May 16th, 2012
ANGELUS APATRIDA
The Call (Century Media)
Spain’s ANGELUS APATRIDA return with The Call, it is their third album for Century Media. Although this thrash quartet has had their issues taking a stranglehold of their native Albacete, they have been slaying Spain, and audience member that stands in their way for years. This has lead them to open up for such groups as SLAYER, and MEGADETH, and their current jaunt with 3 INCHES OF BLOOD, GOATWHORE and HAVOK. They are the only band from Spain (in any genre) that can currently tour Europe, and I don’t mean a few dates in spread out here and there, check out the itinerary for the aforementioned tour that they’re currently a part of, and you’ll see that they’ll be all over the old continent during the next few months. There is a reason why the legendary David Ellefeson pulled the band aside, and encouraged them to take their talents stateside, as US audiences would without a doubt eat up what the band has to offer.
The Call is a natural progression for the band, it shows the band maturing, and evolving far beyond what they have done with their two previous outings Clockwork and Evil Unleashed. This by no means diminishes how good those albums are, it’s just that the band has taken great leap forward with The Call. The band has once again teamed back up with Clockwork producer Daniel. I had a chance to speak to lead singer Guillermo Izquierdo recently, and he mentioned that Daniel made it his mission to make The Call more than just another album. He took it upon himself to push the band, and make this not only the best album possible, but something very personal for him as well, something that is looked back as a defining moment for him as a producer.
The album starts off with the first single “You Are Next”, which coincides with a video game themed video that was released a few weeks ago. If you’ve followed the band at all, you’ll realize that Guillermo vocal style is completely different on this track, and throughout the album. On the band’s previous outings there is an undeniable resemblance to Dave Mustaine. With “You Are Next” he reminds me of Zetro, the former lead singer of EXODUS. You can still hear the Mustaine influence at times, but you can also hear a little Blitz from Overkill, a twinge of Phil Anselmo and shades of Rob Halford in a few spots. While speaking to me he admitted to Mustaine influence, and said “I didn’t want to keep doing Mustaine part 2, while writing the music, it was really calling me to go in a different direction with my vocals. So I naturally followed what seemed natural.” Couple that with Cardoso pushing, and constantly challenging the singer and you have the vocal performance that is displayed throughout the album.
But by listening to the album, you can see that Cardoso challenged the entire band to up their game. The other noticeable improvement is the precision of the rhythm section. Again, this isn’t knocking the band’s previous albums, but Victor Valera like a sharpshooter with his precision on the album. His playing is tighter than it has been on the previous albums; it is at a completely different level than it has been in the past. Bassist Jose J. Izquierdo locks everything down with and is up to the challenge to equal Valera’s playing. Again, the band’s influence can really be seen here with the two locking into place like the legendary combination of Menza and Ellefson. Realize that I’m saying like, not equal to or better than, I need to clarify that before anyone gets all upset over that previous statement.
I keep mentioning Guillermo’s singing, but his and Davish G. Alvarez guitar work has always set the band apart (in my mind) from other contemporary thrash bands. Their playing on this album not only contains their best work as a guitar tandem, but takes what they’ve done in the past and infuses it with other aspects of metal that you may not be accustomed to hearing from the band. This only enhances what they bring to the table with The Call.
Aside from the standard lead single, you’ll find “At The Gates of Hell”, which is like a locomotive building up steam before running you over. “Violent Dawn” which to me blends the cross-over greatness of D.R.I. with some riffing in the vein of SLAYER’s King and Hanneman. “It’s Rising” which offers which offers shades of Painkiller-esque JUDAS PRIEST and a solo outro reminiscent of the heyday of PANTERA. “Blood On The Snow” could have easily of been slotted in on Countdown To Extinction, while “Killer Instinct” is more in more influenced by Peace Sells. “The Hope Is Gone” has an aspect that previous albums did not contain, and that’s melody in band’s chorus. Ok, yes, they’ve had melody in the past, but not this well formed. The chorus of this track permeates your mind, and bounces around in it, in an infectious fashion. “Fresh Pleasure” is an ode to the connection between the crowd, the band, and a nice cold beer. “Still Corrupt” discusses topics that have been present since the origins of thrash, crooked politicians. “Reborn” is a track that really smacked me in the head when I first listened to it. This track to me is a real defining moment for the band, and when I heard it, I had to go back and give it a few more listens to almost believe the track was this good! This track closes the standard edition of the album up. It seems to be a statement by the band, as if to say, ok you’ve heard the album, now realize this is who we are, this is part of our evolution. This track is a full on metal song, with a catchy, infectious chorus that is perfect to hear a crowd at Download, Wacken, Uproar, etc. singing in unison with the band. The riffing is very matriculate, it isn’t full speed thrash, but it really grinds and pummels you from start to finish. As does the entire album, I mention these influences, but I do have to stress that it is all done in the bands own fashion, it isn’t a carbon copy of the band’s I’ve referenced, it is ANGELUS APATRIDA.
I’ve always been opposed to hearing bands cover well known songs. You have to A) have the sack to try and take on certain tracks B) do them well enough so that they aren’t laughable. ANGELUS APATRIDA has never shied away from covers, previously doing PANTERA’s “Domination” and IRON MAIDEN’s “Be Quick Or Be Dead”, and doing them well. This album is no different; they cover possibly my favorite JUDAS PRIEST song “Hell Patrol”, and man is it good! They do all of these covers in their own fashion, but in a way that still keeps the song connected faithfully to its original composition. This is truly a testament to the band’s musicianship, and their ability to pull the tracks off. The expanded edition wraps up with an updated take on a track that appeared on their 2007 album Give ‘Em War called “Free Your Soul”.
This album is recommended to anyone that remotely enjoys any of the bands I have mentioned in this review. On The Call ANGELUS APATRIDA brings old school thrash, and metal into the present, while applying their own ingredients, and making it all truly their own. See them on their current tour, or hopefully they’ll jump stateside shortly. The album is a digital only release in the states and comes out on May 8th.
GRADE: A
Victor M. Ruiz
Tags: 3 Inches of Blood, Angelus Apatrida, Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, Century Media, Clockwork, Countdown to Extinction, D.R.I., Daniel Cardosoa, Dave Mustaine, david ellefson, Davish G. Alvarez, Evil Unleashed, EXODUS, goatwhore, Guillermo Izquierdo, havok, Iron Maiden, Jeff Hanneman, Jose J. Izquierdo, Judas Priest, Kerry King, Megadeth, Overkill, Pantera, Peace Sells, Phil Anselmo, rob halford, slayer, The Call, Victor Valera
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 16th, 2012
Fire From The Sky (Razor & Tie)
It has been a long and winding road for SHADOWS FALL over the course of seventeen years as a band. Alternately they have been up and coming in the underground, a next level breakout band, critics darlings and relegated to the middle of the pack by people who supposedly know what is cool. The fact is the band has always been supremely talented, as much as any metal band can be. Depending on how they channel their energies, that is the music you get on a given album. Armed with new music, a new label (Razor & Tie) and a fresh start in many other ways, the band has turned in one of the heaviest albums of their career and certainly their best since 2004′s The War Within.
Kicking things off with the frenetic riffing of “The Unknown”, the template for the rest of the album is set. Guitarists Matt Bachand and Jon Donais bring the lightening fingers as they have done on every SF album. There are many shred guitar orgy moments for the geeks and right off the bat the music seems to be more “thrash” sounding than previous records. Like some of the the lyrical themes found on this song and elsewhere, there is a real world sense of real world danger and urgency punctuating everything. Although the track has the signature big, melodic (metalcore) chorus they are known for, it is Brian Fair’s brutal hardcore and death growl influenced vocals that carry the track. Brian immediately sounds energized and harsher than he has in ages. “Divide and Conquer” is another strong track with an amazing sing-a-long breakdown made for the live show. Drummer Jason Bittner explodes with his usual precision hits, punishing blast-beats and tight double bass work. This song alone goes from thrash, to punk, to hardcore to death metal beats in just a few minutes. “Weight of the World” is another great rocking cut flowing from thrash to power groove. Between Donais and Fair their melodic work is tremendous and only serves to make the heavy parts more heavy. Of course Donais rips out solo after solo on this album, reasserting himself as one of the premier shredders. “Nothing Remains” is one of the most fun songs on the album. A real stomping head banger like TESTAMENT or VIO-LENCE used to make in 1980s. The huge refrain has a soaring melody that is hot as hell. The title track comes next and is one of the most special songs ever written by the band. It’s no wonder they chose to name the album after it. A slow grinder with hints of death and even black metal in it, the track just crushes. Offsetting some of the more melodic fare on the record is Bachand, who chips in some severe backing growls along with Fair’s gruff performance making for a really full vocal sound. “Save Your Soul” returns to the up beat thrash/punk tempos and more of Brian’s positive hard core lyrics. “Blind Faith” is another curve ball. The cut borders on metallic balladry, but it is very heavy and catchy too. It certainly is softer than the rest of the album, but has some great harmonized guitar work. Other top tracks include “Walk The Edge” and the sick closing number “The Wasteland”, which I’d also love to hear performed live. If I have on gripe about the album, it is some of the tracks are a little same sounding, but overall this is the bands’ finest hour in a long time.
GRADE: B+
by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: " Death Metal, apocalyptic lyrics, bassist Paul Romanko, black metal, blast beats, drummer Jason Bittner, Fire From The Sky, guitarist Matt Bachand, hard core, lead guitarist Jon Donais, metal reviews by Keefy, metalcore, punk, razor & tie, Shadows Fall, shred, solos, thrash, vocalist Brian Fair
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 15th, 2012
Monolith Of Inhumanity (Metal Blade Records)
Pure, unadulterated, terrifying death metal. That sentence is Cattle Decapitation’s newest album Monolith Of Inhumanity in a nutshell. They’ve come a (very) long ways from the earlier days of Humanure and Karma. Bloody. Karma. by a long shot. The level of technicality is much, much higher on this album than it has ever been before and that really sets this album apart.
On the first track “The Carbon Stampede,” they employ a variety of different grooves all in one song. With a couple of riffs that slowly get faster and faster, it all goes down and they head off into insane territory with compressed packed guitars and drums. The drums seem like they’ve gotten a hell of a lot faster than before, most notable with the rapid bass pedals. The drums don’t get too technical, but at the speed they’re played, it’s arguable at what level of progressive death metal is played here. The vocals are more in line with the song “Regret And The Grave” from their previous album The Harvest Floor. The guitars have a couple of very different but both impressive solos. One being a noisy and technical solo, the other being a more groove oriented solo. All stops at once when they find a heavy and simple groove at the end of the song.
Listening to these tracks, you can see how many different progressions are played within the median song length of three minutes and fifty seconds. The harsh and unique vocals that made “Regret And The Grave” stand out on their last album is put into almost every song. “Dead Set On Suicide” is about as straight forward death metal they get, with the band following the bass player’s cue throughout the song. But not one thing really stands on its own on this song as they all have their chance to shine at any point. This shows the extreme amount of song writing that they all put together into this album and is the main reason why it out performs the rest of their catalog.
“Forced Gender Reassignment” is another track that employs the more straight forward death metal as well. I could see this track being an introductory track that fans can show new people who would be interested. Let this one grow on you, then head into the rest of the album. For being the heaviest track, “Projectile Ovulation” takes the cake on that one. It has some really unique and creepy guitar lines that, when coupled with the bass, provides an immense sound that blows away most other death metal bands.
Grade: A+
By: Ridge “Deadite” Briel
Tags: " Death Metal, cattle decapitation, David McGraw, Deadite, Derek Engemann, Grindcore, Josh Elmore, metal blade records, Monolith Of Inhumanity, Progressive Metal, reviews by Ridge, Travis Ryan
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 15th, 2012
MAA staffer Ridge “Deadite” Briel recently caught up with vocalist Mark of Roadrunner Records newest signing At The Skylines. You’re probably wondering, why is a post-hardcore band on here? Well, these guys are much, much heavier and, at times, a lot faster than the post-hardcore that is out today.
Ridge: You guys are relatively new, with little to none information about you guys. Tell us a little bit about where you’re from?
Mark: We centralized in Huntington Beach, CA. We all used to practice in Redlands and basically just met from friends of friends and other people that have known each other from high school. Some of us played in marching band together and that’s where we started to come together.
Were you guys in any bands prior to At The Skylines?
David and Billy were in a band called 7 Ages. Shawn was in a heavy-death metal band that I forgot the name of, and this would be Chris’ first band. Lucas was in a band from San Diego called City Delivered, and I was in a band called Cease to Aspire.
So tell us a little bit about your debut album The Secrets Of Life. What are some of the lyrical ideas behind the album and what does the album title exactly mean?
Basically what the Secrets To Life is about is that me and Chris decided to come together and gather up all of our past experiences of life and just releasing them using music as an outlet. Getting them off our chest and coming to the realization that life is living and learning. Going through everything and growing as a person, to grow from them, and to make your choices from them.
So I have to ask, what was it like having a death metal legend like Fredrik Nordstrum produce this mostly post-hardcore album? What was that experience like for you?
It was gnarly man! We went before to a studio in North Carolina to do most of our pre-production. When we got there, my mind was just blown because most of the heavier bands I got into were produced by Fredrik. My uncle showed me some of these bands when I was in 10th grade. It was so weird to piece it together and think “Oh man, we’re really going for it.” He was such a great dude, really funny and possesses a crazy personality. We were kind of worried about going into a different country because of the different cultures, but in the end we all got along. I can say he’s the life of the party!
I’ve followed this guy’s work for years. I mean, the biggest one for me is him producing At The Gates.
He’s pretty much produced everybody that’s anybody in death metal these days and I have the utmost respect for him.
What sort of influences inspire you guys to go out and produce this eclectic blend of extremely heavy post-hardcore music?
We’ve all been doing this seriously our whole lives to be honest. We all just lived and learned from being in different bands and learning what to do and what not to do. I think we got lucky that we were all from different bands, minus Chris of course. We just learned what to do that’s right and bring out the very best of what we each had to offer. We got lucky to get picked up by a great management team because that’s where everything started coming together. It’s all based on luck, especially in this scene because it’s become to over-saturated.
Being the only post-hardcore band on Roadrunner right now, what has the reception from fans of the label been so far?
I think at this moment that people are confused. I think a lot of kids these days, especially in this genre, that Roadrunner’s the big label they are now. A lot of people think Rise and Equal Vision and Fearless are the only labels for this genre because they’re the biggest. It’s not like we think we’re better than them in any way, we just wanted to go in a different direction. I mean, it’s Roadrunner, they’re worldwide, and they can bring a lot of exposure. We just felt they could do more for us. Another thing is that Glassjaw is one of my favorite bands, so being on this label is a huge honor for us.
It’s pretty crazy that they laid off a bunch of their overseas offices. What are your thoughts on that?
Well, as many people should know already, Warner bought a large portion of Roadrunner years ago, and I just think that it will just move in a whole different direction. I mean, it’s bad that all of those excellent people are now out of work.
What has it been like touring with letlive and Enter Shikari? What’s been the fan reception so far?
It’s really been different for us. It’s a different demographic for us overall and a totally different and varied crowd. It’s been really cool to meet new fans and to branch out of our genre. If you notice, a lot of tours these days mainly stick with other bands that are of similar genres. There’s only so much to grow from that same circle. It’s much better to branch out and take these risks in doing different genre tours. We don’t want to be another normal band, we have our sights set on becoming bigger than that. We definitely want to be on the radio, but we’re not trying to sell out or anything like that, we just want big things and take it to the next level.
What are your guys plans after this tour is over next month?
We have a CD release show May 18th at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA. We’re playing with bands like Casino Madrid, To Each His Own, and a band from Texas called Myka Relocate. So that’s going to be really awesome, I can’t wait to release this CD. After that we will be on the Scream It Like You Mean It tour with bands like The Acacia Strain, Attack Attack!, I See Stars, and more.
It really blew my mind to see The Acacia Strain get signed to Rise after all that time on Prosthetic.
Yeah me too! I’m such a fan of what Prosthetic puts out. But I think it’s pretty cool that they’re able to take that chance and I know Rise will do great things for them. The Acacia Strain in particular I’m a HUGE fan of! At least I know we won’t be seeing any dubstep remixes coming from them.
How have the pre-sales for the album been doing so far? How’s the overall reception been?
It’s been great so far. Like I said before, we’re a new band and not a lot of people know about us yet. I think we’ve been really lucky to meet these new fans. We don’t really have too much online hype or anything like that, so we’re really depending on touring a lot. When a band signs to a label like Rise, they get a huge amount of hype from the fans because they all stick with that same genre and really pay attention to what Rise puts out, which I think is awesome for those bands. I think in the long run, everything will work out for the best. We’re not trying to rush things, we’re not trying to become big overnight, we want to build it up and gain loyal fans.
What’s been the road fuel of choice for you guys?
I love sushi more than anything, but sometimes it can be hard to find a good restaurant. I actually have I love sushi tattooed on the inside of my bottom lip. My girlfriend hates it however. If I can’t find a place, I try to eat a lot of veggies and drink a ton of water to stay healthy.
So, any last words for your fans and other people who don’t know about you guys and what they can expect to hear?
Listen to us with open ears. I think our songs are the kind that will grow on you over time. Once people realize where we’re coming from and what kind of message we represent, then it will inspire people. We hope that people will take the time to study our lyrics and hopefully sing along with them at our shows.
By: Ridge “Deadite” Briel
Tags: At The Skylines, Billy Barber, Chris Shelley, David Angle, Deadite, Deathcore, heavy metal, Mark Barela, post hardcore, Shawn Yates
Interviews |
May 14th, 2012
Metal Army caught up recently with the band HUNG at the annual New England Metal And Hardcore Festival in Worcester, MA. The band had just gotten off stage after playing a tight set early on Day 2 and we all piled into their van to discuss how the band came together, their influences and their debut self titled album, which is out now on ReThink Records/The End Records.
Watch YouTube video.
(Special thanks to HUNG, ReThink Records and Cibrano Media)
by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: " Death Metal, bassist Sam Roon, Cynic, drummer Kenny Growhowski, Folk metal, guitarist Jon Clark, HUNG, Jazz, live photos by Echoes In The Well, metal interviews by Keefy, Opeth, Pagan Metal, power groove, prog, Swedish melo-death, tech death, The End Records, thrash, TRANSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, violinist Lyris Hung, vocalist Dmitry Kostitsyn
Feature Interviews, Interviews |
May 14th, 2012
A Great River (Neurot Recordings)
While singers that play acoustic guitar are a dime a dozen these days and most of them are terrible BOB DYLAN wannabees, occasionally a real artist comes along and surprises you. Of course there is nothing typical about Nate Hall and A Great River. It’s not like the music you’ve heard on line at your favorite, $7 a late joint or coffee shop. Hall is the front man of USX (a.k.a US CHRISTMAS) and is no stranger to the solo guitar and voice as a vehicle of expression. Although USX is known for their harrowing psychedelic jams, both the band and HALL have performed stripped down of late. Here we see the master of song craft with little at his disposal beyond the six string, a few effects, his potent lyrics and pained voice to convey his feelings. The entire album was recorded in one sitting one night last year as HALL told Metal Army in an interview not too long ago.
“The Earth In One Cell” quite literally sets the tone for the album with the opening notes. Starkly played chords, chiming figures and a slightly delay-affected voice give the music a haunted quality. A drone-heavy guitar sings over the top of the melody between verses for even more gravity. HALL’s smokey-sweet voice cuts through with his delivery of his heartfelt lyrics about the human condition. “Dark Star” is a little longer in scope and a bit slower to unravel its mysteries. Cool motif’s are again highlighted by guitar effects and bare guitars. Nate paints pictures with his words that are more broken, yet hopeful than you could imagine. His beautiful higher vocal range, not often heard in his main band, is on full display during the chorus. The ending lines “to cancel it all” are repeated like a mantra and just stays with you for hours. “Kathleen” changes gears somewhat. Delicate picking that almost sounds like a lullaby sets the mood. HALL, now dusky sounding, lets words escape his mouth in phrases, rather than forcing his vocal lines. The instrumental “Night Theme” has a little more urgency to it, both in its short form and its choice of notes. “Chains” shows off a bit of a perky, countrified pickin’ style that reminds me of WAYLON JENNINGS or HANK WILLIAMS SR. Simply chilling and honest writing with almost a philosopher’s frame of mind lyrically. “To Wake And Dream” comes in at under a minute, but packs a punch with some slide guitar. “Raw Chords” is another dreamy, bluesy folk track. The sustained chords and more elongated passages make the track expressive and even the vocals have this same quality to them. “Electric Night Theme” is the slightly revved up cousin to the earlier track, stretched out a bit longer for your mind’s eye and ear to enjoy. The hymnal style “When The Stars Begin To Fall” features only Nate’s voice A capella style and some box car trains in the distance. The final track is the title track and it is a wonder. Hall brings you in to his world and shows you all of the ugliness and the beauty at the same time like all the greats do. Although you could name all of the great folk artists to strap on a guitar and he would be in the wheelhouse with them, I think of this music evokes such company as TOM WAITS, JIM CROCE, MARK LANEGAN or even WOODIE GUTHRIE. You can find the album at the Neurot Recordings webstore.
 NATE HALL- super-genius....
GRADE: A
By Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: A Great River, bob dylan, classic country, folk blues, jim croce, MARK LANEGAN, Nate Hall, Neurot, philosophical lyrics, reviews by Keefy, tom waits, USX (a.k.a US CHRISTMAS, WAYLON JENNINGS or HANK WILLIAMS SR, WOODIE GUTHRIE
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 14th, 2012
Queen: Days of Our Lives (Directed by Matt O’Casey)
We don’t often discuss mainstream institutions here at Metal Army such as QUEEN. Usually bands of that stature get mentioned in interviews as an influence to many, but few have to explain why. You can hear their vast influence in metal today from artists as varied as DEVIN TOWNSEND, OPETH, IHSAHN, KYNG, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, IRON MAIDEN, YAKUZA, JUNIUS, USX, THE ATLAS MOTH, PARADISE LOST, ARCH ENEMY, DREAM THEATER, ICED EARTH and many others. They are so ingrained in the culture of music fans that even casual music fans can name five or six songs by the band. Matt O’Casey’s documentary Queen: Days of Our Lives recounts the their history from their earliest beginnings to their enduring legacy as on of their generation. Metal Army was privileged to participate in the TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL for a second year in a row, where the festival held a sold-out screening in late April.
 Image used with permission of The Tribeca Film Festival.
Using an exhaustive collection of archival footage, concert footage and current interviews with the living band members, their former management, friends and critics their story was told. From their humble beginnings as college students in England, to their eventual rise to fame, it is a warts and all story. Brian May, Freddy Mercury, Roger Taylor and John Deacon certainly had an undeniable chemistry together live and in the studio. At one point early in their career’s they were broke, hated by the UK press and on their last leg as a band. Impossibly, they later wound up becoming on of the most endearing acts of the 1970s and 1980s as a result of the run they had, beginning with 1975′s A Night At the Opera. Beyond being memorable song writers, QUEEN had many other talents. Their earliest music was more in line with the progressive rock acts of the day, but they increasingly focused on rock and later funk, dance and pop music over time. They somehow always maintained their identity and for the most part, their fans often welcomed the sometimes radical departures in style. The film covers all the ways they were innovative before they got really big such as recording techniques, tour promotions, music videos and creative stage shows. Once they became more successful, their ability to put on gigantic stadium only tours the world over revolutionized concerts the way we know them today. In addition to becoming world-wide hit makers, they were the headline act at the biggest musical event of the 1980s, Live Aid.
 An image from the groundbreaking video for "Bohemian Rhapsody". There was naturally a down side to this success. In addition to taking quite a while to break out and reach stardom, they signed a disastrous deal at the start of their career that held them back for a long time. There were ego clashes and all the excesses you expect from a band of that stature. There are some interesting parallels to modern times and bands of today, other than the technology being used to make records. On the way to becoming musical and cultural icons, the band made a lot of mistakes, had a ton of bad breaks and of course as many losses as triumphs. The band hit their low point when Freddy Mercury died of Aids in 1991, after having been sick for many years. He was likely sick the last five to seven years of his life, yet worked tirelessly. This included the world tour that became the Live Magic album and concert video, their last official tour together as the original band. To Freddy’s credit he made music with the band practically until he was on his deathbed, a tribute to his amazing spirit. Ironically, the film notes that the band has existed for over forty years, but is as big or bigger in the twenty-plus years since Freddy died, if that is possible. The band has continued on with May and Taylor carrying the torch (John Deacon retired in 1997) with various incarnations and types of shows keeping their name out there, for better or worse. The film is already out on DVD and in stores now.
(Special thanks to the Tribeca Film Festival.)
GRADE: A
by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: A Night At the Opera, classic rock, dance music, director Matt O’Casey, Dream Theater, drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon, funk, guitarist Brian May, Jazz, Live Aid, Live Magic, pop music, progressive rock, Queen, Queen: Days of Our Lives, reviews by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes, singer Freddy Mercury, TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL, vast influence on rock and metal
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 11th, 2012
Hung (ReThink Records/The End Records)
Metal heads tend to be some of the most open minded fans of music I have ever met (except for you elitist hipster fucks). I might not have believed it in my younger days when I was even more cynical than I am now, had you told me about all of the successful sub-genres of metal. Not just because I didn’t think it was possible, but the two guitar band/ lead singer format has been so endearing to music lovers since the inception of rock music. Still, new bands and their little fiefdom’s of fans are coming along every day and people are enthusiastically repping them. More often then not it is more about the way a band combines influences of sub-genres, rather than invents a new one from scratch. Such as the case with New York City’s HUNG, who shows off their considerable talents on their debut album which is on Chris Adler’s (LAMB OF GOD) ReThink Record imprint.
The album opens with the instrumental “Eos” which is highlighted by the interplay of guitar and lead violin. That’s right, lead violin played by the bands’ namesake Lyris Hung (TRANSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA). She is a world renowned performer and classically trained artist who also loves metal. The sweet, mellow tones of the opening track belie the musical storm about to come on. Second track “Desert of Sad” really lifts off and you get an idea of the band’s more fully formed style. Sounds from Swedish melo-death to thrash, to pagan metal all collide and it sounds like a beautiful chaos. Lyris alternates between rhythm guitar-style (chords, riffs) parts bowed on her violin, to cool solo flights where she sounds more like a shred guitarist than anything else. Vocalist Dmitry Kostitsyn’s snarling screams and growls alternately between verses and the mix works in spades. Later on the songs’ chorus he actually sings and adds one more melodic dimension. “Maria” continues the impressive writing with stunning lead lines from both Lyris and guitarist Jon Clark. Clark often plays counter-point lines to the violin parts, so when he does step out for a lead or a harmony line, his work really stands out. Kostitsyn delivers more of his rough hewn vocals and sounds a bit like Helmuth of BELPHEGOR when he wails in his high range. “Progeny” could be termed a full-fledged prog/tech-death work out. It has definite motifs of brutal heaviness and a mellow interlude that are also well developed. One of the reasons all of these shifting styles blend well together is because the band has a secret weapon, a killer rhythm section. Bassist Sam Roon can either hold down the low end or chip in some fine lead runs of his own while drummer Kenny Growhowski adds his unique approach to the mix. Grohowski has an impressive resume in the jazz world, which makes sense when some of the bands parts take on an OPETH/CYNIC type flavor. “Evil Tsar” might be my favorite song on the album. It has straight out speed metal riffs and just bananas lead playing again from Lyris. This is definitely the most fun song and best mosh pit track the band has to offer. Shifting gears yet again with the epic “Left For a New Life” which is sprawling in scope. It definitely has some prog and death metal elements to it, including one of Clark’s better guitar solos. After a mellow interlude of “Inertia”, “Infernal Redeemer” bites back with a funky bassline and a jazzy take on a power-groove tempo. Growhowski’s fills on this song are gonna have drum geeks losing their shit for months after this comes out! “Matter of Blood” starts off with some balladry before veering into the folk metal realm again. The final track “Sediments of War” is another track that encompasses all of the strengths the band has to offer. I feel like they are just scratching the surface of what they are capable of. We will be watching their career with great interest in the coming years.
 HUNG: Breaking and blending boundaries all at once. GRADE: A
by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: " Death Metal, bassist Sam Roon, chris adler, Cynic, drummer Kenny Growhowski, Folk metal, guitarist Jon Clark, HUNG, Jazz, Lamb of God, metal reviews by Keefy, Opeth, Pagan Metal, power groove, prog, Re Think Records, Swedish melo-death, tech death, The End Records, thrash, TRANSIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, violinist Lyris Hung, vocalist Dmitry Kostitsyn
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 10th, 2012
Leichenhaus (The End Records)
I am fairly certain that about 70% of my reviews this year have been from super-groups. Some of them were in face super and some were okay. Some were not. Tossing their hat in the ring like The Avengers is BEREFT who’s members certainly live up to the superlatives part, at least on paper. Sacha Dunable (INTRONAUT/GRAVITON), Derek Donley (NATION SUNDAY LAW/GRAVITON), Charles Elliott (ABYSMAL DAWN) and Derek Rydquist (ex-THE FACELESS) have come together to make a unique concept record to say the least. This impactful, experimental Los Angeles-based doom project is all about two different ancient death rituals. It turns out the music is as heavy as the subject matter.
With sounds rising from the hum of guitars and amps to the roaring first droning notes of “Corpse Flower”, this album is going to be a different listening experience to be sure. Feedback flows in like a police siren while harsh, slow riffs mete out their punishment. Donley’s powerful drumming call to mind the funerary rites of a lost world and he is more subtle and sneak than you average skins masher today. The opening dirge gives way to second track “The Mentality of the Inanimate”. There are some otherworldly deep growls from Elliott who handles most of the lead vocals on the album with strong contributions from the rest of the band. The BLACK SABBATH influence is apparent, but there are some other little twists and turns in the music as well. “Withered Efflorescence” continues the theme of grave matters and dire music to match. There isn’t much variation from song to song, but I think that was the purpose of the album actually. Patience is the key for this band. On this cut there are some cool gang vocals with different styled voices (Dunable and Rydquist?) that really add to the track. Rydquist is solid as the bassist as well. There are some interesting guitar motifs that come in and out of the track too. These part extend these six and seven minutes songs into epic feeling songs. “The Coldest Orchestra” has some psychedelic sounds in the opening before returning to the harshness and sludge of the other tracks. This track has a bit of a Buzz Osbourne of THE MELVINS quality to it that I rather enjoyed. “A Cruel Mirage” is full of weirdness and just gnarly low vocals. “Ethereal Dispersal” is the most interesting track on the album in that it breaks up the monotony a bit with some interesting acoustic guitars. It still has a heft to it and some cool backing drone/delay guitars as well. Then it shifts NEUROSIS style into more dynamic crushing riffs and slow waves of beats. The closing cut, 0“…And You are But a Thought” is pretty trippy too. If you are not into doom, sludge and more out-of-the-box type albums, this is likely not music you will run too. On the other hand, I think loyal fans of the sub-genre will find a lot of cool sounds and songs to latch on to.
 BEREFT: Pretty good for a super-group.
GRADE: B
by Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: abysmal dawn, Avant Garde, Bereft, Black Sabbath, Buzz Osbourne, doom, experimental, GRAVITON, Intronaut, Leichenhaus, metal reviews by Keefy, NATION SUNDAY LAW, neurosis, psychedelia influences, sludge, The End Records, The Faceless, The Melvins, vocalist/bassist Derek Rydquist, vocalist/drummer Derek Donley, vocalist/guitarist Charles Elliott, vocalist/guitarist Sacha Dunable, weirdness
Album Reviews, Reviews |
May 8th, 2012
The Pilgrimage (Sonic Unyon Metal)
Last year when Metal Army interviewed Thérèse Lanz of MARES OF THRACE, she talked about how the band lives to injure people with sound waves and disturb them with visuals. On their much anticipated new album, The Pilgrimage (Sonic Unyon Metal), the band manages to do both to the nth degree and they do it all with music. If you thought 2010′s The Moulting was a brutally hard mind fuck, you have no idea what kind of sonic terror and delight awaits you on their new opus. It’s not hard to place a value on the talent of a group who goes out and tops their last album easily, yet builds on their unique sound without compromising one iota. Impressive.
From the first moment of the album when drummer Stefani MacKichan plays a thunderous intro fill, this album means business. Beautiful, brusk sludge riffs and clever bits of melody fill your ears all at once. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that this densely packed, but still tuneful wall of noise comes from just two people. Lance’s custom baritone guitar (which has both bass and guitar pickups) roars to life while MacKichan murder’s her drum-kit slowly with manic precision. Every picked tone and finely tuned drum hit pierces the mix just so, making for a great listen sonically. Props to producer Sanford Parker (NACHMYSTIUM, PELICAN,YOB) for doing aural justice to the music and the players. Once the harshly wailed vocals of “Act I: David Glimpses Bathsheba” cut in, a potential high concept album is revealed as well. Or the band just has a fascination with Henry King movies. Who knows? Vocals and lyrics are delivered to match the music stride for stride in sickness. “The Pragmatist” crushes with dissonant riffs and massive beats. As much as it rocks out, it’s definitely music that makes you think and feel too, with Lance’s voice once again hitting home. The driving mid-song quasi rave-up is just mind blowing. “The Gallwasp” packs the punch and groove of BLACK SABBATH, but the weight of SLEEP or MY BLOODY VALENTINE. The best track out of a bunch of stellar ones for certain. The long, entranced drone of the main riff will definitely suck you in quick. The slower, epic type jams are interlaced with curious shorter forays into madness such as “The Perpetrator”. Shattering avant-garde riffing, driving rhythms and super deep growls of anguish and rage highlight this song, that I wish would never end. “Act II: Bathsheba’s Reply To David” returns us to the majestic theme of the opening cut. Sonically heavy, but more uptempo, this is another top-notch song writing effort. After the interlude of “Triple B”, in comes “The Goat Thief” which begins like a demented lullaby. It alternates between punishing verses and somber reflections. There is also a cool spoken word-type verse in the middle as well. “Act III: A Curse Falls on the House of David” is rather rough and over quick like a random stabbing on the street. The two part, album ending triumph of “The Three Legged Courtesan…” “…and the Bird Surgeon” are amazing to absorb on repeated listens. Great riffs and deft melodies ride out past a pulsing beat until the a slight wave of feedback bleeds out the final moments to musical a singularity.
GRADE: A
Keith (Keefy) Chachkes
Tags: Avant Garde, baritone guitarist Thérèse Lanz, Black Sabbath, doom, drummer Stef Mackichan, epic song craft, MARES OF THRACE-The Pilgrimage, metal reviews by Keefy, my bloody valentine, producer Sanford Parker, Sleep, sludge, Sonic Unyon Metal, The Moulting, thrash
Album Reviews, Reviews |
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