________ _ __ ____ / ____/ /_ _________ ____ (_)____/ /__ _____ ____ / __/ / / / __ \/ ___/ __ \/ __ \/ / ___/ / _ \/ ___/ / __ \/ /_ / /___/ / / / / / /_/ / / / / / /__/ / __(__ ) / /_/ / __/ \____/_/ /_/_/ \____/_/ /_/_/\___/_/\___/____/ \____/_/ ________ / ____/ /_ ____ _____ _____ / / / __ \/ __ `/ __ \/ ___/ / /___/ / / / /_/ / /_/ (__ ) \____/_/ /_/\__,_/\____/____/ The New Year's Evil Edition CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, January 14, 2002, Issue #56 http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti Coordinator: Adrian Bromley Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo Contributor: Brian Meloon Contributor: Adam Wasylyk Contributor: Paul Schwarz Contributor: Aaron McKay Contributor: David Rocher Contributor: Matthias Noll Contributor: Alvin Wee Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez Contributor: Chris Flaaten Neophyte: Kirsty Buchanan Neophyte: Quentin Kalis Neophyte: Vincent Eldefors Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at firstname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ("firstname" must be replaced by the respective writer's first name, e.g. Gino@ChroniclesOfChaos.com). NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a blank e-mail to . For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the Details section at the end of this issue. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Issue #56 Contents, 1/14/02 --------------------------- * Editorial * Loud Letters * Deadly Dialogues -- King Diamond: The King and I -- My Dying Bride: The Hand of Doom -- Impaled Nazarene: Nazarenes Aren't the Only Fiends -- Sodom: The Metal Machine Carries On -- Destruction: Back From Hell -- Bathory: Entering an Age of Antiquity -- Bolt Thrower: Metal Pride -- Witchery: Hearse to You, Witchery! -- Sinister: Creative Brutality Unleashed -- Pungent Stench: Vomit to Vanquish the Vatican! -- Godflesh: Hymns of Progression -- Atomsmasher: Split This! -- The Provenance: Spending Hours Bleeding for Music -- April Ethereal: Where's the Shower? -- Leechmilk: Dirty, Dirgy Motherfuckers! * Independent Interrogations -- Aphotic: Darkness Enclosing -- Ghoulunatics: Ghoulish Metal Fun * Album Asylum -- Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_ -- Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_ -- Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7" -- Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_ -- Angra - _Rebirth_ -- Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_ -- Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_ -- Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_ -- Borknagar - _Empiricism_ -- Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_ -- Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_ -- Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_ -- Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_ -- Various - _Colorado Colossus_ -- Converge - _Jane Doe_ -- Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_ -- Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_ -- Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_ -- Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_ -- Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_ -- Diabolical - _Synergy_ -- Edguy - _Mandrake_ -- Edicius - _Aeon_ -- Enslaved - _Monumension_ -- Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_ -- Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_ -- Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_ -- Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_ -- Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_ -- Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_ -- Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_ -- Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_ -- Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_ -- In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_ -- Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_ -- Iniquity - _Grime_ -- Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_ -- Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - -- Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_ -- King's X - _Manic Moonlight_ -- Kronos - _Titans Awakening_ -- Lacrimosa - _Fassade_ -- Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_ -- Lullacry - _Be My God_ -- Macbeth - _Vanitas_ -- Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_ -- Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_ -- Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7" -- Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_ -- Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_ -- Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_ -- Peccatum - _Amor Fati_ -- Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_ -- Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_ -- Rakoth - _Jabberworks_ -- Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_ -- Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_ -- Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_ -- Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_ -- Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_ -- Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_ -- Sinister - _Creative Killings_ -- Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ -- Teabag - _Teabag_ -- The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_ -- The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_ -- Therion - _Secret of the Runes_ -- Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_ -- Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_ -- Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_ -- VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_ -- Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_ -- Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_ -- Without Face - _Deep Inside_ -- Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_ * New Noise -- Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_ -- Binding - _Relict_ -- Biomechanical - _Distorted_ -- Blessed - _Consume 3000_ -- Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_ -- Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_ -- In Grey - _Above_ -- Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_ -- Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_ -- Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_ -- Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_ -- Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_ -- Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ -- Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_ -- Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_ * Chaotic Concerts -- A Night to Remember, a Bill to Forget: Tristania, Rotting Christ, Vintersorg and Madder Mortem in France -- Murder! Death! Toke! Enslaved, Electric Wizard & Macabre in Canada -- Their Special Friend Pinky: Anathema in Portugal -- Cutting Through the Shit: Razor in Toronto * Writer's Wrath -- Chaotic Canvas of Creation: Metal Illustrators Travis Smith, Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel talk to CoC * What We Have Cranked * Details =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____) / /) , , /) )__ _(/ _/_ _____ _ // / (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_ (_____) by: Gino Filicetti Talk about ringing the new year in right, this issue of Chronicles of Chaos is sure to go down in the record books on both the strength of its quality and the vastness of its quantity. Upon closer inspection of our interviewees for this issue, you'll notice a very high percentage of top notch acts whom we've managed to track down and subject to the CoC treatment. King Diamond, Impaled Nazarene, My Dying Bride, Sodom, Bathory, Bolt Thrower... the list goes on and on. With all these interviews, one would assume that our Album Asylum would have to suffer. However, those of you who have been our loyal followers for some time know that we would never let such a tragedy occur. To keep pace with the enormous number of Deadly Dialogues this issue, we included no less than 75 record reviews in our Album Asylum section. Also featured this issue is a special Writer's Wrath by our very own Pedro Azevedo. Pedro has rounded up four heavy metal illustrators -- with varying degrees of notoriety -- to bring together a unique article that addresses the art and inspiration that motivates these talented folks. I'm sure you'll agree it's worth the read. And finally, as if to put the final nail in the coffin of a year that wasn't kind to anyone; December 13, 2001, a true Metal God passed over to the other side. Chuck Schuldiner, front man of Death and godfather to all that is Death Metal, died after a long bout with a brain stem tumor. Only shock and a sense of loss can describe the feelings we all felt upon hearing of his untimely passage; however, one thing is certain: his music and inspiration will live on forever. We end this editorial on a sombre note, as I include the thoughts of two CoC writers on this tragedy. I would like to dedicate this, one of the greatest issues in Chronicles of Chaos' six and a half year history, to Chuck Schuldiner, master of metal. Perseverance sadly grew silent. Chuck has been one of my utmost favourite songwriters and musicians for about a decade. He will be greatly missed. Let the metal flow! Support music, not rumors. -- Chris Flaaten While I was never a huge fan of Chuck Schuldiner's pioneering metal outfit Death, I was still a fan. His passing on December 13th, 2001 has left me saddened and upset. Moreso than some might think. You see, a few years back I had the opportunity to talk to Schuldiner about his then new project Control Denied and the album _The Fragile Art of Existence_. Sure it was one of the hundred interviews I had done that year, but this interview would be one of the most rewarding interview opportunities I would encounter in my music journalism career. At the time of the interview, my 27-year-old twin brother Winston (now 30 and in good health) was diagnosed with a pelvic tumor and had been going through several months of treatment, while at the same time Schuldiner was in the midst of treatment and in-between hospital stays. We talked about the new album, of course, but before we got into all that, we talked for a while about how a life-threatening illness affects family and friends. He said, "With what has happened to me, it has really opened up my eyes and drawn me closer to my family and friends. It makes you realize a lot of different things. The outpouring of letters from around the world from people I don't even know has meant a lot to me. I am deeply touched by the response from all of this. A lot of personal stories have been told to me, like the one of your brother, and that makes me feel good that people are willing to open up, and it shows me I shouldn't keep this all in. It's a very emotional experience to read all of this stuff that people send me. It really shows you just how things really are and how simple things can mean so much to you." I pulled out that interview a few days after I had heard of his passing and couldn't believe that such a brave fighter like Chuck had lost his battle. His fight had come to an end, but no doubt his fans will keep his work alive and well within the metal realms for years to come. God bless you Chuck! Rest in peace. Please visit the official Death site http://www.emptywords.org and sign the book of condolence. -- Adrian Bromley =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 From: "Benito Ulises Camelo Buendia" Hello over there, i´m writting a little dissapointed about your Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise review, i mean, you´re saying it is a 7/10 album, i´ve been a metal head for ten years and i think this album is great, and great in all senses, it is suberb in musical skills, it has an excellent song writting, great concept, deep complex structures and everything the last Emperor album needs to be a master one, this is all true, and goes independently of any pseudo-reviewer taste, you should check it again if you want your website to remain serious and interesting as it has been since first COC. Benito Camelo. Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 From: Conformity@aol.com Subject: I have a response to a letter in issue number 55... This message is to "Grimnir". First of all, the fact that you have a fucking lame alias really doesn't support any of your points. It just further presses the fact that you're a fucking jackass with a bias against certain religions. Religions are bullshit, yes, I believe we've all established this as a fact TIME AFTER TIME. But to say that....without the ideology of hating christianity, the music crumbles? Where the fuck have you been? Perhaps you enjoy living in a world filled with monotonous and underproduced SHIT made by pretentious pro-white assholes. I for one, don't. You know what I think about lyrics? Fuck 'em. I could've give a shit. Besides, CAN YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS IN THE FIRST PLACE? First of all, its pretty obvious to me that you're a 16 year old from some....european country. I'm not just saying this because you call yourself "Grimnir", but I'm saying it mainly due to the fact that you have a hard time forming a complete and coherent sentence. Granted, I am only two years older than the age I am assuming you to be, however that is no excuse for such a display of mind-numbing ignorance. You want to know what drove Max Cavalera to "make such brutal music"? He listened to heavy metal, you fuck. He didn't sit around and say, "let me summon up all of my opinions on the world into a musical form" and out came "Beneath the Remains". Fuck no, that certainly didn't happen. You're an idiot if you honestly believe that the sound of old Sepultura was a naturally and originally occurring thing on its own. AND NO, LETS NOT COMPARE BUZUM WITH " DARK TRANQUITY". I find it hard to believe that you feel you have the right to compare bands that you can't even seem to bell. I've never heard anyone say that " DARK TRANQUITY" (har har) is black metal. It sounds like you've read a few too many issues of Hit Parader. Dark Tranquility is SWEDISH DEATH METAL. I've never heard it called anything else. Perhaps you'd like to compare Mayhem with Mr. Bungle? Furthermore, what the fuck are you doing comparing two completely different bands like that? The point you were trying to make completely eluded me. Take a look at the "weakest" black metal band, which coincidentally is the most popular, Cradle of Filth. "RAPE THE VIRGIN NUNS" they say. According to you, this is what black metal is really about. Over-whelming hate for a culture responsible for decades of oppression. Okay. Neat. CRADLE OF FILTH IS STILL POPULAR, DESPITE THEIR LYRICAL CONTENT. I don't know where the fuck you come from, but I seriously sympathize for your country. They must be terribly ashamed of you, for you to be so bitter. "Guitar is for niggers" - Varg Vikernes Oh, and by the way, I have blonde hair and blue eyes, so "as your brother", you must love me. You homo-erotic Aryan fuck. I don't listen to metal because it bothers my parents. I could listen to fucking carnival music all day if i wanted to piss off my parents. I listen to metal because its what I love, regardless of the fucking lyrical content or the stupid image behind it. Hugs and kisses. Fucker. Drew Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001 From: "Frederik Okholm" Subject: War on atheism probably was a silly idea Greetings, In issue 53, I naïvely tried to start a war on atheism. There was one attack from the other front, and even though I had a great private correspondance with him before issue 54, only his first angry letter appeared, allowing little reflection. Anyway, my main point with this letter was to complain about the lack of response. With all the spiritual and metaphysic lyrics and imagery of metal, be they occult, pagan, antireligious or whatnot, I find it strange how few discussions, or just mentions of these subjects, there are among the listeners. Maybe you'd say that CoC isn't the place for this, but why should subjects that abound in the interviews and reviews not exist in reader feedback? Do they even abound? I think they should. And maybe some people can't be bothered with having their great thoughts contaminated by childish finger-pointing from the opposite end of the intellectual spectrum; but hey, let's kill these sheep and allow them transcendence :-) Anyway I'm just talking ideas, not dogma-spreading. Screw the anti-atheism, then, if you want, but it would be nice to hear what people think about the spiritual ideals of the bands they like. Magnificent creatures of glory We have climbed down from the stars To stand before you as idols In splendour and perfection Starmatter shapes of power Cast from the seeds of the gods As instruments of perfection We are soverignty in flesh Radiant race of pure beauty Shaped perfectly as the pagan beasts In elegance we welcome our future As stellar master elite -Thorns, 'Stellar Master Elite' Frederik Okholm --------------------------------- "I was an atheist, until I found out I was God." Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 From: "Jim Tasikas" Subject: The Metal Genre This is to reply the comment made about metal and its evolution and how we should progress metal music's stature in the public eye. A genre centered around musicianship and not ideology. Nokreth@gmx wrote the following: Jim Tasikas, you write that metal should evolve in a more musical derection and immediatly obandon its ideological views... Reply: Do Not abandon the ideology, rather present it professionally, creatively...center on the music for emotion and imagination. But this is not possible, i say. the 2 are interlinked. Remove one and the other crumbles. It crumbles either in the putrid hands of commerce or suffocates. There is some truth to this statement. But the real truth is that most black metal music is garbage expect for that which is totally true and passionate in it's ideology or music creation. (ex: Emperor's demo, decent song writing, horrible playing skills, and horrrible production, yet awesome because the music's ideology and emotion are authentic.) Then, there is true muscianship, creativity, idealogy and emotion that the black metal genre has produced and that is music like Ved Buens Ende's "Written in Waters" Again this applies to all type of metal, not just black metal. Weed out the garbage....raise metal's stature and present its ideaology and creativity, technical music properly. You mentioned sepultura as one of you recognised bands. But what drove Max Cavalera to write such brutal music? I say it was his fascistic love for his ancestry, his hate towards christian aliens and government induced poverty. Sepultura greatest release "ARISE" was centerened around the music, when max began centering on political and religious issues in Chaos AD and further next CD, in whatever that CD was called, that is when the music begain going down hill. Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 From: "The UnBulova Ripoff" Subject: What IS the REAL Black Metal?! Hails and kills! I'm glad to see people having a useless debate about what black metal is -- what religious doctrines it contains, what sort of music it embodies, who should listen to it, bla bla bla -- without looking at the bigger picture. The argument about black metal should not be about what it IS, but what it has BECOME. Personally, the fact that Cradle of Filth signed to Sony Music should be a wake-up call to BM fans everywhere. I'm not going to go CoF-bashing, but the only reason Sony signed them to a contract is because the band is based on an over-the-top image. Indeed, I've listened to quite a few BM bands that played NOTHING that could be considered good music (or, in some cases, mediocre music), and some of these band members were going under grand titles like "Shub-Megawrath, Infernal Discourse of The Gurgling Catacombs of Hell" or "Hel Bunbun, Infernal Palpitations of The Dark Majesty of The Anti-Christ" and playing music that kids on xylophones could master. Their very existence was based on image, and not music. This, of course, is what major labels crave, since that point has been driven home by every third-wave rap-metal reject so loved by MuchLoud and alternative radio stations today. Indeed, there seemed to be a glut of bad BM releases in 1999 and 2000, and I fear that the floodgates will open yet again for the genre, when trendy Edge 102 listeners (yes, a CoF song made its way to the Edge TV channel, fuck knows why) parrot CoF as the next Nirvana. Did these bands have any talent? Few did. Did these bands dress up in Corpse Paint, look like Goth Talk rejects and wear outfits that harken back to Ye Olde Days of Spinale Tap/Kinge Diamonde? Yes, they did. Did they add ANYTHING to the genre? No. They were simply there to fill an envelope, like the DM bands of the mid-90's, the pop-metal bands of the late 80's to early 90's, and the rap-metal/nü-metal bands of today. Unfortunately, they saturated the market for black metal, causing the genre to become what it is today. Bands like Celtic Frost, Mayhem, Marduk, and Darkthrone COULDN'T be the forefathers of bands like Hecate Enthroned or Misteltein -- the styles are too different. Of course, what do you call "TRUE" black metal? I have an idea -- call it something like Hate Metal or lump it in with the "extreme metal" tag. Yes, I know, I'm one of the stereotypical "TRUE" BM fans, but as a genre, Black Metal will forever be soiled by the glut of genre-fillers that brought it down as a whole. In my opinion, true BM bands know the history and forefathers of their genre -- after all, bands like Sodom, Venom and King Diamond are readily bandied about as influences of these bands. The best BM bands know this, and will still be performing their music long after the glut of copycats fade into the obscurity they so deserve. Feel free to send me hate-mail telling me how wrong I am! CAMERON ARCHER http://www.internettrash.com/users/theepisodes/ Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 From: "___ ___" Subject: Suggestion Dear fan of metal, I'm approaching you as a fan of the music you promote with your website. I enjoy the contents you have. However there's something more I'd like to see featured at your website: tracked metal music. That may not say anything to you so to see what I mean please visit www.metalscene.cjb.net . This site is a forum for many talented metal musicians who don't get the appreciation they deserve. These people provide great metal music for the underground scene and it's free for everyone to download. I'm sure any metal fan would enjoy free metal music so maybe you would be interested to perhaps write an article about the tracked metal scene or even better: review some of the best works of these musicians? Thank you in advance! -Antti Ojala Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 From: Robert Dulaney Subject: A little fact Hey I just stumbled on your site. I know it's been a while since his letter but someone should let Steven know that Exorcist was essentially a Virgin Steele side project which would explain the similarities. Although it doesn't let DeFeis off the hook for trying to cover it up and pretend it was a newer song. RoB =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __ \ | | | | _ \ _` | _` | | | | | | __/ ( | ( | | | | ____/ \___|\__,_|\__,_|_|\__, | ____/ __ \ _) | | | | _` | | _ \ _` | | | _ \ __| | | | ( | | ( | ( | | | __/\__ \ ____/ _|\__,_|_|\___/ \__, |\__,_|\___|____/ |___/ T H E K I N G A N D I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC's resident motor mouth Adrian Bromley talks to metal music's motor mouth King Diamond by: Adrian Bromley Okay, King Diamond fans -- get ready to do your homework and some fact checking... Abigail is back in the spotlight. Yes, you heard me true, music fans: King Diamond has resurrected the story of Abigail in the much-anticipated new album _Abigail 2: The Revenge_ (out January 28th in Europe, January 29th in North America). When King Diamond's master ghostly epic _Abigail_ was released in 1987, metal music fans were scared out of their minds, but at the same time fell in love with the ghastly tale of possession, murder and mayhem. To this day, King Diamond's album is still a classic amongst metal fans worldwide, a concept record that proves that storytelling is indeed a powerful thing. As the call goes out to King Diamond, yours truly can only fathom how hard it must have been for King Diamond to go back in time and rediscover what magic he had brought to the original Abigail story and where he could take it from there. But don't fret, my metal friends -- although _Abigail 2: The Revenge_ could have turned into a horribly assembled sequel spurned forth by money and record sales, King Diamond instead delivers a remarkable storyline that captivates the listener, as well as one of his most potent and chilling performances ever. Ooh, revenge has never been sweeter! About doing the sequel to _Abigail_, he starts: "When we were on tour about three years ago, people were coming up to me and saying that it would be cool if I made another record like _Abigail_, and I was very against doing something like that, copying something that I had done before. I am always into finding room for progression with what I do with this band. I've never wanted to go back and re-do something. The great thing about how the first record left off was that there were a lot of things that you didn't know about the story, stuff that was never fully explained, and that has allowed me to go back and bring them into the spotlight. The setting is still the same and the two main characters are there -- that being Abigail and Jonathan --, so fans will know where they are and who is a part of the tale, just eighteen years later." "We had to be very careful with this album. I mean the scenarios were coming into place and I know what had to be done, but the time had to be right. When we recorded _Abigail_ the band was phenomenal. Over the years, it just didn't seem like the right time and place, or even the right musicians to get things going. But now it does. Three years ago, when the ideas formed about possibly doing this, it wasn't the right band. Now it is. The change in the line-up [which includes guitarists Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, bassist Hal Patino and drummer Matt Thompson -- Adrian] has had everything to do with going forth with this recording." "It is an amazing feeling knowing that we have someone like Matt [Thompson] in the band", says King Diamond of the drummer. "I have never been so excited about a drummer before. He has such an amazing skill level as a drummer, and he is exactly what we needed. He added this really special kind of complexity to the music, but at the same time brought back an older feel to the music. It is amazing what he brings to the band. Whatever Andy [LaRocque] or I came up with musically, he could play and bring a special style to. Neither of us could believe what we were hearing with his playing and it was reminding us of the old days, but still new and fresh. I even tried a few new voices to go along with these fresh ideas, styles of voices I had never done before. It really got me excited about this album and what we were bringing to it. This music captures the mood of the old time of King Diamond, but just a bit more complex." He continues about the line-up, "As well, getting Hal [Patino] back in the band was great. He played on the original _Abigail_ album. And Andy, he is so underrated as a guitar player. He is always doing stuff that impresses me and keeps me motivated in all of this. And lastly, getting Mike Wead to play alongside Andy? Wow! I couldn't have asked for anything better than that. Mike continues to blow my mind with his guitar work. It was great to have him join the band, and once he joined I knew we had a strong enough package to do _Abigail 2: The Revenge_. We all knew that now was the right time to do this. When the music was being recorded and I heard how it was going, it just gave me so much inspiration." "There are so many different vocal styles going on with this record, and I really had to concentrate to pull it all off successfully. I think I can say this for myself and the rest of the band, that this is the best album that King Diamond has ever done and the one project that I have been the most proud of. This is my best performance ever!" This was obviously a big task for King Diamond to undertake. Were there any doubts in King Diamond's mind going into the record that it couldn't be done, or once things started to roll did it just take off from there? "This record started out like any other King Diamond record. I started working on the demos in my own small home studio, and just got together the guitar tracks with a drum machine and some keyboard work and brought the ideas to the band so they could see what I was trying to bring out of the music. The demos contain no vocals or solos, just the music. So from there we started to write, and when we write as a band it can go anywhere, as long as the music is good. There are never any doubts that it can be done, or we are making a mistake. I knew the guys were able to make this a great recording experience because they are all so talented. We all were so focused and it just shows with the recording. This is the best album and it just feels so right." He adds, "The demos sounded pretty good, as demos would sound, but once we got into the studio and added vocals and more harmonies and beefed up the guitars, the music was just growing into something great. Again, as I have said already, this line-up made this record what it is." And the secret to making a concept record? I mean, King Diamond is the, er, king of concept albums... "There is a certain way of doing things once you put yourself to work on a concept record", says the singer. "I mean, I put myself through a meticulous process of assembling ideas. When you start off, you are usually thinking to yourself, "Man, how am I going to do all of this? Will it work?" Making a concept record just seems so vast and there is so much concentration involved in it. I remember being in Mercyful Fate and wanting to do a concept album, but it wasn't the right place or time to get into it. The music wasn't theatrical enough. I held onto the ideas, and when the first King Diamond album came out [1986's _Fatal Portrait_] we tied together five songs. It sounded cool -- not the best it could have been, but it was the start of something. When it came time to do _Abigail_ we just jumped right into it [a concept album]. It was a real challenge and very difficult, but the more hard work we put into it, the easier it all came together. When you go into a concept album, you pretty much have to know that all the songs have to work together. You can't omit the songs. Everything must be as one." "When I start making concept albums, I always make sure I know where the story is headed. I like to know the direction. I try to bring the theatrical element into the music as I am writing the lyrics as well. Later on, as the record comes into shape, the foundation of the album is there. From there, I already have my mini-story on the go and I just push the creativity a little further to match up the story and the music. The sequence of the songs is assembled at a very early stage, and from there I go into each song and finish off the stories, breaking them down into chapters and making sure they are all congruent. The end result, to me, has to come across as if I wrote the whole thing at the same time, while deep down inside I know I didn't. If you get the right story, the right music and the right flow of things, any concept record is possible." The topic shifts to the making of the album. "This record came together pretty much like every concept-like record I have done. We had the earlier music working as a foundation and then started to add guitars, and our new drummer Matt had a lot of ideas for this record. He went out of his way to create some over the top stuff and I loved all of it. I loved that shit! It really made me more excited about the way things were heading with _Abigail 2: The Revenge_. I was missing a lot of this older style of playing, a sense of really going out there with the music, and he brought it back, and that really pushed me to go further with my vocal styles too. Also in the studio, as expected, we have to work my voice around the guitar parts, everything from the simple riffs to Andy's killer guitar solos. About 70% of my vocal melodies that I had going in work, the rest I have to work around what the music has become. In the studio, I have to find the right voice to fit the music parts. When I was working on the demos, I just had a standard voice in mind, but with the music taking on such character, I needed to find the right voice to capture the emotion." "Some songs in the studio, I have to sing them all normal straight through just to find out what works and what doesn't, or where I will do the falsetto voice", he explains. "Then I make points on the lyric sheets where the falsetto or growl voices go and just have a good idea of what I am to bring to the songs. This allows me to help shape the rest of the material, knowing where my emotions are intensified and how they change. Creating harmonies of all types is a lot of hard work, but it makes you really become part of the music. A lot of this is planned beforehand, but it never fully works out once you hit the studio." As many of you will already know, King Diamond takes every inch of his music very seriously. From the lyrics to the harmonies and onto the atmosphere, he is a stickler when it comes to detail. Everything must just right. "I'll tell you something, Adrian", notes King Diamond. "When you are doing something very theatrical like the music that I do, you need to be as accurate as possible to have it come across as credible. There is a part in the new record where you hear a little girl, so we brought a six-year-old into the studio to play the part. She has to scream for her mom. Is there anything more haunting than that? Oh, yeah! That is so creepy. Instead of hearing me do it in some voice, getting the genuine thing just makes it even creepier when you hear it on record." I ask King Diamond about his career and the success that he has seen. What keeps him inspired and wanting to keep doing this? "I am so excited that I can keep doing this and I am so blown away that our fan base is still so solid after all of theses years", he answers. "I couldn't wish for better fans. They are so devoted. Plus we are getting a newer, younger fan base and that excites me even moreso. It is great to be able to play all of our songs, from past and present, and see people just get so excited about them still." "I also love to be on stage. That is still my one true love", King Diamond reveals. "I love to be on stage, it is the touring that I don't like at all. Apart from the hour and a half on stage each night, I am not into touring at all. It sucks. No food. Bad food. No sleep. I don't party at all, because I have to be really responsible about my voice and giving my 100% on stage the next night. People expect you to be the best you can be on stage, and that means no partying, and I am fine with that. But as I said already, being on stage makes up for all the shit I put myself through touring." While on the topic of things he dislikes about his career, has King Diamond ever disliked any record(s) he has put out? "I like all of my records. I just think out of all of them, I was the most pleased with how this new one turned out, the line-up and just the overall satisfaction of knowing that I was able to write a great story. I look back at all my records and I know I put the best work I could do into each and every album. I look at an album like _The Spider's Lullabye_ [1995] and the drummer [Darrin Anthony] never really was at the level that we should have had for that record. He wasn't bad, he just didn't really do much with the music. He was also on _The Graveyard_ [1996] and his work sounded good, but that was also a record with a different mood and production work. I'm sure I could find little things about each and every record, but not this new one." One of my favourite King Diamond records is _Voodoo_ [1998]. I love it! I think that is a great record with a great storyline. "Yeah, that was a great record", responds King Diamond. "I think we were really able to get a strong story to go along with some killer music." Like all King Diamond records, they throw you into a scenario, but this one felt as if you were there. You could just feel the murkiness of the air. "Exactly", he says. "If you are so into trying to reach a certain level of authenticity with the story, you need to really put a lot of hard work into detail and whatever else you bring to the album. You have to really become close to the characters and where they live and what they do to make it come across as the real thing. You have to go all out. I know exactly what you mean by murkiness 'cause I feel it and people always tell me the same thing about _Voodoo_. Now the hairs on my arm are standing up. It just gets to show that all of this means so much to me that people get a lot out of what I do." The great thing about the release of _Abigail 2: The Revenge_ is that now fans of King Diamond's work can be a part of a unique experience. You can now play both records back to back and just take in the wonderful world of old and new. "I hope people will do that. I mean, they know the characters, it is just that this story has gone off into another direction of sorts. I think I was in the right frame of mind to leave this alone for a long time and only now, when everything was right, did I make the move and follow up _Abigail_ with a second part." In closing, King Diamond says: "I put a lot of hard work into this record. It really drained me. After we had finished up the record, I didn't even want to listen to it for a few weeks. I knew about all the stuff that went into it and I just needed a breather before I was to give it a strong listen at home and see what I had created..." So once you've had enough time away from the music, do you sit down in a huge reclining chair, put on the King Diamond makeup, grab a beer and blast the music? Laughing, King Diamond blurts out: "Oh, man that is funny." "You can hang up now if you like. I wouldn't blame you", I tell him regarding my comment. "No, no, that is okay, Adrian", he says with a slight chuckle. "I have heard some funny questions over the years, one popular one being, "Do you put on makeup when you wake up in the morning?" It never stops, but neither do I." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E H A N D O F D O O M ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride by: Adrian Bromley There are a lot of people in the metal music business who like to think of themselves as rock stars. My Dying Bride singer Aaron Stainthorpe isn't one of them; instead, Stainthorpe is a passionate musician who breathes life and emotion into his music, creating eloquent realms of love and darkness that cast their spells upon us as we listen to their music. The band's latest album on Peaceville Records, titled _The Dreadful Hours_ [CoC #55], is a masterpiece of mood and darkness, flanked by the band's love of depression and beauty. Continuing on where their last album _The Light at the End of the World_ [CoC #44] left off -- a return to their older form of death metal growls amidst depressing music passages --, _The Dreadful Hours_ sees the band expanding their work with enthusiasm and experimentation, but still remaining true to their roots. "I think _The Dreadful Hours_ is a nice mix of the experimentation that we used to do as a band and the sound that we brought out with the last record, a sort of returning to our roots album", starts the singer. "The old death metal vocals are here, things are faster and more aggressive, and we still have the slow, miserable sections too. We've also added some contemporary touches here and there to the music; that was done so that we could drag our music out of this medieval mire." "A couple of people who have already heard the new record are saying that it sounds a bit like _The Angel and the Dark River_ [CoC #8] and some parts from _34.788%... Complete_ [CoC #35]", explains Stainthorpe about the early reactions to the new MDB disc. "People are excited and it is a good compliment for us that people can still see that we are still sounding like MDB, as well as recognizing what we have done in the past in this new album as well." About the recording process involved for MDB -- the band is comprised of bassist Ade Jackson, guitarists Andrew Craighan and Hamish Glencross, drummer Shaun Steels and keyboardist Yasmin Ahmid -- the singer reveals: "We just try everything when it comes to studio work and trying new ideas and sounds for the band. The things that don't work get tossed out. We all pretty much think in the same terms musically -- I mean no one is going to throw in a Beach Boys riff or something like that. We aren't that radical when it comes to changing our music. We know what we can do and get away with. We know how far we can push the boundaries for MDB. We just jam a lot, and out of that mess and spontaneity comes the music. Things will start to take form and we'll see songs start to take form and we work on those. We are all democratic about how the songs are to come together. We don't sit down with a blank sheet and say the song has to be nine minutes long, fast here, slow here. Once we strike the first note of a song, we don't know where the music will take us. It could be fifteen minutes long, three minutes long, fast or more aggressive. We just don't plan it." And I guess if you did plan it all out, the impact of MDB's music would be less effective then? "Possibly. I think if you have a structure written down for people to look at when writing music, then you are really going to constrain yourself. If you have a structure and someone has an idea and it doesn't fit into that agenda, the idea gets lost. We don't bother with guidelines. They're stupid." After so many years of creating music with MDB, what inspires the band after more than a decade to continue doing this? What inspires Stainthorpe? "I have no idea, really. That is one of the greatest questions I always get asked. This is a struggle to be honest", he admits. "We have never had a manager, so we have always done things ourselves. We have seen the business side of things, as well as the fan side of things. We have a really broad perspective of how things are. And besides the fact that we are a big band in this genre of music, we are still nobodies in the scene of music. Being a band in the underground and with a cult following doesn't really amount to big bucks. Everyone in the band has jobs. That is how we make our living. The money we get from the band is really pocket money. Maybe Andy will buy new guitars with what we make. We don't flick any of our money away. The small amount of money that we do get back, we put back into the band and to buy new equipment. We invest it into things that will no doubt help the band out as we continue to create music. We might buy a new game for our computer or something like that, but we have never had the money to buy a new car or something crazy like that. This is underground music and if you got into this to make money, you have completely taken the wrong path." "We have been at this for eleven years now and that is because we enjoy what we do", he says. "We would have given up years ago if it had been about the money. I think that is why a lot of bands give up, because they assume that because they are in a band, toured the world and sold records, that they should be rich. It doesn't work like that. We have never thought that. We were fans of Celtic Frost and Candlemass when we started off and we knew they weren't rich, so we had no illusions when we first started off. We just thought it would be brilliant to put out one CD. We have just been excited that each year or so that we can put out a great sounding record. That kind of thinking just pushes us a long each new album. We have never imagined being signed to a major or rolling around in money because this is underground noisy music and it is hard to sell." So why have fans latched onto MDB over the years? "I think it must be something like a soap opera on TV", he responds. "I think some people will leave us for a year or two and come back an realize that nothing much has changed. Other people might leave it for a month or two and think loads of things have changed with us. People change all the time. Most of our early fans are probably married with children by now and they aren't into diving off stages anymore. When we first started off, people were so excited about what we were doing. Fans come and go all the time and we aren't any different. Christ, I haven't bought a Candlemass record in god knows how many years and that is because I have no interest in what they are doing right now. I just don't feel like buying their records. And our fans are like that too. We aren't out to win our old fans back with each new album. Every band, no matter how dedicated your fans are, you'll lose fans with each new album but you'll gain some as well. It is great to see younger faces at shows now, new fans that are just getting into our music. Every album you put out is hit-and-miss with your fans." About the makeup of the new disc and how it came out, Stainthorpe comments: "I am still very much into what we did with the last record and I thought for sure that _The Dreadful Hours_ was going to become "The Light at the End of the World Part II". I don't think I have changed very much with my style of writing since that album and I wasn't sure of how things would end up. I had a blurred vision of how things were going to be, but not totally sure of the end results. I think the rest of the guys in the band were unaware of how this record would be. I think this record has turned out better than I had expected because there are certain elements that weren't on the last record that are on this record. Those new ideas have listed this album a bit higher than _The Light at the End of the World_ and for me, it makes me feel good. It also makes the rest of the band feel good, and you can see the smiles on their faces, regardless of this being miserable music. We are really happy that we created this album." And knowing quite well that the music of the band is very personal to them, so are the ideas behind songs. The singer explains to CoC the ideas and emotions that influenced the music on _The Dreadful Hours_, whether they are inspired by worldly or personal events in his life. "It is a bit of both, really. Generally, if I include something of a personal nature, I try to disguise it a bit more", he offers up about the songwriting. "I don't mind certain people knowing certain parts of my private life. But if I am going to give over some of my inner feelings, I am going to cloak them and make the lyrics more surreal. I don't mind sharing things, but I am not going to open myself up to everybody. If I am inspired by a book or something, which will be quite obvious in the lyrics and will allow them to follow the story I am telling. Influences for songs come from everywhere for me: books, film and stories that people have told me. Songs on any MDB record, the ones where people can't seem to get their heads around and understand, those are the ones that have a bit more of a personal touch to them." What does Stainthorpe get out of a good MDB song or album? How does it make him feel? "It feels good, but even though I am not a perfectionist, I always see room for improvement. Because we've built these songs from scratch, nurtured each riff, note and lyric and even the artwork, we see our creations from the inside. We have brought these things up from tiny little atoms to the behemoths that they have become. We can't see the music of MDB as outsiders do. It takes interviews like this or talking with fans to really grasp what we have done. I have interviewers telling me they like this song because of a certain riff, and I think to myself, "that wasn't the original idea, but it worked!" I have an idea and vision, and when I hear what other people say, I think it blends quite well with what we have done. We are on the inside looking out, while everyone is on the outside looking in." In today's music scene, where there are almost as many genre terms as there are bands, does Aaron see MDB as a different band compared to others in the music scene? "I think we are different", he begins. "When we started out, all of these music journalists had a hell of a time describing what we were doing. They strung together all of these words like doom, gothic, blah, blah, blah, and ended it with the word metal. It was great, because it meant that people couldn't pigeonhole MDB that easily. Now when people describe MDB, they only have to use the name and people who are aware of us know what to expect. I have seen MDB's name pop up in other bands' reviews now, and that is good, because it gives you a certain viewpoint to start off with the band's music. It is great to know that "My Dying Bride" is almost a phrase to describe a certain style of music. It is great to see how it has become for us, but it was quite funny how people were so confused with what our band was doing musically." The topic turns to the mood of the band. For those of you out there who have followed the band for years, you know all too well that the mood of MDB is unmatched by other metal acts. The doomy, gloom-like state of emotions that cloak each release is intense and beguiling. I ask Stainthorpe about how the band captures that mood in the studio. It must be difficult, right? "We really try to get into the mood. I really try to get into the mood, because when I write the lyrics I don't write them half-heartedly. I really try to get into the mood of things", Stainthorpe notes. "I try to dig inside myself and try to find this really dark, miserable force. I only write the lyrics when I feel miserably low. You can't write lyrics like this when it is a hot, sunny day. It just doesn't work." "When I take the lyrics into the rehearsal room, which is pretty dim because there is only one light, I really try to get into the mood and so does the band. When we get into the studio we have a good laugh and drink cups of tea, which is a typical English thing to do -- forget that rock 'n' roll Jack Daniels shit. We have a level head. When the riffs start to come together it begins to get serious. Sure, if someone plays a bum note we all laugh at each other, or if I forget lyrics the laughs come out and the amusing moments come out, but we try and keep it fairly professional. It can get carried away pretty quick in the studio if you start messing around. We have been at this for a long time now and it is quite easy for us to slip into these dark and doomy riffs. It comes quite natural to us." Did you ever think it would last this long? "Not really. We were just so excited to put out our first demo. Then we set a goal to tour Europe and we did that. Every goal that we have every set out for MDB over the years has been achieved. We don't really have goals anymore and that has made us perfectly happy with what we are doing." He ends, "You can't be into this music business for anything else than happiness for what you do musically. We can't be in it for the chicks, because we never tour. We don't make mega bucks, so we aren't in it for the money. We are in this because we enjoy it. It is that simple." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= N A Z A R E N E S A R E N ' T T H E O N L Y F I E N D S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Mika Luttinen from Impaled Nazarene by: Paul Schwarz I must confess, I have never been the most avid fan of Impaled Nazarene. And yet, ever since I was first exposed to them, they've stood out in my mind as individual: separated from any specific pack by something -- something hard to pin down and articulate. Impaled Nazarene are about the only band who have seemed to me like an utterly absurd yet somehow vitally necessary element of the extreme music scene in the Nineties, ever since I first heard of them back in 1996 when I was exposed to "Karmakeddon Warriors" -- from that year's _Latex Cult_ [CoC #10] album -- via 'Into the Pit' -- a half-hour of extreme metal music videos that used to follow Headbangers Ball on MTV Europe in better days. Back then, the raw-as-fuck white-noise of the 'nuclear punk' sound they were sporting at the time confused and amused me almost as much as the visuals of the song's video: a group of mad, mad Finns rocking out like lunatics while their singer pulled plastic sheeting over his face. And yet still, a seemingly indelible impression was left that just wouldn't shift -- even though it never prompted me to look deep into Impaled Nazarene's back-catalogue. The first Impaled Nazarene album I eventually checked out was _Rapture_ [CoC #32], but it left me cold -- and put me off concerning myself much more with Impaled Nazarene's music. Though I accept that that was a mistake, even today I haven't -bought- a single Impaled Nazarene album. However, I would still maintain there is something special and confusingly essential about the band. We need them. Not 'cause they are just some fun band, yet also not, in my opinion, because they are an amazing band. On one level, Impaled Nazarene are just a sterling example of doing what you want without stopping to consider -- or, for that matter, -care- -- what the consequences might be; however different Impaled Nazarene may have sounded on the surface of things on their different releases, on a more intangible -- maybe a 'deeper' -- level, each album caries their distinctive trademark. Today, Impaled Nazarene's attack takes the sonic form of what could crudely be described as a benzedrine-fueled combination of thrash metal and Iron Maiden. 2000's _Nihil_ [CoC #47] marked the beginning of this sound: a firm departure from their trip down the 'bad sound = good music' road which led to a dead end with _Rapture_. The change in direction was facilitated by then-lead guitarist Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom), and his influence stuck with the band in the form of a drive to become a more formidable, powerful group of musicians. Sonically, last year's _Absence of War Does Not Mean Peace_ proved that hard work pays off. _AoWDMP_ also gave the impression that a tight, fiercely-competent musical outfit was behind its creation -- which suggests that upcoming live shows should be much more worth witnessing than was their 1998 performance at the Milwaukee MetalFest [CoC #33]. After talking with Mika Luttinen as part of _AoWDMP_'s promotion, I finally realised what single thing Impaled Nazarene embody and epitomise that makes them such an individual, essential part of the Nineties extreme metal scene, in my eyes. Impaled Nazarene wear that attitude articulated by Overkill on their sleeves: "We don't care what you say... fuck you!" Mika Luttinen, the only surviving original member of the band, is forthright in his opinions -- whether about Impaled Nazarene, the metal scene, or events in the world -- yet he is not deluded. He implicitly recognises that in the big scheme of things Impaled Nazarene are just a small part of a huge, burgeoning scene. But he doesn't concern himself with such matters. He concerns himself with his band, with doing the best he and they can do in making music that they want to make, the way that they want to make it. Though on the surface Impaled Nazarene seem larger than life, this is all part of a form of presentation essential to rock music, as far as Mika is concerned. Impaled Nazarene don't believe their own hype, but they are a band who are unfalteringly confident with making music the way that they want to. When you come right down to it, Impaled Nazarene are bereft of pretension, as honest as they come. Love 'em or hate 'em, you can't really deny that they've earned an entry in the annals of extreme music -- even if that entry should just read: "fuck off and die!". I hope this interview with Mika Luttinen will interest both long-term fans and those as yet unexposed to Impaled Nazarene. Enjoy yourselves, and remember that I have, as always, tried to preserve as much of the original integrity of the conversation of which this a transcription as possible. Also worth bearing in mind is that this interview was conducted in mid-October. CoC: The new Impaled Nazarene album, _Absence of War Does Not Mean Peace_: I recall getting the press release [announcing that the above would be the title of the forthcoming Impaled Nazarene album] ages ago, so I guess the title of the album had nothing (directly) to do with where the world currently is... Mika Luttinen: Uh, no, but we kind of hit the jackpot with this one, didn't we? CoC: In a good way, or in a bad way? I was gonna ask you how you feel about being kind of plunged into... ML: ...I don't personally care, it just proves that I was once again right. CoC: ML: And especially the song "Absence of War" itself. It was like, on BBC World there was this interview with one of these fundamentalist leaders of the Islam -- I think it was in May this year. I saw this interview where this guy just said like: "One day the whole world is going to obey Allah." That: "We are going to take over and there is nothing you guys can do about it, and those who disobey, we will kill them." And when I saw that damn interview, afterwards I was thinking like: who the fuck [do] these people actually think they are? Do they seriously believe that people will give up, you know, without a fight, that we will just surrender without a fight? Like, hello, wake up: there will be lots of people that will be fighting back and well, what d'you know? I kind of like... when that thing happened [the destruction of the World Trade Center -- Paul] it was a total disbelief for me. I mean, I just couldn't fucking believe what was going on. I woke up because I had been working and there was a message on my mobile phone from our soundman which said: open the fucking TV, you are not going to believe your eyes! And I opened the TV and I was like: what the hell is this, the Independence Day II trailer on the TV, or what? CoC: Fuckin' right. I actually got in on the plane the day that that happened. I had a feeling of disbelief at first. ML: Absolutely. And I mean, what kind of sick mind must be behind, to create that kind of plan? CoC: Exactly, especially because it's not... there's not even anything very symbolic in it: it's all about killing civilians, it's not about property and it's not about, like, government-type military stuff. ML: Yeah, and the World Trade Center was lots of peoples from different countries. I mean, it wasn't like that it's some kind of US corporation's headquarters, so it didn't make any sense... so, I kind of like... when I looked at my lyrics and I was seeing that I was like: okay. CoC: Premonition. ML: Yeah. CoC: Was the beginning of "Stratagem" [_AoWDNMP_'s first track, a synthesiser-led intro] intended to have this sort of vaguely middle-eastern tint? ML: Yeah, it's on purpose. It's kind of like [an] intro toe th "Absence of War" and because that song is very, very. anti-Islamic So, we wanted to have this kind of intro that would. give, kind of indication what's to come. CoC: So is that one bit of the album but not all of it? I mean, it's not an entirely anti-Islamic album. Is it just the "Absence of War" song? ML: It's that song, yes, and then you have -- let's say -- the typical anti-Christian songs like "The Lost Art of Goat Sacrificing". CoC: I was gonna say: what is the whole Impaled Nazarene 'goat motif' about? You have _Goat Perversion_, you have "The Lost Art of Goat Sacrificing"... ML: Well, it's been just like... From the very beginning it was that goats -had- to be there. I don't really know, I haven't really -analysed- it: why we have it. But, it's something that just needs to be there. You cannot have an Impaled album without the goat. CoC: "The Goat" in the sense of "Satan" or just "the goat"? ML: It's... it's... I don't know, it's... -- what' the English word? -- it's a... CoC: Trademark? ML: It's a trademark, yes, exactly. CoC: Alright: the goat thing is the kind of thing that, you know, gets people's hackles up -- maybe not people in the metal scene, but people outside it. If you had an album called _Goat Perversion_ -- instead of just a 7" -- that would get people, sort of, raised up. A lot Impaled Nazarene, in promotion and in some of the stuff you say is things like that. Like, one of the "cutlines" for this album is: Satan Wants You Dead! [the title of a song on _AoWDNMP_]. I'm just curious how much this is kind of making the band over the top to a purpose, or whether you're vaguely serious about it in any way? ML: Well, it's let's say 50/50. I mean, fifty percent of it is just a pure rock 'n' roll game. That needs to have that; rock 'n' rollers always have catch-phrases and shit like this. But on the other hand, it also kind of sums up what we pretty much think of this world. And it's of course... I mean, we don't... We are not Satan worshippers or anything like this, but I just used the Satan lot as a metaphor, because it's a strong word and it still raises... You know, people are like: huh, what the hell is this guy saying?! CoC: Exactly, yeah, and it catches your eye as well. ML: Yeah, absolutely. CoC: In the rock sense. Would you ascribe any particular political or religious position to the band, or would you just say you kind of avoid terms like "anarchist" or "atheist"? ML: Well, we... Well, I call myself "nihilist". I mean, I'm pretty... CoC: In the Nietzschean sense? [I'm not sure if Mika heard this question at this juncture. -- Paul] ML: I mean, I used to be... I mean, I used to study occult and all that shit, but it absolutely gave nothing to me in the end. I think I was like twenty-six or something when I kind of like realised that: I am gaining absolutely nothing from this; I am just fucking losing money on this! So, for me lots of this occult shit is pretty much the same as some kind of Christian idea: it's just believing in something stupid that doesn't exist. I mean, at least to me it didn't give anything, so I became very cynical about lots of things. And so, what I believe in is that, well, I know for a fact that one day I'm going to die. And so, it's the only certain thing in life. CoC: But you didn't move from, like, occultism into, say, philosophy, or anything like that? ML: No. CoC: Right, so the nihilism thing isn't the true Nietzschean sense of nihilism? ML: No, not really. I mean, I agree [with] some of it, yes, but not like I can say that I follow it. I just call myself nihilist because I don't really believe in nothing. CoC: Right, I see what you mean: you don't believe in any particular values or a particular set of rules...? ML: No, well, uh... actually, I'm lying to you, because I do believe in alcohol and I do believe in the power of the pussy, so... CoC: Excellent! And possibly that huge combat knife you're sporting rather fashionably on the back of the album cover. ML: Well at least it will give you street credibility, doesn't it? CoC: I've gotta say, man: really, really fucking good pictures you've got done. Did you get them digitally edited or something? ML: Yeah, it was taken with the digital camera and I just added some light in the end. It came, actually, up because we were always unhappy with our pictures but we never got any kind of budget from Osmose. And they were always saying: your pictures suck. And we said that of course they suck because we are just giving our cameras to a friend of ours. Like: okay, we are standing here, just start taking the pictures. So we said this time that we really want to use a good photographer and got in touch with this guy who got his prize and just said to Osmose that we are going to do it and they said: okay. And when they saw the pictures they were like: okay, this looks really great! CoC: I think it definitely brings out the whole beer-swilling, middle-finger-up kind of thing. ML: Yeah, well, that photograph basically just sums up the whole spirit of the band. I mean, you have the beer bottle and knife and it's... I mean it looks [like] a bunch of lunatics who have just escaped from the mental house. CoC: Exactly, escaped from the mental house, headed straight down the bar... ML: Abso... absolutely. CoC: ...and now they're coming for you. It's kinda cool, though, because just the way that picture has got a new sheen to it, the sound you've got on the album is very clear. I mean, it's still very powerful, but you've really moved on in a very odd sort of leaping forward, leaping back, leaping forward again [way]. When you started with _Tol Compt Norz Norz Norz_ it was all kind of really distorted and sounded like it was probably recorded on tape and things. And you kind of moved away from that a bit by the time you got to _Suomi Finland Perkele_. Then there was _Latex Cult_ and then _Rapture_. And then recently with _Nihil_ and _AoWDNMP_ you've sort of gained a melodic angle, a more concertedly -metal- sound in a lot of ways. I'm just wondering how you brought Impaled Nazarene to this point. ML: It's kind of like -- especially with _Latex Cult_ and _Rapture_ -- I mean, of course we were happy at that time when they were being recorded, but if I look back over our back-catalogue it's easy to say that _Rapture_, especially, is the weakest link of the whole thing. CoC: I agree. ML: The songs are not really that good and the actual production is absolutely horrible. And when we did it, of course, it sounded good, but if you play it after this album it's like: what fucking demo tape is this? It's like a demo production. CoC: It's funny, because I get the impression that maybe you realised on _Rapture_ that, kind of like, not having a good sound didn't work because, _Latex Cult_ -- and _TCNNN_, which is probably the shittiest sounding album -- they actually kind of work. There's something about them that works. ML: I think that's true. CoC: Whereas with _Rapture_ it kind of lost it, you know what I mean? ML: Yeah, absolutely: I think the production killed lots of the power on that record. And then, when we started doing _Nihil_ and when we started writing these songs we had added finally the lead guitarist [Alex Laiho, at that point -- Paul] to the band. And so it was clear that now that we had finally two guitar players that we kind of like wanted to get away from that punky kind of writing style and started just wanting to get more back to the metal feeling. And with _Nihil_ it was still... the thing was that it was personally, for me, a really dark period of time which I think you can see on my lyrics. But this new album, when we started writing this -- it was summer 2000, basically, when we started writing the material for this one -- and we just didn't set any limits to ourselves. We said: let's just write whatever comes up, and let's see that if it still sounds Impaled; let's keep it, and let's just do what the fuck we have been doing. And that's what we did and, especially our drummer came up with, like, the song "The Lost Art of Goat Sacrificing", "Never Forgive", "Via Dolorosa": these are his tracks and he's studying music at the university, in Helsinki. So I think it's a lot to do with the fact that he has also been studying music and he has become a much better musician so that he can actually understand core melodies and stuff like this. And we rehearsed like hell for this album; we have never been rehearsing so much. So, I think it shows and it paid off in the end, definitely. CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean it's like: in a sense Impaled Nazarene is the kind of band you wouldn't... I mean the impression that you gave, especially around the time of _Latex Cult_ and the kind of impression people got of you from then... You know, from, sort of, _SFP_, more or less, you've started to gradually gain more and more of a profile but the impression people got of you is of a band, almost, that doesn't practice. You know what I mean? The sloppiness [was] almost inherent. But, I think what you say about the way you wrote this album naturally really comes out but at the same time it's like an album written naturally by people that can play better. So if you were just coming out with ideas, you'd just come out with better ideas and better arrangements. ML: Yeah, absolutely, and I think lots of thanks go to Alexi Laiho who played on _Nihil_, because he's so -damn-, -fucking-, -good- guitar player. So that was the moment when the rest of us had to start practising as well. I mean, that we could keep up with him at least on some level; of course, it will be impossible to reach -his- level, for us. But still it was kick in the ass like: OK, that guy is so damn good that we have to at least -try- to get better. And so it was a good thing that we had him in the band. I think it was the kick in the ass that we needed. CoC: Yeah, totally. It really beefed up the sound, I thought, having all the melodies in it, 'cause I think with a lot of bands there is only a certain place you can get to without varying the formula a bit. And what's interesting is that this album does sound very distinct, but to me it still sounds like Impaled Nazarene. I mean, to you, what binds together Impaled Nazarene all the way from _TCNNN_ all the way to now? I mean, there's quite a lot of sound shift, and there's quite a lot of, like, members coming and going and things... ML: Well, I think the main importance is the fact that we know how we must sound; that if your band name is Impaled Nazarene, it means that when you hear the band name, you know that it's going to be brutal music. It's not going to be some Bon Jovi shit or whatever. And so, of course there has been line-up changes -- people leaving or people being kicked out of the band for whatever reasons -- but we have always managed to find people who replace these people who went away that we all share the same influences. In the long-run it's been always people who were definitely into Venom, into Sodom, Kreator... We all grew up with this Eighties thrash metal shit and that, I think, still shows in our music, definitely. CoC: So it's people you could almost mould to the Impaled Nazarene 'idea'? ML: But I hope that this line-up will last now because I think that we are starting to run out of the members who are influenced by all these bands. I mean, it's kind of hard to find, nowadays, people, you know: the younger people have grown up with the fucking Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, this symphonic black metal stuff. So, these are persons that definitely don't want to play Impaled kind of music. CoC: Right, right, right. I mean, it's funny as well because originally Impaled Nazarene was like the black metal band who certain people didn't wanna call a black metal band. I suppose most of them would be some of the people in the Norwegian scene, although not all of them: I remember Impaled Nazarene being surprisingly accepted but I think because you sounded -- for want of a better word -- pretty fucking necro. But it's funny 'cause now black metal has gone so many different ways and Impaled Nazarene are more Impaled Nazarene than anything else, if you know what I mean, which is a good thing. ML: Ja... CoC: Would you say you try, or try not to, associate yourself with that, sort of, 'tag' and that, sort of, 'scene', if that scene even exists? ML: Well, I don't actually think that exists anymore. I mean, it was in the beginning of the Nineties and we were part of that at that time but, you know, then it became so huge trend and... But, if you look at it, most of these bands have either changed into completely different directions, or then they have split up -- and we are still here. So I feel that we are doing something right here. And there is one band that I look up to completely and that's Motorhead, of course, because this is a band that has proven, at least to me, that you can do your own thing. And there's been times when they have been selling like hell, there have been times when their sales have been a bit lower, but have they given up? No, absolutely not. They have been continuing doing the records, they have been touring, they have done their own shit, and it earns them, in the long-run, the respect they deserve. CoC: Motorhead: they're just that special band where even though some of their songs seem -- when you kind of try and analyse it too much -- to sound the same, every song is great when they play it. All the old stuff is great. And when you go and see Motorhead live it's that thing where they come on stage, the show begins, and three seconds after they take the stage, Lemmy just goes: we're Motorhead, and we're gonna kick your ass! ML: Yeah, exactly. CoC: And every time you know that he's going to be right. ML: Yeah, absolutely. CoC: It's that Motorhead vibe. It's weird though, 'cause a band like Motorhead -- and even a band like Venom -- in their day, made a lot more money and sold a lot more records than Impaled Nazarene and black metal bands did. Do you think the spirit is the same even though the actual amount of commercial success is completely different? ML: Yeah, I think so. I mean, of course you must also remember that when the bands like Motorhead started they were one of the, basically -the- forefathers of the whole movement. So, of course, it was easier for them to break commercially. But, I mean, when we started it already started to be fucking hundreds or thousands of bands and shitloads of little record companies and of course when there is too much product on the market it's going to eat from everybody, from everybody's sales it's going to affect. CoC: Absolutely. ML: And things have changed also, you know: everybody is burning CD-Rs and shit, at home. And so we cannot estimate how much we actually sell because how many illegal copies are there? CoC: How much would you say the CD-R burning thing bugs you personally considering that when you guys started there was a big tape-trading network and that was a big thing as well? ML: Yeah, but the tape-trading was still different, you know: with these computers you can do even the covers and stuff. CoC: Yeah, totally, but I would still contend that at the moment the actual market for people buying burnt CDs is small. So it's still a case of home copying. The difference might be whether people bother to buy the albums now, but I don't know. Personally, I do feel that what Osmose has done with their CDs in making them non-computer-readable -- you know about this, right? ML: I don't... They have done this, or not? CoC: Yeah, they have done it. They've been doing it since about June when the Absu album came out. ML: Well, it's about time, if you ask me. CoC: On one level I can agree with you in the sense that it can take money away from bands, but what I've found in my experience is that people -- like in my case, for example -- whether it be taping albums or copying them, if I actually like the album... ML: ...You'll go out and buy it, yes. CoC: And the amount of people you can expose to a form of music by distributing it I think generally tends to increase bands' profiles rather than lower them. So I think it's one of those weird things where it's really difficult for a record company to tell -- or difficult for a band to tell. The problem is that in the end it all looks like lost sales. And I agree with you that you can't tell how many you sell, but you also maybe can't tell how many more you might not have sold if people hadn't been able to trade with each other. ML: No, well... You have a valid point, I must say. CoC: You were saying earlier about worshipping beer and pussy and things. And in the back of the album cover, and just generally, there's this sort of ethos, this continuous thing with Impaled Nazarene with having beers and middle fingers. Is that just directly from the Motorhead ethos or is that even further back, like punk? ML: No, it's not really a punk thing. I mean, it's always been, I think, our attitude from the very beginning -- even if in the very beginning it was more like the Satanic kind of shit. But even still we were showing the middle fingers on the photos, and it's basically the "fuck off and die!" attitude. This is a band that doesn't give a fuck about anybody else because we have been doing our own shit. And we have been ripped off, lots of people have been talking shit of us, but in the end you ignore it, and you just say: "Fuck off and die!" And that's something that I just understood: because I was going through all our CDs, I understood that we haven't done a song called "Fuck Off and Die!". So we are going to rectify this situation. We are going to do a 7" EP, probably recorded in January. The EP is called _Fuck Off and Die!_. There will be a song called "Fuck Off and Die!" which will be our original song, and then we are covering on the flipside the Voivod "Fuck Off and Die!", then we are doing the Broken Bones' "Fuck Off and Die!". We haven't [yet] chosen, 'cause there are shitloads of "Fuck Off and Die!" songs around. So, it will be like the ultimate statement from us. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E M E T A L M A C H I N E C A R R I E S O N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Tom Angelripper of Sodom by: Adrian Bromley In twenty years of existence, Sodom singer / bassist Tom Angelripper and his band have put out fifteen albums, toured the world and stayed true to their primary goal: play thrash metal music. And the tradition continues. It is no surprise that the band's latest album, titled _M-16_, is knee-deep in thrash metal speed and excellence, a strong record that many are heralding as one of the German band's best albums, right up there with 1986's _Obsessed by Cruelty_ and 1989's _Agent Orange_. While truly proud of _M-16_, Angelripper just sees it as a continuing stepping stone in their crusade for metal music. "When we started this band in 1981 I really wanted to play metal music for a long time, but I never imagined that it would have lasted this long. This is a real dream come true, especially now that I can live from making music. After the release of _Agent Orange_ we were able to go out and tour and party. We could record when we wanted to and just have fun. The energy and excitement that the fans provide us with also inspires us. It is a great feeling to play before people who love your music. I just can't believe it has been twenty years." "I'm 38 years old now and it has been such an amazing thing for myself to be doing this job for so long. It is indeed the best job that anyone could have. I used to work in a coal mine back in the early days and it was a tough job, but ever since _Agent Orange_ I have had to become a bit more professional and take this somewhat seriously if I want to make a living from our success as a band." And how do you feel about the prestige and respect that many fans and bands give to Sodom? Angelripper responds: "It makes me feel good knowing that a lot of these black and death metal bands were inspired by the old Sodom material. It makes me feel proud to know that even though bands like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir sell a lot more than Sodom in Germany, that our records still sell and our fans are still behind what we do. It makes me feel good knowing that people still believe in what we have brought and continue to bring to metal music." "When we started off in this music business, we never cared what other bands were doing, and we are still that way. A lot of bands come and go, with a lot of these bands signing contracts, making money, playing for two years and then disappearing. It has never been that way for Sodom. We believe in our music and what we do." "Back in the '80s a lot of the metal bands were like a big family. We all worked as a team and had a lot of fun", reveals the singer. "Nowadays there is so much going on in metal music, many new genres and just bands making music for money. It is too commercial now. In the early days I used to buy all of the bands' albums and keep up with them, but now there are so many bands coming out with mediocre music, and I don't want to spend money on crap." The topic shifts to the new album, _M-16_. A lot of people are assuming that by looking at the album title, the cover artwork (a Marine carrying a rotten corpse of a fallen companion and toting an M-16 rifle) and song titles ("Napalm in the Morning", "Among the Weirdcong" and "Marines") that the new record is a concept album about Vietnam. Well, according to Angelripper, it isn't. He explains the album. "A lot of people think this is a concept album about the Vietnam war, but it isn't. I am always writing lyrics about events that have occurred in the world and historic things that interest me. We traveled to Vietnam to get information about the place and talk to the people and just become influenced by what went on there and how things really are. We just used certain symbols of the Vietnam war to fuel some ideas. There are a lot of hidden messages on this album. This really is an anti-war album. We just used the artwork to shock people. This album is like "Apocalypse Now" or "Full Metal Jacket", two movies that were anti-war movies that wanted to show people what reality is like. People are comparing this to _Agent Orange_ as well because we used Vietnam themes there, but is has nothing to do with it. It is a new album, with fresh ideas and thoughts." He continues, "I look at great metal bands like Judas Priest and Saxon and read their lyrics, and I just can't write like that. I need to write about historical events and things that happened." It seems as though each new album by Sodom is like a new chapter for the band. "I think each album we do is different, in regards to the themes or the way it was produced, but the core sound of Sodom has never changed. I would never let it change", assures Angelripper. "We always make an effort to play thrash metal music and just do the best that we can. Our albums get better as the years go on and I think once you hear this record a few times you'll remember the songs (i.e. "Napalm in the Morning"). I think many of these songs will be classic Sodom songs in years to come." "This album isn't the heaviest record we have done, that would be _Masquerade in Blood_ (1995), but I think it is a solid one. Our line-up is solid and it just seems to be going good for us." While Sodom plans to head out on the road with Kreator and Destruction (an amazing bill of the three classic German thrash metal bands) in Europe, chances are very slim that such a tour will happen in North America. Though there have been rumours, according to Angelripper it most likely won't happen. "I know we are going to go out on tour for five weeks in Europe and then take a break and possibly head to South America and Asia, but so far no promoter in North America has decided to book this tour", he says. Really? This seems like a killer tour! Why not? "I really want to tour North America and have a huge tour, but I want to work with a promoter that is really serious about handling this tour and helping support us and to get us to play lots of shows. We played three years ago at the Milwaukee MetalFest and it was the first time we had ever played in the US. We got no support, no money. We only played for half an hour and we weren't even allowed to bring our own instruments. We had to go as tourists 'cause we couldn't get the papers in order. [MMF's] Jack Koshick is a really bad promoter. We are currently looking for a promoter to help us there. I am sure the fans liked the show, but we didn't have fun at all. We only had a backdrop with our name on it. We needed good instruments and Jack Koshick wouldn't even help us out. We got nothing. It was just a real nightmare for us. I hope in the future we can find a good promoter worthy of helping us out. When we came to play Milwaukee we had another show booked for Canada, but he [Koshick] told us he wanted us to come and play and go home. He didn't want us to tour. It was awful. He asked us to play March Metal Meltdown in New Jersey last year, but we said "No way!" Never again will we deal with him." He ends, "Next time we come and play North America we are going to do it right. We are going to show North American fans that Sodom plays real thrash metal and we do it all for the love of metal music." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B A C K F R O M H E L L ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Schmier of Destruction by: Adrian Bromley Not much has changed for Destruction ringleader/singer/bassist Schmier since I last spoke with him two years ago, when the classic German metal outfit released their much-anticipated comeback record _All Hell Breaks Loose_ on Nuclear Blast. Since that point in time the band toured non-stop in support of that record, played festivals and even found time to head back into e thstudio once again to rekindle the metal magic that had re-entered their lives -- a fire that had been dormant for more than a decade. Their new album, titled _The Antichrist_, finds Destruction tighter, faster and hungrier to spread the word of metal music. Schmier is excited to be back with a solid new disc and a fan base that has once again been rejuvenated. "I think our return to the metal scene was very important for metal. It seems almost impossible for a metal band to write their best album after almost a ten year absence, but we did", starts Schmier. "We needed to come back into the scene with a really strong record like _All Hell Breaks Loose_ and to show people that we weren't coming back for the hell of it. We came back showing people that we still love metal music. It was important to come back with a record like that and then go onto a disc like _The Antichrist_. The last record brought us back into the spotlight; the new one shows people that we are here for good." About the experience of having to come back into the grind of things as a band and the last recording experience, Schmier notes, "I think the last record was a learning experience, because it was somewhat new to us, to get back into the studio as a band and to find out how things were going to be. We knew the last one had weak production, but that was something we noted and made sure we focused on this time around. We knew what we had to tell Peter Tagtgren [who produced _All Hell Breaks Loose_ and the new one -- Adrian] to work on, and what needed to be omitted. He is a great producer and really made an effort to make us sound good." "On the last record, our guitarist Mike Sifringer was a little skeptical about the studio work at the beginning and how things would turn out, but it turned out great right after the first sessions. Peter was a great producer for us, because he just let the band be the band. We did what we wanted to do in the studio and he just gave us some great ideas and helped add to the sound. That is why we chose to work with him again on the new record. He knew we didn't want a typical death or black metal production sound, but rather a Destruction metal feel to it. He succeeded on the last record and the new one as well." "I am really excited about this record and the songs on it", he points out. "We toured for a year and a half for the last record and wrote a lot of the songs during the breaks on tour. Things were just flowing out of us and we had to capture them. We were back and we had to keep things going." He adds, "The good thing about what we were doing was that we weren't pressured by anyone to write this material or sound a certain way. There is a lot of pressure when it comes to making music, but it is something that every musician must face. Making music is like having sex. You get together, have fun and try new experiences. I think the best thing about all of this was that we didn't tour continuously for ten months and then come back and go into the studio and write. We were doing small tours, returning home and heading into the studio if we needed to. Had we toured for such a long period of time, we might have not wanted to create music at the rate we were doing. Having those stop-gaps to create was really cool to grow and try new things. In the future, we will for sure use this same formula to create music." It seems almost impossible for a band to fade away and come back after ten years and ignite such interest. "I know, I know", he agrees. "It was weird, but we felt it. We got together and just started to create music and play the old numbers and you could feel the fucking magic. I am a metal fan with taste I think and if I had started to see things turning out really shitty for Destruction, when we were recording the last album and coming back into the scene, I would have stopped it right then and there. I am a fan of good music and I wouldn't want shitty music bringing down the name of Destruction. I was pretty sure that this three-piece [at the time Destruction was rounded out by recently departed drummer Sven -- Adrian] would be able to make music and try new things, but still maintain that Destruction sound that metal fans have known and loved over the years. When we started off playing again at festivals, it was us against all the new heroes in metal and we had to prove ourselves. And we did. I was pretty excited when it all started to work for us and we were recording demos again. I knew that our music was sounding good, especially with early reactions from the label, the fans and the fanzines. It was great to have people excited about Destruction again." Is there a special way Destruction writes material? "I can't really explain how all of this happens, really", laughs Schmier. "It just does. The music of Destruction, then and now, is full of character. You know what to expect and you can always tell it is us playing this noisy, thrash metal music. Even though when we all come together to work on songs ideas and we all bring in new approaches to making music for the band, it always ends up with a real heavy, gritty sound. A Destruction sound. I recently re-mastered an old Destruction demo from 1983 and it is so amazing how Mike's guitar sound today is so similar to back then. The same characteristics are there and it is his original sound that helps make Destruction still sound so good." Why do you think this new record turned out so rabid and vicious? "This is a very hateful record. It really is full of a lot of anger and just allowed me to vent my ideas and thoughts", he responds. "I hate religion. I think it just causes so much conflict in the world today. We did a lot of travelling around the world in places like Colombia, Turkey and other countries on the last few tours that have so much turmoil regarding religion that it just really helped fuel our thoughts on religion and what we brought to _The Antichrist_. We felt that anger and it just carried over into the songwriting for this new album. It made the record, really. I'm glad we channeled into that sound and those emotions." "We kind of knew what we wanted with this record, as did Peter [Tagtgren]", continues Schmier about the production of the new disc. "Early on with the writing of the material, Peter had asked to get advance work of the music in pre-production so he could listen to it and get some ideas flowing. He'd call me up and say, "Killer! Better than the last record!" We were well prepared before we went into the studio and the band was in the right frame of mind. Everything was in sync. We made notes, as I mentioned before, and we wanted to make the guitars better. Last album they sounded like shit and we wanted to fix that for sure. And also, I have noticed that things seem to be going too well for the band in the studio and I am a bit scared that it is "too well". But, I think that just goes to show that we are developing as a band and getting better as the years go on." Do you ever compare the old Destruction with the new Destruction? "When we write songs together, Mike and myself, we go through the ideas and see if we can use them for Destruction and not try to copy what we have done before. As a songwriting team, we have grown and become very honest with one another and about what ideas work and don't work for Destruction. It is important to have the two of us working as a team. We don't purposely go out and try to match ideas with past Destruction songs, we try to make music that flows out of us." "We'd be foolish to try anything else, really. The fact that we can still make good music after all of these years is a great feeling. I am excited about what we have done here with the new record and what we plan to do in the future." And how do you know when a record is done and have the right songs for that recording? "When you have been doing this for such a long time as we have, you just become very close to what you do and can feel the energy of the recording process", he says. "You just experience the record as it comes along. It is up to the fans to decide if it is your best record or if it is great. As musicians, you always try to do your best. We basically tried to do the same thing with this record as the last one, though we had a few new ideas to try out. We didn't change much. It is still the Destruction way in the studio. We are a lot more sure of what we are doing now. Some people are saying this is the best record we have ever done. I say this is one of the best and could be compared to our _Infernal Overkill_ disc [1985], which many say is our classic record. We got along really well for this record and it shows. Any band that doesn't get along within the studio or as a team, it shows. We were tight in the studio when we went into record and people can hear that." Learning to work as a team in the studio was something that you had to learn all over again with the _All Hell Breaks Loose_ record, right? "Yes. The last few releases of Destruction more than a decade ago was us just coming to the end of the energy between us. The _Cracked Brain_ [1989] record was an average release for Destruction, but nothing great. That was a time when I was learning about creating music within the band, being a musician and understanding the music business. It just all fell apart. Back in the early days of Destruction, I got goosebumps when I played our music and that was what pushed us forward. We lost that feeling and now, more than a decade later, I am getting goosebumps again and that makes me know deep down inside that we are on the right path with _The Antichrist_." And while things are going fine and dandy for Destruction right now, Schmier admits that this won't last forever. "The scary part about all of this that is happening for us is that it won't be like that forever. Every one is excited, critics love the record and our sales are up -- but how long will that last? I'm scared not knowing if I'll be able to make this kind of good music in the next few years. I might be able to, I might not." He ends, "Even though I am thinking about all that could happen in the future to the band, right now I am excited to be creating music and being inspired to make Destruction sound as good as it did back in the '80s. Making music for Destruction has been a rewarding experience, with these two past albums being very special to me. These albums proved that we as a band still have it in us. It also goes to show that we have at least one album left in us. If I have my way, we'll be making records for the next ten years. We came back to the scene a few years ago and I'm not going to fade away that fast. I just won't have it." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= E N T E R I N G A N A G E O F A N T I Q U I T Y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Quorthon of Bathory by: Adam Wasylyk It's been a lengthy wait for Bathory's brand new studio album -- about six years, in fact, not including the re-worked _Blood on Ice_ opus. _Destroyer of Worlds_ [reviewed in this issue] is a mix of sounds and styles from the past ten years (give or take), from epic-sounding atmospherics to thrash-tinged moments. Those who felt that _Octagon_ and _Requiem_ were disappointments and the Viking / epic metal era was their shining moment in time will find partial solace in the new Bathory release. However, those who appreciate the aggressive thrash tendencies of Bathory will find individual tracks worthy of hearing. One's individual tastes will play a significant role in potential enjoyment of _Destroyer of Worlds_. A lengthy chat with Quorthon took place shortly before I had the chance to hear the record for myself, so many specific questions about the album had to be omitted for obvious reasons. What turned out to be a more retrospective chat than anything else, I found Quorthon to be his usual self -- soft-spoken, polite and articulate at times. After a preface discussion on hockey, centering around the Swedish player Mats Sundin -- who incidentally plays on the Toronto Maple Leafs -- our interview began. CoC: So what song did you record today? Has it been titled? Quorthon: Well, the chorus goes "Black death, pestilence", so we haven't quite decided yet. It's like when we recorded _Requiem_, we actually printed the album cover out before we were 100% sure on the titles of the tracks. So we haven't entirely decided on the exact title as of yet. CoC: It's needless to say that Bathory fans are wondering what the new material will sound like. Would it be a mix of styles covered throughout the career of Bathory, or an extension of the last Bathory studio album _Octagon_? Perhaps you could describe the aura of _Destroyer of Worlds_ as you're writing and recording the new material. Q: It'll contain one piece of each sound and style we've gone through. Eighteen years down the line, you're bound to have learned something about the studio shit. But each time I go down to the studio these days, there are all of these technological revolutions since the last time I was there. Now when we're recording, everything is basically done through a computer, and I can't even fucking surf [the Internet]! Not that I'm non-technical, but all of this computer language... it's not my thing. It's different than the early Eighties, when you'd stand in your garage with a small 20-watt Marshall and you'd record, making sure your neighbour's lawnmower wouldn't end up on tape. Today it's very clean; it's very technical. Being down in the studio today is different, but hopefully it'll turn out like the old Bathory but with a new sound. I'm reluctant to say it'll be more intelligent as well, because that would be like saying we were stupid in the old days. But back then we would record albums and wouldn't care if a solo was played wrong, or my voice would break up. These days CDs are more expensive, so you want a quality piece to release. Not like "Ah, it's Bathory, just put it out. We don't care much about production or anything." _Destroyer of Worlds_ sounds basically like the lost compilation album. One track sounds like it came off _Hammerheart_, another sounds like it was recorded during the _Twilight..._ sessions. A couple of songs will remind you of _The Return..._, so you have everything. It's difficult to please all of your fans, but hopefully they will have at least half of the record pleasing them. CoC: Tell me about your vocal approach to the album. Q: Actually, I never rehearse my vocals. We don't have a rehearsal space, so we just go to the studio and try it out. About 95% of all of the Bathory songs, at least in the last ten years, goes in B [as in B note? -- Adam]. I've never been able to figure out if that's too low or too high for me, so I just scream and wait until blood fills in my mouth and I get a headache. I would just stand there and scream. CoC: As some of the lyrics deal with topics like war and death, are there any underlying concepts or themes that tie the tracks together on _Destroyer of Worlds_? Or do the tracks co-exist on their own? Q: No, I wouldn't say there's a particular theme. The whole idea behind the title _Destroyer of Worlds_ deals with Oppenheimer, who while standing in the Nevada Desert saw the mushroom cloud from the first atomic explosion, remembered a quote from a Hindu script. "I have become death... I have become a destroyer of worlds." The title track is about Enola Gay, dropping the bomb on Hiroshima. And having spent so much time in Berlin, because Black Mark used to be Berlin-based, although it's always been a Swedish label, I could vaguely imagine Berlin in rubble. One track is called "Death From Above", which is about the air force of Berlin. There's another track dedicated to the 109 Fighter, so there's a lot of air warfare on the new album, but there are no themes to connect the songs. CoC: Fans have always found an attractive quality in the mysteriousness of the Bathory image. Was that something that was practised and purposeful, or something that just came into being? Q: I remember up until '86/'87, during the time when I was actually trying out a tonne of bassists and drummers, I found Sweden to be not such a good place to form a band like Bathory. First, you have Europe that sets the standard for what a metal band was supposed to look like, to get up on stage and get a record deal. So then people would come down to the rehearsal place and say "If I have to play this song, or do what you're telling me to do, I'll sweat and won't be able to get laid afterwards." So we wouldn't release any pictures, and for all of the interviews to fanzines would be my pictures. And that came out of a necessity of contact with our small fanbase in those days. The whole anonymity and mysteriousness just came out of it, and we realized that some people were attracted to the mysteriousness. Then there was all of this talk of a one-man band. Of course I played 80% of the bass on _The Return..._, I played 50% of the bass on _Under the Sign..._, I played all of the bass on _Hammerheart_ and _Twilight..._ and stuff like that, but there's never been a one-man band situation. But then we realized that every time people had to make a comment about Bathory in magazines, they always had to print a picture [of just me]. But we didn't do much to dispel the rumour. We're a project. We're two guys having fun in the studio once in a while. We don't feel the pressure of trying to make people believe that there's a band behind the Bathory name. So for the mysteriousness, we just kept our mouths shut. And since then I've realized that people have more problems with my image than I do. People think I'm living in a bat cave in Sweden, eating babies and drinking blood. That's one of the more stupid rumours. I've heard some more serious rumours as well. They're great as long as there's a little tongue in cheek in them. And about 50% of the time, I won't do anything to kill those rumours. CoC: What other rumours have you heard over the years? Q: All kinds of things. I'm going through town dressed as an SS Officer on a Harley Davidson. Hmmm... there's just about everything. And from all that, you have fans send you the stupidest things. I've had people send me their kid sister's decapitated cats. Particularly during the mid-'80s, the Bathory fans in America -- who were twice as many as our European fans -- I would have girls send me their pictures naked, covered in nothing but pig's blood. One girl would send me a plastic bag containing earth. I had to read her letter to understand why she had sent this. She said: "I went to this graveyard under a full moon, I masturbated, and I figured that this earth would be great for your magical ceremonies." You start to wonder, "Man. I'm just a hockey-loving, Harley Davidson-riding, long-haired hard rocker. And that's all." CoC: Fans usually always take an image too seriously. Q: One night I was out with this girl, and I was on the subway. There were these three or four teenage guys dressed up in black leather coats, black boots, spikes, black leather pants and Bathory T-shirts. Their faces were as pale as sheets, with long black hair. They just looked at me and went, "UGGH! Quorthon!" How do I explain that to a girl who doesn't even know I can play guitar? At least 80% of my friends don't even know I can handle a guitar. Whenever something like that happens, when business creeps into your private life, that's when it aches. It's difficult to handle. I don't want any part of that. That's another reason why we don't photos. I communicate to those who enjoy my records through the music alone. But they want this guy dressed up in black leather underwear and spikes and blood all over the place like some of pictures from the early '80s or something. CoC: I heard that an ex-Bathory drummer now directs music videos, with recent work including Madonna and Metallica. True? Q: That's Jonas. Yeah, he was the first drummer of Bathory. CoC: I also heard that he's semi-interested in making a Bathory video one day. Q: Well, he didn't tell me about making a Bathory video. I bumped into him some time ago. The one thing he told me was after he had done some shots one day with Metallica for their video, the Metallica guys were in the studio playing some Bathory songs and were asking him for autographs and asking him if he could ask me for an autograph. I don't know of any of that is true, but in order for him to get any more jobs over there he wouldn't be saying stuff like that if it weren't true. CoC: How do you look back at your self-titled project, which saw a couple of releases in recent years? Will future releases under the Quorthon name be realized? Q: After _Twilight..._ I wanted to take a one-year sabbatical from music, and get on my Harley and ride around Europe or the States. The record label sorta freaked out and said "Hey, you guys stay active or you're going to find out that there's more things to life than being locked up in the studio." They told me to take what I needed -- a guitar, a bass and a drum machine -- to go into the studio for a week and a half and record whatever shit I wanted, to see if anything turns out worth putting out on a solo record. That sounded very challenging, because having being tied to a band like Bathory for a decade or so [at the time], all of the sudden you find yourself wanting to answer the question "Who the hell am I? What do I sound like when writing something that doesn't have to fall under the Bathory umbrella either sound or style-wise?" I grew up listening to the Beatles and Sex Pistols, so I figured, why not go in with my musical roots and go in there and freak out for a week and a half with no ambitions or expectations? And the nature of the critic is that if someone did buy that CD, and if they thought it sucked, they wouldn't write a letter saying so. When you go see a movie, you don't write a letter to the director to say the movie is shit. You just don't recommend it to a friend. But if you do see a good movie, you recommend it. For those who enjoyed the first record, they wrote to me and said "This one took me by surprise", so they are the ones who asked for a second one. But 95% of the reactions were confused. I was very happy that I didn't receive any downright awful criticism like "Stop milking the legend" or "Call it quits" or "Produce a real Bathory album". I probably won't release any other material under the Quorthon name, though. The second one would never had happened if it hadn't been for 3000 people writing to me asking for a second one. And I emptied my testicles at the time, since it was a double CD with 23 tracks. I sort of made a point -- not everybody gets to make a record. Not everybody gets to make twelve records. Not everybody gets to make three solo CDs. If you can do it, why not try? CoC: When was the bulk of the new album written and composed? Had ideas for the new album been gathering for weeks, or months? Q: Hmm... that's a good question. Actually, I wrote about a dozen tracks and went into the studio, and I did so not to hear what the songs would sound like, but rather what the studio sounds like. I then went home and into my basement, where I wrote a couple of more songs. The sound and atmosphere of the studio is very important. Sometimes you realize a song is really going to suck no matter how you record it. When you get a feeling for the studio, you can see how a style could fit a studio perfectly. I've written a total of 28 songs since the beginning of the year, in which I scrapped all of them except for one. And in the past month the majority of the album was written. CoC: So does studio work, after almost fifteen years, still excite and thrill you? Is it what you consider the true Bathory environment? Q: If Bathory had promotional tours, live concerts, groupies and drugs and whatever, I wouldn't be in this business at all. All of this work is for the studio. I mean, Bathory is a studio project and has been so since 1986. The studio is a happy place. It's a place where you can walk around in your underwear, eat peanuts and watch a video. At least 80% of the time when we're in the studio we're laughing and not recording! Some of the greatest jokes and some of the funniest moments I've had in my life were in the studio. Then at the end of the day we'll go "Uh, should we record something today?" "Okay, let's record a guitar or something", and the rest of the day we'll spend laughing. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M E T A L P R I D E ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Dave Ingram of Bolt Thrower by: Adrian Bromley While the new Bolt Thrower album _Honour, Valour, Pride_ [reviewed in this issue] may not be my favourite Bolt Thrower album (I just can't get into some of the material), it still does have the strength and stamina that can been found within their classic releases, like 1992's _The IVth Crusade_ and 1994's intense _...For Victory_. The music, while taking in some new ideas, pretty much stays true to the Bolt Thrower form and allows the war machine to roll on. One new addition to the band that is bringing some changes to the sounds of Bolt Thrower is ex-Benediction singer Dave Ingram, who replaced singer Karl Willets after the recording of 1998's _Mercenary_. No doubt Ingram knew that him joining Bolt Thrower was a big deal and put a bit of pressure on him and how things would work out with fellow band members Gavin Ward and Baz Thomson (guitarists), drummer Martin Kearns and bassist Jo Bench. He isn't complaining. He's been a fan of the band for years and was excited to be a part of this monstrous musical force. As the call comes in from Dave Ingram from his home in Denmark, I reveal to him that it had been a long time since we had last spoken. The last time I had spoken to him was for CoC #2 (a long fucking time ago, folks!!!) during the summer of 1995 and he was doing press for his old band Benediction and their Nuclear Blast release _The Dreams You Dread_. "Oh", Ingram says. "You know I am in another band now, right?" We both laugh. The topic quickly turns to Bolt Thrower's new album, _Honour, Valour, Pride_, the first with Ingram on vocals. "I am very proud of the end results. I am very happy with the new record, as is everyone else in the band. If we weren't happy with the end result of _Honour, Valour, Pride_, we wouldn't have left the studio", says Ingram. "If we were completely unsatisfied, we would have wiped it all clean and started again. We are of that mind. We do take a lot of pride in our work; it is hard work, but it was a lot of fun. We all worked hard and we all did our part." "We had a much bigger range with what we could do as a band this time around. This was my first recording with the band, but I have had loads of experience in the studio with my previous band, so all of that helped make the recording experience a bit different this time out." Any first time jitters when starting off the recording with a new band? "No", states Ingram. "It felt really, really comfortable. There was never any tension at all or any trepidation or holding back. Regardless of me being in the band or someone else, Bolt Thrower is a war machine that keeps rolling on and I am just glad to be a part of it on this record and for future recordings with the band. The band just rolled with what they had. There weren't any false starts when I came aboard. It was all still pretty much in motion. It was totally smooth." What did you bring to the recording of _Honour, Valour, Pride_? "We tried a lot of things in the studio with this album", says Ingram. "I personally used three different type of microphones. I used ambient ones, handheld ones and even sang in the control room to get certain sounds. We tried different ways to get the parts down. Some didn't work out, but others did sound awesome. What we did was take parts of songs, lines or even words that held up and put it together. So in fact, we recorded all the vocals like four times, but just took from each technique." He adds, "Even though new things are implemented into the sound and direction of the band, it still remains Bolt Thrower. I have always been a fan of the band, well before I joined, and I knew what their ideology was and what they always set out to do with each of their albums. I knew that they always strived to keep this theme running throughout. When I was in Benediction we toured with Bolt Thrower, so I knew everyone, and that made it an even easier move into the band when I joined." And what songs on _Honour, Valour, Pride_ do you think best represent Bolt Thrower currently? "I'd have to say all of them", says Ingram in typical musician fashion. "Really, I think all are a great representation of where we are now as a band. But on a personal level, I'd have to say the song "Suspect Hostile" because of the lyrics. For me, some of the lyrics in the song, I haven't seen before. I wrote that song with Gavin. We tossed around a lot of ideas for that song, back and forth, and the end result is superb. I love the way the lyrics ended up. I actually got a huge buzz when we recorded that track in the studio." So music really affects you? "Yes, it does. It really gives me a high", exclaims the singer. "I have been a huge fan of heavy metal since I got into Black Sabbath when I was seven years old. I have followed music through many genres growing up, and I always wanted to do be in a band and record albums and tour. I got to do this, and it just makes me feel so good inside knowing that I accomplished something I always dreamed of doing. Being in a band is great. I don't care if this band gets good news, bad news or just gossip talked about us. It is showing that people know who we are and it makes me feel good. The whole band is proud to have been doing this for so long and still be part of the scene." You'd think after years of playing in Benediction and non-stop recording and touring that Ingram would have grown tired at this point in his career of making music and everything else that comes with it. That isn't the case -- more like the opposite of how he feels. "It kind of feels like home", says Ingram exuberantly about being in Bolt Thrower. "I don't want to use the word "comfortable" again, but it just does feel that way for me. It just fits like a jigsaw puzzle, really. I am glad that this is all working out and that I know what to expect with Bolt Thrower. Bolt Thrower has never taken any outside influence from anybody. Bolt Thrower has always been Bolt Thrower and that is the way things are continuing for the band into 2002." He ends, "Bolt Thrower isn't arrogant at all, but we see Bolt Thrower's music as one of a kind. There is nothing out there like this and there never will be. Our crusade continues and we invite our fans to come along for the ride." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= H E A R S E T O Y O U , W I T C H E R Y ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Sharlee D'Angelo of Witchery by: Aaron McKay You gotta admit, there are some bands you just like unquestionably. Well, this Swedish five piece outfit is one of them for me. Thundering bass and vicious riffs with gravelly, raspy vocals -- I had little choice in the matter; these morbidly amusing gents pulled me in like a traveling black hole from Hell. Complete with a twisted comedic sense, Witchery unleashed _Symphony for the Devil_ (get it? Think Rolling Stones) onto a unsuspecting fanbase. I like it, but then again there is little here not to like. Talk about your contorted humor -- "Hearse of the Pharaohs"? "Yea, it is kinda like a tradition that we have", begins the ever-talented bassist. Sharlee continues, "We've always done the wordplay thing. Why not have a little something there, ya know? The people who react to it are kind of, ya know, "our people"", Mr. D'Angelo spells it out for me very clearly. What! Two instrumentals on _Symphony for the Devil_? "The thing was, the first one that came about, "Bone Mill", that was one of the songs that basically wrote itself with Martin [Axe], who was playing some kind of drum pattern, and then Jensen [guitar] came up with the riff to it", my interviewee conveys. ""Hearse of the Pharaohs" was not originally intended to be an instrumental track", Sharlee continues, "but before we came around to writing the lyrics for it, I called Hank [Sherman, of Mercyful Fate fame] and asked him if he wanted to come over to the studio and gang out. He said yea, and I'm like could you bring your guitar?" Sharlee goes on, "People think having Hank on the album was my idea, but it was really Jensen's idea. Also, for Toxine [vocals], Hank has always been his favorite guitar player -- all categories." And after Mr. Sherman went wild over the whole thing? Sharlee told me, "Well, then there was really no room for vocals [on "Hearse of the Pharaohs"]. Why not just let it be an instrumental track? It makes for a nice change of pace [on the album]". Originally intended only for release as bonus tracks for vinyl, but the European label (Music for Nations) for Witchery wanted to include them; Witchery agreed, but they wanted those two songs for the US version as well. I'll have to confess something here, the bonus tracks on _Symphony for the Devil_ are out of this world. How did they come about? Weren't "Enshrined" (killer bass opening, by the way) and "The One Within" old Satanic Slaughter songs? "Exactly", Mr. D'Angelo confirms. "All the other guys were on that [self-titled] album except for Martin, of course. This was before my time and I always -loved- that album -- I think it is one of the most overlooked pieces of black metal ever. It was a treat for me to come in and do my part on some of those songs." I'll tell ya folks, I honestly believe that the -only- thing SS was missing was the cavernous bass sounds of Sharlee D'Angelo! There is -always- one song, at least, on a release that tells you, hell yea -- this is what I like! Well, "Omen" was that track for me. I asked for Sharlee's thoughts on that piece. "In this instance here, I think great minds think alike -- it is my favorite, too", confesses the bassist. "You know what it is with that song? Instantly, when we were playing it, and especially when we got it recorded and we could sit down and listen to it, the image that came up in my head was like driving down the highway in the dark and you only have the light from the dashboard. It is a great driving song." Not only that, Sharlee, my friend, but your bass is kickin' ass on that track, too, brother! Jensen once alluded to Martin Axe's age in an interview I read. I asked Mr. D'Angelo how old the drummer was. "He's 21", comes the reply. Wow! He's got a real handle on his instrument. "Especially "Called for by Death", Sharlee elaborates. "That song is a very, very good example of how Martin works. It's got a bit of a Judas Priest feel to it. Ya know, the -old- Seventies type Judas Priest". Do I? _Rocka Rolla_ (and its cover) is beyond explanation. Ultimately Mr. D'Angelo says, "He's so young and he -knows- his metal history!" Some guitarists are seemingly incapable of laying down a good solo, and Sharlee and I talked a little bit about that, but such is -not- the case with the soloist supreme, Richard Corpse -- right, Mr. D'Angelo? "He put so much more effort into the leads this time and really thought it through. He came up with some great stuff", Witchery's bassist advises me. "Solos are an expression thing and if you aren't in the mood, you aren't going to come up with anything good. This is [Richard's] best lead work to date, I think." I agree. Some pretty concentrated leads on _Symphony for the Devil_; very inspired. Vocals play such a huge part in music, I believe. From the bowels of the indecipherable like most on any Abyss track to using vocals as an instrument as John Tardy did with early Obituary releases, how it is sung matters. So, that said, what about Toxine? "With the type of vocals, sometimes with all the screaming [with other bands] it is just there to make the music more extreme", comes my answer. "We come from the same school, I guess. With Toxine, he's got impeccable timing and, in that sense, rhythm and all that expression". So true. Sharlee continues, "It is not only what you sing, but it's also the inhales and the exhales and their rhythmical context -- what you do with it. With this album, [Toxine] is trying different things, more lows and more highs. I think he is just starting to sound more and more evil." Even though I agree, especially with Toxine's efforts on this effort, I'd -love- to hear it when he masters it -- and I think he's almost there... What about you, Sharlee? Tell us about your style and emphasis. He replies, "I don't really care that much if I can be heard or not as an individual player. I'm more concentrated on whether I add something to the music." Sharlee goes on. "Ian Hill [Judas Priest] is a very, very big inspiration to me. The way he is also very simple and the way that he works with the drums." Intermittently I am permitted the rare opportunity to say the current album from a particular band has exceeded the previous one; _Symphony for the Devil_ has provided that opening. An uncommon treat for me to have a sensible conversation with someone so knowledgeable as the good-natured Sharlee D'Angelo. An album well worth your time and consideration. Momentous thanks for the enlightening talk, Sharlee. And permit me to say that I am so very glad you guys write music and are into metal instead of long fairy tales, 'cause they have a tendency to DRAGON... Get it?! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= C R E A T I V E B R U T A L I T Y U N L E A S H E D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Alex of Sinister by: Adrian Bromley The world of death metal music, and the bands that make up the genre, have continued to evolve over the years, some more than others. One of the bands that has continued to crank out death metal mayhem, but evolve and bring new ideas into their sound/style each time out, is Dutch act Sinister. From the early days of 1992's _Cross the Styx_ onto 1995's brilliantly violent _Hate_ [CoC #2] and 1998's _Aggressive Measures_ [CoC #37], the band has continued to push the envelope for the realm of death metal music. That hard work and persistence continues on with the latest offering, and debut for Hammerheart Records, titled _Creative Killings_ [reviewed in this issue]. Chronicles of Chaos caught up with longtime bassist Alex to talk about the new album, the hiring of female vocalist Rachel and the impressive artwork adorning the new album. We begin... CoC: Line-up changes seem to have plagued the band over the years, but yet the band carried on. What do you think that says about the band and the music you make? Alex: The most important thing for us is that everyone is on the same level in the band. There has never really been any discussion between the members about the musical direction of the band. We all stand 100% behind our style and our albums. This is why it is possible to create a good product like _Creative Killings_. All the people that have left the band throughout the years were in some way not motivated to carry on with the music and the way we wanted to as a band. The musical heart of the band was never damaged in any way. Most members who left the band weren't really involved with the songwriting, so their loss could easily be replaced by someone with a better attitude and motivation. CoC: Obviously with Rachel on vocals, the new disc has a new vibe and flow to it. What do you think she has brought to the band and to the new album _Creative Killings_? A: What we all like about Rachel's voice is that it is a classic death metal grunt. She really sings and bring a vibe to all the new songs. I think that that is a great achievement, because nowadays lots of the new singers just want to sing as low as possible, which results in a lot of bands having a monotone sound in the end. CoC: With more than a decade gone by, what do you think Sinister has to offer to the metal music scene? What do you think of the current metal music scene? A: I'm not really thinking about what our music could contribute to the current metal scene. First of all, we make music for ourselves. We don't follow trends, like a lot of others did with the black metal hype in the middle of the '90s. We just aim to get better at what we do. Our drummer Aad is totally devoted to the American death metal music. I also like bands from the United States, but I also appreciate bands like The Kovenant, Rammstein and Cradle of Filth. CoC: Musically, I don't think the band has been any tighter or more brutal in sound. Was this a conscious decision, to be this brutal and aggressive? A: No, not really! Like I said before, musically we just do what we are good at. I think each Sinister album is always a bit different from the others. _Hate_ was a record with dark atmospheric parts, while _Aggressive Measures_ was based on brutality and aggression. _Creative Killings_ combines all of these aspects, which results, like you said, in a tight, brutal and fresh record. CoC: Talk to me about the artwork adorning the cover. Most bands of this music genre go for grotesque or flat out violent images; this album cover is indeed a work of art. Why was the image chosen? A: We always think up the covers ourselves. Our drummer Aad has always had some great ideas. We think it's crucial to have a good album cover. For this album we chose Jon Zig [Averse Sefira, Houwitzer]. He drew a fabulous piece of work for us. The cover really matches the album title. CoC: Do you think Sinister has influenced any bands of the metal genre over the years? If so, where do you hear it? A: Indeed, some new bands see us as an inspiration for their own music, which is a big compliment. But still, there isn't really a band that has the same recognizable sound as we do. I think you can say the same for a band like Immolation. They have a unique sound within the genre. I'm sure that lots of bands are influenced by Immolation, but there hasn't really been a band with the same musical aspects. I think the same goes for Sinister. CoC: Most veteran bands have slowed things down a bit and forgotten their metal roots. It seems the opposite has happened to you. What do you have to say about veteran bands altering their sound and style? A: What I hate is that even now people label death metal as a secondary music style. Even bands that played death metal in the past are pissing on the genre that made them well-known. There are bands that pissed on the scene a few years ago that now, with the higher popularity of the genre, are coming back with a new death metal album and saying that they want to go back to their roots. Sinister will always be a band that makes brutal music. If the motivation to play the music this way ever disappears, then so will Sinister. CoC: Where do the song ideas and lyrics come from? What inspires such devilish, evil thoughts? A: I find inspiration in movies, books and philosophy. I think it's important that the lyrics match with the music. In short: brutal lyrics for brutal songs. CoC: Is this a 24 hour a day job, or has the band had to juggle day jobs to keep this going? How does that affect things? A: We lived a couple of years without having jobs and putting all of our time and effort into the music. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that. There is a lot of pressure to tour and make albums when you do this full-time. The sad thing about playing this kind of music is that it is hard to earn a good living. In 1998 we all decided to get jobs and keep the band as a serious hobby. It was the best decision we ever made, because now we're playing in a band more then ever. Touring and playing live is a vacation for us now. Plus, we don't have to worry about money problems anymore. CoC: Is this the best disc Sinister has put out or is this just a continuation of Sinister's career? A: To me it's just a continuation of our previous work, but I think that we did a fine job with the new album. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= V O M I T T O V A N Q U I S H T H E V A T I C A N ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Alex Wank from Pungent Stench by: Paul Schwarz I first heard the name of Pungent Stench five years ago. I was in an Italian restaurant at a friend's birthday dinner. A slightly late guest arrived, made his apologies to his host, and produced a CD from his jacket. On the cover of the CD was a grisly image depicting the severed, putrefacting heads of two aged persons French kissing. He waved the CD at one guest, inquiring as to whether he'd ever heard it. When the answer came back as a negative, he exclaimed excitedly: "These guys are sicker than Autopsy! They talk about chiseling your mother's eyeballs out!" The album in question was Pungent Stench's second album, released in 1991, _Been Caught Buttering_. The episode above is quite illustrative of Pungent Stench's status back in the early Nineties. With the death metal scene stuffed full of bands, separating yours from the crowd was of paramount importance. Bands tried to claim various accolades for themselves -- Mortician's "most brutal" self-labelling was born out of this climate. Pungent Stench were sold substantially on the twisted, gore-and-perversion-soaked nature of their visual presentation and lyrics. This naturally put them alongside Autopsy -- although for my money, there is nothing astounding about Pungent Stench's musical material for the various eras in which it was made. In 1995, Pungent Stench split. In 1998, a compilation entitled _Praise the Names of the Musical Assassins_ [CoC #29], which collected all the rare and unreleased Pungent Stench material available, was finally released by Nuclear Blast as a sort of farewell to the band. Many in the underground came forward to praise Pungent Stench's career, and bemoan their passing. That wave of praise was what prompted me to pick up various Pungent Stench albums and check the band out. Though I discovered nothing that was musically revelatory, I was consistently impressed with how well presented Pungent Stench's albums were, and how consistently their lyrics managed to cover subject matter that side-stepped dumb death metal norms. Then, completely out of the blue, a new Pungent Stench album turned up in the mail last Autumn: _Masters of Moral Servants of Sin_. Over repeated listens, I was not only highly impressed with how much Pungent had sharpened up and compressed their musical material into tight and powerful Haunted-esque blasts of thrashing intensity -- which nonetheless retained the creepy, 'necro' feel of the Pungent Stench of old -- I was also amused and enthralled by the twisted, strongly taboo themes they covered in their lyrics this time out -- which, through a gruff but clear vocal delivery, could be substantially understood even on casual listens. Lines like "Pull on my trenchcoat, and grab my fathers gun" (from "School's Out Forever") or "They crown me: paedophile rex" (from "Rex Paedophilius") made me sit up straighter in my seat -- they also had me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. Though I was pretty sure that the band had their tongues planted in cheeks, I still wondered what Pungent Stench were ultimately trying to say with _MoMSoS_: whether there was some serious point being made. Thus it was, with many questions and a genuine interest in Pungent Stench 2001, that I conducted the following interview with Alex Wank. CoC: What prompted the original Pungent Stench split, in as simple or as complex terms as you wanna go into? Alex Wank: Why we, more or less, split up, hmmmm... Well, I don't know, it's... Back when we released the last one, _Club Mondo Bizarre_, we did a European tour. Originally it was fine and then we had a short break and we composed the next record. Then we did the US and the US tour was really long. After three months we had a really bad mood between each other and we were just sick of everything. We ended up at the point of no return and then we just didn't feel comfortable, had no more fun and said: fuck it, you know. Then we just stopped. We split up in '95, six years ago. CoC: Six years down the line, what prompted you to bring the band back together? What sparked it off? AW: Well, I never thought that we would ever reform the band anyway, because I thought: why? For what reason? And I couldn't believe, myself, that I would enjoy starting everything again. CoC: That's why you put out the _Praise the Musical Assassins_ CD? AW: Exactly, in '97, and I thought: this is it, this is the epitaph of us, and adios, you know. But then, I don't know, in 2000 I got a phone call from Nuclear Blast: they wanted to re-release stuff and remaster stuff and blah, blah, blah. And, you know, for all their classic bullshit series they need bonus songs. And I said, "I have no bonus songs, we used them for _Praise the Names..._. What do you want?" And then they said, "Ah, maybe you can record one." I said, "What should I record? I mean, we have no more band." And then I talked with Martin and I mean, it was a ridiculous question of Nuclear Blast's. And then, you know, we talked and we met more and more and then we did sessions for us and we enjoyed it. The bassist was not interested in metal since we split. He finished doing music at all and he finished with metal and everything. So it was just me and Martin: we met and played around and enjoyed it and we said, "Before we record one or two songs for shitty re-releases, we reform the band." And then we just reformed. CoC: Alright, fair play. So now that you have reformed and you've got the ball rolling, is there some sort of purpose: do you think something missing from the scene that you wanna bring back to it, something particular? AW: Nah, I don't think so. There's so many bands out, nobody misses Pungent, I think. CoC: OK, that's interesting, because I do remember when you guys split up and especially when _Praise the Names..._ came out, there were a lot of people who, sort of, almost came out of the closet to praise Pungent Stench. And people were like: this [_PtNoTMA] is brilliant and it pays tribute to this amazing band and stuff. AW: Really? CoC: Yeah! Because I mean, the death metal scene tends to have that, you know, tends to have this way of remembering the underdogs, the unusual bands, I guess. AW: Yeah. CoC: Why did you decide to sign with Nuclear Blast again? AW: Well, they showed interest, of course, from day one 'cause they asked about the re-releases, and then we said, "Yes, we can do it in a proper way -- but we also reformed, by the way." And Markus [Staiger, Nuclear Blast label boss -- Paul] was extremely happy because he outed himself as a Pungent fan ages ago. CoC: Yeah, he always seemed to support the band. AW: Yeah, he really loves us. I don't know why, but he just enjoys us and he thinks even the new one is killer. We've always had very good support and very good friendship with him and the company and the company grew with us and we grew with the company back in the very old days. And he's thankful for us, until now, and that's great of him. Why should we change? It's the perfect company for us. We always worked together with them. They are not too far away from us, etc., etc. So: perfect. CoC: Nuclear Blast always worked well for you, I think. AW: Yeah, and plus they need some heavy stuff again 'cause there's too much... too much... useless metal on their company. CoC: Definitely. It's interesting because some bands had real kind of... some of the death metal bands who started at the same sort of time as you, Nuclear Blast kind of ran out on at various times. But I think they started running out on them after Pungent Stench split up, like in about '96/'97. Like Dismember, and a couple of other bands who'd been on the label for a long time. AW: That's right. The whole scene really suffered, I think, with sales and the sales of these bands. They went back and they focused on other stuff and now the range... it's a totally different range of stuff they have and there's hardly any death metal. They asked me about a split 7" or whatever they wanted -- a gimmick -- and I said, "With whom?" They said, "Pick a band, you know, from Nuclear Blast." And I said, "Come on, there's nothing on your label which I want." Nothing fits to us. I mean, there's still Benediction, they have a pretty nice record now out, of course, but there's not much left. Yeah? CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. It's got very sparse compared to how it was. Why the title "Masters of Moral Servants of Sin"? AW: Why? CoC: Yeah, what's the idea of the title, if any? AW: Well, of course there are meanings: there are meanings for everything. I mean, you have just a promo, so you don't understand the whole concept of the whole thing. CoC: That's one of my next questions, actually. AW: The whole thing is -- hmm, where should I start? -- the whole concept, the whole image, the whole lyrics, the whole artwork, everything, all photos, everything of us is absolutely in one direction. It is about religion -- Catholics -- about the church, about the Vatican, about preachers and popes and whatever. The title stands for it, and it stands also for us: we are the Masters of Moral and the Servants of Sin, of course. And as you see on the promo at least, there's this new symbol -- this logo of ours -- which is also from the church. It's the "t" cross and we just put the "s" on it and you have a nice symbol, also, for the band. The "s" is a snake... whatever that means. You have many lyrics about it, of course -- not all, but almost all. And it's better if you read and get the whole one, you know. CoC: Yeah, that's what I wanted to do, but unfortunately I couldn't do that before I talked to you. AW: Okay okay, I see. CoC: Fortunately, the record's production -- which is exceptionally good, by the way... AW: Thank you. CoC: ...means that I can understand a number of bits of the lyrics, so I can -try- and get into the lyrics. AW: You can understand. It's pretty clear. CoC: Yeah, it's pretty clear the whole way through. Will this cover, this simple cover [featuring the symbol Alex mentioned above on a black background], be the cover for the album? AW: No. There was a plan for a very limited edition with this in an embossed print on a leather box, but I think it's too expensive for them so they don't wanna do it: whatever. So they'll do a digipak and a regular CD with a very nice photo of us. So it looks different. CoC: The one on the back of the promo with you as priests? [standing around a young girl dressed in white: an ambiguously disturbing image.] AW: Nononononononono. This photo is just for the promo. We had more than a thousand photos done in two days and we have so much material that we have, for every magazine, a different photo. CoC: Wicked! Great! AW: So there's so much material that there will be a photo booklet -- it's just full of photos -- and we have an additional lyrics booklet 'cause for the German market Nuclear Blast don't wanna include the lyric booklet [Pungent Stench are on 'the index' in Germany: media on 'the index' is only available on request to over 18s -- Paul] so they only get the photo booklet and the rest is getting both booklets. CoC: Oh, right. That was the other thing I was gonna ask you: whether the lyrics were gonna be included. AW: Sure, sure: very important thing. CoC: In comparison to your older albums -- although a lot of the covers got edited for different markets, like the _CMB_ cover, for the American market, was shrunk, and various things -- why did you decide for this one not to do something that would be more offensive or gruesome or what have you? Was it because you've been so censored in the past? AW: No, no, no. Not at all, no. I mean, we had problems but I don't care too much, you know, if it doesn't hurt the sales. The problems came so late with the band split up already, so I didn't care, to be honest, you know. No, no. I don't know: we got older and we think different now and when you read and see everything, believe me, this record is the most extreme in the message, yeah? But it's done in a more... CoC: Subtle? AW: No, in a more serious way, maybe, and everything is better presented, you know, and more hidden maybe. There's almost no chance for the Germans or whoever to try to censor us 'cause it is done in a clever way, more or less. You know what I mean? CoC: I see what I mean: you're being less obvious about it... AW: Yeah, but on the other side it's super-extreme, you know? CoC: Yeah, absolutely: but it's the kind of extreme that the fans will get but the censors will miss. AW: I hope so, at least. CoC: But that's the idea. AW: But still, Markus fears some problems here in Germany, that's the reason why he asked about, you know, "Leave the lyrics for the German market." And I said, "OK, we do an edition for the rest of the world, of course, the rest of Europe, with lyrics and we can do it without in Germany, no problem." But even the Germans can order it from us, or from Nuclear Blast maybe, with the additional booklet. We'll put it on our page, you know, and they can download it: whatever. CoC: Absolutely, yeah, that'll work. I'm gonna talk about the music and then we can go back to the lyrics. This new album takes a somewhat altered musical direction. It's still distinctly Pungent Stench -- especially some of the delivery -- but the actual pace is different. It seems a bit more thrashy. Something about it sort of reminds me of the way The Haunted do very pristine, violent trash. Did you consciously try to make this album a break from the old albums? AW: Well, we got better, as musicians, and we tried also to be... we tried to make our best, you know. I mean of course, we love The Haunted. This is a great CD; the last one is a great, a -killer- record -- and Martin likes it too -- and I'm sure we got influenced, somehow, by them, you know. I mean we didn't go into a room and say: come on, let's do a Haunted song. But, you know, if you listen to stuff you know you like then it's somehow in your brain and maybe, you know... CoC: ...it influences you. AW: Yeah, somehow, you know? But we only tried to be... to make it a very aggressive record and a pretty fast record. And Pungent always is different from record to record. CoC: Yeah, definitely. AW: If you go through, everything sounds different. The most important thing for me is that you recognise the band and I think you do recognise the band. CoC: Definitely, yeah. AW: Absolutely. But it's something new and it's how Pungent should sound like in 2001, I think. CoC: Yeah, that's what I think. It's very sharp. I mean, technically it is much sharper than your earlier albums. AW: Yeah. CoC: You crammed a lot more in, I think. AW: You can't deliver a record like we did ten years ago, now. Maybe a new band, a newcomer band or whoever, but not the band who did it already ten years ago, you know. 'Cause people would say: pschk, OK, that sounds like ten years ago. CoC: Exactly. I think it's good though, that you have tried to develop, 'cause some bands who come back from the grave, as it were, do sort of try an' do just old things because a lot of them are trying to appeal -only- to their old fans... AW: Yup, yup, yup. CoC: ...'cause, I find, a lot of older death metal fans sort of object to things that sound even vaguely different from what they expect. AW: Yeah. CoC: So there you go. _MoMSoS_ is technically very cool and it's got a lot of, I don't know: I really liked some of the melodies... AW: There are more melodies, for sure. CoC: Really cool, really sharp. AW: Great. CoC: It's definitely my favourite album by far. AW: Thanks. CoC: But yeah, OK, going onto the sick lyrics thing. You've done "Rex Paedophilius", for example. AW: Yeah. CoC: It covers this deeply taboo subject of paedophilia to some degree. AW: Yeah. CoC: I assume it's paedophilia in the church, but I'm not quite sure. AW: Yeah, of course. CoC: Do you worry that this is gonna get you in some sort of trouble, for example, in England, or... AW: No. Why? I'm very sure that it happens many, many times in England. CoC: Totally, I'm sure it does. AW: So... it's just the truth. CoC: Oh, definitely. AW: Actually, when we recorded in July I got a phone call like the second day we were in the studio, and my girl called me from Vienna and she said, "A new, big scandal. A preacher was caught. He had sexual intercourse with children from five to ten for the last seven years." And what happened to him? Nothing. He went... of course they threw him out of this church, but he went to a convent and he doesn't even go to jail, you know. Nothing happens and after a week the story was gone, you know. No news: they tried to hide it. You know, I think this is unbelievable. I mean, in what kind of a society do we live, you know? CoC: I know, it's one of those subjects which gets covered every now and again. I mean, Immolation did it on their last album as well... AW: Uh huh. CoC: ...and it's incredible. There's all these things about the way the Catholic church can protect itself. AW: It's one of the cruelest things you can do, you know, to kill or have sex with a child, whatever age. I mean, it's unbelievable. I mean, that's really, totally extreme. It's a very good idea what the English did, to put the faces on the newspaper. Very nice idea. Nobody did that in Austria, you know. I don't know why. Maybe the laws are different, maybe they can't, you know, but I think it's a good idea, you know. I mean, these guys are pigs and it's strange: it's always guys and many, many times it's people involved in the church, you know. CoC: The thing is that you've written the songs, as far as I can tell from what I hear of the lyrics, from the perspective of the sick person rather than from the, sort of, "You're bad!" perspective. Why in particular did you decide to write it from that angle? AW: Well... CoC: To offend people and make them think, for example? AW: Of course, yeah, of course, I mean, this is very important for us. I mean, we try to be very offensive, but on the outside also very much -- you know, we try to entertain our people more or less, yeah? But there must be -- -must- be -- there -should- be a message or something in-between the lines, you know? CoC: Yeah. AW: This is important, I think, so that people which really do like our music and our image, they will have a good laugh, they will be really entertained, but they will also read, they will think, "You know, on the other side, it's true what they write." You know? "They write it maybe in a harsh way but it's exactly what I just saw last night in the news." You know? CoC: Yeah, totally. Moving on to "School's Out Forever". AW: Yeah. CoC: This sounds like it was inspired by the Columbine high school shootings... AW: Yeah yeah, Martin did this, and he was said: absolutely, it's from this Denver happening. CoC: Did you hesitate in writing such a song? AW: I have no idea. To be honest, you'd need to ask him. CoC: OK, fair play. Well, put it this way -- this is what I thought was an interesting question: have you ever decided, in the history of Pungent Stench, that a subject is too extreme or taboo to be included, or would that be kind of to miss the whole point of the band, that something -could- be too extreme for it? AW: I don't think so. I think one of the most extreme things we are talking about is -now-. I mean, "Rex Paedophilius" is pretty extreme, I think, and... What should be more extreme, to be honest? CoC: Yeah, well, I can't think of anything but -in theory- would you ever, sort of like, shy away? Is the idea of Pungent Stench, in a way, to kind of not have those sort of boundaries? AW: No, there should not be boundaries, to be honest. CoC: OK. AW: I mean, if something is happening in life, you should be able to talk about it and of course also write a text about it. I mean, it always depends -how- you write about it, you know? CoC: Yeah. AW: I hope that we succeed somehow, you know, that it's not -too- positive for something. But I think we succeed; I think the people know exactly what we're trying to say. CoC: What you're saying, in a way, is that you don't wanna glorify things as such... AW: Absolutely not, but you know, on the other side, if somebody reads lyrics like these of ours and this person's got nothing to do with this death metal scenery, then of course this person will be shocked. Totally, yeah. So, what can you do then? CoC: I know, it's difficult. Do you see Pungent Stench outside its context in the death metal scene? Is part of the idea of making the album, making the kind of album that -will- offend people outside of the scene? AW: I mean, I don't wanna offend people in the scenery and I think I can't succeed anyway. So it's statements for people outside, yeah. COC: Pungent Stench was pretty much seen as the sickest band at one point. I remember one incident about six or seven years ago when a friend of mine had of a copy of _Been Caught Buttering_ and he was talking to another friend of mine and saying, "Yeah yeah, I got this, man. It's like, sicker than Autopsy! They talk about chiselling your mother's eyeballs out." And this was kind of what people went for at one point, you know? AW: Uh huh. CoC: I think at first that was possibly what marked Pungent Stench out more than their music. AW: Mmhm hmhm. CoC: The fact that it was sooo sick. AW: Well, I think Autopsy were pretty sick guys. I mean, for instance the first record of Mr. Reifert under Abscess is unbelievable: _Urine Junkies_. What a crazy idea! I mean, perfect, yeah, for them. It's a pretty sick band, Autopsy and a lot of these guys. CoC: I think Autopsy are great! AW: We will bring them over next year with us. CoC: Oh really! AW: Yeah, I talked to Reifert already last month and they would love it. So they will come -- not under Autopsy but under Abscess. But that's OK, you know. CoC: Oh, right, fair enough. AW: But I don't know. Nowadays, to be honest, there are so many sick bands around. CoC: Sure. AW: The underground, the -real- underground, is a huge scenery with extremely sick and twisted bands. I mean, you can't top any more, you know, nothing. CoC: It has sort of plateaued a bit... AW: Yeah, I mean, absolutely: nothing can get grosser and more sick than it is nowadays. Back in our days it was maybe easier; not too many write about it, not too many tried to be very extreme. But maybe that was the reason why we changed and nowadays we have, you know, a different way of offending. CoC: Exactly, and I think part of the point for bands like yourselves who realise that you can't just -be- X, Y or Z sick is that it's how you actually portray it that matters. 'Cause just to have sick lyrics doesn't actually cause that much effect. It's kind of how you frame it... AW: Exactly. CoC: ...and how you present it that makes it interesting. AW: Exactly. CoC: What I like about the _Masters..._ album is that it is quite sinister, you know, it doesn't just sort of jump out and say, "Look, I'm offending you!" There's something a bit sinister and a bit twisted about it, which is what's -good- about it. AW: Great, great: that's what I would love to reach, you know, so hopefully I succeed somehow. CoC: Would you say a Pungent Stench album that didn't offend people could exist? Does a Pungent Stench album have to do a certain amount of shocking? AW: Well... we are almost marked with it, so... We have our fun, you know, we entertain ourselves with it, you know. I mean, if we write a lyric like "Rex Paedophilius" and I have a good laugh -- and I -had- a good laugh -- then it must be a good one, you know. And if it's packed very well -- you have to see the finished product, it will be very, very nice and many people will like it. I believe even if they don't like the music, they will... hopefully they will like our images. Yes, it's very important. CoC: It always seems to have been very important to you to create both a coherent image and... AW: Absolutely. CoC: ...something that's interesting. You work on it a lot harder than some other bands. AW: I mean, I hate these regular promo shots of bands where they stand there in their T-shirts and -- I don't know -- watch the sky. I mean, what's up? I mean , I wanna see something interesting. I don't watch any movies where nothing's happening, you know? I mean, I wanna see some images and I wanna get somehow impressed, or shocked, or whatever; that's the reason why I like the better movies more. CoC: Unlike a lot of bands who just put the emphasis on the music, you put the emphasis on the whole image and the whole... AW: The music is important too, of course, sure, but it must... I think to release a CD or to make a band... CoC: Come alive? AW: No, umm, everything is important, you know: the artwork, the presentation of the whole thing, the images, the live presentation. Everything. I mean, it's a whole: the art is the whole thing, if it's perfectly done, you know. Not like, "I do good music, but everything else I don't care." I mean, that's to less, I think. At least for us... CoC: How much is all the stuff you put in fantasy and made up, to you? For example, on _CMB_ you covered a lot of S&M and deviant sex and things: how much of that is part of what you are like as people, and how much of it is just an image, or whatever? AW: Aw , that's hard to say. I mean, with _Club Mondo..._ or with all records? CoC: With _Club Mondo..._ in particular. I was just sort of focusing on that because that's the kind of thing you could do without... AW: CoC: Well, some of it, without being arrested. AW: OK, I got you, yeah. Umm. Well ummm... I like many things, you know, but there are many things also included which are just too... maybe not too extreme, but which are not my kind of interests, you know? It's half and half, you know; it's hard to say. But Martin, I don't know. He used to love the shit movies. He was totally obsessed with it. I don't know what he's doing at home. You have to ask him. It's not exactly my cup of tea, but, you know, it's OK. I mean, I can watch it, of course, but I am not an -experienced- person. CoC: What are the lyrics to "Viva il Vaticano" about? AW: Well, look at the Vatican, I mean, there are so many stories you could write about it. It's unbelievable what is happening there. And I'm very sure that we get maybe one percent in the news, and ninety-nine percent gets by. This year I saw in the news -- I heard it once -- that finally after -years- of trying to hide the story, it came out that loads of Vatican priests raped -- I don't know -- -hundreds- of nuns in Africa. You know, missionaries. And they tried to hide this ridiculous story for two or three years, but this year it came out somehow -- and it was a week in the news and then it was gone. And I thought it was unbelievable and it just gave me the idea of the Vatican, how sick and twisted it is. And now this black guy, this preacher -- you remember him? He married this Chinese girl and then he went to this "moon sect" and he married there and then they tried to get him back in the Vatican, and they got him back and then he said he doesn't want to leave the Vatican anymore and doesn't want to see his wife. I mean, it's unbelievable! It's decadence! Pure decadence since the beginning! And I was also in the Vatican this year and I visited everything and I loved it there. I mean, even the visual decadence is great there, yeah? And then it gave me the idea for these lyrics and then I just wrote a story about what could be, you know, possible, and what my imagination is telling me about, you know, the boys in the Vatican, and all this. And then it's just nice rhymes and, you know, in an entertaining way. CoC: And while you're listening to it -- if you're not vulnerable to the offensive stuff -- it is very funny, but it's also quite shocking 'cause you don't expect to hear this kind of stuff even on metal albums -- or at least you don't expect to be able to -hear- people saying it: usually they just barf out this kind of stuff. AW: Perfect. I mean, that's exactly what we wanna do, you know? CoC: Yeah, totally. I think it will have a really good effect live. When are you guys coming over [to the UK]? AW: We are trying to set up our tour for April/May and, as I said before, we have had talks with Mr. Reifert and we will bring over Abscess, I guess. I mean, he said that you can have Ravenous or Abscess, whatever you want. But I think Abscess is even more known and I think they will release a new CD on Peaceville next year in the Spring, he told me. So I think it's perfect for them. We have to seek for another band. There are some which we would love to tour with. We will bring one or two over, you know, and then find maybe another support and have a nice, good tour as long as we can and wherever we can play, you know. So, I do hope we come back to England. CoC: Yeah. Well, I certainly hope so. I'll be looking forward to seeing you. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= H Y M N S O F P R O G R E S S I O N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Justin Broadrick of Godflesh by: Adrian Bromley Just ask Godflesh singer/guitarist Justin Broadrick what he thinks about leaving his longtime home base, Earache Records, and signing with Music for Nations (licensed in North America through Koch Records) and he'll go on and on. "A lot of the bands on that label felt like they were locked down and couldn't really do much, so they decided to leave", he starts. "It is a real joke amongst a bunch of the bands that left the label, that when they get off Earache they go onto bigger and better things. I mean now with us going onto Koch we have better exposure and are just able to do things on Godflesh's terms. It took us a year or so to get off Earache." What happened? Was it just the legalities? "Yeah, it was just a bunch of heavy contract stuff. We basically found a clause in the contract that said that the label needed to approach us about doing another record and they never really did. We took the contract to a lawyer who put it into layman's terms. We had a few more albums with them, maybe two or three, but they never approached us within 90 days or whatever it is to see about a new album, so we were able to walk away from them. It is a bit more detailed than that, but that is basically what it comes down to. The label tried to fight it and say that we still had to record albums for them and what have you, but we managed to get out of working with Earache." "I'm glad we left", Broadrick says pointing out that a lot of their bigger name bands like Napalm Death, Cathedral and Pitchshifter have left already. "It is a sinking ship, really. I don't know who is left or what they have to offer, really. I know Morbid Angel is still on the roster." "I am just glad that we were able to sign with Music for Nations and express to them how important it was to be on a label that would help get our new album over to North America. They are hooked up with Koch over there and it seems to be working out real well for us and them. Everything seems to be going great and I'm very happy, the longest I have been in some time." The new album _Hymns_, which also features the talents of longtime collaborator/bassist G.C. Green and now full-time drummer Ted Parsons, is a much more stripped down and abrasive Godflesh. Like each Godflesh album, the musical exploration of the music on _Hymns_ finds the band just taking charge of their ideas and not being afraid to expand and dissect sounds. The overall feel of the record is an abstract sound, with lots of things going on at once, but nothing ever really staying put for too long. On the subject of the new record, Broadrick says: "This album feels like it is a new beginning for the band. We feel really excited about having Ted Parsons in the band and working in the studio with him. There are two noticeable differences with this record than any past albums we have done. Unlike past albums, Ted recorded with us live in the studio this time around and was also an important part of the writing process for _Hymns_. Also, this album was recorded in a professional studio (at Foel Studio in Wales, UK) rather than our own studio. This was a huge studio with lots of engineers and people helping us get the exact tones we wanted. This was quite an experience for us. This album represents exactly where we want to be with Godflesh right now." "I have been hearing a lot of people, all across the board, saying that this is a diverse and strange record and not just a Godflesh record as they have come to know it. We never set out for this record to end up a certain way because we were on a new label or whatever the case may be. We made this record exactly how we made every other Godflesh record. When I write riffs, I just write them. Nothing influences me. I'm still as selfish as I have always been, really. I just write what I want to write." The question is tossed out to Broadrick: what about those Godflesh fans that won't like what they hear with _Hymns_? "You know what? I have learned so much from being in this business for so long and I know that you can't satisfy everyone. You just have to satisfy yourself. For a band like us, we appear to be very confrontational on every aspect and we just like to write music and take risks. We are not willing to make the same record each time out." "I like to hear what people think about Godflesh's music. I find it interesting because I am so immersed in what I do that sometimes I can't even describe it", he states. The main thing for me when it comes to making music is that at the end of a song's creation if I can't put my finger on what is going on, then it is fine for me. I think I have always tried to maintain that with what we do. As long as I can't pick out what genre the music can fit into, then I am pleased." "We want every album that we make to be a liberating experience", points out Broadrick. "We want to be focused on the task at hand so that we can shake off any pressures that may be coming with it. We need to feel something from the recording experience and know that we have put all we can into it." He adds, "We always faced a lot of problems in the studio, whether it be looking for the perfect guitar tone or getting the drums to sound right. We constantly work at making everything sound how we want it to sound. We have to go through all of the long days with checking mics and fiddling with knobs to get the sound. I wanted a particular sound with my guitar for this album, but after five days of trying to find it in the studio, I settled with a sound that was 90% close to what I wanted. Studio work is a menace most of the time. There were times in the past when I was hitting my head against the wall trying to get things going for us and with this new studio and all the help, it seems to be less of a burden. You've got to work hard still, but at least there are others helping you find what you are looking for." Has the band found success in what they do, other than being able to put out albums? "I don't think we have ever hit the limelight with Godflesh, but then again we wonder if our music is even suitable for a mass market to digest. We are always looking for ways to get to more people and for them to hear what we are doing, and hopefully working with Music for Nations and Koch, they will be able to help us out a bit more. Nu-metal is the big thing right now, but it all seems to be really watered down right now. Sure rock is big right now, but it seems to be weak interpretations of what it should sound like. We are hoping with some exposure that kids will hear Godflesh and get something out of what we do that they aren't getting from all of those hard rock bands flooding the market right now. With Godflesh they will get something real, whereas with these poseurs they won't." "We generally think we are needed, we think the world needs Godflesh. We don't mean that arrogantly, we just think the music world needs a viable alternative. I say to all of these music fans out there that music like this (that is flooding the market) will come and go but Godflesh will always be there. That is the way it has always been and will continue to be." Looking at the evolution of the band and the music, the band's last album (1999's _Us and Them_) seems like it was as far as the band could take their sound and music, though _Hymns_ seems to have rejuvenated the Godflesh camp. Now after legal hassles and jumping to a new label, the band is ready to roll once again. About the makeup and recording of the new disc, Broadrick reveals: "This turned out to be a really long record for us. We put everything on this record that we had recorded. We just couldn't decide what to take off. We racked our brains on what should go and what needed to stay and it was just so hard to decide so we kept it all on. In this end, we said "fuck it!" We did eventually cut just one song, but that was more of an experimental song with beats that sounded like something from _Us and Them_. I didn't want anything like that on the record 'cause I absolutely fucking hated that album." Really? "Yeah. I wanted nothing to sound like _Us and Them_. What was going on at the time of my career with Godflesh was an identity crisis. I'd spent a lot of time making that album and it almost sounded like it was a remix of a remix album. There were so many changes going on and it was just a regurgitation of what I had done before. It was really fucking tiresome. I did a lot of that album by myself, in a very hermit-like state of mind. I was in a technologically obsessed state of mind and I lost sight of what Godflesh should be. The end result was something very eclectic and ambitious that didn't even sound like a Godflesh album. That album is the sound of an identity crisis and we did it in public. I am glad it wasn't promoted well." Ooh, another jab at Earache? "I guess you could say that they did a favour for us. I'll be the first person to stand up and say that I don't like that album." It's weird to hear a band say they don't like their recent records. Usually bands hate their older releases instead. "Yeah, that is the way things go for us in Godflesh. We take risks and some people don't like everything we do, but that is the nature of Godflesh: to explore. We have grown up in public and people have seen us try a lot of different things. Some work, some don't, but at least we are proud enough to admit when we do something wrong." Broadrick ends saying, "_Us and Them_ needed to happen for us to get where we are right now. I'm glad we got that shit out of Godflesh's system and we are moving onto bigger and better things. It gave birth to the new Godflesh, a full band and just having a positive outlook on what we want to achieve. We're ready for more." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S P L I T T H I S ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with James Plotkin, about Atomsmasher by: Paul Schwarz James Plotkin's name may ring a bell with those of you who've not been exposed to his more experimental work, but do own a few CDs from the very early Earache days. You see, the first officially released record to feature Plotkin was Old Lady Driver's self-titled debut. With a name change enacted after the first album, James combined groundbreaking guitar work with the possibilities of sound processing and (with a little help from a friend -- avant-garde New York jazz saxophonist and part-time noise terrorist John Zorn, known for pushing the boundaries of musical extremity with such projects as Naked City and Painkiller) created much extreme and unusual music with OLD's next four albums. To date Plotkin made over twenty albums, including a number of direct collaborations with other artists, and, it is said, has experimented with various styles "from ambient drones to progressive pop". He is currently involved in making what is apparently some of most excruciating and nasty -- yet thoroughly brilliant -- doom on the planet in Khanate with OLD [sic] buddy (har, har) Alan Dubin and ex-Burning Witch [sic] and Sun 0))) man Stephen O'Malley, and with the assistance of drum-insanity harbinger Dave Witte and DJ Speedrach, Plotkin has delivered a frenzied mass of quivering insanity in the form of Atomsmasher's self-titled debut album. Trying to describe the experience of _Atomsmasher_ (HydraHead) yields hopelessly inaccurate and often misleading -- not to mention overly lengthy -- results, so I won't bother even getting into it. Suffice it to say that this is a CD you -should- hear, especially if you have a mind to hear music that truly deserves the label "extreme". Whatever your opinions on Atomsmasher, I suggest you read what James Plotkin has to say, for it is not only interesting and amusing but, I believe, also profoundly insightful. CoC: What led to your collaboration with Dave Witte? Have many people mistaken him for a drum machine? Are there many other drummers you would have felt confident could have performed for Atomsmasher? James Plotkin: Atomsmasher was a direct result of Witte and myself wanting to collaborate for many years. When I got into hard-disk recording I was finally in a position to start something up. It's hard to imagine this group without each of its individual parts. CoC: Would you describe Atomsmasher as unique? I myself might, but I don't claim any extensive knowledge of the extreme electronic/noise scene. JP: I should hope so, what point would it make to go on if it wasn't? It's not all that difficult to be unique as it is to be worthwhile. There's too much music in the world that doesn't really need to exist. CoC: Would you estimate Atomsmasher to fall outside the category of "music" because it is so wildly divergent from what we traditionally think of as music, and because it is so taxing (yet, I say, marvelously rewarding) to listen to? JP: Any reasons why Atomsmasher would not be referred to it as music would be due to the limitations of the listener's imagination, as opposed to the vast imagination of its creators. Personally, I don't really care to speculate at what point sound becomes music and vice versa. I consider some naturally occurring or incidental sounds to be more musical than some of the shite that is being passed on as music these days. CoC: Some people have chosen to compare Atomsmasher with other bands such as Fantomas or Dave Witte's collaboration with Chris Dodge. Others have described Atomsmasher's music as "an insane mix of Extreme Noise Terror meets Thelonius Monk, playing the weirdest noise jazz that you're ever gonna hear" or as "what you get when you combine grind and noise (in the Merzbow sense)" or as a "unique combination of music that helps bridge the gap between electronica and new punk metal -- it's the shit!" Would you say comparing Atomsmasher to other bands is a fruitless exercise? Have any of the attempts at expressing of what constitutes Atomsmasher you've read or heard seemed accurate or insightful to you? JP: Some of the reviews I've read have been very insightful, but in truth people will always get different things out of a piece of music or art. Atomsmasher can be successfully compared to other music, visuals, personal experiences etc. It's all about what the sounds means to the individual listener. This sounds pathetically pretentious, of course, but it's actually true. For myself, Atomsmasher is about having a blast with extremely absurd yet challenging sound manipulation. CoC: Would you say Atomsmasher's music agenda could be compared with the direction material from labels like Warp, Ninja Tunes, Ambush or D-Trash is exploring? Would you say Atomsmasher could be "allied" with the output of any of these labels, or other so-called "tech noise" act? What do you think of "tech noise"? JP: Certain aspects of it definitely fit in with forward-thinking electronica and this "tech-noise" which I've not heard of before. It basically comes down to the available tools for sound recording/processing, and since they are constantly changing, I suspect the music created and inspired by it will change accordingly. CoC: Would you say that the manipulation of electronic noise is as respectable, or possibly a more respectable, skill than traditional instrumental musical skills? JP: I think they are two completely different skills and shouldn't really be lumped together for a simple, surface base comparison. As far as respectability goes, it should be the level of skill -- not the type of skill -- that should be subject to scrutiny. Having said that, it should really be the results of whatever is trying to be achieved that should be ultimately scrutinized. Some barely-competent people make better music using horrid technique than virtuosos that make skillful yet mind-numbingly-boring music after decades of training. Yawn. CoC: How much of the _Atomsmasher_ album was recorded live and how much of it was sampled and electronically arranged in the studio? Generally speaking, to what degree does the music of Atomsmasher rely on studio-based tampering, and to what extent can you perform it live (with electronic devices, but without using large, pre-recorded sections)? JP: Without hard-disk recording and processing, Atomsmasher would not be possible. All parts are recorded live, though not necessarily to the music. Most bass and guitar is recorded to the arrangements while drums and vox are previously supplied, then everything is subject to brutal manipulation and rearranging. Live situations will be developed as they occur. Thus far I have only done laptop sets of live manipulations and live reconstructive mixes of existing material. Future sets will consist of a live unit of three or more people combining instrumental performance with electronics and real-time sound manipulation. It's difficult to fly everyone out when the gig fee is 200 bucks or less. CoC: Is the sample at the end of "Placebo" actually from Sesame Street or did someone mimic the voice? Also, may I just say: WHHAAAT THE FUUCK!? JP: None of the sounds in Atomsmasher are stolen. The vox in question either belong to an old friend or possibly my father, whose tapes I'm constantly debugging for assimilation into our gridwork. Thank you for your exclamations. CoC: Generally speaking, what sorts of sources are your samples from, and do they have any purpose other than making the experience of _Atomsmasher_ thoroughly weird? JP: Every sound adheres to the basic rock guitar/bass/drums/vox formula. With modern PC and Mac tools, you really don't need outlandish sound sources to develop really bizarre sounds. The sounds are carefully chosen though, maybe moreso than someone might think. Generally, it's a very dense overall sound so a lot of attention is paid to giving each sound its own space in the mix. I tend to dislike sonic clutter, and density doesn't usually mean clutter if you know how to cover the frequency spectrum efficiently. CoC: In what way does the visual presentation of the _Atomsmasher_ album fit with its music? How important is good and extensive visual presentation to Atomsmasher, and if it is important, why is it important? JP: Imagine it as a new toy, or a delicious piece of candy. Colors, lines and scribbles, stimulation... presto! We get excited and want to scratch the wacko-spot. CoC: What can we expect next from Atomsmasher? Will it sound like "the band who made _Atomsmasher_" made it? JP: The next CD is for IPECAC records, home of the Melvins and Fantomas. Same attitude, different sounds. I need to keep it interesting for myself foremost, so it will always expand at least a bit to each release. Also look for a HydraHead 7" featuring a remix by Venetian Snares as well as a track from Jack Plotkin's Atomsmasher... Contact: mailto:jimbalaya9@earthlink.net http://www.hydrahead.com For an extensive article on, and downloadable discography of James Plotkin: http://www.musiquemachine.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= S P E N D I N G H O U R S B L E E D I N G F O R M U S I C ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Tobias Martinsson and Joel Lindell of The Provenance by: Chris Flaaten The Provenance is a young band from Sweden currently debuting with the wonderful _25th Hour; Bleeding_ [reviewed in this issue]. If you listen to their album, however, you may notice that they sound as if they have been making music for decades. From the song structures and arrangements to the production and execution, these young Swedes express a level of maturity rarely seen in even the most established bands. They explore a myriad of different genres and influences, but don't lose focus where 99% of other bands would fall into a web of digression and distractions. This sounds interesting, doesn't it? I thought so, at least, so I contacted the band to find out more. CoC: How would you describe your music? TM/JL: Oh, that's a tricky question. We usually call it "flutie metal" ourselves... But on a more serious note, I would say it is a blend of '70s symphonic rock and goth goes metal... sort of. A Portuguese guy once called it "multidimensional metal". CoC: That's not far from my impression, albeit from the opposite perspective, perhaps. I'm thinking more like "metal with goth / death / prog / symphonic rock flirtation"... You're not easy to describe, and that's a good thing! How happy are you with your debut, then? TM/JL: Very happy, considering the circumstances. It has actually been a long time since we recorded it. We recorded it after we were finished at work, so we had about three hours each day to record. CoC: The production is quite strong, so that's impressive! TM/JL: Thank you. Joel, our drummer, works in the studio so we got a very good deal... CoC: How about the writing? How was the material written? TM/JL: We wrote it over a period of a couple of years, actually, so there are a few really old songs on the album, but some are also brand new. "Listening" and the title track are among the new ones, while "All of Reality" and "Ignominy Embodied" are older. We write the music together, but of course we also present individual ideas to each other. We have tried to write complete songs individually, but we came to the conclusion that the songs turn out much better if we write them together. CoC: Does every band member have similar musical interests? TM/JL: Yes and no. Everyone likes the metal scene, but some more than others, I guess. Everyone is open to new influences and musical styles. CoC: I noticed you are all born in 1979. How did the band come together? Old class mates, perhaps? TM/JL: Me and Joel have known each other since we were about one year old. The others are people we have stumbled across during the years, thinking: "This person would fit in the band". The last one to join our little family was the bassist, Jonnie. CoC: So it is a coincidence of sorts that you are all of the exact same age? TM/JL: Yes, it is. CoC: So, over to the music again. I hear a lot of different impulses. Some are quite distinct, e.g. the My Dying Bride-like part on "Listening" where you even seem to imitate Aaron's vocals. TM/JL: The part on "Listening" was done on purpose. Sort of a tribute to one of our main influences. CoC: What about other influences? I hear progressive rock elements (flute and Hammond organ) as well as Arcturus-like moods. TM/JL: Anglagard is a band that all of us like very much, and so is Arcturus. CoC: I still feel that you certainly have developed your own sound and are in no way a clone of any of the aforementioned bands. TM/JL: I guess we have developed our own sound, but we can still do better. CoC: Since it's been a long time since you recorded this, I imagine you have new material on the way? TM/JL: Of course, we've got dynamite material! About eight new songs already, actually. We are planning to enter the studio in June to record the next album. It will be produced by Roberto Longhi (Transport League, LOK) and we're going to record it in the Oral Majority studio. It will be heavier and fresher and a bit more complex, but at the same time easier to grasp. The dynamics in the structures are even bigger and more refined. CoC: Sounds very promising! You will remain on Scarlet Records, I imagine. How do you like the record company so far? TM/JL: We signed a deal for three albums. The budget will be much bigger for the next two albums. So far we're very pleased with them. CoC: I feel the production on your album is, as I said, impressive. All elements are heard easily -- even the bass. The only drawback is perhaps a slight lack of punch in the guitar sound. I don't know how you feel about that, though... TM/JL: Well, we had only one and a half days for mixing, so the final result could be much better, we think. I think we're most disappointed about the drum sound. But we only have ourselves to blame for that, right? CoC: How has the feedback on your album been so far? TM/JL: The only bad review we got so far is from Kerrang. The others have been very good! CoC: Nothing to worry about there, since Kerrang today isn't worth the paper it's printed on anymore. Any feedback from your record company? TM/JL: Well, not yet, but I guess they're too busy working... CoC: Do any of you have any higher musical education? TM/JL: Yes, Joakim and Joel both have three years worth of musical education, and so does Jonnie. CoC: I see on your webpage that Emma also seems very artistic, playing several instruments plus directing, dancing and whatnot. I guess you have a solid musical fundament to build from despite being a somewhat young band? TM/JL: Yes, we do. CoC: I know this is quite a heavy question, but could you say something about each track on the album, like how/when it was created, things you were hoping to achieve, concepts you wanted to include, etc.? TM/JL: As I said earlier, all songs are written by the whole band. The oldest songs on the record ("All of Reality", "Ignominy Embodied" and "Painted a Life") feel, at least to us, a bit distant. We hadn't quite found our sound back then. I'm not saying I don't like them, though. We've never set any particular goals when writing. Our aim is, and always will be, to make music we can feel proud of playing. As for concepts and elements, the lead guitars at the beginning of "For Whom I Bleed" was actually written by Joel and Jocke for a minor soap opera, while on "Deluded Into Delirium" I borrowed some ideas from Mr. Doctor of Devil Doll. CoC: I was actually going to mention that the intro and opening vocals are very Devil Doll-ish. TM/JL: Thank you, we take that as a compliment. On "Shut Down" we wanted a slight touch of the '70s. That is something that we have developed in our new material as well. CoC: Yeah, "Shut Down" certainly has the strongest prog rock feel, followed by "Ignominy Embodied" TM/JL: I can only agree, but "Iggy", as we call it, is also very folkish. CoC: I actually like the first two tracks best. Don't know exactly why, but one reason could be that I find them somewhat more "focused". They're more straightforward with moving riffs and generally has a refreshing heaviness. TM/JL: That's why we put them first... CoC: What are your ambitions with the band? Where do you see yourselves in three years, for example? TM/JL: To rule the world, get laid and get drunk... CoC: Words to live by! But seriously? TM/JL: To go on a good tour and make even better music. CoC: Speaking of concerts, do you have any tour plans? TM/JL: No, but we really want to play live and are looking for opportunities. We're going to talk to our label about touring soon. CoC: Well, thank you for the interview and good luck for the future! TM/JL: Thanks for your time and interest. Don't forget to visit www.theprovenance.com for the latest news! CoC: Yeah, you do have a nice homepage. Who made it? TM/JL: Me [Tobias]. A new one is coming very soon! So... we're done, right? We can go and drink some beer now? The Provenance is indeed metal! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= W H E R E ' S T H E S H O W E R ? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Jan and Jerzy from April Ethereal by: Paul Schwarz April Ethereal's _Advent_ album of last year intrigued me from the very first time I listened to it because, though it was slightly rough in the production department, it was anything but predictable. Compositions imbued with atmosphere, infused heavily with synth, progressive in tendency and generally non-linear in nature brought one band above all others to my mind: Opeth. Of course, what with "April Ethereal" and "Advent" being the titles of two Opeth songs, one might say that this was not a surprising thing, but other factors about April Ethereal might have steered you away from such a presumption. April Ethereal are from Poland, and represent somewhat of an anomaly for a country which -- as far as the metal underground goes -- is only substantially noted for its well-populated -- and in a number of cases very good -- death metal scene. The unusual nature of April Ethereal's music considering their national origins along with that music's unusually frequent propensity for suggesting that the band behind it had serious potential to do great things in the future, helped encourage me to seek them out. The following e-mail interview -- answered by Jan (drums and vocals on _Advent_; guitar and backing vocals in April Ethereal) and Jerzy (guitars, basses and keyboards on _Advent_; guitar and bass in April Ethereal) -- was the result. Adrian is the band's current vocalist. CoC: You are a Polish band. Poland has become known in the underground primarily for death metal -- and a little for black metal. You fit into neither genre, strictly speaking. Do you find that the reputation Poland has today in the underground is more a help to your career, or more a hindrance? Jan: Greetings. It's difficult to say if it will help us or not. We have observed that the Polish underground has really extreme opinions about our music -- some people love us and some others just hate us. Today's Polish underground is reviving the death metal boom and all the bands who are playing other music, more melodic and of course less brutal, have some problems with existing in the underground. What will help us for sure is the fact that the Polish underground is big and a lot of people have a chance to listen to our music. I can't really say if it will help us or not, because for me the Polish underground is really chaotic and you don't really know what to expect. Jerzy: For us it's sometimes difficult to exist in the underground, because for example when we play live, we're usually playing with two or three brutal death metal bands and with our melodic and atmospheric music we create some kind of contrast with the other performers. This contrast is often a help to our career, because our band is seen as an original one in the mass of death metal bands, but in other cases, people who come to see a death metal show don't really understand our music... Personally, I think that being an original band is a big advantage and that the death metal reputation of the Polish underground will only help us -- people will say, "Have you heard this Polish band! Wow, they play brutal -but- melodic metal, and -not- death metal." CoC: I liked your latest album, _Advent_, I thought it showed a lot of -potential-. However, I did think it showed a lot of areas, particularly with respect to the album's production, which needed improvement. I think you show the potential to make a great album in the future if given sufficient time and money, but at present I think you have only succeeded in making a good album, not a great one. How do -you- feel about _Advent_, and how much of April Ethereal's potential do you think it realises? Jerzy: I'm really happy that you liked _Advent_. You're right saying that we could improve the production and the whole sound of this album, but I think that an artist can improve his work to infinity, always finding something he could do better or in another way. We had limited time and a limited amount of money to record _Advent_ and I think we have done it the best way we could at the moment. This recording shows our musical style, our potential and our ideas. Personally, I like the sound and the production of this record -- I've heard a lot of albums with worse production! You can hear all the instruments and I think that this record has its own atmosphere. Of course, our next album will have better sound and will be different, because we're still getting more experience as musicians and composers and we have fresh ideas -- it's some kind of artistic evolution. Our potential is growing along with our experience. Jan: For me _Advent_ represents a giant step forward in our music. Before, at the time of our demos, we have jumped on various kinds of music and tried almost all styles. Nowadays, we know our path and we know how our music will sound like. As a writer of _Advent_'s lyrics, it was a big step too, because I wrote literally what I thought. I knew what the principal theme will be and I exploited it to the end. I won't be able to write another _Advent_ lyrically. We know now that we haven't recorded the album of our lives yet, so _Advent_ is not representing our full potential, but it represents the April Ethereal band AD 2001. The best one will come for sure. Jerzy: Adrian likes this record too, but he already has new ideas he wants to put on our next release. CoC: Do you have plans to extend the band's permanent line-up further, to include a permanent drummer and keyboardist? Jan: We are actually looking for a bassist, but in the case of a drummer it's very hard to find a good one in Warsaw. If there is a really good drummer, he is playing in five bands at the same time, so it's almost impossible to find a drummer who will understand and feel our music and will be able to sacrifice all his energy for the band. A keyboardist, why not? But for the moment our goal is to find a bassist, then we will think about a keyboardist. For the drummer it will be our last thought and maybe we won't feel the need to find one. Jerzy: We started as a duo, me and Jan. Now we are three with Adrian. Maybe one day we'll find appropriate musicians to extend our line-up. For now we feel very comfortable playing as a trio, we're able to play live and we know exactly what way artistically we want to go. CoC: The influence of Opeth shows in your recorded work, yet you do not sound merely like you mimic the band. This is good. In the future, do you have a particular musical direction you intend to follow? Will you try to avoid going down the same roads as Opeth have? Jan: A lot of people, at hearing that the main influence for us is Opeth, say that we are copying this band. It doesn't make any sense; Opeth is just an inspiration for us, we are not trying to sound like Opeth or to play like Opeth. We won't follow the same roads. We know what music we are playing and what music we want to compose. Our next album will be, for sure, more progressive. I think that we will use less drum blasts. It will sound heavy but it won't be as brutal as _Advent_. Jerzy: Opeth is one and only, and it's impossible to copy their unique style. And we never thought of copying them. We have chosen the name April Ethereal as a 'tribute' to Opeth, that's all. Our guitar arrangements are harmonic, we use a lot of acoustic guitars, but we follow our own path. We'll introduce new elements to our music, our songs will probably be more progressive and more complex, but we defined our musical style on Advent and we will improve it for now. I think our songs will always have a unique April Ethereal atmosphere. CoC: How important is playing live to April Ethereal? Your music is complex and disjointed in structure, and seems like something that would be difficult -- but very interesting -- to play live: what do you do live? Jan: Personally, I love playing gigs. It's so powerful and it gives me real satisfaction. That's true, our music is complex but we are able to play it live. When preparing our set list, we have chosen the songs which sound good live. For example the "Hologram" track is too progressive to play it live and we will probably never play it live. Our live set is powerful and really kicks ass! Jerzy: We compose the songs in order to be able to play them live later on -- we don't record five guitar tracks in studio. Our live show is powerful because we express emotions and because Adrian is a very good frontman. Our music is complex but communicates emotions and creates atmosphere, and I think it's the most important thing when playing live. Live gigs are for us an important way to promote our music -- people that never heard about us have the opportunity to hear our stuff. Playing live gives us so much energy that our songs are sometimes more brutal, sometimes more powerful and always different. CoC: Who are your main musical inspirations and what continues to inspire you both to play music, and to head in specific musical directions? Jerzy: I started to listen to music with Pink Floyd, then came AC/DC, some thrash metal bands, Slayer, Entombed and finally Opeth, which is for me the most innovative band in the death metal style. I think that every record I find interesting in a way inspires me, but the main inspirations are Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Tool, Dodheimsgard and the old Anathema with Darren on vocals. I think that our musical style is a mix of those inspirations with a big touch of our own creative power and our own emotions. Adrian is inspired musically by Bathory and lyrically by H.P. Lovecraft. Jan: For me, the main inspiration is Opeth. Then, I may say Porcupine Tree, The Gathering, Limbonic Art, Pink Floyd and more... I listen to different kinds of music, and someone one day said that when you listen to music just for fun, you get inspired. CoC: How much do you worry about being musically original? Jan: When we recorded _Advent_ we didn't try to sound as original as possible. We have evolved through the years and we found our own style. The fact that we are playing other music than death or black metal means in a way that we worry about being musically original, but only subconsciously. Jerzy: For me originality in music is very important, because it's the only way to communicate something and the only way to create a link between the artist and his audience. When you think of "Swedish death metal" you mean "Entombed, Dismember, At the Gates..." -- you remember those bands because they created something original. In that way we want our music to be original and innovative, but it comes out without any worry from us. You know, we never decided to reject a song because it didn't sound original enough. Some of our songs are really innovative (for example "Hologram" on _Advent_), in some others you clearly hear some of our influences, but I think this fact makes our record even more interesting. CoC: Any final words? Jan & Jerzy: We would like to invite everyone who seeks melody, atmosphere, power and emotions in metal music to listen to our _Advent_ album. Visit our official website or our record label's website for additional information about us, our releases, upcoming live gigs and our new album, which we plan to release in April 2002. Contact: http://www.aprilethereal.com http://www.conquerec.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= D I R T Y , D I R G Y M O T H E R F U C K E R S ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC chats with Chris Edmonds of Leechmilk by: Adrian Bromley The world is full of a lot of surprises, isn't it? Just when you think you a music scene has somewhat become stagnant, a band like Atlanta, Georgia's Leechmilk comes along and adds some intensity and solid dirge-like atmosphere into the mix. While the band's split CD with Ohio's Sofa King Killer, titled _Guilty of Sloth / Crusty Mother Fuckn Rock and Roll_ (on Tee Pee Records) may not be that well-known right now (though a slight buzz has erupted), it will catch on if all things go properly for this band. Good word of mouth and live shows will no doubt propel this band into the spotlight. Who knows? Maybe this interview in Chronicles of Chaos might just do the trick. I can only hope. While there are a lot of bands nowadays that play this sludge/doom kind of music, rarely does any of them exude as much emotion as this band does. Other bands seem to go through the motions, while Leechmilk makes an effort to deliver the goods in a blinding fury. Where does that emotional factor come from? "That's very kind of you", starts guitarist Chris Edmonds about my comments of the band's material. "The difference may be due to how long we have been doing this. I am from the New Orleans area originally and have been playing this music for ten years. None of our pre-Leechmilk bands amounted to much, because there was so little interest from the industry side of things. The newer bands may have missed the early days when the excitement and impact of this music was more obvious. In recent years, sludge/doom or whatever has been diluted quite a bit from its original form. The style that we play is very stripped down and hopefully more intense, especially in a live setting." Listening to the music of Leechmilk, as you can do with almost any band out there right now, the influences are obvious. Edmonds lets CoC know what bands helped fuel the sound of Leechmilk. "We all [the band is rounded out by drummer Charr, singer Greg Hess and singer Dan Caycedo -- Adrian] grew up on Slayer, Black Sabbath, Discharge and basic thrash metal stuff. That was a big influence. We fell in love with all the Southern bands right away. Bands like Dead Horse, Crowbar, EYEHATEGOD, Buzzoven and Harvey Milk were and still are heroes to us. I think it still shows in our sound. We get canned as an EYEHATEGOD band pretty often, which is hard to take but also a compliment. I would like anyone that says that to point out one single blues riff in any of our music. I try to steal from lots of different people, not just one single source. For Christ's sake, I may be a scumbag, but I ain't lazy." So how does Edmonds feel about being pigeonholed as a sludge/doom band? Does it bother him? Blurts Edmonds, "It bothers the fuck out of me. The thing about being labeled like that is that it does drive off potential interest in our music. People feel safe when they can mentally store things away in that manner. They feel safer and more secure knowing that nothing is getting by them. They will not be able to hold that feeling very long with this band. There are many surprises yet to come." There has been a buzz about the band -- do you notice that? "We have heard that", answers Edmonds, "but we don't really know if it's true or not. It's hard to get an honest assessment when you're in the band." How about reading record reviews, how do you respond to those? "The reviews can be difficult. We have only had a few really bad ones. Those I can laugh at pretty easily. The ones that really piss me off are when they [reviewers] form opinions and it seems like they really never even listened to the music. A lot of the more political zines despise us immediately because we don't play their little game. They slag us off because we don't print lyrics for them to inspect to see if we fit their agenda. Fuck that! We will never print lyrics now! We feel like it's no one's fucking business what we say. We don't say it for them anyway." While on the topic of songwriting, I ask Edmonds: does popular culture and/or news inspire the material, or does it come from personal experiences? "It's all from personal experience. Sometimes outside events will forge those experiences, but musically it's all personal", he explains. "Our music and lyrics are more of an exposure of scars both physical and mental, it's like this is what makes us tick, what about you? We don't feel that we should respond to current events or speak down to the listener. We despise arrogance and you really have to be a real prick to think as a musician your opinion means shit to anybody. People don't need to be told how to think. They do need someone to provide them with an hour or so of fun. We try to do our best in that regard." And how has the band evolved since the early days up to now? "We have slowed down quite a bit. We were always slow but we had more fast parts. The dooming down was more of an unconscious slide than anything else", he reveals. "We are really influenced by the Swedish hardcore and dis-core type stuff as much as we are by doom. We have lost our way to a degree, and we will be returning to our earlier sound soon enough. That is not to say that we won't be dropping the bricks. We will always play slow." Seeing that I have already worn this new split CD out, I'm already looking for new Leechmilk material. The questions of when can we expect new material from Leechmilk?, how does the material sound?, any new ideas you experimenting with?, etc. get thrown out to the singer, who responds: "You can expect it to be heavy as hell. The new material will be the definition of Leechmilk. We will have the time and support we need. We will release the next album and it will set the standard as how we are perceived as a band." He ends, "Everything up to this point has been coming from a different place. We really feel like our backs are against the wall this time and we are going to come out swinging like a motherfucker." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____ _ _ _ | |___ _| |___ ___ ___ ___ _| |___ ___| |_ |- -| | . | -_| . | -_| | . | -_| | _| |_____|_|_|___|___| _|___|_|_|___|___|_|_|_| |_| _____ _ _ _ | |___| |_ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___| |_|_|___ ___ ___ |- -| | _| -_| _| _| . | . | .'| _| | . | |_ -| |_____|_|_|_| |___|_| |_| |___|_ |__,|_| |_|___|_|_|___| |___| D A R K N E S S E N C L O S I N G ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC interviews Keith Powers of Aphotic by: Pedro Azevedo The USA may be more renowned for their death metal than any other extreme metal genre, but as of late a few bands have been emerging within a doom metal style akin to what is more plentifully found upon European soil. Aphotic, whilst showing their death metal roots, have given a more atmospheric, solemn and sombre twist to their sound, and both of their demo CDs [the first of which was reviewed in CoC #51 and the second in this issue] showcased a talented band waiting to be given proper conditions to record an album and fulfill their potential. Judging by the quality of their demo CDs, they clearly deserve such an opportunity by now, and hopefully the next time they are featured in Chronicles of Chaos will see them in Album Asylum instead of New Noise, or Deadly Dialogues instead of Independent Interrogations. I advise you to get in touch with the band, as their demo CDs are well worth owning. Hopefully one of these days a deserving label will open their eyes, see the -light- and sign Aphotic. The following is an e-mail interview with guitarist Keith Powers. CoC: Aphotic is a somewhat unusual name for a band, in the sense that it may not be part of everyone's vocabulary -- whilst nevertheless carrying considerable meaning and feeling closely related to your music. Can you tell us more about this name and how you decided to use it? Keith Powers: I came up with it. It seemed to be perfect for what we were doing musically. Aphotic is a term referring to the absence of light, more specifically the part in the ocean that never receives any sunlight simply because of the depth. Sunlight can only penetrate so far... The name seems to set the mood to our music, and more importantly, it is one word and is easy to remember. CoC: Your second demo, _Under Veil of Dark_, comes in a simple yet rather smart package. Similarly, I'd say the music inside might not be mind-blowingly complex or incredibly technical, but it is very effective and shows plenty of dedication and talent from such a young band. What is your general approach to songwriting? KP: We wanted a packaging that was simple, since it is a demo, but yet something that catches the eye. It is also easier to send out in the mail than bulky jewel cases. If we ever get the chance to record a full-length album, we want to have it released in digipak form. As for our music, it isn't incredibly complex, but there is a lot to it; the recording was somewhat substandard. A lot of things got lost in the mix because we didn't get a good enough guitar tone. The frequency of the guitar too closely matched that of a lot of the keyboard parts. We only had two days to complete the recording, and that included mixing it. We felt very rushed, not to mention that the air conditioner was not working, and with all the equipment running in the room, it was hell-hot. We let some things slide. We know how to improve our guitar sound. Our guitars are fine, Steve and I both use Custom Shop Jackson guitars, good 4x12 cabinets, but our heads are old and we need new ones with more tone. Aphotic is trying to get farther and farther away from that typical death metal sound. More time in the studio would be needed too, of course. Then people would be able to hear the complexity of the guitars working through the multi-layered keyboards. When Aphotic writes a song, it almost always follows the same pattern. Steve and I come up with some guitar parts that create a certain mood or atmosphere. The rest of the song flows out rapidly after that. Steve then programs the drums, we both arrange it -- I usually do most of the keyboards, but Steve does help, just like how I add ideas for the drums. Chad then does the bass lines and writes the lyrics. CoC: I think _Under Veil of Dark_ might be better appreciated by fans of the doom metal genre rather than death metal (I mean doom metal in the more European sense). Who would you name as the main influences behind the shaping of your musical direction? KP: I listen mostly to Opeth, Katatonia, October Tide and Rapture. I also listen to Anathema's first CD, old Paradise Lost, old My Dying Bride, and some others along those lines. I like to draw influences outside of metal too. The Deftone's _Around the Fur_ album is listened to quite frequently, as well as early Fugazi, and again, other bands of this style. Once in a while I'll listen to Hypocrisy, In Flames, or Nile too. Steve and Chad have a lot of other bands that they listen to as well, of course. We don't all listen to the same stuff, but that helps us get more diversity in our music. The most important thing, though, is to be unique and not try at all to sound like anyone else. Aphotic has many influences, but ultimately we want to have our own place musically. I think that we are well on the way to doing this. We do have a lot more songs than what we have recorded. CoC: What is your opinion of the American metal scene in general these days? And the more underground scene? KP: I hate it, to put it quite simply. I like to distance myself from that as far as possible. As far as the underground here, I don't really get into too many American bands, I guess. Not to say that they aren't good, but more so that they aren't in the vein of what I listen to. CoC: You've stuck with the artificial rhythm section for this second demo, even though I do find it adequate, I'd be interested to hear your music with a human drummer. Are there any plans to add one to the band? KP: Aphotic has a person lined up to play drums -if- we are to get a record deal. I really desperately want a real drummer. It would add so much to our music. He would play on top of the programmed ones, adding realness and a natural feel, yet keeping the steady pace of the machine, also allowing us to keep the keyboards in a live situation and keep our writing process the same. I want people to understand that our two recordings are just demos in every sense of the word. It seems that most people are regarding them as true and real recordings, or in other words, "all that we are capable of". They were basically thrown together with almost no budget, no time, etc. If we were signed and actually had time to spend in the studio, we would have better guitar sound, real drums, more keyboard sounds, and better-programmed drum sounds. The ones that we are using now are very old and out-dated. So the programmed drums should hold no label back from signing us, since we would have a drummer immediately upon such an offer. CoC: Even though there are several other remarkable moments throughout _Under Veil of Dark_, to me the second track epitomizes what I like best about your music: your mixture of grim yet emotional music and dark atmospheric passages working at its best. Is there any particular track on the demo that you are especially satisfied with, one that might be the best indication of where Aphotic are headed? KP: I'd have to agree with you on the second track. It does best show what Aphotic is. The first track, "Precipice", is my favorite song. The recording doesn't do it justice. There is an energy to that song that cannot be matched. Hopefully we will get the opportunity to play it sometime or to record it again under better circumstances. It's hard to completely describe Aphotic's direction, since only some things have been recorded. I hope to get the chance to record some of our other songs and the new ones that we are working on now. We are headed in a very satisfying direction musically, though. CoC: Going into more detail, what would you ideally like the music of Aphotic to grow into in the near future? KP: Aphotic's music has already grown and continues to do so every month. We seem limited by our programmed drums, our lack of keyboard sounds, etc. The music will continue to grow, but with label help, we would be more willing to spend more time and money on Aphotic. It's hard to justify spending every single extra penny on equipment if we aren't ever going to go anywhere. CoC: Is there a specific characteristic you would like all of Aphotic's music to share in the future regardless of everything else? KP: All of Aphotic's songs have an atmosphere or mood to them. That is the most important thing. They have to be brimming with ambience and darkness. I like the feeling of building up emotion in a song or in a part of a song, and then sucking it all out in the next. I guess it's kind of hard to explain, but I can hear it in my head and you can hear it in some of our songs that we have already recorded. CoC: How have the label negotiations been going? Judging by the quality of _Under Veil of Dark_, I imagine it won't be long before you find a suitable home for your band... KP: It seems like everyone has been saying that, but it has yet to happen. I guess it is kind of early yet. I have sent out to all of the labels, but I know it can take a while to actually listen to them. I hope that it happens not too far away, since we are ready now to record a full-length. Now is the perfect time. If we have to record another demo, it won't be for quite a while. I won't record a full-length without label support. I also can't see continuing if nothing happens after three independent releases. I want to play indefinitely, but I can take a hint. CoC: The final words are yours... KP: If anyone wants to get a hold of our MCDs, Relapse now carries both of them. Cursed Productions also has them for sale, and of course you can get them directly through me for $5 each with shipping in the US (add $2 per order outside the US). I'd also like to thank everyone that has been involved with helping us in the last year. We really do appreciate your support. Thank you for the interview and I thank those that have taken the time to read it. Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, PO Box 8236, Green Bay, WI 54308-8236, USA mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= G H O U L I S H M E T A L F U N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC talks to Gary Lyons of Ghoulunatics by: Adrian Bromley All I could think about after hearing Montreal act Ghoulunatics' new album titled _King of the Undead_ [see review this issue] was "Woah! This is good!" It is a surprisingly impressive third album, seeing that I felt their debut _Carving Into You_ [CoC #34] and their last offering _Mystralengine_ were both mediocre. After really getting into the new album -- a nice blend of campy horror and groovy death metal --, I knew I needed to talk to the band and find out what went right this time around. I have been playing the new album on a continuous basis and have even decided to take up French again -- well, maybe not. But I'm still cranking the disc! Ghoul/bassist Gary Lyons corresponded via e-mail with Chronicles of Chaos about the band's "horror groove music" and what it takes to get noticed as an independent band in Canada. CoC: Tell me about the music on _King of the Undead_ -- is it the best music you guys could be making in 2001? What do you like about this album? Gary Lyons: Yes, this album is definitely our best one to date. I think it's got more varied influences to it: some songs are more hardcore, some even a bit stoner rock influenced, but we never plan that in advance. We [the band is rounded out by singer Patrick Mireault, guitarists Patrick Gordon and Jarrod "Buck" Martin and drummer Brian Craig -- Adrian] just play music that we like. Everyone has their say on every song and it's only when everyone is happy with it that it becomes a Ghoulunatics song. CoC: Why the love of horror themes? How important are those themes to creating songs and bringing ideas into the band? GL: We don't create songs with the horror atmosphere; it's the artwork and the lyrics that express all the creepy stuff. Somehow it seems that everything works well together. Also, horror brings out those great feelings called fear! CoC: What bands influenced you? Do you still hear those influences? GL: I don't think we were aware of any influences when we started the Ghouls; we just wanted to play heavy music and forget everything else that we knew. Back then, other bands were copying bands like Death, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary or Slayer. We didn't want to go that route. We wanted to play our own music. Not that we invented anything, but I think you can't say we are this style or that style. I guess were a mix of a lot of different metal and hardcore influences. Growing up we listened to bands like Dead Kennedys, SNFU, Obituary, Faith No More, S.O.D and Black Sabbath. If I had to pick one band that influenced us, though, I would have to pick Dead Horse (R.I.P.). We're all really big fans and we became even bigger fans when our former band Crypt Keepers [which included original member singer Pat Mireault, bassist Gary Lyons and guitarist Pat Gordon -- Adrian] toured with them back in 1993. We've kept in touch ever since and it was an honour for us to have Michael Haaga [ex-Dead Horse frontman, now playing with Phil of Pantera in his side project Superjoint Ritual -- Adrian] do back vocals on "Mobster Fiesta Extravaganza". Mike also does the solo work on "Suspicious Minds" and recorded one of the guitar tracks on the jam at the end of _King of the Undead_. Mike came up from Texas for a couple of days and we all had a blast (and a hangover) doing it! I hope we can do it again. CoC: It seems as though it takes a lot of hard work for Canadian metal bands to get noticed -- do you agree? What do you guys do to get noticed? GL: That's for sure! We have a lot of talent here, but we need record companies with a bit of cash to invest and belief in a band to make it work. The only thing we can do is try and make the right contacts and invest whatever money we can towards promoting ourselves. That's sadly what it comes down to these days. You could be the best band in the world, but without promotion you're nothing, 'cause nobody will notice you. We just try our best, have fun doing it and hope something will happen. If nothing does come out of this, at least we will have stayed true to ourselves and that's really what is important to us. CoC: Like a lot of French-Canadian bands, you guys sing in French and English. Which do you prefer? How do you approach each style of song? GL: We are an English band, no question about it. We will never write a whole album in French; that's just not what the band is about. Some people might consider us a French-Canadian band because we are from the province of Quebec, but in reality four out of five members are English. In the past we've had one French song per album and one or two that were bilingual. We have one French song on this new one called "Melodrame". The reason for this, I guess, is that we are all bilinguals and that just comes out naturally. When Pat (who writes all the lyrics) writes a song in French, it's because it just feels natural to him to write it that way. CoC: Pierre Remillard did a superb job with the production, making it sound good but not too flashy. He really let the groove and raw power of the band stay intact. When you went into the studio with him, did you both know what was going to come out of this? What did you learn? GL: First of all, Pierre has been a friend of ours for about ten years and knows the band well. He played two or three gigs with us back in '96 when Jarrod left the band. That made it a lot easier, because he knew what we wanted and where we wanted to go with this album. We knew we wanted an album that would sound raw an in-your-face with a live aspect to it. We recorded everything live without any overdubs or cuts in two days and then recorded the vocals in a day and a half. Pierre did a great job and understood where we wanted to go right away. Basically, our job was to play the songs, his was to record them -- that's all. No arguments, no fussing over the sound of this or the volume of that. We have our own sound and we wanted him to reproduce this sound on the album, which he did. Pierre later told us recording _King of the Undead_ was one of the easiest projects he'd done. If we learned anything, it would be this: if you come prepared, everything will go smoothly. CoC: Do you like the whole business side of being in a band or not? How involved in that does the band get? GL: Basically, I manage the band and take care of pretty much everything with the help of our friend Eric Galy, who is also our booker and has been helping us out since day one. The business side of being in a band can be tough and is not always pleasant, but that is inevitable. Lots of people out there just want to profit from your band when everything is good and when things aren't so good, they won't ever talk to you. That's all part of the business, I guess. All I can do is be true to myself, do my best, try and respect a certain standard and try and gain respect from my peers. In the meantime, Eric and I are working hard to promote the new album. We will be touring Ontario and Quebec at the beginning of 2002 and we are planning a Canadian tour for next Summer if all goes well. CoC: There is a lot of imagery with Ghoulunatics and what you do. Is it demanding to keep it fresh or is it rather easy to keep the ideas coming? GL: It's something that comes easy to us. The horror side of things has always been part of Ghoulunatics, because we're all fans of horror movies and we always want to try something new. Over the years, we've had lots of help from friends like Eric Gougeon from Illusion Tattoo here in Montreal, who does some of our merchandise artwork, as well as the Elvis Dead Story show posters. Pat Tremblay, who did the cover art for _King of the Undead_, also helps out a lot with posters and merchandise, which gives us time to concentrate on other things. CoC: What horror movie(s) would best represent what the band is about? What are the band favourites? Mine would be "Susperia", "Halloween" and "Demons". GL: "Frankenstein" would best represent the band, because he's ugly, sensitive and brutal. Our favourite horror movies are "Evil Dead", "Brain Dead" ("Dead Alive" in the US) and all of the "Tales From the Crypt" series. CoC: What is the local scene like over there in Montreal? Do you get to play many shows? What bands, besides Ghoulunatics, should we look out for? GL: The local scene is really good here. Lots of really good bands are out there now, like Blinded by Faith or Neuraxis, for example. The only thing missing would be serious record companies with money to invest in their bands, and I'm sure you'd see lots of Montreal bands "making it". We can play about 20 to 25 shows a year on average in our province of Quebec; we play in our hometown of Montreal about twice a year. There are lots of places to play, all you need to do is get organized and make the right contacts. Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal, Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com http://www.ghoulunatics.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____ .__ ___. / _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____ / /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \ / | \ |_| \_\ \ | / Y Y \ \____|__ /____/___ /____/|__|_| / \/ \/ \/ _____ .__ / _ \ _________.__.| | __ __ _____ / /_\ \ / ___< | || | | | \/ \ / | \\___ \ \___ || |_| | / Y Y \ \____|__ /____ >/ ____||____/____/|__|_| / \/ \/ \/ \/ Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed 9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended 7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities 5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters 3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into 0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs! Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_ (Sentinel, November 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) Irish death/grindsters Abaddon Incarnate recruited Nasum's Mieszko Talarczyk to handle production duties for _Nadir_, and he seems to have been able to achieve the sound they needed to unleash their aggression. This is one brutal, harsh, powerful piece of death/grind we have here, and one that is also uncannily long at 43 minutes (24 tracks). While that length may work against Abaddon Incarnate to some extent due to the record becoming a tad tiresome, it is not something I am going to criticize, since it is not reached through any filler tracks or clearly redundant material. Rather, Abaddon Incarnate's thundering attack is usually quite reasonably varied, considering the league they play in; add to that the fact that they can create some considerably effective riffs and rhythms and deliver it all in a very competent package, and _Nadir_ becomes a highly interesting addition to any death/grind aficionado's collection. Furthermore, interesting lyrics and stylish imagery complement the music. With tracks as crushing and enjoyable as "They Use Dark Forces", "Aeons of Our Dying" and "Traumatic Stress Solution", Abaddon Incarnate cannot be denied the praise they deserve for having created something not only very competent but also interesting in such a saturated genre. Contact: http://www.sentinelireland.com Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_ (Nuclear Blast, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (8.5 out of 10) If you like black metal and find Dissection to be one of the best bands ever to walk upon this earth, then the German/Romanian band Agathodaimon should be right for you. This is a band that has developed a very atmospheric and unique form of black metal with acoustic interludes and beautiful melodies, but also plenty of great metal riffs and aggression. Another surprising feature on this third album from the band is the presence of some very good clean vocals, providing a nice contrast with the rougher elements -- which are of course the most prominent ones. If you are just looking for some fast and furious black metal, then you don't have to worry either, because that can also be found on this disc. Black metal in a very simple form is not difficult to play, but it is very difficult to make it sound interesting and only a small number of bands manage to pull this off. Agathodaimon is one of them and in my humble opinion they are without a doubt the best German black metal band at the moment. Production and sound quality are also impressive. If you want to listen to some remarkable and unconventional black metal, then this is a great album to check out. [Adrian Bromley: "While black metal at heart, there are a lot of complex ideas and musical arrangements making up this atmospheric metal outing. Most black metal enthusiasts will probably liken this band to Dimmu Borgir or a band of similar ilk, but those comparisons, while warranted, are not really close to the real deal. A good album for the most part, _Chapter III_ proves that Agathodaimon are on the right path to keep their listeners interested and to help keep themselves from going stagnant -- or worse, sounding like the hundreds of black metal clones going around in circles."] Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7" () by: Alvin Wee (9 out of 10) An obscurity that even some of the most die-hard black metallers won't know about. The long-lost demo from pre-Immortal band Amputation has finally been exhumed and immortalized (sorry!) on a bootleg 7", showcasing the roots of Norse death metal. Great deathly sounds on offer here, a far cry from Immortal's pure-black debut, but equally impressive and atmospheric. "Heavenly Grace" puts the overrated Old Funeral material to shame, reaching a level of abyssal darkness that Norse counterparts like early Darkthrone and Cadaver only scrape the surface of. More technically polished than Tiamat's _Sumerian Cry_, yet blacker than anything Morbid ever put out, Amputation's demo deserves to be hailed as a classic alongside _December Moon_ etc., and it's a pity this rarity won't be reaching the ears of many, even as a bootleg. Limited to 100 copies only (aren't they all?), this one-sided 7" slab is a must for anyone realizing the importance of the early Norwegian death metal scene, and worth any amount of effort to locate. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_ (Mordgrimm, November 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10) I almost feel like -thanking- Anaal Nathrakh for not having forgotten to re-record demo track "The Supreme Necrotic Audnance" with _The Codex Necro_'s superior, powerful and abrasive production -- it has to be one of the best album openers I've heard in a very long time. A brief build-up, and then the mayhem is unleashed -- quite literally, since Anaal Nathrakh have both been likened to Mayhem and complimented by the Norwegian legends. Devastating black metal blastbeats, remarkably infectious riffs, crushing slower sections and the occasional dark atmosphere-building samples all combine into one of the most outstandingly vicious, violent and enjoyable records of recent time. The brutality in Anaal Nathrakh's sound quite simply has to be heard to be believed, and then in addition to the sonic detonation there is the underlying subtlety of their music, which guarantees a final result that is at times amazing. The extremity often borders on the insane, but music itself has by no means been forgotten amidst the maelstrom of noise. Anaal Nathrakh had been threatening to fulfill their potential for a while now [CoC #43, #48], and _The Codex Necro_ is definitely something the band can be proud of. A remarkable achievement in musical aggression; I nearly shudder to think what could come next from this band if their progression continues. [Paul Schwarz: "There was never a British band who could sonically be likened to Mayhem without it being an insult to the legendary Norwegians before Anaal Nathrakh came along: a flesh-ripping synthesis of biting, black metal blastbeats and searing industrial sprinklings. Just give "Submission Is for the Weak" three or four spins: you'll understand."] Contact: http://www.geocities.com/anaalnathrakh/main.html Angra - _Rebirth_ (SPV, November 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10) While I'll admit I have never been a huge fan of Brazilian progressive/power metal band Angra, I am rather impressed with the band's latest offering _Rebirth_ with new singer Eduardo Falaschi. The album is just so passionately executed, from Falaschi's powerful vocals to the wonderful keyboard work or the solid guitar riffs being played, that the listener gets swept up in the momentum of it all. And when the album comes to an end, like myself, you will push play and let it start all over again. I'd hate to think that the changing of longtime singer Andre Matos is one of the reasons why I am digging the new Angra, but that just may be the case. Falaschi's vocals emit so much strength and passion, at times similar to Bruce Dickinson (no wonder he made the short list to front Iron Maiden in 1994; he was 22 years old then), but still showcase his own style. A truly gifted singer who was quite obviously the best choice this band made when looking for a new frontman. One of the tracks on _Rebirth_ that really hits a nerve in me is the beautifully sculpted song (piano and all) "Millennium Sun". Just the harmonies and Falaschi's vocal range make this an enjoyable listen from start to finish. Other songs worthy of note are "Heroes of Sand" and the stellar "Judgement Day". Fans of the band will no doubt enjoy that Falaschi has brought a new sound/era to Angra, but still kept the same flow of ideas and sound that made every fan of the band fall in love with them in the first place. Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_ (Osmose, October 2001) by: Chris Flaaten (9.5 out of 10) What an improvement! This French black metal band has released several semi-interesting, synth-laden discs before, but always seemed like they could barely keep their heads above water. They have obviously taken swimming lessons since then, however. _New Obscurantis Order_ is an inferno of blastbeats, crushing riffs and intense orchestral arrangements. My first impression was "Whoa, this rocks!", and I have spent over two months unsuccessfully trying to find a flaw in my initial impression. _New Obscurantis Order_ could be described as a mix of Tartaros, Emperor's _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_, Dimmu Borgir's latest album and typical French riffing and harmony styles. Yet you can hear that this is the same band that released _Drudenhaus_ [CoC #47], so their identity is somehow still intact. The opener, "Mother Anorexia", starts off much like "The Drudenhaus Anthem", but it quickly becomes clear that Anorexia Nervosa has both matured and turned much more aggressive. Driven forth by the incessant drum inferno -- courtesy of the amazing Nilcas Vant -- and massive orchestral arrangements, the music is as intense as it gets, and still epic and greatly interesting at the same time. Even in the midst of furious blastbeats and hyperspeed riffs, they manage to infiltrate harmonies and orchestral effects so the listener never gets tired. Although I dislike the French chorus on the fifth track, there isn't a weak song on this album, making it a very consistent record indeed. Some excel a little more, though: the symphonic and pleasantly chaotic "Black Death Nonetheless", the equally fast "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" with its choirs and trance-like chanting, and finally, the heavy and epic finisher: "Ordo ab Chao". The album even comes in a limited edition digipak that also includes a cover of the classic "Solitude" by Candlemass. Anorexia Nervosa presents no radical new ideas for black metal with this album, but they do have a unique sound and showcase extraordinary talent in terms of both musicianship and composition. In a year when more famous bands fail to induce excitement, _New Obscurantis Order_ is a welcome surprise. Look for it on the number one spot in my top 10 list for 2001. [Paul Schwarz: "This dose of speedy, technical, symphonic black metal has really left me sitting on the fence. It's certainly an admirable achievement from a technical perspective, but though I've found it enjoyable enough, it's really not made the strongest impression on me, despite the fact that -- on the prompting of others who proclaim its excellence -- I have returned to it multiple times, sometimes with headphones. It seems to be growing on me, but I'm not sure its (currently limited) appeal to me won't start to fade rather than magnify in the near future."] Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_ (Black Mark, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10) Bathory have once again launched a new attack on the world, to the great joy of many loyal fans all over the worlds (how can I be sure there is only one?). This review is for those of you who won't go out and buy this album just because it is a new Bathory release. The legends behind this band are many, but Quorthon (the man behind the music) is nowadays very eager to kill all myths and weird stories about Bathory. One of the true stories is that very few people know the real identity of Quorthon, and this is a secret he won't willingly give away. Another one is that the band once featured the now famous video director Jonas Akerlund (Metallica, Madonna, a.o.) on drums. Bathory has now been a one-man band for a very long time and Quorthon is solely responsible for music, lyrics and most instruments, even though some of his friends help out when it is time to record. Although he was one of the creators of modern black metal in the '80s together with Venom, the music he is now making is not as black as before. However, there is still this cozy Bathory feeling on every song on this album, with acoustic guitars, hypnotizing rhythms and a somewhat fuzzy sound. I am not very fond of Quorthon's vocals, though, since he doesn't really have the voice for it, but he is still doing the best he can. Tracks like "Destroyer of Worlds" and "Ode" make it clear that Bathory is still a band to rely on and fans of the band will not be disappointed. If you are not a Bathory fan, you may still want to check this album out, since they are now more atmospheric than black metal. _Destroyer of Worlds_ is a new solid release from Quorthon's brainchild, but unfortunately it can't compete with some of his previous works. Contact: http://www.blackmark.net Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_ (Metal Blade, November 2001) by: David Rocher (7 out of 10) At a first listen, _Honour, Valour, Pride_ comforted me in my _Mercenary_-induced belief that Bolt Thrower's works in my shelves would forever stop at _...For Victory_. In fact, the first three tracks on the legendary growling British deathsters' seventh album totally failed to fuel any form of enthusiasm in me at the time, and still feel, many a listen later, rather subdued, predictable and dispensable. However, as track four, "Suspect Hostile" starts up, things take a turn for better -- love 'em or hate 'em, Bolt Thrower are still on track, unoriginal and efficient as ever, although the seventh chunk of armoured death metal named _Honour, Valour, Pride_ is unfortunately plagued by a number of flaws which, I feel, prevent it from being able to rival with the grandeur of earlier Bolt Thrower milestones such as _IVth Crusade_ or _...For Victory_. Indeed, producer Andy Faulkner fails to deliver the crunchy trademark Bolt Thrower sound Colin Richards never failed to achieve or which, on _Mercenary_, Ewan Davies somewhat succeeded in attaining. Another problem is Dave Ingram's "I wanna be Karl Willets" vocals; it would have been wiser by far to actually capitalise on the wholly different texture of his vocals (which, for instance, are particularly brutal on Benediction's _Transcend the Rubicon_), instead of having him attempt to imitate the gruff, threatening growls so typical of Bolt Thrower's former vocalist. Finally, the other, more striking problem on _Honour, Valour, Pride_ is that... all in all, this is nothing more than a competent, efficient, but totally uninspired rehash of standard Bolt Thrower trooper gear; even though some tracks fail not to showcase some great, powerful moments of crushing heaviness, _Honour, Valour, Pride_ is globally samey and rather uninspired in the long run. Sure, if you've never yet heard Bolt Thrower, this rasping baby will keep you on your toes for quite a while -- that is, precisely until you discover these Briton blasters' former milestones, which will mercilessly relegate this chunk into the oft-forgotten shelf of deja-vu releases. This very honourable attempt at keeping Bolt Thrower's raucous, trademark sound alive is unfortunately doomed to fail to become a valorous item on my CD shelf, and is ultimately a release I would only show modest pride in, had I previously unleashed masterpieces like _The IVth Crusade_ or _...For Victory_. Borknagar - _Empiricism_ (Century Media, October 2001) by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10) Borknagar is an oddity. Even through frequent line-up changes and variations in musical intensity, Borknagar still manage to come across as unique and true to their sound. This only proves how vital Oystein G. Brun's songwriting skill and ability to find suitable band members are. Since their previous album, metal relatives Vintersorg and Tyr have replaced Simen Haestnes. In addition to this, Borknagar has taken on a clearly mellower tone and _Empricism_ is comparable to _The Archaic Course_ [CoC #32] in this respect. The first thing that struck me, apart from the new vocalist and improved production, was that the songs seem more complete and evenly balanced. This was the one thing I found lacking on _Quintessence_ [CoC #48]; solid songwriting throughout the entire album. Still, there are no songs on their new album that can rival songs like "The Presence Is Ominous" from _Quintessence_. Hopefully, the next one will be as evenly balanced as _Empiricism_, but with even better songs. As for the new vocalist, Vintersorg uses his clean vocals very often -- in fact, he uses them much more often than his superior vocal predecessor. Vintersorg is a good vocalist, but his clean vocals sound somewhat strained, whereas Simen's simply flowed gently and smoothly with twice the intensity. The rest of the performances are top notch, with Tyr's bass lines and Nedland's Hammond organ adding a fresh, yet fitting, dimension to Borknagar's music. A very good album, but I think they can do even better. Fans of both Vintersorg and Borknagar should have no reason not to buy this album. [Alvin Wee: "As much as I'd like to insist that the self-titled debut is the band's best work, this new disc boasts a confidence and flair that's hard to refute. Superb melodies and stellar musicianship sealed in with a breath of originality put this a notch higher than last year's boring _Quintessence_."] [Pedro Azevedo: "Rejuvenated by new vocalist Vintersorg's stirring vocal delivery, and also aided by Asgeir Mickelson's involved drumming and Solefald's Cornelius' masterful keyboard work, Borknagar have made one of 2001's most stunning returns to form. A clear improvement upon _Quintessence_, _Empiricism_ is the product of a band that currently shows great songwriting inspiration in addition to their impressive technical skills."] Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_ (Metal Blade, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (8 out of 10) Usually me and power metal aren't the best of friends, but I have to admit that when it is well done this subgenre is one of the most powerful around. Brainstorm is perhaps not the best German power metal band at the moment, but I was very impressed when listening to their latest release _Metus Mortis_, which displays a very talented metal vocalist, backed up by some great riffs and plenty of nice melodies. Vocalist Andy B. Franck is new to the band and was formerly a member of another German metal band, Symphorce, which some of you probably know already. Brainstorm is not a new band either -- they have been in existence since 1989 --, but it wasn't until now that they were able to impress me with any of their music. The music is close to the heavier American power metal sound with lots of traditional heavy metal riffs. They actually sound a little like Grave Digger minus the rough vocals and with more varied songs. There are a few minor production flaws, but overall this album is one of the best power metal releases in a while. The choruses on the first couple of tracks are simply amazing and this album should be appreciated by everyone with a love for power metal or old traditional heavy metal. Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_ (Kodiak Records, September 2001) by: David Rocher (erratically oscillating from 0 to 10 out of 10) Talk about the thin line drawn between insanity and genius, and the name of French act Carnival in Coal springs to mind instantly. If you ever thought the disastrously Cacophonous band Ebony Lake or the incomprehensible Dillinger Escape Plan's _Calculating Infinity_ were weird, believe me -- they'll sound pathetically orthodox and predictable once you check _Fear Not_ out. The sequel to Carnival in Coal's 1998 release _Vivalavida_ is a collection of nine heterogeneous, wonderfully genial, blatantly stupid, wildly grinding, ludicrously funky, totally metal yet also totally non-metal tracks, guaranteed to throw any even mildly sane mind off balance. Track titles such as "Yes! We have no bananas" or "Daaahhh", say it all, really. Blasting, keyboard-laden (yet somehow totally unsymphonic) grinding segues abruptly disintegrate into funky beats with (I suppose) wittingly silly clear vocals, delirious operatic female chants, before breaking down further into pure Cannibal Corpse-style blasting assaults, complete with groovy disco handclaps in the background -- all this, of course, in the space of 30 seconds flat. Sounds bizarre? Believe me, you haven't a clue. Whereas tracks such as the delirious Sup cover "1308.JP.08" or the catchy "Gang Bang" are potential metal hits in the vein of farcically redesigned Faith No More, the very tongue-in-cheek "Don't be happy, worry" is a journey into shape-shifting weirdness you could happily groove / headbang / tap a light foot beat / stagedive / breakdance / mosh to. I'm clueless about the side-effects of prolonged exposure to Carnival in Coal, but I suspect they are one of the reasons why I woke up this morning, madly in love with a goddamn penguin. Help. Visit http://www.carnival.fr.fm to be erm... saved? Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_ (Listenable Records, November 2001) by: David Rocher (9 out of 10) Now that the ungodly David Vincent's departure, associated to creative stagnancy and video game-induced close-mindedness have propelled the once glorious Morbid Angel into the sullen realms of dispensable death metal, the joust occurring around the accession to the much-sought Kings of (Death) Metal throne is subject to the daily onslaughts of a massively plethoric troop of hairy, satanic, growling, grinding, blasting contenders -- so far, however, to not much avail. In the very, very black guise of one of the more lethally convincing thanes to this throne come Dutch deathsters Centurian. One MCD (_Of Purest Fire_) and one album (_Choronzonic Chaos Gods_) into their career, Centurian had already shown to many a soul that their technical, blasting death metal was an unhallowed force to be reckoned with. _Liber ZarZax_ pretty much picks up where Centurian's unholy and worryingly brutal _CCG_ left off -- this new release is a blasting, searing eleven-track death metal mauling session that will leave you with blood seeping from your ears and eyes, gasping for a mere breath of burning air, which only comes in the guise of the choking, dark instrumental track "Feeding Flesh to the Vortex". The Dutch deathsters' metal attains insane levels of complexity, as Rob Oorthuis and Oskar van Paradijs' intricate light-speed guitar lines intermingle with Wim van der Valk's deliriously aggressive rhythmic blasts and time shifts. Jerry Brouwer's roaring vocals and growling bass lines efficiently reinforce this monstrosity's assaults. _Liber ZarZax_ is one of the most utterly intense, devastating chunks of death metal I've beheld since Nile's _Black Seeds of Vengeance_ [CoC #50], and is beyond all doubt one of the largest, rustiest nails to have been hammered into the Nazarene's wrists... ever! [Paul Schwarz: "From a purely musical perspective, Centurian hardly define themselves as apart from their influences, but yet something about them keeps making me come back for more. Maybe _LZZ_'s intense, deftly executed death metal acts like a placebo on me, Covenant_ and _Retribution_-imprinted as I am; maybe the feeling of pure conviction that Centurian's music emanates is enough to define their individuality. I favour the former explanation, but that isn't stopping me from, at present, thoroughly enjoying _LZZ_."] Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_ by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) (Modern Invasion, November 2001) Wait a second... what is this I hear? A flute? And its melodies are a nearly constant presence throughout this record. Yet I could almost swear Chalice's debut _Chronicles of Dysphoria_ [CoC #50] featured quite a lot of violin! This turns out to be just about the most obvious change in this Australian band's sound since their debut, as this second full-length album of theirs sees them following an otherwise predictable path. Their lightweight melodic doom metal moves along at a sedate mid-pace, whilst the flute and occasional keyboards accompany blue-eyed Shiralee's talented soprano-like vocals. She does convey reasonable variety with her voice as well, ranging from a more sombre tone to some competent higher notes towards the end of "Catalepsy in Staccato Rain", in one of the best sections of the entire album. And indeed, Chalice have replaced their violin with a female flute player, whose work seems diligent throughout the record; nevertheless, I did prefer the violin, as the flute comes across as less expressive and to my ears doesn't combine with their guitar sound as well as the violin did on _Chronicles of Dysphoria_. Still, driven forth by some good female vocals and all- round competent musicianship, Chalice deliver a pleasant and melancholic record. It's neither terribly original nor a competitor for best album of the year in its genre (that title definitely belongs to Madder Mortem's excellent _All Flesh Is Grass_ [CoC #54]), but if what you are looking for is a relaxed, melodic and mildly doomy record, then _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_ should be a very safe bet. Chalice should really try to aim for something rather more daring and emotional next time, however -- pleasant as it may be, _AIttTR_ is still a somewhat disappointing follow-up to _Chronicles of Dysphoria_. Various - _Colorado Colossus_ (Root of All Evil, 2001) by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) I've been finding myself spinning this disc more than one might figure for a compilation. Fifteen tacks of barbarity await on this fine sampler from Root of All Evil. Incredible cuts from bands like Serberus (awesome beginning song), Corruption ("Hate Disorder" at 6:04 is a fine hardcore/metal crossover as I've heard since early Crumbsuckers), Tirade (with their wonderfully eerie initiating feel on "Zombie") and Silencer's "Mourning Star", providing the brief, but heavily rhythmic final track. Drudgery's scourging power with Voltaire's distorted and slicingly viscous offering both complement the eclectic nature of this harsh metal potpourri. I think with the right circumstances, Throcult, track six, may have a consequential future in this business. The only two handicaps this comp has, in my opinion, are Tread and Last Supper. Both bands presented songs on this offering that were desperately tedious and altogether boring. Bleeding Faith and their "Deep Cerebral Paralysis" cut came close to the despondency of the other two aforementioned bands but for BF's nice passage about the 2:40 mark. Undecided is a spectacular band on this release, as they push the envelope of heavily ethereal gateways to the borders of imagination. Undecided could use some coaching in the vocal arena, though, and my advice would be to go harsh or death-y -- the cleanish style is damaging to your intense musical style. Dames Rocket's 3:15 was about 3:14 too long and accounted for a full point off this compilation's score, but Haddy Poppish, Joe C. Wails Gang, and Majority Rules, covered over Dames Rocket with a thick, viscous lacquer of insipidness that totaled the other negative two points this CD received. Other than the metal trash platitudes I just mentioned, _Colorado Colossus_ gives a nice flavor of the true (starving) underground. If you are adventurous enough, check it out -- but beware the few pitfalls this endeavor lays open before you... Converge - _Jane Doe_ (Equal Vision, October 2001) by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10) Nearly seven years on from their _Halo in a Haystack_ debut -- thought by some to be the origin point of noisecore/metalcore -- Converge have made what for my money -- and in my limited experience -- is their finest album. _Jane Doe_ is a powerfully durable, irresistibly individual compound of many sounds and individual approaches. Chosen from the kind of range that might seem unusual for a traditional metal or hardcore crew but which is almost expected of bands from the noisecore crowd who trace back to Converge, these approaches are noticed like subliminal messages which later prompt the listener to peel off the layers and behold -where- Converge seem to have got their ideas from. The way great slabs of Slayer slither through the cracks of "Bitter and Then Some". The way "Hell to Pay" and "Phoenix in Flight" won't let you chill with Kyuss, because you are being -chilled- by Neurosis. The band referenced don't represent the core sounds of Converge, but they seem to be part of the Converge whole in some curious manner. Like many noisecore records, _Jane Doe_ gets just the right balance between clarity, power, and raw, close-quarters 'real' sound in its production to give almost every contrasting aspect of the music its full impact. There is an attempt at varying the balance and sound of different parts -- not close to noticeable enough to affect the record's near-perfect cohesion -- which seems to seek their more clear and defined expression in the final result. Though they have a tendency to be technically insane, Converge not only have the musicianship to pull everything off with more than just a pinch of style -- and a megaton of power to boot -- but also have a natural aptitude for writing impassioned, finely-crafted songs which few in the extreme music scene can surpass. From the pure, furious energy of the opening salvo of "Concubine", "Fault and Failure" and "Distance and Meaning", through the psychotropic grooves of "Hell to Pay", the grove-laden catharsis of "Homewrecker", all the way to the intense, eleven minute, gradual outpouring of anguish of the title track, _Jane Doe_ is simultaneously one the most brutally angry and one of most truly impassioned records of the year -- it's among my five personal favourites, in fact. Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_ by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10) (Dismal Records America, 2001) The intensity of Crematorium comes in small doses, and that is a blessing and a curse for the California act. Listening to the band's latest four-song EP, a mixture of aggressive hardcore intensity and death metal endurance, the band just steamrolls through aggressive numbers like "Cast the Stone", "Carved From Deceit", my fave "Unlearn" and a solid cover of Metallica's "Whiplash" (taken from a Dwell Records tribute to Metallica) -- but at the end of the day the listener is left with nothing really memorable about their numbers, save for a few passages. The problem? A lot of the material sounds the same, save for the cover song, and that itself does have some similarities with the way the vocals are delivered. Crematorium does have the intensity, they just need to control it a bit more and deliver much more of a punch if they want to make a name for themselves. Right now, they've got something mediocre, when deep down I can tell they could have something big. A few more months of planning could easily wield a truly metallic nightmare to contend with. We'll have to wait and see if this comes onto fruition, won't we? Contact: Dismal Records America, PO Box 6488, Burbank, California 91510-6488, USA mailto:crematoirum@hotmail.com http://www.daggas.net/crematorium/ Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_ (, 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10) First off, Darkness Eternal has produced an amazing album cover this time around, ten times better than the one that adorned the _Dawn of the Suffering_ CD [CoC #48]. The last album cover was atrocious, as my review had stated, and it is good to see things improved. And much like the new artwork that is vastly improved, so is the musicianship of this one-man band (George Valaetis). While the previous effort had a pretty uneven pace to it, the new disc is well-balanced dark death metal with some great, violent death growls and some masterful guitar riffs, as well as a real grim atmosphere to boot. The most impressive thing is the fact that Valaetis plays it all, yet it seems so effortless and well assembled, as if a full band is in the studio blasting away at the music. Coating the death metal approach with a real dark edge to it, Darkness Eternal is definitely an unknown Canadian band that should see more exposure in the next little while. At least the band should, as Valaetis deserves it. You see? Hard work, an abundance of passion and a little bit of guidance allows most bands to find their best moments as the years go on. I've got my eye on Darkness Eternal. Choice cuts: "Cross of Lives" and "To Save the Lost". Contact: mailto:darknesseternal666@hotmail.com http://www.deternal.darkgod.net Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_ (Moonfog, 2001) by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10) Once again a disappointment for punters hoping to point an accusing finger at the album's commercial-looking cover, _Plaguewielder_ serves as a nonchalant reminder of who's who in the spluttering Norse metal scene. Opening with choked whispers a la _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_, "Weakling Avenger" showcases the cleanest production Darkthrone has achieved thus far. Make no mistake, however; the trademark Celtic Frost worship remains, shining surprisingly well through the incisive mix. Nocturno Culto springs no unpleasant _Panzerfaust_ surprises here, sporting his sore throat remarkably well. Musically, _Plaguewielder_ falls between the speed of _Transilvanian Hunger_ and the crunchier _A Blaze..._, with a sound strangely modern yet classic. Not surprising for the enigma that is Darkthrone anyway; few bands in the scene have managed this level of consistency over so many releases without playing themselves into a rut. The six long tracks prove that Darkthrone are capable of more complexity than their trademark monotony gives them credit for, and the variety attained throughout the album points a stout middle finger at their countrymates having to turn techno in search of diversity (read: Dodheimsgard). Long-time followers won't be disappointed with the vinyl version (some say that's the only way to listen to Darkthrone): a lavish gatefold in a brilliant matte finish shows off some unconventional, yet strangely apt cover art. One of the nicer Darkthrone packages, and might just be worth the cutthroat prices Moonfog are charging for their releases. Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_ (Unique Leader, 2001) by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10) This is the fourth full-length offering from Californian death/grinders Deeds of Flesh. Ultimately, there's not much for me to say about this album. If you've heard one of their previous efforts, then you know exactly what to expect from _Mark of the Legion_: brutal, unrelenting death/grind with growled vocals and tight, technical playing. Their riffs are very syncopative and percussive, relying almost completely on rhythm. There are no atmospheric sections, no female vocals, no acoustic guitars, very little melody, and unfortunately, very little to differentiate the songs from each other. And that's a shame, because otherwise, this is a good album: the production is good, the playing is excellent, the packaging is good, but the songs so completely lack memorability that there's nothing that keeps it in your head after the last song is done. Fans of the band will probably enjoy the album, but it seems I'm burned out on the style. Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_ by: David Rocher (2 out of 10) (Psychic Scream, November 2001) There are no words more fitting than "atrocious" or "pathetic" to characterise Destinity's second release. This French sextet, signed to Malaysian label Psychic Scream, are a massively superfluous poor man's Cradle of Filth -- maybe a tad more death metal than CoF, but, over and all, undoubtedly a lot worse than their British mentors. Despite the presence of at least one technically proficient guitarist and a competent drummer in their ranks, Destinity can hardly claim to do anything else but hopelessly drown in a grimy sea of pseudo-symphonic black metal molasses, plagued as they are with a vocalist who sounds just too much like Dani Filth for _Supreme Domination's Art_ (more Dimmu Borgir song titles, anyone?) to awaken anything else but nervous laughter whenever I try to listen to it. And believe me, I've tried, many a time. And hence, have spent quite a lot of time laughing nervously. Diabolical - _Synergy_ (Scarlet Records, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10) Sweden still has a lot to offer when it comes to metal, and Diabolical are one of the country's most interesting young acts. Last year they released an MCD through a small Swedish label, and it showed that this was a band to be taken seriously. They have now released their debut full-length album on Italian Scarlet Records. Diabolical have developed further into an even more technical style, and with a bigger label behind them the sound quality is also a lot better. I can't help comparing Diabolical to In Flames, as there are lots of beautiful melodies on this album, but Diabolical's sound is rougher, darker and a lot closer to black metal. They sound closer to Witchery, but a little less playful. Incidentally, the album's fifth track is called "Guidance of Sin", and I can't help wondering whether this title was chosen as a tribute to the Swedish band with the same name. Anyway, if you think In Flames are moving away from the essence of extreme metal but would still like to hear beautiful melodies and great killer riffs, then Diabolical is a band worth looking out for. If no major problems or obstacles lie ahead of this band, they should go far in the near future. Edguy - _Mandrake_ (AFM Records / The End, 2001) by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10) I won't lie to you; this is my very first encounter with the German operatic power outfit Edguy, and I am duly impressed. Despite five other albums by my count, I am just now being exposed to this band due in no small part to The End's distribution of _Mandrake_ here in the States. Eleven songs of metal driven by unmitigated will and forcefulness thrust _Makedrake_ forward. I am a sucker of a good opening track, and Edguy hands one over with a great track called "Tears of the Mandrake". Undertaking this strong effort with such an inspired song is exhilarating. Working itself from a quasi-techno feel, "Tears of the Mandrake" congeals around a distinguished bass sequence (a la Tobias "Eggi" Exxel) to accompany a dynamically moving guitar solo right near the 4 minute 10 second mark; viciously effective. Vocals are complements of Tobias Sammet and, at times, would stir up Morgana Lefay reflections or thoughts of Blind Guardian's vocalist Hansi Kursch. It goes without saying, Tobias has an impeccable range. "Jerusalem" is chalked full of nice passages and, as it turns out, very relevant currently. Nice guitar acoustics precede "Nailed to the Wheel"'s campaign of sheer forcefulness and stunning guitar work. "The Pharaoh" is the very next cut off of _Mandrake_ to more-or-less transfix this reviewer. It accounts for 10 minutes and 37 seconds of this disc, so you know beyond a doubt Edguy had something profound to say with this ancient feeling song. I heard it loud and clear! The eleventh track on _Mandrake_ is entitled "The Devil & the Savant". It is a limited edition bonus tack. Bonus is absolutely correct in every sense of the word; a fantastic cut. It reminded me of a highly energized Iron Maiden song off of _Seventh Son of a Seventh Son_. "Wash Away the Poison", the album's ballad, is a very weak spot, however. While doctored up with meaningful lyrics, the infirmity of the song is nowhere near concentrated or potent enough to detract from this effort's spiritual birthright. Unearth this, until now, buried, magical prize -- if not for yourself, then for the sake of potency itself. [Alvin Wee: "Certainly a surprise after the letdown of 1999's _ToS_, bringing back the simplistic melodies of _Vain Glory Opera_ in a comfortingly mature package, reeking of Maiden at times. Complex enough not to be chucked into the HammerFall camp, _Mandrake_ still retains the gloriously sing-along choruses that made their early work so endearing. More engaging than Avantasia and easier to swallow than Taraxacum: simply a must for anyone even remotely involved in the genre."] Contact: http://www.edguy.nu Edicius - _Aeon_ (Deadsun Records, October 2001) by: David Rocher (7 out of 10) French newcomers Edicius' first release strikes me as being a surprising one indeed. Despite claims as unpretentious (and not necessarily promising) as "grinding black metal", this outfit's multi-facetted onslaught has succeeded in landing some form of a rusty meat hook in my mind, which, for a considerable period, had me coming back time after time for another lethal dose of vicious, grinding, atmospheric, mid-paced, black metal. Intrigued? _Aeon_ definitely had me feeling that way -- at a first listen, Edicius' sound insanely fast and blatantly mean, but also predictable and unappealing, owing to their harsh, cybernetic sound and chaotic songwriting. However, as _Aeon_ unfolds, distinctly vicious numbers such as "Gothic Breed", chunks of frenzied, grinding fierceness such as "Bledemon" or "By Cold Anger" are somewhat subdued by atmospheric counterparts such as the very Norwegian-sounding "Tremendous Unknown", or the synth-laden interlude "At Mo S pHereS". This contrasted variety of styles is both _Aeon_'s strength and weakness: much as this first attempt proves to be as efficient as it is addictive, at some point, it unmistakably turns out to lack consistency, which leaves me to dwell on a weird impression of listening to some annoyingly unfinished, albeit extraordinarily efficient, chunk of totally extreme, warlike metal -- I guess the oft-shifting production, added to Edicius' totally underground/rehearsal approach, only comforts this peculiar feeling I am left with. However, I find myself more attracted to the unearthly blackness and sheer harshness that emanate from every obscure corner in this recording than I ever expected to be, and can therefore only recommend that fans of extremist musical aggression cast an attentive ear upon Edicius. [Paul Schwarz: "French extreme metal has a curious but pleasing tendency to be quite at odds with what is going on in the rest of the scene. Though _Aeon_ could vaguely be fitted into the "black metal" genre, this isn't because it is a stylistic doppelganger of the "black metal" style, developed or in its raw form. _Aeon_ likens itself to early black metal because it captures a sound that refuses to let you get comfortable."] Enslaved - _Monumension_ (Osmose, November 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10) This one will require quite a bit of literary paint on the canvas before a reasonably accurate picture can begin to form in the reader's mind -- something that comes as no surprise after _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_ [CoC #50]. With _Monumension_, Enslaved have significantly changed their sound, yet it is still a somewhat logical follow-up to _Mardraum_, in the sense that it expands on _Mardraum_'s experimentation, which itself was based upon its superb predecessor _Blodhemn_'s aggressive style. Unfortunately, while _Mardraum_ was an enjoyable and highly impressive record, _Monumension_ occasionally comes across as too over-the-top in terms of its experimentation, and the album as a whole lacks some focus and consistency. The Viking thread that ran through every Enslaved release isn't very upfront here, and the vocals are now sung in English instead of Norwegian, which is a loss. There is also less black metal and more of a death metal sound, and then there's all the atmospheric, experimental and retro elements (in both a metal and rock sense) that Enslaved have thrown into the mix in a much higher dosage than before. Enslaved treat you to their rocking side and also their mellower, more atmospheric side, plus some older Enslaved to boot; what they fail to do is put it all together as a cohesive record. Most of the album is still very enjoyable and certainly has some remarkable moments worth much more than a 7.5, but the major problem comes from the two tracks Kronheim wrote, plus the outro and the folk-like track that follows. Four tracks totaling over 23 minutes of what is mostly uninteresting material that, in the case of Kronheim's mid-album tracks, severely disrupts the flow of the record. The production also failed to impress me. Overall, this is a record where Enslaved seem to tease the listener with numerous fine passages, only to create a whole that is less enjoyable than their previous output. Whether or not Enslaved are going through an identity crisis, _Monumension_ does prove that they can cover a lot of musical ground; but I'd -really- like them to go back to creating reasonably focused and truly enjoyable records again. [Paul Schwarz: "Personally, I found _Mardraum_ [CoC #50] an overly incongruous affair: I didn't get it -- though I intend to go back to it now. _Monumension_ I have come to really like a lot. It manages to combine hypnotic intensity -- which occasionally nods towards Pink Floyd-esque psychedelia -- with a clear but gritty metallic thrust which is unpredictable enough to keep you on edge, but grounded enough to draw you in. The best Enslaved since _Eld_ [CoC #20], in my view."] Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_ (Beyond... Prod., 2000) by: Brian Meloon (9 out of 10) Italy's Ensoph have finally released the full-length follow-up to their 1998 EP _Les Confessions du Mat_ [CoC #40]. _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_ is similar in style to that album, though more refined. Their sound is somewhat hard to describe, in that they take elements that a lot of bands use -- female operatic vocals, black metal vocals, clean guitars, electronic influences, and classically-influenced keyboards -- but are able to combine them in a way that's unique and original. Their sound is quite gloomy, even in the parts which are more up-tempo. I guess they could fit in the "atmospheric metal" genre, but closer to the Decoryah / In the Woods... side, as they're more atmospheric and less metal. Actually, the mix is about half metal, half more atmospheric sections, but I tend to remember the atmospheric sections more, as their influence permeates all of the music. Their sound is also quite diverse, and it's hard to think of anyone in particular that they sound like, though the elements they blend together aren't completely original. Overall, this is an excellent offering from a band with the courage to define their own sound, and is worth tracking down for fans of the atmospheric metal genre. Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10) (Rage of Achilles, 2001) The debut EP by Sweden's Forest of Shadows contains three tracks of melodic doom/death lasting a total of over half an hour. Slow and mournful, Forest of Shadows combine death and clean vox, and also add an array of other instruments for a mildly orchestral feel. The music isn't overly complex, yet contains enough variety and changes frequently enough to avoid any monotony if you enjoy this kind of doom metal. Simultaneously funereal and catchy enough, the music contains a strong emotional charge as well as a pleasant kind of unpretentious quality. Forest of Shadows manage to successfully gather influences from several of the European doom metal giants and use them without coming across as very derivative, especially for a debuting band. An impressive debut by these northern doomsters, and a smart signing by Rage of Achilles. Contact: http://www.rageofachilles.clara.net Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_ (, 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10) I was actually very excited when this record landed in my mailbox. I had seen Quebec's Forgotten Tales in their early stages of their career opening up for Nightwish in Montreal in November of 2001. I distinctly remember being blown away by the powerful presence of the band and the wonderful arrangements that they played during their short, but well received, set. Finally, a year later, _The Promise_ is here and fans of power metal music will no doubt want to check this young band out. With some great production on their side (thanks to ace producer Pierre Remillard), Forgotten Tales get the most out of their epic power metal numbers, especially when singer Sonia Pineault hits the high notes. What a voice. Fast paced and very tight (a la Stratovarious / Blind Guardian), the music of Forgotten Tales coats itself with some slick guitar solos and fancy keyboard work (check out numbers "World of Truth", "Far Away" and the four-part epic "The Tale of Neeris"), rarely losing momentum. Sure this band may be inexperienced, in regards to touring and studio work, but they have their chops down. Give this band a little more time to hone in on their skills and a label that believes in them, and the sky is the limit for these power metal warriors and fair maiden. Contact: http://www.forgottentales.com Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_ by: Adrian Bromley (2 out of 10) (Crook'd Records, December 2001) What the hell is this? Since 1990 (and from the ashes of Nasty Savage), Gardly-Loo! has been reeking shit (literally!) with their shows and albums, but yet, I have never heard of them till now. Now explain that? Is there some underground metal scene more underground than the one now that I would have missed them? I don't think so. File this under GWAR-like material, but maybe a few notches down. Obviously the bad lyrics and themes make this even less enjoyable for me, a culmination of early demos from 1991 and newer material. While the music is okay at small doses, songs like "You're Nothing But a Piece of Shit", "I Like Shit" and "Garbage Dump" do nothing for me but make me irritated. I'm guessing that crowds into GGAllin, The Mentors and GWAR will be all over this like, um, flies on shit, but for the average metalhead, no one will care. At least I hope not. But guess what? Crook'd Records is going to release their older records _Stool Sample_ and _Perverts on Parade_! Can't wait... Contact: P.O. Box 25, Jamestown, NC 27282, USA http://gardyloo.50megs.com/gloopg.html Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_ (, 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) I have always had a love/hate relationship with this Quebec metal outfit (which goes back to their _Carving Into You_ demo [CoC #34]). While I like the overall groove and grind of their death metal style, I have always had problems with the band's production and overall end result of material. That is until now. Obviously, years of hard work and some feedback has allowed this band to pick up the momentum and actually assemble a solid recording. Pierre Remillard (of the great, but now defunct, Obliveon) did a superb job in bringing the band's sound to the forefront without polishing it too much. Still raw at times, the music is allowed to breathe a bit instead of being held to one certain sound or style. _King of the Undead_ has a real cool, kind of campy horror death metal feel to it. Catchy guitar riffs, somewhat clean death metal growls and a tight rhythm section help make songs like "Mobster Fiesta Extravaganza" and "Oh God! The Stench" seem like rock 'n' roll anthems. I kid you not, folks! Looking for a good time where you can sit back, have a beer and just rock out to good metal music? Then be sure to check out Ghoulunatics. Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal, Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com http://www.ghoulunatics.com Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_ by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Baphomet/Relapse, October 2001) One of the first releases on Baphomet/Housecore (label run by Pantera's Philip Anselmo and Necrophagia's Killjoy and distributed through Relapse Records) is the ultra-sick 'n' twisted album _Force Fed on Human Flesh_ by Gorelord. Soaking itself up in horror-filled themes and dirty metal riffs, Gorelord pounce on the listener with its abrasive onslaught and wickedly creepy soundclips. With a crisp production and an vibrant attitude to back it up, Gorelord makes an impact with songs (destined to be classics) like "Crushed Skull on Christian Shoulders", "Alive When Fucking the Dead" and "Chainsaw Ripping Skin". While veteran Relapse act Mortician may be somewhat stagnant with their horror-themed musical masterpieces of late, it is good to see a band like Gorelord kicking the shit out of us in such a maniacal frenzy. Note: this album comes with a 18+ warning sticker that says this album may be "too intense for some listeners". Good! Let Gorelord scare off the pansies and keep making uncut, brutal music for us die-hard metal music sickos. Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_ by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10) (WWIII, 2001) Not often do I say this, but I don't believe that I would even consider comparing this outfit to anyone else. Headhunter (Death Cult)'s label, WWIII, feels it necessary to draw a similarity to Krisiun and Raebelliun; not me. This Brazilian four-piece is rich in both craft and skill. Deeply strained but clear vocals, accentuated by phenomenal drum work, are a couple of mighty big selling points for these longhairs. Even more attractive is this group's practice of involving the listener in each of the nine tracks by developing the material from good to better to great from start to finish. The bass is evident, as I like it, and the wreckage is ubiquitous. "From Dream to Nightmare" is all I need to say to represent the aforementioned attributes on this astounding CD. With the addition of the two bonus tracks of enlightening truculence, you are sure as hell in for a rude-ass awakening! Discover something new and find out why Headhunter DC are called the "forefathers" of the Brazilian underground. Contact: http://www.ww3music.com Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_ (Hellion Records, 2001) by: Alvin Wee (6 out of 10) Hellion Records, arguably Europe's flagship power metal store, unleashes part two of their not-for-sale promotional CDs, distributed among their loyal customers and fans. Always a good taster for the goings-on in the often inaccessible European power-prog scene, this one was welcomed as it marked the return of three '80s legends: Tresspass, Culprit and Q5 (now Nightshade). Not Fragile blast open the proceedings with promisingly blazing leads, but never go beyond the simple-mindedness of pre-_Keepers_ Helloween or early Grave Digger. Still, as a debut, _21st Century Ballroom_ promises to be a solid slab of old-school Teutonic steel. Fellow debutants K Octave disappoint with their brand of downright obsolete US metal. "Breakneck" might have come straight out of those delete-bins of the eighties and you wouldn't be the wiser. Former melodic-rock geniuses Q5 have never quite recovered from their slump after the one amazing debut record, and despite upping the volume a little on "This Thing Kicks", remain firmly lodged as purveyors of solid-yet-unimpressive NWOBHM-style rock. Anyone who remembers bona-fide NWOBHM classics like "One of These Days" will salivate at the mere mention of Trespass; taken off their _The Works II_ collection, "Man and Machine" is another irrefutable stamp of quality for a band that doesn't quite need it. Culprit finish off this five-tracker with an energetic blast, being a stunner from the re-release of their semi-classic _Guilty as Charged_ album. Chock full of hooks and heart-pounding rhythm, this is traditional metal at its best, but nothing new to those already savvy to eighties metal. Not more than a 6 for the variable quality on this disc, but makes for a good all-in-one review of the albums available on the Hellion label. Contact: http://www.hellionrecords.de Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_ (, 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10) From Denmark they are, but from Norway they could very well be: Illnath are another band in the long line of Norwegian-sounding, keyboard-sweetened melodic blackened metal ensembles. This _Angelic Voices Calling_ EP is an independent release, and as such I must admire the band's professionalism and the quality of the production, both clearly good enough to rival most of what gets released by some important labels these days. Sitting somewhere between Cradle of Filth and _Enthrone Darkness Triumphant_-era Dimmu Borgir, Illnath are really quite good at what they do, which is admittedly commercial "black metal" -- and I must again emphasize the impressive quality of this release given the fact that they had no label support. Despite the annoyingly sweet keyboards, Illnath are able to gather some good momentum (especially on the title track) and create catchy passages as well. Nothing really original or challenging, but nonetheless quite enjoyable -- as a demo, it would have been worth a 5 out of 5, but then again this band is clearly not in demo stage anymore. Illnath need a less derivative sound, better atmospheric use of keyboards and a bit less CoF-like vocals, and they do seem to have enough potential to deal with these issues in the future. Definitely worth giving Illnath a chance if you are a fan of this genre, and labels would be equally well advised to do so. Contact: http://www.listen.to/illnath/ In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_ (Century Media, November 2001) by: Quentin Kalis (4 out of 10) I was under the impression that Swedish melodic death metal was supposed to be catchy. Classic melodic death songs such as "Blinded by Fear" (At the Gates) and "Zodjackyl Light" (Dark Tranquillity) had insanely catchy hooks that embedded themselves in your mind for days, sometimes weeks afterwards. Now what if, say, At the Gates wrote some melodic death songs without the inherent catchiness? If they did, it would probably sound something like this album. Totally boring and extremely tedious. Despite repeated listenings I am not able to recall a single riff. This album isn't without some merit, however, as In Thy Dreams demonstrate that they are more then adequate musicians -- it's just a pity that they are such bad songwriters. Hopefully their next release will see them realising their full potential, writing some more memorable songs. Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_ (LSP Company, November 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 10) It wasn't without some hesitation that I decided on the rating above, as these Belgians' debut really suffers from its poor production -- which not only denies their music the sonic impact it might have had, but actually becomes actively annoying as well. Still, mediocre as the production may be, it doesn't render _Sculptured Humans_ unlistenable, and beneath the surface Infernal Legion occasionally show glimpses of potential. Their thrash attack -- which has been injected with a small dose of blackened metal -- is hardly a novelty, but nevertheless does carry some quality, mainly during the faster sections. Overall, _Sculptured Humans_ is neither original nor remarkable within its genre, but given a decent production the band will surely be able to do better in the future. Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com Iniquity - _Grime_ (Mighty Music, January 2002) by: David Rocher (8 out of 10) Iniquitous drummer Jesper Frost Jensen is a deserving man indeed -- a hard-working musician in the death metal underground since 1989 who did not get the opportunity to release a full-length album until 1996, when Iniquity released their first doom-laden chunk of death, _Serenadium_ -- after which Iniquity's world fell apart owing to continuous, unceasing line-up changes, leaving only founder member Jesper Frost Jensen in the band. The interestingly gloomy, yet not overwhelmingly indispensable material on _Serenadium_ was however not exactly ominous of Iniquity's forthcoming tracks, as the Danes' 1998 MCD, _The Hidden Lore_, saw them veer towards some hard, violent and technical death metal, a direction which they have since then stuck to -- and by which _Grime_ totally abides. The opener _Tides of Vengeance_ sets the mark clearly enough: massive, raging and blasting rhythms, speeding axe lines with a cool, snapping crunchy feel, bowel-churning low-case riffage laden with distorted harmonics, and brilliant, thick, blood-curdling vocals. All throughout the maiming, seething 45 minutes of supermean death metal on this disc, the really enjoyable point about _Grime_, besides its blasting fury and sweaty intensity, remains the fact that it does -not- sound like your average Scandinavian death metal album; offering a balanced compromise between all-out burly American-style thrashing brutality and typically aggressive Scandinavian melodies, _Grime_ is merely catchy upon a first spin, but soon becomes annoyingly addictive. The sheer, bare-toothed meanness of this blasting sample of Danish cookery works a treat indeed, and if proof was ever needed, _Grime_ has instantly blasted its way into my five most frequently spun death metal albums these days. Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_ (Metal Blade, July 2001) by: Alvin Wee (6 out of 10) After the band's astounding major-label debut last year, one would've thought Jacob's Dream capable of producing more than the mediocre rehashing of passe ideas that _ToW_ turns out to be. While the self-titled disc could be forgiven for its considerably derivative nature, this sophomore effort (discounting the elusive demo-MCD) lapses into directionless banter and strained operatics on the part of Geoff Tate-soundalike David Taylor. Mellow rather than melancholy, the Queensryche worship plods along at a tedious pace, livened up by the occasional flashes of melodic brilliance characteristic of their earlier material. Ballads are evidently a strong point, and the emotionally-charged "Sarah Williams" puts the debut's "Mad House of Cain" to shame. The sheer forgettable nature of the rest of the material places the band alongside nearly-made-it power/prog wannabes like Avalon; the hints of greatness peeking through at times can prove infuriating to a listener familiar with the promising first album. Still, it must be said that _ToW_ is more of a disappointment than a complete disaster; with the rash of sub-standard, post-HammerFall Eurometal, _ToW_ looks rather good in comparison. Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - by: Quentin Kalis (5 out 10) (Dead by Dawn / Dissident Records, 2001) This CD features five tracks from each of the aforementioned Australian bands. Jesus Anal Penetration open the CD with an overlong sample, presumably filched from some (horror?) movie, before launching into their brand of brutal death metal. The band name, song titles such as "Molestation and Murder" and "Force-Fed Holy Bullshit", along with the inane anti-Christian lyrics, suggests a band attempting to be as outrageous as possible. If only they had expended some of the energy and effort they spent on trying to be shocking into producing decent music... Oni are the more cerebral of the two bands, presenting a death metal contemplation of Sun Tzu's "The Art of the War". Lyrically they run circles around Jesus Anal Penetration; but musically they are only slightly better, they alone saving this CD from a 4 out of 10 rating. Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_ (, 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) Man, you gotta love heavy metal / rock 'n' roll and those who worship it every second of their waking day. That is why I like Killer Khan. I liked the last album I reviewed, 1999's_Kill Devil Hills_ [CoC #41], and that is why I am down with the re-release the band's 1997 album _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_. This is just great metal / hard rock in the vein of Ozzy Osbourne (singer Killer Khan sounds exactly like the Ozzy!), Black Sabbath and any old '80s metal act, but not cheesy at all. The music here is done with intelligence and passion. The album moves along with some sinister guitar riffs, haunting vocals and just a real fun vibe all around. You'll be headbanging and pumping your fist to songs like "Leather and Lace", "Kamikaze" and "Vanishing Point". Who says metal is dead? As long as Killer Khan is waving the metal flag, we can all sleep good at night knowing that he is doing his best to stay true for us metalheads. Gotta love the big guy, eh? Contact: P.O. Box 1466, Mooresville, North Carolina 28115, USA mailto:khanmetal@webtv.net http://www.killerkhan.com King's X - _Manic Moonlight_ (Metal Blade, September 2001) by: Aaron McKay (2 out of 10) There are so precious few hours in the day, so I cannot fathom why you would dedicate so much as a second listening to this horrendous conglomeration of unadulterated musical sess. Truth be known, the only reason I got past the first track on this incorrigible effort rests exclusively in the fact that it is my job. If this article takes an unapologetic negative slant before I can assess my thoughts from what I am hearing (unfortunately for about the third time through the disc), I wanted to tell you what the two points that this CD got originated from. The bass, on a hit-and-miss basis, is fairly convincing; Doug Pinnick, also picking up lead vocal duties, demonstrates a fine low-end style. The positive, although somewhat namby-pamby, lyrics also did not detract from _Manic Moonlight_. Underplayed both on instrumentation and writing fronts, King's X typifies most every aspect of the banal and stereotypic in music. Radio-friendly through and through, I find this band's approach drained and weary. "Static" is a near perfect example of everything mentioned above; good bass, mostly reassuring lyric, but the monotony becomes overwhelming. OH, the redundancy! I loathe to say that I could care less about this three-piece band claiming nearly twenty years on the scene, but that is the fact, pure and simple. I would have thought they would have found something better to do with their time. I've spent too much time on this review already. Even fans of this group will have to tread cautiously -- the rest of us can shun the ten tracks on _MM_ like the plague. [Paul Schwarz: "I have never understood why anyone would waste any part of a finite existence on this earth listening to King's X: _Manic Moonlight_ exemplifies why. Repetitive and boring rock lacking power, dynamic, decent lyrics or anything I could see the point in. However, I do confess that I really don't feel that well equipped to judge King's X; for obvious reasons, I own nothing which sounds much like them at all."] Kronos - _Titans Awakening_ (Warpath Records, 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) If we aren't going to sound different through our musical ideas or execution, then at least let's pick a weird sound mix. OK, maybe that -wasn't- the idea behind _Titans Awakening_, but Kronos did end up with a strangely separated guitar sound, leaving a rather wide center stage for the bass, vocals and especially the prominent drums. The death metal on offer here tends to be fast and furious yet occasionally groovy, with an obvious highlight on the very upfront drums, and Kronos keep some strong momentum throughout most of the record. Only during "Bloodtower" do they go out of their way to create something different, but even though they are successful in that specific case, the rest of the album is a lot more straightforward. Most of the highlights occur during the first half of this 38 minute long album, causing my rating to be somewhat lower than what the promising first four tracks seemed to indicate. Kronos do create a strong and dynamic percussive attack throughout, though; _Titans Awakening_ is quite an enjoyable disc overall, subtly different from the norm even if hardly original in a significant way. Contact: mailto:warpath@wanadoo.fr Lacrimosa - _Fassade_ (Hall of Sermon / Nuclear Blast, November 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10) Anyone remember that song "Copy Cat" by Swiss act Lacrimosa? That was a cool song, one of my faves a few years back. But after that, I never really followed much else in Lacrimosa's career. So it was a surprise to me to know that the band was still around in 2001, having already worked hard for the last ten years to make a name for themselves. The band's new album, titled _Fassade_, is a poorly mixed assortment of choirs, gothic overtones and female chantings that seem to go nowhere. All of the music seems to be overproduced, with the vocals and other arrangements just acting as attachments to slick production (check out songs like "Senses" and "Stumme Worte"). There really are no intriguing aspects to the band's music, no real hook to draw us in. My biggest problem with Lacrimosa is their overall approach to the music they create. It sounds too pompous, too egocentric, and that makes me feel uninterested. No doubt there is a fan base still for Lacrimosa and I bet they all wear frilly clothes and drink wine by a fireplace each evening, too. Ugh! No thanks. Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_ (Paniac, 2001) by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10) It takes a cover painting as brilliant as this to convince the underground types to drop their black/white sleeves for full color ones... still, limiting it only to the vinyl edition retains the notorious elitism of the scene. Decked out in glorious hue comes the steaming new offering from Belgian barbarians Lugubrum, black and twisted as ever. Already semi-famous for their brand of "Boersk Black Metal", Lugubrum smash home their claim to being one of neo-BM's sickest troupes these days, amalgamating a gurgling riot of slowed-beyond-recognition Mayhem, classic Darkthrone rhythm and an impeccable ear for dissonance to create one of the most nauseating finds this quarter. I'm hard pressed to explain the twistedness of this band's black art; suffice it to say that _Al Ghemist_ reeks of an underground stench paralleled only by early Mayhem or Carpathian Forest. Alternating mid-paced, almost-tuneful riffing with swirling passages of diseased sluggishness, the record never lapses into the monotony typical of this genre (read: Clandestine Blaze), yet retains the hypnotic aura of evil often alluded to in early interviews with Fenriz. Still, it never once strikes me as being even remotely essential listening, considering the deluge of such material out there. The breathtaking cover art done by the guitarist himself remains the most striking aspect of the album, the Cathedral-shot-to-hell feel of the painting epitomising the hallucinatory twistedness Lugubrum stand for. All in all, an album to be treasured more by the die-hards than anyone else, and more so for vinyl-maniacs: an extra track and the fabulous artwork are not to be found on the CD version. Contact: mailto:paniac@wol.be Lullacry - _Be My God_ (Century Media, 2001) by: Quentin Kalis (6 out of 10) Female fronted Finnish band Lullacry perform what they call "heavy rock", which I guess is an apt enough description. As can be expected from a female fronted band, the music is not that aggressive, tending to focus more on emotions and atmospheres than on violence and brutality. Despite the slight gothic flavour, this is a very commercial sounding album and it will not appeal to everyone. The vocalist, Tanya, displays considerable variety in her vocal duties -- from loud, shouty vocals to softer, more ethereal singing. And in case you're wondering, there are absolutely no death metal style growls! While I can appreciate the merits of this release and it will undoubtedly have its fans, this album its just too commercial sounding for this reviewer. If the guitar was just slightly less heavy (or maybe not), it wouldn't take a great stretch of imagination to picture this album riding the charts. [Paul Schwarz: "_BMG_ is an excess waste gas of the Scandinavian metal scene -- one even more toxic than the boringretrotruemetal and excessivelymelodicnon-deathmetal emissions of past years. With boring riffs and idiotic lyrical phrasings stolen from the same pub/bar band as Gandalf, Lullacry attempt to come up smelling like roses by having a female singer -- and with the aid of good production make a pop-rock album that attempts to feign possession of credibility. Yay for progress!"] Macbeth - _Vanitas_ (Dragonheart Records, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (6 out of 10) Since the days when only Theatre of Tragedy, Tristania and a few other bands existed in the genre, there has been a real explosion of gothic doom metal in the world, with new bands popping out everywhere. One of the most well known Italian bands is Macbeth who, as the name implies, are inspired by one of Shakespeare's works of genious. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be very nice towards Shakespeare if I compared this album to one of his masterpieces, because the music on _Vanitas_ never even reaches the high standards that we are used to hearing from the aforementioned bands. _Vanitas_ is not a terrible album, but it leaves you without any feeling whatsoever, which is not a good thing. I think it might work well as background music, but that is not what I want a metal album for. The Shakespearean atmosphere is nowhere to be found on the album, but it does have its moments of joy -- very few of them, though. One of those moments is the great sequence of riffs on "Diablo y la Luna" which is a very nice song that shows the best of this band. Female vocalist Morena is a lot more beautiful then the music itself, however. If you are a hardcore Shakespeare or gothic metal fan, then _Vanitas_ could very well be worth your time, but personally I am not very impressed with the result of this band's second album. Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_ Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_ by: Pedro Azevedo (both 8.5 out of 10) (Dark Symphonies, 2001) One could tell by Maudlin of the Well's debut [CoC #46] that they weren't a band willing to take an easy path; but releasing two full-length albums simultaneously is a rather considerable risk to take and requires a very trusting label to back it up. _Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body Map_ are two separate discs, visually linked by the artwork but not available as a double-CD set. Whilst the balance of heaviness and mellower sections does differ, this duo does not follow the kind of structure Opeth are known to have been planning -- one heavier CD and an entirely mellow or experimental one. The music is overall melancholic, dreamy and atmospheric, but Maudlin of the Well insist on conveying a wide spectrum of emotions and musical influences with their music within both the mellower and harsher passages. The beginning of _Bath_ provides a striking example of Maudlin of the Well's dichotomy: opener "The Blue Ghost / Shedding Qliphoth" is a lengthy, tranquil instrumental piece, contrasting with the harsh doom metal of the second track, "They Aren't All Beautifull". However, with about 120 minutes of music spread across the two CDs, you can probably imagine how much experimentation Maudlin of the Well have thrown into _Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body Map_. Many sorts of vocal styles are used, as well as a wide array of instruments besides the usual metal setup, including clarinet, piano, flute and cello. I have to admire the audacity of this band, whose music is not only wildly experimental but also vividly expressive -- even if not constantly interesting. The clean male vocals are still not really to my liking, but each of the two discs, or both of them as a double-CD set, are worth hearing as a whole rather than picking out the bits you don't like. This may not be the kind of listening experience I'm looking for very often, but it is nonetheless quite a rewarding one in the case of Maudlin of the Well's double output. _Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body Map_ are just about equally worthy of purchase in case you decide to look into this band's adventurous work; I would recommend purchasing both if you are interested after hearing some samples. The varied and unconventional nature of Maudlin of the Well's music may not be to everyone's liking, but overall it worked well for me despite the fact that I am not impressed by experimentation for the sake of experimentation -- but then again, that is definitely not what Maudlin of the Well are all about. Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7" () by: Alvin Wee (5 out of 10) Another bootleg thorn in the side of the King and Co., this time in the form of a 7", annoyingly elusive compared to the ubiquitous _All Witches Night_ EP. Taken off the band's live ceremony at Wacken '99, the three tracks here have little more to offer than being another addition to hardcore fans' libraries. The disc isn't too impressive sound-wise, but played at high volume, "Nightmare" and "Desecration of Souls" sound pretty convincing, if a little messy. "Melissa" on the B-side is equally unpolished, and it's quite clear the open-air concept doesn't quite gel with Fate's dark-epic sound. Packaging is equally mediocre: red print on a black sleeve captures the underground feel but just doesn't stand up to the color of _All Witches Night_. While this EP will attract die-hards because of its rarity (I've only ever seen it once for sale all these months), I'd stick with the excellent _Shadow Nights_ or _Live Oath_ bootlegs any day over this one. Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_ (Iron Pegasus, 2001) by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10) Certainly a relief to see these legendary Italians getting the sort of distribution they've been lacking throughout their fourteen-year existence: the two previous releases have been a pain for most to lay their hands on. A cult this hallowed deserves more than a pedestrian CD release, and Iron Pegasus once again do a handsome double-vinyl presentation of this long-awaited masterpiece. A refreshing breath of dank dungeon air in this commercial age, as the typically necromantic cover suggests; long-time devotees will recognize the classic 'Drape sound polished up and surprisingly lively, yet retaining the infernal darkness so prized on their early rituals. For the uninitiated, _Tolling 13 Knell_ might prove an excellent accompaniment to the old Necromantia/Varathron-type records lying in your basement, though it's likely anyone familiar with those would already be a part of the 'Drape fellowship. Describing the album as anything other than "old-school Greek" is a futile exercise; Mortuary Drape's classic combination of heavy metal sentiment with utterly necro riffing is something that defies explanation altogether. Atmosphere is of prime value it seems, and _T13K_ absolutely reeks of the same damp caverns and dripping dungeons first seen on Barathrum's early albums (remember _Hailstorm_?), although it must be said that the band's 1992 _Into the Drape_ impressed me far more with its black-mass-in-a-chapel ambience. Not to waste any more words on what is either an essential or worthless album, depending on your orientation, this vinyl version comes more highly recommended than the CD: if not for the impressive layout (gold vinyl), then for the four(!!) bonus tracks tacked on at the end. Contact: http://www.ironpegasus.com Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_ by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10) (Drakkar Prod. Vinland, 2001) It's paradoxical how elusive this album has remained despite its status as a flagship monument of the French underground. Pioneering the raw and primitive, yet bewitchingly melodic French sound, the original Drakkar issue of _Vampires..._ has thus far only been available for cutthroat prices to many dedicated followers (the second, ridiculously limited vinyl run of 100 copies on EAL not helping either). A fitting release to mark the debut of Canada's new Drakkar branch, showcasing the label's expected penchant for all things grim and primitive. Packaged in a suitably minimalist setting, _Vampires..._ retains a strong thread of guitar melody through the harsh cacophony of dungeon-esque soundscapes that make up Mutiilation's repertoire. It isn't hard to see how this classic work has influenced bands like Warloghe and Judas Iscariot, and _Vampires..._ easily puts the majority of the neo-black metal scene today to shame. Even in comparison to the _Remains..._ album, Mutiilation's earlier work shines with a raw passion that elevates the material from mere buzzing monotony to a masterpiece of infernal ambience. Hints of Darkthrone (circa _Transilvanian Hunger_) surface on tracks like "Tears of a Melancholic Vampire" and "Born Under the Master's Spell", but always with a characteristic Mutiilation acerbity that might be attributed to Meyhnach's caustic vocal desecration. Drakkar Vinland's packaging values pale beside EAL's brilliant rendering of the album as a double-LP set; still, I wouldn't expect the 500 copies of this to last very long at the distros anyhow. Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_ (Scarlet, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (7.5 out of 10) Nightshade is a Swedish band that was formed in 1995. After having gone through some line-up changes and the recording of three demos, they have now signed a record deal with the quickly growing Italian label Scarlet Records for three albums. The first one has been given the title _Wielding the Scythe_, and beneath the nice cover art from Joe Petagno (Motorhead, a.o.) there is a disc filled with the music that made the Nordic countries some of the leading metal nations in the world. The most obvious influence for Nightshade is derived from the bands that created the Gothenburg sound: At the Gates, In Flames, Ceremonial Oath and other well-known acts. I can't help it, but I am very partial for melodic death metal when it is well done, and these guys are by now highly skilled musicians -- something you can easily tell when listening to this debut album of theirs. Besides the great guitar riffs, there are also some very nice keyboards added that give the band a very fresh sound, with some minor folk music influences as well. Sweden is still going strong and Nightshade is another new band to look out for. They may not have the power of The Haunted, but they have something else which is just as important: the melodic beauty of bands like In Flames and At the Gates. Most of the tracks on this album are great (with the exception of the somewhat foolish-sounding "Sanctum") and the growled vocals are also very nicely done. My final judgment on Nightshade is that they sound like a modern mix of old In Flames and the latest Old Man's Child album: thrashy, melodic and a little black. The production was handled by Pelle Saether at Studio Underground in Vasteras, and once again he has done a more than satisfying job with the sound. If you like melodic death metal done the Swedish way but still would like to hear something fresh, then this album is worth checking out. It will be most interesting to see where Nightshade will take us in the future. Contact: http://fly.to/nightshade/ http://www.scarletrecords.it Peccatum - _Amor Fati_ (Candlelight, 2001) by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10) Peccatum's follow-up to their debut _Strangling From Within_ shows them moving in a more straightforward direction. The songs on this offering are less classically-influenced, less avant-garde, less disjointed, and less pompous. The vocals once again range from black metal shrieks to King Diamond-like falsettos to operatic female vocals to harmonized and multi-part choir parts. At times, the vocals are great, and at others, they're completely annoying. In fact, that description applies equally well to the music, which has some nicely constructed sections juxtaposed with some cruder sections. Some parts of the album seem a little unfinished, and some of the song structures don't flow as well as they could with a little more polish. But even with these weaknesses, the songs flow much better than those on their debut. In addition, the production is much improved, with a much fuller sound overall. The playing is once again competent, though not overly challenging. Ultimately, I think this is a better album than their debut -- even if it isn't as original -- as it shows them getting past their "being weird for the sake of being weird" stage. Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_ (Spitfire, December 2001) by: David Rocher (8 out of 10) Now, this is a surprise. Urticaria usually is the law when the words "nu-metal" are uttered within a twenty-foot circle around me, so a quick look at Pissing Razors' credentials instantly cast a very grievous shadow over the review of their third release, _Where We Come From_; however, a first listen soon revealed a gem which the denomination "nu-metal" cannot hope to encompass. Pissing Razors' music evolves, lives and mutates many celestial spheres above that of Scott Ian's proverbial "Backstreet Boys with guitars", and throughout the massive, powerful and intense 36 minutes of their sophomore release, Pissing Razors clearly prove that they will never need to rely on anything else (like fancy masks, stupid red jumpsuits, or pathetically immature vocalists -- not that I'm pointing at anyone in particular, of course) but their musical creativity and technical proficiency to make themselves a name in the -Metal- (not "nu-metal") world. Even though many a riff on this very political creature does delve into the basically groovy registers of nu-metal, Pissing Razors move with impressive ease in the poisoned waters around Meshuggah, Fear Factory, Sepultura on _Chaos A.D._ or Face Down. Rhythmically speaking, this American quartet are nothing short of awesome -- the shifting, syncopated and neck-snapping rhythms delineated by the string section fronted by Rick Vallez and Cesar Soto are flawlessly backed up by the totally brutal, ruthless skinthrashing of their obviously arachnid drummer Eddy Garcia. As to the vocals, they could scarcely get better in this style, writhing somewhere between early Rob Flynn-style anger and harsh Jens Kidman power. The force that irradiates from tracks such as "Born to Serve" or "Vengeance Is Mine", the cool, thrashing tones oozing from "Opportunidad" or the raw technicality and murderous groove showcased on "Justice Denied" make Pissing Razors' latest effort to date a sheerly addictive chunk of grooving, spine-snapping violence, which displays enough musical qualities to make it well worth a cautious, cursory listen -- no matter how much you loathe any form of metal even remotely related to baggy trousers. Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_ (Crook'd Records, December 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) Unlike the other shit that Crook'd Records put out that I reviewed this issue of Chronicles of Chaos (i.e. Gardly-Loo!), thrash / death metal act Precipice is better by all accounts, but definitely not top of the genre. More like stuck in the middle-half of the metal world, obviously lacking something that is keeping them back from garnering mass attention. With a nicely produced demo from Morrisound Studios, this eight-song offering has its moments, especially on the abrasively charged "Lords of Darkness" and the dark flow of the title track. Vocalist RJ Hagenew is adequate, but he needs to do away with the rather weak clean vocals / talking segues and just keep it fast and brutal. As for the music, as mentioned before, it lacks some kind of character. With multiple listens, it seems as though the band has taken in all of their influences and just worked them into their material, rather than trying to have some kind of attempt to create music inspired by themselves. In other words, their influences are more apparent than their own original sounds/ideas. Some re-working of their material, adding in some darker textures and a faster pace, might make Precipice a contender one day. Rakoth - _Jabberworks_ (Code666, 2001) by: Vincent Eldefors (9 out of 10) The Russian band Rakoth managed to create one of the most innovative debut albums ever in late 1999 [CoC #45] and were rewarded with an interview here in Chronicles of Chaos [#46]. Tale-like lyrics and vocals, beautiful melodies with flutes, clean male vocals and black metal vocals painted a very impressive soundscape that managed to entrance thousands of people all over the world, including myself. I was therefore very eager to listen to their new material, and I was not to be disappointed, because Rakoth have proved once again that they are one of the most creative newcomers on the metal scene. Now that they have found their way to Earache Records through their new sublabel Elitist, their music will be available to a much larger crowd. Those metal fans who want the genre to develop and experience new fresh sounds should go check out Rakoth right away. _Jabberworks_ also features a real orchestra which Rakoth added to their own unconventional sound, allowing them to create the perfect follow-up to _Planeshift_. This is pure art crafted with real passion, which is very rare in today's music business. Contact: http://www.rakoth.cjb.net http://www.code666.net Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_ (Listenable Records, October 2001) by: David Rocher (8 out of 10) Spin this beast, and bang -- a very Swedishly aggressive opening riff, pummeling drums and a throaty Marco Aro-style roar slap you in the face, the premises of a forty-something minute-long mauling session surgically delivered by amazing "Gothenthrash" newcomers Reclusion. Whereas over the past two or three years many bands or projects swimming in these waters -- such as Terror 2000, Hatesphere, Diabolical or Carnal Forge -- have faced their ability to deliver quality, thrashing death metal with their complete incapacity to rise above (or even merely paddle away from) the hairy packs of death metallers cruising in the same pond as them, Reclusion have proved, in the space of their single, crunchy, varied and powerful release, that they are the newfound bosses in the turbid Swedish death metal swamp. Their musical abilities, for one thing, combined with the unusual and sharp ways in which they use them (such as on the unusually groovy eponymous number "Reclusion"), turn what could have been another mildly satisfying, yet hopelessly derivative offering, into this murderous slab of metal might. From the all-out, chunky and bilious rhythmical aggression they deliver right over to the virtuoso, compelling leads effortlessly churned out by their very inspired axeman, _Shell of Pain_ is one of the most gutturally satisfying releases this genre has ever witnessed -- in this particular field, I don't recall having this much fun with a "Gothenthrash" CD since Darkane kicked my head in and teeth out with their godly debut _Rusted Angel_ [CoC #42]. Enough said, I believe. [Paul Schwarz: "At a stretch, you could call this "Gothenburg Bay Area thrash". Reclusion are competent, powerful and sometimes even verge on intense, but they don't have enough pure thrash force to beat The Haunted or The Crown, nor the melodic leadwork to outshine the likes of Darkane and Soilwork. Nonetheless -- excluding parts like the primary verse of "Reclusion" where things get unpleasantly "in-yo-face" in simplistic, macho-posturing, Machine Head style -- Reclusion have delivered a good, aggressive-and-melodic metal album in _Shell of Pain_."] Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_ (Cold Blood Industries, 2001) by: Quentin Kalis (8.5 out of 10) Like many black metal bands, Salacious Gods have an affinity for excessively long song titles (try "The Prolongation of the Search for the Citadel of the Crowned Serpent") and there is the obligatory photo of the band bedecked in corpse paint and looking grim -- not to mention the use of pseudonyms --, but don't let these cliches put you off. This sophomore release from Dutch quintet Salacious Gods is easily one of the best black metal releases I've had the pleasure of hearing this year. While the vocalist has the unfortunate tendency to remind this reviewer of Dani Filth in one of his more subdued moments, this is no copycat Cradle of Filth band. One element which helps to separate them from the black metal masses is their occasional use of what can only be described as "happy" or "uplifting" riffs. While this might sound out of place within the generally bleak atmosphere of black metal, it works surprisingly well and has before on other black metal releases -- most notably on Dimmu Borgir's excellent _Stormblast_ album. Keyboards are also present, but their selective use means they complement rather than overpower the guitars. Personal favourite is "Manifest of the Phantoms Fasade" (sic), an infectiously catchy song worth 10 out of 10 by itself. Unfortunately, only the title track comes close to the calibre of the aforementioned song, but the other eight tracks are still of sufficient quality for _Sunnevot_ to fully deserve its high rating. Contact: http://www.coldbloodindustries.com Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_ (Heretic Sound, October 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (7.5 out of 10) On the front cover, four shrouded penguins stand against the sunset. "Of Satan's evil Penguins you must beware", they warn beside their symbol inside: a simple symmetric composition with three 6s, an inverted cross and two large penguins side by side within a circle. If this and the band name itself don't seem ludicrous enough to you, then have a look at some of the song titles: "An Evil Shade of Pink", "The Return of the Undead Smurfs (Gargamel's Revenge II)" and "Mutant Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". Can this get any weirder? Hell yeah. This is a band that insists on sharing the credits on two songs with Vivaldi; a band whose members are Killerpenguin, Monsieur Malice, Killhammer and blonde vocalist Slayerprincess; and yet, perhaps paradoxically, a band who -can- play interesting, serious-sounding black metal, repeatedly belting out "Penguins, arise -- the day has come" with grim conviction upon the doomy riff that opens the album during highlight "Antartic Winterstorm". Doom, folk and classical influences are all occasionally heard in the band's black metal, and much as their imagery and some of the lyrics can be hilarious, musically these jesters still deliver a generally convincing album. A few tracks do drag a bit at times, though, and some more of the aggression shown on the final track would have been welcome elsewhere on the album. Even though this is being released by a small underground label, the booklet has been printed on good quality paper (better than you usually get from professional labels), the production is quite adequate and the musicianship competent. A rather witty, interesting and worthwhile record, apart from the insufferable ending of "Mutant Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". I recommend you give these guys a chance. Contact: http://come.to/hereticsound/ Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_ (Nephilim, 2001) by: Brian Meloon (6 out of 10) Hungarians Sear Bliss have returned with their third full-length effort. Whereas I greatly enjoyed their 1995 demo _The Pagan Winter_, their offerings since then haven't done much for me. Clearly the most distinctive element of their sound is their use of trumpets over aggressive and atmospheric death/black metal. Unfortunately, while these elements were well-integrated on their demo, the horns are now relegated to a much smaller portion of the album. Generally, they only appear in the atmospheric/melodic keyboard sections, which -- despite being very well done in their own right -- seem tacked on and superfluous. Part of the reason for this is that the death/black sections have gotten more aggressive and less atmospheric. While this is a reasonable change for a band to make, it works against Sear Bliss, as without atmospheric keys and horns, there's really nothing to separate them from the hordes of similar competent bands doing the same style. This is a decent album, but I'm afraid these guys have lost touch with the things that made their demo so good. Perhaps with some refocus, they can find the magic again. Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_ (, 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (6.5 out of 10) These unsigned Austrians seem keen to show us that they are capable of playing various styles of metal on _Hopeless Age_, sewing them together as songs. They can lean towards death metal, change to something more blackened, and then go into a slower, doomier section -- and they keep occasionally shifting back and forth throughout the record. Overall they do so reasonably well, even though -- as one might expect -- some passages work a lot better than others. Generally, Septicemia do not really overdo it and manage to keep things fairly consistent. Despite their unsigned status, Septicemia are a tight and competent band -- in fact, this is not a demo tape, but rather a 49 minute long album. The production is average: it carries some hiss and not every track was recorded at the same volume level, but it does get the point across reasonably well. Septicemia tend to fare better during the faster passages, where they often show some good guitar work, but even though there aren't any really bad sections, quality does vary significantly throughout the record. They do need to weed out the weaker elements in their music -- which of course isn't to say that they should forget about variety. Still, this debut disc is worth a listen and may well get them some decent label support for the future. Contact: http://www.septicemia.start.at Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_ by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10) (LSP Company, November 2001) How can a band play "atmospheric black metal" and have lyrics such as "Please give me, oh give me, tenderness" on its opening track? Consider that verses such as this are delivered not only by a female vocalist but also through blackened rasps, and you'll probably imagine how odd it sounds. Fortunately, however, things aren't quite that bad throughout the record as far as the lyrics are concerned; things do improve substantially after this disastrous start (or else the rating above would have been very different). The female vocals are below average, but overall the band does put together some decent, although derivative, music on _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_. Even if their music may be -slightly- blackened beyond the raspy vocals, it is essentially very melodic and heavily keyboard-enhanced. However, they do need to increase the intensity of their music and either improve the female vocals or change the way in which they are using them. Signs of Darkness sound like they still need to mature quite a bit, become more unique sound-wise and also both conceptually and musically more interesting. This may not be beyond their reach, however, as they do show some qualities in this album, which -- considering the kind of music they are actually -aiming- to play -- is overall competent but just about passable. Although it is far too sweet for my taste, _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_ does have some qualities that may make it worth a listen. Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com Sinister - _Creative Killings_ (Hammerheart, 2001) by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10) Is having a female death metal vocalist a novelty? Hell no. Is having one as good as Rachel? Shit yea! Sinister has obviously had an overabundance of lead growlers, but Rachel (former Occult) does a marvelous job of moving this band forward in ways never though possible. "Storm in My Mind" is an illustration of this band at its finest; the song captures all that is harsh and blistering in Sinister's domain of damnation. The raw power discharged from _Creative Killings_ is nearly incomprehensible. I will say this, despite Rachel's peculiar charm figured into Sinister's sound, these shepherds of death metal have many sheep of the same flock in their heard. What I mean to say is if you liked _Aggressive Measures_ [CoC #37], you'll take to this one like ducks to water. If you favored, say, _Bastard Saints_ [CoC #14], _CK_ might be a wee tougher of a sell. "Judicious Murder" is nearly far and away my favorite on _Creative Killings_ with all its well-timed power beats of profanation. Not everything about this twelve year old band is superseded by its tenure; the vocal approach is new (and nearly impossible to differentiate from any of the greats on the scene) and even tough Sinister's style remains predictably discordant, songs like "Reviving the Dead" take the this band's prospect for bigger and better things to levels unthought of in recent history. To borrow a word from their title -- this newest Sinister is truly a very creative undertaking. [Paul Schwarz: "I have, at one point or another, owned every full-length Sinister album. It's not something I'm proud of, but it's a fact. _Creative Killings_ is the only Sinister album currently in my possession, but that's not 'cause I like it anymore than I liked the others. Sinister have delivered another Sinister album: that's about as much as I can tell you. It sounds about as good as anything they ever did, to me, and if my copy wasn't a promo it would have been taken back to the store it came from weeks ago."] Contact: http://sinister.wingsofdeath.nu Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ by: Pedro Azevedo (8.5 out of 10) (Napalm, November 2001) I had a really bad reaction to the Napalm sticker that sat atop the front cover screaming about the fact that the music inside was heavily inspired by Tolkien's literary work. Some of us already knew Summoning were a Tolkien-inspired project, but even those who didn't would probably get a hint from the oft-repeated "in the darkness... bind them" sample in the somewhat annoying "In Hollow Halls Beneath the Fells" -- unless they couldn't care less about Tolkien to begin with. Yet Tolkien is an increasingly fashionable name, so I wasn't surprised to see Napalm trying to cash in, just displeased that Summoning's aura was damaged so carelessly. Overall, the music on _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ takes me on a journey to strange luxuriant forests and imposing castles beneath bright sunlight, where a somewhat warlike atmosphere resides. It completely fails to take me to the dark mountains, mysterious impenetrable forests or unspeakably grim fortresses its predecessor _Stronghold_ painted so vividly, however. This change is quite aptly described by the difference in album titles, in any case: _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ is much more obviously Tolkien-inspired than _Stronghold_, which was in my opinion the darkest album Summoning ever released (their debut is hardly part of the equation here). Even though the artificial drums sound as thunderous as before, the guitar sound is weaker on _LMHSYF_ and the keyboard approach is somewhat different -- at times perhaps more akin to their earlier work. _LMHSYF_ is majestic, multi-layered, atmospheric and impressive overall, but lacks much of the sombre, doomy, towering feel of _Stronghold_. I have little doubt that this was the whole purpose behind _LMHSYF_, but much as I can enjoy the record, I am unable to appreciate it as much as _Stronghold_. Despite tracks such as "South Away", "Our Foes Shall Fall" and "Farewell", the songs tend to seem somewhat inconsequential compared to the intensity of _Stronghold_. A superb and highly atmospheric album, but unfortunately one that stirs comparatively little in me after _Stronghold_. Teabag - _Teabag_ (Blue Meannie Records, December 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) As stupid as this is going to sound, Teabag fucking rocks! It sounds stupid, doesn't it? But trust me, my metal brethren, the music of Teabag is anything but lame -- more like triumphant, melodic and impressively sculpted. From the ashes of Psychotic Waltz and DFA, this metal act has created a sound and style that stretched many boundaries, something they set off to do from day one. From the solid power grooves, melodic vocals and progressive / old school metal qualities, Teabag flourishes on this eight-song offering -- especially the harmonious "Shadows", the blistering-drive of "Earthbound" and opening track "Resisting Possession". New singer Ron Lerma has an amazing voice that echoes well above the thunder of the band and guides the listener through many intricate passages. I hope many of you check out Teabag, as they will surely be several metalhead's cup of tea. Now that sounded stupid again -- but I couldn't resist. Contact: http://www.teabagmetal.com The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_ by: Paul Schwarz (9.5 out of 10) (Lux Inframundis, November 2001) The Chasm are the best death metal band on the planet at the moment. It's really that simple. The Chasm capture all that death metal in its essence is and can be when serious, skilled and gifted musicians with their hearts in their work are behind its creation. A taste for gloomy atmosphere and epic, doom-influenced progressions and lead work colours the black waters of all The Chasm's death-cultic, heavy and powerfully metal compositions. Beginning with a creepy, creaking acoustic guitar-passage intro entitled "Root of Damnation", _Reaching the Veil of Death_ suddenly explodes into the violent, primitive brutality which characterises the beginning of its title track. Characteristically The Chasm as this carefully controlled and paced maelstrom of choppy death-riffing guitars and destructive drum work is, after two or so minutes I began to wonder if the Chasm had decided to abandon the deep, affecting combination of subtle dynamics, piercing leadwork and talent for gloomy harmonies which had so characterised the broader side of their character -- and which seemed to have become so integrally a part of them. I wondered if dissatisfaction with the label world had inspired Daniel Corchado (guitar, vocals), Julio Viterbo (guitars), Antonio Leon (drums) and Alfonso Polo (bass) to deliver a violent "Fuck you!" of pure, straightforward-death-metal-styled Chasm material. Then my CD counter clicked over to 2:11, and suddenly that broader side of the Chasm took full hold of me in the form of a monstrous, epic, spiraling lead suspended over a musical landscape which had almost antithetically changed its pace. The two truly new songs of this six-track, four-song EP are Chasm songs of the very highest order -- possibly the Chasm at the best they have yet been. From the sounds of it, their fifth album -- hopefully to be released next year -- will see the Chasm reach a new level of excellence in their reconciliation of destructive, death-cultic metal and emotionally expansive, melody-fueled and doom-inspired depth of expression. That fifth album may well also be put out under the Lux Inframundis imprint, i.e. by the band themselves. A deal with Dwell went rotten around a year ago: The Chasm's faith in the label world was understandably shaken by being cast out by a label on which they were by far the best band. Coming back to _RtVoD_, the remaining two tracks -- excluding instrumentals and new songs, that is -- comprise a re-recording of "The Gravefields" from 1996's _From the Lost Years_ [CoC #13], and a cover of Bulldozer's "Cut-Throat". The former is stylishly executed, bringing clarity and power to the more predictable, linear structures you'd expect from the band's infancy, and breathing a new, -different- life into what fanatics like me might call an "old classic". The latter is by a band I've never heard, but have heard a lot of -really- bad and -really- good things about; I've heard it said more than once that choosing to cover Bulldozer says a lot about a band's own music, with both negative and positive connotations attached. All I can say is that "Cut-Throat" makes a brutal, direct and fitting closing song for _Reaching the Veil of Death_. Either the Chasm owe much to Bulldozer, or they have made "Cut-Throat" their own in performance, because -- ignorant of Bulldozer as I was -- I originally believed it was just an especially simplistic Chasm song! As far as I'm concerned, if you're a fan of death metal, then you should hunt down this EP and _Procession to the Infraworld_ [CoC #45: I would give it a 10 out of 10 if I were to review it today] if you haven't already, and prepare yourself for The Chasm's fifth album. (If you get hooked on their music in the meantime, then I suggest you also hunt down _Procreation of the Inner Temple_ and _Deathcult for Eternity: The Triumph_ [CoC #40] to satiate yourself.) There are only a meagre few bands out there who can consistently make death metal which affects me deeply, broadly -and- inexorably: The Chasm are probably the best of that bunch. [Adrian Bromley: "Ah yes, the underdogs of the death metal world return with another great platter. Vocalist/guitarist/crusader Daniel Corchado leads his cohorts through one of the most punishing, technical yet dirge-filled death metal discs of 2001. Unlike the traditional sounds of death metal music these days, The Chasm's title track radiates an aura of determination and intensity that is so real and not forced. Emotionally draining and unsettling at times, the rawness of this death metal attack will leave you numb and bewildered well into 2002. Hopefully now some labels will wake the fuck up and sign them."] [Pedro Azevedo: "The Chasm continues to excel at creating involved, dynamic and well-crafted death metal dirges. Not only are both of the new tracks on this EP very good, in _RtVoD_ The Chasm also managed to combine them with varied material (an old song, two instrumental tracks and a cover) and achieve a consistent result. The Chasm are definitely not your average death metal band, and this EP should be more than enough to convince a worthwhile label."] [Quentin Kalis: "Although _RtVoD_ is essentially an odds and ends EP, it is nevertheless one of high quality. Whether they are performing a relatively slow song ("The Gravefields"), a frenzied intense cover version (Bulldozer's "Cut-Throat") or an evocative instrumental ("Embrace My Funeral"), The Chasm never fail to display considerable diversity and skill. The very embodiment of death metal in the third millennium."] Contact: Lux Inframundis, 5858 S. Kedzie Ave., PMB# 6, Chicago, IL 60629, USA mailto:luxinframundis@juno.com The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_ (Scarlet, November 2001) by: Chris Flaaten (8.5 of 10) It's always great when new bands deliver interesting and good debuts. The Provenance does much more than that; despite being young and on a low budget, they have made a well produced album full of complex and excellent music. The band flirts with doom, goth, avantgarde, prog rock, folk music and extreme metal. But not only do they draw from a wide spectrum of subgenres, they also use a broad range of instruments and vocal forms. Emma Hellstrom's beautiful vocals, flute playing and synth / Hammond organ lines maintain a large share of the symphonic and melodic aspects, while fellow vocalist Tobias Martinsson seems to be the bridge between Emma and the metallic core of The Provenance by performing death growls, clean vocals and fifty percent of the guitar duties. Most bands -- especially young bands like this -- would fall into endless digressions or simply drown in a chaos of arrangements. The Provenance have avoided this and clearly has focus and identity in their music. The level of maturity seen in both composition and musicianship is actually downright surprising. The opening track, "Deluded Into Delirium", opens with a grand, heavy riff, continues through Devil Doll-like vocals and moods before venturing into both heavy and soothing guitar/vocal harmonies. The second track has much of the same intense and epic feel, while they on the third track start to include Emma's talents more heavily. Through the folk-like "Ignominy Embodied", the My Dying Bride tribute at the end of "Listening" and the goth feel of the closing song, _25th Hour; Bleeding_ is a musical journey worth going on. Somehow, I still feel they have the potential to get better; maybe even much better. I actually had to deduct half a point from their rating just to make room on the scale for their next albums! Therion - _Secret of the Runes_ (Nuclear Blast, 2001) by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10) Therion's latest release continues the development the band has gone through since 1996's groundbreaking _Theli_ [CoC #14]. This time around they've emphasized the elements from progressive / power metal in their sound, making it heavier and more metallic, with less of a reliance upon the orchestral sound that we've come to expect from them. The progressive / power metal elements complement their classical side, and the styles are pretty well integrated. That isn't to say that this is a radical change of style, though. Most of the songs are exactly what you'd expect from Therion, but the addition of some more diverse elements in a few of the songs helps to avoid monotony. As you would expect, the playing and production are top-notch. Overall, this is a good release from Therion. It shows that the band aren't willing to rehash the same material over and over again, but instead are willing to develop and explore their style. It shouldn't disappoint their current fans, but shouldn't change any minds about them either. If at all possible, you should probably search out the limited edition version, to hear their amazing cover of Abba's "Summernight City". Seriously, this is one of the best songs on the album. Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_ (Mars Hill, December 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) The first time I spun Torman Maxt's second offering, _The Foolishness of God_, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the eerie cleanliness of the sound and ideas. The harmonious progressive vocals and technical know-how, not to mention the Christian views and ideals expressed within, had me a little perplexed at what was going on with Torman Maxt. But after a few more spins, their creativity started to show some light. No, I wasn't converting my faith (I'm not religious at all), rather taking in their sounds and ideas and understanding what talent these guys have. Musically, the trio's music is enormously rich in texture, twelve songs broken up into four sections/acts that all seem to mold into one. The religious themes are a bit heavy at times, but the continuous evolution of the music as the album goes along allows the average, not religious listener, to get something rewarding out of this. Not for everyone, but I'm sure progressive metal fans have heard the name discussed within their ranks and have at least sampled some of their work. Torman Maxt does showcase a wondrous world of tranquilness, understanding and complexity all rolled into one. I liked this album quite a bit, so I'm already in the process of tracking down their much talked about first album _Just Talking About the Universe... So Far_. Contact: http://www.tormanmaxt.com Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_ (Valgalder Records, 2000) by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10) This is the debut full-length offering from Russia's Tvangeste. Their sound is a pretty standard one for that area of the world: raw black metal underneath layered keyboards. A good starting point for comparisons would be Nokturnal Mortum's great _Goat Horns_ [CoC #31]. Their songs are roughly equal in length, and feature a similar rawness to the guitars and keyboard layering, though Nokturnal Mortum's keyboards are much more dominant in their music (since at the time of this recording, they only had one keyboardist -- they've since added a second, though!), and their music is much more involved and complex. Add to this basic style some prog/power touches, such as strong harmonized guitar leads, and some nice female vocals, and you have a rough approximation of Tvangeste's style. While it isn't terribly original, it is reasonably well-done, and there are a few excellent moments on the CD. Unfortunately, these are too few and far between to really make this a great CD. With some improvement, I think they have the potential to be great. Recommended for fans of keyboard-heavy black metal, but not really essential. Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_ by: Quentin Kalis (7 out of 10) (, July 2001) Germany's Victim have made their first two self-produced CDs available as a double-CD set. Of the two CDs, _Faces of Death_ is undoubtedly the superior one, despite the inferior production (especially the drums, which exhibit a hollow, demo-sounding quality at times). In spite of this (or maybe because of it, as it did not impede my enjoyment of this album to any great degree), _Faces of Death_ is a good album that still maintains its place in my CD player and would have been worth a 7.5 on its own. It also displays more variation than its follow-up _Cocktail of Brutality_, although still staying safely ensconced within the realm of brutal death metal. Be sure to check out "A Tribute to Macabre", which according to your disposition features either an insanely catchy or mind-numbingly irritating riff! A spoken word intro detailing various gruesome statistics sets the tone for what is to follow on _Cocktail of Brutality_. The production is better than before, yet they have lost some of the passion and intensity of the first album. Nevertheless, songs such as "Serial Licence" and "Bloodshed" are still worth a listen, though the album itself is only worth a 6. While neither exceptionally technical nor terribly original, Victim are worth seeking out. Considering the amount of assembly line power metal acts on the rosters of some of the larger labels, it is a mystery to me why they are still unsigned. Contact: Benjamin Jahn, Bismarckstr. 22, 95444 Bayreuth, Germany mailto:benni@victim-deathmetal.de VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_ (, 2001) by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) My interest in atmospheric/soundscape project VLE continues. In last issue, I raved about the VLE offering _Book of Illusions - Chapter I_, saying that the release was "one of the most dazzling, brave and impressive independent offerings I have received in sometime". I still stand behind my comments. I love that record and the dynamic and adventurous ideas it takes upon itself. As I had expected, _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_ continues where VLE had left off, but not in its entirety. There are some changes within. While still as grandiose and overflowing with beautiful soundscapes as the previous offering, _Chapter II_ finds VLE exploring more with feelings and emotions, soft keyboards, sweet harmonies and a slight dark edge (very subtle) comes over the music as well. Listening to _Chapter II_ I am once again thrust into colourful and cosmic trance-like state, guided by the changing medleys and the creative genius behind this one-man project. Just check out the beauty of songs like "The Dancer" and "A Scene From a Tree". Is this as good as the first offering? I think so, but on many different levels. I'd recommend music fans wanting to investigate VLE to scope out both _Chapter I_ and _Chapter II_, as they are both worth it. And listening to them back to back is quite an experience to boot. Once again, I await for new VLE material. Hopefully something new will surface in 2002. Contact: VLE, 455 West 34th Street Apt.14C, New York, NY 10001, USA mailto:vle25@hotmail.com http://www.mp3.com/vle/ Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_ (Shindy, 2001) by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10) The Czech Republic's Vuvr play a unique jazz/metal hybrid. Their jazzy parts bring to mind Candiria, Cynic and Atheist, though their sound is much more diverse, including such questionable elements as funky bass lines and what I'll call -- for lack of a better term -- "lounge jazz". Their metallic parts sound like a cross between a toned-down version of Dissonance (Slo) and Voivod's _Nothingface_. Their riffs are angular, and the music changes frequently. Not only do the riffs change often, but when they don't completely change, their presentation changes: a guitar changes to a harmony or a counterpoint line, the picking style changes, etc. Only very rarely do the band settle down and play the same riff exactly the same way for more than a few seconds. Unfortunately, the integration between their two styles isn't as tight as it could be. In that way, they're very similar to Candiria's _Surrealistic Madness_: several purely jazzy songs and several heavy songs with slight jazz influence. The vocals are mostly growled, but vocal parts are few and far between, as this album is heavily focused on music. The production and playing are top notch, and the packaging is more than adequate. This is an interesting album, even if it isn't a completely successful one. However, fans of jazz/metal hybrids will find this a worthy and unique part of the genre. Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_ (DSFA Records, July 2001) by: Chris Flaaten (7 out of 10) Within Temptation made a promising debut [CoC #20] and I quite enjoyed their last EP, _The Dance_ [CoC #33]. The band appears slightly renewed on this album: gone are the death growls and the doom-like, intense riffs that accompanied them. Sure, they still throw down some heavy riffs on this album, but they generally lack the speed and punch of their predecessors. That doesn't necessarily say anything about the quality of this album, though. _Mother Earth_ opens with its heaviest and most pompous track: featuring heavy -- and tasteful -- use of flutes and synths, this song quickly establishes the fantasy-like setting that will continue throughout the album. Within Temptation have definitely gotten more epic, but simultaneously more mellow as well. Tracks three, six and ten are slow ballads, comprised mostly of piano and Sharon's vocals. Nice, but a little too "easy listening" if you ask me. As a matter of fact, I find Sharon's vocals tiresome and limited on this album. She certainly is a good vocalist technically and has a soothing voice, but she always sounds sad and almost, well, whiny. If she were to communicate happiness, hope or fury with her vocals, it would lack credibility. Because of this, Within Temptation's music is now confined to a small niche of the emotional spectrum -- whereas earlier they were able to bring in death vocals for other effects. The energy in Within Temptation's music now lies in the instrumental passages, especially those found in tracks one, four and seven. These passages are a little scarce, however, which causes me to lose interest after that seventh track -- and that usually includes skipping the first two ballads as well. For those with a smaller crave for intensity than me, this album could very well be a gem, though: the compositions are elaborate and well performed, and the album certainly doesn't lack variation. Recommended for easy listening. Without Face - _Deep Inside_ (Dark Symphonies, October 2001) by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10) Mixing male and female vocals is hardly a novel thing to do these days, but Without Face try to give that formula a different twist by inserting thrash where death metal would have normally been used. These Hungarians have a female vocalist who will sound (and look) like an angel to many of you, but some of her duets with the male vocalist tend to come across as rather disjointed. On her own she does very well, however, and Without Face also alternate the female vocals with thrashy rasps for a somewhat better, if slightly odd, result than the clean vocal duets. Their synth-enhanced instrumental section also reflects this duality, by shifting between somewhat progressive lightweight doom and thrash sections. The whole thing fails to come across as particularly engaging, however; Without Face are competent musicians and may have plenty of potential, but at this point in time they don't really excel at any of the styles they are trying to mix during this 35 minute debut album. Since apparently this material was recorded back in 2000, I'm left wondering how the band has progressed since then -- they do appear to have some potential, so perhaps their next release will be above average. Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_ (Metropolis, 2001) by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10) My not liking a :wumpscut: release should be like the sounding of the second trumpet in Revelations. I hope this isn't the case in any way shape or form, but the fact of the matter is this release is not what I would expect from the superior band I reviewed in CoC #49. Please take a look at that write-up, as I would very much like to remember this band for its efforts on _Bloodchild_ and not _Wreath of Barbs_. However, starting off this release with "Opening the Gates of Hell" was very promising indeed. The more pneumatic "Deliverance" and "Wreath of Barbs" come next; not at all ill-fated, and the latter track utilizing some very, very cool fuzzed-out computer vocals, but not up to the beginning song by any stretch of the imagination. Here is where things go South like a drug runner from the police. Holy shit! What is it with the female vocals on "Dr. Thodt"? I almost haven't the articulation about me to communicate to you the sheer, overt and alarmingly horrendous factors making up this track's insipid repulsion(s). What's more, :wumpscut: blasts the listener again with "Troops Under Fire", a boring ding-ding-ding-ding cut sounding more like a railroad crossing gate than an industrial track from a mostly respectable outfit. "Troops Under Fire" follows the most attractive song on the disc after the opening cut -- it is called "Christfuck". The title is astoundingly infantile in every sense of the word and then some, but the music behind the song is as solid as one has a right to expect from :wumpscut:. The vocals and repetitious nature on "Line of Corpses" threaten to diminish the track beyond repair, but with "Hate Is Mine" as the next track, "Line of Corpses" might as well be something off of killer _Bloodchild_ album. "Bleed in Silence" and "Eclipse" are nearly unspeakable in their atrocity, so seek out _Bloodchild_ and forget _Wreath of Barbs_ even exists; Heaven knows I'll try. Do us all a mighty big favor and lose Aleta Welling, Rudy (Ratzinger -- founder); the female vocals almost destroyed this otherwise mediocre effort. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= __ __ _ /\ \ \_____ __ /\ \ \___ (_)___ ___ / \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \ / /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/ \_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___| If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo, including a bio, if you want to be reviewed. We accept demos either on traditional media or MP3 format. E-mail us at to know which is the most appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape, in case you are sending one, or to indicate the location of a website from which we can download the MP3 files of your entire demo (but do NOT send any files attached to your e-mail). Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo **** -- Great piece of work *** -- Good effort ** -- A major overhaul is in order * -- A career change is advisable Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_ (4-track demo) by: David Rocher (*****) The return of Green Bay's atmospheric death trio is one I awaited indeed. Aphotic's eponymous first demo [CoC #51] had already struck me as a sample of finely crafted tracks of forlorn beauty, and these four new tracks merely comfort me in my opinion that I have stumbled upon one of the finest unsigned bands I have ever heard. Aphotic have successfully evolved towards introducing new elements of technicality and discreet variety in their ambient death metal, and the material on _Under Veil of Dark_ is memorable indeed. Fine melodies placed in quiet repose on a powerful, compelling rhythm section -- alas still filled by a drum machine, which is realistically the -only- point I can even mildly begrudge _Under Veil of Dark_ --, simple, extremely charismatic vocals -- very similar in style and inspiration to those of Micke Akerfeldt's -- turn deeply introspective tracks such as "Precipice" or "Atmosphere" into monuments of forlorn, beautifully ornate sorrowful metal. With their second demo, Aphotic have raised their music to a new tier, and although they do not, as of yet, display the maturity of masters _Brave Murder Day_-era Katatonia or present-day Opeth, they are quite clearly revealing themselves as a powerful, emotional force to be reckoned with... provided a label plays its cards right and grants them the chance they so direly deserve. [Pedro Azevedo: "Sounding a bit like a more death metal version of the Katatonia side-project October Tide, Aphotic show vast potential in this demo. Tight, intense and atmospheric, the music clearly proves that this is a band that can grow into something special in the future, if they are given that chance -- and they definitely should be."] Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, P.O. Box 8236, Green Bay, WI 54308-8236, USA mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com Binding - _Relict_ (6-track demo) by: Adrian Bromley (***--) Sounding like a weak cross between Nine Inch Nails and mid-era Pitchshifter comes the duo of Binding. Their music -- an abrasive (yet varied) onslaught of industrial rhythms and distorted vocals -- sounds good, but there seems to be something missing here. The production is adequate at best, and that leaves me to believe that maybe with a bit better production then the band's ideas would be more enhanced and direct. This style needs a good production to allow the music to pummel us as the material unfolds. I also think the duo of Dan Hinds and Nels Bruckner are trying too hard (at certain points on the album) to bring multiple styles of sounds into the music. Certain songs sound too weighed down with ideas (i.e. "Bitter Spirit") and that causes the material to suffer. Also, the vocals need to be worked on, as the heavy drive of the music seems to be mismatched with the slow, out of sync vocals. _Relict_ is a good demo; it just needs a little bit of a touch-up. Note: cover of Devo classic "Girl U Want" is pretty good. Contact: Binding Station, P.O. Box 5965, Bellevue, WA 98006, USA mailto:nelsb@bendcable.com http://the-plague.com/binding/ Biomechanical - _Distorted_ (4-track demo) by: Alvin Wee (*****) Years since I receive a demo to get all hot 'n' excited about, and at the snap of a finger, these lads from London send one winging my way. It's a surprise Biomechanical isn't already a household name in prog-power circles given the awe-inspiring potency on this four-tracker, but it won't be long before some European eagle-eyes pick this quartet up. Opener "The Awakening" sears faces with its deliciously disharmonic riffery and surprisingly melodic chorus, reminiscent of the Stateside tech-wizardry of Fates Warning or Queensryche, but with all the muscle and attitude of a furiously provoked Iced Earth. Indeed, portions on the subsequent "Do You Know Me" sound eerily like their frozen cousins across the pond, and the grandiosity of "In the Core of Darkness" wouldn't sound out of place on _Stormrider_. Never once does the band sound weakly derivative, however; if anything, their versatility shines through impressively in the rapid switches between Metallica-style strongarm-thrash and the filmic bombast of Dream Theater. Such a description can only do injustice to the brilliance of the material on offer here -- comparing a band as inventive and polished as this to any other is an ultimately futile task. Hardly a bone to pick with what turns out to be one of the most unforgettable demos ever, as even the occasional Fear Factory-style shouts fit perfectly in the already mind-boggling music: complex enough to impress but never once losing the ear of even a die-hard traditionalist like me. Drop by the equally impressive website for a preview of a band possibly on par with greats like Spiral Architect or Nevermore. I wouldn't be surprised seeing an album of theirs in the newest Hellion catalog. [Paul Schwarz: "Biomechanical's fusion of power, prog and thrash metal elements into a single sound -- and one which is markedly -theirs-, rather than the doppelganger of another band's -- puts them alongside such acts as Iced Earth, Nevermore and Evergrey: bands who manage to make individually characteristic, broadly original metal which, though cast from a traditional mould, is nonetheless both modern and heavy. It's about time a quality band of this sort emerged from metal's birthplace. Biomechanical sound like they could well become leaders and not followers in their field."] Contact: http://www.biomechanical.co.uk Blessed - _Consume 3000_ (4-track demo) by: Pedro Azevedo (***--) The production on this demo is excessively bassy, but Blessed's harsh, oppressive and somewhat Swedish-sounding death metal still manages to show some promise. The band tries to pull out some twisted harmonies and does so with moderate success, and despite the limiting artifical drums they still had to use on this demo CD, they do at least have something reasonable to build upon. The doomy atmosphere and somewhat despondent death grunts give this demo some character, but the band still needs to become a tighter unit -- how successfully they manage to incorporate a human drummer into the band should prove very important for their future. Contact: http://go.to/blessed/ Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_ (3-track demo) by: David Rocher (****-) Another pack of talented newcomers from the region of Rennes, Brittany, comes in the guise of the brutal hardcore outfit named Field of Illusion. As a definite disliker of the hardcore genre -- the attitude, general stance and, most of all, the goddamn music usually succeeds in boring the living daylights out of me --, I was more than wary about reviewing this three-track demo. However, the wariness I displayed took a turn for the best, since Field of Illusion seem to be clearly and prominently influenced by hardcore-laden acts such Dying Fetus and the once glorious trash scene, with a vocalist who sounds uncannily like Holy Moses goddess Sabina Classen. Although FoI's hardcore influences are pretty obvious and unconcealed, this demo generally has the aggressive flavour of thrashing metal, as downright slow, almost doomy parts are blasted away by massive, stomping death metal-tinged hardcore onslaughts, to which I am unwittingly nodding my head, neck and torso as I write these lines. FoI's first demo features generally catchy, competently played, well-produced and professional material from this band -- I'm more than pleasantly surprised, despite the fact that some excessively stomping hardcore-style segues have, at times, had me dwelling upon a rather dubious sentiment of dislike. Contact: Ludovic Pecot, 23 Rue de Montual, 35590 La Chapelle Thouarault, France Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_ (4-track promo) by: Pedro Azevedo (****-) Godless describe themselves as purveyors of "epic death metal". The "epic" bit may be debatable, but at least they do seem to strive to achieve it. The disc in question is what the band calls a "rough mix promo" of a four-track, half-hour record. They specifically state it is -not- for sale, just promotion; I assume they are either getting it properly mixed and packaged on their own or hope to find a label to help them do so through this promo. In any case, _Let There Be Darkness_ consists of obscure death metal with mostly raspy vocals and plenty of involved lead guitar work. Godless also experiment with more complex song structures -- as indicated by the nearly fifteen minute long third track -- and the final track even sees them playing some rather competent doom/death. Production-wise, my expectations weren't exactly high after reading about the "rough mix" thing, and indeed this CD sounds every bit like your average demo tape, but I shall refrain from dwelling on this subject too much since the sound is apparently meant to be perfected. The rhythmic backbone is provided by what sounds very much like a drum machine being used in a rather limited way. This doesn't exactly destroy the music, but a good human drummer could certainly add an extra dimension to the whole thing. Still, taken as a demo CD, the material is quite good and reasonably varied, and shows that this Greek band could be on their way to recording some rather interesting things in the future if they are given a good opportunity to do so. Contact: mailto:godlesstheband@yahoo.gr In Grey - _Above_ (2-track demo) by: Pedro Azevedo (****-) This is the third demo CD In Grey have sent me [CoC #42, #52], and after the disappointing second one they now seem to be firmly back on track. A measly 7+ minutes are not a lot to judge a band by, but they do at least provide a reasonably strong indication that In Grey are headed somewhere more interesting than last time. "Above" is distinctly goth metal, and not bad at that, with some improvements in the clean vocal area as well. "I Amaze" is a more atmospheric song and more to my liking. Both tracks, but especially the latter, bear slight resemblance to some aspects of Katatonia's recent work as well. Not much else to write about such a short demo, except that the musicianship and production cannot be faulted, especially considering this is a demo. I shall be significantly more interested in hearing a more substantial disc from In Grey now -- and considering they have been around since 1992(!), perhaps it is about time they get their opportunity. Contact: http://www.in-grey.com Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_ (3-track demo) by: Quentin Kalis (***--) Featuring two members of Ragnarok, this Norwegian band perform mainly mid-paced black metal. For some reason unclear to this reviewer, they have two bassists. The guitar sound is somewhat subdued, but that is more likely to be a fault of the production rather then a deliberate attempt at restraining the guitar. The drumming is terrible, but then again this is a feature of all NeoDawn Productions demo releases, so I wouldn't hold that against them. Kharon do succeed in creating sinister atmospheres without the incessant and unnecessary use of keyboards. A notable first attempt. Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_ by: Adrian Bromley (**---) (10-track demo) What could have been a promising release from Denmark musician Klaus B. Hansen and his cohorts turns into a murky and downright bland death 'n' roll extravaganza. The production is real poor sounding and the music is far from original. The music here takes a huge chunk of its sound/style from the mighty Entombed and injects it with a sleazy sex drive that would make most whores proud. While not shit, Hansen needs to rework the material here and clean up the production first and foremost before most metal fans will find this interesting, Maybe this is still in the working stages? Who knows? Whatever the case may be, Hansen needs to clean up this trashy, sex-fueled metal machine and tone down the whole party feel for the album, 'cause it goes about as far as the town drunk goes after ten pints. Not far at all, eh? Only track worth mentioning is the blistering "We Kill". Contact: HYR Inc. Prod., Vesterbrogade 37 1TH., 1620 CPH V, Denmark Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_ (4-track demo) by: David Rocher (**---) Try as I might, my attention merely fails to be allured by the four death metal tracks on this Breton act's first demo CD. While they are not ultimately bad, and appear to be technically proficient, Manorblatz simply lack the sparkle and professional attitude that will likely get a label to cast an attentive ear on them. The general syndrome which Manorblatz seem to be suffering from is that, akin to the opener track "Reduced to Ash", their material features some good individual riffs and only decent vocals (somewhat reminiscent of Loudblast's Stephane Buriez), but is in turn reduced to not much more than ash by an overtly loud drum machine, a blatantly uncanny song structure and rather pointless guitar leads. Manorblatz in fact seem to want to cram that bit too much of everything under the sun into their metal, and thus end up inconsistently running around all over the place without actually getting anywhere. However, on a more positive note, there is capacity for improvement here, so I can only hope Manorblatz will use that for a forthcoming release. The four tracks on this MCD will soon be re-released on a split CD with German black metallers Nachtmahr, so that may be the chance to check both these bands out in one session, if you care to. Contact: Charles Castrec, 17 square Auguste Dupouy, 35700 Rennes, France Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_ (6-track demo) by: Quentin Kalis (***--) Yet another band utilizing the "necro" prefix. "Necro" must be most overused prefix in metal along with "dark". Fortunately, this complete lack of originality in choosing a band name is not reflected in their music. After opening with a lame intro of barking dogs, they explode into their frenzied blackened death metal assault, their razor sharp riffs embedding themselves well within your brain. As with all NeoDawn Productions, the drumming sounds atrocious; yet in this case, it doesn't detract from their sound. Instead, it makes Necroplasma sound even more aggressive and intense. And to think that all this noise is created by only three guys! Well worth checking out. Watch out, these guys will have a record deal soon enough! Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_ (10-track demo) by: Adrian Bromley (**---) While I must give Tony Mikkelson (the lone member in the act) props for making an effort to push Terminal Descent into the right direction with the brutal death metal attack of this ten-song demo, I am sad to say that the musical arrangements do nothing for me, other than the interesting number "Taming the Beasts". While a brutal assault is unleashed in sporadic intervals throughout, the remainder of the music here flows with a rather sedated and annoying groove, joined by gruff vocals that don't sound too intense -- something the music could have used. No doubt Mikkelson is eager to make things for Terminal Descent; I just think a bit more time toning the brutal attack and tightening of the song structure needs to be done before results start to take shape. Who knows? Maybe some new band members might help shape things up a bit better. For now, the present state of the band comes across as uninspired. Contact: Terminal Descent, c/o Tony Mikkelson, 236 N. 11th St., Forest City, IA 50436-1516, USA mailto:eternalmindset@aol.com http://www.members.tripod.com/terminaldescent/ Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ (5-track demo) by: Quentin Kalis (*****) This first demo by one-man band Vinterriket presents us with five dark ambient, almost entirely instrumental tracks. Considerable variety is displayed within the five songs, ranging from sinister synthscapes to more reflective moods, with neoclassical sounding synths coming into play at times yet never failing to maintain a cold, desolate atmosphere. Yes, this entire album is keyboard/synth based. So what? Keyboards can display a variety of emotions and moods. Anyone who has the slightest interest in this underrated sub-genre of extreme music should check out this demo. An auspicious start. Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_ (3-track demo) by: Quentin Kalis (****-) This 7" was recorded between _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ and _Sturme der letze Stille_. _Det Svake Lys_ contains three dark ambient songs pretty much like their first demo. What I appreciate about this demo -- and _GJS_ -- is that Vinterriket doesn't rely on endless monotonous loops to create atmospheric tracks: he (it's a one man band) instils all the songs with considerable variety. After opening with the title song, which is nothing more then a brief intro, they launch into "Nattefrost", a beautifully evocative piece of music. "Zauber Oer Nacht", the third track, is by contrast more ominous and mournful than the preceding track. While not quite as good as _GJS_, _DSL_ it is nevertheless still worth hearing at least once, if you have even the faintest interest in dark ambient soundscapes. Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_ (6-track demo) by: Quentin Kalis (**---) What a disappointment. After the brilliant first demo, Vinterriket just had to unnecessarily "try to expand their sound" with the addition of clean male vocals and drums. While I can't blame Vinterriket for wishing to experiment, I wasn't impressed with either the vocals or the drums. The monotone vocals, while excellent in emphasising the dismal nature of the songs, do start to get a bit irritating after a couple of tracks. The drumming, which at times sounds as if it should be backing some death or black metal track, generally doesn't fit in with the softer ambient soundscapes. Furthermore, the tracks do not really have their own identity and tend to blur into one indistinguishable mass. A pity, since I really loved their first demo. Still looking forward to their next release, though. Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ____ __ __ /\ _`\ /\ \ /\ \__ __ \ \ \/\_\\ \ \___ __ ___\ \ ,_\/\_\ ___ \ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\ \ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/ \ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/ ____ __ /\ _`\ /\ \__ \ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____ \ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\ \ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\ \ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/ \/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/ A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, A BILL TO FORGET ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC attends Tristania, Rotting Christ, Vintersorg and Madder Mortem in l'Antipode, Rennes, France, on October 4th 2001 by: David Rocher Obviously, for a mildly cantankerous individual such as myself, something was not right from the very second I checked this night's bill out: from what I grasped, Finntroll were cancelled owing to their "Joik" singer Jari falling ill, and worse -- why the hell were Rotting Christ not announced as headliners to this show? With this rather irritating interrogation in mind, I nonetheless was very eager to check at least three of the bands on the roster this evening out, and was also rather intrigued to see whether Vintersorg would succeed in boring me out of my shoes in five minutes flat, as they had done at the Wacken Open Air this year -- quite possibly, fans will argue, owing to the rather averse conditions at the "Kult" German festival. I didn't really know what to expect from Madder Mortem. Much as I truly enjoy their two full-length releases, _Mercury_ [CoC #37] and _All Flesh Is Grass_ [CoC #54], I was very unsure as to how they would fare on stage; they did, in fact, fare pretty damn well. Their attitude, for one aspect, was very appreciable -- the Norwegian quintet seemed honestly chuffed to be playing that evening, and the intrigued crowd, gathered in small numbers around the stage, reacted enthusiastically. Madder Mortem focused essentially on the more muscular excerpts of their second album, and devotedly stormed through powerful renditions of tracks such as "Breaker of Worlds", "To Kill and Kill Again", "Ruby Red", "Turn the War On", "4 Chambers", as well as a track from their debut _Mercury_ (maybe "Under Another Moon" -- my memory fails me). All throughout their set, Madder Mortem's frontwoman Agnete M. Kirkevaag energetically strode, jumped and headbanged around the stage, and seemed delighted to notice that the band's performance had got a few headbangers going; Madder Mortem in fact broke into an unreleased track, one of their heaviest so far, which a beaming Agnete fittingly announced with the words "Here is a track for you to headbang to!", a commandment which the few metallers gathered at the front were only too glad to heed to. Obviously, the half hour or so which Madder Mortem spent on stage in Rennes was as appreciated by the fans and intrigued observers as it was by the band itself; their unpretentious, convincing and surprisingly heavy posture does them great credit -- I look forward to seeing them again, and wish them well, for they are truly a deserving band. Rather nonplussed at the prospect of seeing Vintersorg live again, and having heard some of their material being aired on a car stereo on the Antipode's parking lot, I nonetheless let curiosity wash over me, and proceeded back to the stage as the Norwegians took to the stage. Well, I admit I was more than pleasantly surprised that night, as Vintersorg amazed me by the quality of his vocals and his general presence on stage, more than just partly due to the angered expressions that played across his face as he sung lyrics that were obviously very meaningful to him; in fact, all musicians that night put on a great show, playing both tightly and emotionally, and Vintersorg delivered a very entertaining three quarters of an hour of epic, blasting and melodic metal. The most impressive point was the insane ease with which Vintersorg shifted between vocal styles, moving from rasping black metal screams to perfectly on-key melodic, epic chants in the space of a split second -- wow! Surprisingly to me, Vintersorg concluded their very convincing performance that night with an equally convincing cover of Uriah Heap's "Starshooter". Another in-depth listen to a CD of theirs has since then proved to me that I'm not much of a fan of theirs when they aren't on stage, but I can only concede that with the right conditions gathered as they were that night, Vintersorg are an excellent, distinctly potent live act. The next on the list were Greek black metal legends Rotting Christ, who were the main reason to my presence that night; I was obviously not alone, and as they appeared on stage, the small crowd attending their set (insanely enough, many wimps and poseurs had actually left the hall after Vintersorg concluded their set) erupted into a throaty welcome roar. During the forty-five minutes which they were granted up there, the unholy five-pointed star played an array of material from all their albums, bar _Passage to Arcturo_ and _Thy Mighty Contract_ -- a bit of a letdown to me, especially as they instead concentrated on their rather indigent works _A Dead Poem_ and _Sleep of the Angels_. Although those songs, despite being distinctly soft in the knee, actually sounded quite convincing on stage, I was totally elated when they played "The Fifth Illusion" from _Non Serviam_, "King of a Stellar War", "Archon" and another track ("Diastric Alchemy"?) from the brilliant _Triarchy of the Lost Lovers_. Seeing the Hellenic sorcerers live was a bewitching experience for all the followers they had gathered that night -- their set was flawless, beautifully unholy and extremely powerful, and totally failed to subdue the lingering feeling of anger the clung to my stomach when I first noticed they were merely -opening- for Tristania. After Sakis and his brethren left the stage, I was torn between two choices. The journalist in me felt that he should attempt to withstand at least two tracks of gothic goo-metal (which he finally did, forcing me to act akin), while the seething, outraged Rotting Christ fan in me screamed at me to turn on my heels and bluntly ignore the Norwegian romantic-metallers' performance. Well, as I just evoked, the journalist in me pulled it off, and I stood my ground -- or at least, I tried. I had only ever heard two tracks from Tristania, so, I thought, my resentment was maybe unfounded. Wrong, and totally so. Tristania, my friends, are terrible on CD, and are absolutely -pathetic- live. Their cheap, keyboard-laden metal was as tedious to me as it was sadly successful that night, and their frontmen did nothing to lighten my heart. Whereas their very diminutive male screamer, sporting one of the silliest looks I have ever witnessed, rasped, headbanged and raised countless signs of the horns to the attending crowd, Tristania's lead vocalist put on a (very feeble) alluring glare whilst attempted to lasciviously sway her hips, when she was not standing three feet back from the mike to indulge in some playback chanting. I am aware that her tentatively arousing stances may provoke rather drastic testosterone surges in many a male fan of theirs, but they totally slipped over me, and after two tracks, I got bored of being pelted with sickeningly sweet tragicomic metal and frilly-collared velvet clothes, and headed outside with a blase shoulder shrug and a deep furrow barring my forehead. The most sickening consideration strikes me as being the fact that Rotting Christ released their _Satanas Tedeum_ back in 1989; now, I agree I'm probably pushing it -hard-, but a wild stab in the dark would suggest that when Sakis first raised the sign of the horns grabbed on his unhallowed path to Greek black metal supremacy, Tristania's members were little more than a malicious gleam in their respective parents' eyes; yet, that night, they had Rotting Christ -opening- for them. Obviously, business embodies an ever-increasing segment of the metal world, but a bill such as this evening's is as offensive to me as it is disrespectful of a pioneering band's genius. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= M U R D E R ! D E A T H ! T O K E ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Enslaved, Electric Wizard, Macabre and Horde of Worms at the Reverb in Toronto, ON on December 18th 2001 by: Adam Wasylyk Having to make a last minute decision to attend the night's festivities, due to the unconfirmed status of many bands on the bill -- the Canadian/US border can oftentimes be an unpredictable obstacle in the face of tours -- thankfully the correct decision was made, as the bands on hand would play what turned out to be one of the best shows in 2001. Florida's Diabolic ended up not playing -- one of its members was denied entry -- and I later heard that the members of Electric Wizard had to take a taxi into Canada in order to play. Despite the theatrics that occurred behind the scenes, the bill still proved to be a strong one. Toronto's Horde of Worms opened the night to scattered applause, as many who would be in attendance had not been let in yet. Having had only three hours notice before playing may have had something to do with their lack of bite on this night, and the lacklustre sound didn't help. Their material just didn't seem to shine as it does on disc. What turned out to be a good set could have been much more, had circumstances been in their favour. Ah, Murder Metal. The fiends from Chicago were in good form tonight, as the well-toured Macabre have had almost two decades to develop and sharpen their live bite. Delighting the audience with the storytelling hysterics of singer/guitarist Corporate Death, "Dog Guts" was the first plate of horror to be offered to its fans, which was eagerly consumed. The band's prior LP _Dahmer_ would prove to be well represented tonight, as additional tracks "Scrub a Dub Dub", "Exposure" and the pulverizingly heavy "Hitchhiker" were performed with the usual Macabre gusto. And what would a Macabre set be without its classics? Killer tracks like "Zodiac", "Vampire of Dusseldorf", "Montreal Massacre", "Albert Fish Was Worse Than Any Fish in the Sea", "Nightstalker", not to mention the inclusion of "Killing Spree (Postal Worker)", a track off _Gloom_ [Dr. Holmes (He Stripped Their Bones)] and a glimpse into their next LP _Murder Metal_ to be released next spring, in the form of "The Hillside Stranglers". An appetite for murder now satisfied, it was on to greener pastures... "Green" being the key word in the sound and style of the UK's Electric Wizard. Having had ample time to consume some green in between sets put me in the right frame of mind to maximize my ability to absorb the super heavy riffs that the trio would produce in their 40 odd minute set. What I immediately noticed about the live stoner band was how relaxed they were. This may be an obvious observation, but when their live persona is compared to Macabre or (later) Enslaved, one will notice how the vibes differ. An intimate atmosphere was achieved; it was as if the crowd had been invited to a jamming session. And god dammit it was heavy. Very heavy. It was as if they had taken a page from the book of Black Sabbath and tore it into pieces, using the fragments as rolling papers for their cosmic weed. It quickly became apparent that I was either on par or higher than the band themselves, as moments of self-introspection took my mind away from the hard working trio on stage. And their drummer sure knows how to beat those skins. I'll have to check them out on disc when I get the first chance to do so. Hey, where did that joint go? Ah, it's in my hand. Fly on, you crazy albatross. As they proved to me at last year's Milwaukee MetalFest, Enslaved may very well be one of the top live metal bands touring today. They perform their material with such feeling, with such energy. The intensity never gets a chance to lull, which is surely a testimony to the quality of material they've created over the years. Simply put, they're just that good. Opening with "Slaget I Skogen Bortenfor", a devastating opener, which was performed brilliantly sans keyboards. It proved to be a strong first impression by the band, who could have easily decided to coast from there on in had they wanted to. Keeping the intensity high -- and their set list diverse -- newer songs like "Convoys to Nothingness" and "Vision: Sphere of the Elements - A Monument Part II" off their new disc _Monumension_ were worked in effortlessly between classic tracks such as "Eld" and "Wotan". Having made the impression they wanted to, they left a crowd exhausted and wanting more. An incredible performance, one of best sets I had the pleasure to witness all year. And so ended one of the more diverse tours to hit Toronto in some time. One could make a point that this tour is a clear example of different types of metal uniting under one single cause -- that unification is more productive than segregation. Think about it. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= T H E I R S P E C I A L F R I E N D P I N K Y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anathema at the Hard Club, Gaia, Portugal October 20th, 2001 by: Pedro Azevedo Oh dear. It is a good thing that I'm not into joining fan clubs, or else I might find myself thrown out of the Anathema club one of these days. Not only did I give their latest album _A Fine Day to Exit_ a measly 7.5 [CoC #55], I am actually about to criticize this live performance of theirs more than I shall praise it. And Anathema were my number one choice for band I would most like to see live... So was it really that bad? Paradoxically enough, no -- not at all, really. As a matter of fact, this was a very good gig... for a highly professional rock band, that is. Anathema have been around for quite a few years now, and quite clearly they've grown tired of a few things in their music. Danny Cavanagh's current rock approach to guitar playing quite simply fails to convey the emotion his work once did; Les Smith's keyboards fail to compensate for that; new (temporary?) bassist George looked both uninterested and longing to be someplace else. Drummer John Douglas was both technically impeccable and seemed to be enjoying himself, but it was pretty much down to Vincent Cavanagh's mesmerizing vocal performance to keep the whole thing above average. Which, as a matter of fact, bears striking resemblance to the way I feel about their latest album. Contrary to the previous night in Lisbon, where from what I heard Anathema played only a few songs from the new album, this time they played around half a dozen of them. Vinny showed enough irony to try to perform a head count on the people who actually had the album midway through the concert, but bitter irony it was: most people didn't know the new songs, but then they were hardly engaging in any way like Anathema used to be. Like I mentioned before, it was Vincent's superb vocals that carried the band along throughout the gig. Nevertheless, the charismatic frontman's approach to the band's music these days often allows him to be quite the jester between songs -- which is all fine, except for me it tends to ruin the deeply emotional music that's supposed to follow. One example of that is when Vinny told the audience "See? We can smile too!", followed by a big grin; funny, but then he introduced the following song with "We're gonna play a really miserable song for you now" -- by then the song was half ruined already as far as I was concerned, and the emotion he showed while singing it consequently came across as less than genuine. I'd rather see Katatonia's Jonas Renkse hiding his face behind his hands and staring at the floor for most of his performance -- at least it relates to the band's music a lot more. Before Anathema went on stage, Portuguese opening act Divine Lust tried to impress the audience by playing an Anathema cover and having Vinny do some vocals. I believe it was "Shroud of False", but since the whole concert started a good hour earlier than scheduled, I missed it, together with the rest of Divine Lust's performance. I was told by various people that Vinny appeared on stage for that cameo wearing big eyeglasses, a hat with two antennas and also that he ate a banana on stage. Throughout the hour and a half Anathema played for, they performed with superior musicianship a selection of tracks from their last couple of albums. The _Judgement_ material came across better than the new songs, in my opinion, but they seemed to pick a lot of calmer material off _Judgement_ as well -- adding up to an excessively soft performance, in my opinion. "Fragile Dreams" was sung mostly by the audience, to the band's obvious delight, but it was the only track off _Alternative 4_ besides "Empty" to make it to the setlist. Similarly to the other time I saw Anathema live, they wrapped it up with "A Dying Wish" from the immortal _The Silent Enigma_, and a cover song. "A Dying Wish" (or "frying fish", like Vinny amusingly announced it) included a couple of rather lengthy and noisy interludes, but lost none of its impact; I felt saddened at how much more enjoyable it was than their recent material. This time the final cover song was a very heartfelt version of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb", after Vinny had added some more theatricals talking to his invisible friend Pinky. Vinny then said goodbye and wished everyone a good life, and so ended the gig. Having already seen Anathema once in Manchester, I was less than impressed by Anathema's _A Fine Day to Exit_-enhanced setlist. The sound, lighting, scenario and performance were all superb this time, but the unimpressive new material and a few annoying details made it a lot less enjoyable for me than I had hoped. Like I wrote in the beginning of this article, this was a superb gig for a rock band; but I feel Anathema have lost a lot of what made them special to me. On the other hand, they seem to be steadily growing into the new Pink Floyd, or maybe something even bigger than that. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= C U T T I N G T H R O U G H T H E S H I T ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nitemare, Razor and Reckon With One at Lee's Palace in Toronto, ON on November 24th 2001 by: Adam Wasylyk Ah yes, the local metal show. It's unfortunate I don't attend such shows anymore, but for good reason. Simply put, the local bands of today that are able to hold my interest for more than five consecutive seconds can be counted on one hand. God knows it didn't used to be this way. As many metal fans in Toronto will attest to, the mid-to-late '90s contained the worst years concerning tour stops of international acts. In those years I remember checking the primitive websites of Earache and Metal Blade, hoping to find a Toronto tour date under a Tours link. But I would find no such luck. I, like many, took solace in what we had available to us: the local show. The bands were exciting, energetic, and passionate. I made my first connections in the underground scene through my friendships at these very shows. Those were the days. As 2001 draws to a close, local metal fans had a lot to be thankful for. Most major North American tours had Toronto stops, with its last of the year featuring the mighty Enslaved. But the local shows continually feature acts that are either overexposed, unoriginal, or flat out awful. While the bill on this cold November night wasn't overly thrilling, I found the pull of Razor too strong to resist. After all, "Evil Invaders" was a favourite song of mine, having seen the music video countless times throughout the years. And it was a Saturday night as well -- what the hell, right? We arrive at the infamous Toronto club as Reckon With One are taking the stage. When I soon discovered what was emanated from the speakers was not to my liking, a lengthy bathroom break and some light conversation with metal folk was in order. I would also take a moment to observe those in attendance tonight. I immediately noticed that I was the youngest in attendance. The scores of old tasseled leather jackets, fluffy mounds of hair and tight blue jeans proved to be a humorous point in my mind as the night progressed. Not feeling out of place was nearly impossible. I was far from home, my bed becoming more attractive by the minute. As Reckon With One played to the 15 individuals who physically expressed their interest upfront, it came to an end. And not a second too soon. It's worthy of note that Razor has played major metal festivals in Europe in the past few years, playing to legions of appreciative fans. On this night, less than 150 people would come out to see one of the more important metal bands to come out of Canada. Pathetic, isn't it? Opening with "Miami", the newest incarnation of Razor played a decent mix of both old and new material, attempting to satisfy the pangs felt by those who appreciate this speed/thrash Canadian legend. Their set draws to an end, and as the drummer hits his last beat he flings his sticks into the audience. Having moved to the front at this point in time, the stick flies in my direction. I ready myself to catch it, but find that it has already hit the face of Chronicles of Chaos co-editor Adrian "The Energizer" Bromley, sending him to the ground butt first. The stick finds the ground at my feet, still spinning from its tumultuous ride. I quickly kneel down and snatch it into my hand. It was mine. I rise to my feet, as a feeling of victory overwhelms me. I can almost say with absolute certainty that I would have felt the exact same way had I been holding the Olympic torch instead. As I look to those in my circle of friends for both congratulations and jealous acknowledgment, I realize that Adrian is still on the ground, gazing at me with a look of bewilderment. So I helped him up, and continued to revel in my excitement. Razor hit the stage for an encore. Their singer poses a question to the audience: "What do you want to hear now?" As if the answer wasn't completely obvious to anyone in the club who wasn't old enough to experience an early form of senility. Still standing close to the stage, I yell "EVIL INVADERS!" loud enough for those in the back to hear me. It proves impossible for the band to hear my request. "So you wanna hear "Evil Invaders?", the vocalist asks, toying with me. They rip into it, and what a moment it was. Securing my drumstick up the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt, I surprisingly begin to mosh. Surprisingly, because I had never done it seriously beforehand. It was worth it. A great rendition was performed to my delight -- my aural orgasm for the night had been achieved. As the band finished their set, so did one of the best local sets of 2001. Exhausted by Razor's set, I had had enough. A car ride home would reveal itself, proving too difficult to turn down. As we exit and circle around the club to the parking lot, we run into the drummer of Razor. While not having a pen to autograph my stick, he gives me the next best thing -- biting down on the end of the stick. His molar and incisor indentations forever immortalized in wood, we begin our long journey home. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= @@@ @@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@ @@@@ ! @@!@@ @@@@! @@! @@@ @@! @@! @@! @@! @@@ !@ ! @@ @!! !!@ @!@ @!@!!@! !!@ @!! @!!!:! @!@!!@! !@@!! !: !!: !! !!: :!! !!: !!: !!: !!: :!! !:! ::.: ::: : : : : : : :: ::: : : : ::.: : @@@ @@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@@ @@@ @@! @@! @@! @@! @@@ @@! @@@ @@! @@! @@@ @!! !!@ @!@ @!@!!@! @!@!@!@! @!! @!@!@!@! !: !!: !! !!: :!! !!: !!! !!: !!: !!! ::.: ::: : : : : : : : : : : Here is where things get ugly. Writer's Wrath gives our writers a chance to voice their own opinions about certain hot topics in the scene today. Check out this column for the most obscene and controversial ramblings this side of the National Enquirer. C H A O T I C C A N V A S O F C R E A T I O N ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoC gathers the insight of metal graphic artists Travis Smith, Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel by: Pedro Azevedo Prologue ~~~~~~~~ I shall not pretend to know what really influences your first impression of some album you pick up from a shelf in a store, see in an advert somewhere, or receive in the mail. But as far as I am concerned, the cover art, layout and general imagery definitely help set the mood for the music. This is not to say that there cannot be a great album without fitting artwork, but, as is the case with lyrics, something seems to be amiss in the album if the artwork does not befit the music. Far beyond the first impression I mentioned, the artwork can blend with the music inside, complementing and enhancing it. I could talk about "unsung heroes" when discussing the artists behind some of the CD covers in your collection, but names such as Dave McKean and Travis Smith are quite well-known these days. Some others, however, despite their talent and potential, are far from achieving that status. The following article aims to harvest ideas and opinions from some of these artists whose work adorns the records we own. Instead of attempting to contact every one of the most well-known artists I could reach, I opted for some variety and instead contacted artists of varying fame and reputation -- the main link between them, besides metal, being the quality of their work. The reason behind the decision to place this article in Writer's Wrath is essentially the somewhat unusual nature of the subjects discussed throughout the four interviews, which is occasionally hardly related to music at all. Here, and also at the end of the article, you can find links to the artists' respective websites, where you will find samples of their work. I hope and trust you will find something worthwhile there, and also in this article. Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/ Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary) A Portrait of the Artists ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This section is far from pretending to serve as a biography of sorts for these four men. Rather, it intends to briefly mention some of their work to help you visualize their creations -- although perhaps ideally you should start browsing their websites as you read on. Travis Smith is undoubtedly the best known of the four as a graphic artist. As far as metal is concerned, and given his impressive rise in the last couple of years, currently he is perhaps second only to Dave McKean. Katatonia's _Tonight's Decision_ and _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, Opeth's _Blackwater Park_, Nevermore's _Dreaming Neon Black_ and _Dead Heart in a Dead World_, Suffocation's _Despise the Sun_ EP, Novembers Doom, Anathema, Death, HatePlow, Devin Townsend... The list literally goes on and on, and seems to keep getting bigger by the day. Travis Smith is possibly the most fashionable, and unquestionably one of the most talented, graphic artists in metal today. Niklas Sundin is currently one of the bright rising stars in the field. Well known for his guitar work in the band Dark Tranquillity, he has recently created cover art for several Century Media acts, including his own band, and business seems promising for him. In addition to Dark Tranquillity's _Projector_ and _Haven_, he was responsible for Sentenced's _Crimson_, Eternal Tears of Sorrow's _Chaotic Beauty_, ...And Oceans' _AMGoD_ and Flowing Tears' _Jade_, among others. Juha Vuorma is a name that may sound familiar to some of you, but is unlikely to be widely recognized. He hasn't been involved in projects with major bands, yet with his distinctive style he has created some of the most impressive artwork in the metal world. My favourite has to be the illustration for In the Woods' song "I Am Your Flesh", but he also created remarkable art for Arthemesia's _Devs-Iratvs_, Unholy's _Gracefallen_ and Kalmah's _Swamplord_. Pedro Daniel is a name you may remember from the Chronicles of Chaos website. He was the one responsible for the creation of our introductory page as well as our logo. More relevant to this article, however, is his work for several more or less underground bands, mostly within Portugal. Although less visible to the masses, his talent is comparable to the others' and he complements the spectrum of artists I aimed to gather for this article. Let us then begin where it all begins for the artist. The Process of Creation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What makes me want to create the images is whatever makes a writer want to write or a musician want to create music", begins Travis Smith. "It's just something inside that you need to let out. The process is usually very chaotic, because I tend to have more than one thing to concentrate on at a time. The hardest part usually is getting the best idea for each thing, and then it's a matter of finding the best way to make it work. If it's for a CD, I have to study the theme or find out some details about the songs, and then see what comes to mind. Usually a few good things do come to mind, and I pick a few I'd like to do from them. Then it's just a matter of doing the photos and drawings to build the piece." For Niklas Sundin, "the process itself can vary a lot. It is very important not to sit in front of the drawing board or computer all the time, and instead constantly feed the mind. The process can be very organized as well as very chaotic and incidental, but the best artwork is often the result of a hard working discipline." He adds: "I've always been drawing and painting and was interested in art long before I even touched a musical instrument -- so it's a natural urge for me to be visually creative." "If I create a CD cover and get very detailed information about the image from a band, I just do exactly as I'm told, usually a "traditional" figurative painting", reveals Juha Vuorma about his own process. "But sometimes I just get a title or so. In such cases I can create the picture pretty much the way I want to. I usually start with something the title reminds me of and experiment with that -- create sketches, or start painting something -- and when it seems to feel right, I add the details. If it's not a CD cover but rather a painting I create for myself, I usually have some kind of an idea what it's about, and the process is quite similar to the one I described before. Or else it can be just plain playing around with colours and forms until it clicks." He concludes: "I've drawn since I was a child, and just never stopped ever since." "There isn't a sort of process table that I follow every time I'm on this type of project", Pedro Daniel contributes. "Although art and design processes usually follow different creative paths, I really believe that, in such case, I get to follow a middle path... in between the two. A design project is generally based upon solid, objective definitions, and must accomplish the purpose of selling something -- literally or not. As for art, although nowadays it also serves the purpose of selling, the starting point is far more subjective and volatile than what design is all about." He continues: "It's hard to say where it all begins. The first thing I usually ask from the band is the name of the album or demo. I guess that is truly the starting point. The creative process itself obviously begins afterwards. Usually the band has a pre-defined idea of what they want for the layout -- some are pertinent and others are not that pertinent, but they are all valuable to me because they enlighten me on how the band thinks about aesthetic subjects. Someone once said that there is order in chaos, and that's quite true. From a myriad of apparently unrelated elements, beauty is created and order is restored. When I start a project, my desk is a small model of what chaos might resemble; slowly I get to put aside what's worth using and what's not and things start to gain shape." The Customer Is Always Right ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The degree of detail artists get from the customer -- usually the band -- tends to vary greatly between projects, at least to these four gentlemen. "Sometimes I am given total freedom; some other times I am given freedom to start with any ideas I might have and the band will give direction or make changes along the way. Sometimes, however, the band already has a specific idea they want, and I try the best I can to realize it for them", states Smith. Sundin shares Smith's experience. "Sometimes there's already a clear concept from the band or label, and then it's my job to communicate that concept as effectively as possible on the front cover. On other occasions, there aren't any ideas at all and my hands are free to come up with a suitable concept. Both situations suit me fine." Vuorma has more to add: "I think most of the time bands just pick up a painting from my collection, one that they think fits their concept. Sometimes I also create paintings according to the bands' visions, though, and that has very often turned out to be pretty good. I think Usurper's "Skeletal Season" was a good piece; the Usurper guys had a clear vision about what they wanted. Classic horror, old style, blue and greyish painting -- like an old movie poster. It turned out pretty good and I also like the album, kind of like classic '80s thrash/doom era metal. Some ideas from some bands have not been very interesting, though." Daniel elaborates on this: "Some bands can express their ideas about the layout better than others. Usually, the band says what they do -not- want to use, rather than what they do want. Some just say they want a gloomy look, some others say they want a more modern and clean look, and others say they want something simple -- you name it. This is usually the degree of detail I get. Which is, by the way, fine as far as I'm concerned. I prefer it when the band trusts my judgement." Still, I imagine that if I was in their place, having to create something that would hopefully connect or complement the music, I would be quite interested in hearing some of the band's material beforehand. Pedro Daniel agrees. "Besides the name of the work to be published, I always ask for samples of the band's sound. Although I might know they play a certain style, it's obvious that until I hear it, it's a bit like working blindfolded. Sometimes I get to hear it... some others I don't." Sundin discusses his preference on this subject and balances it with what usually happens in reality. "Usually, cover artwork is commissioned months before the band even enters the studio, so it's not always possible to listen to the music. But it does feel important to hear at least a sample of what the band is doing, in order to get a better view of how to present their music in a visual form, so I try to get something to listen to before starting to work on the project." Smith concurs: "I don't ask for samples very often, but I like to. If I can, it really helps to have the band's music playing while creating the images. If I can't get something new while working, I usually play the band's older albums, if any, to help with it. It's not necessary, but it really helps with the motivation and inspiration if I have something." Vuorma's opinion differs, however: "I don't usually hear any samples. Bands often just pick up a painting I've already done. Sometimes, though, I've heard the music as well... but I must confess I don't get much inspiration from the band's music. The best bands I've done art for (SFB and Immortal Dominion) were unknown to me musically until I got their CDs after my art was printed on them." McKean Enters the Picture ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When time came for the "influences" question, I had to mention Dave McKean (unofficial website at http://www.dreamline.nu). Sundin was not surprised. "It's hard to avoid mentioning Dave McKean when talking about digital art or the kind of mixed media collage techniques that he pioneered -- so, yes, he has definitely inspired me. Other artists I admire range from contemporary ones such as David Ho, Odd Nerdrum, Alessandro Bavari, Ashley Wood and Wayne Barlowe to old heroes like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon, Hieronymus Bosch, Max Ernst and so forth. In the album cover field, Travis Smith and David Long are doing excellent work. I'm also a great admirer of comic artists like Art Spiegelmann, George Herriman (Krazy Kat) and Joakim Pirinen. My tastes are very wide and not limited to the style of illustrations that I do myself. Inspiration can come from all sorts of places, really." Travis Smith was hardly surprised, either. "Yes, I guess McKean is an obvious one, but it's really not intentional. It's more of a subconscious thing. He is probably my favorite artist. I discovered him about the same time as I discovered Photoshop and he made a big impression on me, so I'm sure it filtered in as I was learning. There have been some things I've done that I had to throw away because I discovered later they looked a little too much like his stuff", Smith reveals, "but even so I really liked them. I've heard that from the beginning." Sundin had mentioned Smith as one of his favourite artists, possibly unaware of a certain reciprocity: "I also admire Niklas Sundin, Hugh Syme Mid, Ashley Wood, Necrolord, etc.", states Smith. Pedro Daniel chooses a different route: "I really don't know how to answer that. The brain of a designer or a graphic artist is like a sponge. You absorb every damn thing around you. It's like goddamn Kubrik's "A Clockwork Orange". Sometimes I may be using influences from HR Giger, sometimes McKean, sometimes from some shocking photo I saw in a newspaper three weeks earlier... I don't know. All I know is that I can use my memories, my knowledge of art history, my sensibility in knowing that a certain palette of colors suits a certain set of feelings and notions. All that combined with a camera, a Macintosh computer and a scanner gives the final result. Vuorma is rather more surprised when I mention McKean, since the Finn is not a digital artist himself. "Dave McKean? Well, he does mostly computer art, right? I'm a painter. I like his stuff, though, his impact on the scene is tremendous. Most of the cover art in metal nowadays is computer art -- digital collages, like his stuff -- and many of them could have been made by McKean. He was the first with that kind of style and it seems everyone has been influenced by him -- probably myself too", says Vuorma. "I must admit I'm not really an "art freak", and do not follow the art/illustration scene much. So I don't know whether I have any special influences. Artists I like, besides maybe McKean, are Frank Frazetta, Ivo Milazzo (a comic artist from Italy whom I see as a genius -- not so famous, I guess, but can draw a whole personality with just a few lines; he is mostly known for his work with the Italian western comic Ken Parker), Gino d'Antonio (also a comic artist from Italy), Edward Hopper, Mike Hoffman and some Finnish painters like Hugo Simberg." Travis Smith ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inspiration? "I get a lot of inspiration from just little things in life, people I meet, and watching my daughter in her daily activities -- a lot of the ideas I use a child in are inspired by her", answers Smith. "Usually music and stress guide me while working, or just anything that happens to come to mind. Sometimes I glance at something and it looks like something different, and then I see it for what it is but I keep the memory of what I saw for an idea." Smith's artwork for Opeth's _Blackwater Park_ is amongst the most impressive I've seen to date. Was it created specifically for Opeth from the beginning? "Yes, it was created specifically for that album. I started off in my usual more photographic style and it wasn't working at all; so I kept some of the photos and tried incorporating painting and pencil, which worked very well. I just started doing pictures based on how I interpreted the lyrics -- for instance, the cover was based on a line I read in the lyrics involving mist and a group of liars. The band just picked what they felt was best for them." I was rather dumbfounded to find out in his website that Smith had actually created two more images in the same vein for _Blackwater Park_ which have been left unused -- and the album's booklet is pretty thin. What happened? Didn't Music for Nations want to spend any more money on the artwork? "No, it wasn't a matter of money or a label decision. The budget was fair and I was willing to go a little extra for the artwork, as I usually like to do. The truth is, the band simply didn't want a lot of art in the booklet, and declined to use any more of the art I submitted -- which was, I think, six or seven other finished ideas." I also greatly admire the work Smith did for Katatonia's _Tonight's Decision_ and _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_ -- both of which are quite different from the Opeth work. "Actually, to this point, creating the Katatonia CDs has always given me the most adventure", Smith reveals. "For example, when starting _Tonight's Decision_, the band told me a story about trains and old tunnels, and memories and "ghosts"... And I got a vision of tracks going off into the distance as far as you can see. Well, there's nothing like that around here, but I knew of some out in the desert that I saw when I was a child, so we did an eight hour drive just to get the photos of the tracks. I never found any tunnels, though, and time was running out, so I tried to think of other ideas to do and the first one I thought of became the cover." "For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_", he continues, "Jonas basically described the kind of imagery he wanted, which is what you see in the package. I had to go into a really bad part of the city to get the shots. It was kind of creepy, but I think that helped it. The cover was supposed to be different at first, but I remembered Jonas telling me about an idea with a bathroom, which I found in an old abandoned house in the woods. I broke into it with a friend and it stunk of rat shit, but I saw the bathroom and remembered Jonas' idea, so I shot it. They liked it so much that with just a few alterations they picked it for a cover. I really like the way those CDs came out." Are there any particular pictures on either of the Katatonia collections especially meaningful for Travis? "I like all of them", he answers. "But yes, on _Tonight's Decision_ I love the cover, The man sitting on his trunk with the train ghost, and the hanging chair. For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, I like the cover, and the piece with the rock that looks like a headstone with "love" written on it. And I also like the piece with the sign that says "end" but the road keeps going, which was taken by a friend of mine." One work of Smith's that I am a lot less fond of is the new Anathema cover art for _A Fine Day to Exit_. It just looks too light and commercial to me, despite the subtly dark theme behind it. How specific was the request behind this particular project? How pleased is Smith with the result? "That idea was the band's", he replies. "They told me what they wanted. They came up with it after long discussions of what to do and some of the ideas I had. It's very light because it is supposed to be a clear, sunny, "fine" day. In spite of that, it is a very dark piece and I really love it. It was up to me how to make it work. I shot the beach separately, but the car all at once. I didn't want to put in all the little details in the car later because I was afraid of it looking fake. Problem was, I had to do the setup a few times and reshoot, because some of the details weren't right, and it is very hard shooting something like that in a car." I also wondered about the story behind Diabolical Masquerade's _Death's Design_ -- Blakkheim went on about it being a soundtrack for a movie that never existed, yet the album's artwork is Smith's... "I think you better ask Blakkheim about that one", he answers with an amused grin. I could go on and on with questions about albums -- Nevermore, Death's _The Sound of Perseverance_, HatePlow, Devin Townsend, etc., but I had to wonder whether any of them were especially relevant in Smith's portfolio, whether he was especially pleased with any one of them. "Yes, I still keep a few older things in my portfolio", he says. "I like to keep it small so I can concentrate it mostly on newer stuff and a few things I am especially proud of. Of the ones you mentioned, I am most proud of [Devin Townsend's] _Terria_, with Nevermore following -- but there are many others as well. I think the stuff I've done this year is my best so far." It is certainly a very good sign when you can honestly say that, and the man behind the Seempieces studio seems determined to do even better in 2002. Niklas Sundin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Much like Smith, Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his future as an illustrator -- at least judging by the artwork he has created so far. But whilst Travis Smith has his Seempieces studio, Sundin founded Cabin Fever Media. "There are no masterplans or agendas for world domination with CFM", says Sundin. "When I decided to quit my old job in order to start freelancing as an illustrator, it was clear that I also needed to register a company in order to make the practical concerns (taxes, bookkeeping, etc.) easier. It's more or less what you have to do if you're self-employed in Sweden. Cabin Fever, taken from an old Nick Cave song, seemed to be a suitable name, so I went for that." Back in November, when this interview took place, Sundin's CFM website was still closed. The Swede explains. "It's pretty insane that I still haven't been able to get a proper website online after nearly two years, but I've been constantly busy and have given the highest priority to client jobs. Also, I'm way more pedantic when it comes to my own personal projects, so I've had several versions almost finished only to decide that I want to try another approach to it. But something will happen on the site within a week or so." Indeed, the website is now online. Sundin has also created artwork for his own band Dark Tranquillity; I ask Sundin about _Projector_ and _Haven_ and how the insight he had into the band's music helped him connect it to the images. "It's a very different situation when doing artwork for your own band", he states. "On the Dark Tranquillity albums, I'm obviously much more involved with the musical and lyrical content, so it's easier to really get beneath the surface. On _Projector_, the whole lyrical approach circled around an introspective, problems-getting-magnified theme, so I used a lot of circular shapes which implied camera lenses and projectors. The booklet footage featured torn pieces of film, and the whole atmosphere was one of perceiving things through a filter. _Haven_ was a much more colorful album, so it seemed suitable to have a fresher color scheme based on white panels. _Haven_ is a metaphor for our band activities and for using music as a means of escaping from everyday dullness, so I showed this connection by featuring pretty dirty and blurred photos of the band members in the rehearsal room. Nothing fancy at all, just the reality of six out-of-shape slobs playing metal." Besides his work for Dark Tranquillity, Sundin has created cover art for quite a few bands already: Sentenced, ...And Oceans, Eternal Tears of Sorrow and Flowing Tears come to my mind. Sundin says it is just a coincidence that they are all signed to Century Media, and refuses to name any pet projects. "After a project is finished, it's more or less dead and buried for me, and I proceed to the next assignment. I usually notice the things that I could have done differently if given more time and resources, that's all. All the projects I've done are hopefully meaningful and worthwhile in their own way, but I don't really line up all the album covers I've done and masturbate to them. It's the same thing with music. People often ask what my favourite Dark Tranquillity song is, and it's always the one we're currently working on. Once a song has been documented on record, it's old news and not very interesting anymore." Finally, I cannot avoid asking about the new Dark Tranquillity album on the works. "It's going very well indeed", Sundin reports. "We're rehearsing on an almost daily basis now, and the material is really starting to take form. It's still a bit early to give any accurate predictions on how the final recording will sound like, but the material we currently have covers every facet of the band. There's everything from _The Gallery_-like progressive melodies to acoustic passages to some really fast and intense stuff, so it's going to be a diverse album that will surprise a lot of people." Juha Vuorma ~~~~~~~~~~~ "What guides my state of mind whilst at work on a given project? Uh... nothing special", Vuorma unpretentiously states. "I just concentrate on the painting, work hard, do my best... the painting will find its way, or it will get spoiled, like it happens many times." The artwork that In the Woods... used for their song "I Am Your Flesh" (from _Omnio_) was the first time I saw some of Vuorma's work, and I was thoroughly impressed by the strength of that image and the way it connected to the music so well. "Yeah, Jan of In the Woods... also seemed to think it fit the title perfectly", admits Vuorma. "But I did not make that piece specifically for that title, actually. I had already made the painting beforehand, and it was on a sample sheet I sent to Jan. He called me immediately, as he felt that piece fitted their stuff 100%, and so they got it. And I liked the album, _Omnio_. I was pleased that the painting was on the LP cover [as well as inside the CD booklet], as I'm into vinyl myself. Don't ask me about the original meaning of the painting, though -- I don't know", he chuckles. "It was a half abstract piece that just turned out the way it did." Vuorma also created artwork for Unholy's _Gracefallen_ -- rather extreme music there, and again his artwork seems strongly linked to the music. Could it be a coincidence again? "The artwork on Unholy's _Gracefallen_ is perhaps my favourite of all my album art. I only got a few lines from the band to express the ideas in the songs and was free to do it my way. The band gave me no lyrics or info on what the songs were about, just some feelings and impressions -- and that was a great way to do it. The paintings for the songs "The Wanderer" and "Daybreak" are my favourites. Not much detail, just feelings. It was a very refreshing thing to do -- not just the usual heavy metal "dark-horror-sadness" cliche stuff. I'm not too pleased with the cover painting of _Gracefallen_, though -- the booklet paintings are much better." The stylish wolf Vuorma created for Arthemesia's _Devs-Iratvs_ album cover, is an example of the Finn's oft-used fingerprint-like traces -- which seem to have become a rather distinguishing characteristic of his. "Arthemesia liked that piece and picked it up; it was already done as well. But yeah, those fingerprint-like traces are like a trademark of mine. Too strong a trademark, obviously -- one record label said my work was too recognizable." Vuorma hasn't been as active in the field as Smith or Sundin lately. Is he still interested? "Yeah, just not getting much stuff published lately. I guess I'm still interested in doing art for the metal scene as well, as long as the concept is interesting, but there's probably not so much room for painted art anymore since computer art stepped in. I've done a couple of digital collages myself, but that's not really my stuff... I want to stick with painting, and painting is what I'll be doing in the future too." Pedro Daniel ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I mainly follow my intuition and pleasure when combining multi-sourced imagery. That's when design meets art. When you technically know how to combine visual elements along with feelings", states the Portuguese artist. Amongst the work he has done for underground bands, Daniel has created art that can rival what gets done for higher profile labels these days. One of those works is the Autumnal landscape he captured for a Brazilian band called Akashic. "Well, Akashic was one of those rare cases where I had no contact whatsoever with the band. Everything was arranged with the guy at their label, Scallabis. I entered the Akashic process during its second phase. Some promotional flyers had already been designed by someone else. At that point, they asked me to follow the graphic concept on the flyers and adapt it to a CD cover. Later on, they decided to abandon that graphic concept and develop a new one. That was when the result you mentioned came up. Due to the name of the album (_Timeless Realm_), there was a wish from both band and label to use a watch, which had been an important part of the previous design, so I had to stick to that. Conceptually, I wanted to create an image that would reflect a place where time stood still, eternally frozen. I had a few pictures from a beautiful park in England, in a rusty Autumn, which had that "frozen in time" sort of look. The rest, as you might understand, is intuition and pixels..." Daniel's answer when asked whether he has any favourite projects amidst what he has done so far is short, and yet carries an unusual twist: "Not really. They're all my "children" in the end. Some are less defective than others, and I like them all for different reasons." The former Sculpture bass player is equally succinct when asked to highlight any particular bands he has worked with as especially worth looking into. "Even though I have to create an empathic link to the band and their sound, I rarely get "addicted" to it. I could name a few bands, but I prefer keeping that to myself." The Portuguese metal underground has been Daniel's major source of metal customers so far. "The Portuguese metal underground scene is a tricky subject of debate. There is, without a doubt, an increasing notion that quality and professionalism score when it comes to achieving certain goals, and bands are truly beginning to understand that no matter how good the music may be, a CD is a product that has to be -sold-, and it must be sold as a whole. Some people might agree with this, others might disagree." He finishes: "When it comes to criticizing, everybody has a word to say... But when it comes to getting a decent job done, words and talent are often lacking." Do visit the websites listed below if you haven't done so yet, in order to find out more about the plentiful talent behind the words on this article. Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/ Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gino's Top 5 1. Judas Priest - _Sad Wings of Destiny_ 2. Absu - _Tara_ 3. Immemoreal - _Temple of Retribution_ 4. Absu - _Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L._ 5. Venom - _The Best of Venom_ Adrian's Top 5 1. Virgin Black - _Sombre Romantic_ 2. The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_ 3. Sword - _Metalized_ 4. 16 / Today Is the Day - _Zodiac Dreaming_ 5. EverEve - _E-Mania_ Brian's Top 5 1. Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_ 2. Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_ 3. Death - _Human_ 4. Love History - _Anasazi_ 5. Agony - _Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust_ Alain's Top 5 1. Lacrimosa - _Fassade_ 2. Keelhaul - _II_ 3. Solefald - _Pills Against the Ageless Ills_ 4. Akercocke - _Goat of Mendes_ 5. Anathema - _Resonance_ Adam's Top 5 1. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_ 2. Electric Wizard - _Dopethrone_ 3. Enslaved - _Monumension_ 4. The Misfits - _Cuts From the Crypt_ 5. Nirvana - _Nevermind_ Pedro's Top 5 1. Borknagar - _Empiricism_ 2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_ 3. Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ 4. Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_ 5. Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_ Paul's Top 5 1. The Chasm - Reaching the Veil of Death 2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_ 3. Testament - _First Strike Still Deadly_ 4. Opeth - _Morningrise_ 5. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_ Aaron's Top 5 1. Death - _Spiritual Healing_ 2. Hypocrisy - _10 Years of Chaos and Confusion_ 3. Bethlehem - _Schatten aus der Alexander Welt_ 4. Sodom - _M-16_ 5. Phobia - _Serenity Through Pain_ David's Top 5 1. Gehenna - _Malice_ 2. Embraced - _Amorous Anathema_ 3. Grievance - _The Phantom Novels_ 4. Arch Enemy - _Wages of Sin_ 5. Thyrane - _The Spirit of Rebellion_ Alvin's Top 5 1. Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise_ 2. Sarcofagus - _Envoy of Death_ 3. Current 93 - _Sleep Has His House_ 4. Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_ 5. Edguy - _Mandrake_ Chris' Top 5 1. Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_ 2. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_ 3. The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_ 4. My Dying Bride - _The Dreadful Hours_ 5. Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= _____ __ __ __ | \.-----.| |_.---.-.|__| |.-----. | -- | -__|| _| _ || | ||__ --| |_____/|_____||____|___._||__|__||_____| Homepage: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos --> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CHRONICLES OF CHAOS Attn: Adrian Bromley 606 Avenue Road Apt. 203 Toronto, Ontario M4V-2K9, Canada mailto:Adrian@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ---- Our European Office can be reached at: CHRONICLES OF CHAOS (Europe) Urb. Souto n.20 4500-117 Anta, PORTUGAL mailto:Pedro@ChroniclesOfChaos.com -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= DESCRIPTION ~~~~~~~~~~~ Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews, album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles of Chaos is dedicated to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie bands who send us material, as well as interviews with a select number of independent acts. Join our mailing list to receive a free copy of Chronicles of Chaos every month. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending an e-mail to with your full name in the subject line of the message. You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a blank e-mail to . AUTOMATIC FILESERVER ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for automatic retrieval through our e-mail fileserver. All you have to do is send a message to . The 'Subject:' field of your message should contain the issue number that you want (all other text is ignored). To get a copy of our back issue index, send a blank e-mail to . =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #56 All contents copyright 2002 by individual creators of included work. All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.