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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS E-Zine, July 17, 1996, Issue #12
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti <ginof@io.org> <_DeaTH_ on #metal>
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley <energizr@interlog.com>
Assistant Editor: Alain M. Gaudrault <alain@mks.com>
Web Page Manager: Brian Meloon <bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>
Contributor: Steve Hoeltzel <hoeltzel@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk <macabre@interlog.com>
Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder
--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
57 Lexfield Ave
Downsview Ont.
M3M-1M6, Canada
Fax: (416) 693-5240 Voice: (416) 693-9517
e-mail: ginof@io.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically distributed
worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all forms
of brutal music; from thrash to death to black metal, we have it all.
Each issue will feature interviews with your favorite bands, written
from the perspective of a true fan. Each issue will also include
record reviews and previews, concert reviews and tour dates, as well
as various happenings in the metal scene worldwide. We here at
Chronicles of Chaos also believe in reader participation, so we
encourage you to submit any material you may have to Gino Filicetti
<ginof@io.org>.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a
message with "coc subscribe <your_name_here>" in the SUBJECT of your
message to <ginof@io.org>. Please note that this command must NOT be
sent to the list address <coc-ezine@lists.colorado.edu>.
WORLD WIDE WEB SITE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are currently in the process of constructing a website for
Chronicles of Chaos. You can check it out by pointing your web
browser to http://www.io.org/~ginof/coc.html. If you have any
comments or suggestions, please e-mail Brian Meloon
<bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>.
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 us at <ginof@io.org>. The 'Subject:' field of
your message must read: "send file X" where 'X' is the name of the
requested file. Back issues are named 'coc-n', where 'n' is the issue
number. For a description of all files available through this
fileserver, request 'list'. Remember to use lowercase letters for all
file names. If you experience any problems or are having difficulty,
feel free to e-mail us the usual way at <ginof@io.org>.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #12 Contents, 7/17/96
--------------------------
- Editorial
- Loud Letters
- Ferocious Features
-- Pantera: Suffering in the South
-- Malevolent Creation: Malevolently Plowing Forward
-- Deicide: Lucifer's Right-hand Man Speaks
-- 13mg of Amphetamine
-- Prong: Gargantuan Grooves
-- Grim Skunk: Releasing the Reek
-- Tom G. Warrior: Apollyon's Sun Illuminates the Frost
-- Abigor: Update from the Twilight Kingdom
- Independent Interrogations
-- Glutton: Strange Music (To Say The Least)
-- The Almighty - _Just Add Life_
-- Altar - _Altar_
-- Ancient - _The Cainian Chronicle_
-- Various - _Beauty In Darkness_
-- Celestial Season - _Sonic Orb_
-- Christ Agony - _Moonlight - Act III_
-- Diaboli - _Mesmerized by Darkness_
-- Equinox - _Return to Mystery_
-- Hybernoid - _Todays Tomorrow Yesterday_
-- Metallica - _Load_
-- Nastrond - _Toteslaut_
-- Nazxul - _Totem_
-- Nebrionic - _Psycho One Hundred_
-- Setherial - _Nord_
-- Wardogs - _Scorched Earth_
-- Yosh - _Metaphors_
-- In Flames - _The Jester Race_
-- Amon Amarth - _Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds_
-- Arcturus - _Aspera Hiems Symfonia_
-- Sadist - _Tribe_
-- Embrace - _Promo Tape 1996_
-- Dirge - _Hazing Rituals_
-- Zeitgeist - _The Eyes of Time_
-- Timescape - Timescape
-- La Manie Reigne a Montreal: Obliveon at the Spectrum
- Tours of Torture
- What We Have Cranked
- The Final Word
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
E D I T O R I A L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Gino Filicetti
Welcome back everyone, here is your newest issue of Chronicles
of Chaos, a little late, but top notch as always. We are fast
approaching CoC's first birthday, it was one year ago on August 12,
1995 that Chronicles of Chaos came into being. Look forward next
month to an issue that'll be as jam packed as we can make it!!
Well, July 26th is just around the corner, and after hours of
contemplation, we've decide that we will no longer be attending the
Milwaukee Metalfest. As many of you must know by now, the 'fest has
garnered themselves a VERY bad reputation over the years of not
delivering the bands that they promise will appear on stage. This
year alone, we've learned from Absu, Immortal and Mayhem that their
names were used in false advertising by the 'fest's organizers and
that they were never even contacted about the gig. Despite all the
bullshit that is certainly going to take place in Milwaukee this
year, that is not the whole reason Adrian and myself are not going,
the main reason is that Toronto is VERY far away from Milwaukee, and
we just don't think it's worth the investment travelling so far for
what is looking to be a flop. But fear not, for Chronicles of Chaos
will STILL have a representative at this year's Metalfest, Adam
Wasylyk will be in attendance so keep an eye out for him (but I doubt
you'll find him!).
Speaking of "out of town adventures," Adrian and I took off for
six days in June and went down to Pittsburgh to hang with our buddy
Buzzy Beck and his band, Filthboy. Buzzy (unfortunately) got married
on June 22nd, and we felt obliged to be at his wedding and get as
drunk as possible. Unfortunately one of us, who will remain
anonymous, had his first taste of the harshest whiskey known to man,
Yukon Jack. Suffice it to say that despite catching the bride's
garter, this person felt the need to empty his body of all present
toxins, in a very disgusting way. Well, I think I'm getting a little
too detailed now, so I'm going to end this story. As for Filthboy, we
got to sit in on numerous rehearsals, and were blown away by the
sheer intensity of the band. Keep your eyes peeled for these fuckers.
Our web page has now officially changed locations. It was
permanently moved from Brian's site to my own site at
http://www.io.org/~ginof/. If you have any links to our page, please
use this URL.
Last issue's giveaway contest was a resounding success, and I'm
glad to report that five of the finest minds out in CoC-land are
getting or have already gotten some of the wickedest free shit known
to man. Keep your eyes peeled for another contest in the near future.
Ok, that's all from me this time around, thanks for the support
as always, and keep those Loud Letters coming.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Now here's a little something I thought you'd all be interested in:
Shukri, editor of Soul Tumour Ezine, is seeking serious-minded
supporters of all extreme metal genres to set up an internet-based
international scene report. Contributors are expected to cover their
areas / countries. Monthly information on new bands, releases, live
shows, events etc etc, as well as an overall opinion on the way
things are moving are needed. If you think you can handle it, e-mail:
sadams@botzoo.uct.ac.za for more info. It doesn't matter where you
live in the world, get in touch now !!
Shukri NETZUL Adams
Soul Tumour Ezine
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M""MMMMMMMM dP
M MMMMMMMM 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP dP .d888b88
M MMMMMMMM 88' `88 88 88 88' `88
M MMMMMMMM 88. .88 88. .88 88. .88
M M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8
MMMMMMMMMMM
M""MMMMMMMM dP dP
M MMMMMMMM 88 88
M MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b.
M MMMMMMMM 88ooood8 88 88 88ooood8 88' `88 Y8ooooo.
M MMMMMMMM 88. ... 88 88 88. ... 88 88
M M `88888P' dP dP `88888P' dP `88888P'
MMMMMMMMMMM
This is the column where we print those lovely letters our readers
decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative,
ignorant or just plain spelled wrong, you can rest assured that
they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own
letter here, e-mail it to <ginof@io.org> and enter 'Attention Loud
Letters' in the subject field. Hopefully all letters received will be
featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 96
From: Steven Cannon <cannon01@freenet.tlh.fl.us>
Subject: Re: send coc-10
Hey! Great 'zine! Keep up the good work! I wanted to send a letter to
let everyoneknow that even though my publication Vibrations of Doom
has been around for about 12 issues, and has had trouble keeping up
with deadlines, there are some digitized sound files from bands like
Front Line Assembly, Trouble, Malevolent Creations, Zero Defects, and
a host of other bands. We cover everything from
speed/death/thrash/black metal to over the top techno/industrial,
ambient, rave, punk/hardcore (when we get it!) and so much more! It's
good to keep things flowing in the underground, so make sure you
support ALL the 'zines, whether e-zines or paper, and also encourage
your local music scene, no matter how small or diminishing. Just to
let you know, Savannah, Georgia has one of the first industrial bands
EVER signed to Re-Constriction Records (courtesy of yours truly!) and
also bands like Damad, Gam, and PCP showcase some brutal death metal
and industrial! Drop us a line at our email address or check out the
web site (which you can do a keyword search to find) Stay heavy and
keep yo' mind open!
Date: Mon, 10 Jun 1996
From: "David I. Schwartz" <dis@eng.buffalo.edu>
Subject: true readership of COC
Gino:
In the latest CoC (#11) you mentioned that you would like to increase
your membership. Have you accounted for distributed copies? I
copy/print the CoC for 4 friends who either can't access email or
whose accounts are limited.
Perhaps you should ask that people say how many they distribute
occasionally. (The Zocolo, the Babylon 5 newsletter makes the same
request) - you might be surprised how large the "true" readership is.
BTW, thanks for putting in all the effort. I really enjoy the
interviews and band reviews. At some point I'll even send in my band
demo tape when we settle in with our new guitarist (if you're ever in
Buffalo, check out Mobius at The Continental ;-)
thanks,
Dave
- *************************************************************************
|David I. Schwartz |================================|
|Department of Civil Engineering |====== dis@eng.buffalo.edu ====|
|State University of New York at Buffalo|====== dis@acsu.buffalo.edu ====|
|202 Ketter Hall |================================|
|Amherst, New York 14260 | Cheap is good, but FREE is best|
|(716) 645-2114 X 2451 | What you incur, you must endure|
- *************************************************************************
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996
From: alovett@iamerica.net
Subject: Metallicrap
Hi!
First, let me say that COC is really great for all of us that
like music that is perhaps a little out of the mainstream. It shows
alot of professionalism and a love for what you do. I wanted to ask
some opinions on a topic that has bothered me lately. I know that the
majority of your readers probably think that Metallica is too slow
for them, but I have liked them since their first album, back when
they were one of the heaviest bands around. But, of course, all good
things must come to pass. These last 2 albums have been pretty
crappy. I suppose that if Metallica was just starting out as a new
band, they would be alright, since they are now sounding like many of
the bands around now like Smashing Pumpkins, Everclear, people like
that. My problem is that they totally turned their back on what made
them so popular in the first place and started going in totally new
directions. Now, I'm all for artistic expression, but it seems to me
that they have forgotten all the fans who made them popular and
bought all those albums and sold out all those concerts when
Metallica wasn't even being played on the radio. I guess my question
is: Why did they do it? Was it because they felt stagnant and wanted
to experiment with new styles? Or was it for money and they are
trying to appeal to the so-called "Generation X" and Top 40
demographic? And one more, what do you think that Dave Mustaine is
thinking now? I personally have been listening more to Megadeth,
since they embody that whole sound that I had come to like so much
from Metallica, and they haven't changed. Well, sorry to ramble, but
I just had to get that off my chest. Thanks, and keep up the good
work!
Adam Lovett
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 1996
From: "M. J. THORAX EMBALMER" <KABAL@UWYO.EDU>
Subject: Attention Loud Letters
Hey! I would just like to say that yor magazine really kicks ass! I
especially enjoy the kontests and the free shit you give away, it
would be fucken kool if you kontinue to do this in the future.
Anyway, I have a kouple of questions for you. Whatever happened to
Alex Marquez, of Malevolent Creation and Ressurection? He is my
favorite drummer and has seemed to have dissapeared. The same goes
for Dan SeaGrave- he was the raddest kover artist for many death
bands, and I have not seen any of his work for a long time. Some info
would be much appreciated. Anyway, keep up the good work, I rekkomend
yor 'zine to all of my friends.
Over and out.
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\/ \/ \/ \/ \/
The meat of the matter lies here. Read on for the juiciest morsels on
bands ranging from the reknowned to the obscure. No fat, no gristle,
just blood-soaked slabs served hot and ready. Dig in, readers.
S U F F E R I N G I N T H E S O U T H
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Pantera's Vinnie Paul
by: Adrian Bromley
Vinnie Paul, Pantera's drummer and producer, is sitting at home
in Texas ready to talk about his band's latest release _The Great
Southern Trendkill_ and the first thing I notice, which is quite
obvious by the tone in his voice, is that Paul is quite tired from
doing 'phoners' (phone interviews) all day - something like 30
interviews were planned for this specific day. And to top it off, the
scheduled interview with Paul (a short 15 minutes) had been slightly
shortened by an eager record executive (in New York or some major
metropolitan city) to get ALL interviews crammed into one day.
Needless to say I was prepared and I got the answers I needed and a
few good quotes here and there. Onward with the 'trendkill'...
"We wanted to make this record broader than our last record,"
opens Paul about the new LP, in which he (like all the other Pantera
albums) produced with co-producer Terry Date. "The last record
everything was done all at the same level and this record allows us
to bring in all the qualities that Pantera has been known to show
with the hardcore, the bruteness of our music as well as some melodic
stuff that we have never been able to do." About his work behind the
scenes with Pantera's sound he says, "No one knows more about Pantera
and what they should sound like more than I do. I mean we didn't want
to go off and work with Bob Rock and have a commercial sound. Pantera
has its own sound and I think on this record we have been able to
carry on with that."
The uniqueness of each record has set Pantera from the rest of
the metal acts. Paul, along with singer/screamer Phil Anselmo,
guitarist Dimebag and bassist Rex, the band has been able to exhort
brute offerings of metal and intenseness with every release. It began
with their major label debut _Cowboys From Hell_ (1990) and the power
went on to take shape in the forms of _Vulgar Display of Power_
(1992), 1994's #1 Billboard album entry, _Far Beyond Driven_ and onto
the 1996 Pantera aural assault of _TGSTK_ (which by the way debuted
on Billboard at #4). "We have always been able to be what we are. We
don't change. The biggest change for us went from being a bar band to
playing to 20,000 people in an arena. That may seem like a big
difference but it isn't for us as we go out and play it as if we are
on a small stage. The only difference is that we have a bigger
production now but there is no difference because of crowd sizes at
all.
"Another thing about Pantera is that we have been the same band
for six years now. No one has left or been replaced. It sucks because
nowadays you can go see a band and not know who is playing with who.
With Pantera you know Dimebag is on guitar, I'm on drums, Rex is
playing bass and Phil is singing and I think fans appreciate that
about us."
With _TGSTK_ Pantera once again strived for that live feel with
their album. "We set up all our live and recording gear in the
warehouse behind Dimebag's house in Texas and started to record. That
was beneficial to us because as it is most studios are set up on
hours like 11AM to 11PM and that is it, and all I know is that I
ain't a morning person who likes to get up and play the drums at
11AM. By having this studio where it was and how we recorded it, it
allowed us to record the material at 11PM if we wanted to or at any
given time without being dictated when we have to record. Another
difference in the recording with this record was that we had demos
ready going into the studio where with the last record we wrote the
songs in the studio and recorded them there on the spot. Doing
material the way we did with _TGSTK_ allowed us to work out the songs
from the early stages rather than right on the spot."
Paul adds, "Unlike most bands who record or write 30 to 40 songs
in the studio and pick from that, we go into the studio with the 12
or 13 tracks for the album and work with them. No picking or choosing
and that allows us to focus a thousand percent on those songs"
And why has Pantera been able to stay afloat in an industry
where heavy bands are falling quickly to the wayside? "I think
because we have remained true to our form. A lot of those bands that
aren't around focused a lot on image and getting songs on the radio
whereas we never focused on radio and just toured lots and lots. We
tour every album for like 18 months to two years at least and we need
to tour that much to reach all our fans around the world in North
America, Europe, South America, Japan and The Pacific Rim. Also we
stayed true to what we wanted to do with the band and our sound and
again I think that is why we have been popular with our fans and been
able to continue on in this industry. Plus we are having fun touring
and making music."
NOTE: Pantera begins a full North American co-headlining tour with
White Zombie with openers Eyehategod on June 28th - Eyehategod
are later replaced by The Deftones. See Tours of Torture for
more information.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
M A L E V O L E N T L Y P L O W I N G F O R W A R D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Phil Fasciana of Malevolent Creation and Hate Plow
by: Steve Hoeltzel
He's made some mistakes, he's had to pay for them, and now he's
pissed. He's "On a drunken frenzy," he's got "One leg to kick your
ass..." and now he's even got his own death metal theme song, thanks
to the new Malevolent Creation CD that bears his name: _Joe Black_.
Given that much, you can probably guess what my first question
was when I sat down recently to talk with guitarist Phil Fasciana
about the death metal juggernaut that is Malevolent Creation - and
about Phil's new side project Hate Plow as well. But if you're
anything like me, you'll be quite surprised to hear the answer to the
question: Is Joe Black a real person?
"<Laughs> Yeah, it is. It's Jay's father, man!" He's referring
to Jason Blachowicz, Malevolent Creation bassist and vocalist. "See,
Jason's last name is Blachowicz, but his father goes by 'Joe Black'
<laughs>." Phil's got quite the story about this guy, too - but since
I hate to kick ol' Joe while he's down, I'm not going to get into the
details here. Besides, you can pretty much figure out the whole deal
by reading the lyrics to the song. Suffice it to say, as Phil
laughingly puts it at one point, "It's fucked up!"
Anyway, not only are Malevolent Creation the first death metal
band that I know of who've written a song about a member's dad -
they're also the first to offer up techno (!) re-mixes of tracks off
a straight death metal album. (I don't quite count Fear Factory in
that category.) _JB_ contains three such re-mixes of songs from
_Eternal_, and I asked Phil where the band got the idea to do this.
Are Malevolent Creation closet ravers, or what?
Phil laughs: "No, man! The thing is, we had nothing to do with
it! The guy that recorded the guitars, bass, and vocals for our
album, my friend Erich [Wytell], he's into shit like that, and he
kept on saying how he wanted to re-mix some of the songs and turn 'em
into dance songs!! <laughs> And we were just like, 'Whatever,' you
know? He didn't have time to do it right away when we did the album,
but over the course of like six months he ended up doing those
re-mixes. We never even knew what they were gonna sound like. And you
know, when we heard 'em, man, we were just dying, because it was just
so fucking weird."
Obviously, though, the question is: did the guys -like- the
re-mixes? Phil laughs again: "I don't know, man, I like 'em, kinda,
'cause they're just crazy sounding, man!" I told him that although I
really had no idea what to expect before I actually heard the things,
I ended up liking them too. They definitely have a way of growing on
you. "I know, it does! A lot of people that hear it go 'Holy shit,
dude, I actually like your band now!!' <laughs> We'll probably do
something different like that again, maybe try to make it a little
heavier."
It was a good thing to hear that the band has such plans for the
future... or -any- plans for the future, given that rumors of a
possible breakup were circulating after the band cut short one of
their recent tours. "Yeah, it got a little fucking funky, man.
<laughs> Our singer got arrested and shit - it was just really bad.
Everyone was drinking a little too much, everyone was fighting, and
shit wasn't going right, man. It just got a little out of control, so
everybody just went 'Fuck this - let's get outta here.' <laughs>"
The band now has a steady line-up, though, and is planning to
enter the studio to record their next full-length effort around the
end of July. However, there has been one change in membership since
_Eternal_ was recorded: Phil, Jason, and second guitarist Jon Rubin
are now joined by drummer Derek, who replaces Dave Culross. "The dude
is way sicker than our last drummer," Phil says. Before his try-out,
Phil warned him that if he couldn't play the drum parts to _Eternal_
he'd get the thumbs-down within five minutes - but Derek was unfazed.
"He goes 'Dude, I warm up to that album - don't even worry about it.'
<laughs> He came down here, and just totally blew us away, man, just
played all the songs on _Eternal_ fucking sicker than we've ever
heard 'em. So after about five minutes with him, we went 'You're in!'
And the guy's killer, man."
The band is looking to get their next album recorded soon, then
tour as much as possible to support it. Writing for the new release
is pretty much completed, and I asked Phil how the new stuff will
sound compared to _Eternal_. "It's different, for sure," Phil says.
"There's a lot less speed. It's not like doomy or anything, but
there's more rhythmic beats, stuff like that. And we tuned down to B
for a few songs. I mean, there's still some fast shit, you know -
it's still fast, man. And the drumming - this is gonna be a real good
drumming album. Hopefully everything will come out produced right and
everything, the way we need it to be."
How much older Malevolent material can we expect to show up in
their live set when they hit the road? "We're gonna be doing a lot of
it, man. We'll probably do like five songs from the first album, five
from _Retribution_. We do maybe one or two, possibly three off
_Stillborn_. But see, we mix it up every time. Every night, we play a
lot off _Eternal_, and we'll probably whip "Joe Black" into the set,
maybe "Self-Important Freak" [both off _JB_], and whatever new stuff,
you know. And we'll probably throw in a couple new ones to freak
people out."
Malevolent Creation is definitely a revitalized band, coming
back with two really strong releases after _Stillborn_ - which a lot
of people, myself included, regarded as an incredibly weak follow-up
to their crushing second album _Retribution_. It turns out that Phil
hates that album, too! "It was a nightmare. The drummer couldn't do
the drum tracks right; the production sounded funky; Brett [Hoffman,
ex-vocalist]'s voice was cashed; no one was into it. I was like 'Holy
shit - this is a nightmare!!'" During the studio sessions for that
album, Phil says, "I thought I was gonna fucking die man, I swear to
God, I couldn't handle it. It was the worst experience of my life. It
was brutal, and in the end result, it still sounded like shit.
<laughs> I wish we could have totally done that whole thing another
time, a little later in a different studio. It was fucked up, period.
It was just a bad time, bad timing, man. Everybody's personal shit
was interfering with the band - no one was even into it. I was the
only one that had anything going on, and even my life was all fucked
up, too! <laughs> It was a nightmare, man."
Of course, Phil will be entering the studio again with
Malevolent before the summer is over. And not only that: he also
plans to record an album soon with his side project Hate Plow. (In
fact, the album will have to be recorded very soon, since drummer
Crazy Larry is in trouble with the law.) I asked Phil what sort of
variation on the brutal musical style we can expect to hear from
them. "Hate Plow's coming out a lot more hardcore sounding - but not
like hardcore New York style, or whatever, except maybe a little bit
here and there. It's got really deep, brutal vocals, and it's really
fast. <laughs> It's crazy, man!"
Elaborating a bit, Phil says "It's all mixed-up sounding!
There's a lot of grinding, man - but it's good, it's not noise. It's
really good, man, and we're hoping that everything comes out well
when we record it. We'll be going to a nice studio, so it should
sound really good. The demo we did sounds awesome!" In fact, a bit of
a clue to their sound can be found right up front on Malevolent's
_JB_ release. "You know, 'Joe Black' and 'Self-Important Freak' are
Hate Plow songs," Phil tells me. "They were on the first demo that me
and Rob [Barret, of Cannibal Corpse] and Crazy Larry did. That was
the first version of Hate Plow."
That version of Hate Plow no longer exists, though. Rob, who had
been playing guitars and handling vocal duties, eventually drifted
away from the band, leaving Phil as the lone guitarist and making
room for new singer Kyle Steinens. According to Phil, Kyle's vocals
have to be heard to be believed. "This guy just came to our warehouse
one night, and we knew he sings for this other band [Florida act
Sickness]. We were jamming Malevolent, and Jason didn't show up, and
we wanted to do the songs with vocals. He's like, 'Oh, dude, I know
all the lyrics to the Malevolent songs.' So he started singing 'em,
and we went 'Holy shit!!' We heard his voice and went 'Dude! My God!
Fuck Rob - let's get this guy singing for Hate Plow!'" In addition to
Phil, Kyle, and Crazy Larry, the band is now rounded out by Tim Scott
(ex-Revenant) on bass.
So both Hate Plow and Malevolent Creation will be recording and
releasing new material before too long. In the meantime, though, Phil
has some friendly advice for fans: "Go look into _Joe Black_. You
better buy it, or Joe Black'll come and get you too. <laughs> So look
out, man - if a guy with one leg starts chasing you, run for your
life!"
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L U C I F E R ' S R I G H T - H A N D M A N S P E A K S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Glen Benton of Deicide
by: Alain M. Gaudrault
The show is over, the sweat-drenched, liquored-up crowd
disperses, and I make my way to the band's dressing room to see if I
can score an interview with any of the members of the evening's
headliners, Deicide. After twiddling my thumbs for what seemed like
forever, the road manager tells me the controversial
singer/bassist/lyricist will do the interview after he's had time to
shower. Lady luck is with me tonight as a damp-haired Glen Benton
invites me in. The open window reveals minor chaos brewing outside
The Embassy, the London, Ontario bar which served as venue for the
show. We sit down, I press record, and the banter begins.
I begin with the usual barrage of questions pertaining to their
latest opus _Once Upon the Cross_. He seems somewhat bored with my
line of questioning, albeit consistently pleasant and friendly, much
to my surprise. I begin by asking about the success of the album. "I
think it's done just as good as any of the other records. It's a lot
more flowing on this record than on the other two [_Deicide_ and
_Legion_]. I think it's pulling more people towards it. It's flowing,
man. When it's flowing like that, people are pretty much... very
discreet, they're more likely to get it, not have a fuckin' opinion
about what I'm talking about," referring to the overt satanic imagery
pervasive throughout the band's lyrics, which he pens. Is he
satisfied with the album? "So far. I mean it could have been better.
You always want more, you know what I mean? Every record's different
for whoever's writing the material, you know? On the last record,
Steve [Asheim, drummer] wrote most of the material. He sits around
the house a lot! He stays up 'till 6 o'clock in the morning every
day." He laughs, "The guy don't sleep!"
A few fans have found their way to the dressing room by this
time, wanting to greet Benton and hang out for awhile. He obliges,
signing autographs, shaking hands, and answering questions. His
demeanor is rather pleasant, albeit never overly talkative. I take
this opportunity to ask him whether he would enjoy partaking in the
sweet herbal delights I've so thoughtfully brought along. Naturally,
he's game. The evil weed deed done, Benton politely asks the fans to
move along so that we can talk.
The tour in question is rather low profile, so I ask him how
extensive it is. "It's just two weeks, man. We're actually in the
process of writing and shit, so those guys (Eric and Brian Hoffman on
guitars, and Steve Asheim on drums) have been writing, working on
their new stuff, what they've written so far. This tour got offered
to us, and I kept telling [the promoters] no, I kept telling them no,
but the money kept getting better, and the money kept getting better,
and the money kept getting better, so I was like 'All right we'll do
it.' It's just a couple of weeks, man. Make some quick cash." As for
the coverage of the tour, he adds, "Just up the east coast, North
Carolina, New York, Conneticut, Ohio, Detroit, Chicago, here." And
the crowds? "Killer, killer shows." Unfortunately, the band is
notorious for their lack of touring and short sets. I ask him if it's
intentional. "Yeah, man, it's just marketing. I don't flood the
market with myself, I don't spread myself too thin. It's like
tonight. Our sets are usually that long so people will keep coming
back for the next album's worth. People, they expect me to come out
there, and for the kind of money we're making, they think we'll come
out there and do fucking 3 albums worth of material, you know what I
mean?" He adds, "If I did that, you'd never come back to see me
again, you know what I mean?" We agree to disagree on this point, and
I move on.
Deicide, of course, have become infamous for their religious
beliefs and the prominence of said beliefs in the lyrical content of
their music, and while I considered bucking the trend and keeping the
subject out of the conversation, I thought again and asked him
whether the band's families also hold the same convictions. "It
depends how far back you go in the family. My family, for instance,
my wife isn't a christian, she's an atheist. We don't teach any kind
of fucking religion in our home at all. As far as the rest of the
band goes, everybody in the band knows that christianity is nothing
but a farce and fucking sham, and their families share the same
fucking beliefs. But as far as to go out like myself, I don't think
anybody outside the four of us would do that, because you know, we
open ourselves up to take shots, man. We don't expect our families to
take it, you know what I mean?"
Many have derided Benton, in particular, for his pseudo-satanic
spewings of infernal allegiance, claiming it being done purely for
the sake of publicity. In regards to textual basis for the set of
beliefs he holds, he comments, "I've read so many different
philosophies about satanism and atheism, and paganism. I read them
all and I understand the majority of it, and what I have gotten from
all that is where I put myself in this place. I don't want to follow
any other person because that one particular person has certain
things that I don't fucking agree with. Like [Anton] LaVey, I don't
agree with a lot of things that [the Satanic Church says]. Acquino
has a lot of things that he says that I find really right on the
money. But then there's a couple of things that he kinda throws a bit
of Hollywood-ism to the whole thing. I'm not into that." He stresses,
"I'm more into eye for an eye, out for myself, and as far as
christianity goes, I know for a fact that Christ did not die for my
sins and I do not believe in any of the christian hype, the Bible or
any of that. I don't believe in any of it." Does he believe in an
entity called Satan? "I believe that... I'll try to explain it to
you... I want to go where all my friends have gone, and people I know
have gone. They're all sinners, so they're obviously not going to
Heaven by what the fucking christians want you to believe, so I'm
going wherever they're going. And if the christians say that's Hell,
and that's Satan, so be it. All I know is that there are a lot of
good-hearted people and a lot of good people that are going to Hell,
so if that's the scenario, then I might as well go with them because
I fit right in with them."
It's obvious at this point that the THC has taken effect, and
that my interviewee is willing to share some insight, so I probe a
bit further, asking him about the practice of ritual sacrifice.
"Yeah, man, we've played around with things like that. I don't tell
people what... I mean, we've researched on shit like that. Occult
means secrecy. That doesn't mean going around blabbing about things
like that." He goes on to say, "I don't deny it at all. I wouldn't
deny killing animals, I wouldn't deny sacrificing things for certain
purposes. I've killed many animals in the name of myself and others."
I look at my watch at this point and realize how late it's
getting, so I close with one last question. The premise: You are
given the opportunity to kill one person with your bare hands and be
completely absolved of any legal repercussions. Do you accept the
proposition, and if so, who do you choose? "If I could kill somebody
with my bare fucking hands? Who would it be... Hmm. Well, I would
have to say... whoever was the closest enemy to me at the time. I
won't say any particular person, I'll just say whoever the closest
enemy is." He quips, grinning, "It's easy that way."
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1 3 m g O F A M P H E T A M I N E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Adrian Bromley
Producer/musician Howie Beno is quite the talker. Calling from
Chicago, Illinois, 13Mg.'s frontman, known for his production work
with Ministry, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Monster Voodoo Machine to
name a few, he immediately jumps into a story about the formation of
his one-time industrial influenced side project (then known as Drag)
into a full-time band. "There is a long story to go with this but...
here goes. Sort of. The material that wound up on _Trust and Obey_
(their debut on Chicago-based Slipdisc Records) was from maybe three
or four years ago when producer Critter and I were working on the
tail-end of the Ministry _Psalm 69_ record. We just started writing
casually, fucking around in the studio and a lot of the material on
the debut [is] from that time period and since then I have gotten a
band together and did some showcasing. We put out an 6-song EP on
Flipside Records (a California punk label) called _Pilfer_ (1994)
under the band name Drag a while back. So eventually we worked those
six songs off the EP onto the _TaO_ LP on Slipdisc."
It all seems to have happened so easily, from EP material to
touring band with an LP. Not the case says Beno. "After the release
of the EP we signed to Slipdisc in the spring of last year, and it
being a new company and this being their first signing, they needed
to put out a record in order to get money from the distributor. So
they pushed us into the studio to remix and repackage the material
and also adding four new songs. They then slammed it out there and
here we are."
While H. Beno (as he is known to many) spends a good deal of
time perfecting the material he is working with or the
industrial/techno sculpted pieces off of _TaO_, he kind of laughs at
the notion of story behind the band's name. No real meaning, no
point, just a name that stood out from other possible names like
Cyclops Love Doll and Guano. "We eventually settled on 13Mg., that is
13 milligrams, as it is the prescribed dosage for Vicadin. Vicadin is
a commonly prescribed heavily dosed painkiller." So is the music of
13Mg. acting as some form of a painkiller? "I dunno," he laughs,
"Maybe the music is some form of a tranquilizer." <laughs again>
While 13Mg. relies heavily on fluctuating between melody and
dance beats, heavy riffs and industrial rawness, the feature that
stands out most predominantly is the fact that there was a revolving
door of musicians (with help from producer Critter and Brian
Liesegang of Filter fame to name a few) used to create and assemble
_TaO_. "There really wasn't a choice because Critter and I started
writing material for the _Pilfer_ EP. As for Critter being part of
the band he is good at twiddling knobs and being the producer. He
does it very well and that is what he wants to concentrate on. Brian
(Liesegang) just helped out with some material while he was living
here, long before Filter was formed, something like three years ago.
We went into the studio and recorded "Nath" and when I was searching
for material for the album that one came up as it would be a good
addition, as an ambient piece, to everything else in the record, to
kind of show off a different aspect of the band rather that just a
guitar thing." [The band's now permanent line-up consists of drummer
Felix Miklik, Joe Callahan and Max Edgin on guitars and Brian
Lanktree.]
And the overall feel of the record and sound, as it shapeshifted
as time went on through various production stages and being
influenced somewhat by the sounds of the overall music industry, was
something that Beno had to accept too. "The newer songs like 'Debris'
and 'Uppercut' are my favourite songs as they seem to be fresher in
my mind and they have been influenced by what I have been doing over
the last few years as opposed to having been set on one direct style
of music." On his view of how people should feel about the record he
casually says, "I just put the record together and threw it out
there. Other people are making the devaluing or valuing positions on
it. On that question I will have to plead artistic ignorance.
<laughs> In other words people see different things and attach their
own meaning. I would hope people would attach their own views."
As Beno has been involved with thousands of hours in studios
doing work to make other band's material sound clear and crisp and
the closest to how they want it to sound, how did Beno react to
putting his own material together in the studio? "As far as the
production approach, I am so anal it is ridiculous, especially when
it comes to my own stuff. When the music comes out of me it goes
through so many filters before it gets to the final product and a lot
of time that shuts me down. When I was doing either the Ministry
record or the Monster Voodoo Machine record I was still writing as I
knew this was something that I wanted to do. It was always something
that I always wanted to be able to accomplish.
"The diversity of the material on _TaO_ comes from writing music
over a period of four years and going in and out of phases. I'll come
back and tinker with it and change it here and there. I wanted to put
diversity on the record because the concept of this particular band
can encompass all those things. For the debut release, much like a
thesis statement, was to cover as much ground as I could, to try and
encompass the kind of aesthetic of what I was trying to do with the
band."
Anything left out that he wanted to do with the LP? "The next
time around I may possibly want to include a string quartet into the
music, something I have written in the last little while. I would
like to work it into our next record depending on the direction it
goes. Small snippets here and there and make it work together. And as
far as the direction of the next, I don't know. I won't know until I
sit down and work on it. The label may hate me for this but maybe
I'll come out with an all-ensemble record next." <laughs>
NOTE: For those interested, 13Mg. has two remixed CD singles
(including dance and techno styles) of the tracks "Sinister"
and "Uppercut" off the _Trust and Obey_ LP. Also Bon Harris of
Nitzer Ebb does a great remix (the Bon Dage Remix) of
"Uppercut" on that particular CD single. For more information
and/or purchasing these two 'PROMOTIONAL ONLY' CDs contact:
Contact: SLIPDISC RECORDS, c/o Kristen Cotter N. Dearborn #3007
Chicago, IL, 60610, USA
Voice: (213) 951-1650
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G A R G A N T U A N G R O O V E S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Prong
by: Adrian Bromley
The fourth LP by New York power-groove act Prong, _Rude
Awakening_, is just that, a 'rude awakening' to the reality of life
and one's struggle to face hardships and go on, as well as an
'awakening' to the exceptional display of thought and perseverance
that Prong has sustained after all these years within their music.
Extremely focused on capturing an element of groove and growth with
_RA_, lead singer/guitarist Tommy Victor has managed to magnify and
control the grooves of Prong, allowing more assorted styles of
harshness to flow more into sync and not following one standard
pattern that may have been evident with past releases as _Beg To
Differ_ (1991), _Prove You Wrong_ (1992) and 1993's breakthrough
record for the band, _Cleansing_.
While somewhat similar to those other outings, Prong's latest
can also been seen as one of the most experimental of all their
previous releases too. "The old adage is, the more records you sell
the more freedom you get to do what you want to do," says Victor from
his home in California, "With _Cleansing_ being a real hardcore
record where it was the kind of record where it exploded in
everyone's faces, with this record I kind of wanted to do more songs,
serious ones. The last one has allowed us to do this record and
opened up avenues for us to go down with our music. We always leave
avenues open for ourselves so we can escape what we did with our
previous records."
On the decisions that sparked the onslaught of ideas for _RA_
Victor reveals, "I am happy with the decisions that were made. Some
A&R people at the label (Epic/Sony), I won't name any names though,
were concerned with the direction the band was headed or going to and
I pretty much told them 'Fuck You'. Maybe there has been some
compromising, I'll be honest with you, 'cause when someone knocks
something I respect their opinion. I probably would have made more of
a techno type record if it had not been for Terry Date and other
people gearing me onto more of a rock record. Again like everything
it is a balancing act but right now I am happy where the band is
right now. I'm pretty ambitious and I want our record in as many
people's hands as I can get it. I'm sure not everyone is happy with
what their status is at times in their careers."
The real success and strength of the record lies within the
power and feelings given off by Victor's lyrics on _RA_. Whereas on
previous records he tackled social issues and other things that most
bands might look into, this time Victor took time to write material
that flowed from him. The music allows us to see where we are in the
world, the hardships, the love and the struggle of everyday life.
That is evident with the material as well as the artwork (images of
Eastern Bloc life) that accompanies the record. About those images he
says, "A package is supposed to reinforce what you are saying or the
vibe of the record. The corresponding images work off the lyrics to
some degree."
Much like a concept record, _RA_ opens up to the listener as the
albums goes on, and then the stories are told. "I like cohesiveness
in a record. I personally was striving to get that going. A lot of
our records have been scattered and lyrically I had never really been
into what I was doing lyrically. I was learning as I went along.
There were a couple of lyrics that I liked on that last record and I
took them and that style into this record and it wound up that most
of the record was built around a theme or same style of writing." And
the theme for _RA_? "I just think it is more personal. I tap into
real serious emotions and I think that comes across in the vocals.
There was something real in what I was doing that allowed me to do it
rather than sit back and target issues of what to write about. This
is how I am feeling and was at the time and I put that in the song.
We wrote a lot of songs but musically and vocally these were the best
that suited the record and where it was headed. I didn't really have
a concept going into this record as that would have confused us while
writing. That is why it took so long to do this record as it took a
while to sift through our material and see which ones were the better
ones."
In regards to his use and reference to the album title he says,
"It is a quest for balance when you wake up in the morning or your
approach in life. It is about keeping away from high expectations and
being prepared for the worst. I am not into or believe the power of
positive thinking 'cause I have tried it and I don't think it works.
You got to be prepared for your obstacles or horrors of everyday. I
don't expect a lot out of life anymore, I enjoy it more though 'cause
I don't think this will happen or whatever. The album also has to
deal with relationships and how people put an emphasis on trying to
make other people happy. I think you gotta rely on yourself more. On
the title track there is a line that says, '... there is no kindness
to waste...' and that implies that I am not going out of my way to
cling to somebody."
Once again, as with _Cleansing_ the band - rounded out by Paul
Raven on bass and Ted Parsons on drums - worked as they did with
_Cleansing_ with Terry Date (Pantera/White Zombie) on _RA_. On _RA_
Victor served as co-producer of the record and the band had also
brought in a new recruit to add some flavour to the material they
were working on; the musician was NIN keyboardist/sample Charlie
Clouser. On the style they brought into making the record, Victor
responds, "A lot of the playing was different in the studio and that
coincided with the construction of the songs which were constructed
from drum loops or vocal melodies rather than strictly guitar parts.
We set up grooves and patterns to work with. It was more technical
this time around with the tempos and the loops or vocal approaches as
to either scream or sing smoother. I think we were less prone to put
on false voices on this one. I used my natural voice with this one. I
think it came down to this way because of the years we have spent
re-evaluating ourselves."
Known for their grooves in the past, Victor still acknowledges
that grooves are an important factor to the band's style and sound no
matter how they change over the next few years. "I think the grooves
are a highlighted part of what we do and acknowledged by a small
amount of people. What we have done is highlight those grooves rather
than rely on the brute force of what we are doing. We are aiming to
be more song oriented and the grooves are still there, we have always
been a groove-oriented band, so we are just highlighting our strong
points and maybe abandoning some aspects that we find distasteful of
what we used to do."
"I don't go into a studio and write a part of a song for a mosh
part," says Victor on the creation of songs, "I try to write songs
that are true to what I want to do and what I like. End of story."
He finishes, "I just want to remain focused with what I am doing
with Prong because a lot of things can distract you. So, I am trying
to keep my nose clean, I have a good attitude right now and I hope
that I remain as fresh as this to the year's end rather than be
bitter and hostile or have negative feelings about things. I want to
remain ambitious and attentive to the project."
NOTE: Rob Nicholson (formerly of California outfit DROWN) has taken
over bass duties for Paul Raven who has recently left the band.
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R E L E A S I N G T H E R E E K
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Montreal's Grim Skunk
by: Adrian Bromley
Montreal quintet Grim Skunk are in their own little world of
creative music and songwriting. The band - comprised of singer Joe
Evil, guitarists Franz and Peter, drummer Ulf and bassist Borris -
manage to incorporate reggae, metal, punk and hardcore into their
music with the greatest of ease and still make the music sound heavy
and chaotic. Multiple adjectives could be used to describe the music
of Grim Skunk. My choice: fucked up.
Ever since the release of their two debut albums, _Sonic Blend_
and _Autumn Flowers_ (released independently) a few years back, the
band's fanbase has grown in Montreal and the province of Quebec, as
well as the rest of Canada. The band really managed to get noticed
and have been fortunate enough to be able to tour Europe and across
Canada several times thanks in part to a somewhat successful hit
single and video for "Silverhead", a single found on their 1994
self-titled debut for Cargo Records.
Since then, the road has strengthened the band's live show and
musically the band still has that anarchistic feel to it though more
focused now. Loud and brash, Grim Skunk sticks it to us quite hard
with their latest sophomore effort _Meltdown_. "In terms of style on
this record we wanted to have more of a reggae feel to the record,"
reveals guitarist Franz, "We are able to do that live but have never
been able to get that on record. The big thing was also to get the
hardcore punk rock feel flowing throughout the record, something I
felt was lacking on our last outing. The last record was more
psychedelic and drug oriented music. While putting together material
for this record we were on the road and didn't have time to put long
songs together so instead we went straight to the point. We
simplified all of our tunes and made them as powerful as possible. We
made them direct, moving from one end to another quite harshly. We
are at our best in the live environment and I'm proud that we were
able to capture that with _Meltdown_."
With a somewhat wise man mentality the guitarist mutters, "This
is just the beginning for us with this record. We have always had
this 'no-limits' philosophy with this band and with this record I
think you start to see the maturity in the songwriting area. We have
always had longwinded songs that were drawn out a bit and we have
managed to connect them a little closer and cut the fat a little more
so that not every song is a long adventure for people to try and
follow."
As mentioned before, Grim Skunk puts on a strong show and in
order to capture that 'live rush' the band opted to record a bit
differently than last time out. "We just recorded everything all at
the same time. I think this record sounds like you put your head in
between all of our amps and the drum kit. This is not a very refined
record at all, I think it is very raw. To my ears it is very much in
your face." As well, Montreal has always been known for its 'harder'
take on the music scene with numerous bands flowing from a death
metal scene, hardcore scene and a punk movement. Over the last few
years the scene has managed to prosper says Franz. "For us it has
blossomed. We have grown steadily over the last little while. The
scene has grown and as it has gotten better and better for us it has
done the same for the scene too. Younger bands are touring, putting
out CDs on small labels or by themselves or even making their own
videos. That was something that wasn't happening five years ago."
When asked about how Franz and the band manage to work out of a
very multi-styled scene (most notably the death metal scene) he
responds, "Some of the death metal people like us because we are
heavy and are really aggressive at our shows. Some people don't like
us because they say we aren't heavy enough. As far as us getting
along with death metal bands, we don't play with them often but when
we do it is fun. I respect the death metal scene and a lot of kids in
Quebec love it. I can't handle the voices of death metal bands all
the time 'cause they get on my nerves. But some are okay I guess."
<laughs> He continues, "The scene in Quebec is so open and not
divided. You can go to a show and have hippies, metal heads and punks
at the same show and see them all up in the pit, especially at one of
our shows."
Will success grow for this band with _Meltdown_? "I think if we
tour and get visibility I think people will catch on and hopefully
things will happen," explains Franz, "but also you can bang your head
against the wall for ten years and nothing will happen. We'd rather
have people take notice than bang our heads." (no pun intended)
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_______ __ _ _______ __
/ ___/ / ___ ____ / /_(_)___ / ___/ / ___ _/ /_
/ /__/ _ \/ _ `/ _ \/ __/ / __/ / /__/ _ \/ _ `/ __/
\___/_//_/\_,_/\___/\__/_/\__/ \___/_//_/\_,_/\__/
____ _
/ __/__ ___ ___ (_)__ ___ ___
_\ \/ -_|_-<(_-</ / _ \/ _ \(_-<
/___/\__/___/___/_/\___/_//_/___/
This is the column where CoC sits down to have a face to face, no
holds barred conversation with your favorite bands, and get the
inside scoop into what's happening in their lives.
APOLLYON'S SUN ILLUMINATES THE FROST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC Speaks with Tom G. Warrior
by: Steve Hoeltzel
Guitarist, vocalist, and all around main man of the mighty Celtic
Frost, Tom G. Warrior really needs no introduction. However, the
circumstances surrounding this interview might. Earlier this year,
Los Angeles metal indie Dwell Records released _In Memory of Celtic
Frost_, a tribute compilation featuring covers of classic Frost
material by 14 bands hailing from the darker confines of today's
death/black metal underground. Most of the selections (ten, to be
exact) are drawn from Frost's earliest material: _Morbid Tales_, the
_Emperor's Return_ EP, and even Frost's previous incarnation,
Hellhammer. The more atmospheric and involved _To Mega Therion_ is
represented just twice, as is the band's daring artistic high point,
_Into the Pandemonium_. (One of the _ItP_ covers is performed by
Tom's new band, Apollyon's Sun.) The abortive _Cold Lake_ is not
represented; nor are the band's last two albums, _Vanity/Nemesis_ and
_Parched With Thirst Am I and Dying_. Indeed, all of the Frost
material which followed _ItP_ is written off in the compilation's
liner notes as the product of "beating [a] dead horse..." which
brings us to this interview. When rumors began circulating that Tom,
angered by this verbal slam at his work, was boycotting the entire
project, CoC contacted him in Switzerland and invited him to set the
record straight. Here's what he had to say about the compilation -
and about the current state of the underground, and his new, "heavier
and darker" project, Apollyon's Sun.
CoC: Please give us your overall opinion of the Dwell Records
tribute. Were there any things about the compilation that you
especially liked? Rumor has it that you were unhappy with the
finished product. Is that true? And if so, what were you
specifically displeased with?
Tom G. Warrior: To answer this, I would like to quote some lines from
a memorandum we sent to Dwell Records after the
release of the compilation:
"Forming a band like Celtic Frost, you know from the start that there
will not always be idle sunshine as far as reviews or criticism go.
Working with such a band means that you have to expect that and be
able to handle it. -That- was never much of a problem for us. As we
are opinionated about music, so is the music scene about us.
Criticism is good. It can help in finding the right path - especially
as one tends to be too close to see all aspects of one's work if one
is a part of the band (and particularly if it is a band so inflamed
as ours was and is). It is beneficial to anybody with an open ear, if
it is constructive. But what are we supposed to learn from the
wording of the compilation's liner notes? Far from being
constructive, it is an expression of personal frustration about
directions the band had or hadn't followed. The chosen language of
the paragraphs in question adds to the impression. What lack of
style. What is -that- doing on a -tribute- to a band such as Celtic
Frost?
You will undoubtedly realize that any band like Celtic Frost has/had
to deal with much such personally biased criticism, even in the
'holy' early years. We released unconventional products, from the
first to the last year, and we got used to both massively overrating
reviews and extremely negative opinions. That is still all fair and
well.
The biography is not only derogatory towards us, but also towards the
literally hundreds of thousands of fans who actually purchased
_Vanity/Nemesis_ and _Parched with Thirst..._ and who came to see the
corresponding tours and - god forbid - liked it! Is the tribute not
for them as well? Is it not for us, too, who played in Celtic Frost?
Guess not. We all fail to be in possession of the holy passport to
the light.
The bio states as much as that we created this and that style of
music. I know that this is incorrect. As if we had been the first
band to play dark and heavy. Remember, there had been a band called
Black Sabbath. And old Blue Oyster Cult, etc., etc. Yeah, sure, -we-
created that style with Celtic Frost. But suppose for a minute that
we actually -did-: this, exactly this, would give us the right to
create damn well any other thing we liked, too. There are enough
coward bands out there who will never ever take even the slightest
risk or who will only take a so-called 'risk' after other bands have
proven that it is feasible. You can count those bands by the
thousands.
It bothers me that a large number of tribute CDs will be bought by
younger fans, who will be unable to judge for themselves about the
contents of the bio. The incorporation of a few ritzy words and the
continuous listing of insider-like 'facts' will serve to make the bio
look authentic. As to the 'facts,' in reality they contain numerous
inaccuracies.
Frost was Frost and, hate it or like it, what we released under the
band's name is part of the legacy of Celtic Frost. That doesn't only
include gems like _Into the Pandemonium_. No, we who were part of
that project have to be man enough to accept that it also includes
utter garbage like _Cold Lake_. But what is labeled a tribute to
Celtic Frost really seems to be a tribute to Hellhammer or, give or
take a little, to Hellhammer and the early months of Celtic Frost.
There were those who loved Hellhammer and didn't really want any of
Frost's experiments. They followed us tentatively into the new
project and then slowly dropped away, once we had gained the business
muscle to actually go and try our ideas. That's completely
legitimate. But Frost was about being daring, and Hellhammer was
about being heavy. We never had the illusion that those fans were
Celtic Frost fans. We saw them as Hellhammer fans who liked Frost's
heavy material.
The music on the tribute spells it out clearly: but one or two of the
new renditions of Frost songs are derived from Frost's soul. The rest
really are Hellhammer's children. It seems that even _Into the
Pandemonium_, recorded during the 'good old times' and with 'the
classic line-up' hardly received a nod, even though it supposedly is
the high point of the first half of Frost's existence. Not only that,
but it is the absolute quintessential album of the band: no mention
of Frost is possible without it. Yet it is all but ignored on the
tribute. That fact alone makes us pose the question again: why label
it _A Tribute to Celtic Frost_, while at the same time being too
narrow to allow for most of that band's post-1985 material, far too
narrow in particular when compared to the horizon of the band it is
supposed to be an homage to. This is exactly the kind of limited
small-town thinking that almost killed _Into the Pandemonium_. It is
what Celtic Frost so vehemently fought against. How absurd, then,
that a tribute to the band should be infested with it!
I despise having my work bashed in a biography contained in a tribute
CD to my former band, while, at the very same time, having to lend my
name for sales advertising on the front cover (i.e., the 'Tom G.
Warrior' promotional sticker) and in flyers and advertising. This is
not what I call integrity."
CoC: According to the liner notes of the tribute CD, after the _Into
the Pandemonium_ album "Celtic Frost was dead and everyone knew
it!"--even though the band went on to record both _Cold Lake_
and _Vanity/Nemesis_. What is your opinion on that statement?
Was the true Celtic Frost really dead after _Into the
Pandemonium_?
TGW: It was dead - or much of it was dead - during the recordings of
_Cold Lake_. That this happened was due to the year-long contest
between us and the record company as to the existence and
recognition of _Into the Pandemonium_ and the resulting
cancellation of tours, promotion, video clips and advertising
for the album, which caused the band to break apart and which
led the subsequent album, _Cold Lake_, to aim for an attitude of
no worries, no more darkness and seriousness, smiles and a
light-hearted party attitude. It was severe escapism. I know now
that there was no way around this album. It was inevitable and,
very regretfully, unavoidable. It was both the conclusion of a
very destructive phase, legally and on a personal level, and the
foundation for a subsequent major rethink and rediscovery of our
real line. Yes, I loathe that album. It is a piece of utter
crap. Despite my personal feelings, however, it is an absurd
fact that _Vanity/Nemesis_ and _Parched with Thirst..._, both of
which I love as true Frost albums, would not have been possible
without the professionalism and business advantages gained
through _Cold Lake_. That album, however, certainly wasn't part
of the natural direction of the band.
CoC: One of the great things about Celtic Frost was the
ground-breaking fusion of brutality, originality, and atmosphere
which the band achieved on songs like "Necromantical Screams" or
"Rex Irae" (to name just two). Yet most of the bands on the
tribute CD chose to cover earlier, less adventurous material.
What do you think this says about today's extreme metal scene,
and about the nature of Celtic Frost's influence on it?
TGW: In addition to the comments I made in my first answer, I do not
believe that the essence has changed much from the previous
decade: there were always numerous bands who were only too
willing to choose the "less adventurous" lane. It almost seems
as if bands and lack of guts go together like moths and light. I
also realize now that any Celtic Frost influence must be seen on
two levels: (i) in the thrash metal genre and (ii) with material
such as found on _Into the Pandemonium_. And lots of bands are,
by design, not looking for anything like _Into the Pandemonium_,
which is a legitimate approach. Imagine albums like _Into the
Pandemonium_ coming out left and right... would you go for that?
I don't know if that would be beneficial. That the compilation
is so one-sided merely reveals the mechanisms of the selection
process rather than the bandwidth of available bands, though.
CoC: Recently there has been a great deal of renewed interest in the
extreme metal scene of the 80's, of which Celtic Frost were a
crucial part, along with bands like Kreator, Destruction,
Bathory, and so on. How do you think today's underground scene
compares to the scene of a decade ago? (Musically,
stylistically, and so on.) What do you think of the death metal
genre?
TGW: I am really not qualified to comment on that. Not only didn't I
expose myself to Bathory or Kreator in the 1980s, but nowadays,
I listen to music very selectively and I have very opinionated
tastes. Any of my comments would therefore be totally
insignificant, perhaps even far from accurate.
CoC: What is your opinion of the black metal scene? I am especially
interested to know this because so many black metal bands are
clearly influenced by Hellhammer and early Celtic Frost.
TGW: I do not tie Celtic Frost to this scene. With Martin Ain's
addition to Hellhammer, the simple and ignorant Venom lyrics
rip-off days were unquestionably over and a far more serious and
conscious approach began to materialize. Martin aimed at
acquiring an expertise regarding the subject of theology and
occultism. Therefore, this naturally included -all- facets of
the subject, and Martin's studies were by no means one-sided,
narrow-minded or biased. By the time we recorded Hellhammer's
only EP, _Apocalyptic Raids_, we had solidly determined our
stand within the then popular and nearly unavoidable theme,
i.e., songs such as "Third of the Storms", "Aggressor",
"Messiah", or "Massacra" had, with Hellhammer's naive and
undeveloped means, clearly become vehicles of fervent
proclamations and caution against such dark tendencies in heavy
rock. Months of respective discussions in the band as to the
definition of a clear line had preceded this process. Celtic
Frost were later to solidify this direction in that band's early
years. As you and any true Frost fan know, Celtic Frost's lyrics
presented an aggressive stance against such trends, from the
band's very first composition, "Visions of Mortality", on. Also
analyze lyrics such as "Into the Crypts of Rays", "Procreation
(of the Wicked)", "Nocturnal Fear", "Morbid Tales", and, and,
and... Therefore, should Celtic Frost have anything to do with
the resurgence of interest in black metal, it would be rather
absurd! This all simply seems to indicate that such people have
never really taken five minutes to read our lyrics and analyze
our ideology.
CoC: How are things going with Apollyon's Sun? Can you give us a
brief history of this group?
TGW: Things are going very well with the project and we are both
happy with our current material and aware that any project with
a difference requires an undeterminable amount of work. For an
insider's view at Apollyon's Sun, please point your readers to
our home page: http://www1.psi.ch/~uenala/as.html. I propose to
only give an abbreviated glimpse here. After the end of Celtic
Frost, I was not sure whether or not I would ever want to be
part of a band again. After Celtic Frost's passionate and
distinctive years, I had a hard time seeing myself involved in a
new project. In summer 1994, I received a call from Erol Daae, a
guitar player, about a production job. I had just begun to feel
a careful and discreet urge to create music again. Our
subsequent meetings exposed much shared chemistry, and I asked
him to participate in a tentative limited-duration studio
project of mine. But when we wrote music together over a period
of several months, the project developed into a band, to which
we are now both fully committed. Apollyon's Sun's first practice
session took place in late spring 1995, and we had Stephen
Priestly [drummer for Hellhammer and for some Frost lineups]
lend us an essential hand during the first months of rehearsals.
CoC: Can we expect to hear more recorded material from the band any
time soon?
TGW: We are working on a material of quite some bandwidth. There are
also a number of unreleased Celtic Frost tracks from _Under
Apollyon's Sun_, which we have remolded. [This was to be Frost's
follow-up to _V/N_.] All this work points at a single project
right now: an album in 1997. Recording budgets for a debut album
permitting, we are out to find out what Celtic Frost hasn't
dared to do, to go further than _Into the Pandemonium_ has gone
already. An official demonstration tape will be available to the
industry at the end of this year.
CoC: Does Apollyon's Sun intend to pick up where Celtic Frost left
off, or do you look at the new band as a completely independent
musical entity?
TGW: It is impossible to simply revive Celtic Frost. Apollyon's Sun
is a different band in that it was born in the 1990s and that
our work reflects that time. In a very cautious way, our new
band is a continuation of Celtic Frost. No doubt about it, we
are proud to be the successor to Frost. However, we are
different people, have a much more modern concept, and the
effects of the pause between the two bands are evident. The
connection lies in the fact that it allures us to see what
Celtic Frost hadn't done yet and that our sound is built upon
the Frost roots, while being heavier and darker. [!!] But both
music and lyrics are very contemporary.
CoC: Were the various "atmospheric" elements present on Apollyon's
Sun's version of "Babylon Fell" simply included out of respect
for the original, or will such avant-garde ingredients also play
an important role in Apollyon's Sun's own sound?
TGW: Both. With Alexandra Rolland, for example, we have for the first
time a permanent female backing vocalist, which will serve to
define the atmosphere of our music now and then. And rather than
merely repeat elements which Celtic Frost has used as well, we
are also aiming at finding additional toys. So, yes, it will
play an important role in our sound. I now find that I cannot
rest happy in a band anymore unless it defines its approach to
music as -unusual-, -borderless-.
CoC: Any parting words for us?
TGW: There are issues far more important than any of the above, which
really should concern us as the generation now inheriting the
planet. What matters is responsibility and integrity regarding
nature and environment, the guts to make inconvenient - perhaps
"uncool" - decisions, so as to be able to earn -true- respect. I
would like to express our sincere thanks to those who were and
are willing to listen to what Celtic Frost had to say and what
Apollyon's Sun is going to say. As I have said in countless
interviews before: no matter how elaborate concept and music
are, it is at all times the faith of the fans that makes it all
possible.
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U P D A T E F R O M T H E T W I L I G H T K I N G D O M
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CoC Talks With Peter K. of Abigor
by: Steve Hoeltzel
In existence for just about three years now, Abigor have established
themselves as one of the best among the swelling ranks of European
black metal bands. With three solid CDs of musically adept and
inventive black metal already under their belts, the members of this
Austrian three-piece are currently putting the finishing touches on
their next release, which should be out on Napalm Records soon. Peter
K. recently took some time out from this process to briefly tell CoC
a bit more about Abigor's history, outlook, and plans.
CoC: Could you give us a brief history of the band?
Peter K.: Abigor was formed in mid-summer 1993. The first demo, _Ash
Nazgh..._ was released in November 1993. The second demo,
named _Lux Devicta Est_, was released in January '94, in
February the _Promo-tape_, and in March we released our
last official demo, _Moonrise_. After the _Moonrise_ demo
we replaced our vocalist Tharen with Silenius, who is also
involved in Summoning. In July '94 we recorded our debut
CD, _Verwustung_, in November the _Orkblut_ MCD, and in May
'95 _Nachthymnen_. During the days of May '96, we're still
recording our next album, which will be named _Opus IV_.
CoC: Who are the biggest influences on Abigor's outlook and sound?
PK: There are no influences concerning outlook nor sound. We're a
black metal band - which outlook do you expect?! And Abigor's
sound can't be compared to other bands in the genre. We've found
our individual sound which fits our art exactly.
CoC: Your songs have become more elaborate and more fierce with every
new release. What can we expect from the next Abigor recording?
PK: It will definitely be the best Abigor CD since our beginning:
more technical, more extreme. We've opened the gates to unknown
dimensions and we've entered untrodden paths.
CoC: Are there plans to record again soon? How about touring?
PK: Well, as I've written above, we're still recording _Opus IV_,
which will maybe / hopefully be released at the end of June -
we'll see. As long as I am a member of Abigor, we'll never go on
tour, nor will we ever play even just one gig.
CoC: Do you ever feel musically limited by the conventions of the
black metal style?
PK: For us there exist no limits. We believe in our art, and we are
satisfied with it. That's important - not what others think about
black metal and how it's meant to be.
CoC: Some very interesting music has been coming out of Austria
lately. How would you describe the metal scene in your country?
PK: In Austria there is no scene - there are Abigor, Summoning [which
includes Abigor vocalist Silenius], and Amestigon [which includes
ex-Abigor vocalist Rune]. We represent Austrian black metal art,
simply put, along with Napalm Records. We belong to the elite.
All other black metal bands and labels from Austria are worthless
shit.
CoC: Like many black metal bands, Abigor seems to envision the
modern-day rebirth of a 'tribe' united by pagan belief, occult
philosophy, and interest in the pre-Christian mythologies of
Europe. Exactly what do you hope to see happen? What do you want
this movement to accomplish? Who are the movement's spiritual
leaders? Who are its enemies? And how does this movement in
general relate to the black metal scene in particular?
PK: I am not interested in any movements. Time changes, and my
individual philosophy and beliefs have changed radically. The
only movement worth being supported is the union of Abigor,
Summoning, and Amestigon. What individuals try to organize, for
example in Norway or Sweden, doesn't interest me. Just look
around: nowadays 90 percent are little children who try to
project an image of being evil and satanic, without any
knowledge. Those people will never get our attention - they are
to be ignored. Those who really believe are just a few, indeed,
but the time will come when we'll stand united under as one under
the banner of our spiritual leader: Satan. Our enemies are known
well. Further I am not interested in this question.
CoC: This interview will be read by fans of Abigor all over the
globe. What would you like to say to them?
PK: We will no longer answer requests for interviews, nor any
letters. Worship us! Satan mit uns...
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,.:/
Here is where CoC gets the inside story on up-and-coming bands. Check
out this column for a variety of fresh, brutal groups. Should you be
an aspiring band on your way to super-stardom, send us your demo and
bio; our address is included in the zine's header.
S T R A N G E M U S I C ( T O S A Y T H E L E A S T )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC Interrogates Glutton
by: Gino Filicetti
Hailing from somewhere in Illinois are Glutton, the newest
addition to a scene which doesn't even exist, a scene that is
invisible yet alive because of Glutton's music. Glutton is not a band
to be categorized, their lyrics speak of the anguish and love of
young men, of murder, death, life and charity. Glutton is all
encompassing, Glutton is almighty, Glutton is here to stay.
Having formed during a funeral procession, the band has come to
embrace the dark low end of music. Consisting of guitarists Dan
Parker and John Sprenger, bassist Rich Schultz, vocalist Deron Grams
and drummer Bob Rising (who could not participate because of his
current involvement in a film shoot), Glutton has recorded two demos
during the course of their life, _Their Eyes Will See No More_ and
the newest _Cruel, Disfigured_ which was incidentally produced by
Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha. Here is what the band had to
say in their defense (Please excuse John for he only answers
questions in capital letters).
CoC: Gimme a little more history on the band. When did you form, and
where did you REALLY meet?
John Sprenger: GLUTTON, AS A MOUNTED UNIT, HAS BEEN AROUND ABOUT A
YEAR AND A HALF.
Deron Grams: We are all from a place called Elk Grove Village,
located alongside O'Hare International, the world's
busiest airport. Life under a constant and faithful roar
brought with it a stabilizing effect, one which we seem
to always be after.
CoC: Your band is definitely a unique one, why have you chosen to
distance yourselves from the rest of the scene?
Dan Parker: It's not intentional, and while naturally some rock
trappings should be embraced, others should be discarded.
It's more important to keep your hands on the rock than
your ear to the ground.
DG: We haven't the drive nor the looks nor the smarts to align
ourselves with anybody anyway, and we're probably very irritating
to have around.
CoC: Your portrayal of being 'image-less' could in itself be seen as
an image. What do you make of this accusation?
DG: We're just automatically suspicious of any group of people who
choose to express themselves primarily through their face or
sloganed flesh or whatever seems to have caught on. I get very
around someone whose looks seem to be transitory. Additionally,
we'd all look undeniably foolish, ornamented and posturing like
bad/hard asses, exchanging dreadlocks and mechanic's uniforms
bearing stranger's names. We're just nice regular men. But, that
doesn't mean we're weak ninnies.
JS: YEAH, WE CAN GO TOE-TO-TOE WITH ANY TOUGH GUY ON THE STREET.
Rich Schultz: I'd say our image lay deep in the meaning of our songs,
though it may take years of listening to discover it.
CoC: What steps does Glutton take to INSURE their uniqueness? Is it
something that is a major part of the band, or just something
that came about by accident?
DP: How much of a magician's spell is in the magician and how much is
in the wand? When fifty fingers and five skulls converge on a
hill, results cannot be predicted.
RS: Agreed.
DG: Agreed.
JS: AGREED.
CoC: What is the chemistry like in the band? Does everyone carry
their own weight within your ranks?
DP: We are bound by the Periodic Table of the Elements.
DG: ... Dwelling near the Noble Gases.
RS: On paper: 3.5 parts THC, 6 parts AGONY, and a cup of savvy.
JS: GLUTTON IS A ROCK DEMOCRACY.
RS: Each member's ideas are dismissed with equal ridicule and scorn.
DG: We model group discussions after the Articles of the
Confederation, the flawed precursor to the American Constitution.
CoC: What would you say is the greatest rival in brutal music today?
What do you think holds it back from becoming a revered artform?
DG: I think it will thrive more without reverence. Or reverends.
DP: Waiting for brutal music to become revered is like looking for
the horse's eyes under water. Certain beauty should not be kept
under glass.
CoC: Is Glutton currently pursuing a record deal? What kind of deal
would be idealistic in your eyes (within reason of course)?
DP: Yes, we are looking for a label which understands that while
heavy music ebbs and flows in terms of mainstream acceptance,
there will always be a devoted core audience.
DG: We'd like to put out a record or two a year. That's all we'd ask.
And I think we would be a benefit to any label because we are a
very TALL band. Very tall, with a median height of 6'1. Rock has
often been a short man's domain, but taller bands are
historically easier to deal with.
RS: We're tall AND we're very responsible, both of which lend
themselves to endurance in the entertainment industry.
CoC: Who or what has been the greatest source of inspiration to you
or your band?
JS: MOAT (John's INFAMOUS previous band).
DP: Glenn Tipton and Abraham Lincoln.
DG: WOMAN.
RS: The music we will make tomorrow.
CoC: I find remote similarities to Exit-13 in your music, especially
the vocals. Have you ever been told this before?
DG: No. They seem to be a lot faster and noiser than we are. More
concerned with pot than girls.
DP: Never heard 'em.
JS: NOPE.
CoC: Describe a typical live Glutton performance.
DG: Like all good bands, we begin each show by setting the bass
player on fire.
DP: At times it's like a public hanging, at other times like
witnessing a child being born who will one day lead a nation; a
sonic picnic.
RS: It think it comes down to deciding whether it's the booze or the
fumes that are making you dizzy.
CoC: What are the band's immediate goals?
RS: To determine our long term goals.
DG: To tour and release something other than cassettes.
CoC: What are the band's long term goals?
DP: To build an impenetrable Rock Fortress.
RS: Agreed.
DG: Agreed.
JS: AGREED.
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This is where we rant, rave, and rip apart albums. Check this column
every month for the scoop on the latest in heavy hand-outs.
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- If there was ever a perfect CD, this is it!
8 out of 10 -- A great piece of metallic mayhem
6 out of 10 -- Not too bad of an album
4 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
2 out of 10 -- If you like this, you are fucked!
0 out of 10 -- My shit can put out better music than this!
The Almighty - _Just Add Life_ (Raw Power/Castle Records, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
While this may be their fifth studio album, _Just Add Life_ is the
band's debut album for New York-based Castle Records and much like
being a new addition to a label, the music found on _JAL_ is new to
the band, quite a contrast to their previous work... sort of. What
can I say about this release? Hmm... where to begin? Let's just say
when the band began their career the band was a full-blown metallic
machine with loud guitars, harsh vocals and some melody thrown in for
good measure. Now... well... the band has been somewhat drained of
their loudness and metallic overtones and gone for a more
commercially friendly sound of both punk and metal influences i.e.
"Some Kind Of Anything", "All Sussed Out" and "8 Day Depression".
Sounds similar to the plight of Metallica, eh? BUT in the end though
_JAL_ is a good record with strong melody, with some powerful vocals
provided by guitarist/vocalist Ricky Warwick. With a mixed bag of
goodies and sounds ranging from Metallica to face to face to
Therapy?, The Almighty's album has something for everyone... that is
if the music that fans crave is tight melodic guitars jam packed with
catchy vocals.
Altar - _Altar_ (Displeased Records, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
Say you love Satan, play as fast as you can, maybe throw in some
growls and some killer licks here and there and you pretty much have
the ideals and philosophies stemming from the music of Holland's
five-piece Altar. This is quite brutal death/thrash metal and
delivered with quite an enormous amount of intensity and conviction.
Throughout _Ego Art_, Altar grow in speed and might as the album
carries on, backhanding us with killer cuts like "Truly Untrue", the
title track, "Egovernment" and "Follow Me". The thing that I found
most enjoyable about the music on Altar was the almost "unstoppable
feel" the music revealed. It seems as though the band (for however
long a song is) is truly unstoppable once they have such gargantuan
grooves and the thrashness focused they don't give up till the last
note of a song. Strongly opposed to the Christian faith and way of
life, Altar deliver some serious statements and visions with their
music and lyrics and it is no wonder why this Holland band has been
able to establish a strong underground following and respect from
those that follow the faith of the dark one (no... not Darth Vader...
Satan!) Album number two on Displeased Records and it's a good one.
NOTE: there are some CD-ROM tidbits on the CD as well... find them.
Ancient - _The Cainian Chronicle_ (Metal Blade, June 1996)
by: Gino Filicetti (9 out of 10)
Started in 1992 in Norway as a solo project by Aphazel, Ancient have
since evolved into a formidable beast. _The Cainian Chronicle_ is
Ancient's second full length record, and the first to appear on Metal
Blade. This record features a new line up that has increased the
strength of the band twenty-fold. Taking on the vocal duties (and the
occasional drumming stint) is Lord Kaiaphas hailing from Virginia (of
all places). Nevertheless, the Lord is no poseur. All lyrical work on
this album is his, and they are, without a shadow of a doubt, the
best part of this album. The main part of this record is a four-part
story (told over the course of four songs) called "The Cainian
Chronicle". It details the events after the banishment of Cain for
the murder of his brother. The rest of the songs deal with other
parts of mythology and are excellently written since the Lord is a
native English speaker. The music on this disc is pretty much
standard black metal fare, but talent is definitely present. Another
plus for the Lord is his supreme vocal abilities. Definitely an album
you all should check out, and make sure your read the lyrics!
Various - _Beauty In Darkness_ (Nuclear Balst, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
Truly an outstanding compilation and a must for those who love both
goth and metal music. Seventeen outstanding tracks from some of
Europe's finest metal and goth acts: Dissection, Tiamat, Lacrimosa,
Love Like Blood, End Of Green not to mention some remixed/remastered
versions of Dissection's "Feather Fall" (off Japanese version of
_Storm Of The Light's Bane_), Mindrot's "Burden" (off _Dawning_) and
unreleased tracks by Amorphis ("My Kantele"), Sirrah ("Acme") and
Therion ("To Mega Therion"). Standouts include both Amorphis' and
Therion's offering, the stellar and ethereal "Tears Of Time" by
Crematory and opening (unreleased) track by In Flames, "Moonshield".
So with all these acts you get a bit of ambient metal, doom and
gloom, melody and some musical masterpieces all rolled into one
packaging. Thanks Nuclear Blast!. Living in the shrouds of darkness
has never seemed so appealing.
Celestial Season - _Sonic Orb_ (Displeased Records, Fall 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
The four songs that find their way onto the latest EP (MINI-CD) are
trippy, melodic offerings of metallic/rock. Hollands' Celestial
Season have created a 'fucked-up' rollercoaster ride of moods and
ambience and though the band has added a new singer, with only four
songs it is really hard to decipher whether this is a new direction
for the band (it is much different than debut CD _Forever Scarlet
Passion_) or just a jam session to break in a new singer. Judge for
yourselves. I'd assume that for best results of this EP one should
drop large quantities of acid or smoke pot and just sit back and feel
the 'celestial-ness' of the music come down on you. I'm just assuming
that don't ya know? :)
Christ Agony - _Moonlight - Act III_ (Cacophonous Records, June 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (7 out of 10)
Although this is the third release by this trio from Poland, it's
their first CD for Cacophonous and the first time I've actually heard
the band. _Moonlight_ showcases a trend-defying style of dark,
mid-paced metal which occasionally dashes through speedier territory
and incorporates some acoustic guitars, some clean vocals, and the
odd synthesized bit. The excellent thirteen-minute (!) opener
"Asmoondei" exemplifies the harsh, speedy black metal style, but
incorporates some cool touches not usually associated with that
genre, like mean double-bass drumming and -heavy-, thrash-inspired
chugging guitars. (Such flourishes recur from time to time throughout
the album.) For my money, the next track, "Devilish Sad", is the high
point, beginning with a couple minutes of catchy mid-paced riffing
that dissolves into a storm of feedback, only to explode forth as
ripping black metal propelled by ferocious percussion. Still, the
remainder of the album generally shies away from the blasting speed
of these two songs. The slower approach works really well on the
pounding, anthemic title track, but I find a few of the remaining
songs to be a bit monotonous in that they don't involve much
deviation from a single tempo. Nonetheless, these guys are undeniably
heavy. And the production is really outstanding, which definitely
sets this one apart.
Diaboli - _Mesmerized by Darkness_ (Unisound Records, June 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (8 out of 10)
Lord Pete, the one man behind this one-man black metal project from
Finland, is a no-frills kind of guy: "NO atmospheric parts, NO
progress, NO melancholic passages, and of course NO melody," boasts
the Diaboli bio. That pretty much saves me the trouble of describing
the music on this CD! It's completely unoriginal... but it also
really smokes. More than anything, this sounds like a (just barely)
updated version of the classic Bathory stuff from the days before
Quorthon started playing 'viking metal.' In other words, pretty raw
recording of raspy vocals and repetitive-but-catchy, evil riffs
cranked out at a variety of speeds from crawling slow to (mostly)
blasting fast. Song structures are quite simple, but there are plenty
of tempo changes to keep things interesting, and the drumming is
solid and powerful at every speed. Cool riffs, too, even if they're
nothing fancy. In fact, this whole album is oddly refreshing, since
it's completely free of all those artsy embellishments which have
basically become black metal cliches--and which can get pretty corny
when they're not done right. It just rocks, and that's it. Nice
going, Lord Pete.
Equinox - _Return to Mystery_ (Unisound Records, June 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (8 out of 10)
This Florida four-piece formed in late 1992 and rapidly garnered
quite a bit of underground praise for their self-released "old style
black/death" demos and EPs. Hearing the band for the first time on
this CD debut, I have to conclude that all that praise was
well-deserved. Equinox hammer some much-needed new energy into the
classic, old-school death metal sound by freely injecting plenty of
crushing doom grooves and strident black metal blast sections into
the sonic mix. The result sounds like this decade's answer to Death's
mighty _Leprosy_ album: an unrelentingly heavy mosaic of catchy,
crunchy riffs, bruising tempos, and harsh, raspy vox. I think there's
a lot here to please any listener who's into grim, powerful metal -
especially on charging juggernauts like "Dreams of the Winter
Solstice" and "The Mourning River". The production is a bit on the
murky side, and the guitars tend to be a bit low in the mix, but the
overall sound is thick and powerful, with a stern underground vibe.
Definitely a worthy purchase, I'd say - especially if you're a
long-time fan of the scene who's sick of the current trends.
Hybernoid - _Today's Tomorrow Yesterday_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Displeased Records, November 1995)
I am shocked... FUCKIN' SHOCKED! First thing that came to my mind
after listening to this record was, 'Why didn't Gino scoop this CD up
to review it?' I mean it has everything that Gino has been into for a
while: both death-style and angelic vocals, loud guitars, samples and
techno beats. In a nutshell this is ambient, trance-like techno death
metal (like Ultra-Violence/Monster Voodoo Machine) Cool shit if you
ask me! _TTY_ rotates through many warped dance-like techno beats as
the record goes on and the loud guitars are enhanced and made even
louder by the use of keyboards and the harsh vocals staple the
intensity of the song even further. Some may have a hard time to
swallow this second outing by Hybernoid, but for those with a open
mind and the curiosity to see how the vividness of techno beats and
the brashness of metal can mix and work in harmony, this record is
for you. Break out the beats and break something in the process too.
Metallica - _Load_ (Warner/Elektra, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10)
Six words: 'I waited five years for this?' Having once been the
almighty metallic machine that they once were with the stunning and
classic masterpieces such as 1983's _Kill 'Em All_, 1987's _Master Of
Puppets_ and the domineering force of their _... And Justice For All_
(1989) LP, it now seems that after a five-year gap between their
commercially successful last LP, the self-titled release a/k/a 'The
Black Album,' Metallica's four-piece (James, Jason, Kirk and Lars -
we know'em all) have once again shifted gears and slowed the pace
down even further with _Load_. And even though the last album sold
millions and gathered up new fans, many die-hard old Metallica fans
jumped ship due to the commercialism of the album. _Load_ will surely
bring even more success to Metallica and again old fans may bail but
with more radio exposure (NOTE: first single "Until It Sleeps" is
played on both alternative and mainstream/rock stations) and the fact
that the band will be headlining Lollapalooza 1996. Many new fans
will be turned on by the wholesome, clean cut hardness to the new
Metallica tuneage i.e. "Cure", "Ain't My Bitch", "Poor Twisted Me"
and "King Nothing". Working with Bob Rock (as they did with the last
release) has allowed the band to really prove to have potentially
addictive grooves but still have the heaviness, and though those
changes may be promising for the longevity of the band it has
somewhat taken away from the band the brutality and cutthroat edge
they once gladly wore on their metallic sleeves. A big disapointment
for the most part... and I'm sure most REAL Metallica fans will agree
with me on that.
Nastrond - _Toteslaut_ (Napalm Records, February 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (6 out of 10)
These guys have a rather creepy sound, one that's fairly distinct
from the black metal genre's more established bands. In fact, they
remind me a lot of early Sodom, before that band moved in a more
orthodox thrash direction. The songs tend to be quite elementary in
structure, centering on really simple riffs driven by drumming that
alternates between mid-paced and blast beats (though never attaining
the extreme speeds reached by bands like Marduk or Setherial). The
guitar tone is heavily distorted, and weightier than the standard
black metal guitar sound, but it's pretty low in the mix. And
although you have to listen closely to pick it out, you can actually
hear the bass! The vocals are well done, but standard for this scene.
(Some pretty catchy phrasings are worked in, though, and occasional
spoken vocals are used to interesting effect.) I like "Lord of the
Woods" and "Neuntoter", but overall this CD doesn't measure up to the
quality of other recent releases in the genre. The main problem is
that most of the songs sound quite alike. Given their simplicity, the
album ends up becoming a bit tedious on the whole. Still, it's not
bad, and old school purists who aren't into "epic" flourishes and
songs about Scandinavian weather will probably dig it.
Nazxul - _Totem_ (Vampire Records, 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (5 out of 10)
The best stuff on this CD is just pulverizing. The problem is, it's
basically all contained in one or two songs. "Distance Begins" is a
percussive powerhouse of mid-paced riffs mixed with frightening
blasts of amazing speed and a cool synthesized interlude. This song
is a monster, and the otherworldly blur of "Amidst the Flames" is
pretty impressive, too. Still, I find the rest of this Australian
black metal band's debut much less enjoyable. The blasting snare drum
often sounds really flat, while the strange vocals are filtered
through some distorting effects and punched so far up in the mix that
they frequently overwhelm the music. But my main gripe is with the
music itself. Definitive black metal bands like Marduk and Setherial
weave together icy vocals, creepy riffs, and blasting percussion into
a charging, cohesive whole. Nazxul, on the other hand, often just
excrete a smear of chaotic noise in which there's no discernible
connection between the riff and the (blast) beat and the vocal
phrasings, except that they're all being played at the same time.
Plus, most of the riffs are completely unmemorable. The two tracks
mentioned above are killer, but for the most part _Totem_ is quite
weak.
Nebrionic - _Psycho One Hundred_ (Displeased Records, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
Four-piece Nebrionic (known years ago as Nembrionic Hammerdeath) have
always felt to be 'with the program' in regards to playing music that
seems fitting for the moment. Not bandwagoners to the music scene,
rather students learning of the styles whisked in and out of the
multiple genres of metal music, trying to grab hold of styles and
thus incorporate them into their music. _Psycho One Hundred_, the
second offering for Displeased Records, is once again a stepping
stone as the band evolves with its multiple styles and songwriting
(very dark may I add). Calling it death metal would serve no justice
as you would have to add grindcore and speed metal to the name as
well; let's call it multi-faceted metal. The album itself may be
versatile (numbers like "Strength Through Power", "Death to the
Harmless" and "In Ebony") but in the longrun there is no real
congruency with the styles and at some points in the record seems to
be rather loosely pieced together. Maybe too many styles put in one
basket was not a good idea? Hmmmm... something to think about. While
_POH_ may not stir ravage mosh pits and fists of fury, some material
off the record can do some damage.
Setherial - _Nord_ (Napalm Records, February 1996)
by: Steve Hoeltzel (9 out of 10)
Hearing the first ten seconds of this CD, I thought "Wow, these guys
sound a lot like Immortal." By the time the opening track had ended,
they had me thinking "Yep - at least, if Immortal played twelve
minute songs featuring totally crazy riffs, sounding every bit as
'epic' as Emperor, and incorporating lots of cool (and surprisingly
deft) instrumental flourishes much like Abigor." It's super-fast
black metal all the way, and if you ask me, Setherial kick out this
frantic style with as much conviction and -more- creative flair than
any of the scene's better known bands. They've essentially perfected
every element of the style Emperor pioneered, blasting at incredible
speeds through frozen soundscapes lashed by jagged guitar lines and
screaming vocals, ocasionally layering cool acoustic passages and
unobtrusive keyboards into the mix. Most importantly, they've packed
some really interesting, super-fast riffs into every track -
something which too many otherwise-solid black metal bands don't do.
The blazing guitars in "I Nattens Famn" and "Morkrets Tid" have to be
heard to be believed, and the drumming is just amazing. Recorded at
Peter Tatgren's Abyss Studio and produced by the band, the sound
quality on _Nord_ is as good as anything else in this scene, and
better than most of it. And the quality of the music is unparalleled,
I think, by any other band in the genre. Killer release.
Wardogs - _Scorched Earth_ (Metal Blade, June 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10)
After several listens of _Scorched Earth_ I am reminded of the many
80s metal bands still trying to find room for themselves and their
music in 1996. Examples would be: Sacred Reich, Helloween, Iron
Maiden, etc. But the thing about Wardogs is that they are a somewhat
new band (formed in 1993 in New Mexico) that manage to play VERY Iron
Maiden-influenced songs. Hell even lead singer Chris Catero sounds
like Bruce Dickinson on several numbers and listen no further than
"Sounds Of War", "Nothing Left" or the title track to hear this.
Throughout the record it becomes evident that the band stuck to one
song style or mold when creating their material. Their bio says, '...
what we do is metal,' and sure enough they stick true to those words,
but this is metal of the 80s, an era where Judas Priest, Ozzy
Ozbourne, Iron Maiden and Anthrax ruled the airwaves, and in my eyes
that is an era maybe remembered and dear to many hearts but a style
that does nothing more than bring back memories other than get the
toes tapping. Old and outdated is the material on _SE_ and when
placed up against 'metal' bands of the 90s like Fear Factory, Misery
Loves Company and Edge of Sanity does little to keep me interested.
If I want to listen to 80s tinged metal (stuff I can still get off
on) I'll slap on Ozzy's _Blizzard of Oz_ or Maiden's _Piece of Mind_.
If anything good is to come out of this record review it is the fact
that this record may appeal to the FEW who still live in their
parent's basements and play air-guitar riffs alongside their Judas
Priest's _Defenders of the Faith_ LP. Get the point?
Yosh - _Metaphors_ (Black Mark, May 1996)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
Belgium's thrash quintet's debut album, _Metaphors_, is a combination
of years of playing in numerous bands, experience and planning. From
the ashes of several Belgian thrash outfits the band was formed in
1989 (releasing several demos) and in 1996 we find them pretty much
solidified as a strong thrash band. The music on _Metaphors_ is pure
rugged thrash metal that with some cool riffs, solid drum beats and
angry vocals carries on with the standard thrash metal sound much
like Overkill, Testament or D.R.I. but with a slight twist. The music
seems a bit more planned out or visual rather than brawny lumps of
thrash know-how, maybe that has something to do with the European
metal scene opposed to the style of thrash metal that surfaced in the
80s out of San Francisco or New York that many American acts base
themselves on, a style which was based upon speed and rough and
tumble jabs of adrenaline. Not my favorite thrash metal-style record
but it serves its purpose by showing me a more (if you will)
sophisticated look at performing thrash metal and what its sound can
be altered to. Highlights include "Perpetual", "Virus" and "Violins
Of Violence".
In Flames - _The Jester Race_ (Wrong Again, Spring 1996)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)
This is a bit of a disappointment to me. After their fine
_Subterranean_ EP from last year (see review in CoC #8), I was
expecting this to be one of the best albums of the year.
Unfortunately, this album doesn't really live up to the potential
that they showed with the first two tracks of _Subterranean_. This
album as a whole reminds me of Dark Tranquility, although there are
sections which sound a lot like Iron Maiden, At the Gates' _SotS_
(see CoC #4), a lighter Amorphis (_Tales_ era, as they did in the
last two tracks of _Subterranean_) and even in one part, Van Halen
(ack). "Moonshield", which has appeared on a compilation CD, is
indicative of what the album sounds like, but isn't one of the better
songs. There are a number of folky acoustic sections, and a couple of
instrumentals, one a short space filler which is very good, and the
other a full instrumental, which is not as good. The death metal
sections are lighter than on _Lunar Strain_ (similar to
_Subterranean_), but they mostly avoid the sing-songy quality that
really hurt parts of their EP. Their new singer and new drummer don't
really add any surprises (other than the fact that the drummer also
plays guitar), but fill their roles adequately. The production is
good, and the performances are solid, but the writing lacks the
energy and flair that I was hoping for. Still, this is a very solid
album, and worth checking out.
Amon Amarth - _Sorrow Throughout the Nine Worlds_ (Pulverised, 1996)
by: Brian Meloon (6 out of 10)
Amon Amarth are another Swedish band playing the death/black style
(Dawn, Naglfar, Dissection), but these guys are a little further to
the death side of the genre. They have some nice ideas, but aren't
really outstanding. Their main sound is typical death/black metal,
probably most like a less intricate Dawn, but they throw in some
melodic death metal (a la Amorphis _TKI_ or Scum (see CoC #7)) as
well. The differences in these two sounds isn't great, so they don't
clash, although the melodic death sections do seem a little out of
place. The guitar lines seem fresh, but aren't as copious as they are
in the above mentioned bands. They aren't really as melodic, either,
as some of the guitar lines don't really seem to go anywhere. The
playing is average; not bad, but not great, either. The production is
pretty rough, sounding almost like a demo. Overall, this is better
than average, but not as good as Naglfar, Dawn or Dissection... worth
having if you're into the genre, but not essential.
Arcturus - _Aspera Hiems Symfonia_ (Ancient Lore Creations, 1996)
by: Brian Meloon (9 out of 10)
Arcturus are a Norwegian black metal side-project, featuring
Hellhammer and Garm, as well as the guitarist from Tritonus (see CoC
#10, _A Gathering_ review). Their overall sound is melodic, gothic
black metal with neoclassical and progressive tendencies. It's heavy
on melody, and varies from mid-paced to slow. The playing is
excellent, and the production lets them all shine through. The guitar
solos are usually very good, and although they would fit better in a
progressive metal song than a black metal song, they don't sound out
of place here at all. The drumming is busy and creative, and is
generally very impressive. The vocals are good, but rather ordinary
black metal style. The male choir parts are especially welcome, and
much better done than those on Satyricon's _Shadowthrone_. The
keyboard work is good as well, well-played and using a variety of
tones and textures. As the guitars are mixed low, the keys have to
carry large sections of this album with the drums, and do an
admirable job at that. Most of the songs have their own character,
such as the heavily Bach-influenced "Du Norvadind", the gothic "Fall
of Man", and the almost carnival-sounding "The Bodkin & The Quietus
(... To Reach the Stars)". This goes a long way towards avoiding
monotony, and yet a common sound runs through all of the songs.
Here's one side project about which I can finally say, "Guys, DO quit
your day jobs."
Sadist - _Tribe_ (Rising Sun Productions, Spring 1996)
by: Brian Meloon (9 out of 10)
Sadist return as a four-piece, replacing their bass player and adding
a singer. Musically, this isn't too far away from their debut album
_Above the Light_ (which is also excellent), but the better
production and the increased variation makes it sound that way on
first listen. I guess describing this is a "more twisted version of
_AtL_" wouldn't be too far from the truth, but there are other
differences as well... Their main metallic sound is very reminiscent
of middle-era Coroner, both production-wise and in terms of riff
composition. Since their new bassist uses a fretless at times, some
of the sections sound like something from Death's _ITP_. However,
they rely on this metallic sound less frequently than on _AtL_, and
probably only a little more than half of the album. The rest is
filled with various metallic and not-so-metallic feels, including a
few jazzy parts, a neoclassical section, a progmetal guitar solo, and
a couple of sections with organ and drums only (as Cradle of Filth
did in "Summer Dying Fast", but evoking a different feel here). The
strangest track is "The Ninth Wave", which features no electric
guitar, but is as aggressive as any of the other tracks. The music
changes very fast, virtually never dragging on, and many of the
repeated sections aren't repeated verbatim, but rather recur in a
(slightly) different form. The playing is very good, but seems
simpler than on _AtL_. It also sounds a little bit loose: not sloppy,
but not mechanically precise either. This is unfortunate, since this
style really screams out (to me) for precise (and flashy) playing.
It's really too bad that this album is on such a small (and
dishonest, I've heard) label as Rising Sun Productions, as it's bound
to be one of my favorite albums of 1996.
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/ \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
/ /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/
\_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|
Your best source of information on the newest of the new, and the
deepest of the underground, New Noise is the place to read about all
the coolest shit you never thought existed! And if you have a band,
don't forget to send us your demo with a bio if you want to be
reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header.
Scoring: ***** -- I see a record deal in the future
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
Embrace - _Promo Tape 1996_ (4-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (****-)
Aahhh... once again the beautifully sculpted sounds of Kitchener
four-piece Embrace find way into my musical collection. For all you
CoCer's out there who remember, Embrace's self-titled debut demo
appeared in the pages of CoC Issue #2. While following much along the
format of the first offering (choir-like melodies stitched within the
depths of a death metallish musical overtone) the new material on
this demo is quite impressive with its much darker feel and ambient
state of deliverance - the music is along the lines of My Dying Bride
and The Gathering. I'm advised that some of the material off this
demo (plus the six songs on their first demo) will find their way on
a forthcoming full-length CD _Coven the Eternal_ due out in July
sometime. Truly, growth has shown its wings with this act and I'm
glad to say that their newer material/sound/approach is truly proving
to be worthwhile for several listens over and over again. Get lost
within the realms of "Falling Away" or "Obscured", just two of the
tracks on this demo. Or better yet, wait for the full-length album to
emerge with re-recorded versions of great Embrace songs like "The
Living End", "Solitude" and "Embodiment Of Darkness" off their
original demo. Worth the wait to hear how this whole package comes
together.
Contact: EMBRACE, 100 Queen St. N. #1803
Kitchener, Ont., CANADA, N2H-2H6
Dirge - _Hazing Rituals_ (17-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (***--)
I'll say it first to get it out of the way: the production on this
record sucks. I don't know what went down in the Rumblefish Studios
(where the LP was recorded) but something wasn't on... maybe
something was broken? The music sounds dull and not clear enough and
I wish I had known that but at this point all I can say once again
is, 'What happened!?' Nothing in the bio said anything about
'recording problems!' Okay... now that that is done I can highlight
the good points about this Toronto area four-piece. The music is
intense, the anger and rage is everywhere and all the songs flow with
sharpness of its hardcore and grindcore styles fused into one tight
ball of energy. That is the best definition I can give to their debut
CD _Hazing Rituals_, and it seems to stick as the music of _HR_
rarely leaves those two musical boundaries and styles (though a touch
of punk is evident in some parts). The band play music much to the
style of Nailbomb, Sepultura and Korn for those interested. Seventeen
tracks find their way onto this debut (three tracks: "Break It Down",
"Casted" and "Vile-Lence" are from their 1995 independent cassette,
_I Am_) and as bad as the recording may sound we are still able to
feel the vivacity and rawness that Dirge dictates through their
lyrics and music, most notably on tracks like "Nothing's Real",
"Bloodlines" and "More Than a Reason". Their attitude adds to the
blow as well. Loud and gritty, Dirge's music is worth a listen, just
wish the recording would have been better. Okay enough of the
criticism, check this band out and support local Toronto talent.
Contact: DIRGE c/o Rumble Fish Studios
108 Woodbine Downs Blvd., Unit 7
Etobicoke, Ont., M9W-5S6, Canada
Zeitgeist - _The Eyes of Time_ (8-track demo)
by: Brian Meloon (***--)
Zeitgeist are a progmetal/rock band from California, who just
released this 8-track indie album on CD. The songs however, were
recorded in 1993 and 1994, and therefore have a dated feel to them.
The poor production adds to this, as the level is very low, although
the relative levels of the instruments is good. The performances are
good, though not terribly exciting. They do a couple of nice
instrumental breaks in their songs, with some good guitar solos, and
a fair amount of changing tempos and feels. Their overall sound is a
late 80s progmetal sound, mixed with some 'classic rock' influences
(such as Boston or the Doobie Brothers). The last three tracks here
are from their 1993 demo, and are more metallic, while the five newer
tracks feature more of the classic rock influence. As you might have
guessed, I prefer the older tracks, although my favorite track ("The
Firing Line") is one of the newer ones... They show some potential,
but they need to find their own voice, and move away from their more
commercial side to realize their full potential, IMO.
Timescape - Timescape (3-track demo)
by: Brian Meloon (***--)
These guys are from Sweden, and play standard progressive metal, with
similarities to the usual suspects: Fates Warning, Dream Theater, and
Queensryche. It's said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest
link, and this chain's weak link is the singer. He really pulls some
(otherwise passable to good) sections down, as his voice is a little
flat, and his accent makes him sound awkward. Other than his
performance, the rest of the music is mostly average to good, with
special praise due to the fine bass work, and some creative
composition techniques, with changing times and tempos (especially
under the guitar solos), and some good polymetric sections. The songs
are usually well crafted, not the epitome of smoothness, but not
cookbook songs either. Unfortunately, what they really need is a
little originality, as some sections sound suspiciously familiar to
me, and I don't get any sense of a unique style. Also, they fall into
the typical progmetal trap of occasionally becoming very
commercial/cheesy. It's too bad, since the few times that they do
this really detract from the overall effect. The production is good,
and the packaging is nice as well, so this is a good debut offering.
Keep an eye out for these guys, because with some more maturity and
inspiration, they could be a force to reckon with.
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____ __ __
/\ _`\ /\ \ /\ \__ __
\ \ \/\_\\ \ \___ __ ___\ \ ,_\/\_\ ___
\ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\
\ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
\ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\
\/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/
____ __
/\ _`\ /\ \__
\ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____
\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
Here is where Chronicles of Chaos gives you the lowdown on the latest
shows coming your way. Check out Chaotic Concerts every month for the
scoop on the bands brutalizing the masses with their own form of
terror.
L A M A N I E R E I G N E A M O N T R E A L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obliveon at the Spectrum in Montreal, June 15, 1996
with Mundane and Q.R.N.
by: Alain M. Gaudrault
I'd driven for 7 hours in bad weekend escape traffic to see this
show, so you know I was coming in with high expectations. I was
finally about to see a band that I'd wanted to see live for years, in
a nice mid-sized club, no less. The first thing that pleasantly
surprised me was the turnout. The place may not have been packed to
the rafters, but it was certainly quite populated. I was happy to see
such support for a local act, particularly since the Grand Prix was
the big thing in Montreal that weekend, what with a Quebecois vying
for top prize.
The show started with Q.R.N. (Quite Ridiculous Nonsense, or so I
was told), another Montreal-area act. They not only looked stupid
with their sequined apparel and bad haircuts, but they sounded
dreadful, sort of a cross between Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili
Peppers with industrial leanings. Done badly. They sucked, and in
their incompetence made us all appreciate the two following acts just
a little bit more. Toronto's Mundane took the stage and put out a
solid set of songs from their debut album, _Seed_, as well as some of
their newer unrecorded material. They were well-received, despite
problems with the sound, in particular the guitar which was far too
low in the mix. Bad sound seemed to predominate at this event,
unfortunately. It helped that I already knew a lot of the songs they
played.
Obliveon was then unleashed. Nice big spotlit banners,
impressive light show, the works; but could they deliver the goods?
The answer is a resounding yes. Their musicianship is top notch, both
live, and on record. In most part, they stayed true to their
recordings, successfully improvising on solos, occasionally. The only
fault I could detect was newcomer Bruno Bernier (vocals) screwing up
the occasional lyric, even on songs he's recorded! I was happy to
hear his faithful renditions of the old material, although I would
still have preferred to hear Stephane Picard (bassist, former lead
vocalist) take the lead vocal on the songs he's recorded. Perhaps
once the band has more material under their belt with Bernier on
vocals can they consider having Picard sing the odd oldie. The set
featured a number of tracks off their latest release, _Cybervoid_
(see Chaotic Chat Sessions and Record Revelations in last issue) as
well as their previous, _Nemesis_, with the odd token material from
their first, _From This Day Forward_, thrown in to stew the steaming
pit below. Unfortunately, the large men lining the stage weren't too
keen on anybody diving, which was unfortunate, given the pit size.
All of this was more than I could ask for, but just when you
thought you'd seen it all, Snake, former vocalist of Voivod, comes
out on stage and joins the band in a scorching rendition of "Voivod"
off Voivod's first album, _War and Pain_. The crowd went nuts,
including yours truly. I'm told by Obliveon's Martin Gagne that Snake
has been playing guitar for the last year or so, has been jamming
with some guys, and that the music has punk flavourings. The show
ended with the band playing the closing instrumental track off
_Cybervoid_ after the requisite encore. All was then good in the
universe. With luck _Cybervoid_ [buy it] will pick up momentum [buy
it] and permit Obliveon to tour a bit more extensively [buy two
copies].
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________ ________
___ __/_________ ________________ _________ __/
__ / _ __ \ / / /_ ___/_ ___/ _ __ \_ /_
_ / / /_/ / /_/ /_ / _(__ ) / /_/ / __/
/_/ \____/\__,_/ /_/ /____/ \____//_/
________ _____
___ __/______________ /____ _____________
__ / _ __ \_ ___/ __/ / / /_ ___/ _ \
_ / / /_/ / / / /_ / /_/ /_ / / __/
/_/ \____//_/ \__/ \__,_/ /_/ \___/
Welcome to Chronicles of Chaos' tour listing column. Check out Tours
of Torture every month for the scoop on who's coming to town and
where to catch your favorite bands. If you have any information about
upcoming tours, we'd be more than happy to hear about it. Contact us
at <ginof@io.org>.
Pantera / White Zombie / EYEHATEGOD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 1 - Louisville Gardens, Louisville KY
July 2 - Starwood Amphitheatre - Antioch (Nashville) TN
July 3 - Oak Mountain Amphitheatre - Pelham (Birmingham) AL
July 5 - Jacksonville Coliseum - Jacksonville FL
July 6 - Miami Arena, Miami FL
July 7 - Orlando Arena, Orlando FL
July 9 - Civic Center, Savannah GA
July 11 - Uno Lakefront, New Orleans LA
July 12 - The Summit, Houston TX
July 14 - Starplex Amphitheatre, Dallas TX
July 15 - Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio TX
July 18 - Compton Terrace, Chandler AZ
July 19 - Great Western Forum, Inglewood (Los Angeles) CA
July 20 - Sports Arena, San Diego CA
July 22 - San Jose Arena, San Jose CA
July 23 - Arco Arena, Sacramento CA
July 25 - Memorial Coliseum, Portland OR
July 26 - Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver BC
July 27 - The George Amphitheatre, George WA
July 30 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver CO
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W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gino's Top 5
1. Monster Magnet - _Spine of God_
2. Korn - _Korn_
3. Marilyn Manson - _Lunchbox_ (single)
4. Pitchshifter - _Infotainment?_
5. Cradle of Filth - _Vempire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Monster Voodoo Machine - _Pirate Satellite EP_
2. Pantera - _The Great Southern Trendkill_
3. Korn - _Korn_
4. Fu Mnachu - _In Search Of..._
5. Carcass - _Heartwork_
Brian's Top 5
1. Sadist - _Tribe_
2. Cradle of Filth - _Vempire or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein_
3. Arcturus - _Aspera Hiems Symfonia_
4. In Flames - _Jester Race_
5. AC - _40 More Reasons To Hate Us_ [ed. Are you pulling my leg? - AMG]
Alain's Top 5
1. Cannibal Corpse - _Vile_
2. Gorguts - _Considered Dead_
3. Fleshcrawl - _Bloodsoul_
4. Obscene Crisis - _Silence of the Mind_ (demo)
5. Obliveon - _Cybervoid_
Steve's Top 5
1. Setherial - _Nord_
2. Equinox - _Return to Mystery_
3. Diaboli - _Mesmerized by Darkness_
4. Malevolent Creation - _Eternal_
5. Pan-Thy-Monium - _Khaooohs & Kon-Fus-Ion_
Adam's Top 5
1. Nordic Metal - _A Tribute to Euronymous_
2. Blood Duster - _Yeest_
3. Visceral Evisceration - _Incessant Desire for Palatable Flesh_
4. Vondur - _Stridsyfirlysing_
5. Absonant Cadence - _Emergence_ (demo)
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T H E F I N A L W O R D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, that about wraps things up for the last issue of our first year.
Next issue we are planning some big things, and hope to have a huge
monster of an issue ready for all of you, as well as some free shit
to give away, so keep your eyes peeled, and your ear to the ground.
Chronicles of Chaos' birthday bash is coming up, so you better watch
out! -- Gino Filicetti
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #12