With respect to the debut album, the efforts of the "exotic" label proved respectable, to say the least. Advertisements sprung up in most major magazines worldwide, and while distribution proved to be a stumbling block, the name of Thy Primordial made the rounds for a time. Mikael interjects, "I think you mean the _Where Only Seasons..._ album here. Which is -not- our debut album, although the first to be released." Which brings us to the most confusing part of the band's history: the debut album that wasn't. Most fans and journalists alike took their maiden release, _Where Only Seasons Mark the Paths of Time_, as simply an impressive debut. But circulating in the underground, among the better informed, were rumours of a little-known, unreleased album. It was only until 1998 that, without fanfare or explanation, _Under Iskall Troll Mane_ surfaced on certain distro lists. An obscure, B&W affair of 1000 copies, hardly distributed and advertised less. Most of all, the new album wasn't on Pulverised Records as expected... "Pulverised was not even a record label when we recorded that album. Back in '95 we were signed to this American label called Gothic Records. They faced a lot of economic crises and it took them till '98 to release the album. Things got really messy for us, people thought that it was our new album. That is nothing we are pleased with, but there was nothing we could do about it. We tried to cancel the whole album as it doesn't represent Thy Primordial today, but Gothic refused to listen, as they saw a bright future for the label." Despite the lack of sustained interest in the band, Mikael remains unfazed. One assumes the livelihoods of the members don't rest solely on the success of the band. "No, we don't live on the music. Music is a hobby for us. I work in a factory, Albrektsson and Nilsson study, Morth works at Sunlight Studios and Isidor walks around unemployed (that lucky bastard)." While retaining the characteristic melody of their Swedish roots, Thy Primordial has eschewed the traditional technique-heavy style of their countrymen. Driven by an almost Norwegian-style aggression and fury, the band's ferocity is more than one would expect coming out of Sweden. "We play in a more Norwegian style because we like the songs to be less melodic than the rest of the bands from Sweden", Andersson explains. "Probably because me and Albrektsson, who are the main songwriters in the band, are more into that kind of style." _AtWoUW_ took the band to greater heights of complexity and aggression, yet there was no way to pinpoint any concrete change in the songwriting. "The riffs are more worked out. And the material is a lot more aggressive on _AtWoUW_ for sure, Mikael states. "When we did the _Where Only Seasons..._ album we were a bit stressed, as Pulverised needed a quick release from us. So we didn't have much time to write new songs. Some of the songs on _WOSMtPoT_ were like two years old already when we started recording. We used about one year for the songwriting for _AtWoUW_. Basically everything feels a bit more worked through on _AtWoUW_." "We told Isidor that we would like him to change the vocals", he continues, highlighting another major change in the music. "We thought that the way he screamed on _WOSMtPoT_ took down the energy in the music. Also it shall be mentioned that we used only English lyrics on _AtWoUW_, which is a lot easier to sing than Swedish." I did like the Ihsahn-type shrieks that accompanied the earlier album for the atmosphere it added, though. "We think Isidor's new way of singing is a lot better than the style he used on the _WOSMtPoT_ album", he remarks, putting an end to the discussion. An alarming number of bands are treading a new path; Satyricon and Dodheimsgard are just two of the many bands who have turned to electronic experimentation. Satyr believes that the inclusion of industrial/urban elements in an already dark musical style will achieve an even more oppressive and inhuman effect: black metal for the urban chaos, so to speak. "I have to agree with Mr. Satyr. If such elements are used right, it makes the music more brutal, and darker", Mikael opines. "Although it will -not- be included in the music of Thy Primordial for sure." I breathe a sigh of relief, and he finishes: "But I think a lot of bands will use such stuff." So Thy Primordial, like many other underground bands, are sticklers for tradition. But do they see themselves progressing anywhere in the future? "Of course I see a progression in the band", Mikael says emphatically. "Otherwise we would split up today. I don't see any reason for doing the same shit again and again. Today's Thy Primordial is a bit more controlled, but still brutal enough. You will understand when you hear the forthcoming material." Indeed, but what does the man think of "holocaust metal" bands like Marduk, who believe that melody only detracts from the hatred in the music? "Yes, nice melodies take away the brutality of the music, but they also add something new for the listeners. It might get boring to listen to total chaos from beginning to end. So there I see a reason for using some nice parts. But not too many!!" The band's obsession with all things dark and depressing is clearly reflected in their lyrics. "Death and darkness through different forms -- that's basically the concept of our lyrics. Albrektsson is the main lyric writer in the band, even if both myself and Morth have added some over the years. We write our lyrics so the listeners can decipher them in their own way. To spread darkness and hatred is the goal of both lyrics and music. Misanthropy is a concept which is often used in our lyrics for sure. I can't really get deeper into it, as I leave most of the lyric writing to Albrektsson." Sensing a dead end in the topic, I turn the discussion over to music in general. New record labels have all but destroyed the demo scene with indiscriminate contract offers to new, inexperienced bands. I ask Andersson if he's heard anything promising in the underground lately. "No, I don't think I have heard a single demo tape for years. I am not too up-to-date about the demo scene at all. Seems like most of the bands got signed before the demo was released. I don't know how many Gothenburg bands got signed. I stopped buying those types of records years ago", he says, and I couldn't agree more. New material has already been recorded for the upcoming album, _The Heresy of an Age of Reason_ [reviewed in this issue]. The new album boasts a cover done by Ola Larsson (who also did the _Where Only Seasons..._ cover) and a superb Sunlight Studios production. "We changed studio from _WOSMtPoT_ to _AtWoUW_ because we thought (and still think) that the old studio sucks. The guy who owns Rolab [the _WOSMtPoT_ studio -- Alvin] is pretty good to deal with, but he is not too involved in the metal scene. We were actually the first metal band to record in that studio. He doesn't understand the music at all. In Sunlight the people at least understand what the hell you are doing. Anyway, nowadays, as Morth works at Sunlight, it is our natural choice to record there. Good price and plenty of comfort while we're there. The sound is outstanding on this upcoming piece. We hope people will enjoy it!" Listeners can be sure that when Pulverised does get around to releasing it, it'll be one hell of a ripper! Contact: http://go.to/pulverised/ Contact: http://come.to/thyprim/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= G O R E I S F U N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Killjoy of Necrophagia by: Aaron McKay The philosopher Lucretius (c. 95-52 BC) once expounded: "So far as it goes, a small thing may give analogy of great things, and show the tracks of knowledge." Continuing in that vein of thought, Lucretius persisted: "That fear of Acheron be sent packing which troubles the life of man from its deepest depths, suffuses all with the blackness of death, and leaves no delight clean and pure." Doesn't that simply ooze images of Necrophagia? I especially enjoy the implication of the first quote that thought processes behind pieces of a larger puzzle can eventually become clear. That makes me think that the mighty _Black Blood Vomitorium_ is only the tip of the iceberg for Necrophagia's creative convictions and we are getting to see the whole thing as it evolves. To get a closer look, read on as the authoritative Killjoy escorts us through his world by way of this e-mail exchange. CoC: First off, congratulations on _Black Blood Vomitorium_! Incredibly -heavy- MCD, Killjoy, but then again they say dynamite comes in small packages, huh?! Killjoy: Thanks. I think _BBV_ is by far our heaviest stuff thus far, but the sickest is yet to come. Halloween 2001...!! CoC: My first exposure to Necrophagia was years ago on the inlay sleeve to Death's 1988 release _Leprosy_. How did this association come about? Did Necrophagia and Death tour together? K: No, we never toured together, but have been good friends since 1983. Mantis/Death and Necrophagia started around the same time. We traded demos, shirts, etc. and have just kept in contact ever since. I hear Chuck is recovering quickly now -- great news, for sure! CoC: I understand the first incarnation of the band began to take a different direction after the commanding _Season of the Dead_ release. K: Yeah, those guys got way out of their heads. The stuff they were coming up with was like Scorpions and Queensryche. Arghhh! CoC: I think you have currently enlisted the assistance of some major talent. How did Necrophagia come together as it is today? K: It was actually our guitar player's idea. I have know him ("Anton") and Wayne for a long while. I think this line-up completely crushes the old one!! CoC: Kind of an eclectic group of Necrophagia songs on the Red Stream compilation disc, _To Live Is Ever to Be in Danger_. Thanks for getting "Death Is Fun" on there. You were responsible for the release's title too, correct? Were you happy with the compilation in general and specifically Necrophagia's other two songs on there, "The Cross Burns Black" and "It Lives in the Woods"? "It Lives in the Woods" was inspired by "Evil Dead" and is kind of a sequel to "Devil Eyes", right? Was there a reason that the band put "It Lives in the Woods" out again on _Black Blood Vomitorium_? K: The title was inspired by what Maniac did on the intro to "The Cross Burns Black". I like the songs on that release. At the time it came out it represented Necrophagia past, present, and future. "It Lives in the Woods" is indeed about "Evil Dead" and a sequel to "Ancient Slumber" from _Season of the Dead_. "Devil Eyes" was our cover of a Mercyful Fate song. CoC: Someone political once said to William F. Buckley (National Review) that they felt daunted by discussing politics with the "world's greatest debater". Well, I now know how that individual feels; only my question is posed to the world's biggest fan of horror... Probably my favorite film in the genre is "Exorcist III". I know you sampled it on track one, "Blood Freak", on _Holocausto de la Morte_, but what are your honest thoughts on the movie and how does it compare to some of the more underground Van Bebber and Fulci films you are fond of? K: I think "Exorcist III" is fucking brilliant. Very disturbing and one of the greatest modern horror films made, in my opinion. It's a whole different style than what Fulci does. I turned Van Bebber onto it, too; he loves it, as well. I won't sample anything unless I really like the film it comes from. CoC: Speaking of _Holocausto de la Morte_, incredible packaging and artwork on that release. "Dr. Gore" Balun was responsible for the painting, right? Did you and he work closely to tie in the concept so well with Necrophagia's undertakings? K: Yes, we worked very closely on that cover. Chas is great. He understood exactly what we wanted on that cover -- a homage to the maestro, Lucio Fulci. Chas did an amazing job, for sure. Fulci lives!! CoC: In my review of _Holocausto de la Morte_ in CoC #38, I stated that: "Probably this writer's favorite aspect on this effort, other than Necrophagia's 10-ton style, is their more-than-adequate use of feedback in strategic places. This technique is brilliant when done well, and exemplifies immaturity when done otherwise. The latter point is of no concern to Necrophagia. I have heard few bands pull this guitar approach off as effortlessly as these guys." I suppose this should be more appropriately addressed to "Anton Crowley", but would you agree with my assessment, Killjoy? K: Yea, "Anton" is totally responsible for that stuff. It kind of sets the mood at times. He is the master of the macabre riff, in my opinion. Wait till you hear the next record. Trust me!! CoC: As if you aren't busy enough, I hear that the Eibon material is coming along quite nicely and, in fact, you have recorded a track, "Mirror Soul Jesus". Is it difficult song-writing and working over long distances due to Satyr, Fenriz and Maniac's participation in the group? Any word yet on the label handling Eibon will be or still too early to say? K: Eibon is progressing rather well now. Phil [Anselmo] and Satyr are finishing the writing on the current Pantera European tour. It's not really a problem with writing. Satyr came over for a while last year. We got together at Phil's house and did some writing. We hope to start recording in July and finish by year's end. I'm not sure what label yet. Probably Moonfog for Europe. Maniac is no longer in Eibon. CoC: Touring. I hear rumblings that Necrophagia might take the stage in Milwaukee this year at the MetalFest. True? K: Well, we have spoken with them a lot about this, but unfortunately it all comes down to money. It isn't cheap to put on the show we want, plus our travel expenses, etc.. So, hopefully, in the future, but not this year. CoC: Almost as an irrelevant aside, do you remember or have any thoughts on a band from awhile ago called Rigor Mortis? Mike Scaccia's old group before landing his Ministry guitar post. K: Oh yea, of course I remember them. They had a major label release and an EP. Cool stuff... CoC: Killjoy, it has been a pleasure to conduct this interview with you. I wish the band much success and please wrap this dialog up in any way you would like! K: Thanks for your support, Aaron. We truly appreciate it. Check out our gore-drenched video!! Fulci lives... Contact: http://www.necrophagia.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M A L E V O L E N T L Y M A T E R I A L I Z E D M A R T Y R D O M ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Karlos Kariano of Malevolence by: Pedro Azevedo Nowadays, Malevolence are simultaneously one of Portugal's best and also most promising metal bands. Not only is their second full-length _Martyrialized_ [CoC #46] more than able to make an impact on its own, the band doesn't seem willing to settle for anything less than highly ambitious achievements. Vocalist/guitarist Karlos Kariano has in the meantime started his own label, Maquiavel Music, through which _Martyrialized_ was released, and recently signed the remarkable Polish band Lux Occulta. Indulge in Kariano's massive answers below if you want to know more details about Malevolence and Maquiavel Music, and also find out how passionate Kariano is about his work. CoC: I'm curious about the album title _Martyrialized_; what made you think of it? Karlos Kariano: As you already know, our texts are just spinning in this useless hole in time. Upon them we are often trying to expand ideas of igniting something to perfectly achieve something different, something that's better than the present state of decline that Humanity faces. So "Martyrialized", as a name, just arrives with the conceptual idea reflecting that we will never agree with the schemes from people that always act as if they were supreme or flawless, because in fact there isn't a global truth upon mankind and no one shall suffer for the sins committed by others. We have just made the reunion of two interesting words to create the full conceptual idea for the album. So you have the word "martyr" united in accordance with the word "materialized" to give the full martyrdom thematic approach. Even if we take some lyrical influences from both Machiavelli and Immanuel Kant upon the thematic side of the album, we will never entirely agree with their own thesis and formulas. I believe that both of them have made a huge impact upon our systematic sound structures and thematic accomplishments, but that does not necessarily mean that we think they were perfect or even supreme compared to any other human form. It doesn't matter if it's just another writer or even a dissimulated human form that comes unto my thematic and lyrical approach, I am always able to create my inner individual approach to always construct new interesting themes and conceptual works. Therefore, on _Martyrialized_ you will be able to sense our own inevitable collision course with all those Christian persevering performances that people often take as true reality in their lives. We are just expressing that we are the opposition to the carnival of Christian madness. So instead of being abandoned in bleeding faith and afflictive penitence when the speech of the saviour (Christ) always sounds the same, we just prefer to be considered as the new researchers of progressive and supreme apocalyptic art. With the thematic side on Malevolence we have always been trying to show people that we all must unite our own efforts to get rid of the moral raping madness that's infecting our living path. That's to say that we need to constantly battle all the tyrannical ideals upon the carnival of morals and politics that we have had to face since ancestral times, not only in Portugal but also all over many other countries. At this point, in _Martyrialized_ we have expanded a conceptual view about the present state of Humanity's decline in general. The album becomes the perfect vehicle for us to amplify and bring about all these twisted visionary accomplishments because on it we made the supreme reunion of all the biggest aspects that we consider of the highest martyrdom of our own existence on Earth. We are just materializing on the album all the entities which have been previously marked and restricted by the laws of injustice, stealth customs and several other punishments. We are currently living in a society that is extremely dangerous and often cruel for their kind fellow creatures, so _Martyrialized_ exposes to people in general that all those entities that have been suffering that treatment will enter an inevitable collision course with all the aspects of their martyrdom. Throughout the use of our individual reflection we might be able to start renouncing over and over the same codes and models set by the entire segregating community we inhabit. Therefore, in conclusion, you also have a fine phrase in the album that sums up the entire concept when I say, ironically, that men teach men to kill their brother men. Just watch and listen to the statement I make: "I send my brothers to teach the brother men, I teach my brothers to kill the brother men...", upon the song "A Shining Onslaught of Tyranny" on the new effort, to get a glimpse of that particular conceptual idea of the conceptual word you asked me about. CoC: I'm sure you must get this question all the time, but I still have to ask: what was the story behind the recording of _Martyrialized_ in the Fredman Studio in Gothenburg? That's not very common for Portuguese bands. KK: That's the main reason why we have recorded over there, if you positively ask me. It looks like nowadays we are a bit like a non-standard metal act based in Portugal. We never followed the natural procedures that other Portuguese bands like to follow too much, and we have always tried to improve when it comes to entertaining and pleasing ourselves in terms of musical achievements. Fredman Studios were a very natural choice for Malevolence after we decided to cancel the potential recording in the Abyss Studios, also in Sweden, with Peter of Hypocrisy. We have opted for Fredman, but do not look at it thinking that we made it just for the great role this studio has nowadays in the underground metal scene. If you ask me, I will tell you right away there's no great importance in having the name of the studio typed upon the band's promotional stuff. I am even against using all those procedures just to get some extra exposure at the end of the day. When we decided to record in Fredman Studios the main intention was just to get a qualitatively perfect sound plus a very powerful crystalline production above everything else that you might think. I know that nowadays people do have a great syndrome to get all those famous studios and producers to have half the work already done when it comes out in all levels. I also have to admit that the fact we have recorded this new one over in those studios has helped us in some aspects as well, but at the end of the day we were not even interested in the methods used by that single producer in his own studio just because he's actually one of the main gurus in the recording scene. Of course it was a phenomenal experience to record in such a great place like Fredman Studios with the support of Fredrik Nordstrom and Anders Friden of In Flames, but I guess all that is just secondary for us. This new recording was way more relaxing and even faster than when we recorded _Dominium_ unto all thy levels. As we have made some mistakes in the previous recording of our musical creations, this time we just decided that we had to get a professional studio with a professional sound engineer that could also make a final powerful mixing of all the ideas we were going to record for _Martyrialized_. In a way, this was certainly an unusual task to accomplish for a Portuguese band, but we will keep proceeding like that in the future, since in Portugal we might have good studios as well, but there's a great lack of good sound engineers and mixing technicians to help you achieve the final perfect recording result that you have in mind. CoC: Did you enjoy working with Fredrik Nordstrom and In Flames' Anders Friden there at Fredman Studio? Is the final result as good as you expected? KK: From my point of view, I think this recording was just phenomenal, if I have to compare it to all the previous recordings that we made for the demo and also for the debut album. Initially we had fifteen days to record the new album and I can assure you that on the seventh day we had almost everything completed down there as well. The recording, the mixing, the production and the final mastering have worked perfectly well, because to some extent we had already made all the pre-production of all the individual tracks by ourselves before we left Portugal. We all knew in advance the ideas that we wanted to capture and put in practice over there for the final result. What mainly made us focus on recording the album in that particular studio was that we had at least to have the chance for one single time in our lives to use the very same studio that a band like At the Gates has already used in the past to capture all that aggressive smell that tastes so good all over the most typical metal caterpillar albums assassinating men in general. We needed that crystalline quality and powerful sound from the Fredman Studios unto our audio bastardization in such a level that we ended up choosing that one as the perfect room to record all our annihilating production, as opposed to the raw production idea from the Abyss Studios. This time we were not only looking for a satisfying result like we did for the _Dominium_ recordings, as we also thought that way in the past and now there's many elements that we would have liked to change in the initial recording. We were just looking for the highest and final perfect result in order to also live with the album in the future without even wanting to change anything. After seven months since the album was released we still feel the same level of passion for all the songs gathered there, so we definitely made the right choice this time and we are very proud of this record on all levels. The differences are evident, in our own opinion -- and _Martyrialized_ speaks for itself without need to resort to any external influences. Fredrik just made the final mixing of the musical product and we think he did a phenomenal job. I still remember that Fredrik told us that we were a very talented band and that he was not expecting such a professional, tight metal unit from Portugal to record over there. He told us that while we were just accomplishing the final mixing for _Martyrialized_'s nine tracks. He also told us that he was more than surprised with our natural and powerful ability not to sound Swedish all over our musical pores, as every goddamn band that goes there strives only for that single purpose and achievement. I also remember his own words: "This material sounds really good, definitely not Swedish, but that's also twice as good for you as a metal band." Then when we were making the final mastering for the work with Mr. Goran Finnberg -- who also mastered the works from In Flames and Arch Enemy, among many others -- he also told us that he found our musical approach very original and refreshing compared to all the other stuff that he had already worked with. Believe me, man, we were the first ones to be caught by real surprise by that and these really are their opinions and words; so everything worked perfectly between all the parts involved this time and we are more than pleased with all of the final result. CoC: I suppose recording an album there must have been quite demanding financially; did that influence the fact that _Martyrialized_ is only 30 minutes long? KK: Yeah, that affirmation might be right, but that had nothing to do with the actual length we decided to accomplish for _Martyrialized_. It might sound strange to you, but be sure that since we started the promotion of this brand new devastating full-length album people have been systematically approaching us with questions similar to yours. So at this point I guess I have to take that observation of yours as another fine compliment towards our musical art instead of narrow-minded criticism. [My opinion on that subject can be found in CoC #46. -- Pedro] If you ask me, it's more than great to know that in fact we have been able to drive away so many people this time as we also had that purpose among our ideas when we started to develop all the musical themes and structures for this new album. That's one of the main rules that make us move, actually. We just love to shock people just for the individual pleasure. I guess if the album is only 30 minutes long, that's also twice as good in our own opinion. We have in fact recorded two more songs in the studio that could have been in the album, but the whole idea we had was just the creation of a shorter one in order to create that dependency over pissed off people who will always find the album shorter than many others out there. We hadn't released a new album for almost three years, so we positively had to come back twice as aggressive as possible, if you understand what I mean. If you ask me, at the end of the day, whether this was done on purpose for this new full-length effort, then I have to reply with a positive answer, as we just wanted to be able to achieve a very short but mighty album on all levels with _Martyrialized_. We were able to do just that, as you are not the first one to ask us this question. Many people really react like you and say that the album could have been longer, to some extent. Anyway, we do think that those 30 minutes of sonic mayhem are more than enough to make the conceptual idea that we initially had in mind. You will be haunted by a caterpillar-like rhythmic section full of original and intense ideas during those 30 minutes, and when you get to the end of the album you will feel an urgent necessity to press the play button once again, as you are so marvelled by all that's going on that you don't want to stop the sonic mayhem addiction that the album possesses on all levels. Some of the best metal albums out there, in my opinion, like for example Slayer's _Reign in Blood_, Deicide's _Legion_, At the Gates' _Slaughter of the Soul_, Vader's _Black to the Blind_, or even the new album from Hate Eternal, _Conquering the Throne_, also had that impact on us and are actually some of the jewels of the extreme metal scene. So why would we try to expand the albums sometimes a bit longer when with 30 to 32 minutes you have already accomplished all the ideas that you had in mind with strong effects in general all over the masses? It's always better to have 30 phenomenal minutes of pleasure than 45 or even more of boredom and disgusting musical approach, in my sincere opinion. Besides that, we have managed to accomplish a very diverse album in the end and we just want to allow our potential listeners to listen to the album more than only a few times, as they will also have the necessity to understand the album with a couple more listens than the first normal ones. This is an album full of annihilating new elements, so this means that after all the attentive listening you will see that the album really grows on you, and that keeps it twice more interesting than many of the long running albums that nowadays are made just to have that schizophrenic depressive effect unto your mind. CoC: How satisfied are you with _Martyrialized_? [Retrospectively, looking at Kariano's previous answers, I wouldn't have asked this had this been a real-time interview. Such are the shortcomings of e-mail... -- Pedro] Sales-wise, I've been given numbers around the 8000 mark for sales, which is quite impressive for a Portuguese band on a national label. KK: All we have been achieving since the recording of the new album has been more than impressive unto all thy levels. The reaction to our new full-length effort so far has been more than phenomenal, both in terms of promotion and distribution. To be honest with you, we were positively the first ones to be caught by surprise this time. I mean, we knew since the very beginning that we really had a very good and twisted accomplishment upon our hands when we got out of the studio, but the idea that we had from the very first reactions really had nothing to do with all the major and amazing feedback that we have been receiving so far in terms of promotion and sales in general. In Portugal we were able to sell 1000 copies just in the very first weeks, and now we will soon be reaching more than 8500 copies sold worldwide, including three different licensing deals upon countries like Poland, Norway and Malaysia. So far it's been one full year since the release of the album and it still sells very well, since there's still a great demand for it nowadays. I guess we are more than in the right path to duplicate the number of sales, because there's definitely a lot of promotion to be done in the future as well. We will very soon also be reaching more than 750 interviews answered regarding the promotion for the record, and believe me because these are not fake numbers, as in fact I have been dying to come up with the answers for them all since we also started the promotion. We are mainly doing exclusive interviews for many radio shows around the world, including per example as many diverse places as Canada, Australia, France, England, Romania, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Holland, Belgium and many others. What really surprises me at the end of the day is the fact that this time we have also been able to be included with interesting and deep interviews in some of the biggest and most professional magazines in the world, including for instance names like Terrorizer, Hard 'n' Heavy, Legacy, Nordic Vision, Grinder, Torment, Riff, Metal Hammer, The Grimoire of Exalted Deeds, Ancient Ceremonies, Oskorei, Imhotep, Thrash 'Em All, Necromance, Black Light, Masterful, and many others all around the globe. At the time I am answering this one, you can be sure that I also have some more to answer soon. All of this sounds very amazing and I am the one still not believing all these recent happenings for sure. I am also more than surprised with the name we are spreading at the same time for the label, as actually we already have exclusive distribution in Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, England, Holland, Slovakia, Greece, Czech Republic, Canada, Italy, Greece, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Scandinavia, Brazil, Russia, Belarus and Chile. Besides, we are currently working towards also closing a couple more exclusive distribution deals in some other countries like Australia, Bulgaria and Romania to mention just a few more. It's just unbelievable what we have been able to accomplish, all this recently with such a new label as well as with our second full-length album so far, metal brother Pedro. As the entire rejoinder in general has been so great, we are already thinking of taking a support slot for some bigger bands upon the end of 2000 on our possible first ever European tour. We've already had some offers to make some interesting ones with bands like Immolation or Behemoth, but we just want to do some more promotion in the meanwhile to see if in fact we can obtain an even bigger tour package at the end of the day. As if all that was not yet enough, I can also tell you in advance that lately we have also been receiving some number one positions in some radio play lists, so what the hell can we complain about this time when everything is going so marvelously for the band on all levels besides the sales -- which are not the most important thing in music for me. CoC: Do you feel the success of other Portuguese bands such as Moonspell has made more people notice you, even though they play a completely different style? KK: About this one I cannot totally match my opinion with yours. That's a major fact, that those guys are now the biggest band from Portugal, even if I don't think that nowadays you can classify them as a metal act. Anyway, I never did see in their interviews any words of support towards other bands from Portugal. It might be just my schizophrenic point of view, but to be honest I remember that in the beginning of their career they even told the media out there that we had no underground metal scene in Portugal or even any metal bands to look out for. Just seek some of their interviews and let me know how many Portuguese acts they mention in their interviews to open those gates for the Portuguese underground metal that you mention. All of what we have been accomplishing with Malevolence is a direct fruit of our hard work behind the existence of this band and nothing else, in my sincere opinion. The fact that they are in a very large record company does not mean that all the Portuguese bands will get more credit just for that single reason. I believe that all the Portuguese bands have to strive for their own metal niche and also start to support their fellow creature bands, as we do have one of the biggest and most talented scenes of the entire metal world. One thing is for sure: Malevolence is now able to be among all those higher level acts and is even capable of surpassing some of them in terms of achieving better reviews and amazing rejoinder from all the media metal press. We are even considered in some countries out there as being the best Portuguese metal band that people have the chance to know. In some cases, believe me or not, they only know Moonspell and we just become so amazed how can that be in the world we live in nowadays, since bands like Heavenwood are just in a bigger label than us. So this means that we are finally able to be exposed unto the most underground magazines and also over the most notable and professional radio shows all over the entire world. I have to agree with your proposition in some levels, since sometimes certain names involved can just give you a bigger chance to succeed out there as people will look at your work from a different perspective, but in Moonspell's particular case I guess you are treading a totally wrong path, as I do not remember honestly to have seen them defending our competitive metal scene. [I never suggested that. Unfortunately, Kariano misinterpreted my question. -- Pedro] CoC: You recently played live in Portugal with Behemoth -- a concert I unfortunately was unable to attend. How good was that experience for you? Any European touring projects yet? KK: In my strong opinion, playing live is great no matter whether you play with bigger bands like Behemoth or with small underground bands. What positively interests me is all the chemistry behind the bands and the live situations in general. The single show we made in Portugal with Behemoth was not an exception to that rule, and I can tell you that they are wonderful people to play with. Playing live has some magic and that's when you have that special chance to meet a great amount of your fans besides many other people related with metal. Everything happened that way regarding the show with Behemoth and we had a great time together. I shall also mention the devastating metal act Devileech, since they were also great people to deal with. On that particular show, if you were there in the venue I guess you could see the rage flowing from the eyes of the crowd from a different point of view that you don't have while you are recording the material for the album in a studio. Believe me, this is just one of the best sensations you could ever get towards your musical approach in rehearsals and later in studios. Playing live with wonderful, down to earth people is always sacred, because you have a common place like the stage where you can share all your emotions no matter whether they are more aggressive or even more intense. When Malevolence play live we can express our musical views even better and even get a great dose unto the mind of the attentive listener directly, with no subterfuges. We do not use any effects in general in our own shows and we are of those few who still believe in the integrity and rawness of thy music to make people move with a certain vibe of energy. No one can stand deeply concentrated in one of our live shows without feeling a strong vibe for moving. Recently we have played with bands like Behemoth, Sinister, Purgatory, Asgaroth and also some others acts from Portugal including Devileech, The Firstborn, Goldenpyre, Holocausto Canibal, Theriomorphic, Sirius and some others. In the meanwhile there's also some plans to share the stages in Portugal and also Spain with bands like Necrodeath from Italy and Avulsed from Spain, but nothing has been decided yet. Lately we were also supposed to play at the shows that Testament made in Portugal, but that did not happen due to the fact that the promoter took us out of the bill in the final hour. Concerning European tours, we had an offer from Metalysee from Belgium in mid-1999 (as I have already told you) to open for the American act Immolation. Anyway, we were at the beginning of the promotion for _Martyrialized_ all over the place unto thy magazines and radios from all over the world and we just had to refuse that one due to the 700 exclusive interviews that Maquiavel Music Entertainment Lda. had already booked for the band. At this time there's a huge demand from the fans throughout Europe to see the band live and we are going to try something out during the fall of 2000. If we cannot get something interesting in the meanwhile, then we will take our time to concentrate upon the recording of the third album and then we will move towards the European tour later on. I just hope that we will have some kind of opportunity in the future to play out there and watch the same relentless emotions in foreign lands all over Europe like we have been able to feel when we play on Portuguese soil. CoC: You used a drum machine on that concert with Behemoth, and it was Genocide drummer Gustavo Costa who played in _Martyrialized_. I assume you're planning to bring in a permanent drummer -- any news yet? KK: I guess that you will always have that lack-of-drumming insatisfaction while you watch our live performances. I mean, we are no longer interested in using a live drummer, as we only want to use him for studio recordings. This is one of our best actual options and is resulting in a very phenomenal way. Gustavo Costa, the drummer, is a very occupied person as far as his own personal life, and it happens that sometimes he would not be available for the same live dates we have on offer for Malevolence. So this was our best survival option to keep on playing live without more problems in our career. Anyway, you will not be able to feel the drummer's absence, as we are using the same real drum recording from the Fredman Studios live upon a very advanced studio processing machine allied to our own extreme and devastating live performance. It works with bands like Samael, so why shouldn't it also work with a band like Malevolence? There's no way to incorporate a live drummer in our performances. People just have to respect our own choices no matter whether they will love us or hate us. We have made the best options unto our musical path and we just want to keep them that way. This new line-up works perfectly in the strength of each other and as you know _Martyrialized_ is the result of a collective work, even if I was the main composer of the musical and lyrical structures for the new full-length effort. Gustavo Costa will keep on recording in our future releases and in the live environment we shall keep the performance the way it is nowadays. Everything worked more than fine this time and we shall keep it that way in the future. CoC: Speaking of Polish bands like Behemoth, Lux Occulta recently signed for your label, Maquiavel Music, as well. This seems to reveal a very positive attitude from the label; what's the story behind Maquiavel? KK: Maquiavel Music Entertainment feels like an old dream since I got into metal. This is the lifestyle that I love and as I am also addicted to metal I had to create my own drug. I have the necessity to maintain myself always hyperactive in all ways. Since I had that Embryonic Magazine thing that I got the possibility to discover many people from different cultures engulfed in many obscure life models from the entire world, so I guess this is just the progression of those old emotions I got from metal. As you also know, there are many elements and aspects from life and humanity in general that I have a strong aversion to. By releasing this art upon a label that I have created is another fine chance to be able to show my contribution to the installation of some radical difference unto the normal musical models of Humanity. I am now in a superior position to deal with the rebellion of the oppressed masses, so it's like giving new chances for the appearance of new flesh sent to the lions with our overall support unto their back. I am just inaugurating thy arena of musical insubordination to keep the flame of artistic freedom alive. I am always struggling towards the most depressing moments in life in general with the creation of this new extreme label. Therefore, I am now giving the opportunity for people to voice their own disgust for the actual situation of decline of humankind, as well as giving them the possibility to release their own dreams and skilled metal machinery upon albums, merchandising, tours and everything that a band really needs to express their own hatred out of their individual human mortal forms. In my own opinion, music is the strongest vehicle to amplify those twisted visions, and by using this "weapon" I can crush cretinism, hypocrisy and the carnival of the Christian madness in a more effective way. Maquiavel Music Entertainment and Malevolence being two of my individual creations does not mean that I have created the label just for my own creations and twisted visions. So signing Lux Occulta is a very natural progression from the work we have been developing with the release of the second professional album from Malevolence. This is a label for all the extreme metal bands like Malevolence and Lux Occulta and also for all of the Earth that might share our ideals, philosophies and individual ambitions in general. So far everything has worked perfectly between the label and the band and we are by now preparing all the necessary procedures for the their fourth full length release, since they are going to enter the studio during December 2000 to record their debut album for our label, as they left Pagan Records from Poland to stick with us for their next musical creations. That's for sure a very positive and devastating addition to our new extreme metal catalogue and we shall keep being so selective with signing professional and original bands as we have been until now. CoC: What are your plans for the near future? When can we expect a new album and what can we expect from the evolution of your musical style? KK: I cannot wonder about the band's future since I am not a total visionary. Of course we do always have some new ideas to develop with every new musical creation that we accomplish. But at this time it's pretty difficult to tell you too much information in advance about the next album or even about the next moves for the band. We do have many long term barriers that need to be surpassed within the band, but at this level what I can tell you in advance is that we will keep on composing our music by making the reunion of our bestial and natural musical skills like an elite. This means that we will keep the musical progression we have carved with the very unique and multidimensional metal element upon our _Martyrialized_. The differences between each single new release from Malevolence are always huge, so I cannot advance much more for now. What mainly differs between all of our full-length achievements is our refined and polished individual potential to play and compose even greater audio hymns to remember each time that we release a new work, if you ask me. All the preceding years have taught us the highest experience and granted us with enough knowledge in order to deliver much more than simply a normal album saga upon the metal masses, so we will be able to still shock people with the third release. There's always a whole new universe that we can use to develop our music one step further. So we will never lose the band's already achieved integrity and identity, as you can be sure that we will always be very pissed-off individuals. I guess that we positively know extremely well how to handle our own instruments, so that's only a matter of using our inner force, our mental madness, as well as our strong individual imagination to keep on breaking the boundaries of metal and keep on twisting everything louder than anyone else. We do not have a specific formula to produce our multidimensional metal, so we will just keep on gathering all our extreme voracious emotions with our dark enigmatic atmospheres upon each single new musical achievement. The material for the new album is already in process of composition and that's all I will advance for thy current moment. CoC: Any closing comments? KK: With Maquiavel Music Entertainment Lda. we do not have any kind of restrictions imposed upon our audio bastardization or even our musical themes and dark philosophies in general. This also means that we are more than able to keep our imagination as well as our ferocious metal rebellion intact and preserved from all those infiltrators behind our back. Everything has changed for the better and I am now proud to state to you that we are finally happy with all our latest achievements -- the recognition, promotion, distribution and sales for the new full-length effort. There's a very fresh chemistry of mutual co-operation unto the entire band right now and we shall keep it that way since all the members are interested in breaking all the musical barriers imposed upon the band by making the union of all the power and inner strength inside us all. Malevolence will keep on fighting, conquering and discovering always-new dimensions within this scorched Earth we inhabit. Thanks for all the support and keep the pain, the invention and the madness of Chronicles of Chaos running forever, because we definitely need more powerful and dedicated metal magazines like yours in the devastating metal scene. Thanks for everything and keep the Christ fucking metal raping madness alive! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E H E A D I N G T H E E A S T E R N P R O P H E T S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Martin of Poland's Decapitated by: Paul Schwarz Yes, they are from Poland, yes, they are unusually young, and yes, they do owe a meagre few stylistic debts to Vader -- but forget all that: ultimately, none of it really matters. Decapitated are a -very- promising new band, plain and simple. Their _Winds of Creation_ debut [CoC #47] isn't perfect (in particular, Sauron's vocals need more character and variation), but it's light-years ahead of older "more experienced" bands and other spring chickens alike in pure musicianship, let alone songwriting. _Winds of Creation_ would be a great debut for any band, but it is a debut that shows potential rather than being a statement or mark of its time which will become classic in its own right. Decapitated are a hope for the future: they've got a long way to go, but they've made a really, seriously impressive and promising start. Done by e-mail, this interview with bass player Martin should give you an insight into Decapitated's character, as well as providing the background story to how these Polish hopefuls got together. CoC: How did you enjoy working with Peter Wiwczarek from Vader on your debut album? Were you happy with the production he achieved? Martin: From the very beginning our co-operation was practically seamless. In fact, we really felt comfortable going into the studio, for two reasons. First of all, all logistic aspects of the session had been taken care of by our management: we had two weeks worth of studio-time, all food, accommodation and equipment was arranged. All that made this session quite unique and very much different from all others. We just knew we would have time for everything, including the smallest details. It's very reassuring to know that no sound you don't like will find its way outside the studio. In the past we could rely only on ourselves and with rather poor financial resources we just could not spread our wings. The other factor was Peter's presence. He recorded in many studios, worked with many producers, and in Selani itself made three Vader albums. Accordingly, he knew the studio like no one else, both its advantages and disadvantages. All that considered, we could simply concentrate on the recording and sound we wanted to get. It's also very important that Peter is not only a good musician and producer but also a wonderful person. Plus he really knows what death metal should sound like! CoC: How did the four of you [Sauron, Vogg and Vitek in addition to Martin] meet and form a band? M: Well, the band formed quite spontaneously, but despite such beginnings we have never had any changes in the line-up or the name. Vogg, Vitek and Sauron started the band in Autumn 1996, I joined them in early 1997. And it was only because I didn't have a bass guitar earlier -- I had just played the guitar, also in the music school. In fact, we all had known each other for a long time before Decapitated was born, as we all attended the same school. Sauron and Vogg are graduating this year and they want to continue at the university. But back to Decapitated -- in June 1997 we recorded the debut demo _Cemeteral Gardens_ and in October 1998 another one, titled _The Eye of Horus_. The latter brought us a contract with Massive Management, which in April 1999 financed the recording session for our debut album. The management was also on the lookout for the recording contract, which finally turned out to come from Wicked World. CoC: Overall, were you pleased with the results you achieved on _Winds of Creation_? M: I think that without any false modesty we can clearly say that we are satisfied. Very much so, in fact. When I listen to that album I cannot help thinking that we have really made it and I'm simply proud. _Winds of Creation_ is a milestone in our career in all possible respects. It marks our musical development, it's much better musicianship-wise, it's well conceived. We have matured in the basic sense of the word and we treat what we do very seriously, as much as it may seem to be somewhat funny considering our age. But that's a fact. Someone may say, "What do these kids know about music?" I can only reply: quite a lot, in fact. We have lived with music since our early childhood, we wouldn't be able to live without it. As far as the album itself is concerned, _Winds of Creation_ presents us the way we were a year ago and we have progressed a lot since then. We learn all the time and try to be as attentive as possible when it comes to all sorts of musical tricks. CoC: What made you feel, still being so young, that you were ready to make your debut album? Were you at all tentative about taking that plunge at such a young age? M: Because we started so young and achieved so much so early in our lives, we feel ever more inspired and motivated to do what we have been doing for the last several years. We really feel recognised and appreciated and we are happy that we can convey so much in our music. Music is a perfect medium of talking to other people and influencing their lives. We simply have that power, so what else could we want? The fact that we already have an album under our belts makes us even more determined to work harder and devote all our time to music. Not to mention the fact that so far our music has been received really well. Of course, I would lie if I said that we are not interested in the number of albums we sell or whether people like the material or not. I cannot really understand it when some musicians say things like that -- it just stinks hypocrisy a mile away! If somebody does not really care about fans and audiences, why do they bother to record albums? Our age -- well, it has both good and bad sides. Some people, even those who interview us, make jokes about it and ask sort of malicious questions. But then again there are also praises. I do not really care much about those who joke. Music is what counts and not how old the musicians are! CoC: How much influence or inspiration do you draw from Vader? M: Never ever have we tried to sound like Vader. We all listen to all sorts of music, including a lot of non-metal. Of course, we do like and respect them but it would not be fair if we tried to imitate them. I am sure that subconsciously they have been an influence just like many other bands, but when it comes to conscious actions we try to be ourselves and follow our own musical path and write our own music. I think it will become more and more obvious with time. Maybe there will even be the day when somebody will say, "Hey, they sound like Decapitated!" Not that it is my dream, but it would definitely mean that people respect and see us as an independent band playing its own music. CoC: Do you worry about sounding like Vader or other bands from Poland like Devilyn? M: Well, I am not afraid of anything. The comparisons with Vader have worn out a bit and they do not surprise me. Just as I said, it's good that we are compared to such a good band. It's definitely better than being compared to some shitty bands -- luckily no one has made those. We all have our likes and dislikes, so it's better to be compared to those whom we like. In the past we were also described using such names as Morbid Angel, Deicide or Death. I am not sure why -- but everyone has the right to their own opinions and impressions. Also, it's not like people keep comparing us to others all the time; these are just the names that we hear most often. At the end of day these are just words and our music can defend itself very well. CoC: Do you think there is a "Polish sound" developing? M: It's hard for me to say that. I live in Poland and I have heard so many Polish bands. They all sound different to me, so I really can't define "the Polish sound". I guess people from abroad who have some perspective would find it easier to do that. In the same way, I can definitely make similar statements about other countries. For example in Poland we talk about "the Swedish sound", which supposedly covers such bands as Dismember, In Flames, At the Gates or Dark Tranquillity. Swedes may like it or not, but we definitely use the term. And when we talk about "the American sound" we think about Immolation, Cannibal Corpse and others. CoC: Where do you expect and hope to see Decapitated go in the next few years? M: I hope we still have the opportunity to create music. We would like to play live as often as possible. Gigs are our element. What do we expect from Decapitated? I would like the band to give me pleasure, I would like it to develop and progress. Maybe one day we will even be able to live off playing music? It would be really wonderful! I would only need to worry about whether we will play this or that concert or if I still have hair on my head. CoC: Are you writing new material to follow up _Winds of Creation_? If so, is it shaping up very differently or similarly? M: Yes, we do have some new material. What I can say at the moment is that the new tracks will be far more complex, both in terms of arrangements and musicianship. One way or another, they will definitely be better than those from the debut album. And I hope they will constitute a certain whole. _Winds of Creation_ is more of an illustration of our whole career than a coherent album: one track comes from the _Cemeteral Gardens_ demo, the core was originally recorded for _The Eye Of Horus_, and there are also two brand new songs. They may sound similar, but there is no central concept there whatsoever. But then again, it's Decapitated all the way through! CoC: Do you make it your aim to take death metal to new places in the years to come? M: We do not want to create any hype or artificially cause sensation. We want to remain true to what we really are. We are not here to start some strange revolution. This is not why we started the band in the first place. We are not interested in improving things because it would mean that we want to improve somebody else's style and this is not why you play music. Have we contributed anything to music? Very much so -- the book titled "Death Metal" has just got a new chapter: "Decapitated"! Is that good? Time and people shall tell. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= PYROMANIACAL SLAYERS ASSAULT PARADISE! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with guitarist Fabianno Penna of Brazil's Rebaelliun by: Paul Schwarz If you crank up opener "At War" from Rebaelliun's recently released debut _Burn the Promised Land_ [CoC #45] you can not only hear the guns of war blazing as their percussion battery hits ground zero, you can even hear the cartridge casings hitting the ground as the bullets of aural battery are spent. But cool touches like this aren't what make Rebaelliun worth noticing; they're worth a second glance for musicianship alone. Pretty much matching Krisiun in the speed stakes is no easy task, and doing so without mimicking their sound is yet more of a feat. Rebaelliun have managed both, putting a distinctly Slayer-esque spin on their take of late-nineties Brazilian death metal insanity. Guitarist Fabianno Penna reached through a relatively solid grasp of English to express the meaning of Rebaelliun music, lyrics and ideas. Unfortunately, the cost of a phone call to Brazil hindered the amount of time we had to talk. CoC: You've emerged from Brazil quite recently, you're getting quite a few good reviews: where have you come from -- what scene -- and where are you aiming to go? Fabianno Penna: That's the history of the band, is that what you're asking me about? We started playing in '92 but with another band. We played together from '92 to '96. Then, we just stopped with the band 'cause we didn't have the right conditions to stay together. So, in March '98, we started Rebaelliun. We took a two year break and then we started Rebaelliun. But we play with a strong purpose, you know? For six months we just rehearsed with the line-up, then we went to Europe for the first time. Then things started to happen for the band. CoC: So since you've been doing this for such a long time, do you feel like this band is the band that you're really going to be able to do things with? After doing music for quite a while, do you think that Rebaelliun is going to be "the one"? FP: Yeah, I think that we have very clearly in our minds what we want for the band. So, since we've started with the band we've just been dedicating our time to it. All the time rehearsing, improving as musicians and getting the right contacts around the world. So I just think that we can do a lot in the future, but of course we need support. CoC: And the tour that you're doing around May or June will help a lot. How do you feel about playing with Vader and Vital Remains? I imagine you're pretty excited? FP: Yeah, of course. It will be the best tour ever for us to play, because before we played with Limbonic Art and Mystic Circle... CoC: Ughh... FP: Yeah. They weren't death metal bands, so it wasn't a good tour for Rebaelliun. But we played twice with Vader already and it was great. We also played with Deicide -- the best -- in Belgium and Germany. It was also great. But we'll be playing with Vader and Vital Remains; great and famous death metal bands in the world. So I think it will be the right tour for Rebaelliun this time. CoC: In terms of the music, what would you say are your greatest influences? You've got bits of Slayer and old thrash, but also there's a very heavy death metal element to your music, and it's got Satanic lyrics. I was just curious where you drew -most- inspiration from for the music you're doing for Rebaelliun. FP: Yeah, you're right. I think Slayer is the most important influence we have and also Morbid Angel from _Altars of Madness_ -- very strong influence. But basically Slayer: _Reign in Blood_, _Hell Awaits_. The old stuff. It is the most important influence for us. CoC: So Slayer are one of your favourite bands? Are you aiming to do something that is new and -different-, but -taking- influences from bands like Slayer and things like that? FP: No, no, actually we are not going that way. We just make death metal but we are trying to draw some influence from the past, the eighties. And maybe in the album, _Burn the Promised Land_ you can't hear it yet, but in the new stuff you will see that. 'Cause we are just drawing influence from the first steps of Slayer; the riffs. Of course it is more extreme and faster, because we are at least twenty years from where they started. But basically this is the influence. We are not interested in making something new in the death metal scene because I think that death metal is not the kind of style where you can just always put something new in. I think that you have to run in the right way but playing with something new for your band but not for the scene, you know? CoC: You've been in the Brazilian scene for ten years now and I was wondering: where you think the Brazilian scene is going? FP: I think you probably know the band Krisiun. They are one of the bands responsible for this new death metal scene that's rising. Bands always playing faster and more extreme. I think that they were one of the first bands to do albums with blastbeats from beginning to end. A lot of bands down the road are influenced by them. Now Brazilian bands can think that if Krisiun can do that, they can do it too. So right now Krisiun is the biggest Brazilian band and one of the biggest death metal bands all over the world and now Rebaelliun is starting to rise as well, and we have too many Brazilian bands that could be touring Europe like we will do in one month. Bands like Mental Horror and others. A lot of bands, very good bands. CoC: How did Rebaelliun come together? Why did you guys decide to form Rebaelliun? What was the idea behind the band and what are the ideas behind the lyrics, songs like "At War"? FP: First, in '96 we just stopped. And then in '98 the conditions were a bit better, but we were not playing -- I'd just sold all my equipment: guitars and amplifiers. So, two years total break. Then, in March '98 I just thought to myself that I had to play again. Then I just invited the other guys from the old band. Actually, when we stopped the band in '96, the first band we had, then we just decided it was the time to stop, we didn't have any conditions. We started again with Rebaelliun; we created a new band called Rebaelliun. But now the other guitarist left the band some weeks ago and I am the only guy left from the first band. About the lyrics, I just think that our lyrics talk about the hate we feel towards mankind, you know? Against all this shit that we can see around the world, you know. Lyrics like "At War" -- it's just that we are not Satanists. For us it is not just worth writing Satan and Satan and that's done. We want to write things that we really feel. It's not just to sell CDs. I think lyrics like "At War" are very strong. You can feel the end of mankind, the end of the road. It's like apocalypse or something like that. CoC: So you think the lyrics definitely have to fit with the music. Later Slayer material talks about war and things and the late-eighties thrash scene tended to centre on apocalypse and things. What I've noticed is that both you and Krisiun seem to have taken up this topic. Were albums like _Beneath the Remains_ and Nuclear Assault albums an influence? FP: Yeah, yeah, for sure. It's a feeling I like a lot, you know, like _Schizophrenia_ from Sepultura and _Hell Awaits_ from Slayer, _Reign in Blood_. All this feeling is very strong and very honest. It's not like a lot of bands trying to play fast, play heavy and writing about Satan. It's not like that. Our lyrics are very anti-Christian, but you know that Brazil is a very Christian country, so we can see a lot of stupid things every day. The lyrics are just the way we have to express ourselves, to say we don't like that. CoC: To express your feelings towards what you see around you. FP: Yeah. I hope you understood everything. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S T A G I N G A N E W S O U N D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Mark Briordy of Jag Panzer by: Adrian Bromley To many, the world is a place where creativity and ideas clash to spark off new routes of inspiration and emotion. Music is much the same, a spectrum of ideas that propel themselves into the uncertain direction that individuals make them go to. Trying to find new routes and new ideas is nothing new, as countless bands throughout the last few decades have struggled to find the perfect concept to push forth their ideas and keep us interested. Colorado heavy metal act Jag Panzer have done just that with their new disc, titled _Thane to the Throne_ [reviewed in this issue], a multi-dimensional concept record based on Shakespeare's classic play Macbeth. Not only does the music within _TttT_ bask in the realm of Shakespeare's world, but the music and vocals, even the lyrics, run deep with references to the classic tale. Listen to the detailed work on such numbers as "Blood Crime", "Treachery's Stain" or "Face of Fear" -- they reek of classic subject matter. It seems as though this idea would be something very hard to achieve and almost impossible to carry out. Guitarist Mark Briordy agrees, but notes that the challenge was worth it. "I was a little apprehensive about doing this record this way and we weren't sure how much harder it was going to be. It was a lot harder", he says, "but it wasn't unmanageable by any means. It was a great accomplishment to get this recorded and done." He adds: "We have always tried to do something a little bit different, not too different where everything is way out in left field, but to stand out a bit. So Harry [Conklin, singer] came up with the original idea to tell it like a storyteller. It was like the times before radio and TV where someone would just tell stories and people listened. He wanted to tell a classic story and we picked something that would be able to give us enough room musically to work with, and we went from there." Another bizarre notion is the fact that an American-based band opted to do this, not some European band that most definitely was more exposed to the content of Shakespeare's work. Was it a hard task to take upon themselves? "It was very difficult for us to bring the older element of the story into a modern story", says Briordy. "It was a lot of fun, though. In the past, Chris [Broderick, guitarist] or I would write a riff and it would become a part of a song. Then Harry would write the lyrics and the song would be done. This time we had to really pay attention to what was going on. There was a lot more to think about with this record. We had to figure out how we would go from one song to another without losing a step." Concept records are rarely done, but with the right work and ethics compiled to make things bond, they can be very rewarding. How does Briordy think fans of Jag Panzer (or fans in general) will react to _TttT_? "I think people will like what we have done here", states Briordy. "I think we got a really strong performance out of Harry and the production is just really great. I hope people will like it." He laughs. "This time, especially for the subject matter of the record, Harry worked really hard on the pronunciation factor and phrasing and breathing techniques. As guitar players, we worked on different ways to play the music, rehearsing numerous times to see how we would pick at certain guitar stylings. We worked on refining all of the parts, which is something we really never do. For past work, I'd write a song, learn how to play it and record that song and it would be over. With the new album, by doing all of this rehearsing and learning the songs, I was able to know just how each song was made up from and what was the best way to work the song and get the most from it." Over the past few years, Jag Panzer have propelled themselves into the spotlight once again with two solid records: 1997's _The Fourth Judgement_ and _The Age of Mastery_ in 1998. The time was right for them, the music was right. Are things starting to work in their favor once again? "Yeah, we can see it all happening again", says Briordy, whose band went away after a promising start in the late '80s and a much-respected release titled _Ample Destruction_. "It is a slow climb, but with each album we [the band is rounded out by drummer Rikard Stjernquist and bassist John Tetley] see more people at the shows, see more press, more sales, and it just seems like everything is on the rise again for the band and that is a nice feeling." "We really work hard to give each member as much artistic freedom as they want to have, as long as it can work within the confines of how we do things. That adds a bit more freshness to what we do, 'cause we always try to make each recording experience different, whether it be a new studio where we do the record or a different way of assembling songs." Seeing that Briordy's band was at one time marked for death, no doubt a factor of the changing music scene and what have you, I ask him to comment on today's music scene. His answer: "I think there is a lot of good stuff out there. There are so many sub-genres out there that it is really hard to pick who is really good and who is bad. I mean, out of all the sub-genres, I'd say there are two or three really good bands that are making an important impact for the metal music scene. I like bands like Nightwish. I like Devil Doll, though they are pretty obscure. I like Blind Guardian and Iced Earth too." Mentioning the latter two bands, I ask Briordy if he likes the tag "progressive metal band" stuck onto Jag Panzer's work. "I'd prefer not to have it at all", admits Briordy, "but the way things work in the press you pretty much have to, so we don't really fight it." He concludes: "There are a lot bigger bands within this genre and it doesn't hurt us to be lumped in with them, so we aren't complaining." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E S H O R E S O F I N N E R T H O U G H T S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Michael "Maiden" Smirnoff of Mental Home by: Aaron McKay Every once in a great while you happen across someone or something that inspires you to trudge forth and re-engage your proper musical imperatives. Such is the case with the following interview conducted with a very welcoming Michael "Maiden" Smirnoff of the band Mental Home from Russia. As you will see, Maiden, as he like to be called, jumps right into the interview with a heartfelt apology that more than made up for any delinquency you could have inferred as dilatory (but I didn't) in getting his responses back to me via e-mail. It was a terrific experience to converse over the computer with Maiden about a broad range of topics, but Mental Home's music in particular. With his responses, I believe you will still find Maiden as much of an enigma and the mysteries he clears up. Press on and wrap you eyeballs around the wonders of Mental Home. Maiden: First of all Sir, I'd like to apologize for taking such a long time to answer... I have no excuse but so is my life... CoC: To begin, happy belated birthday, Maiden! Did you do anything wild and crazy? M: Thanks a lot, it's always great to get some greetings from such a big and famous mag. Actually I didn't do anything, I didn't even celebrate it. Also, if it matters, I'd tell you that I don't drink at all, so it's a very rare thing for me to go crazy. I prefer silence and solitude or sitting with a few friends in the kitchen. CoC: If you would, please tell me a little bit about your feelings on Mental Home having been instrumental in the foundation of The End Records. M: Well, we never thought we'd ever happen to be the reason of the record label's foundation. But in mid '97 we got in touch with Sergey Makhotkin, who wanted to help us by releasing our stuff on CD. After long negotiations he decided to founded a label together with his good friend Andreas Katsambas. The name for the label was The End. We were not the only reason of founding that label; there's another band, Nokturnal Mortum, whom The End really wanted to release. But we happened to be the first release of the newfounded label. We are very grateful for that chance they gave us. And us being on Century Media would also have been impossible without tremendous efforts from Andreas trying to get us a better spot in the business. CoC: What was the band's collective impression about Mental Home's _Vale_ being released before _Black Art_? M: The reason for releasing _Vale_ before _Black Art_ was that we still wanted to give some chance to our former label MetalAgen Records to release _Black Art_ and cover some studio expenses paid for us. But after all it did not work and we ended up giving MetalAgen their money, taking _Black Art_ masters and selling them to The End Records. Maybe it was not a good idea to try being gentlemen for us, maybe we should have released _Black Art_ first 'cause it was most up-to-date back then. But things turned out as they did and we followed natural chronology... We don't feel sorry for all that and we are proud of _Vale_. And I'd add that if we'd give [the go ahead for] _Black Art_ to go out first we would never see _Vale_ on CD, 'cause we'd been writing new songs as _Black Art_ went into printing. CoC: If you were to play another instrument, other than keyboards, in another band, let's say a raw black metal side project, what would that instrument be? What would you name this fictitious group? M: If I tell you that I'm not actually a keyboard player, would you believe me? My first time on keys was right at the day I got an invitation from Mental Home. They just told me that I had to learn how to play that instrument. In all my previous local bands I did vocal/guitar duties, having no idea how to play keyboards. So you see that's not a hard thing to imagine for me. I also play keyboards in another band together with our drummer Igor -- it's called Rossomahaar and we play black metal there. I'd say it's the most interesting black metal band around here. I think you should take a listen. CoC: How did "Stained" come to be the song chosen for The End's _White_ compilation? M: It's simple. They asked me what song I'd like to put onto that sampler and I gave them "Stained" because it represents the album better than any other one ready at that moment. It's a rare version of "Stained", because we gave The End its first mix and it wasn't mastered at all, so it's got a pretty raw sound. All that makes the _White_ compilation a collectors item! CoC: Can you give the Chronicles of Chaos readers some idea of the current metal scene there in your home country, please? M: It's hard to give a brief description of our scene. It's as big as our country is... Many bands in hundreds of regions. The main problem here is the lack of honest and big metal labels. All we've got here is a few labels that cannot offer any suitable conditions to bands they release. As the band grows it becomes unsatisfied with the conditions they're being offered, and since there's nothing better, people split up disappointed with making music. After we showed others that Russian bands can sign with foreign labels, bands began sending their promos far and wide and very soon many of them got signed to more or less big foreign labels. It's a great progress within our scene, 'cause before we've had dozens of great bands living and dying here. CoC: Was the title of _Against the Sun_ changed to _Upon the Shores of the Inner Seas_? If so, why was this the case? M: Yes, it was. I was supposed to write lyrics for that album as well and we wanted it to follow _Black Art_ lyrically. But I've had huge mental health problems and even spent a month in a mental hospital. So I could not handle my lyrical duties and no songs were completed. Then our vocalist Sergey Dmitriev stepped in and wrote lyrics on his own. He is a different person and his views and thoughts are quite different from mine, so his lyrics are absolutely different from what I could write. The old album title became unsuitable, so I came up with the new one, which did a better job of incorporating Sergey's inner world, through which he led us with his lyrics. CoC: On the _Black Art_ digi-pak, the CD-ROM video clip for "Pagan Freedom" was extremely impressive and erratic. What did it mean to you personally? M: The song itself means a lot. It describes how Christianity ruined our great culture, our legacy and everything we've accumulated through years of our Slavonic History. As Yiotis Katsambas (Andreas' brother) and John Swanson of Mythos Media made a clip, they represented their own version of the song, not following the lyrics, but giving you the right sorrowful impression, very similar to what I intended you to feel through the lyrics. CoC: For the most part, by and large, the first The End Records compilation, _...Until the End of Time_, was the first exposure the US metal community had to Mental Home. Why was "Under the Wing (of Gamayun)" chosen? M: That song is very monumental and with a piano and bells dark intro it became a perfect opener for that compilation. It was the right mood we wanted to bring to people. We'd changed our label from MetalAgen to The End Records, we'd changed line-up -- one of the composers left the band and we wanted to show the world that we were back to rule, that we were even stronger than ever before. If you remember, there was another Mental Home song on that sampler -- "Southern Calm Waters". It's a very melodic and impressive song that we were playing on every show. It's from the _Vale_ album. CoC: What would you say the difference is in the sound between the version of "Amidst the Waves" on _Upon the Shores of the Inner Seas_ and the original recording on 1995's _Mirrorland_, besides possibly money and notoriety? M: We changed harmony in some places from minor to major, changed the back solo and cut away the last lead guitar part. Also the vocals were now done in a double track version with some intervals never used in _Mirrorland_ era. The final keyboard part is played differently and with different sounds. As we release _Mirrorland_ on CD, you'll see the difference. CoC: Let's say, hypothetically, during a full US tour, while the band was in the country, what would be some of the things that you and the other Mental Home members would want to do, see or experience in America? M: First of all, we'd like to kick some asses during our live shows. In between we'd visit some interesting places, maybe museums, talk to fans and other people around. We'd just love to know more about that brand new place for us. The rest is to schedule a full US tour for us. Actually, we don't know when we'll get a chance to tour in the US, but I can assure you we'd leave all venues ruined. CoC: Before we wrap this interview up, allow me to ask you about your nickname, "Maiden". Also, tell me your thoughts on Metal Home and the reformed Iron Maiden on a world tour together. What do you think?! M: You understood my nickname right -- the reason is that great band that we all love very much. When I was 14, I'd been raving [about] Iron Maiden in high school during lectures saying things like, "Wow, yesterday I was listening to _Somewhere in Time_! You can't imagine how cool the lead guitar was", or something like that. And it was every day... So people began calling me "Maiden". With time my nickname almost became my second name and my signature reads as "Maiden" (even in my passport). Reunion of Iron Maiden... I remember running around and telling each and every human that the Maiden guys are back! I was so happy, man... It's my biggest dream to tour with them. I have no words... UP THE IRONS!!! CoC: Other than Iron Maiden, is there a band that you would desire to play with in concert or tour with in general? M: Yes! Those are Anathema ("Did I punish you for dreaming...?"), The Gathering and I'd still love to see Tiamat as headliners. They have changed their image and music but J. Edlund remains the man who wrote _Clouds_ and I worship that state of the art. CoC: Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions for the Chronicles of Chaos readers, Maiden. End this interview in any way you might like and best of luck to Mental Home. I hope I see you in Milwaukee at the MetalFest. M: Thanks a lot for giving us a spot in your magazine. We'd love to hear from you again. Please let us know if you need anything from Mental Home. And could you please publish our contacts: Contact: Sergey Dmitriev, ul. Kastanaevskaya, 55-51, Moscow 121108, Russia mailto:mentality@rusmetal.ru Contact: Michael "Maiden" Smirnoff, P.O. Box 345, Moscow 121151, Russia mailto:maiden@glasnet.ru Contact: http://www.rusmetal.ru/mentalhome/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B U R N F L O R I D A B U R N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Steve Childers of Burning Inside by: Paul Schwarz Responses to Death's 1998 album _The Sound of Perseverance_ [CoC #33] may have been mixed, but I remember one reaction being pretty consistent: "Who the fuck is that drummer?!" Richard Christy was "that" drummer and he's also Burning Inside's drummer. But don't allow my name-dropping intro or Richard's "connections" (he also plays in Control Denied and Iced Earth and has just finished tours with Incantation and Demons & Wizards) to fool you into thinking that Burning Inside is just a side-project "featuring..." some famous faces. Not only is Burning Inside from before Richard's "fame", but it's also a band with music which I -couldn't- ignore, even if the band were made up of the most loathed names in music. Ironically, it -was- Richard's incredible rhythms (though I didn't at the time know it was he who was laying them down) which first drew the attention of my stimulation-hungry brain to _The Eve of the Entities_. But once I was sat up straight, I was easily converted by the mix of modern, dark and atmospheric death metal, and technical traditional heavy metal which came flowing at me. _The Eve of the Entities_ subsequently found quite a pattern of rotation in my stereo. So, with a whole load of questions as to where the hell this lot have been hiding, and why I'd never even heard mention of them before _The Eve of the Entities_ turned up in my possession, I hunted down guitarist Steve Childers so that he could give CoC an account of Burning Inside and what they're trying to achieve. After a few mix-ups, I got him on the phone from his Florida home back in early June. CoC: How's things goin'? Steve Childers: Great, man. CoC: You doing shows with the band at the moment? SC: At the moment no, Richard's gone, he's doin' a tour with Demons & Wizards [Iced Earth and Blind Guardian collaboration; interview in this issue and review in CoC #46 --Paul] in Europe. We're working on some recordings. We did some drum tracks so now we're messing around with some demo tracks, and that's what we're doing now. CoC: Can I establish the full line-up, and what other bands everybody is in? SC: Well, to start with myself, I play rhythm/lead guitar and I'm also in a band called Black Witchery. I play guitar in that. Then you have Richard Christy, who... CoC: Does so much it's unbelievable... SC: Yeah. CoC: Death, Control Denied... SC: Well yeah, if you name off everything he's done; right now he's doing Demons & Wizards, their tour. He's done Death, Control Denied, and he's just done a tour with Incantation. Also, Jamie Prim, who plays bass and vocals, he's not currently doing anything else. Michael Estes plays guitar and he was in Acheron for a couple of albums. CoC: Thanks, just 'cause I got various messed up reports from people: someone said the band had someone from Iced Earth. SC: Well, one of the guys from Iced Earth is in Demons & Wizards (Jon Schaffer) and I think Richard's gonna be doing an album with him later too. [As it turns out, Richard is also now drumming for Iced Earth --Paul]. CoC: How do you think Burning Inside is a meshing of all the stuff Richard does and maybe the sort of influences you have or Mike might have from Acheron? 'Cause there's a lot going on in Burning Inside. People are touting it as a great record for the death metal scene, which I think it is, but almost in a -progressive- way in some respects. SC: Yeah, it's different sounding. To answer the question of meshing of influences, Burning Inside is a band that started before all the other projects. So, we've been jammin' and writing stuff: this is our album that we all write original material in. And the other things are written by other people, so that's why you get an influence of what we like. Mike likes Brian May and Dio type stuff. We all like Deicide and Morbid Angel, we're into that. And also we all grew up in the eighties, so we have the eighties background. So we're trying to blend the brutality of death metal with a bit of a technical edge. Not to go overboard, but still making it brutal, you know? Trying to come up with something original was our goal from the beginning. It's different sounding, I think it's different. CoC: Yeah, and it's interesting because the elements all work together. Like I noticed an influence in your riffing and Mike's riffing -- there's some -low- death metal stuff --, but there's a lot kind of like what Immolation do. SC: Yeah, yeah. CoC: With blasting or without but very atmospheric. I find it has sort of "damned" feel to it. SC: Cool, thanks. CoC: But all this meshes with Richard's drum style. Do you think it would work without that rolling drum style? He just pulls out shit all the time. SC: No. No, it wouldn't work without Richard. He is the key element in the band and, especially on some of the newer stuff, he writes a lot of the guitar stuff. The basic riffs he'll come up with, some of 'em. His drumming adds a really unique sound to it. This is his place, where he can do whatever he wants, and that's what he wants to do, and it's unique sounding. CoC: It gives it that kind of edge that Death have had the last couple of albums. It's much more -metal-, but metal in a sort of technical way. More than in a "down hard" way [a la Saxon or Manowar]. SC: He blends a lot of -- he'll do blastbeats over certain parts and then go into his upper hand work. His upper hand work is where he excels. I mean he's good everywhere, but his upper hand work, he does some very innovative stuff. CoC: You mean on the cymbals... SC: Yeah, everything. He's just hitting shit everywhere. He's got so much stuff. On the demo he even had a drum pad that he was hitting for an electronic tom sound, so he had more toms than what he had and he had two hi-hats going. CoC: That's really impressive. The album has this whole mix. Jamie's vocals are quite traditional death metal. What I find about the album is that it's really good, it's got a lot of potential as well, but I find the production -is- good but lets some of the elements down... SC: Yeah, I would agree with you there. CoC: And I find Jamie's vocals are good, but they're very death metal. He hasn't done a lot of moving around. So, you've got this death metal element, but then it goes all crazy. The end solo in "Blind to All That Exist" is just -very metal-. How do you feel pulling something like that out in the middle of what is quite a dark record; it [the record] doesn't have the exuberance of, say, Iron Maiden or something. SC: We tried to work different riffs together; it took us a long time to write a lot of those arrangements because a lot of stuff -- to get them to blend together we had to constantly re-arrange them and re-arrange them until we found something that sounded the way we wanted it to sound. Otherwise it gets out of hand. If you could hear what we start with, it's pretty insane. We'll strip real technical riffs down and make 'em way less technical. So it's kind of complicated and we haven't toured or anything, so the few years we've been here we've had a lot of time to write songs. We've got other songs. CoC: But this isn't the compendium of a demo career? Has this come out of the last couple of years of writing? SC: _The Eve of the Entities_ is a combination of stuff we wrote in '95 and '96: there's three or four songs, like "My Own" and "Masque", which were written then. Then "Eve of the Entities" and the rest of the songs on there were written in '97, '98. Kind of just a collaboration of some of the songs we've written from '95 up 'till '98. CoC: The album seems to get more adventurous as you come towards the end; it varies in different places, but "The Eve of the Entities" is much more tentative with bringing things in than the later tracks. How did you feel writing this material, did you feel that you were writing just a metal record, or a death metal record... or did you at one point go: "Wait a minute, we're trying to write a death metal record, and it's really metal!" SC: Well, all I can say is we just practised the material that we have and went in and recorded it and that's the way it came out. We didn't have a set... -- we're not going to say "We're a death metal band". We've never really labelled ourselves. I try to label it "dark technical metal". It has elements of so many different things it's kind of hard to label it. CoC: Totally. SC: As for the production: the next production will be a lot better. We had to go into a... modest studio and... you know, when we hear _The Eve of the Entities_ we know that we could do it five times better now. You know how it is, after playing it out so much and stuff. But the next one -- we've matured a lot, all of us, recording. We've all been recording with different bands. So we're learning so much stuff recording; I think the next one's going to be a lot more powerful sounding and -drums- already -- from what we've done so far it sounds really good. CoC: How do you feel Burning Inside fits in with the rest of the death metal and extreme music scene -- you've only just started pushing the band into the outside world? SC: Well, I think we fit into a lot of categories. I think a lot of people that are into nothing but more technical stuff will like it and I think people that are into traditional... -power metal-, I think, will see elements in it, in fact I've been told that already: even though it has the higher vocals [Steve is referring to Jamie's vocals being gruff death grunts, broadly speaking --Paul]. And I think it's got a -lot- of death metal elements. There's a lot of things going on, a lot of influences. We're influenced by so much stuff. Just my influences vary so much, and Richard's also. So it blends good: we had to work at it but... A lot of bands try to end up sounding super brutal or something. It just doesn't work, so we're trying something different and we're doing what we each like. And there's no egos here at all. If I do a riff that doesn't fit they'll tell me and we'll drop it. So that's how it works and that's why the members are also able to do other bands and stuff: because there's no egos. We know Burning Inside's our music -- the four of us. CoC: Do you think, therefore, that it -won't- be hard to keep Richard Christy in the band? I obviously don't know about how you guys know each other, but he's done a lot of stuff, so the first impression is kind of like: hmm, he's probably guesting. Do you know what I mean? SC: Yeah, I mean this band's been here -- I've been jammin' with Richard since '92, so I'm sure this project will always exist. We went through so much shit so far just to get where we're at, you know? I mean, we've moved, we've relocated, we've had labels turn us down a lot. We've just been through a lot of shit and there's nothing that's going to break it up that I know of. I mean, Richard might be out doing a tour, but he's back in a month and a half. And he's home, and then you know what? He's around three or four months, so we jam, you know. CoC: It sounds like, from reading [the PR] and what you're saying, that the band is very much what you wanted to do, and what you all wanted to do, like a focal point. SC: It's fun. We like doing it, so that's what keeps it going. And we've got so much to record. We want to record, we want to tour, we want to do so much, but at the moment we're not offered any tours. We got the album out, so I mean if we're not really doing anything and people [in the band] have opportunities to make money, or jam something here, you know, we're working musicians. CoC: On touring, the guy from Still Dead said that Cannibal Corpse were thinking of taking you guys out after hearing the album. That's what I've heard. SC: Well, we were asked one time if we were interested and we said yes, but I don't know... That's just talk. We'd love to, you know... Everybody knows we want to tour, everybody in the scene knows... We're serious about it and we can do it, but we just haven't had any serious offers, so I don't know what to do, I'm just waiting. We're a great live band, I think that's one of our best -- that's one of our things, we love to play out, we like to play our material out live, it's a lot faster and more in your face live. CoC: And I think in a way with music, it's the way that music is supposed to be. SC: Yeah, you know, especially metal. CoC: Metal is such a live thing. SC: You can listen to your vinyl and it's fuckin' kick ass, and then you go to a show and it's fuckin' ten times heavier. CoC: Yeah, I mean, I've listened to Iron Maiden for a load of years and I like their albums and I put 'em on, but I'm going to see 'em next week and that's going to just top everything [see Chaotic Concerts for whether it did --Paul]. SC: Fuck yeah. CoC: So that would be great for you guys to get out: the exposure of the album will do a lot to help that happen. What have you found from the responses you've got so far? SC: I've done... I couldn't even count how many interviews and the response has been really, really good. I was expecting it to do good, I'm not trying to sound egoed out, I expected it to do good but I didn't expect it to do -this- good. There's been a lot of tension on it. I think it's a great debut album. I think it's done a good job for a debut. Now we just want to keep going, put out another one, try to strive to do better and better. CoC: Like you say, it sounds on the record like you've really got a good record, but a record that gives you a lot of possible ways to go; you don't really exhaust all your possibilities in one album. What did you find with the album, what were the songs you were most happy with? SC: "Blind to All That Exist" and "The Eve of the Entities" are probably my two favourite off of there, but I also like "My Own" and "Masque". I pretty much like it all. CoC: I pretty much agree. With the tracks you were mentioning, and just in general, how did the lyrics fit in with it? It kind of defies death metal convention as well, because it'll sound strange maybe, but it almost has a sort of power metal feel, in some ways, because it's sort of thematic, it's sort of conceptual. The music and lyrics fit together in a much more complete, album sort of way. SC: From the beginning what I wanted to do, what all of us wanted to do -- let me turn this video down I'm watching. What we tried to do, what I wanted to do is have -- I'm 34 years old, when I used to buy an album in the eighties I'd put it on, and each song usually had a feeling to it, it had its own characteristic. And the last song -- you always remember the last song, this side. Then you'd turn it over, you know; it's got a personality to it. And I think _The Eve of the Entities_ definitely has that. I think it's got a feeling; each song is different, the lyrics are different: some of them are horror, horror movie based and psychological. A lot of mental psychological; just things to do with one's self, individualism. Just a lot of things; we like horror movies a lot and that kind of stuff influences us. CoC: Which kind of horror movies in particular, which era? SC: I'm into Hammer films... CoC: You can definitely notice the Hammer influence... SC: Yeah, and I watch Italian. I watch Italian gore like "Maniac". CoC: Fulci and stuff like that? SC: Fulci, Argento, Mariano Baino, Diodar. The "Cannibal..." movies. CoC: Like "Cannibal Holocaust", right? SC: Yeah, I'm watching "Make Them Die Slowly" right now. Got it on DVD just now. CoC: I ordered just a while back "City of the Living Dead", I haven't seen that one and it's supposed to be killer! SC: Yeah, that's my favourite Fulci movie. CoC: It's better than "The Beyond"? SC: It's my favourite, but a lot of people think "The Beyond" is his best -- but I personally like "Gates of Hell" [one US release title for "City of the Living Dead" --Paul]. One of the songs on our new album is called "The Gates of Hell". I wrote it about it. The newer lyrics, I think there's four that are based on horror movies. Richard's really big into John Carpenter, especially "The Fog" and "Halloween". I've got like 800 horror movies, so... CoC: Nice. You know who you should tour with, you should tour with Deceased. SC: Yeah, I could handle that tour. CoC: For someone who was interested in getting into Burning Inside, thinking of buying the album, what elements of it would you say would attract people; what elements would you say are its primary good qualities? SC: FUCKING METAL. COC: That's good. SC: You just ask the person: are you into FUCKING METAL? And if they say yes, then you ask 'em what kind. Yeah, just as long as they like metal I think they'll like it. A lot of the real sick people that are just into more primitive shit probably -- the band Black Witchery that I'm in is almost the exact opposite to what I do in Burning Inside. It's really raw, stripped down, Bathory, Beherit blastbeat type metal. But I have people that are into that band that also like Burning Inside. So, I think it's open to a lot of doors, I think people just need to listen to it. That's why -- another thing with the name is that that doesn't really pin us down to any certain style. Steve and I also chatted briefly about: Metal from England... SC: My favourite bands, like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, fuckin' Maiden: they're all from there. Venom turning up unexpectedly... SC: I remember when I went to the MetalFest at Milwaukee, Cronos just walked by at ten in the morning. I'm like: "That's fucking Cronos, man, I'm standing next to Cronos here!" And a classic Canadian band... SC: I'm going to Canada 21st of July to see Blasphemy: they're playing their first show in nine years. They're the gods of Canada; skinhead satanic -black- metal: they've got a black guy in the band. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E S H R I N E U N S H R O U D E D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Marcel Verdurmen of Altar by: Aaron McKay No sense in getting all wrapped-up in too many details. Usually the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. It would seem that Marcel from Holland's Altar would be a defender of that line of direct reasoning, judging from the replies I received back on e-mail from the band's goliath guitarist. I found his answers to be simple, forthright and fraternal. After a simple, obviously unsuccessful attempt to speak with Marcel on the phone, I coordinated this e-mail dialog with the band's spokesperson and guitarist for you, the CoC readership. I hope that you find it illuminating in some regard. CoC: Altar has two different covers for the new album, for the European and US releases, huh? Marcel Verdurmen: It seemed better to bring out two different covers, because some people thought the one with the girl and priest on it was too shocking. CoC: You have been given -a lot- of credit for taking the band to the next level in ability, with respect to _Ego Art_, with your clever, weighty guitar approach. Do you agree with that? MV: Well, I had another approach to Altar's music, but I always kept the Altar style in mind when writing any new material. CoC: In your opinion, before this new release, would you say that _Provoke_ was more innovative and/or radical than _Ego Art_? MV: Yes, I agree. _Provoke_ was more melodic and in my eyes more mature than the _Ego Art_ album. It was not an experiment, it was just a new album with a different approach, and it is still an album we are very proud of. CoC: Where did the title of _In the Name of the Father_ come from? MV: Well, here in Holland some priests were caught in a clothing room of a swimming pool filming little naked boys and girls and in the beginning this was a great case, but after all, they did not get convicted and had no punishment at all!! So we decided to give our album this title with [that] meaning behind it. Even if you are a pervert priest, no one will blame you for this, because he is acting "in the Name of the Father". CoC: Did I read somewhere that _Provoke_ was Altar's rebuttal to -- was it the media or organized religion? MV: I think both. CoC: Last year, Altar performed at the Waldrock festival with In Flames, S.O.D, Immortal, Mercyful Fate and Sepultura, among others. How was that compared to other concerts Altar has done? MV: Well, to play on Waldrock was a wish we had for years. We enjoyed it a lot and playing with other well known bands is just far out!! CoC: I see that you are slated for a date in July in the Czech Republic with Dark Funeral and Behemoth. Anything happening with a US tour? Deeds of Flesh, possibly? MV: Hopefully, we are waiting for other people who promised this tour to us to keep their word and hopefully we are going to the US. I know Altar is a band you have to see live. We are much better on stage. CoC: European tour with Vader? MV: Same answer. CoC: Didn't you guys do a split album with Cartilage? MV: No, I think that was another band. CoC: What song did Altar cover on the Chuck Schuldiner Benefit Concert (with Altar, Blo.Torch, God Dethroned, Occult, Dead Head and Consolation)? MV: We did the song "Evil Dead". CoC: Did you particularly appreciate any other the other bands' covers? MV: Yes, sure!! CoC: What happened with your former label, Displeased? How are things working out with Pavement? MV: After a long fight and so much discussion going on, we said goodbye to Displeased. Some things just did not work out. With Pavement things are looking OK, but you always have to see what happens in the future. CoC: You guys worked up everything to do with _In the Name of the Father_ all by yourselves. Did you shop that, your now fourth release, around to labels or were you prepared to go the entire distance without any support at all? MV: No, when we said goodbye to Displeased we had already signed a deal with Rough Trade / Zomba. Pavement came in later. CoC: I noted that Pavement is handling promotion for Altar everywhere -but- in Benelux [Benelux is the name used for the group of countries comprising Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, which are on the western coast of Europe, nearest to the United Kingdom -- Aaron]. Who's handling that? MV: Rough Trade / Zomba. CoC: Anybody you are listening to now? Found any impressive bands lately? MV: I like Rammstein a lot. CoC: My very best wishes to the band and please end this interview anyway that you would like -- and thanks very much for your time, Marcel. MV: No need for thanks at all, and I thank you for your interest and hopefully we will see each other on some tour and have some beers together. Cheers!! Contact: http://www.altarband.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S T I L L F I G H T I N G F O R E X P O S U R E ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Tony Jelencovich of Transport League by: Adrian Bromley Sweden's Transport League is one of the most underrated and exciting bands out there. Unfortunately, not many people know of them. What a shame. Having followed the band since their 1994 debut disc titled _Stallion Showcase_ (and before that with singer Tony Jelencovich fronting B-Thong) and onto other interesting works like 1997's _Superevil_ and their latest effort _Satanic Panic_, I have always told people of the band, urging them to tell others about their unique sound and direction. But I could only do so much. Things seem to be on the up and up as we speak. Transport League have signed a worldwide deal with Pavement Records with _Satanic Panic_ and I am hoping that the band gets the exposure they deserve. I've got my fingers crossed for you guys! "Things are going good for us right now and we are back working on new material for a new record", states singer Jelencovich. "_Satanic Panic_ came out last year and it just seems so old to us now, we just want to explore and try out new things. The groove is going to be the same, we have always had that, it is just that we are itching to write new material. I think the new record will be a bit like _Satanic Panic_ but maybe flirting a bit with that nu-metal sound." When asked about the creative process that goes into a Transport League record, he says: "It has become a bit harder to write music, but at the same time it is easier too. It is hard to explain, really. We have become better musicians since the first disc [Jelencovich is the only original member -- Adrian], but at the same time the arrangements are more technical and harder to grasp. Each day we are experimenting and coming in contact with all of these ideas and it is great to be able to change music and have fun at the same time -- or at least try to have fun. We have a really good band right now too", he says. "Patrik [Sten] is a great drummer who has brought a lot into the band and he also plays guitar, so that adds something to help creating ideas. He isn't just a drummer." One dream that Jelencovich wishes is for the band to be able to come over and tour the United States. It is still just a dream. "Things have just been a bit slow for us over here in terms of exposure. Things haven't been going too well for us. The key market over here is Germany, but over there they are looking for bands that play progressive metal or melodic death metal, bands like HammerFall, In Flames or Dark Tranquillity. The stuff that we are doing is very difficult to fit over here. Since the first record, we have been hearing that our music would fit very well with what is going on in the United States, but we've never been able to try and tour over there." "I'd love to tour with Pantera or Machine Head. That would just be the best to go out and play across the United States and see if it is true that our music works well with what is going on over there. It is worth a shot", he quips, "I hope it happens. We are keeping our fingers crossed." Listening to the new disc by Transport League (rounded out by guitarist Peter Hunyadi and bassist Ken Sandin), it is quite obvious a lot of the material is very personal and hard-hitting: songs like "Neckdraft", "Tar" and "Plague Ship" have a real harrowing display of darkened imagery and heaviness combined. So is there a dark side to _Satanic Panic_? What is the significance to the album title? "We chose the name _Satanic Panic_ because it was connected to the hype of the millennium coming and all that stuff. There was this big panic with all of these people being worried about computers crashing and all of this crazy shit going on. Whatever. It is also a bit sarcastic and it rhymes. It is just a fun title, I think, for the most part, kind of playing off the last album title _Superevil_. It is just a name..." "As for the music, this is just us saying how it is like. There is no need to be all cute and simple about things. Life is difficult and so is being in a band, and in order to be something you need to strive for something." "Our music is the way it is because we have fused together all of these elements (groove, samples, hardcore vibes) and made it aggressive and very much Transport League. We believe in keeping things on the go and _Satanic Panic_ is one of those records that never lets go. We just need people to give us a chance and see what we are all about." "I do this because I enjoy the music. I enjoy the creative ideas that we do with our music. I just enjoy the fact that I can make music and people react to it", explains Jelencovich. "Up to this point, it has been a lot of fun to be a part of Transport League. Hopefully we will be going somewhere in the near and distant future. As you can see, so far we have gone nowhere with the band, really. And that is a shame. It is a long way to the top, you know? Well, we don't want to get to the top, we just want to make a living from all of this." "Hopefully things will happen soon for us", he finishes. "I'm 32 years old right now and who knows how long this can go on for? The important thing for me right now is that I still have a goal with this band and we will continue to get Transport League where they belong." May the Force be with them! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____ .__ ___. / _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____ / /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \ / | \ |_| \_\ \ | / 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! A Perfect Circle - _Mer de Noms_ (Virgin, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10) With this being lyrical genius and intensely emotional Tool singer Maynard James Keenan's side-project-of-sorts, it is not surprising that from the first notes of finely crafted opener "The Hollow", APC bear comparisons to one of the greatest bands on the last decade, which can't be an entirely bad thing. Maynard's vocals are admittedly the main cause of this and only a handful of tracks (e.g. "Magdalena", "Judith" (which is the classically irreverent "single")) are actually exceptionally close to Tool's heady interplay of guitar, bass and drums. That said, APC will appeal to people like myself who are fans of Tool, and if you find Tool a bit too emotionally troubled in their lyrics or "long-winded" in their song structures, then maybe APC will even be the quicker fix to better suit your tastes. APC bears a much stronger influence from ordinary alternative rock, and its track lengths (particularly) and song structures (somewhat) stick far more closely to popular music norms than Tool ever have; no song on _Mer de Noms_ clocks in at over five minutes in length. Maynard's collaboration with Billy Howerdel, Paz Lenchantin, Josh Freese and Troy van Leeuwen (and I'll bet they're all from California with those names...) has resulted in a record peppered with a nice batch of really great songs but which has definite fall-out points, and fails to capture the soul-searing sincerity of Tool's creations. After Forever - _Prison of Desire_ (Transmission Records, 2000) by: Chris Flaaten (7.5 out of 10) After Forever from The Netherlands is the latest fruit from the tree of doom with soprano and death metal vocals. Many claim that this kind of music has been overdone, but this album from After Forever actually has enough quality and character to deserve attention. The album opens with a very atmospheric synth and choir piece, with Latin lyrics that represent the prologue to the lyrical trilogy consisting of track two, five and nine, while the music itself is the perfect intro for the album as a whole. The second track -- and all of the remaining nine tracks, for that matter -- follows perfectly with both varied, well composed and well played music lead by singer/soprano Floor Jansen's tremendous talent. After Forever's music is mainly based on traditional guitar riffing with the synth in more of a support role. The most apparent comparison is Within Temptation, and Sharon den Adel also appears on the album's last and perhaps most beautiful track, "Beyond Me". Still, the comparison does not describe AF's music accurately; Within Temptation meets Nightwish, perhaps? People interested in either of those bands' music should definitely check After Forever out. Altar - _In the Name of the Father_ (Pavement Music, March 2000) by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10) Don't be thrown by what could be construed as a lower marking on this release. Launching their savagery from Holland, Altar pours forth some truly malevolent and spiteful offerings on this, the band's fourth release. For the most part, I very much agree with the comments expressed by my colleague Adrian Bromley in CoC #33, when he reviewed _Provoke_. Altar's sound is as metal as you'd want it to be, sounding somewhat like subdued or suppressed _Harmony Corruption_-era Napalm Death. The band has a truly well put together sound showcased no better place on the record than on a couple of back-to-back tracks, namely "I Spit Black Bile on You" and "Hate Scenario". As I understand things, after parting company with Displeased Records, Altar took matters into their own hands when making _ItNotF_ before ever firming up a deal with Pavement. Pavement added two extra cuts to this release, "I Am Your New Provider" and a cover of the classic "The Trooper", by Iron Maiden. Looking directly at this effort, Altar clearly has nothing to be ashamed of; the album is powerful. At the same time, I can honestly say the material included on _ItNotF_ is mostly forgettable, with the aforementioned couple of songs being the exceptions. Were this a spectacular release, I would say subjugate yourself to the will of Altar, but as things are, I might only advise visiting their sanctuary for a brief sermon before joining the congregation. Anaal-Nathrakh - _Total Fucking Necro_ (Leviaphonic Records, 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) Having reviewed their self-titled demo in CoC #43, I was very pleased to receive this new CD from Anaal-Nathrakh -- and this time I knew what to expect: very harsh and destructive black metal delivered with outstanding brutality and intensity. (How ironic that the package in which they sent me the CD had more "very fragile" warnings written all over it than I can remember ever seeing before.) This CD contains five new songs and their first demo, all recorded with very raw but effective production -- except for the very nasty, but fortunately brief, sound glitches near the end of the opening track. The thing with Anaal-Nathrakh still is that they can mix very unusual amounts of venomous fury with a strange kind of catchiness that emerges from their wall of sound. The opener "The Supreme Necrotic Audnance" is one devastating, unrelenting track. The doomier overtones of "Satanarchist", featuring almost _Bergtatt_ era Ulver-like slow and sad bass lines, complete an excellent opening duo. Note that this is nothing like _Bergtatt_'s superb atmosphere or even sound style, though; _TFN_ is far more destructive and has no focus on atmosphere. The following two tracks keep up the aggression, even if somewhat less remarkably, before a cover of Mayhem's "De Mysteriis dom Sathanas" closes the first section of the CD -- and a good cover it is, imbued with AN's own style. Their first demo then follows, its sound quality slightly inferior but acceptable and the music equally enjoyable. This may not be such a jewel hidden beneath misanthropic production as Ulver's _Nattens Madrigal_, but for five pounds or nine US$ from Golden Lake Distribution, this 45 minute long onslaught should definitely be a treat for anyone into very harsh, grim and powerful black metal to whom a raw but adequate production isn't a problem (otherwise you can basically ignore the 8 out of 10 rating above). Contact: mailto:crushfuk@fuckyou.co.uk http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dbanger Contact: Golden Lake Distribution, 19 Castlehill Drive, Newton Mearns, Glasgow G77 5JZ, Scotland mailto:serenade4@yahoo.co.uk http://www.members.tripod.co.uk/golden_lake/index.htm Contact: http://www.leviaphonic.co.uk Ancient Wisdom - _...And the Physical Shape of Light Bled_ by: Eli Fishbein (9.5 out of 10) (Avantgarde, 2000) This is the latest solo offering from Mr. Marcus E. Norman (writer, arranger, performer, producer, engineer and mixer) and it easily tops his previous opuses, _For Snow Covered the Northland_ [CoC #16] and _The Calling_ [CoC #28]. The tracks are tighter than before, the melodies catchier -- though still extremely dark -- and the vocal range much wider. I could not help noticing the soulfulness with which The Big Man delivers his Satanist messages, as opposed to the older, more mechanical approach. He sings with grandeur that approaches the sublime, in correspondence with some of the most resounding harmonized passages to come out of Sweden. A testament for this man's genius can be heard in the last track, "The Spell", a cover of Demon's 1982 heavy metal classic, that surpasses the original in every way. The cover -- which also appears on the _Tribute to Demon_ CD -- digs out caves behind that '80s antiquated style to discover a new, beautifully sinister interpretation. The only beef I can come up with is the rigidity of the piano-playing throughout the album. To establish an emotional vibe, the keys need to be gently caressed, not banged upon. This is only a minor drawback, though, and does not impede on the spellbinding ambience that this album masterfully weaves, nor on its indelible imprint. Angel Dust - _Enlighten the Darkness_ (Century Media, June 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10) Perhaps in an attempt to revitalise power metal, Angel Dust seem to have added a slightly goth-like atmosphere, at times not too far from EverEve's disappointing _Regret_ [CoC #46], and also some electronic elements. The strong drumming, riffs and melodies in opener "Let Me Live" made me think this could be more interesting than I had anticipated, and the following track, "The One You Are", didn't let it down. But from that point onwards, hardly anything seems to achieve a similar level, and as the record went on I wondered what happened to the elements that initially made it seem more interesting. "Beneath the Silence", for example, starts with a Tiamat-like spoken part (think _Wildhoney_) before changing into a pretty damn mainstream ballad -- and you get plenty of that throughout the album. The initial interest is never again recovered as the extra-sweet ballads, less than effective heavier parts, annoying goth-like elements and electronics just add up to tracks varying between mediocre and average quality -- which is rather disappointing after the first couple of songs. Overall, musically a competent album, but it clearly could have been much better. But as it is, in all honesty -- and I know they play a very different style --, for some reason _Enlighten the Darkness_ just makes me wish I was listening to Sentenced instead. Angelwhore - _Superman_ (Casket Music, June 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) Imagine if you will, Dani Filth and the rest of his undead elite in Cradle of Filth rocking hard to a hard rock groove. Shed the keyboards and beef up the wails of aggression and the guitar riffs and you pretty much know where Angelwhore are going with their music. Vampiric qualities are etched everywhere as the band descends into darkness with punishing numbers as the title track, "Victim" and "Nausea". Without scaring people off, I picked up certain sounds reminiscent of Marilyn Manson too. There is enough to keep you interested, but I'm not sure if this hybrid will work for some metal fans. Apollyon Sun - _Sub_ (Mayan, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10) Thomas Gabriel Fischer has never been an easy man to predict -- actually, let's face it, he's damn near impossible to predict: very uncharacteristic for a musician who's worked so long in the metal genre. His post-Celtic Frost band's debut album -- finally released after nearly nine months of delay in mixing and remixing -- shows no indication that old age has made Tom lazy; _Sub_ is certainly no exception to his ever-unpredictable recording career. Apollyon Sun seem impossible to label without either constructing ludicrously long adjective strings to pre-modify "metal", or resorting to useless splicings like "techno-metal" or "electro-metal" which generally either say nothing informative or narrow down a small part of _Sub_ to represent its whole. This is key to _Sub_'s success as a "Thomas Gabriel..." album; however much I were to ultimately enjoy the innovator's latest step, the last thing I wanted was for _Sub_ to be easy, either to comprehend or to categorise. And not only is it neither, but I even like it. Maybe not as much as 'Frost at their best -- _Sub_ is neither that successful an innovation nor has songs of quite that calibre --, but 'Frost on _Vanity_/_Nemesis_? Possibly. To give you an idea of what to expect, _Sub_'s songs are usually structured centrally around a few simple slow and occasionally mid-paced downward progressing riffs. These are backed by a very pronounced bass guitar and overlaid by Tom's vocals -- which are seedily under pronounced, lending a slimy, grimy urban sheen to the Godflesh-esque guitar and bass interplay. The drum patterns sound entirely programmed (though sampled), but this element is probably _Sub_'s most complimentary quality, rather than the fall-down it so often seems to be for a "metal" record. A wide variety and combination of rhythmic sounds and patterns greatly enhances the comparatively simple interplay of guitar, bass and vocals. The picture presented so far may be called the "skeleton" of _Sub_. Onto it is poured tons of contrasting and varied "flesh" and a quality production "skin". Oscillations, drum 'n' bass / trance breaks, samples, scratching and a host of other, mostly seamlessly integrated aspects feature on _Sub_. It has been put together carefully and professionally. The coherent sound throughout many musical fluctuations belies accusations from some quarters that this is some cobbled together "industrio-metal" affair. _Sub_ has been well executed and is certainly daring; whether you like it will depend on your musical tastes, but do its great financial cost and ambitious musical scope justice and give it a good, focused slab of your time: Tom deserves it, Apollyon Sun deserve it, and _Sub_ is more than worth it for its possibly pleasurable musical rewards. Ashes You Leave - _The Inheritance of Sin and Shame_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) (Morbid Records, February 2000) My expectations regarding AYL's _The Inheritance of Sin and Shame_ were very high, considering this Croatian band's quality debut _The Passage Back to Life_ and second album _Desperate Existence_ [CoC #39]. _TIoSaS_ did not disappoint me, but it did not turn out to be as amazing an album as I still feel AYL can produce, either. It's still very doomy metal with female vocals and some death vox, as well as violin and flute, and still not anywhere like the vast majority of bands that might fit that description. AYL's sound continues to have a slight pleasantly raw edge that you do not generally find in such bands, while the vocals and the various instruments produce less flashy but often more interesting and emotional results -- AYL continue to very clearly play doom metal with a highly personalised musical approach. Similarly to _Desperate Existence_, _TIoSaS_ has some really fine passages that would justify an even higher rating and prove that this band can reach something very remarkable indeed soon. But even forgetting for a moment the incomprehensible happy section in the title track, AYL just need to be able to make a whole album that can be as special as those passages on _TIoSaS_. The band is currently going through some considerable line-up changes as well as a change of label. If things go well, I strongly suspect their next album might see them finally making full use of all their potential. In the mean time, _The Inheritance of Sin and Shame_ is a fine album indeed, and a very welcome change from the genre's norm. Asiatic Spike - _Beastial Warfare_ (, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) I'll admit it. I did find myself cheering on this totally bonkers and off the wall tirade and massive mess of mayhem found on Asiatic Spike's _Beastial Warfare_ offering as I played it. But things are different now. After it came to a close I was left with little if any interest to give it more than a few spins. At times it is very reminiscent of a death metal version of Faith No More mixed with the hard groove of, say, Sepultura or Soulfly and a real grindcore-like drumming (thrown throughout). I'm sure there are many out there that would love to bask in Asiatic Spike's malicious energy vibes, while I'd rather watch from the sidelines. Contact: mailto:mrphuq@hotmail.com http://members.tripod.com/~asiaticspike/ Asphyx - _On the Wings of Inferno_ (Century Media, 2000) by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10) If good, brutal old-school death is what you're hankering after, what better merchants to turn to than a legendary Dutch troop who's grown up with the likes of Pestilence? "Death, the brutal way!!!" is what the trio claim to offer, and shunning the machine-gun speedrumming of Krisiun or Mortician has yielded terrifying results. All but the most inattentive of death metal fans will know that Asphyx have advocated mid-paced, heavy-as-fuck death since their humble beginnings with _The Rack_, and _OtWoI_ is no different. Wannes Gubbels' (on loan from countrymen Pentacle) typically torrid Dutch cries evoke fond memories of Martin van Drunen days, and provide an anguished counterpoint to Eric Daniels' plodding, pounding riffage. It is this combination which makes the title track the most massively heavy death metal since Brutality's _Screams of Anguish_. Slow, crushing and inexorable, the monumental riffs plod menacingly onward as Wannes' tortured cries presage your doom! An exercise in heaviness unparalleled by the lightning-fast bands of today, despite the intro riff having (apparently) been taken straight off Bolt Thrower's "Final Revelation". Just throw on _War Master_ and you'll see! And like old Bolt Thrower, Asphyx seldom lose their composure, preferring a strictly rhythmic, almost martial tone throughout the album. If you've been pining for some old-fashioned pounding death the way it hasn't been done for years, _OtWoI_ is just the cure for you. All 29 minutes of it. Autumn Tears - _LPfDC Act III: Winter and the Broken Angel_ by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) (Dark Symphonies, May 2000) The highly anticipated third act of the "Love Poems for Dying Children" series [see CoC #23, #37, #43 and #45] is Autumn Tears' finest to date overall, though it contains no major surprises. I suspected their sound might begin to lean more towards Elend-like tenebrae, especially considering their latest MCD _Absolution_, which pointed in a different musical direction, was considered as being mostly experimental by the band and not an indication of what the future might bring. However, the one song on _Winter and the Broken Angel_ that was taken from that MCD, the sublime "The Never", turns out to be the track I enjoyed most on the full-length. And indeed sublime is a very appropriate adjective for most of the music on this album, though dark, eerie and melancholic are equally valid. The quality heralded by the excellent opener "The Grand Celebration" never disappoints (even if the chanting of "The Passion and the Fury" may not be my thing). The fact that there are now two (superb) female vocalists in the band, with Jennifer LeeAnna joining and Erika returning, increases the potential for variety in the music, though the possible interplay between their voices isn't really explored on this album. Erika's distinctive black vox found on Act II are only used on the last track this time, which was somewhat disappointing. The keyboard work is again superior to previous releases, though not very different in style, still aiming more at eerie melancholy than grandeur -- yet at times the music is also more grandiose than before. Beautiful ethereal melodies draped in sombre shroud, finely packaged and superiorly composed and performed by Autumn Tears is what you will find on _Winter and the Broken Angel_. What follows? Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com Axel Rudi Pell - _The Masquerade Ball_ (SPV, 2000) by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10) The Pell is back! And raring to go, it seems. No introduction is needed to a band, who like compatriots Running Wild, churn out album after album of similar-sounding material, yet never once fail to satisfy. Reprising the tried-and-true power-rock formula has garnered this old rocker no small measure of success over the years. Opening with strikingly memorable leads and Johnny Goielli's searing cries, "Earls of Black" establishes the dark yet epic atmosphere from the outset. Things take a lighter turn with "Voodoo Nights", harking back to older, "rock" days with the singalong chorus and vocal acrobatics, not to mention Pell's effortless solos. Even more nostalgic is the ballad "Night and Rain", and here is where Johnny's rough yet operatic throat shines, dragging out his high notes Dio-style, adding a touch of raw power to former singer Jeff Scott Soto's more polished tones. The title track fills the spot of the obligatory ten-minute "Pell"-epic. Another nod must be made to Dio; just hearing Goielli scream out the chorus evokes images of the dark Elf himself. The remaining tracks show a more "rock" side of the band, and takes a more laid-back approach than _Magic_'s speed-riffing. What more can be said about a man who has eleven albums under his own name behind him, and who's been churning out such quality since his old days with Steeler? I'm already kicking myself for missing last year's _Oceans of Time_, so if you're into German heavy-rock/metal, don't make the same mistake with this one. Available as a "limited" edition of a ridiculous 20000 copies in a nice box with a great poster. Ayreon - _Universal Migrator Part 1: The Dream Sequencer_ by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10) (Transmission Records, 2000) As the title of this album indicates, this is the first part of a two-CD set, the second being _The Flight of the Migrator_. While the second half of the set features heavy rock and progressive metal, the first part consists of song-oriented and atmospheric, almost dreamy, progressive rock. Both have been written in full by Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen and as always he has a horde of guest vocalists along with him: Johan Edlund, Neal Morse and Lana Lane, to name a few. The first instrumental introduces us to the Dream Sequencer, a machine that takes the user on a dream journey back in time. We fly from the 21st century to the first man on Earth, stopping by everything from the moonlanding in '69 to the Mayans. The music lets us participate properly in this dream. Lucassen's and fellow prog rocker Erik Norlander's synths create an atmosphere that is just uncanny. This is soothing, relaxing music at its best. Some melodies might seem odd at first, as if taken from late '80s arcade games, but it doesn't take many spins to thoroughly enjoy the wholeness of this album. A must for those interested in prog rock and all of you who, like me, weren't at all disappointed by Tiamat's amazing _A Deeper Kind of Slumber_. Black Label Society - _Stronger Than Death_ (Spitfire Records, 2000) by: Aaron McKay (8.5. out of 10) I cannot say for sure which I like more: Zakk Wyldes's music or his attitude. I've been singing this fuckin' album to, from, and at work for weeks, especially "Phony Smiles, Fake Hellos". I think this song was written about people like I deal with every day. Can you say idiots? Dead on, Brother Zakk! That's one of the best features of _Stronger Than Death_: I think it speaks to -everyone-. I know that most of you have run across those morons who act like The Undertaker at a high school wrestling meet, except they haven't the capacity but to just put one foot in front of the other let alone wrestle competitively. You know, the belligerent wannabe pricks... Mr. Wylde has a song on _STD_ that speaks to those of us that have to put up with these types, if not in school then on the roads, malls, or restaurants. He calls it "13 Years of Grief". Excellent track. Of course, all the things that you would expect from this guitar proficient proprietor are present on the album. I'm thinking Rick Rozz's style crossed with everything you'd want from Crowbar. What am I talkin' about? Most of you own _No Rest for the Wicked_, so you have -some- idea what I am taking about. For a clearer picture of BLS's sound, down a bottle of Jack Daniels (Texas fifth, of course) and run the Boston Marathon. Once you've crossed the finish line, immediately wring out your Gang Green t-shirt into a glass and drink it. Ha! The liquid equivalent off BLS. After hearing _Stronger Than Death_, you'll be pouring yourself a glass of this ample alcohol alacrity daily. Salute! Contact: http://www.ZakkWylde.com Blinded by Faith - _Veiled Hideousness_ by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) (Tuxedo Productions, June 2000) If you can't pick out the Cradle of Filth influence in this band from the first few seconds, may I suggest that you get your ears examined? Quebec-based band Blinded by Faith are talented musicians stuck in a rut. Their music is full of emotions and assembled with some very nicely organized melodic pieces; it is just that once the band hits its stride with the black metal attack they come off sounding like a carbon copy of CoF. It is a shame, but they bring nothing new or varied to the black metal scene. Maybe that was planned? Maybe not. Whatever the case may be, Blinded by Faith play melodic, keyboard-driven black metal that sounds like second-rate CoF at times. If that is enough to turn you on, then so be it. If it doesn't, cover your ears and move onto the next disc in your CD collection. Contact: Danny Emond, 430 rang sainte-Anne ST-Amselme, Quebec G0R 2N0, Canada mailto:blindedbyfaith@hotmail.com http://fly.to/blindedbyfaith Blood Storm - _Pestilence From the Dragonstar_ by: Aaron McKay (2 out of 10) (Soul Sold Music, 2000) While I continue to have high hopes for the Soul Sold label, this isn't the best CD to inaugurate me to their endeavors. About the three minute mark on "Death Thunder", track two, and the ensuing first seconds and middle of the following song, "The Chaos Magician", provide the only illumination by which to see your way clear of this release. Horrendous. While some would think Raise Hell (Nuclear Blast) might qualify as unsatisfactory material generally, Blood Storm takes things to an all new level within the black metal sphere. BS was hatched from namelessness by Mezzardurus (vocals and guitar) in 1994 to issue forth an onslaught of occult metal. In my opinion, the band was better left in obscurity. No sense beating a dead horse. I'll be the first to own up to the fact that having only been exposed to the band's 1997 _The Atlantean Wardragon_ (Cacophonous Records) release prior to this atrocity of an album, I can't say that I am Blood Storm's biggest fan; not by a long shot. As I have told those who have asked about this newest offering, with so much scathing black metal to choose from today, I can honestly offer no compelling reason to own _Pestilence From the Dragonstar_. Beware. Bloodbath - _Breeding Death_ (Century Media, 2000) by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10) An all star line-up consisting of Akerfeldt (Opeth), Renske and Nystrom (Katatonia) and Dan Swano (he of countless projects, bands and production jobs) doing a three track EP of old school death metal. Is that what the world needs? My answer is yes. This is a great EP (bought it for the price of a single) which has made me bang my head quite some more than some full-blown releases I've listened to this year. The old school trademark is kind of misleading, because this record doesn't sound dated, even if there are traces of bands like early Unleashed, Gorefest, Massacre, etc.. The production is top notch and the songs are less simple than you might expect (not the Six Feet Under approach). Bloodbath do achieve heaviness with medium paced grinding riffs on top of which Akerfeldt's impressive grunts sound like another instrument that provides memorable rhythmic hooks like in the remarkable last track "Furnace Funeral". This release is neither groundbreaking nor spectacular, but it has such a high quality standard that I think the 8 is well deserved. If your definition of death metal does not list blast or hyper speed parts as a must, then get this release and join me in hoping that this won't be the last Bloodbath output. Borknagar - _Quintessence_ (Century Media, April 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) _Quintessence_, the fourth album by Borknagar (and second by the Garm-less version of the band) is a record that neither disappoints nor astonishes. A solid record made by very skilled musicians, perhaps slightly superior to its predecessor _The Archaic Course_ [CoC #36], it showcases a band still successfully maintaining the fluidity and, to some extent, the grandeur that characterised their music in the past. However, as was the case with _The Archaic Course_, the abstract strength, brilliance and feeling contained within and transmitted by the band's last recording with Garm on vocals, _The Olden Domain_, is never entirely reached during _Quintessence_. The style is somewhat different, but not different enough to avoid this comparison, despite Solefald's Lars Nedland having added a somewhat different keyboard style to the band. Vague memories of Dimmu Borgir's _Spiritual Black Dimensions_ may also occasionally arise, though they are not necessarily caused by vocalist Simen Hestnaes' participation in that album. As a matter of fact, _Quintessence_ contains less clean vocals than I expected, considering Hestnaes' renowned prowess in that area, and at times some of his black vox are not very far from Garm's, in a way. Nevertheless, the differences are obvious, not simply in terms of vocals but also instrumentally. Although in my eyes Borknagar may still remain unable to equal their _The Olden Domain_, _Quintessence_ still is another very good album from this talented band. Charon - _Tearstained_ (Diehard, April 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7.5 out of 10) They may not be all that original, but there is a touch of an x-factor in Charon -- something which is essential for any great band -- which sets them apart from the chaff of mere imitating hangers-on that every scene is polluted by. Comparisons between Charon and their Finnish cousins Sentenced hold ground beyond the band photos presented in _Tearstained_'s inlay, but Charon acquit themselves in producing this stunningly catchy and impressive album of distinctly gothic-leaning songs, but songs which never forget to be invigoratingly metal. Since their _Sorrowburn_ debut of two years ago Charon have evidently worked hard, honing their songwriting skills and expanding their musical thinking. It has all paid off and the impact is felt throughout _Tearstained_'s forty-five minutes. Should Charon build on this momentum, then I can only see them go from strength to strength in the years to come, provided they don't allow themselves to slip into a one-dimensional groove and thus stop exploring new musical territory. Chastisement - _... But Lost We Are_ (, 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) Rather enjoyable half-hour long self-financed album from Sweden, this one. Based on melodic death, with a few thrash guitar elements at times and occasional somewhat Meshuggah-like riffs, Chastisement's music is certainly varied, dynamic and entertaining throughout. With the simple but effective production staying out of the way, the band shows good technical skill and ability to keep the listener interested, with songs such as "At the Garden of Eden", the title track and "Life Denied" standing out. Riffs, rhythm and vocals frequently vary in style throughout the record, and one of Chastisement's main qualities is precisely that doing so helps them avoid stagnation -- which is very useful as their sound itself is not particularly complex and atmosphere is not something the band seems to worry about. Of course the other side of the coin is usually loss of consistency or some of the styles not working properly, but Chastisement generally avoid falling into any major traps in both cases. The price, by the way, is supposed to be "around 10 to 12$". Contact: http://www.chastisement.com Circle of Nero - _Massive Obliss_ (, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) Hard to really say just how I feel about Circle of Nero. This talented progressive metal / hard rock outfit play truly tight and technical metal music, topped by the great vocal range of Doyle Stone, but it just seems a bit too flashy for me. It is like they're going all out to show just how good they are and impress someone. Guitarist Koky Flores really knows his way around a guitar and it shows, and while I think the music seems to "show-off-like", I must admit the solos are pretty neat. I'm on the fence with this one, but in the end the band's talent helps make this worth a listen -- especially tracks like the dominant "Dark Side of Eternity" or the nifty "Thorazine Dream". Contact: P.O. Box 1594 Stafford, VA 22555-1594, USA http://www.circleofnero.com Coffin Texts - _Gods of Creation, Death & Afterlife_ by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) (Dwell Records, April 2000) Against my original impression, I am inclined to give these guys some manoeuvring room with the vortex of pulverizing conflagration this band has manipulated here. The condensed version is: I like Coffin Texts. Expanding on that a bit more, I'd like to have seen some more intrepid, pioneering steps taken on this release. Coffin Texts certainly has the power and ability to pull off an innovation here and there, but instead chose to play things close to the vest. Desert dry, guttural rasp/growls scour across the tumultuous sand dunes of brutality CT lays waste to on _GoCD&A_. At times, I am reminded of Nile, but as you might imagine, this can be a good thing especially when a band colors the golden tan soundscape generously with their own style. Two favorites to be on the lookout for: Coffin Texts's self-titled track and "Disturbing the Priest". Both are extremely alluring, but the savior of this effort is CT's very Massacre-sounding cover of "Crypts of Eternity", which is of course a remake done initially by Slayer on _Hell Awaits_. This track can also be found on Dwell Records' 1999 various artists release, _Gateway to Hell -- Tribute to Slayer_. At just over thirty-eight minutes in length, you can seen Coffin Texts's potential spelled out in enigmatic writing all over the wall -- or crypt, I guess, in this case. Corvus Corax - _The Atavistic Triad_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) (Dark Symphonies, February 2000) _The Atavistic Triad_ is composed of three long tracks and a shorter instrumental, for a total duration of about forty minutes. Their mid to fast-paced, very atmospheric, doomy, and well crafted black metal reaches its most remarkable level during fifteen minute long opener "Son of the Earth", in which the influences ranging from classical to dark folk music, the aggression and the doom elements in the band's music all come together extremely well. Symphonic despite the rather subdued keyboards, always in a dark and gloomy way and sometimes with a more war-like sound, Corvus Corax do not disappoint during the rest of the record either. "Terminus Est" and "Mystagogue" are also very good, though not quite as remarkable as "Son of the Earth". The acoustic track "Sojourn" is a highly evocative one, fitting perfectly into the album's atmosphere, which is further enhanced by both images and lyrics. Corvus Corax have created a fine debut, very interesting and highly promising, and certainly seem to be an excellent addition to the Dark Symphonies roster. Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com Cruachan - _The Middle Kingdom_ (Hammerheart, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (4 out of 10) _The Middle Kingdom_ could comfortably be dismissed as merely another misconceived attempt to combine Celtic folk music (in this case Irish) with metal (in this case black-ish) if it weren't for Cruachan's seeming belief (expressed in Hammerheart's press release) that they have created something significant and original in this sophomore effort. What _TMK_ essentially does is combine vaguely-black metal riffing with folk music -- expressed centrally by bagpipes, among other traditional instruments, along with folk-styled female singing -- in a rather clumsy fashion, which generally constitutes the mere harmonising of folk instruments and distorted guitars. Had Cruachan instead intertwined the two elements, they certainly could have emerged with quite an effective and maybe even original album. As it is, _TMK_ is mostly tediously unoffensive; though points such as the ska-like timing of "Unstabled Steeds of Macha" do try my patience somewhat, I find myself getting bored rather than frustrated when listening to _TMK_. Various - _Curse of the Demon: A Tribute to Mercyful Fate_ by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10) (Dwell Records, 2000) This is probably one of the better and fine-tuned tribute albums I've heard in quite a while. It is no secret that releases of this nature are not what I'd call a favorite of mine, but any fool knows a valuable commodity when they come across it; well, most simpletons, anyway. Let me save you the embarrassment of subjecting yourself to the idiot-test; if you like Mercyful Fate, old and new, and bands savor the works of Deceased, Vital Remains, and Necrophagia -- buy this. Acheron's instrumental "Room of Golden Air" track is near perfect and Soilwork's "Egypt" is almost as compelling as the original, with a backdoor vocal approach that is numbing to hear. Varathron's cover of "Nuns Have No Fun" is nothing like the Deceased variety on the Listenable Records tribute to King Diamond, Hank Shermann and the rest of Mercyful Fate, but no less interesting, I assure you. Watch out for the first track, Equinox's version of "Gypsy". It is sensational. Why don't I own some Equinox? After hearing their cut on _Curse of the Demon_, I intend to rectify this oversight. I might also suggest that if this Dwell Records tribute to one of the mightiest of bands through the annals of time is not in your collection, that you too rectify this omission. Dark Funeral - _Teach Children to Worship Satan_ by: Aaron McKay (9.5 out of 10) (No Fashion Records, February 2000) Here they are again in rare form. Fresh from their prominent _Vobiscum Satanas_ release in 1998, an incredible new MCD is now available from black metal's powerhouse, Dark Funeral. I believe I notice, more than just occasionally, -so many- bands in this genre, in some way, distinguish their relationship to Dark Funeral, whether it be thanking them, as touring allies, or even as inspiration. _Teach Children to Worship Satan_, as you can tell from my rating above, is astounding, despite the fact that I could do without the title of the disc; too clumsy, in my opinion, for such a celebratedly arcane and nebulous band. No points were deducted for this, however, only a mere 0.5 subtracted for the petty fact that I could have certainly tolerated another -new- track on this MCD. As things turn out, the wildly superior "An Apprentice to Satan" is all I have to tide me over until Dark Funeral's next full-length offering. The bulk of _TCtWS_'s points come in the form of their renditions of Slayer's "Dead Skin Mask" and the grand and wondrous "Remember the Fallen" by Sodom. I've always thought that this was Sodom's strongest song off of _Agent Orange_ and I'll shamelessly admit that any band that covers that track wins -big- points in my book. At any rate, rounding out the other two cuts on _TCtWS_ are King Diamond's "The Trial" and Mayhem's "Pagan Fears". Four covers and one new Dark Funeral song therefore complete this exceedingly strong MCD. There is also a CD-extra MPEG video on here that is completely beguiling for any fan of the band. I have to wrap this up now, as it's time for a thrash around my room to DF's Sodom tribute; "Honour the fallen heros. See their last resting place. Perished in the battle of nations. Where they found eternal peace..." Dark Tranquillity - _Haven_ (Century Media, July 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) Immediately and unreservedly did I like what turned out to be my third favourite album of 1999, _Projector_, despite all the changes in Dark Tranquillity's sound -- the frequent clean vocals, the keyboards and the general feel of the music. There was, however, plenty of teeth gritting on my part during the first few times I listened to _Projector_'s successor, _Haven_. Nevertheless, being the masters of their art that Dark Tranquillity doubtlessly are, _Haven_'s tracks, although quite short (generally below the four minute mark), ultimately start making enough sense on their own and as a whole, and musical quality begins to really shine through as one would expect from DT. However, _Haven_ is not without its faults as far as DT's options are concerned, in my opinion. The clean vocals that suddenly appeared in DT's sound on _Projector_ were completely forsaken this time, in exchange for a very considerable increase in the use of electronics -- more on that later. Mikael Stanne's raspy vocals are now somewhat deeper and used throughout the album, in order to produce contrast with the occasional returns to his old style, which is a somewhat more high-pitched and anguished scream-like growl. This duality is well planned and works quite well, but nevertheless I would have liked him to use his old style more often and I also miss the emotional clean vox he used on _Projector_. As far as that's concerned, _Haven_ still proves to be an emotionally strong album, though for me not as much so as _Projector_. Guitar and drum-wise, no major changes are apparent and quality remains as remarkably high as usual, with some of the music strongly reminding me of _The Mind's I_ -- the end of "Not Built to Last" even brought to my mind "Of Chaos and Eternal Night". The keyboards, however, are used quite differently and are, for me, by far the album's main problem. Even the short duration of the generally mid-paced tracks turns out to be quite acceptable, as the structures aren't linear or predictable as is often the case under such circumstances, but a lot of the keyboard work is just average or even mediocre. There are exceptions, but most of the time the keyboard's electronic elements are just redundant and annoying, which becomes even more evident when compared to the better keyboard sections and especially to the stellar work of the rest of the band. Still, with DT's musical excellence resulting in tracks such as "Feast of Burden", "Haven", "Fabric" and "At Loss for Words", _Haven_ is still a great album. However, for me, it just is not worth a 10 out of 10 as I had reasons to believe it would be. Darkness Eternal - _Dawn of the Suffering_ (, July 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (6.5 out of 10) I was ready to give up on this band the first time I saw the lame artwork adorning the album cover. No doubt this is the -worst- cover for a record, indie or major label, that I have ever seen. It depicts a "Virgin Mary"-like figure holding a lizard-tongued child in a sea of flames while a bleeding eye looks on. I know: -lame-! But luckily for one-man metal machine George Valaetis (yes, he plays all the instruments), the music of Darkness Eternal is a nice, somewhat solid piece of death metal -- but still full of faults. My problem doesn't lie within the production, that is actually pretty good; my problem is with the pace of the record. Loose ideas seem to spur on the songs at times, making this just lumped ideas with no real congruency. I liked the record, notable numbers being "Mass Suicide", "Impeccable Doom" and the title track, but it needs work. And, of course, a new album cover. Contact: George Valaetis, P.O. Box 5002, Spruce Grove, AB T7X-3A2, Canada mailto:Darknesseternal666@hotmail.com Defaced Creation - _Serenity in Chaos_ (VOD Records, 1999) by: David Rocher (8 out of 10) With more than just their name being reminiscent of US deathsters Malevolent Creation, Scandinavia's Defaced Creation have the cutting aggressiveness, precision and inspiration to impose themselves rapidly as one of the uprising leaders of the... American death metal scene. Indeed, _Serenity in Chaos_ is a blasting, mauling assault that, and with vicious bloodlust at that, taps into the same gory vein as renowned acts such as Malevolent Creation, Cannibal Corpse or Germany's lesser-known Mental Aberration. With a sharpened, maiming rhythmical backbone provided by their fantastic drummer Arttu Marrki, and a four- and six-string section revelling in exemplary precision and power, _Serenity in Chaos_ boasts twelve tracks of crushing, blasting death metal guaranteed to pound listeners into dust, served with a crunchy Morrisound-style sound that nonetheless bears deep scars of the Scandinavian sense for power. Defaced Creation are murderously intense, surgically precise and superbly violent -- I know as little as nothing about these guys, but I'll wager that more will be heard of them at some point in a near future. With song titles such as "Stillborn" and "Cannibalistic Feast", this definitely un-canorous quintet know where they're headed, and are decidedly injecting true dedication into their career. Violent, raging death metal fans should make sure to keep tabs on these lads. Descend / All That Is Evil - _Split CD_ by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) (Cutting Edge Records, May 2000) While the opening wave of violence put forth by storm troopers of death metal Descend is of admirable quality, with their deep vocal growls and menacing guitars riffs, it is the dominating death metal drive of All That Is Evil that puts this split venture into overdrive. Tight, technical when need be and truly sick and in your face, All That Is Evil crush on "Peril at Sea" and "The God of Duality". The recording of their four tracks is very raw and just enhances their attack. Good stuff here. A safe bet, with All That Is Evil being the real draw here. Contact: P.O. Box 77036, Cleveland, OH 44107, USA Destruction - _All Hell Breaks Loose_ (Nuclear Blast, April 2000) by: Matthias Noll (6 out of 10) Reunion time again. Be it public interest, money or whatever that has spawned the resurrection of the legendary German thrashers, it might not be financially dangerous for anybody involved (quite the contrary, I assume), but I think at least Destruction's own legend and credibility is at risk. The Germans and their label have done their best to raise expectations to a high level: producer Peter Tagtgren, references to the days long gone with bullet belts, coloured contact lenses (where are the inverted crosses?) and song titles like "The Butcher Strikes Back". With the release of this record it's time to look behind the hype and let the music do the talking to show what Destruction have to offer in the third millennium. First of all, this album, musically, is not a return to the style of the three classic releases _Sentence of Death_, _Infernal Overkill_ and _Eternal Devastation_. The retro factor is kept to a minimum. Decide for yourself if that's what you want; I give them loads of credit for not playing it safe. While opener "The Final Curtain" is propelled along by a typical Destruction riff, their year 2000 style is far more complex, less straightforward and fast than one might expect. Every song features loads of riffs, breaks, tempo changes, pre-chorus and bridge sections, and that's my main gripe with _All Hell Breaks Loose_. Less technicality would have resulted in more power and ultimately better, more cohesive songs. Too many of Mike's impressive riffs start to grab you by the throat and unfortunately the next break for the sake of adding another break is only seconds away. While the first half of this record is strong enough not to suffer too much from excessive complexity, later tracks "Visual Prostitution" and "Kingdom of Damnation" are hardly more than filler material, and I think it's no coincidence that the OK-ish remake of "Total Desaster" is placed on position 10 in the track list to regain the listener's attention. In general, _All Hell Breaks Loose_ reminds me a lot of the complex thrash metal Forbidden delivered on their later albums like _Green_ or, to a certain degree, the instrumental style of Nevermore on their more thrashing tracks. Adding up to this, Schmier's highly improved vocal delivery also does sound a lot like Forbidden vocalist Russ Anderson, and when listening to this record for the first time the moments where his voice sounds familiar are more rare than one might expect. Of course Tagtgren has given "All Hell Breaks Loose" a good sound, but it's definitely not superior to the rather samey Abyss jobs of late (Sunlight/Morrisound syndrome revisited?). Overall this is a decent record, featuring professional musicianship, five or six good tunes without a real standout track, and I would recommend this to fans of technical thrash metal as well as long time Destruction lunatics. On the other hand, I have to say that bands of the fifth or sixth wave of thrash metal like Defleshed have learned how to outshred their idols and I don't see anyone giving _All Hell Breaks Loose_ another spin in a couple of months after the initial Destruction-reunion bonus has worn off. Dying Fetus - _Grotesque Impalement_ (Blunt Force Records, 2000) by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10) I feel nearly the same way about this almost 22 minute MCD as I did about Viking Crown's _Onorthodox Steps of Ritual_ [CoC #42] -- if you don't like this, you should stop reading my shit! Also, if you don't like this type of all-out, balls-to-the-wall death metal, you should re-examine yourself as a fan of the genre. I think these East Coast gentlemen have some of the best style in metal. I must confess that Dying Fetus's _Killing on Adrenaline_ [CoC #34], is -still- my favorite, but this is -solely- due to the fact that _Grotesque Impalement_ is an MCD. Otherwise, with the presentation of more, newer DF material, I would be forced to re-evaluate that decision. I'd argue, convincingly and to the best of my ability, that Dying Fetus possesses the epitome of a death metal vocal style. "Hail Mighty North / Forest Trolls of Satan (Anno Clitoris 666 Opus 11)" is a cut reminding you of the heaviest song Gang Green -wishes- they could have recorded! Killer, powerful and brutal work on _Grotesque Impalement_. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Again, guys, unquestionably heavy as a really fuckin' heavy thing. earthtone9 - _hi-point_ (Copro Productions, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) There are few bands out there nowadays that I'll put high on a pedestal with my fave band, Nottingham outfit Pitchshifter. But earthtone9 has easily made the jump to such high distinction. These guys write some of the coolest hard rock / hardcore / noisecore numbers out there. With a real kinetic vibe and a badass flow of intensity, English outfit earthtone9 know how to stay grounded, but expand with this four-song outing by using momentum and technology. Keep your eyes peeled for these guys and get down to opener "Tat Twam Asi". Entombed - _Uprising_ (Music for Nations, March 2000) by: Matthias Noll (8.5 out of 10) Warning: this is neither another _Left Hand Path_ nor another _Clandestine_. If that's what you're looking for, you can skip this review. If you haven't lost hope after the disastrous _Same Difference_ (what a lie) album and have preserved your appreciation for the Swedes and their music throughout most of their musical changes, then there's plenty of reason to rejoice. Let's forget about that last album and compare _Uprising_ with the -- in my opinion -- fantastic _To Ride..._: on _Uprising_, Entombed have again decided to throw some more (death) metal elements overboard, namely Petrov's vocal style, who's more screaming than growling now, and also their trademark Sunlight studio boost. (Gasp!) The latter got replaced by an excellent, raw and natural sounding production which leaves the impression of personally being in the rehearsal room with cabinets of smoking speakers and amps in front of you. Sound-wise a great achievement which brings back the spirit of Voivod's wicked debut or AC/DC's _Let There Be Rock_ masterpiece. With a slight portion of regret, I have to say that I do understand and appreciate the band's desire to turn their back on the more artificial Skogsberg treatment. Musically this is still the same Entombed that did songs like "Wreckage" or "Out of Hand", only this time with an even heavier infusion of Motorhead-style, dirty, rabid rock 'n' roll and, according to CoC's Paul Schwarz, some Autopsy-influenced riffs. The album starts in great fashion with a couple of driving, heavy songs like "Say it in Slugs", has one or two somewhat less intense moments and ends with a great finishing track, "In the Flesh", with its "Black Sabbath" meets the last part of "Left Hand Path" doominess. Overall this is a true return to form. Slightly inferior to _To Ride..._, but definitely an album I see myself banging my head to in the years to come. Even Song - _Of Man's First Disobedience (Expulsion From the Divine Abode)_ by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) (Displeased, April 2000) When constructing their arrangements and choosing their progressions, this Hungarian quintet certainly didn't wimp out and make things easy for themselves. The guitars of Mihaly Szabo and Gabor Olah rarely fix on one theme (let alone one riff) for long, except for the meagre few sections where the band decide that riffing things up (usually in a doom-inspired style) is what a song needs. The majority of the time Even Song spend dealing out melodious progressions by the bucketload; the guitars almost constitute a third, genderless singing voice which constantly complements the duelling male and female voices. Symphonic keyboard work underlines a complex rhythm section resulting in a final concoction which is frustrating to assess. On the one hand you can't but admire Even Song's technical ability and challengingly complex arrangements. On the other, _OMFD(EFtDA)_ does fail to really grip me; Even Song impress more than they emote. Definitely not an album to buy blind, but one which may hold considerable joy for it "hits the spot". Everon - _Fantasma_ (Mascot, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) As Everon get down to business with the prog-rock/metal of their fourth effort _Fantasma_, "If Rush were German..." was the phrase dancing its way through my cranium, and it remains my most poignant recurring thought after absorbing the album's entirety. Everon spin a big, brash, fantasy yarn of a prog-metal album brimming with high-pitched, crystal clear vocals, sometimes-preposterous synth textures, melodic and consistently shifting riffs and a relatively complex rhythm section to backbone it all. _Fantasma_ may be cheesy as fuck in both sound and occasionally also lyrical content; some of Everon's best moments may reek a bit too much of Rush (my gods as far as this sound is concerned) to make them overly convincing; all the same, though, _Fantasma_ provides those of us who (whether biting our lips to suppress laughter or grinning widely in unbridled enjoyment) enjoy the works of bands such as Dream Theatre, the aforementioned Rush, or even the more popular Genesis with some good, clean, fantastically-inspired prog-rock/metal. Exciter - _Blood of Tyrants_ (Osmose Productions, June 2000) by: Matthias Noll (6 out of 10) Quite some time before the Metallica shockwave shattered the earth, Canadian metallers Exciter had their classic debut out (_Heavy Metal Maniac_) and together with Venom reigned on the extreme Metal throne. For their first three records they maintained their quality level before the typical line-up roulette started, and the band disappeared after some shitty records. With only one member from the original line-up, and I think it's a bit ironic that it's John Ricci (the original guitarist who was the first to leave), the Canadians have reformed in the late '80s and this is their second record after the reunion. The reborn Exciter have chosen to follow the path of one of their main influences, Judas Priest (one of whose song titles was used for the band's name) much closer than ever before. Gone are the screechy but unique vocals of original drummer/vocalist Dan Beehler and new singer Jacques Belanger, who prefers the high pitch, sounds like Rob Halford's lost brother, with an impressive and powerful vocal range almost identical to the original's performance on Priest songs like "Painkiller" or "Freewheel Burning". Lyrics and songtitles also seem to be taken from ravishing Rob's textbook of what to sing about if you're more metal than metallic metal. Only by inches do Exciter miss the highest mark of metal-cheese on cliche laden tracks like "Rule With an Iron Fist" or "Weapons of Mass Destruction". Think "Faster than a laser bullet, louder than an atom bomb" and you're on the right track. Musically, the old Exciter style is still intact and recognizable, so this is not a total change of direction to direct some of the power metal bucks into Ricci's presumably small wallet. Speedy and powerful, nowhere near intricate riffing, a few breaks and simple song structures, a slower crunching number now and then, and John Ricci's noisy leads. Despite my criticism, I do have the impression that even with the 20% of originality Exciter have to offer nowadays, they are far more sincere and honest than most of the mullet and leather wearing bulk of European power metal revivalists. In comparison to the moustache metal from bands like Sinner or Primal Fear, they sound dirty, rough, unpolished, dedicated and definitely show some muscle even with their mostly unoriginal approach. If Priest's _Painkiller_ record has a top slot on your best album ever list, then you might want to check this record out instead of new or old output from bands like Pegazus, Stormhammer, etc., etc., etc.. Fates Warning - _Disconnected_ (Metal Blade, July 2000) by: Brian Meloon (6 out of 10) Fates Warning's latest offering shows them shows them moving in a different direction than they were with _A Pleasant Shade of Grey_. Unfortunately, while that was a step back in the right direction, this one seems not to be. The overriding word that was in my mind as I listened to the first few tracks of this album was "grunge". Yes, you heard that right: the first few tracks ("One", "So", and "Pieces of Me") have that "dirty rock" guitar sound that was popular among "alternative" bands a few years back. Adding to this are riffs that sound more like something Soundgarden or Tool would have come up with, and a definite similarity in vocal tones -- but most of the vocal melodies sound like those on Fates' _Parallels_. There are even a couple of parts which have a techno influence, reminding me somewhat of Nine Inch Nails. This makes for a unique sound, though I find it neither compelling nor progressive. After that, though, they settle down and the album improves. The next two songs, the eleven-minute "Something From Nothing" and the sixteen-minute "Still Remains" are mostly slow, roughly in the vein of "The Eleventh Hour" from _Parallels_. At times, though, they slow down to almost ambient speed. The grunge influences are somewhat toned down by the fact that the songs are slower, though the guitar tone remains the same and the industrial/techno influence is still apparent. The closing track, "Disconnected Part 2" is even more ambient, and drones on and on, but is still preferable to the earlier stuff. The playing is solid throughout, but there is very little that's actually challenging. There are very few guitar leads, and most of the playing is very restrained. Overall, this is an interesting album, as it is a fairly radical departure away from progressive metal. There is some good material here, but largely I find it a step in the wrong direction. Fleshcrawl - _As Blood Rains From the Sky... We Walk the Path of Eternal Fire_ by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) (Metal Blade, April 2000) Fleshcrawl have no interest in being original. They have made it their mission, as a -German- band, to deliver music solely of the early nineties Swedish death metal variety, and on _ABRFtS...WWtPoEF_ a single Exciter cover is the only possible exception to this rule. Being a fan of early nineties Swedish death metal and thus owning many of its highs and even some of its lows, I must admit that, bizarrely enough, Fleshcrawl really have hit the nail on the head as far as reproducing the early nineties Swedish sound goes: they have the structures, the vocals and, well, everything you could wish for in an early nineties Swedish death metal album... except originality. When Entombed made _Left Hand Path_, the production sound and musical style they were part of was new; it was a different take on the gore-soaked, bass-heavy, Scott Burns produced sounds which were emanating from the USA at the time. In 2000, Fleshcrawl are not giving us something fresh or new; they are merely repeating the past. However, with the Fredman studio and an engineering Fredrik Nordstrom to help them, Fleshcrawl have undeniably delivered one of the most Swedish sounding albums of the last few years, which will no doubt enthral those who wish Entombed had done five more _Left Hand Path_s and Dismember four more _Like an Everflowing Stream_s. Grief of Emerald - _Malformed Seed_ (Listenable Records, May 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) _Malformed Seed_ is the second offering from Grief of Emerald, and having missed their first, _Nightspawn_ [CoC #35], I can only imagine where they are coming from musically. This proudly self-produced record does sound somewhat different from the norm, and although some of the production options may be a bit questionable, the overall result is good. They apparently aimed at having a peculiar kind of big, "explosive" sound, which they achieved to some extent. Faster and slower parts and a few different guitar and keyboard styles are used throughout in an attempt to keep their symphonic but aggressive take on black metal varied and interesting, a goal which is partially achieved. In the end, though, album still tends to seem a bit in need of a good interlude or two. Grief of Emerald are very competent and entertaining, thus earning their rating, but they are so without really achieving anything remarkably brilliant or innovative. This nonetheless does not detract from the fact that the album is quite consistent and enjoyable and does have a characteristic sound of its own. Grimm - _Nordisk Vinter_ 7" (Vinyl Maniac bootleg, 2000) by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10) We're not in the habit of reviewing unofficial stuff like this bootleg from "Vinyl Maniac Records", but this stuff is too good to pass up. This bootleg 7" is one in a series of cult bootleg re-releases by the label (we'll feature more next month), and features the band's 1994 demo of the same name. Starting out as a cult act in the underground, the band pretty much stayed that way despite boasting the session playing of the two Carpathian Forest members. The otherwise one-man act soon disappeared, leaving the legacy of this recording, the quality of which questions their obscure status. A grim mixture of old Burzum and Darkthrone, this is black metal played in the old way, and its short duration will leave black hearts panting for more. Titles like "The Embrace of the Cold" and "Darkest Depths" don't require much explanation: like old Carpathian Forest, the music is dark, droning and chill, with the semi-raw, fuzzy production sending delicious tremors through your frost-bitten limbs. Old school maniacs mustn't miss shit like this, especially if you think Carpathian Forest's _Through Chasm, Cave and Titan Wood..._ is godly (I do!). No info given, but I know you can get it ($7 should do the trick) at: Contact: No Colours Records, Postfach 32, 04541 Borna, Germany Hair of the Dog - _Rise_ (Spitfire Records, 2000) by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10) Sounding a lot like the new Alice Cooper record, I think both these groups could have given a touch more "metal" to the cause. Without getting into an Alice review here, I guess that I was nourished on material like _Raise Your Fist and Yell_ (Kane Roberts!) and the like. I think that I've always believed that Mr. Cooper was ahead of his time, but this last release, _Brutal Planet_, with a few notable exceptions on the album, isn't worth hollering about -- let alone putting my fist in the air and screaming. So anyway, I mention the Alice due to both groups belonging to the Spitfire label, along with Testament and Black Label Society. Those last two bands being favorites; Hair of the Dog obviously not being all that close to my heart. HotD camouflage themselves as devotees of Kiss, Van Halen, AC/DC and, to some degree, Eric Clapton. What I hear when listening to _Rise_ is something that puts me in mind of what I used to listen to in clubs near the concert venue awaiting bands like Dark Angel and King Diamond. Fluff. I hear a lot of puffed-up metal when I spin this newest Hair of the Dog effort. How this band ended up opening some dates in the mid-West for Motorhead and Nashville Pussy toward the middle of July, I'll never know. I'll give _Rise_ this, it is smooth as a shot of Absolute! Very clean and professionally done. So well done, in fact, that my girlfriend has frequently requested I give _Rise_ a spin after my 12th time through Venom's _Resurrection_. Also, the group has an extremely impressive website. If you crave unabashed musical whipped cream or your desire to impress your significant other overrides what I know to be your better judgement, then Hair of the Dog's _Rise_ might be for you. Otherwise, vaccinate yourself against the rabies these guys are surely spreading. Contact: http://www.hofd.com Hatred - _The Offering_ (Demolition, June 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) Holy fuck! Run for cover as Hell has spewed open and the minions of Satan are spreading like wildfire. Virginia-based act Hatred (great name, by the way, guys) play some of the most ball-busting, brutal death metal that I have heard in some time. While they deliver big time on the speed of it all, the real winners here are the menacing screams of anger and aggression that singer Tom Clayborne brings to the fold. His menacing cries just keep the momentum in strike position from start to finish. Get crushed by such fucking brutal numbers as "Rotting" and "Trust No One". Hatred is here and it is spreading. You've been warned, folks. Contact: P.O. Box 10264, Alexandria, VA 22310, USA mailto:hatredva@aol.com Hypnos - _Hypnos_ (Morbid Records, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7.5 out of 10) As the debut EP from a new band featuring no less than two former members of Krabathor -- one in particular significantly being long-standing bassist and 50% vocalist Bruno --, _Hypnos_ may be part of a body of evidence suggesting the imminent demise of the long-suffering Czech death metal heroes (in which catalogue we should include last month's Martyr album, which Krabathor's other half created with the help of Master mastermind Paul Speckman), but it is nonetheless a promising introduction to a band seemingly in Krabathor's league as well as centrally following their musical path. Here, Hypnos only provide us with a three-track taste of their own music along with a cool Bulldozer cover ("The Cave", for which I have not heard the original) by which to assess them. My jury is still out as to whether Hypnos will necessarily be much of a concern in the future. They have a good strangle-hold on the loose and unrestrained style of death metal favoured by many bands of the former Eastern Bloc, but essentially the material they have presented here amounts to average Krabathor or Yattering tracks and certainly not anything unusually promising or original. One to keep an eye on all the same, though. Hypocrisy - _Into the Abyss_ (Nuclear Blast, August 2000) by: David Rocher (8 out of 10) Talk about insomniac workaholics in metal, and the names Dan Swano and Peter Tagtgren immediately spring to mind. With their eponymous and very atmospheric-toned sixth effort released just over a year ago, Tagtgren's melodious bunch have certainly wasted no time in readying its sequel, _Into the Abyss_. And surprisingly, a first cursory listen to _ItA_ actually proved to be mildly disappointing; Hypocrisy indeed simply seemed to have reached a crucial point where they have apparently become that bit too proficient and professional for their own good. _ItA_ showcases simply brilliant tracks, that fully live up to Hypocrisy's celestial standards; distinctly hateful and aggressive back-to-the-roots material, such as the searing opener "Legions Descend", or the very brutal "Total Eclipse", thrashes alongside majestic mid- and slow-tempo hymns such as "Resurrected", "Fire in the Sky" or the fantastic closer "Deathrow (No Regrets)". Now where is the problem, then? Well, quite bluntly, _ItA_ lacks rawness and rage; whereas the customary Abyss sound fits _ItA_'s slower anthems like a heavy metal gauntlet, on faster, tentatively "old-school" tracks where Hypocrisy lash out in full speed and fury, this same fantastically smooth and perfect sound in fact actually blunts their rage's cutting edge, and makes potentially violent material sound tame and somehow subdued. I am very likely being overtly pointillious and demanding, and complaining about musical perfection is maybe wasted energy, but as Hypocrisy's seventh chapter closes, its sleekness and utter perfection will leave many a listener craving for a lashing of growling rawness and unbound savagery. Impaled - _The Dead Shall Dead Remain_ by: Aaron McKay (4 out of 10) (Deathvomit Records, March 2000) I honestly gave it everything I had to liking this offering. All I have to say is the sum of this release's points come from the fact that I think the distinctive guitar work is beyond belief. I tried, over and again, to get into this effort, but every time I was greeted by a sense of Carcass's _Necroticism -- Descanting the Insalubrious_ rehashed by Impaled in a less than commendable way. I noted that James Murphy mastered _TDSDR_, another authoritative reason for me to at least -try- to like this release, but the connection wasn't there. Track four, "Spirits of the Dead", has an incredibly strong riff about the four minute mark, and the "fuck off" statement imprinted on the disc itself was humorous, but even together it was still not enough to compensate for the remainder of the album. Impaled Nazarene Vs. Driller Killer (Solardisk, March 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) Whether you'll be interested in this four track MCD representation of last year's split 7" between these two bands, depends how fanatically you dig either Impaled Nazarene, Driller Killer, or in best-case scenario, both together and intertwining. You see, in a mere ten minutes each band manages to belt out a song of their own, but also cover a song of the other's. If you've only ever heard these bands tagged, and not actually heard their music, this might sound more novel than it actually is. However, let's face it, Impaled Nazarene can be very punk for a black metal band and Driller Killer are metal and raw enough a punk band, that together on one MCD the two do not sound overly disparate from each other. Since Solardisk only has a major distribution deal in Finland, your best bet to pick this up is at their website. Contact: http://www.solardisk.com In Flames - _Clayman_ (Nuclear Blast, July 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) _Clayman_ is already In Flames' fifth full-length record, yet they still sound every bit as enthusiastic as before and even more skilled. When a band has such characteristic elements as In Flames' very own blend of melody and aggression, it can quickly become difficult for them to avoid repetition without losing some of the most distinctive elements in their sound. In Flames managed to half-reinvent themselves with _Clayman_ -- not in the sense of such reinvention being desperately needed and having been left half finished, but rather in the sense of again having been able to change enough without changing too much. _Clayman_ still definitely sounds like In Flames, but rhythmically unusual riff patterns do appear, as do rather different keyboard elements occasionally. Vocals have changed as well, having become slightly more screamed and less raspy, which reflects an overall sensible increase in aggression throughout most of the album. Plenty of semi-spoken passages were included as well in order to create some contrast, which the band achieved very well. Without being revolutionary or the greatest album of the year, _Clayman_ is an excellent record that still sounds like In Flames, but a somewhat different In Flames: a band that has kept their style intact while still evolving and exploring, staying as fresh, memorable and energetic as ever. Incantation - _The Infernal Storm_ (Relapse, March 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10) Losing Daniel Corchado (who is currently back doing great things in The Chasm) seems to have been more of a blow to Incantation than his meagre writing credits in their last _Diabolical Conquest_ [CoC #33] would suggest. Incantation in 2000 comprises, of course, omnipresent figurehead John McEntee and also bassist Robert Yench, who are joined this time by new vocalist Michael Saez (ex-Deathrune, also second guitarist) and a guesting Dave Culross on drums. And though this means that the inexorable hounds of Culross' pounding double kick drums and tight snare are ever on your heels, it doesn't make for a selection of songs or an overall sound which has the same enrapturing power as _Diabolical Conquest_. Incantation's rumbling and raw death metal style requires, for my ears, quite a fine balance between production sound and song structures to weave a web around its listener, and on _The Infernal Storm_ I don't think McEntee and co. have got the balance consistently right. Though the mind-numbing repeated minor chord progressions of _TIS_ do create good atmosphere, they are far over-used and the punctuation of the stronger, thicker melodic strains (still minor) which well balanced _Diabolical Conquest_'s character are sadly forsaken here. All the same, Incantation have given us another appetising platter of dark death metal which explores the less ambitious style presented on their first two outputs (_Onward to Golgotha_ and _Mortal Throne of Nazarene_), though with a far superior production and somewhat better constructed songs. Jag Panzer - _Thane to the Throne_ (Century Media, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) I don't know what the guys in Jag Panzer are drinking, or what lucky charms they got draped around their necks, but this Colorado progressive metal machine continues to put out great records. The new disc, _TttT_, is the interesting and (very) different follow up to 1997's _The Fourth Judgement_ and 1998's _The Age of Mastery_. And why is this so different? Well, for one thing, the whole disc is based on the work of William Shakespeare's Macbeth. Yes, you heard me: Macbeth! The band has worked their music and material around the classic theatre production, with singer Harry Conklin drumming up some great vocal styles and axe-slingers Mark Briody and Chris Broderick bringing up the rear. A concept-style record that works wonderfully, most notably on numbers "Bloody Crime" and "Insanity's Mind". Juvenes - _Riddle of Steel_ (No Colours Records, May 2000) by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10) It must be something in the water over there: Poland's black metal elite just can't seem to get enough of this "Viking" mood. First, Poland's loyal sons Graveland surprised us with their epic _Immortal Pride_, and now debutantes Juvenes follow suit with another "Hammerheart" tribute. Advertised as the "Polish answer to Bathory and Falkenbach", this obscure Carpathian outfit doesn't disappoint with the five long tracks on this album. A suitably majestic horn-blowing "Prolog" opens up the album, leaving little to the imagination as "Chariots of Gods" rides in with the requisite martial drumming and more horns. Pretty involving stuff if played out loud, evoking a truly medieval, war-like feel, which is more than can be said for the draggy _Immortal Pride_ album. Clean "Viking" bellowing takes over on the ten-minute epic "Ubi Sunt", which carries on the olden-warrior thang a tad too long, before the title track breaks in with a promising beating of war drums and blowing of war horns. Clearly the best track on the album, "Riddle of Steel" blends all the previous elements into one glorious war hymn clocking in at fifteen minutes. Guaranteed to please the most deluded warrior with its interwoven motifs and epic structure, this is clearly no album to take on the road; a little patience and imagination should pay off well here. Stop buying all those big Viking names and support the underground by sending $20 to: Contact: No Colours Records, Postfach 32, 04541 Borna, Germany Keelhaul - _Keelhaul_ (Escape Artist, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (9 out of 10) This record completely passed me by when it originally emerged a few years ago, so I am very glad that its recent re-release occurred, because otherwise I may never have got to discover, absorb and enjoy its unusual character. Still, I find it difficult to describe or explain precisely -why- I like _Keelhaul_ so much. Largely instrumental, sometimes for whole tracks (like the aggressive "Tuco" opener or calming closer of "ESP") but just as often for large sections of songs where Aaron Dallison's grating vocals nonetheless feature, _Keelhaul_ is not a first listen record: it takes a while to absorb and digest. When Dallison's direct shout/screams do feature, the instrumentation is uncomplicated. However, when Keelhaul move off instrumentally, -that- is when they really get interesting. From a relatively simple rhythmic base and basic riffs the band layer various harsh melodies and percussion fills, slowly and hypnotically building to massive climaxes: the intimacy of the compositions makes you feel like you're hearing a band (and a very tight, good band at that) jam in their own practice room. Then, momentarily and dynamically, Keelhaul will reduce their complexity down and plough themselves in a different direction. There's something about _Keelhaul_ that's strangely private; it's a hard record to listen to amongst people who don't "get it". That said, giving its unusual and intensely individual forty-five minutes repeated spins is well worth the moments of wonderfully pure musical enjoyment it will yield. Virtually nothing on _Keelhaul_ fits any traditional description of "nice" -- it's nearly all hard and harsh in one way or another -- but yet its nastiness is more atmospheric than it is gut-wrenchingly brutal; Keelhaul doesn't use percussion battery or multiple-tracked guitars to do its work, it instead evokes feeling more purely through its musical compositions. That's what makes great music: making an impact on a deep, lasting level. A devastating, shocking first strike may initially make peoples' jaws drop, but it doesn't keep hitting the spot in listens or years to come, and I think _Keelhaul_ will; in fact, I think it'll just get better the more time I put into it. Linea 77 - _Too Much Happiness... Makes Kids Paranoid_ by: Paul Schwarz (6 out of 10) (Earache, April 2000) After Crackdown -- Italy's answer to Biohazard -- in 1998, we now have Linea 77 -- Italy's answer to Korn --, who are having their debut of last year re-released for the European market via the Earache label. Linea 77 -appear- to have created a not inconsiderable stir in their home country's live scene with the vitriolic baggy-pants metal blend showcased over the thirty-odd minutes of _TMHMKP_. However, they have quite simply delivered nothing more than a debut which displays ample competence at condensing various elements from names such as Korn, Deftones or Limp Bizkit down into aggressive three minute soundbites. _TMHMKP_ has nothing, musically speaking, which is likely to enthral even a person only moderately acquainted with the ways of the baggy-pants metal crowd; it provides a tangible backing to Linea 77's live performances, but it provides little to nothing else. Long Winter's Stare - _The Tears of Odin's Fallen_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) (Dark Symphonies, June 2000) How very appropriate that a band who describe themselves as creators of "dark symphonic metal" is now signed to Dark Symphonies. Coincidences aside, LWS's third release [CoC #32, CoC #39] sees the band continue to explore their rather unusual sound, now with female vocalist Deirdre Faith in their ranks as well. After LWS's previous record _Before the Dawn, So Go the Shadows of Humanity_ I was wondering where the band might go next. That album was interesting but not very consistent, and I felt further experimentation might subtract more from that consistency if they were not careful. LWS did make some good choices for this record, however, and did manage to make some interesting changes to their sound without losing more consistency (even if they didn't gain much either). Deirdre Faith's often sombre but quite varied vocals are certainly a worthy addition to LWS's music, while the male vocals continue to evolve somewhat. The thick, dirge-like guitar sound is used in such a way that it leaves centre stage for the vocals, keyboards (mainly classical piano) and contrabass, backed by the competently programmed artificial percussion. This all works very well indeed during the slower sections, but whenever LWS try to add some more power or pace, their musical engine clearly struggles to keep up, as their sound is not well suited for that at all -- the slower and sadder the music gets, the more appropriate it seems. The album's highlight for me is a good example of that: the rather tragic "In Arms". Other tracks, such as "Blood of Steel", are also worthy of mention, but again LWS need to achieve a more consistent album than this, for there are still passages that don't work too well. A nearly twenty minute long funereal doom track closes this hour-long album. It does not fully justify its length, as it does get rather repetitive, but the idea was good and the execution competent. This is another unusual album from LWS that might cause very varied reactions, but they do have the merit of sounding quite different from the norm, in addition to the quality that _The Tears of Odin's Fallen_ does have. Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com Lux Occulta - _My Guardian Anger_ (Pagan Records, 1999) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) A band that has impressed me with every release so far [CoC #18, CoC #29], Lux Occulta did not fail to do so again with _My Guardian Anger_. Starting with an interesting album title and very good front and back cover art, Lux Occulta proceed to constantly challenge you throughout the record with their uncanny blend of aggression, technicality and avant-garde ideas -- a bit like what Solefald could have done instead of their disappointing _Neonism_ [CoC #43], but more metal-oriented and with a different sound. Indeed, the sound on _My Guardian Anger_ essentially leans more towards death than black metal elements, compared to the band's past efforts, but the keyboard work, arrangements, sudden rhythmic and contextual changes and musical influences therein defy classification. Very heavy, crushing, driving, and forming such a rapid yet fluid sequence of acute changes, the music just does not allow distraction. Be forewarned that this is a record unlikely to make much sense initially, but things really start finding their places after repeated listens and the massive fluidity, strength and creativity of it all fully surfaces. Challenging and remarkable. Mayhem - _Grand Declaration of War_ (Season of Mist, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10) Scanning backward after engaging _Grand Declaration of War_ in the old melenky stereo reveals an intro which is, reflectively, backward. From this very much black-tinged-with-the-crunch-of-death styled yet simplistic and uncharacteristically relaxed first intro begins a healthy and growing infection of influence from Canadian thrash metal oddballs Voivod. "A Grand Declaration of War" is the aptly titled second intro, and first track. This embraces more recognisable black metal atmospheres with Blasphemer juxtaposing loose relaxed riffing with beefy chugging, backed by thick, solid and fluent drum work from Hellhammer. As a militaristic rhythm establishes itself, a quietly venomous, vocally proclaiming Maniac introduces us to Mayhem's minorly-flawed two-part concept album of a sophomore release. The lyrics of the third and final initial intro "In the Lies Where Upon You Lay" begin to lose their initial power, to even grate, when the consciousness-rebellion-concept war declaration narrows its focus to Christendom, the "religion of pity". Mayhem have said words in recent interviews to the effect that the rebellion against Christianity is in some way symbolic of a larger scale rebellion towards greater personal self-awareness -- or that's how I read them in any case. My problem is that Mayhem seem articulate enough thinkers adept more than sufficiently in English to tackle less basic and overused symbolism. Krisiun, with a less firm and assured grasp of English, can acceptably settle for the second place of requiring verbal explanation for people to properly understand their wider vision; in my opinion, Mayhem could and should be getting a general point across more effectively in the lyrics themselves, rather resorting to rough metaphor. "ItLWUYL" introduces the first batch of serious riffing and speedy drumming, but this segues quickly into the lyrical proclamations described above. There are pangs of disappointment, but the brooding six minute testimony still provides many moments of vividly evocative power. First true (yes, without capitalisation) song "A Time to Die" does not back up the assured threats of the aforementioned trio of intros. And yes, since we're on the subject, _GDoW_ does have too many intro tracks. "A Time to Die" is undoubtedly intense -- especially once its second, more furious half really gets moving -- but it is ultimately primitive in arrangement and by far the most creatively redundant track on _GDoW_. "View From Nihil" learns from every one of its predecessors mistakes, dynamically juxtaposing the earlier use of proclamative lyrics over militaristic percussion, with sections of insanely fast drumming and speedy, crushing riffing. As "View From Nihil" closes, a one minute outro-of-sorts in a similar style closes off Part II (_Wolf's Lair Abyss_ has retrospectively become Part I). Part III begins with another spoken section (again using Christianity as a reference point) to introduce "A Bloodsword and a Colder Sun", the definite oddity of _GDoW_. Mimicking the atmosphere electronics of Kraftwerk and (I'm told on good authority) Skinny Puppy, Mayhem more than merely defy expectations; they positively shatter them. But the impression is still more of a band experimenting for effect, rather than pure musical value. Ultimately, the track serves little higher purpose than as an intro-of-sorts to The New Mayhem, should such a term be applicable. "Crystalised Pain in Deconstruction" contrasts sharply in continuing Blasphemer's evident love-affair with Voivod, and taking it to new heights; the classically jagged riff patterning woven into arrangements that are the most fully realised on the album. It may not have "View From Nihil"'s crushing speed and intensity, but "CPiD" digs deeper on an emotional level. "Completion in Science of Agony" goes yet more dark, atmospheric and gradual than any of its predecessors, while still embracing Mayhem's guitar-based approach. All the same, it has definite flaws. Its nine-minute length is not succinctly filled, and like some of _GDoW_'s opening few tracks it adopts the feel of an extended intro for what follows it. And "To Daimonion" is just the closer to assure that Mayhem finish up _GDoW_ with their style intact, and an element of mystery pungently lingering about them. Embracing an almost bouncy groove and lacking little or nothing in roaring power, Mayhem exuberantly chug their way through _GDoW_'s final few minutes before Maniac delivers an ambiguous final proclamation: "I remember the future. A new beginning in time", over total silence. Mayhem's admittedly massive alterations in style are not as concerted a break from the extreme music norm nor as creatively rich as those managed, for example, by The Chasm on the masterful _Procession to the Infraworld_. Mayhem seem almost confused by comparison. The proportion of their potential which is realised is comparable to Satyricon's _Nemesis Divina_. I hope Mayhem can inspire themselves to a similar turnaround in creative success as the _Rebel Extravaganza_ which followed for Satyricon. Because, interesting and occasionally rhythmically unusual though _GDoW_ may be, its (nonetheless very welcome) Voivod throwbacks and mildly effective conceptual character still leave it wheezing and panting behind the likes of Dodheimsgard's _666 International_. Their concept works well overall, though it is somewhat prosaic, and certainly surpasses black metal crisp-packet-philosophies like Gorgoroth's "The Sin of Satan is the Sign of Gorgoroth". Mayhem have not put themselves at the forefront of innovation, but they have very firmly thrown down the gauntlet at the feet of those who would have them attempting to recreate "the good old days" (i.e. _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_). Ultimately, it is time that will tell if the name of Mayhem retains the (un)hallowed resonance it has enjoyed in the nineties, in years to come, and I must admit, whatever my misgivings about _GDoW_, I will be curious to see where the band are in ten years. Mental Home - _Upon the Shores of the Inner Seas_ by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) (Century Media / The End, June 2000) The most appreciative quality about Russia's Mental Home is not the fact that that their music is chock-full of many sounds and styles, one time going the melodic metal route, the next taking on a doom/gothic sound backed by searing keyboards. The music is well done and very complex, and while many critics and fans like them, I am beginning to see a loose grip of material take over their sound. They expend too much time working on shape-shifting their music here to make it a solid listen throughout. Highly potent at times, but still missing the mark by a small distance in my books. Choice cut: "Breakdown". Milligram - _Milligram_ (Tortuga Recordings, June 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) It is hard to believe that it has been seven years since Only Living Witness dropped a bombshell of a record called _Prone Mortal Form_, a highly groove-oriented metal release that drew deep influence from the East Coast hardcore scene, but still supplied its own genius to each composition. Now with Milligram, ex-OLW singer Jonah Jenkins once again fires up the troops with this crushing musical experience. The music of Milligram has succulent grooves and melodies, but delivers a one-two punch like an experienced bar room brawler. Check out the menacing "I Don't Bleed (For You)". Contact: P.O. Box 382409, Cambridge, MA 02238-2409, USA Murder Corporation - _Murder Corporation_ (Regain Records, 1999) by: David Rocher (4 out of 10) This eponymous album was recorded in the cold month of October '97, as the snow fell in a white funereal veil of sorrow, icing mortals' very hearts and the blood in their veins and -- well, fuck that, because "Murder Corporation ain't never going to hang around the woods!", boasts _Murder Corporation_. A massive extremist death-metallistic dirge is what Deranged axeman Rikard's bunch have spawned here: a grinding, grunting and distinctly unemotional musical deformity, that prides itself in sneering at romanticism, subtlety or any boring emotion of the kind. With twelve titles of gross, intense and totally caricatured grind-sodden death metal, _Murder Corporation_ is clearly a proud statement of intent according to which feelings are for wusses, especially black metal warriors who lurk around forests at night. Well, the fun unfortunately fades quickly, as the interest of this album, despite the few cool hooklines and breaks it features, generally vanishes into sameness, and very rapidly turns out to be a damn good reason indeed to go to the woods for a nocturnal communion with the unleashed elements, or simply to check the enjoyable silence out... It's actually nothing personal, but this album is better a joke than a convincing death metal album, and Murder Creation's musical humour picks off precisely where my tolerance fails and shrivels away into sheer annoyance! Nightsky Bequest - _Of Sea, Wind and Farewell_ by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) (X-Rated Records, May 2000) I was surprised at the first listen of Bulgarian act Nightsky Bequest's release _Of Sea, Wind and Farewell_ -- not for the variety it offered, but for the passion that came with each track. Passion of vibrant proportions that seemed to shine with brilliance as the soft-toned creations of this melodic, acoustic and atmospheric band helped carry things onward. I was smitten by this band from the get-go and it is no surprise that they took their (careful) time in creating and executing such pieces of art. Singer Radoslava Dikanska adds a unique classical element with her vocals on _OSWaF_. Fans of ambient-styled/melodic metal acts will want to scope this out. This band, while not recording a masterpiece like The Gathering's _Mandylion_, have served up a stellar release for us to consume. Nile - _In the Beginning_ (Hammerheart, April 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10) The debut albums of bands discovered and exalted upon the unleashing of their second opus are often not worth speaking of, but for USA's Egypt-obsessed and brutally warped death metallers Nile this is certainly not the case. This welcome re-issue of earlier this year re-introduces 1995's _Festivals of Atonement_ to the international catalogue of availability and also includes the later _Ramasees Bringer of War_ EP -- though this latter rarity merely serves to demo a few of the frenetic numbers which later appeared on Nile's second exalted opus, _Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka_ [CoC #32]. _FoA_ is interesting for its stylistic differences, for though it is for the most part unmistakably Nile, it is Nile at a much reduced tempo from _ATKoNK_. Heady, powerful chugging and crushing outpourings like the monstrous opener "Divine Intent" do display the trademarks you'll be accustomed to if you've checked out _AtKoNK_, but the songs on _FoA_ extend often beyond the six or seven minute mark, bestowing upon them, and the whole record, a vaguely epic quality. The mere five tracks presented (plus the "Immortality Through Art" acoustic instrumental) clock in at thirty-two minutes, and that's including the sign-for-the-future, under-three-minute crush of "The Black Hand of Set". Nile's debut finds a comfortable spot between a low but rough death/thrash rumble and the dirty, doomed-out grind of Crowbar and others of a sludgy and rumbling nature. It may not be perfect in terms of songwriting and even sound, which nonetheless is rich and hard-edged, but _FoA_ is well worth owning, replete as it is with some of the band's best solos and some great, evocative moments. Nokturnal Mortum - _NeChrist_ (The End, 2000) by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10) Nokturnal Mortum's latest release could be described as a mix of their previous two releases, _Goat Horns_ [CoC #31] and _To the Gates of Blasphemous Fire_ [CoC #38], though I find it to be slightly more in the vein of the latter. The music is fast and brutal black metal, with a significant folk influence and dual keyboardists. Folky parts are interspersed with black metal parts, and in places layered over them. While this isn't a particularly original combination, Nokturnal Mortum do have their own sound, due partly to their use of traditional Slavic folk, and the variety of woodwinds they use. The interplay of their dual keyboardists with the rest of the band also remains a distinguishing feature. The playing and production are once again top-notch. The playing seems a little more technical this time, though I find the production could've been a bit more powerful. Although there are 88 tracks on the CD, tracks 10-87 are each 4 seconds long, and consist of nature sounds (birds chirping, frogs croaking, etc.), leaving the CD with 10 longish tracks of brutal black metal. Ultimately, this is not a groundbreaking album, but it is well done, and is likely to appeal to fans of the style. Obscenity - _Intense_ (Morbid Records, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (6.5 out of 10) Obscenity have made a few meagre attempts to vary the speedy and brutal pastiche of death metal styles from Europe and the USA which they offer as their own identity. With nods towards the fabled "Swedish sound" and tighter, faster blast sections both notable improvements on this new opus, Obscenity have unsurprisingly remained essentially the same: _Intense_ still displays an overwhelming bias towards Massacre, Obituary, Death and Deicide -- solos included. Obscenity play well, structure songs adequately, are complemented by a nice production and thus produce results which are at least fittingly brutal. End-riff melody squeals and a near-five-minute song-length average dent _Intense_'s semi-glossed sheen, but nevertheless Obscenity create a marginally convincing Frankenstein with _Intense_. October 31 - _Meet thy Maker_ (Metal Blade, June 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7.5 out of 10) The one-star cast -- Deceased main man King Fowley being that one "star" -- of October 31 have delivered a traditional eighties "cult" heavy metal record. And they've actually done it pretty damn well, just without any surprises. Though he is reported to be being replaced on their next album by the more accomplished -singing- voice of Shawn Pelata, King's half-successful attempts at singing in tune on _Meet thy Maker_ somehow flaws it in a very good, honest and metal way; it divides October 31 from that commercial over-clarity that afflicts HammerFall. Of course, what with Deceased sliding closer to full-blown melodic metal mayhem by the day, the divide between Fowley's main concern and this side-project-of-sorts is not that sharply defined. Furthermore, King lapses into his "Deceased (capitalised or not) voice" a number of times on _Meet thy Maker_. Thus, there are points where one could be taken for the other. The production, executed by Fowley, is rough, but not so lo-fi that the fist-banging power of tracks like "Power and the Glory" ("To the power and the glory / Raise your glasses high / To the power and the glory / Be with me tonight", its unrepentantly traditionally themed chorus lyrics!) or "For There Is War!" can't be comprehended, and without having to go through dozens of careful listens either, the songs pretty much jump out and grab -you-. Brian Williams and Kevin Lewis' guitar duelling sees them pull out classy riff lines with pleasant regularity, and though, probably through the influence of a similar metal "upbringing", they remind of the results of the Smith/Adams pairing in Deceased, their similarities do not amount to mimicry and are quite acceptable. A fun, air guitarable record, but ultimately not something truly special. Opprobrium - _Discerning Forces_ (Nuclear Blast, June 2000) by: David Rocher (6.5 out of 10) Just when you thought opportunistic reformations were beginning to really piss you off, here come (or rather return) Opprobrium, their CD proudly bearing the statement that the band are in fact better known as "Incubus, from Louisiana, USA". Indeed, after releasing the death metal classic _Serpent Temptation_ in 1988, Incubus released its somewhat samey sequel, _Beyond the Unknown_, in 1990, and then mysteriously disappeared from the face of the scene. Well, maybe it should have stayed that way; many a fond memory is better laid to rest -- a thought which Slayer should definitely consider reflecting on. It's not that _Discerning Forces_ is in any way a bad death metal album, but it would certainly have kicked a lot more ass some eight or ten years ago, as a direct follow-up to _Beyond the Unknown_. What _Discerning Forces_ most unconceitedly reveals is that founder brothers Francis and Moyses Howard (former bassist Mark Lavenia having apparently spontaneously mutated into thin air) have, over the past seven or eight years, taken the time to study the scriptures of Bolt Thrower, Obituary, _Leprosy_-era Death and many hardcore acts, whose influence they have attempted to graft on to their own thrashing songwriting style. As a result, _Discerning Forces_ is actually a pleasant, in fact really catchy death metal entity at times, but merely falls short of offering the same level of enthralling violence as _Serpent Temptation_ surgically delivered at the time; despite the fact that it offers many a tight, aggressive and catchy riff, this comeback slab sounds rather disjointed on the whole, and basically tends to display a lack of congruence and conviction within one same track. Moreover, warnings against the spiritual devastation incurred by Internet surfers ("Addiction set forth, Denial is always high, Warning unnoticed, Trapped to the web") prove to be just slightly (a frantic understatement) anachronistic in a Y2K death metal album. So all in all, albeit being efficiently interpreted by proficient and probably dedicated metal musicians, Opprobrium's new offering just fails to rise from the slightly tepid musical swamp in which it revels. Orth - _Feed the Flames_ (Morbid Records, May 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (6.5 out of 10) Fun and brutal Orth may in parts be, but _Feed the Flames_ displays no evidence that Orth either have anything hugely original or wonderfully constructed to offer the world of extreme music. "Bobby Brown", for example, is a hilarious, semi-balled styled ode to Whitney Houston's former husband -- who is here heard -seemingly- proclaiming in the first-person: "oh god, I am, the American Dream" -- delivered in a style part Six Feet Under, part grindcore and part intense thrash, but it and the few other relatively good tracks on offer here are themselves far from masterpieces, and they comprise the good "half" of _Feed the Flames_. Still, Orth do not rest on the laurels of any other particular band's style for long and thus _Feed the Flames_ at least manages to keep a decent stream of variation in tempo and even style going over its forty-five minute duration. As death metal goes, Orth may not be clever, but they are certainly competent and in possession of a sense of humour. Overcome - _Immortal Until Their Work Is Done_ by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) (Facedown Records, May 2000) Having never before consciously listened to "Christcore", or Christian hardcore as it is more commonly referred to, I was somewhat surprised at how musically similar it seems to be to the music of many SXE bands, e.g. Earth Crisis. But, going back yet further than my being informed that _IUTWiD_ -was- indeed "Christcore", I must say that Overcome failed to make any large impression on me with their music, and even though a reasonable amount of listening to this record has interposed the time between then and now, I remain in my original conviction. I enjoyed Overcome's "work" more than Earth Crisis' _Breed the Killers_, for example, but to my -- admittedly relatively untrained -- ears this is not musically enough over Turmoil, or Integrity and Earth Crisis' good moments, to warrant a great deal of fuss. If you're content with angry, screamingly brutal metallic hardcore (which entails plenty of similarities to the more straightforward, atmosphere-devoid death metal bands out there) with big chunky kicks drums and sheet metal guitars, but nothing to severely challenge your musical mind (except maybe the acoustically driven penultimate track, "Reverance"), then I expect you'll be content with _IUTWiD_. Contact: http://www.facedownrecords.com Pain - _Rebirth_ (Stockholm Records / Universal, June 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) While I was a sucker for the industrialized/electronic flow that Peter Tagtgren presented us a few years back with Pain's self-titled disc on Nuclear Blast, his latest release on Universal (a major record label) is coated with a much more commercial sound. Not to say that Peter T. sold out, he didn't, I am just missing the dark, depressing vibe that came along with the self-titled disc. While still dark in every aspect (just look at the song titles), it seems as though Peter T. wants to hit a crossover market. Who can blame him? He is talented and the world should know this, right? Even if I hated this, I don't think Peter T. gives a fuck. He's exploring his musical creativity and I guess we should all be proud of that. Pantera - _Reinventing the Steel_ (Elektra, February 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) Before I review _RtS_, I wanted to use the occasion of this review to say a few things that have been on my mind. It may surprise you to find that the CoC staff was almost put to the vote as to whether I should even be -allowed- to review _Reinventing the Steel_. All, including myself, agreed that Pantera didn't need the exposure, that most readers of CoC would likely have had the opportunity to read a review of _Reinventing the Steel_, and that none would need informing that a new Pantera album was out. But is CoC merely a forum for exposure? Isn't it a forum for sincere critical analysis of music? I opt for the latter. That is why we're free of advertising, isn't it? So we can say what we think, -whatever- it is? However much the chest-beating "true" underground may proclaim the unimportance of Pantera to their musical lives -- either because they sincerely don't like them or are just too fucking underground to listen to an album that sells over three hundred thousand, let alone a million --, it still seems undeniable that it is the popular face of metal like Pantera or even recent Metallica (it's sad, but true...) that gets much of the younger generation started on "extreme music"; we all have our own opinions, but I don't think Oasis or Britney Spears draw people into the metal or extreme music underground. I was listening to metal's popular mid-nineties output (Pantera, Fear Factory, Machine Head et al) for nearly two years before I started seriously swaying to the vocal incomprehensibilities, blastbeats and general musical extremities of Carcass and Entombed, and thus further into the genre broadly labelled "extreme music". It's not simply a natural process that someone gets into more underground bands; it does depend on personal taste, but being exposed to the music and the whole "scene" is key. It wasn't that I'd heard of all the underground bands I love now but just hadn't checked them out; I didn't know that Immolation existed, I didn't know that Morbid Angel existed, ditto Celtic Frost, Darkthrone and hundreds of others I now know and love. Granted, the fact that bands like Pantera -do- get people started on metal doesn't mean that we should leave them without criticism (hence this review...), or that they are the best at what they do, but forgetting "worthiness", the reality is that Pantera -are- one of the bands who have the platform to draw people into the genre or metal. I can't change that, and not critically assessing Pantera won't change that either. Ignoring Pantera and thus not trying to put popular and underground music on the same level for critical assessment, amounts to the underground -- despite its oft-professed belief to be musically "better" -- not making itself available to those outside of it, and not wishing to have itself judged one-on-one against popular releases. That constitutes pointless pride: to me, it's all assessable as heavy music. I don't think we should just be telling people who like underground metal about the scene they know; I think the music I listen to is -good-, that's why I listen to it, that's why I review it, and that is also why I want to expose people outside of it to it and see if they bite. Most people can probably tell you if they like Oasis or Britney Spears because they've heard them and can see interviews with them on TV. Go ask someone if they like Immolation or Morbid Angel and the response you're most likely to get is "I've never heard them". So, to sum up why I am reviewing _Reinventing the Steel_: 1) to give you, the CoC reader, an honest opinion on it as a piece of music; 2) to show anyone reading who -hasn't- heard of the smaller bands we at CoC love -and- hate, that liking Pantera doesn't make them "unworthy" to read CoC and that Pantera are not in a league of their own musically or critically: either in a good way, or a bad way. One thing I would say is that if you think Fear Factory is as heavy as it can get, or that no-one rocks it live like Machine Head, or that Pantera made the greatest thrash album ever with _Vulgar Display of Power_, then please do me a favour and check out some of the "underground" (though I really mean the semi-underground: labels like Relapse, Metal Blade or Nuclear Blast are not what we traditionally think of as "underground"), 'cause I think you'll change some of your opinions if you hear some of the bands who are out there; I certainly did. Unfortunately, Pantera haven't come up with the goods. I can't say the same thing back to CoC's Pantera naysayers; _Reinventing the Steel_ is just the album to make me doubt how worthy Pantera ultimately are of their influential position. I really do feel a bit cheated simply by the title of this album, for it suggests quite the antithesis of the truth about where Pantera have taken their sound: nowhere. There really is no "reinvention", as far as I can see, on _Reinventing the Steel_; it is Pantera at the flattest I can recall them. Its songwriting is more quality-consistent than on _Vulgar Display of Power_, is more stylistically predictable than on _The Great Southern Trendkill_, and is far more controlled (or tame...?) than on _Far Beyond Driven_, but no song gets to as high a level as the high-point(s) of any one of their four previous albums in the nineties, and as a whole _RtS_ is lacking in impact, something which has always been key as an enhancing factor for Pantera's albums. _RtS_ is most convincing in its lyrical focus which, though hard to tag with a single term, can be characterised by how universally, in my opinion, it will appeal to "metal kids" -- that may be a mildly patronising tag for a group, but I do think we all know what it means. The lyrics to "Goddamn Electric" brilliantly speak with the voice of exuberant youth, or just the metal party goer: "Your trust is in whiskey, weed and Black Sabbath, it's Goddamn Electric". This lyrical focus on honesty, and the accordingly honest delivery, allows Pantera to retain the credibility they would have undoubtedly have lost if they'd taken a Manowar-a-la-_Fighting the World_ turn to shameless self-glorification and use of cheap religious imagery (which I love on _Fighting the World_, but let's face it, only Manowar can pull off convincingly). However, the end result of the four year wait from _TGST_ has not resulted in an album that is either terribly memorable, varied or extreme. It's a shame, but hey, there's always next time -- and if Phil stops getting drunk at every show I hear of, maybe they'll still be worth seeing live as well. Power Symphony - _Lightbringer_ (Pavement Music, May 2000) by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10) Power metal, whatever the definition of that phrase you choose to identify with, for me, has been largely limited to Morgana Lefay and a choice few others. Preferring black, death and thrash/speed metal to the likes of Power Symphony's ilk, I will note that _Lightbringer_ is a strong and well done release. I'll single out here the song "Gethsemane". The track is catchy, evasive, and biting. I'd have to say the most well executed piece on the album right down to the provoking lyrical content. The rest of _Lightbringer_ has a definite alluring charm in its largely mystifying workings of keyboardist Claudio Berra. The band having originally no use for it, the addition of the keyboards, especially on this release, is well done. The remaining charisma emanates from the vocal entrapments of Michela d'Orando. A rich alluring female style with Celtic influences is utilized to bring off _Lightbringer_ with proper decorum. Having been around since late 1991, with more than their fair share of setbacks in recording material for the group, I would have expected a more intriguing effort than what is served up on _Lightbringer_, especially when it was produced by veteran Joey Vera. Actually, I wasn't that impressed with Vera's Engine project either, come to think of it. Unless I become weary with Morgana Lefay, I doubt this disc will see much time in my player; but it might occasionally, from time to time. Also, this disc has a "hidden track" (if you can call it that) about the thirteen minute mark into the last song, "The Necromancer". Into your brain, Ms. d'Orando beats the phrase, "Isn't it charming? Isn't it tempting?" The answers are "No!" and "Hell no!" After track seven's music ceases, stop the CD. You'll thank me for it. Primordial - _Spirit the Earth Aflame_ (Hammerheart, May 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) Following such a superb record as _A Journey's End_ [CoC #33] and an MCD like _The Burning Season_ [CoC #45], I expected nothing but sheer brilliance from _Spirit the Earth Aflame_. And after the title-track intro, "Gods to the Godless" provides you with an immediate taste of the impressive feeling, atmosphere and strength Primordial can imbue their music with. It is very epic and sombre, with an instrumental side similar to _A Journey's End_ (as is generally the case throughout) and offers the first indications that Nemtheanga's clean vocals still are not replacing his harsh vox, which in fact abound throughout _StEA_. The record reveals itself more epic and overall less doomy than _A Journey's End_ (though it still certainly has quite a doomy atmosphere), with dark, hateful passages arising more often than on its predecessor -- especially impressive during "Gods to the Godless". The third track "The Soul Must Sleep" is also very good indeed, doomier and very emotional, and is then followed by the title track from the _Spirit the Earth Aflame_ MCD -- another very good song that fits perfectly within the album, though a bit of a waste for those who own the MCD. Another mid-paced track, "Glorious Dawn", then follows, carrying vitriolic black vox throughout and a very effective fast passage. The highly evocative and war-like instrumental "The Cruel Sea" then precedes the album's final track, "Children of the Harvest", which is a less than brilliant closer but still acceptable. Overall, _StEA_ did not disappoint me despite my huge expectations, although it was not every bit as amazing as I though it could be -- maybe I expected too much from the band, but only time will tell. In any case, _StEA_ is very satisfactory: emotional, intelligent and quietly majestic. Raging Speedhorn - _Raging Speedhorn_ (Green Island, July 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10) There are definite parallels to be drawn between the frustrated, aggressive noisemaking of Corby's Raging Speedhorn and the similarly happiness-allergic works of Iron Monkey. This is not to say that Raging Speedhorn ape (sorry, but that pun was irresistible) or replace the now-defunct and much revered former-Earache act, but Raging Speedhorn's intense, sludgy, aggression-venting pound does evoke memories of Iron Monkey at their bruising best, and in the most respectful, reverential way I can see possible. Finally releasing their fury onto plastic after getting over 200 gigs under their collective belt was a refreshingly mature decision which has paid serious dividends; Raging Speedhorn display the confidence that comes from having "tested" your material time and time over before putting it onto record; I wish more bands had their patience. The duelling vocals may not make the band out-of-ordinary as one might expect, but maybe that's good; Raging Speedhorn don't have a gimmick, instead they have a pounding, "physical" sound which almost literally jumps out and smacks you right in the face. Various - _Raise the Flag of Hate: A Tribute to Kreator_ by: Aaron McKay (5 out of 10) (Full Moon Productions, 2000) Spouting off the obvious, Germany's Kreator has a very long and distinguished history of fundamental thrash metal. Simply ask me about the effect of 1985's _Endless Pain_ as it relates to my music-listening pursuits. Fioretti and Petrozza's writing was exemplary. Coincidentally, more than a few tracks off of _Raise the Flag of Hate_ come from Kreator's debut album. To keep this review succinct, I'll just give you the finer points. To be truthful, I fluctuate quite a little bit on my opinion as it relates to tribute CDs. I guess that it has more than a little bit to do with the quality of the band being celebrated and the groups doing the saluting. With the Full Moon Productions offering there seems to be equal parts to the aforementioned verbal equation. Kreator is certainly worthy of praise for the most part, and the bands paying homage are solid to a large degree -- some more flattering than others, obviously. Krisiun, Goddess of Desire and Acheron do a powerful rendition of their respective Kreator songs, but I expected a little more from Centinex and Hemlock. I'd say get this tribute only if the thought of balancing a fresh slant of renovated Kreator songs against some of the old tried and true favorites of yesteryear calibrates totally and completely in your mind. Red Harvest - _Cold Dark Matter_ (Nocturnal Art, May 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) Not being familiar with any of Red Harvest's previous output through Voices of Wonder, I cannot analyse their musical evolution; but on _Cold Dark Matter_, through the use of heavily distorted guitars, effect-drenched vocals and an overall oppressive atmosphere, Red Harvest produce a reasonably bleak yet hard-hitting sonic assault. Variety is considerable throughout the record, as the band seems equally likely to vaguely remind one of a darker version of Machine Head as to opt for a black metal-like approach (including Fenriz of Darkthrone on guest vocals) or imbue the music with more electronic sounds and rhythmic elements. This does not entirely work to their advantage, as I find myself clearly preferring the industrial black metal kind of approach. Nevertheless, the first half of the album does flow quite well. As the end draws nearer, however, interest clearly tends to decrease, although not to any dangerously low levels. The album does have some good moments and ideas, the quality level generally remaining quite acceptable, and overall it is different and interesting enough to justify some attention -- especially if the blending of generally dark electronic elements with metal attracts you. For me, however, Red Harvest's "matter" throughout a very significant part of this album still isn't quite "cold" or "dark" enough to be especially remarkable given its musical quality. Contact: http://www.redharvest.com Contact: http://www.nocturnalart.com Rorschach Test - _Peace Minus One_ (E-magine, 2000) by: Aaron McKay (4 out of 10) I loathe to say that college psychology 101 rears it attractively-challenged head again. The Rorschach Test, if my memory serves me correctly, was considered to be what most in the field called "projective". As I understand projective tests, they endeavor to measure an individual's personality based on the theory that people tend to project their own unconscious perceptions and outlooks into ambiguous situations. Of course, the Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922) garnered somewhat of a respected standing surrounding this school of thought. This leads me back to the _Peace Minus One_ release by Seattle's Rorschach Test. RT released some previous material on the now defunct Slipdisc Records, namely _Unclean_ in 1998. About that time, from what I understand, _Unclean_ stirred up the Seattle scene a little bit. Today RT's current offering, _PMO_, would put the listener in mind of solution including Pro-Pain, Ministry, Skinny Puppy and a tablespoon worth of KMFDM bleeding together on the tie-dye canvas of a white t-shirt. This is my first exposure to RT and my impression is of a pseudo-social agenda designed band with more-or-less sophomoric lyrics. Sometimes the groove that Rorschach Test finds itself in is catchy, like on track four, "Shocking", but more often than not it is grating and pesky. I think Hermann Rorschach wanted his projective test to measure people's unconscious outlooks on situations, but his namesake band whips-up a few very conscious perceptions of their music that I wish I could say were more positive. Running Wild - _Victory_ (Pavement Music, April 2000) by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10) I can't say I have a lot of time for this type of metal. Like a primed geyser, founder Rock 'n' Rolf (NO! I'm not making this up) and the rest of Running Wild whip up a frenzied foam of excitement, but amounting to nothing more than musical delirium. The background filler the band is passing off as music would remind you of Peter Frampton meets Yngwie Malmsteen at a Badlands concert. "The Final Waltz", an instrumental track timing in at only about a minute and twenty seconds, could very well be the only reason I don't use this disc for skeet shooting practice. Running Wild opened for Motley Crue on the Theatre of Pain tour and recorded a rendition of Lennon and McCartney's "Revolution" for this release. Enough said? Saturnus - _Martyre_ (Euphonious Records / Voices of Wonder, 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) With this follow-up to their fine debut _Paradise Belongs to You_ and the excellent _For the Loveless Lonely Nights_ MCD, Saturnus carry on with their lovelorn, broken-hearted melodic doom. Things have become somewhat softer than before, and indeed quite far from the doom/death of their debut, though much of the guitar style is recognisable and both the death vox and spoken parts are still used (though not as much of the former as I would have liked). A new vocal style, which turns out to be perhaps predominant overall, has been introduced: half-sung, half-growled, not far from the style of Darren White (Anathema), though occasionally with a rather more "rocking" feel and not quite reaching similar emotional quality. It is soft, melodic, darkly romantic, but fine tracks such as "Inflame thy Heart", "Noir" and "A Poem (Written in Moonlight)" eventually begin to give way to a generally somewhat less accomplished second half of the album. A percussion-less version of the excellent "Thou Art Free" from their previous MCD provides a good segue midway through the album, but I still prefer the original -- as a matter of fact, my favourite Saturnus track is still "Starres" from that MCD. Quite a bit of _Martyre_ sounds like it would have benefited from a more frequent use of death vocals instead of the Darren-like ones, and some rather happy-ish (or at least excessively rocking) passages do sometimes spoil the atmosphere quite a bit, but Saturnus' skill does overcome that in order to produce a very good record indeed. Overall, _Martyre_ is a well performed, easily enjoyable and not very demanding doom album. Sick of Society - _Sportsman Sound_ (, 2000) by: Pedro Azevedo (3 out of 10) This release has quite a mish-mash of styles, ranging from punk-like elements to groovier or more metal ones and even soft ballad parts; but all this results in nothing capable of interesting me. Neither the music itself nor the atmosphere it creates is ever impressive, consistent or remarkable in any way: mediocrity abounds. The music could at least have been reasonably aggressive, but that's generally not even the case -- and when they do try something a bit more aggressive, they fail to achieve any noteworthy results. The ballads they strangely decided to throw in the middle of all this do not help, either. By the way, I don't know what the great purpose of inserting nine minutes of silence before the last track in a 30 minute long record really is, but some bands seem to find that kind of thing hugely fun. And "fun" may also be what whoever might like this will probably derive from _Sportsman Sound_ given the music's general feeling, which is somewhat conceivable considering that the playing isn't bad and the production acceptable -- which earns them all their marks, because for me this just does not work at all. Contact: Oliver Kast, Romerstr 26, 89269 Vohringen, Germany Sincronisity - _Winters of Despair_ (Black Sheep Records, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) This one of the oddest records I have ever had to review for Chronicles of Chaos. Sincronisity manages to take death metal, turn tables, movie samples and a real hard rock groove and work magic with it. Don't ask me how it works or why I'm in support of it, I just am. Sort of. You'll just scratch you head as tracks like "Obsession", "No World Order" or the title track play on. Sincronisity, please stand up and take a bow. You got me interested. File this next to Mike Patton's project Fantomas. Contact: 1 Washington Drive, Lindenhurst, NY 11757, USA Sinergy - _To Hell and Back_ (Nuclear Blast, June 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (6 out of 10) Sorry, press release, but I don't think a title such as "metal goddess" can be anything but hyperbolic when applied to Kimberley Goss, the black metal back-up singer turned "true metal" wailer. The sophomore release of her "true metal" band Sinergy sees only Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho salvaged from the line-up that recorded last year's _Beware the Heavens_. But not to worry, the departure of Jesper Stromblad and Sharlee D'Angelo has wrought no changes to Sinergy's style. The key difference is simply that _To Hell and Back_ is better than its predecessor. Goss' vocals aren't so ludicrous in their attempts to imitate the masculine metal vocalist, and Laiho's melodic compositions this time gel better with her vocals. It's musical rehash but it's well-executed and at least differs from the endless stream of Priest/Helloween rip-offs that pollute Europe's metal mags and festival second stages -- though mostly this is simply because _To Hell and Back_ has a woman singing rather than a man with clamped testicles. Spiral Architect - _A Sceptic's Universe_ (Sensory, 2000) by: Brian Meloon (8.5 out of 10) Being a fan of these guys from way back [CoC #9, #11], I had expected their long-awaited debut album to really blow my socks off. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed. Whereas their demo showed a band with an original take on the progmetal genre, this album comes off sounding a lot like Psychotic Waltz's _A Social Grace_ (especially the vocals) and Watchtower, with some Fates Warning (_Perfect Symmetry_) and Cynic thrown in. The music is very complex and technical, often causing a disjointed feel to the music. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, they aren't consistent with it. At times, they begin to develop sections and then rapidly switch to a completely different style, with no apparent connection. This kills any flow that they were starting to create for the song. The playing is excellent, however: very tight, even when each of the band members are playing completely separate parts. The parts of the individual musicians are usually very technical. The production is clear, but the separation of the instruments is a little too much for my taste. The bass has a very compressed tone (similar to Sean Malone's on _Focus_), which -- while making the bass easily audible -- also tends to split the music apart. A richer, fuller tone would've created a more coherent sound. Ultimately, there's a lot of good music on this CD, and fans of technical and progressive metal should enjoy it, but I think that these guys are capable of a lot more than they showed on this disc. Stormhammer - _Fireball_ (Century Media, July 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (3 out of 10) Try to picture this. Myself, Pedro, Matthias and David (the European CoC Contingent of the time) are perusing various albums, recent and well-aged, at Mr. Rocher's abode, in Brittany. Matthias, with a hint of amused trepidation, asks if he can spin this, Century Media's latest entry into the true metal resurgence movement. After a few bars of Helloween cut 'n' paste riffs to which we all look despairingly at each other, I sarcastically put in, "I wonder what the vocals will be like?". As Kai Hansen's carbon copy begins his high-pitched melodic wailing, Matthias' face displays visible disgust. "This makes me feel ashamed to be German", he exclaims. I put in, again sarcastically, "Yeah, isn't it funny? We get -six- Helloween albums a year these days". "More like 60", is Matthias' quick-fire reply. The above are first impressions, but they sum up _Fireball_ adequately. There may be a decent lick here and there, the band may not be -atrocious- songwriters, but Jesus H Fucking Christ, I think we have had E-fucking-nough of true fucking power metal fucking rehash. There was enough before HammerFall kicked off this mass resurrection of over-melodic metal; there was more than enough two years ago. Now, there is ludicrously far and away too much, and the output of the "genre" is getting worse and lazier. And the albums are getting longer! I find Stormhammer hard enough to tolerate for a few songs; listening to all 55 minutes of this creative dinosaur gives me the martyred feeling of suffering for my art -- whether my writing matches up to that description is your opinion, but I doubt anyone would claim such a classification should apply to this unoriginal dross. The world needs no more superfluous rehash; we don't need more than one Helloween; we certainly don't need more than one HammerFall, especially with under-par vocals. Suicide Culture - _Hallow Be the Agony_ (, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) I liked what I heard with death-ish speed metal act Suicide Culture on their three-song demo back in CoC #33 and I'm down with their sound and style on the new five-song outing. The new offering, which features four new songs and a cover of Celtic Frost's "Jewel Throne", is much heavier than past work and a welcome change at that. The guitar solos still rip out at you, as the demonic growls of frontman Kevin Bedra echo atop the blistering drum beats courtesy of Joshua Hanenburg. The thing I like about Suicide Culture (though they could use a name change, I think) is that they don't hide their influences that they wear on their sleeves. They pay homage to their heroes and at the same time try to maintain a sound and a style that'll push their band forward into the spotlight. They could be onto big and better things with this release for sure. Contact: P.O. Box 70566, Seattle, WA 98107, USA mailto:suicideculture@webtv.com http://suicideculture.itgo.com Summon - _Baptized by Fire_ (The Plague / Hammerheart, April 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) _Baptized by Fire_ spends most of its time attempting to flatten its listener with a whirlwind of lightning fast blastbeats, double bass runs and incomprehensible solos. However, despite showing considerable technical ability, this tactic merely results in the band bringing to mind the bastard child of a union between second rate Angel Corpse and Marduk clones. Interposed between _BbF_'s speedy opening and closing tracks is the mid to slow-paced number "Realm of No Return". The tracks surrounding it varying tempo more than earlier tracks but remain centrally speed driven. Though more varied, and in the case of "Realm of No Return" adopting a different modus operandi, these differences only minorly contradict my previous characterisation of Summon. Certainly _BbF_ contains nothing that can be called original, but that's not to say it isn't listenable, competent and momentarily good. The Chapter - _The Chapter_ (Stark Records, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10) Fans of Manowar will no doubt see the comparisons and fans of Iron Maiden will no doubt pick up on the band's attempt to try and tell a story. Guess what? They fail -- miserably. The Chapter are one of those bands that get together, jam and record an album thinking that they got what it takes to get noticed. Well, they don't. Cheesy vocals (and lyrics too!) -- once you get past the testosterone charge of "Underdog" or the lame ballad feel of "True Self Revealed", you will no doubt want this all to end. This Chapter needs to be rewritten if they want to be taken more seriously. Contact: 1460 Neil Armstrong Street #309, Montebello, CA 90640, USA mailto:marcespinoza@earthlink.net The Gathering - _if_then_else_ (Century Media, July 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (9.5 out of 10) I remember when 1998's double-disc _How to Measure a Planet?_ [CoC #36] came out and many critics harped all over the band for expanding their sound and (god forbid!) trying new ideas. That record was brilliant, showcasing the band's finesse at song structure and solid production. But there was indeed something missing. The missing link is found in The Gathering's new disc titled _if_then_else_, an interesting ride of sonic bliss and stunning vocal arrangements. The music creeps along with subdued passion and mesmerizing segues of lustful melodies -- and never lets go. Get sucked in by opener "Rollercoaster", "Bad Movie Scene" and the ultra-cool "Analog Park". This all comes together quite well, and in the end The Gathering's sonic brew of masterful collaborations presents itself in true talented fashion. Other than her masterful work on my fave album _Mandylion_ [CoC #7], singer Anneke van Giersbergen has never sounded so radiant. The Project Hate MCMXCIX - _Cyber Sonic Super Christ_ by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) (Pavement, June 2000) Hands down, this is one of the most exciting releases for me this year. Managing to engage in a volatile battle between the beauty and the beast, TPH (a project led by Entombed's Jorgen Sandstrom) rip and tear through a monstrous array of song death metal / keyboard driven ideas, splitting up any notion that this would be any ordinary metal release. The passionate vocal chants of Mia Stahl add electricity to the already vibrant music circulating through the record. Killer production (thank you, Dan Swano!) and a real hatred flowing from every pore makes TPH the real deal in 2000. Thornspawn - _Blood of the Holy, Taint thy Steel_ by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10) (Baphomet Records, April 2000) Infuriatingly horrific! Completely engaging black metal out of San Antonio. From beginning to end, these monsters lead the all-out, full-on rampage totalling over fifty minutes of tireless metal. A true feather-in-the-cap for American black metal can be found within _Blood of the Holy, Taint thy Steel_'s material. The band includes ex-Necrovore bassist Bjorn Haga, guitarists Swornghoul and Lord Necron, as well as drummer/vocalist Blackthorn. I've always been impressed by how an individual can manage to play an instrument, let alone drums, and double-up on vocals in addition. Truly an august achievement, to say the least. If the proper amount of persuasion were applied, I would have to say track four, "Ancient Path", is certainly my favorite on this release. Thornspawn has all the corpse paint, aggression and talent to survive and succeed in this ever-increasingly crowded metal conglomeration. I'll be watching for great things from this band. All praise, Thornspawn! Thy Primordial - _The Heresy of an Age of Reason_ by: Alvin Wee and David Rocher (9 out of 10) (Pulverised, July 2000) With surprisingly little time elapsed since the release of their fantastic third album, _At the World of Untrodden Wonder_, Sweden's unjustifiably unrecognised Thy Primordial have now, anno 2000, crafted their finest work of retaliation to date. Blasting in true TP style, opener "Ceased to Decay" showcases the band's knack for melding epic melody lines with pure aggression. As a moment of calm deceptively seems to settle in, writhing, serpentine riffs finely woven into a sudden storm of blasting drums and growling bass brutally lash out in venomous, hateful and melodic rushes, laden with spectacular, intense drumming and vocalist Isidor's harsh, grating and baleful screams. The highly impressive double-pedal pummelling of Morth sets the score right from the start: TP are faster and tighter than ever before, launching into attacks of breathtakingly furious, yet disarmingly melodious Swedish mayhem. The rage which animates _THoaAoR_ is truly tangible, and the incredible, bewitching melodic guitar work, at times tinged with the icy fury of early Norwegian black metal, can barely claim to shroud the sheer bestial anger that emanates from this thundering, rabid black metal opus. Comparisons with countrymen Dark Funeral will no doubt be made, but rest assured that TP's material rises far above the oft monotonous straight-ahead speed of the former. Masterfully tamed musical savagery is indeed what _THoaAoR_ perfectly embodies; Thy Primordial's fourth full-length exudes aggressive, outstanding musicality, played by five competent and inspired musicians. While one yearns for the stronger melodies of their early work, the sheer power and intensity on this album crushes any uncertainties one might have about this band's ability, as well as providing a testament to the faultless Sunlight production. In fact, TP's skills for keeping such relentlessly fast material from sounding messy or formulaic has always been remarkable, and the band looks to be honing it to a finer edge with every album. Despite the label's apparent lack of distribution and advertising, this record is brimming with an expensive production and layout worthy of much bigger labels. At a time of the ever-renewing metal cycle when black metal seems to have slipped into a coma, Thy Primordial have dealt a fourth merciless blow with _THoaAoR_, and spawned an album which reveals that the chthonic forces lurking in the Swedish scene are certainly as talented and worthy of recognition as the Swedish black metal flame-bearers Marduk and Dawn. Check out the interview in this issue for more information. Thy Serpent - _Death_ (Spinefarm, June 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) Most will see an EP by a band as an opportunity to fool around with their sound or do a cover song. Or much more simply, just a filler between albums. The new _Death_ EP by Finland's Thy Serpent, however, is an important step for the band, as it continues on with their vibrant dark metal sound they relayed to us with 1998's _Christcrusher_ [CoC #35], as well as introduce us to new band members (Throne of Chaos' Teemu Laitinen on drums and Rapture's Tomi Ullgren on guitar) and the sound they bring to the band. The music is amazing, a wall of sonic beauty meshed within a darkened vibe of intensity. Luscious keyboards combat with searing vocals and stunning guitar work to form abrasive, yet sometimes melodic works of art. The title track and "Sleep in Oblivion" just blow my mind. This an EP that fans of the band will find comfort in and a release that will definitely draw in new listeners once they hear it. Tidfall - _Circular Supremacy_ (Nocturnal Art, 2000) by: Eli Fishbein (8.5 out of 10) The booming layers of over-the-top Dimmu Borgirian keyboards immediately point to Nocturnal Art as the label behind this outfit. Present here are the same sci-fi concepts and the same overwhelming guitar/keyboard-oriented musical tsunamis that characterize at least two other Nocturnal Art bands: Sirius and Odium. It seems to me that all these bands have conquered a niche, which would not be a bad thing had that niche not been too crowded by now. So before these bands get too repetitious (assuming they haven't already), I hope they look for labelmates Limbonic Art and Emperor for inspiration, mutate a bit, quit cloning, and start designing. Originality must be the key factor in whatever they do next. This is not to say _Circular Supremacy_ is not a good album; far from it. In fact, context aside (for contextualization, after all, eliminates individuality), tracks like "Empty Silence" and the closer "Hymn to Fall" exemplify just how grandiose Tidfall might become. The former track is colossal and jagged in a manner reminiscent of later Hypocrisy, with both slower and faster moments and creative double-tracked vocal arrangements. The latter is relentless in its pursuit of appropriate musical imagery -- as if searching for a new path -- to accompany the funereal and emotive lyrics ("The tear you / didn't dry, has died and turned into a scar. Your dreams / are becoming the photograph you never wanted to see.") For the sake of evolution in the post-black era -- as it is beginning to be defined by coevals Nagelfar and Limbonic Art -- with more than just evil as its only permanence, I hope that this band decides to slip free of the Norwegian moorings and find their own echo chamber. There is no telling what might come out then. Twilight Kingdom - _Adze_ (Siegen Records, 2000) by: Brian Meloon (7.5 out of 10) This is likely to be the longest review I will ever write for CoC, but being as familiar as I am with these guys, I have a lot to say about it. Their music is similar in style to the progressive/pompous style of Dream Theater's _Images and Words_, though somewhat more consistent: generally lighter, but without the excessive cheesiness. Their songs tend to be in "extended" verse-chorus format (i.e. with an extended development section in the middle), which puts them roughly between five and nine minutes in length. The music is keyboard heavy, but guitar driven, with a good mix of lighter and heavier sections. The choruses tend to be memorable, and sometimes catchy, though the songs are hardly hook-heavy. The playing is generally good, at times flashy, but most of the time restrained and appropriate instead of technical for the sake of showing off. The lyrics are generally very good, dealing with subjects without being too direct or too abstract. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems with this release that make it far inferior to their 1995 independent cassette-only release, _The Guardian_ (which incidentally contains the best five songs on this album). First and foremost is the production. This album sounds worse than my CD copy of _The Guardian_, which was digitized from a half-worn-out four year-old cassette tape, originally produced on a shoestring budget. The guitar is a fuzzy, tinny mess, sounding quite a bit like the tone obtained by we-don't-care-about-production black metal bands. There's also virtually no bass. It's almost like they recorded it too muddy, and to "fix" it, they cranked the high end. In any case, I'm unable to think of a progmetal CD with worse production. My second complaint would be the sloppy playing. The guitar solos are particularly bad in this department, as Trey's timing seems non-existent at points (e.g. the last guitar solo in "Shadow Troops"). Chris' vocals are sloppy as well, almost as if they were rushed in the studio during the last few sessions. While he's usually a talented and natural vocalist, he doesn't sound like he's trying very hard on this recording. His timing is noticeably off in a few places, such as the last chorus of "Awakening". He's also off key in a few places. Part of this may be because the original vocal lines were changed to lower registers, which was a particularly bad idea, as Chris' voice is more naturally in the high registers. Generally, all of the changes they made to songs from _The Guardian_ -- such as cutting down "Shadow Troops" and the intro to "Forever Sacred" (though I can see why keeping it might've caused legal problems) -- were bad ones. The non-musical intro "Dreams of Osirus" is pointless, especially when "March of the Guardian" (the far superior intro to _The Guardian_) is the "hidden bonus track". Having "hidden" bonus tracks is a stupid idea, moreso now than ever, but if they really needed to do it, why didn't they use "March of the Guardian" as the intro, and put "The Ticket" as the hidden track? On this record, they sound like a band who have been together for a little while, trying out a new singer, and just screwing around in their garage. It's hard to believe that this is a "professional" CD that took three years to record and mix. That said, if you've never heard these guys before, you'll probably think "they're a good band, and they have some good songs; if they clean up their act, they'd be pretty good." If you're lucky enough to have a copy of _The Guardian_, you probably won't be able to listen to this very much. Unmoored - _Kingdom's Greed_ (Pulverised, July 2000) by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10) Obviously trying harder than ever to make up for the flop that was their debut album, Unmoored are back with a vengeance, sporting an album that's surprisingly good. This time round, Unmoored buck the annoying hardcore-ish elements of their debut in favour of a semi-technical death/thrash slant, a step many Swedish bands have taken in the past year or so. While not as overly progressive as Theory in Practice, _Kingdom's Greed_ isn't exactly easy-listening material either. "Feral Blaze" kicks things off rather ferociously, Christian "Evil Spice" Alvestam's vicious rasping over grinding guitars a lot more appealing than his previous semi-shouting style. Session skins-pounder Jocke whips up a venerable cacophony of nifty rhythms, while the guitars weave an atonal web of death/thrash riffage interspersed with scorching leads and keyboard epicness. As if to display their knack for melody, "Final State Pt. II" boasts an intro lead worthy of a good (read: early) In Flames album, while screamer Christian busts out his clear singing in a brave show. A ballad of sorts, it's mighty impressive and a welcome break from the disharmony of the previous tracks. Things remain rather thrashy throughout the album, with occasional flashes of brilliance and all-round impeccable musicianship. Unmoored have an arduous climb ahead of them after last album's transgressions, but _KG_ should serve as a mighty push in the right direction. The music is far more original than the cover (ever seen Pestilence's _Spheres_?) and makes for many rewarding listens. Contact: Pulverised Records, P.O. Box 109, Yishun Central, Singapore 917604 mailto:pulverised@pacific.net.sg Usurper - _Visions From the Gods_ (Necropolis Records, April 2000) by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10) This "1994 demo and rare live and unreleased material" started off with "Soulstalker '96" sounding an -awful lot- like Gorgoroth's _Destroyer_, but then cuts into a riff about the two minute mark that work do Tad proud. Excellent! Then track two, "Deep in the Forest", blows your (black) heart through the back of your chest with sludge-heavy rhythms and double bass drum work. I think Blackheim and Bewitched would be impressed by Usurper's excoriated work on this album. Let me touch on track eight, "Wolflord", for a brief second. At the very onset of the song, I thought that Usurper covered Crowbar's "I Have Failed". Yes, it's cool. As it turns out, I think that "Wolflord" might be a welcome addition to Crowbar's repertoire. As cement crushing as this track is, it is no wonder it turned out to be a favorite of mine on _VFtG_. Even the one and only live track on the release, "Blood Passion", as the last track, nine, is completely venerable. If the truth be know, I think that _Usurper II: Skeletal Season_ is my favorite -- possibly even more than _Diabolosis_, the band's debut on Head Not Found. _VFtG_ places a very respectable third regarding the band's album history, I feel I have to admit. I'm not convinced that anyone can go wrong with -any- Usurper effort. Vehement - _Unbalanced for Mankind_ (Cellar Records, May 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10) Vehement's music is definitely "unbalanced". The death metal groove of this Illinois trio flies at us with a rapid fire of death metal growls, drum blasts and a real aggro-core groove for the most part. And while that may sound appealing to some, the band delivers it with a real weak, clunky approach throughout the disc and that alone brings down the overall effect of the band's death metal vibe. The music is brutal enough to mosh to, but nothing really earth shattering. I'll let all my other brothers and sisters making up mankind to make their own judgement. Bland. Contact: Cellar Records 116 N. Peoria Ave., Dixon, IL 61021, USA mailto:tjoos@essex1.com http://www.essex1.com/people/tjoos/ Venom - _Resurrection_ (Steamhammer, April 2000) by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10) I was on stand-by to rip this record to shreds. "War against Christ", "Black Flame of Satan" -- does that sound like anything else than an obvious attempt at cashing in on the commercial potential black metal has (no, I won't elaborate on the trueness of the cash cows here)? Did anyone expect that Venom were capable of other things than spending their bucks in the local pubs in Newcastle or do the festival thing with loads of pyros, red boots and yesteryear's hits? Thinking about this kind of things I put _Resurrection_ in the CD player, expecting some more ammunition for a below 4 out of 10 review. What I got was the perfect proof that the old law which says that predicted catastrophes do not happen still applies. The openers "Resurrection" and "Vengeance" immediately define what Venom 2000 is all about: simplicity, brutality, drive and the use of massive headbanger-friendly powerchords, with Chronos' trademark nasty snarl on top of that. These old farts have managed no less than fusing a certain amount of Fear Factory style staccato riffing with the old approach of songs like "Warhead", "Countess Bathory", "Seven Gates of Hell" or "Don't Burn the Witch" while miraculously still sounding like classic Venom and not just a bunch of old fuckers who try hard to remain relevant in the year 2000 by ripping off the sounds of modern metal. Among the fourteen(!) tracks on _Resurrection_ there are two or three weaker cuts, like "Pandemonium" or "Man Myth and Magik", with overlong melodic choruses, but whenever the disk seems to lose pace there's a series of killer songs to put it back on track. Surprisingly enough, even the songs with stereotype dumbass black metal titles turn out to be killer tunes. The production work of Charlie Bauernfeind is simply amazing. He's preserved Mantas' shredding guitar sound and Chronos' bulldozer bass in their primitive early '80s form, but made them sound crisp, powerful, huge, huge and huge again! I don't see anyone missing Abaddon (he who sounds as tight as a drum kit falling down the stairs), even if new guy Antton is not doing much more than providing the two old-timers with some solid drumming. This is the best Venom record since _Black Metal_ and definitely worth having in your collection, no matter whether you've joined Venom's Legions in 1982 or are thinking about applying now. Violation - _Moonlight's Child_ (Red Stream, May 2000) by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10) I'll be honest, after the first couple of listens to this German-based melodic death / atmospheric metal band, I was chewing over the possibility of spitting Violation out with a lot less of a grade than what they ultimately scored. As you can see, they won me over a touch more than what an average score might indicate. Formed in 1993, Violation's _Beyond the Graves_ disc finally saw the light of day in early 1998 after contracting with Last Episode Productions. Endeavoring to release the follow-up CD, the band parted company with Last Episode and sparked a brief relationship with Invasion Records before settling in the fine company of Red Stream. The Violation bouquet, smelling somewhat like an In Flames fragranced Gates of Ishtar rose, is truly very becoming and certainly one that grows on you. Recording at the Abyss II and co-production by Peter Tagtgren could only have helped the effort, but the strongest aspects of the band rely almost exclusively on their melody and not brutality. If Violation would concentrate more on melody and loosen their struggle for brutality, I'd have no trouble giving this effort a 8 or 9 out of 10; but things are not this way, you see. A glorified, intense melodic atmosphere awaits the listener like a siren beckoning to a lonely sea captain, but if it is unadulterated brutality you crave, your desire will surely be splintered against the rocks. Vordven - _Woodland Passage_ (No Colours Records, 2000) by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10) Following an under-promoted full-length debut, these Finnish mongers of melancholy return with one aptly titled MCD. Having found their synth-drenched syrup rather promising before, I cracked open the new one with some anticipation. Smacking of _In the Nightside Eclipse_ Emperor, the opening track heralds a new aggression, and a departure from Tolkien-worshipping musings to a more pagan-fronted stand. Titles like "Cold Pagan Steel" signal the band's new-found motivation, but old habits die hard as further investigation yields the familiar Covenant-style sweetness (minus the commercial pandering that makes Covenant so repulsive to us). On the bright side, Mika and Co. have dropped the lassez-faire tone of their debut in favour of a more powerful metal sound with fast double-kick beats and sonorous synth passages occasionally reminiscent of early Emperor. Musicianship has improved by leaps and bounds, and the band doesn't hesitate to showcase it in faster and more varied material. An uncharacteristically professional layout from No Colours should ensure this sylvan sojourn does better at the cash registers than the ill-fated debut. And I have to admit falling for their brand of catchy fantasy metal this time round, no matter how wimpy it makes me look. Gentler folk and the fairer sex don't have to look any further than this for a class act in epic synth-based metal. Winterblut - _Der 6. Danach_ (Darker Than Black Records, 2000) by: Alvin Wee (6.5 out of 10) Yet another Teutonic obscurity from the stables of Darker Than Black, a label known for its blatant anti-Semitism, if little else. An interesting release, _D6D_ features four chapters of varying music. The first part is a rather perturbing mess of low-key synth, electronic drumming and guttural sneering. Not exactly a promising start. Things look up with the second chapter as rather run-of-the-mill Norse-style black metal takes over. Winterblut (as the sole member) is rather fixated on his keyboards, and while he may be no Charmand Grimloch, the melodies he churns forth aren't half bad either. Things proceed at a surprisingly leisurely pace over the next tracks, not something one expects from raw, underground acts like this. Enjoyable, if not exactly adrenaline-pumping stuff. Chapter three brings dejectedly rasped vocals against the backdrop of sparse keyboards and monotonous drumming. Not exactly inspired stuff, especially since Abigor's infinitely better attempt (on their debut) is brought to mind. Chapter four isn't much different; more synth noodling with even more obscure vocals doesn't offer much more than suicidal depression. Three tracks of that, and we're at the end of this 72 minute curiosity. Not everyone's cup of tea, but certainly a fascinating album to discover. Darker Than Black has sister-labels in the States and Canada, so check out their website if profound NS-sympathies don't annoy you. Contact: http://paganfront.cjb.net Wolf - _Wolf_ (No Fashion Records, March 2000) by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) Debut material here from a truly promising band. A pure and unadulterated metal barrage is what you can expect from this Swedish underground four-piece. Production a la Peter Tagtgren at the Abyss Studios. Clean vocal work, sounding -very- eighties, on Niklas Olsson's part, who also picks up the second guitar responsibility. The group is rounded out by Henrik Johansson on guitar, Daniel Bergkvist with drum duties and Mikael Goding filling the bill on bass guitar. To be honest, I didn't expect something this "clean" from No Fashion. I'm used to more of the Ablaze My Sorrow, Allegiance, Lord Belial and Mork Gryning material on the label, so Wolf was a welcome surprise. A class metal effort here reminding me, at times, of a very raw and stripped Helloween, but better in many regards. Personal favorites on the release include "The Voyage", track five, and the little bit of feedback and transition passages of "In the Eyes of the Sun", track nine, are brilliant. The aptitude of this band is staggering and, at forty minutes in length, I figure it is time pretty well spent. Yogge Sothothe - _Yogge Sothothe_ (, 2000) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) Stepping out from the ashes of Pain Lab [CoC #27, #32] comes Yogge Sothothe, a bizarre mix of grinding death metal and technical metal know-how. Unlike the radiant sonic assault of the past band Pain Lab (which was in the vein of Blunt Force Trauma and Merzbow), YS presents us with a maniacal and raw stride of metal mayhem. Brutal and to the fucking pounding point. While the production could have easily been souped up a bit, the raw element helps make this enjoyable. My only qualm with the band is the cliche start 'n' stop guitar riffs and some boring musical sections. A passable release, but hopefully next time I'll be knocked off my ass. Contact: Joel Rosenberg, 614 Canby Street Apt. C, Laramie, WY 82072, USA mailto:geeheeb666@hotmail.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __ __ _ /\ \ \_____ __ /\ \ \___ (_)___ ___ / \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \ / /\ / __/\ 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 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 Actual Time - _Actual Time_ (5-track demo) by: Brian Meloon (****-) Actual Time are a three-piece from Virginia, formed from the ashes of Ataxia [CoC #16]. The band they remind me most of is Don Caballero [CoC #11], though their style is more metallic and less dynamic. Their music is all instrumental, and relies heavily on rhythmic syncopation instead of melody. Unfortunately, this imposes a severe limitation on their style, which causes the music to be a little boring when taken as a whole. While it's fairly complex, the complexity is due to the polymetric layering and odd time signatures rather than flashy playing on the parts of the musicians. The riffs tend to be interchangeable between songs, so the songs end up all sounding much the same. It's not that the music itself is bad, but it's so heavily focused on rhythm that the songs come out sounding too one-dimensional. They're missing something, whether that would be more melody, guitar solos, a vocalist, or anything else that would add dynamics to the music and break up the monotony. The playing is flawless, though: very solid and tight, though there is little that is flashy. The production is good, especially for a demo recording. As it is, this demo clearly shows that they have potential; with the infusion of some more diverse elements to their music, they could be very good. Contact: mailto:actualtime@virginia.edu http://www.people.virginia.edu/~sha3u/time/ Belshazzar - _Sie Nur Ad Astra_ (4-track MP3 demo) by: Paul Schwarz (**---) An acceptable though rather shoddy demo of what is more or less black metal from this Lanarkshire duo. Creators Arioch and Mars impress almost as little with the music presented on _Sie Nur Ad Astra_ as with their choice of pseudonyms. Their production ranges from average (on the first two, produced tracks) to irritatingly bad (on the closing two, rehearsal-room recordings) while the music neither has atmosphere, nor gains any through the rough quality of its production as, for example, Darkthrone so famously do. Belshazzar has little to do with black metal as far as I can see; it has none of its atmosphere and is not even stylistically that similar. Thus this demo of -metal- is simply nondescript and uninteresting, displaying, as is often the case with demos, a band able to play heavy music, but not necessarily with any particular skill in fashioning great or original songs from it. Contact: 23 Tarbolton, Calderwood, East Kilbride G74 3SQ, Scotland mailto:arioch@goresville.freeserve.co.uk http://mp3.com/Belshazzar/ Bongwater666 - _L-yeyed/Tanner_ (2-track demo) by: Adrian Bromley (***--) While I still own these East Coast sludge-mongers debut six-track demo _Pissed off and Fuzzed out_, [CoC #19], I am glad to see that Bongwater has managed to strengthen their sound since the demo three years ago. The sound, while still a noisy mess of guitars and clunky drums and plenty o' fuzz, has become a lot more Melvin-like and deeply situated within this real drivin' groove. Fitting somewhere between noise and stoner rock, this two-song offering of present day BW666 material gives us all yet another reason to hit the bong and just chill out. They get an "A" for effort. Contact: Nedal Ayad, P.O. Box 204, Bay Roberts, NF A0A - 1G0 Canada mailto:nayad@nf.sympatico.ca http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/nayad Butterfly Temple - _Baec_ (11-track demo) by: Paul Schwarz (****-) Boasting a host of bizarre, unusual keyboard textures and Russian chanting on top of a slew of other odd noises and a varied array of female vocals, this Russian band, who even sing and print their lyrics in their own language, are impressively ambitious and, yet more surprisingly, successful in being interesting and enjoyable quite a reasonable amount of the time. _Baec_ takes a few listens to absorb, but it's refreshing in its seeming drive to not simply follow the flock but strive on in its own, relatively individual, direction. It is no musical revelation, but it shows a lot of potential and a full-length with some serious financial backing behind it could prove very interesting. Unfortunately, singing in Russian may severely limit the band's appeal outside their home country. Contact: Agafonov A., P.O. Box 17, 117313 Moscow, Russia mailto:btemple@mail.ru http://listen.to/btemple/ Condition Red - _Back in Business_ (4-track MP3 demo) by: Paul Schwarz (**---) Five years of playing together has, unfortunately, evidently not been enough time for this Finnish five-piece to develop a sound which establishes a truly individual character for them. _Back in Business_, the band's third demo titled to symbolise their return after nearly a year where three of their number were occupied with military service, reeks far too obviously of Machine Head to leave Condition Red with much to credibly call their own. Essentially, Condition Red simply pull off various nineties power groove cliches with skill and a powerful sound. Vocalist Jone has a good voice, Roope's drums, especially in the double-bass department, back up the loud guitars and underlying bass well; the band can play their instruments very competently, but creatively they really do have to do some serious thinking and work hard to get away from the cliches of a genre all-too-prevalent in metal's popular, late-nineties face. Add a point if you're not yet sick of the _Burn My Eyes_ sound. Contact: mailto:jvpkuism@cs.helsinki.fi http://come.to/conditionred/ Midnight Scream - _Midnight Scream_ (4-track demo) by: Paul Schwarz (**---) Though produced by Nightwish guitar player Mike Galiatsos, Midnight Scream is certainly not congruent with his band's more traditionally heavy metal styled, female vocal accompanied and melodic creations. Instead, _Midnight Scream_ offers us a deeply simplistic three tracks of death metal, plus a traditionally irrelevant keyboard-based intro to bring the track total to four, which are, to be quite frank, severely limited in musical scope and somewhat shoddy in presentation. I get the impression Midnight Scream have let their enthusiasm to get things moving recording-wise get the better of them. _Midnight Scream_ positively -screams- of a band who need more time to tighten up their musical cohesion, while singer Makis Memmos needs to do some serious individual time at the death metal vocalists' school of hard knocks to bang into shape a characteristic and affecting throat which has importance to his band's greater music vision -- something his performance on _Midnight Scream_ quite sorely lacks. That _Midnight Scream_, the demo, is rather under-par does not necessarily mean that Midnight Scream, the band, are a lost cause or entirely without promise. _Midnight Scream_ sounds more like a good band who simply haven't yet put the requisite time in to make great music than a poor bunch of musicians who've pretty much reached their peak. Time is what is needed here; we'll hopefully keep you posted as to any interesting developments. Contact: Lukas Bergis, Panagouli 1, 17237 Imittos, Athens, Greece mailto:Midnightscream@freemail.gr http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/ /Theater/8279/Welcome.htm (Price: 3 pounds sterling; other currencies also accepted) Omnium Gatherum - _Promo 99_ (4-track demo) by: Paul Schwarz (**---) Bar one track, the songs that make up the seven and a half minutes of this _Promo 99_ are tracks ready to be included on Omnium Gatherum's imminent debut full-length. However, despite a relatively thick production which gives their rabid, raw-ish death/grind tirades an unprecedented bite, Omnium Gatherum are essentially little more than purely derivative as a musical entity. There is certainly nothing presented on _Promo 99_ to suggest innovation, and nothing which enthrals me greatly. Omnium Gatherum are welcome to a friendly pat on the back for playing decently and taking the time to produce their material relatively well, but at present they are of no real significance to the international death metal or grindcore scenes. Contact: PO Box 79, Kilkenny, South Australia 5009 mailto:omniumgatherum@arcom.com.au Scald - _Nematoid: Specimen Parts I-IV_ (4-track promo) by: Paul Schwarz (****-) Delving into the realm of mind-numbing sludge which only those such as Eyehategod usually brave, Scald have blended this dirty, lurching breed of extremity with some of the percussive, striking aspects of death metal and even touches of the extremity of the noisecore fraternity here belching forth four tracks which are planned to make up half of a theoretically upcoming full-length album. Judging by the relatively well-produced and nicely constructed material featured here I think the band deserve a contract, even if it be with a small label, to give _Nematoid_ a full album crack. I for one would definitely be interested in hearing the results. Contact: Paul McCarroll, 32 Dellmount Rd., Bangor, Co. Down, BT20 4TY, Northern Ireland Shaw Shank - _Beautiful Bedlam_ (3-track MP3 demo) by: Paul Schwarz (***--) A very nicely produced ten minutes composed centrally of the angsty baggy-pants metal Korn and Limp Bizkit peddle, with some of the more hip-hop / DAT machine-esque sounds of the latter making their prescence felt. There are some nicely placed and unexpected sections of double-bass drums and (on "Caimera") a definite bias towards the more suicidal, depressive tones of Misery Loves Co. and Nine Inch Nails. Unfortunately, however, nothing presented on _Beautiful Bedlam_ is overly adventurous and little of it truly grabs me by the throat. Shaw Shank are promising musicians and surprisingly competent songwriters, but their material is, as yet, nothing particularly remarkable. Contact: mailto:shank_shaw@hotmail.com http://fly.to/shawshank/ Soul Destruction - _United in Obscurity_ (5-track demo) by: Aaron McKay (*****) It's just now May, going on June, and thus far this year I have had two extremely pleasant surprises: the new Venom release and this demo from Ohio's Soul Destruction. They present their sound as "diversity and power". I might be compelled to call 'em "poignant" and "imposing" as well. I received Soul Destruction's promo material on audio cassette instead of CD and -still- was astonished at the immensity of SD's sound. Without planting personal preconceived comparisons in the acreage of your thoughts (a little mid-West humor there), I don't have to stretch too far to hear some shrouded S.O.D. and possibly Wrathchild America congruities. Now with a duel vocal offensive, a power-lung roar and a low-register quake, Soul Destruction stands to make some very impressive rumblings through the industry. Having shared the stage with Armored Saint and Today Is the Day, what would make me really pleased now, I think, would be a Venom / Soul Destruction bill. With a demo like this, the SD boys are going to have to find another way to be -united-, 'cause it won't be in -obscurity- much longer. Contact: http://www.souldestruction.com Suffering Souls - _Cries of Silence_ (3-track demo) by: Alvin Wee (****-) What an obscure release... Out of Germanic forests rises a new four-piece claiming to play "German Black Metal Art". More a demo CD than an official MCD, this little underground three-tracker offers nothing more than old-school synth-laden hymns to the night in typically mediocre Norse fashion. Failing to achieve the depth of Nargaroth or the raw simplicity of Moonblood, _CoS_ comes off as trying too hard to squeeze something out of a genre that's already been milked to death. Credit goes to the highly ambitious arrangements and commendable musicianship, signs that a band is ready to offer more than the one-off recording on sundry overnight labels. Sadly, such run-of-the-mill material might have easily reaped much label attention in Behemoth's demo-days (strange how this one brings to mind _From the Pagan Vastlands_), but today's competitive scene demands a much greater kick in the balls than generic Norsecore. All said, these boys (and a girl) won't be toppling over so easily; the quality of _CoS_ bodes well for things to come, and underground-minded labels might like to check out this ambitious young act, as they're unsigned as far as I know. No price, but 10 bucks should do the trick. Contact: Suffering Souls, c/o Tobias Micko, Scwalbenweg 15, 92245 Kummerbruck, Germany Te Deum - _Demo 99_ (4-track demo) by: Pedro Azevedo (****-) Interesting demo CD from this young Portuguese band: well played, decently produced and certainly unveiling some very significant potential. Te Deum build their sound around dueling vocals -- a highly promising, and indeed already very good classically trained female singer, and a competent male vocalist who performs both death and clean vox. Sounds familiar, most likely, but Te Deum still manage to avoid sounding as derivative as the above description might suggest. There is some good keyboard playing at times, particularly during the church organ-like instrumental track (except for the final part, in which it loses most of the dark atmosphere). The drumming is reasonably good (neither a highlight nor a problem), while the guitarists appear to be quite skilled, though perhaps in several places their style does not seem entirely adequate for a doom band. In fact, that is the main issue here: technically this is clearly a very competent band, but I feel they need to make some choices in the future, namely whether to really become a doom band or not. I would have liked deeper death grunts that could contrast more with the female voice, more downtuned and doomier guitars, stronger drum sound, and keyboards that could really drench the sound in a darker atmosphere. Of course this might not be what the band wants at all, but I feel that it would be the best way for them to capitalise on the finest elements of their sound. Creating greater contrast would highlight those elements, ultimately resulting in more intense and emotional music. As it is, Te Deum are definitely talented, have very interesting potential and did create a very pleasant, enjoyable and clean demo CD with some very good passages scattered throughout its duration. However, some things are still missing, and therefore I'll save the 5 out of 5 for their next demo, in case they can keep up the progression and simultaneously create something more intense. Contact: Te Deum, Rua Combatentes do Ultramar 79, Aruil, 2715-247 Almargem do Bispo, Portugal mailto:te_deum@fcmail.com http://www.angelfire.com/myband/tedeum =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ________ _ / ____/ /___ ___________(_)____ / / / / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / ___/ / /___/ / /_/ (__ |__ ) / /__ \____/_/\__,_/____/____/_/\___/ ______ / ____/___ __________ ____ _____ ____ / / / __ `/ ___/ __ \/ __ `/ __ `/ _ \ / /___/ /_/ / / / / / / /_/ / /_/ / __/ \____/\__,_/_/ /_/ /_/\__,_/\__, /\___/ /____/ You've asked for it, and now you've got it. Classic Carnage is the one and only place to find all your favorite albums of yesteryear reviewed from today's point of view. This section will be appearing sporadically in Chronicles of Chaos, gracing our special editions exclusively. Atheist - _Piece of Time_ (Roadrunner, 1989 / NMG, April 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (9 out of 10) Atheist were one of those few bands in metal's long history who dared to experiment. They imposed uncommon time signatures and musical textures, along with thought-out lyrics from their earliest days, onto an essentially barbaric, anger-driven musical style: death metal (of the thrashy late eighties variety). Their _Piece of Time_ debut only dabbled in such deviations -- the major step into truly uncharted waters came two years later with 1991's _Unquestionable Presence_ -- and it is primarily on the opening title track that said dabbling occurs. But though not really showcasing the characteristic which Atheist are most remembered for, _Piece of Time_ is both a remarkable debut and an impressive musical achievement seen in its 1989 context. Death get a lot of credit for the technical developments of _Spiritual Healing_ (1990) and _Human_ (1991), but I think Atheist outdid either exalted line-up of Schuldiner's legendary act in terms of intensity -and- technicality with _Piece of Time_. Scott Burns' production crossed the primitive low-end-driven _Leprosy_ sound with the speed/thrash intensity of _Beneath the Remains_, and Atheist emerged with a vitriolic debut which pre-dates most "classic" death metal albums, yet even today doesn't play like a selection of genre cliches. "Piece of Time" is classy, rich with unpredictable time shifts and the seemingly effortless bass-work of the now-late Roger Paterson. The likes of "Unholy War" or "On They Slay" may be comparatively simple, but in their own way they are just as effective, whereas closer and band signature "No Truth" suffers only from trying to cram too much intensity into one place at one time as it progresses. Lovers of technicality, intensity, late-eighties thrashing monstrosities and considered lyrical content (if not always writing) will be right at home with this long-deleted debut by one of the nineties criminally forsaken and sadly departed creative enigmas. NMG's pleasingly eighties-looking re-issue includes "Looking Back..."-style sleeve notes by every band member except of course the sadly departed Patterson, and also includes six bonus demo tracks. These comprise alternatively titled demo versions of "Life" and "Why Bother", along with demos of "On They Slay" and "No Truth", and two never-before-released early Atheist songs in demo format: "Brain Damage" and "Undefiled Wisdom". All the tracks, including the bonus demos, have individual explications by Kelly Shaefer. All tracks have also been digitally re-mastered and sound as crisp and clear as a 1989 Scott Burns production ever can, or should. Basil Poledouris - _Conan the Barbarian_ (Varese Sarabande, 1982) by: Paul Schwarz (10 out of 10) This is more than a film soundtrack: it is a wonderfully structured piece of music. If you travel to England, ask my friends, or even better, just ask me my opinion on John Milius' 1982 film of Robert E. Howard's titanically defined hero of fewer words than sword strokes, you'll quickly realise that I have more than merely a passing interest in this epic, fantasy tale told in celluloid. Truth be told, I love it. The specific reasons why I love "Conan the Barbarian" need not be expounded here (though many will surely spill out as this review unfolds), but this soundtrack is a good portion of the reason why "Conan the Barbarian" works so brilliantly as a film. However, enjoying and appreciating the score's musical value is not dependent on knowing or enjoying the film it was scored to, though it will greatly enhance the score's evocative power and effect. Poledouris' score, composed closely with Milius and deftly edited to fit the film's structure and specific visuals, heavily utilises the operatic device common to Wagner of using repeated musical themes to represent characters, places or ideals. It thus takes on an operatic character as a soundtrack. But _Conan the Barbarian_ goes a step further than the average score-soundtrack album. It is infinitely more important than the film's minimal and (wonderfully) simplistic dialogue. Sectioned musically into the various scenes of the film -- and, independent of the visuals, the tracks vividly evoke each in turn if you've seen the film even a relatively small number of times --, this near-complete sixty-seven minute representation of Poledouris' score is musically valid independent of its visual/narrative creative impetuses. This is certainly not what one might crudely describe as "wimpy classical music"; _Conan the Barbarian_ is stirring and -heavy- in more ways than one, and quite frankly more ways, and with more profundity, than most "extreme music" releases I receive for review. Tracks like "The Anvil of Crom" or "Battle of the Mounds" are heavy in a Wagnerian, percussive, and dramatic sense; the former with its stirring and pronounced opening drums of war and the latter with its dramatic orchestral cymbal crash climaxes. However, the soundtrack as a whole is heavy on a far more significant, emotional level. To paraphrase Kirk Windstein [CoC #47]: heaviness is not about playing fast, slow, loud, soft or even (dare I say it...) on a distorted guitar, or with a drum kit backing you up. It's about emotion; it's about how effectively you push across -feeling- through music. If that's heaviness, _Conan the Barbarian_ is one of the heaviest albums I own. Beautiful, stirring, inspiring, doom-laden: _Conan the Barbarian_ works on many different levels, but most importantly, it works, it clicks, it makes you feel good to be alive. And it's among the most empowering and gripping records I own; right up there with _Reign in Blood_, _Clandestine_, _Focus_ and many others which remind me why music matters so much to me. Make sure you get Varese Sarabande's 16 tracker, as it is the most complete score I know of. If you can find a more complete, or -the- complete soundtrack, then get that, but please drop me an e-mail if you do, even if it -is- only so you can gloat. Carnage - _Dark Recollections_ (Necrosis, 1990 / Earache, June 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10) Exalted and tape traded for years since it was deleted as part of Jeff Walker's Necrosis Records Earache offshoot (who also released Cadaver and Repulsion material), _Dark Recollections_ is a primitive and visceral slab of traditional Swedish death metal, and this re-release is not only a welcome musical nostalgia trip, but due to its linear notes also a charming lesson in Swedish death metal history. "In a way I think the band was maybe more famous for what came after it" is the aspersion of Mike Amott in said extensive linear notes, and I am very much inclined to agree with him. He himself split Carnage when he joined Carcass -- which according to vocalist Matti Karki happened more or less the second that _Dark Recollections_' recordings were finished -- and went on to form both the seventies-styled Spiritual Beggars and later help herald the return of death metal in the late-nineties with Arch Enemy. His bandmates in Carnage comprised what are arguably Dismember's three most pivotal figures (drummer Fred Estby, vocalist Matti Karki and guitarist David Blomqvist) and Johnny Dordevic, whose ghostly appearance on Entombed's _Clandestine_ is here cheaply credited seemingly to bolster this re-release's credibility. Carnage also originally featured the vocal talents of Johan Liiva Axelsson, who went on to record some classic Swedish death metal with Furbowl and has more recently rejoined Amott in Arch Enemy. The family trees of over half a dozen bands thus lead back to Carnage, and one accordingly expects a lot out of _Dark Recollections_. The truth is, it doesn't generally live up to most people's expectations, but mostly because, quite honestly, people expect too much out of five young Swedish kids making their first recording. _Dark Recollections_ is a classy Swedish death metal record, and a first recording to be proud of. Its songs are even more primitive and gritty than _Like an Everflowing Stream_ or _Left Hand Path_, though not of the same quality, and the fuzzy crunching guitar tone trademark of Swedish death metal is present and very much correct. Blomqvist pulls out a few of his classic melodic solos and leads, which are like an old friend to any Dismember fan, while some of the riffs Amott churns out -- particularly on the definite standout "Malignant Epitaph", with its infectious vocal patterns -- are memorable as well as being unashamedly brutal. Its influence, due to its limited availability almost since the day it was released, may be questionable, but all the same _Dark Recollections_ is undeniably a pivotal piece of Swedish death metal history, and a very much worthwhile purchase for lovers of classic Entombed, Dismember, Grave and Furbowl. This re-release is pushing the must-buy category: not only, as mentioned above, does it tell a great tale of an important time in a number of today's extreme metal musicians' formative years, but it also has both Carnage demos, and even includes the rough mixes of the first. This not only gives you the opportunity of hearing Johan place -that- throaty growl over some material which later appeared on _Dark Recollections_ (_Infestation of Evil_), but it also gives you three tracks which never even made it as far as the full-length debut. _The Day Man Lost_ is a primitive but surprisingly enjoyable death-grinding five odd minute ride strongly bringing to mind early Carcass; whether you like it will depend on how many Earache releases with a Mosh number ten you own, and how much you like them. Celtic Frost - _Morbid Tales_ (Noise, 1984 / Noise, January 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10) Haunting, raw, classic. Definitely three words which apply to Celtic Frost's debut album, _Morbid Tales_. Though the band went on to refine and innovate with _To Mega Therion_ and _Into the Pandemonium_ respectively, it is still _Morbid Tales_ which gives me the greatest listening enjoyment. Offering classics like the record's storming opener, "Into the Crypts of Rays" along with the likes of "Dethroned Emperor", "Procreation (of the Wicked)" and "Return to the Eve", _Morbid Tales_ set a standard in certain sectors of the thrash community and exerted considerable influence, long after its initial release, on the music of the Norwegian black metal scene (particularly in the case of key players Darkthrone). Likewise, Frost's image at the time also influenced the uniform of spikes, bulletbelts and accentuating face-paint of the early-to-mid nineties black metal movement and again many in the thrash fraternity. Frost influenced death metal considerably. _Morbid Tales_, along with _To Mega Therion_, range from providing the general percussive playing style and deep vocals in most cases, to supplying most of the music in others (i.e. Obituary, whose, "Circle of the Tyrants" cover was hardly discernible from their own material). Regardless of what followed it, _Morbid Tales_ demands praise of itself. It has atmosphere and heaviness while also sticking distinctly in the head and not ending up a mindless blur as early thrash albums sometimes tend to. Closing ominously with the haunting and catatonic atmosphere piece of "Danse Macabre", _Morbid Tales_ is undeniably excellent both as a representation of Frost at the time and a precursor for the turning upside down of thrash metal conventions that was soon to come. In comparison, the later _Emperor's Return_ EP, which is included as a bonus here, is nothing to write home about. The songs are faster but far less well written on the whole, and the production, whether you take these original mixes or the previously released ones, is lacklustre. The most interesting and significant thing about it is that it features the first version of "Circle of the Tyrants", which would become a 'Frost staple and produce one of their few videos. Re-issue includes the _Emperor's Return_ EP, with all tracks in their previously unreleased original mixes, and full digital re-mastering. In addition, the booklet is now in full colour with all lyrics, linear and sleeve notes, and a good collection of pictures and images from the time. Unfortunately, unlike Noise US' recent reissue of _Morbid Tales_, the Hellhammer _Apocalyptic Raids_ EP is not included on this new edition of _Morbid Tales_. Celtic Frost - _To Mega Therion_ (Noise, 1985 / Noise, January 2000) by: Paul Schwarz (9 out of 10) I am told that this is, to this day, Frost's most popular album overall. Whether that is based on sales or comments I don't know, but what I must admit is that there are bountiful reasons to like _To Mega Therion_, especially for a modern metal listener not as interested in the creakier, creeping feel and slower pace of _Morbid Tales_. Furthermore, on _TMT_ is where Frost's flirtations with the symphonic and the atmospherically odd begin to blossom. The pomp of opener/intro "Innocence and Wrath" is contrary to the expectations of a thrash metal album circa 1985, at which time proceedings more typically began with a tokenistic keyboard intro, acoustic guitars or a fade in of wailing feedback/thrashing to set up a simple dynamic with the aural evisceration that was to follow. In contrast, Celtic Frost close their intro and wait an instant before launching into the intensely percussive first song, "The Usurper". From this frenetic beginning 'Frost pound through mid-paced classics like "Jewel Throne" and the huge, heady Sabbath-ish riffs of "Dawn of Megiddo" (a song with a uniquely ominous atmosphere) on to "Circle of the Tyrants", one of their more famous and fully realised tracks. Though more polished, _TMT_ still has a dirty, overdriven feel to it, reinforcing the division between 'Frost and other bands of their time, though not as solidly as their flirtations with the avant-garde did. 'Frost hammer their way through "(Beyond the) North Winds" and "Fainted Eyes" in full-on thrash glory, but the brooding atmospheric piece "Tears in a Prophet's Dream" is nothing typical. 'Frost close _TMT_ with the hammering precision of "Necromantical Screams", complete with coherent and impressive female backing vocals. Definitely ahead of its time and standing up as a powerful and effective metal record to this day, _TMT_ provides the essential link between _Morbid Tales_' endearing imperfections and the drastic experimentation which _Into the Pandemonium_ would later showcase. On the re-issue, original album mixes of the "The Usurper" and "Jewel Throne" are replaced with the later re-recordings (featuring Martin Eric Ain who had left to be replaced by Dominic Steiner for _TMT_'s original recording) featured on the _Tragic Serenades_ EP. The 1985 "Return to the Eve" studio jam, also from this EP, is added as a bonus track. All tracks have been digitally re-mastered and all lyrics are included, along with both H.R. Giger pieces licensed to the band for the album, and plenty of photos along with informative sleeve notes by Tom G. Warrior. Celtic Frost - _Into the Pandemonium_ by: Paul Schwarz (10 out of 10) (Noise, 1987 / Noise, January 2000) It isn't quite my favourite Celtic Frost album, but if any thrash metal album ever deserved a 10 out of 10 for its combination of quality song-writing and an unrestrained drive to do something different, then this -must- be it. It was as much of a pain for 'Frost to get the experimentation of _ItP_ past Noise, their record company, as it was for them to reach within themselves and commit its orchestrated, avant-garde form to tape. With the nineties now only a shadow of the past themselves, it is perhaps hard to appreciate just how drastic _Into the Pandemonium_ was in 1987, especially for a record which actually came -out- of the heavy metal genre, rather than merely borrowing from it. From opening Wall of Voodoo cover "Mexican Radio" to the closing "Oriental Masquerade" outro, _Into the Pandemonium_ is an encapsulating experience: as astoundingly varied as it is unpredictable. Warrior switched his assault of relentless death howls for a style which crooned as much as it crushed, while the influx of other voices, including many brilliantly used ones of the female variety, gave _