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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, May 13, 2001, Issue #53
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Assistant Copy Editor / Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Alex Cantwell
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
firstname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ("firstname" must be replaced by the
respective writer's first name, e.g. Gino@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).
NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by
sending a blank e-mail to <Unsubscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the
Details section at the end of this issue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #53 Contents, 5/13/01
---------------------------
- Editorial
- Loud Letters
- Deadly Dialogues
-- Nile: They Couldn't Dam This River...
-- Darkthrone: Of the Lupine Lords That Lurk in the Shadows
-- Zyklon/Emperor: Detoxed But Not Disarmed
-- Dimmu Borgir: Majestic Visions, Triumphant Sounds
-- Opeth: Harvest of Blackness
-- Proscriptor: I Am the One
-- Monster Magnet: Dave Says Yes!
-- Immolation: A Truly Individual Sin
-- Lacuna Coil: Unleashed and Ready for Stardom
-- Gandalf: Death 'n' Roll Machine Rolls On
-- The Embraced: Norway's Gothenburg Sons
-- W.A.S.P.: Unleashing Terror Once Again
-- Relapse Records: Comments From Captain Contamination
-- Abyssic Hate - _Suicidal Emotions_
-- Archaean Harmony - _Nihility Mundane Soul_
-- Arghoslent - _Troops of Unfeigned Might_ 7"
-- Arthemesia - _Devs-Iratvs_
-- At the Gates - _Suicidal Final Art_
-- Aurora Borealis - _Northern Lights_
-- Blood Stained Dusk - _Dirge of Death's Silence_
-- Burnt by the Sun - _Burnt by the Sun_
-- Cathedral - _Endtyme_
-- Charnel House - _Sample of Murder_
-- Chikmountain - _Porn on the Cob_
-- Children of Bodom - _Follow the Reaper_
-- Craft - _Total Soul Rape_
-- Cybernetic Erosion - _Materialisation of Abomination_
-- Daeonia - _Crescendo_
-- Defiled - _Ugliness Revealed_
-- Demence - _Goutte a Goutte_
-- Desecrator - _Negative Progress_
-- Detachment - _Suspended in Stone_
-- Evanesce - _Sower of Sedition_
-- Falconer - _Falconer_
-- Feikn - _Helhesten/Aamanden_ 7"
-- Fictional Prison - _Dream Killer_
-- Freedom Call - _Crystal Empire_
-- Funeral Rites - _Necroeater_
-- Funker Vogt - _t_
-- God Forbid - _Determination_
-- Haste - _When Reason Sleeps_
-- Himinbjorg - _Third_
-- hurt - _hurt_
-- Ikon - _On the Edge of Forever_
-- Impaled - _Choice Cuts_
-- Judas Iscariot - _Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_ +4 LP
-- Jungle Rot - _Dead and Buried_
-- Kaos Rising - _Wiped Away_
-- KorovaKill - _WaterHells_
-- Lacuna Coil - _Unleashed Memories_
-- Love Like Blood - _Chronology of a Love Affair_
-- Marduk - _La Grande Danse Macabre_
-- Mentallo & the Fixer - _ Return to Grimpen Ward_
-- Midnight Syndicate - _Gates of Delirium_
-- Minas Tirith - _Demons Are Forever_
-- Monument - _The Millennial Death of Success_
-- Moshquito - _Worlds End_
-- Mourning Beloveth - _Dust_
-- Mudslinger - _Cover the Sun_
-- Nocturnal Winds - _Of Art and Suffering_
-- Obsidian - _On the Path of Others We Follow_
-- Octinomos - _Fuckhole Armageddon_
-- Opeth - _Blackwater Park_
-- Pagan Altar - _Volume 1_
-- PCP - _Evil Hate Motherfucker_
-- Plan E - _Found & Lost_
-- Pro-Pain - _Round 6_
-- Psycroptic - _The Isle of Disenchantment_
-- Purgation - _Realm of the Dead_
-- Regurgitate - _Carnivorous Erection_
-- Various - _Requiems of Revulsion: A Tribute to Carcass_
-- Sabbat - _Live Meltdown_
-- Sacred Sin - _Translucid Dream Mirror_
-- Savatage - _Poets and Madmen_
-- Schizoid - _All Things Are Connected_
-- Serberus - _In Eternity_
-- Shadowbreed - _Only Shadows Remain_
-- Sirius - _Spectral Transition - Dimension Sirius_
-- Sisthema - _The Fourth Discontinuity_
-- Skinless - _Foreshadowing Our Demise_
-- Skylark - _The Divine Gates Pt. II - Gate of Heaven_
-- Soils of Fate - _Sandstorm_
-- Susperia - _Predominance_
-- Various - _The Return of Darkness and Hate_
-- Thorns - _Thorns_
-- Thornspawn - _Empress From the Realms of Blasphemy_
-- Watain - _Rabid Death's Curse_
-- Zyklon - _World Ov Worms_
-- Arctic Circle - _Arctic Circle_
-- Arctic Circle - _Weird Winds_
-- Arctic Circle - _Dimension Dreaming_
-- Aurora - _Promo 2001_
-- Mithras - _Dreaming in Splendour_
-- Vokodlok - _Unchain the Wolf_
-- Znich - _Adchuwanni Vyasny_
-- Massachusetts + Metal = Wicked Brutal Pissa!: New England Fest
-- Baptized by Fire and Beer: Marduk, Mortician, Vader, etc.
-- At the Haunted Gates of Vengeance: Nile and The Haunted in France
-- Infernal Festivities: Norway's Inferno Festival
-- CoC Marches on the Metal Meltdown
-- Crimes in the Mourning Palace: Dimmu Borgir, In Flames & Nevermore
-- Too Fast for Love: Dying Fetus, Gorguts, Skinless & The Berserker
-- Norwegian Oldies and Norwegian Oldschool: Mayhem & co. in Norway
-- How Time Flies: Pantera, Soulfly and Morbid Angel in Iowa
- What We Have Cranked
- Details
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____)
/ /) , , /)
)__ _(/ _/_ _____ _ //
/ (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_
(_____)
by: Gino Filicetti
It isn't very often that an issue such as this one comes along.
Only once before in the five and a half year lifespan of Chronicles of
Chaos has an issue been packed full of as much material as this one.
It is my great pleasure to present to you Chronicles of Chaos
#53, or as we like to call it, THE BEAST. In these pages you'll find
nine concert reviews, loads and loads of record reviews and easily our
best interview line up EVER! How else would you categorize the
following impressive list: Nile, Darkthrone, Zyklon/Emperor, Dimmu
Borgir, Opeth, Monster Magnet, and my personal mentor and idol:
Proscriptor.
Meanwhile, the EuroCoC saga has been forced to take some time
off, but will be back in full strength for our next issue.
It is with great reluctance that I must report the retirement of
another CoC staff member: Alex Cantwell, who has been with CoC ever
since our New Year's Evil Edition III in January of 1999. Alex leaves
CoC with his plate more full than empty as the lead vocalist for a new
band, the co-editor on a brand new print 'zine entitled: Dirt Culture,
as well as a husband and father. We all wish Alex the best of luck as
he joins our esteemed group of CoC alumni -- one of the most elite
groups in the world, I might add.
I want to thank everyone that wrote a Loud Letter in response to
my lamentations for the lack thereof. We definitely got a few doozies
in there, so check them out. We've decided to keep our own opinions
OUT of our Loud Letters section since we want to promote the freedom
of speech and freedom of representation without deletion or editing. I
believe it is up to our readers to respond and for Loud Letters to be
as open a forum for discussion as possible. So please feel free to
e-mail us at: loudletters@chroniclesofchaos.com and let it all out.
I'm pleased to report that we've had a few auditions recently and
we are very pleased with the results. Suffice it to say that some new
faces will be hitting our pages over the next couple of issues. As
always, we are looking for talented, bright and highly misanthropic
individuals to join our staff. If you think you've got what it takes
then e-mail: auditions@chroniclesofchaos.com and let us know what
makes you so special. Don't forget to send a personal bio and a few
samples of your material.
That wraps it up for me kids, as always, enjoy the issue and stay
TRUE.
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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 <mailto:LoudLetters@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
All letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of
Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001
From: "Brad" <metalurgy@home.com>
Subject: Festivals
Hey,
This may be an idea for an article, or a topic for discussion. I am
wondering about festivals that are worth travelling to. How well
organized they are, wether you get your monies worth, or other
travelling issues. I have been to Milwuakee, Dynamo, Wave-Gothic
Treffen, and Ozzfest. Opinions on Wacken, New Jersey, With Full Force
or any others would be appreciated. COC's concert reviews are great...
and sure make me jealous, thanks!
Brad
Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2001
From: DER TODESKIN <splattergod@yahoo.com>
Subject: Just some freakin feedback.,.....
Darkest Hails, I enjoyed the latest issue of CoC..I really liked the
fact that you didn't slag either Cannibal Corpse or Dimmu Borgir this
issue. This seems to be the trend now....and is quite typical. A band
comes out, people sing their praises then after they "make it"
suddenly they are sell-outs or trendies, etc. I have been following CC
ever since they came out and will until they call it a day. What the
hell is wrong with simply putting out consistant material every
release? As for Dimmu (as well as Cradle of Fith) they were quite
popular in the underground until they started getting press, then all
of a sudden "they suck", "they sold out" yada yada yada. Give me a
goddamn break. So what if they cater to their fans. There is nothing
wrong with giving the people what they want. Yeah, I know...."they
aren't black metal"......well what the hell is black metal anymore?
Venom coined the term but they are more in the death metal vein....
Bathory also, though it became "viking metal" after a bit.....
Wytchfind? Black Widow? Coven? Black Sabbath? Is it the lyrics that
make black metal or the music (or both?)? Deicide, Incantation and
Acheron all have strong anti-xtian lyrics yet they are most often
refered to as death metal......perhaps Mayhem, Burzum or Darkthrone?
All have death metal roots which slowly transformed.....Emperor? But
they use keyboards just like COF and Dimmu. Enslaved or Immortal? Both
bands state they are not black metal. Is it the production? Must black
metal be raw? Again, this leaves out Emperor and King Diamond.....Is
it corpse paint and bullet belts? The Mersey Monsters, Alice Cooper,
and Kiss were wearing a form of corpse paint way back when I was a kid
yet none of the 3 are even remotely likened to black metal....It's
pretty asinine isn't it? Personally I think black metal is lyric based
and so I consider Dimmu, COF, etc black metal. I may be in the
minority but I never did follow trends anyhow. Just needed to spout
off..!
......by the way, in regards to Graveland.....the music is ok, but I
refuse to buy any of their releases. Why? Because of their constant
slagging of the US and of people wanting autographs, etc. I find it
quite hypocritical that they trash the US in every breath yet have no
problem accepting $17 for their releases.....I'll probably get flamed
for this but I welcome it.......I wouldn't expect anyone to buy a US
release if the band slagged their country either. Thanks for letting
me sound off, darkest hails....Splattergod ps: if you are unfamiliar
with some of the bands I mentioned check them out, you gotta know your
roots. Wytchfind is playing the NJ meltdown this years too, you don't
want to miss this! S
Check Out My Radio Program!!Splattergod's Underground Metal Show
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001
From: "Frederik Okholm" <doom@superevil.org>
Subject: War on atheism
Greetings.
How sad to see an issue of CoC without any loud letters. I will make a
suggestion to why no one can think of anything worthwhile to share
with our cultural colleagues.
In the twin darkness of the global/nationalist mind, there can be no
constructivity or creationism without a spirit to light up the truth
of humans: That the primary qualities of any human is shared with all
others - we just have different ways of responding to this. For
example, Gino mentions a success in CoC - the 'war on christianity'
thread, which is a way of man to confront what is blocking his
evolutionary path.
Let's have a war on atheism. With the dead, stinking god of
Christianity out of the way, we have a new battle: What should we put
in his stead? Nothingness?
I can't be an atheist. I have tried though, in my teens, when I was
also fascinated with Satan (Satanism is NOT post-christianity) and the
Loch Ness monster. I still am, but I don't believe in them any more.
My persuasion says that this world and universe is a living, breathing
god who is an eternal image of your mind and the minds of all other
living beings. I go for 'Everything possible to be believed is an
image of truth'. Thus, atheism and Christianity is truth, but only for
those who believe in it. I would like them to open their minds. But
not to the known gods, since they are hopelessly tied to outdated
cultural traditions and hate in general (hate=love gone bad). What I
would like to see emerge from the war on atheism is more courage to
accept a spiritual reality. Among atheists, people who does this are
somehow mentally weak, hiding behind some fairytale to obscure the
hard facts of materialism. That is not how I see it. Going from an
atheist stance to accepting what feels real but is unprovable takes a
lot of personal courage. Denial is easy - spiritual evolution is hard.
To end this for now, I will make this letter relevant to its
surroundings by claiming that metal music cannot be atheistic. It is a
manifestation of the spirit's will to be diverse, individual and hard
on its adversaries. It is a way of reinventing god.
Frederik.
From: Sentinel Steel <metal@sentinelsteel.com>
Subject: Manilla Road Mystification review
Hello Alvin,
Your review and e-mail address was passed on to me by a friend.
The review was fantastic and I want to express my deepest gratitude
for such a wonderful review. I forwarded it to Mark Shelton as well
and I am sure he will be pleased.
But there is one correction I would like to make: in the last sentence
of the review, you make a comment about European sales of Sentinel
Steel titles which is not true. All Sentinel Steel releases are
available in Europe from over a dozen major mail-order distributors.
My releases are very easy to get in Europe. It is true that I am not
servicing individual foreign orders but this is because the European
distributors are doing their job well.
Sentinel Steel releases can be obtained from places like Hellion,
Rising Sun, Hard-Boiled, Metal Merchant, Nuclear Blast, and many
others. Cyclone Empire even puts the CDs into shops in Europe.
I hope you can correct the last sentence in your review because it
really gives the wrong impression to fans. In addition, it may make it
appear to the band (Manilla Road) that I am not doing my job.
Thanks for understanding and thanks again for the great review!
Best regards,
Denis
P.S. By the way, 'The Deluge' has not been reissued yet.
[Denis (and all),
The statement I made regarding overseas distribution was referring to
the fact that Sentinel Steel does not handle overseas mailorders
directly, and must have been very misleading, given the widespread
distribution by many other large labels. I apologise for making such
a misleading statement. As a matter of fact, Hellion Records is the
place I turn to for most Euro-metal releases; readers might be
interested in contacting them about Sentinel Steel stuff as well
(mailto:hellion-juergen@gmx.de).
_The Deluge_ is supposed to be released by Italy's Underground
Symphony in two formats, but as yet we don't know what's going on
with this release. Thanks Denis!
-- Alvin Wee]
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001
From: Robert <robert_s@cwcom.net>
Subject: letter
Hi
Seeing as you seem desperate to print something for the loud letters
section I thought I'd write something in for it. Might as well get it
off my chest.
First off- why is it not possible to unsubscribe via the address the
newsletter is sent from? I initially tried at least three times to
unsubscribe using the return address, simply because the one you
suggest is at the bottom of the newsletter, and I'd never read that
far down. I've since relented, but it was all the more annoying given
that I don't remember signing up in the first place.
Second of all, you claim to show that COC is "dedicated to the
underground" by reviewing demos "from all indie bands who send us
material". This isn't dedication to the underground, this is a
concession to the underground. Dedication would be going out there and
looking for good underground band. It would be buying and reviewing
demos having merely heard a whisper about the band. Given that your
zine isn't hard copy, the outgoings are negligible compared to a
printed zine, so you can't claim the "I've spent too much on printing
and postage" defense. Though I appreciate that you get a lot of stuff
coming in through your offices, there should be enough of you to deal
with this. Regardless, if you can't devote enough time to demos then
you aren't devoted to the underground.
I've been in the zine business for as long as you have, so I am fully
aware of how much work it takes, and how draining and demanding the
whole thing is. Yet, to summarise, if you're not prepared to go out
there looking for underground bands, you're not in any way dedicated.
Feel free to reply to me directly if you disagree, or if you'd like to
be on the mailing list for my newsletter: mailto:robert_s@cwcom.net
Robert
Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001
From: "Muller Bernard" <mbenes@hotmail.com>
Subject: Questions
Hi all,
When I read a record review, I like sometimes to get a reference to
previous albums of the band/artist, or of their other work, to know a
bit what is the music direction on their latest offer.
So, if I read the last Groinchurn review ('whoami') I would hope to
know a bit if there is an evolution compared to 'Fink', which was a
big step forward compared to 'sixtimesnine'. Instead, I read something
that remains totally abstract to me. That Kirsty doesn't like the
record is clear to me, but that doesn't mean that I won't like it
either. What I wanted to know was for example if she did like their
previous record, so I would know more precisely what she's speaking
about. But it looks more like she even don't know that they have
already other records in their discography. The same for Catastrophic.
Not to mention that I'm sad because Matthias doesn't like at all
Obituary records post-'Cause of Death' (personnaly, I love 'World
Demise'), I can't read at least once the name Pyrexia in his review of
the Catastropic album. On the contrary, after reading the review, I'm
almost sure he doesn't know at all the existence of Pyrexia, and that
all members of Catastrophic except Trevor are Pyrexia members. Does
'Sermon of Mockery' or 'Sustem Of The Animal' ring a bell, Matthias?
But, beside this, you still one of the very best e-zine on the web.
Continue like this.
Something else, do you agree with the new Death Metal direction on the
new Extreme Noise Terror record?
Take care.
Bernard
[Dear Bernard,
Thanks for your feedback! In fact, I'm not familiar with Pyrexia.
Neither the music on _The Cleansing_ nor the way Catastrophic got
promoted led me to the conclusion that the Pyrexia-connection did
really matter. About _World Demise_: I do indeed think it's a boring
record, offering nothing Obituary hadn't done three times before,
besides the lyrics and samples, with a better sound than its
predecessors. But it's still much better than _The Cleansing_. I
wouldn't go so far as to say I dislike it, but "Don't Care" and the
bonus track "Killing Victims Found" are the only ones I really enjoy.
By the way: Editor-in-Chief Gino is as confused as you are about my
lack of enthusiasm for latter-day Obituary. So let's put a big IMO in
front of everything I say.
I'm glad you enjoy reading CoC and I really appreciate your feedback!
-- Matthias Noll]
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T H E Y C O U L D N ' T D A M T H I S R I V E R . . .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Karl Sanders and Dallas Toller Wade of Nile
by: Paul Schwarz
At Glasgow's Cathouse, the evening's mostly underexposed line-up of
extreme metal entertainment prepare themselves for the evening ahead.
Local Glasgow acts Co-Exist (grind/hardcore nutters with a noted sense
of humour, formed from ex-Confusion Corporation members) and Regorge
(promising death/grinders with technicality, invention and brutality
fairly proportioned, and a singer -obsessed- with Manowar) talk, laugh
and soundcheck. Ex-Dearly Beheaded's Sleath are also present. Nile are
the exceptions of the night. The band have gone from strength to
strength since they came howling, desert-swept out of South Carolina
with their second CD release, _Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka_
nearly three years ago [CoC #32]. Three years! On the one hand it
feels like a longer time than Nile have been in my consciousness --
they still feel new, yet already they feel classic -- and on the other
it is such a short time for a band to rise to the very top of death
metal's hierarchy. In our last issue we voted the storming, creative,
brutal monstrosity of _Black Seeds of Vengeance_ [CoC #50] the top of
our writers' chart, and we were no exception. The response to their
latest album has been phenomenal for a band so groundedly still death
metal, yet not easy. And Nile still have a long way to go before they
gain the notoriety and sales of a Morbid Angel or a Cannibal Corpse,
but the point they have got to already -- and in such a short time --
is to be celebrated, not merely accepted. I put Nile's popularity and
many other issues up for debate when I met up with Karl Sanders and
Dallas Toller Wade backstage at the Cathouse. Here it is, in a pretty
raw transcribed format. I hope it helps you understand more not only
about Nile, but about the kind of people who make up the band.
CoC: It really looks like Nile are progressing onto a whole new level
from _Black Seeds of Vengeance_. Where do you see things going?
Did you ever see yourselves getting to such a point as this?
Karl Sanders: Well, the point is... <looks over at Dallas> that is
exactly not the point.
Dallas Toller Wade: <nods in agreement> Exactly.
KS: We started this band and certainly when Dallas joined up with us,
we were still a band that was lucky to get a gig and we were gonna
be happy if -five- people heard our record. We would have been
happy because this is the music that we've put all of the years
into, all the blood and sweat, and we didn't care if it was... if
it was whatever. We were just playing our music and that's the way
I feel today. I think it's wonderful that some metal fans are
getting the chance to hear it and, uh, maybe we're getting a
little bit of, a small amount of, recognition: I think that's
great and it certainly feels good and we've put a lot of hard work
in over the years. But it's not the point, the point, the point is
we love the music we make, that's why we're here and really, we
still work day jobs. I mean, that's what we do, it's metal, you're
not gonna be rich and famous if you play death metal. If you play
death metal, you're playing it because you love metal, because
that's what you believe in, that's what you wanna do, it's what
you give your life to. And that's what we're about, despite
enormous personal sacrifices we've done what it took to keep going
with the band, just to fuckin' survive. And to us that's really
the ultimate... reward. Just to keep goin', keep playin' our
music, fuck, at this point I'm happy, I'll feel pretty comfortable
if the record company'll let us make another record. And yes,
y'know, fuck, I'm happy!
CoC: Doesn't pay to be over-optimistic, that's fair, but if Nile
continues to grow and if Relapse as a label, as well, continues
to grow, one of the things you'll be able to do is do more with
the records, with money. For _Black Seeds..._, for example, you
definitely seem to have put much more into it production wise and
had more time to do it.
KS: Well, you know, it's not like we've got a budget fit for the
out-of-state prince. We're still shaving corners wherever we have
to just come in on the budget. We ran into a lot of trouble on
this record and, yeah, budget was a problem. Certainly, we're
trying to do some ambitious things and it would be nice to have a
proper budget, but this is the real world, this is death metal and
you know, you can only ask for so much with good reason, so I'm
realistic about it.
CoC: Why did you choose ancient Egypt as a subject matter in the first
place? I remember last time we talked [CoC #43] you were saying
it was to do with hearing Middle Eastern music at Pete's house
when you were younger.
KS: Yeah, sure. Well, here again, it really comes down to: when we
started this band, what really mattered was, we're gonna play some
music, we're gonna do what we like to do. So, I was interested in
Egypt, Pete had an interest in that sort of thing, so... it's what
we wanted to do! Since we didn't expect to be big, we expected
that no-one would give a -fuck- what some guys from South Carolina
were doing. So we just said: let's do what we wanna do, let's do
what we like, fuck everyone else.
CoC: But for this record as well you did a hell of a lot of research.
I think that was really cool, it definitely comes out on the
album, it's far more well rounded than some other records, but
would you say in any way you're trying to educate people as to,
kind of, the ancient texts of Egypt?
KS: No. No, I think it's in the entertainment realm.
DTW: It's more of an inspirational tool for the songs than anything
else.
CoC: Are you thinking of moving on in the history of Egypt? I've been
studying ancient history at university, so it's quite curious to
kind of come across the same stuff. For example, did you get the
"Eternal Oceans of Sand" thing from an old inscription [actually
a source from Arrian, I think -- Paul] on Alexander the Great
where he goes to see the oracle of Amon, and it says that the
sand makes some eternal ocean so you can't see the path and he
gets led by two talking snakes?
KS: Yeah, I read that, y'know, but most of the song comes from an H.P.
Lovecraft story called "The Outsider". "Beneath Eternal Oceans of
Sand" was just... that's what it felt like when I played that
acoustic riff. That's what that riff feels like to me: the eternal
oceans of sand. I don't know, you stick it together, it might mean
something or... or it might not.
CoC: But I think it's always been one of the things with Nile that the
music does kind of gel with the subject matter. You can kind of
feel the violence or feel whatever you're trying to express. I
think that's something you've definitely managed to capture. What
happened with Pete and with changing drummers? I've heard various
different stories...
DTW: Well, uh, he tore his arm up really bad and he needed a lot of
time to heal. That's pretty much all that needs to be said about
it. He tore his arm up and we got Derrick in to do most of the
record and got Tony to do the tours. But it's very unfortunate,
the guy is 150% metal and it saddens us all, but even he wouldn't
want to see us quit so...
CoC: Do you think his arm will recover?
KS: I don't think people ever get back to the level of physical
endurance necessary to do this kind of music on a thirty or forty
date tour. He could play one or two nights, I think, but I don't
think that injury will ever heal to the point where he can sustain
the endurance over a month-long tour.
CoC: That means that Pete, effectively, will have to leave the band.
KS: Like Dallas said, we're all very sad about it. Pete has been my
best friend for twenty years. It feels like I've lost my brother.
But, y'know, sometimes the metal gods are cruel. Pete Hammoura is
one of the people that worked so fucking hard over the years, with
a long-term commitment to this band. Without him I don't exactly
think we would have done all the things that we did. He was one of
the really key elements within the band. It's saddening for us
all, but what are we supposed to do, just piss off?
CoC: Yeah, absolutely: you've gotta keep the band going. "That's what
he would've wanted", I guess, would be the phrase.
DTW: Yeah.
CoC: With the subject matter again, do you think you're gonna just
continue looking into ancient Egypt or do you think maybe that
subject matter might get a bit old? [I never even realised at the
time how silly that sounds -- Paul]
KS: Well, I've been asked that question before but when I get tired of
it, y'know, I imagine the rest of the band will start getting
tired of it. <suddenly loud and excited> But I don't think that
that's happened yet, I think we've got a few more Nile albums!
CoC: Totally, I was curious whether you might branch out into the
later history of Egypt: the Greeks taking over Egypt, the Romans
taking over Egypt, what have you.
KS: Who knows, the new album is not finished yet. We're just kicking
around a few song ideas so far. Who knows, we've gotta finish
working this record a little more before we start making ultimate
grandiose plans <puts on amusing, melodramatic low voice>.
CoC: Well, if you want some help, I'll be up for doing some research.
KS: Right on. I might call you... what's that gameshow where they ask
if you wanna phone a friend?
CoC: "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?".
KS: Yeah, yeah. I'll call you up: "We're in the studio, I need some
more lyrics!"
CoC: It was funny 'cause you remember those T-shirts you printed up
with "Ithyphallic death metal"?
KS: Yeah.
CoC: I never realised what that meant until I read the Ithyphallic
hymn from Ptolemy [Ithyphallic means "upright phallus"]. Would
you be interested in maybe going through some of your favourite
gods or rules from ancient Egypt for us?
KS: <laughs a lot> I don't know, that's kinda gay. That's like saying
what's my favourite Barbie doll. <Karl and Dallas both laugh, as
do I> At home I've got I couple of Annubis statues. I have a Set
statue. I have a Sekhemet statue. I have an Annubis that's on like
an altar. Some Ankhs, some papyri hanging. Dallas has a few things
at his house.
DTW: I have a [vira, I think -- Paul] that I put candles around and
stuff when I'm practising. Sets the mood a little bit.
CoC: So you guys really immerse yourselves in that stuff?
KS: I don't know...
DTW: It just kinda helps get into the spirit of it, it just kinda
helps the inspiration.
KS: Yeah, that's it. It definitely helps 'cause I have all that stuff
where I write my music. It helps, but we still live in the real
world. <looks at Dallas and both chuckle knowingly>
DTW: You gotta find a way to escape every now and then, stay glued
together. <chuckles again>
CoC: Yeah, I mean you guys haven't gone to the next level, the kind of
Manowar level of wearing all the stuff on stage.
KS: <reverently and almost ominously> Be careful when we speak of
Manowar.
CoC: <Dallas laughs as I defend my steel> I love Manowar. I had to
decide between "Battle Hymns" or The Chasm today [that's which
shirt I was to wear -- Paul].
KS: OK, alright.
CoC: I snowboarded down mountains with Manowar on, very proudly.
KS: Yeah?
DTW: Alright!
CoC: Me and my mate put them over our jackets. Wiped out to Manowar.
<Dallas, Karl and myself, laugh heartily> So do you think you'd
go to that next level, or do you think that's maybe a bit too
kitsch for death metal?
DTW: We're just a bunch of guys, y'know. I mean, we kinda like to
leave that to the music.
KS: Yeah, if your music doesn't say it, then no amount of posturing is
going to do it for you. Death metal fans are not stupid. You can
not fool a kid...
CoC: <I sit up and speak with mock-seriousness, feigning that I am
offended> Are you saying Manowar fans are?
[Dallas laughs, as do I after a second or two. Karl is a little
defensive, not instantly realising the joke]
KS: No, no, no, no, that's not what I mean. I mean, we couldn't dress
up like ancient Egypt gods and take ourselves seriously.
CoC: Right.
KS: The music's got to do it. If the music doesn't do it, if the music
is not getting there and doing it by itself, then it's... it's
funville, it's Vegas.
CoC: I agree.
DTW: <nods firmly in agreement> It's really silly.
KS: Yeah, it's gay! <I laugh>
DTW: Yeah, and you know plus the fact too that even if we did ever
decide we wanted to do something like that -- which we wouldn't
-- you'd have a bunch of people saying that they thought it was
cool and a bunch of other people saying we were a bunch of
posers. 'Cause you've got some serious hardcore death metal fans
that're just totally not into that and you got other people that
are into that. That's cool and all but it's best to just keep it
to music.
KS: I really like it -- just like you said -- keep it to the fucking
music, 'cause you won't find any political messages in our music,
you won't find any fascist, Nazi stuff. I mean, we just totally
avoid all that 'cause we really don't care! The Satan/Christian
argument? Well, who cares: we're writing about stuff that's before
Christ, so it's irrelevant. You come to a Nile show, you don't
have to deal with any of that crap. I mean, you can believe
whatever you wanna believe, that's fine, you can still come to a
Nile show. You know, you're not gonna get any opinion from us one
way or the other. We're not concerned with those things.
CoC: Whatever your personal sentiments are, they're not part of the
band.
DTW: Exactly.
KS: Exactly. We're just here, we love the music, that's why we're
here!
CoC: I think that's always been a part of death metal, the whole
appearance of death metal. It has moved into Satanic areas but
essentially it seems to be a bit removed from that. On that note,
where the extreme music scene's going these days, it does seem to
me that the scene's split up, it has kind of fragmented in a good
way -- as much as that can be a bad thing. Nowadays, Cryptopsy
describe themselves as extreme metal rather than death metal
'cause death metal just doesn't fit them anymore. How would you
say that fits into Nile? Would you say you're still -championing-
death metal?
KS: We're waving the flag of death metal. We've always been metal, but
really, no matter what tag you stick on it, it's -still, metal!-.
We still feel a brotherhood with, say, Metal Church or Iron Maiden
or Manowar or whoever you want: Slayer. All the way down the line,
all the years back we feel all that is a part of our metal
heritage and we're proud to be contributing to the world of
metal. Even if what we have is that we're just a small little
contribution, you know. I mean, how do you argue with Iron Maiden?
They're an institution. Compared to an Iron Maiden we're just this
little tiny blip on the screen, but we're proud to be that little
fucking blip on the TV screen of metal.
DTW: Yeah, that's it.
CoC: I think that's really good and that's cool: I'm a metal fan and
I've been a metal fan for years, but I also like various other
styles of music. I like hardcore and things and the thing I find
today in 2001 is that hardcore kids and metal kids, they enjoy
the same things. I've a load of friends here today who're into
Nile, Converge, old hardcore, new hardcore and all sorts of
things. Would you say it even broadens out to beyond metal, to
just kind of being "extreme music"? Or would you say Nile stick
with the metal side of it?
DTW: It's what we like to do. I mean, hopefully people that are into
all kinds of different styles will have an open mind, and like a
little metal, and like a little hardcore, and not, you know, pick
sides and start a fuckin' holy war. That would be ridiculous.
It's just best to keep an open mind.
KS: Eventually, people will still like what they like anyway, so why
separate it? I believe there's a lot of different elements of
different sorts of metal within what we do. But you won't find any
hip-hop or hardcore elements...
CoC: You're not gonna do rapping on the next album?
KS: No. No, you won't catch us doing that, but we sort of... we
champion the cause of metal. Everywhere we go -- we're kinda new
to this international thing, this is only our second European
tour, but every country we go, metal is sort of the international
language. Maybe other people already know this, but it's new to
me. So, to me it really means something. We go somewhere and the
kids all look the same, they look just like us, they wear boots
and T-shirts and long hair and when we throw the goat horns
<raises a two-pronged hand>, the metal horns, on stage, and the
kids throw it back to us, it's like an international language of
metal. I feel like we're part of an international solidarity of
metal. It means something, some of them might not even speak the
same fuckin' language you do, but they understand metal, they
understand a powerchord. You know, you hit that fucking chord,
it's like, you feel an instant communion, you know. It's a
bonding. And I'm really a great believer in: metal should be a
unifying force, not a destructive force. I don't like to see bands
who go: "My metal is the only kind of metal that exists and all
others suck". I don't believe that. I believe there's lots of
different good things in different kinds of metal... except, you
know, dance music that's -disguised- as metal. I know the
difference. If you want a fucking disco beat and you have people
going like this <mimics the hip-hop-a-like hands of Fred Durst> to
heavy guitar and call it metal, it's -not fucking metal-! Real
metal bands know what the fuck metal is, and that's a wide area.
CoC: What I think is great as well, what you were saying about the
international language, is that not only are people understanding
metal, I think what Nile and Cryptopsy have shown is that they
also understand that metal can progress, that it can go in
different areas without them rejecting it.
KS: Right on.
CoC: _Black Seeds..._, for example, is very symphonic in parts, it's
very curious and I think it's good that kids have got into that.
DTW: I totally agree. Metal is like a vessel that brings unity
throughout the entire world; it can travel, that vessel. And even
though we might speak different languages, different cultures, we
all understand the feeling that metal gives us. It's a very
empowering thing.
KS: Yeah, man, when we were hangin' out with Krisiun, man, you talk to
those guys, stand with 'em for five minutes, and you feel... you
feel stronger, you can -feel- the metal. It's a thing that sends
chills down my spine. You know, I've been asking myself a lot of
questions lately, like: OK, why are the metal gods being kind to
us? There's a lot of fucking bands that work fucking hard, a lot
of bands that deserve to be heard, why us? Why are the metal gods
being kind to us? And it's our responsibility, so I'm taking it
seriously. I believe: there is a cause, there is a reason. Metal
is a good thing, it's a worthwhile thing and it's a good feeling
to have. When you go to a show and you reach people from, you
know, wherever, all-over and you have something in common with
them, you know. It's a good thing, it's a powerful thing and I
believe that we owe a certain debt to the world of metal to stand
up for what's right and play our music to champion the cause of
metal.
CoC: I agree. I definitely think it's a positive thing. It was very
cathartic for me when I was at school. I think it's a pity a lot
of people don't see that and see it as a negative thing that kids
have to get over.
KS: It's not! It's not: there's been times when I got fired from my
job or whatever because I was doing <glances at Dallas> whatever.
I'd stick in a Manowar CD, I'd feel the power and I'd have the
courage to go: alright, I'm gonna go get another fuckin' job, fuck
that motherfucker if he don't like my long hair, fuck 'im!
DTW: You're just too metal for 'im. <chuckles, as do I>
KS: Damn right! 'Cause, I know I'm a worthwhile human being and I know
I've got something positive to contribute to this world and I've
gotta work hard like anybody else: at my job, at my music, at
whatever. You know, and sometimes, metal will carry you through.
If you're feeling a little bit weak, you need a little inspiration
from the metal gods...
DTW: Crank it up!
KS: Yeah! Crank it up, feel the power, let your brothers help you
through.
CoC: And Manowar's pretty damn good for that one.
DTW: <slowly, savouring the sentiment> Oh yeah! <I laugh>
CoC: I got a lot of my friends who aren't even into metal into
Manowar. It just has that spirit to it.
KS: Right on.
CoC: It must be a lot of work doing all these shows, right?
KS: Yeah, but touring Europe is a piece of cake compared to the
States. Dude, in the States we travelled in a little van, loaded
our gear ourselves and we get paid. Over here, we get treated like
human beings, it's wonderful. Coping with the PAs is a challenge,
but what're you gonna do, cry about it? No, you gotta deal with
what the gods give you. The gods give you a chance, they say: OK,
you've got this gig. They give it to us. What're we gonna do with
it, cry about it or work with what we've got? No, we fucking work
with what we've got. We were in Wakefield, first show of the tour,
and the sound was bad, we lost power and my computer cut out. We
had the choice, we could toss the show and walk away -- because
the sound wasn't gonna be great -- just walk away. We'd already
been paid for it, what the hell. But there were kids, lined up,
for -three hours- outside. So, what're you gonna do? Those kids
came here for metal.
[As sound-checking ensues, we cease talking, the noise around us
stifling fluid conversation. I break the mini-silence by commenting on
Dallas' Immolation T-shirt.]
CoC: Nice shirt man!
DTW: That new record is one of the greatest fuckin' records.
CoC: Fuckin' a!
DTW: That is one of the -baddest- fuckin' records ever, man. They're
just so fuckin' heavy. _Close..._ is the best thing since _Here
in After_.
CoC: I was very impressed.
DTW: Getting popular's not what they care about, they care about
making the music that moves them as musicians, making themselves
and the people that do listen to them happy. That's all that
really matters.
[Another interruption of sound-checking ensues, then I decide to
breach a particularly hot topic of the time with Nile]
CoC: Do you think Tony [Laureno] is going to take over as permanent
drummer?
KS: Well... <exchanges looks with Dallas, silently deliberating what
to say> That is one of those delicate questions which is best left
to the band room.
DTW: We haven't sorted it out ourselves.
CoC: On a personal note, I'd say: technically, do it. Obviously how he
works in the band is what matters.
KS: Well, he's a great guy. He's a great drummer, he's a nice guy to
work with, he's certainly a solid individual. You can count on him
when you're out on tour.
DTW: Yeah, he works hard. He's got a good work ethic.
KS: Yeah, we don't have many complaints.
CoC: But you just haven't made a decision yet?
DTW: Yeah.
CoC: There probably aren't many drummers out there who you could've
got to do this tour, though.
KS: Well, don't say that to him, he might start asking for more money.
<we all laugh>
CoC: I was quite worried when I heard about Pete [Hammoura] 'cause I
didn't know who would take over and I could see some drummers not
quite getting it right.
KS: I can see that too. It's a double-edged sword. Any time that you
want to push harder, any time that you want to say to yourself:
OK, I'm gonna push myself to the extreme limits of human endurance
with these songs. You know, you set lofty goals for yourself like
that, and not only do you have to, yourself, somehow achieve them,
but you gotta get a fuckin' drummer that can do it, and that's no
walk in the park.
DTW: Yeah, then [Derrick] Roddy just totally smoked the record.
KS: We've known Derrick for years 'cause he's from Columbia, South
Carolina and he used to play in bands with Bob Moore, our
producer. Derrick does most of his recordings with Bob Moore:
they're old buddies. And every band that Derrick ever played in
over the years recorded at the Soundlab.
[I bought Rebaelliun's _Bringer of War_ EP at the Nile gig; the next
section of conversation led on from Karl and Dallas studying the CD]
CoC: D'you ever check out Rebaelliun?
KS: No.
CoC: From a similar vein to Krisiun. Pretty good band, actually.
KS: They covered "Day of Suffering", that's one of my favourite Morbid
songs.
CoC: They covered it live, actually. They were on a great tour package
with Vader and Vital Remains.
DTW: That's a wicked album cover.
CoC: It's a bit more sort of _Altars of Madness_ / Slayer tinged, but
very similar to Krisiun.
KS: That's kinda the Brazil vibe.
CoC: Yeah, totally.
DTW: Yeah, just hold it to the floor as long as you can. It's the song
of death.
CoC: I don't know how the fuck Krisiun manage it with three people.
KS: They're fuckin' brutal! They are the fuckin' brutallest metal band
on this planet as far as I'm concerned: Krisiun. And one day, they
will own the world. <I laugh>
DTW: Yeah, even if they have to take it over by force. Definitely,
those guys are amazing live and amazing guys. They're the coolest
guys you'll ever meet. They have the shreddingest damn guitar
player I think I've ever seen in my life. God!
KS: We're pretty lucky. The entire Cannibal tour we had to share
dressing rooms so every day while Dallas and I are sitting
backstage practising, Moyses was back there and would pick up our
guitars and go: <he imitates the noise of millions of notes being
played and widdles his fingers in tandem>. Every day we got to
witness this guy: up close and personal.
DTW: In the raw.
KS: We'd go: hey, uh, would you mind doing that again a little slower?
CoC: You'd have to put it in slow motion just to see what he was
doing.
DTW: It would still blur.
KS: Yeah. Those guys are so true. You will not find a truer band. To
me, it's kind of like the Vader story. Vader had to make their own
guitars and Krisiun is pretty much the same story. They had to
work their way up from difficult beginnings. To me, that is a
whole lot more meaningful than say, in America where your parents
will buy you instruments, they're readily available and all the
kids have great guitars... but none of them bother to fuckin'
practice! Then you see someone like Vader who had to work for
every damn thing they got. Man, I respect that man, those guys...
CoC: From behind the iron curtain as well.
KS: Yeah, they have integrity. They have fuckin' integrity. <Karl
flicks through a copy of Terrorizer and spots the cover
to the "new" Narnia record> Look at this man, more Egypt
stuff. Everywhere I look there's more Egypt stuff. Egypt stuff
everywhere. There was a band with flyers on the wall yesterday
called "Egypt".
DTW: There's another band in the states called Coffin Texts. I think
they've been around as long as Nile has, so I think that may
possibly have just been a coincidence.
KS: Yeah, it's a coincidence. <spies an advert for Nile's gig in
London the day after which has Septic Flesh as support> Septic
Flesh! Septic Flesh are gods! They're genius! I have nothing but
respect for Septic Flesh: we should be opening for them. They are
a great fuckin' band. I've got all their albums, well actually, my
wife has all of them and I have listened to all of them 'cause she
plays it incessantly. They're incredible. I feel very privileged
to have been able to hear Septic Flesh 'cause in America they
don't get so much press or hype or anything. But they're
incredible! They're a fuckin' incredible band! Very, very amazing,
the compositions are great, the musicianship is great, the
orchestrations are great, the production is great, their fuckin'
album artwork is great. Their fuckin' album cover is ten times
better than ours. Is there a fucking cover even mentioned [in the
Terrorizer readers poll] because it deserves to be?
CoC: No.
KS: No?
CoC: I don't think Septic Flesh made it into the readers poll
anywhere.
KS: Well that's a fuckin' tragedy that needs to be fuckin' remedied,
'cause they're a great fuckin' band.
CoC: Where did you get that cover from? Was it made up by the graphic
designers?
KS: Well, do you want the real story?
CoC: Yeah.
KS: Alright, we had our own ideas about what the album cover should
be, and Relapse had theirs. And, um, well, when I look at the
album cover now I really can appreciate the beauty of it, it's a
great album cover. It's beautiful, I mean, what can I say, it's
great. It wasn't exactly what we wanted but we've grown to like
it.
DTW: Yeah, it grew on us. At first we were like ewwumm...
KS: Yeah, like: what!? Another mother fucking mummy. <I laugh loud>
DTW: Yeah.
KS: But I've grown to like it, appreciate it. It's a beautiful piece
of work.
DTW: The colouring really set it off. And it looked better printed
than it did on a computer screen too, so that led us to begin
with.
KS: They sent us a JPEG all downsized and grainy and the colours were
all weird and we were like: what the fuck is this?
DTW: You had to scroll it from side to side...
CoC: At first I didn't like that particular cover myself and when I
saw it quite big in an advert it made an impact on me and I
understood where it was coming from.
KS: Yeah, in the States we have nice big posters of it and it's a
beautiful record.
CoC: Have you been contacted to do any soundtrack work on "The Mummy
2" ("The Mummy Returns")?
KS: You know, that pisses me off so much, 'cause I called up our
management and said: look, listen, these fuckers are making a
sequel and I want a chance, I want a chance to do some stuff. And
they go: well, we'll send 'em an album but, you know, you're
really not big enough for them to care about, because unless
you're big enough to actually get more people to the movie, then
they don't care.
CoC: This is a weird idea, but one way some bands get on soundtracks
is one guy down the production company going: I love this band,
let's stick 'em on. So, hopefully, if the right person gets it
maybe someone will figure it out.
DTW: There are some pieces on the record that'd be perfect for it.
What I'd really like to see is "Khetti Satha Shemsu" .
[Karl nods in agreement as they both make enthusiastic noises about
the idea]
CoC: That would be fuckin' cool, when the thing rises from the fuckin'
sarcophagus.
DTW: Yeah.
CoC: That would be excellent.
DTW: I think even people that were not into a death metal realm would
still appreciate it because it is a very chanty piece.
KS: It has lots of feeling.
DTW: It has the spirit and it just so happens to be death metal
growling, but it fits perfectly. You can see serpents rising.
[Karl laughs in a distinctly evil, pronounced way]
CoC: Do you know if The Rock is a fan of Nile, 'cause he's in that
film? <we all laugh merrily>
CoC: He's like the bad guy in it or something.
DTW: Wow...
CoC: Can you smell what the Mummy is cooking? <we all laugh again>
[I mention a commercial for Film Suez, a company in Argentina, who had
an advert which could have been the beginning to a Nile video]
CoC: Bands back in the day used to make videos, but MTV just aren't
playing that shit anymore. There's no "Into the Pit" anymore.
DTW: You had to wait for the triple-thrash threat when "Headbangers
Ball" was around even to see stuff then.
KS: "Into the Pit"...
DTW: Yeah, they totally took that out and "Headbangers Ball" was just
totally wiped out.
CoC: In Europe at least, it was like three years ago that they took it
away and they never brought it back. Even in Germany, there was
Superock and there was fuck all metal on it. It's all Korn and
Limp Bizkit. I can't believe it, a country full of metal, and
there's no metal on MTV.
KS: It's gay, isn't it?
CoC: That is pretty gay, yeah.
DTW: That's OK because metal has always proven that it doesn't need a
whole bunch of hype around it to exist.
KS: The fuckin' fans know what the deal is. The fans are everything,
they don't need a fuckin' radio, they don't need a fuckin' TV,
they go, they see it for themselves and if you can't convince 'em
in the real world, in the real setting... You know, if you suck
live the kids know, man. You can't fool 'em, you've got to
deliver the goods. And I think the bands who deliver the goods,
ultimately, through genuine hard work, eventually will do well,
just because it's... death metal is a thing, I believe, founded on
truth. There's a certain truth -- when you go see the band it's
right there, there's no trickery involved in death metal. How you
gonna hide? You got your drums: they're right there. You got the
guitars: they're right there. Where you gonna hide? You can't
hide, that's the truth. You got kids this far from you <holds hand
at arms length from face>. They see it. They know because they see
every other band. There's a foundation of truth: either you're
good or you're not or whatever, but the kids fuckin' know. You
need to deliver the real fuckin' thing. And television, radio or
whatever, it's irrelevant to me.
CoC: I'd say, once you're in the realm of metal it is irrelevant. The
thing I find is that when I got into metal I didn't get into Nile
or whatever was underground at the time, I got into Pantera and
Metallica...
KS: Yeah, and then you work your way...
DTW: ...and search for something heavier. Descend into hell.
CoC: And if those bands aren't even on MTV at all and if people are
being pushed away from metal... I'm curious to see where Limp
Bizkit and Korn takes people. I talked to Matt Jacobson the other
day and he was saying that these kids -- because the jocks listen
to that stuff now it's not cool anymore -- so he thinks they're
gonna go underground from there, and possibly head towards more
stuff like what Dillinger or Nile are doing or more of the stuff
that's on the underground side of things.
DTW: Well, if that happens, whatever, but the people we care about --
that come to the shows -- are the true die-hard metal followers.
Not the people that are gonna change genres because of who
they're hangin' out with or blah blah blah. You either like the
shit in your heart or you don't, and if you're there just 'cause
you're trying to be trendy then you may as well just leave,
'cause that's not the people that we wanna play to.
KS: Right.
DTW: We wanna play to the true, metal followers.
KS: Those are the ones who cared about us when we were no-one. We're
not gonna do a 'Cold' Lake or anything like that. Anybody you
wanna name like that, we're not gonna do it, because frankly we're
adults, we've been playing metal all of our lives, we played metal
when no-one gave a fuck who we were, we played metal when we
couldn't get paid for a gig, we played metal when we couldn't get
a gig. So now that we've got a gig, what do I play? Metal! Dude,
we're not gonna do anything except do what the fuck we do. And
people that have been with us since the beginning, that liked us
because of who we are and what we do, that's who we're playing it
to, and if some new people wanna come and join in with that,
that's nice, that's fucking cool, and maybe we can bring them to
metal, but we're not going to dilute what we do, we're not going
to cheese it. We care about metal, we care about the kid that pays
his fuckin' twenty bucks a ticket, buys a T-shirt. When a kid buys
a T-shirt you know where it goes? It goes in our fuckin' van for
gas to go to the next fuckin' show. We care about those people
because we are those people. When I'm at home, you know what I do?
I have to pay to get into shows. I don't have any grand status or
anything. I still have to work for a living. I still have to pay
for my CDs just like everybody else. So I feel a certain fucking
-common bond-. When I'm at a show -- and all of us too -- we go
out and we talk to the people who come to our shows because they
like us and they took enough care to make us feel welcome: to come
to the show, to drive however long they have to drive -- sometimes
in the States kids'll drive six, seven, eight hours, I 'm sure
it's the same over here -- to come to our fucking show. Now, if
somebody does that, just to come hear your music -- fuck, man,
that means something.
DTW: That's a true metalhead right there.
KS: Damn right! That's who we care about.
DTW: That's who I feel that I am about metal. I can play to three
people, I can play to three thousand, I don't care -- as long as
it's metal, I'm gonna do it. I've been metal whether it was
popular or not. It has never been difficult for me whatsoever to
say that I like fuckin' metal. If people make comments about my
CD collection or my hair, I'd just say: well, go listen to your
shit, go get spoon-fed some more music. That's the ones I really
respect too, the metalheads who've stayed metal all the years,
they didn't switch over to something that was popular, they
stayed metal all the time.
CoC: I got into death metal when it was at its least popular in
1995/6. I just got into the music. I never got to see Carcass
live, they split up before I ever got time.
DTW: Yeah, that's how I felt about Suffocation.
CoC: I saw them once at Milwaukee 1998.
DTW: Awww, I hate you! <laughs>
CoC: That band has to reform someday.
DTW: I know. I think it would really do some good to the scene, I
think there's a lot of people out there who are -starving- for
some more Suffocation.
CoC: And the fucking respect they got out of _Despise the Sun_, I
can't believe they never followed that up. That's one of the most
brutal things ever.
DTW: I wish they would have written even some more tunes for that one.
[Note: This interview occurred before Chief Spires left Nile. I have
no information on how this sits in the band apart from Relapse/Nile's
official press statements.]
[I wish it to be noted that though I cannot speak for Karl, and had no
occasion to ask him, the use of the word "gay" as a pejorative
adjective by me is done purely out of habit and its unfortunate
phonetic snugness, not through any prejudice whatsoever against
homosexuality or homosexuals. -- Paul]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
OF THE LUPINE LORDS THAT LURK IN THE SHADOWS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Fenriz of Darkthrone
by: David Rocher
"Darkthrone, Holy Darkthrone" -- when the now literally mythical
Norwegians' sophomore _Soulside Journey_ was released by Peaceville a
full ten years ago, after Darkthrone's demo _Thulcandra_ had already
earned great reviews in the extreme metal subterranea, little could
possibly have foretold that this obscure, darkened death metal band
were in time to become the uncontested, all-godlike flamebearers of
the Satanic Norwegian blackness which took the metal world by storm in
the mid-nineties. With their consecutive releases -- the savage,
enrapturing _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_, the bleak _Under a Funeral
Moon_ and the chilling _Transylvanian Hunger_ -- Darkthrone then
unwittingly began to set, in their own concealed, obscure and
meaningful ways, landmarks in the brimstone landscapes of black metal
by which countless hordes of derivative and more-or-less inspired
impious hordes were to be rated. And with the darkness, came secrecy
-- the utterly black, evil and almost unfathomable shroud which
always so fittingly cloaked Darkthrone's myth also fed the wildest
contradictory rumours and beliefs -- and gradually, as a new tombstone
was added to the landscape in the guise of each of Darkthrone's new
releases, the intangible, obscure Norwegian growing legend thrived and
strengthened, letting no light be shed on it other than a grim,
blackened aura that gradually evolved into a near-religious form of
reverence -- "Darkthrone, Holy Darkthrone". Needless to say, I felt
both graced and definitely apprehensive when, shortly after the
release of Darkthrone's seventh full-length, _Ravishing Grimness_, I
accepted an interview with the emblematic black metal personage named
Fenriz -- for who, other than Darkthrone's lyricist, could better
embody the most inscrutable, impenetrable darkness I was ever to
encounter? In fact, adding to the mystery that will always enshroud
this band, even with my numerous questions politely and extensively
answered, what Fenriz accepted to disclose of himself revealed him as
a startlingly acute, affable and talkative person -- who nonetheless
retains a form of unfathomable, extremely disconcerting shape-shifting
obscurity into which, I presume, no interviewer may ever be let. So
come now, and revel in the shadow of the horns...
CoC: It's been a while since _Total Death_ was released, and many
rumours had announced Darkthrone had split up -- so what's
Darkthrone been up to, exactly?
Fenriz: Well, Nocturno Culto has been settling down, trying to find a
steady place to live; he's used a lot of energy in his life to
try and find himself the right, the right home... He's been
settling down with kids and things, and I've basically been
feeding my ears, because I did a lot creative things from '92
to '95, and maybe I got "burned out", so I've been mostly just
listening to music, and breaking barriers when it comes down
to what sort of music I listen to.
CoC: What barriers?
F: Well, what it means to me is to listen to music that I normally
wouldn't have been interested in ten years ago, so that would be
extreme, for me. I mean, it's almost quite disgusting to listen to
old Commodores, but I'm getting into it! <laughs>
CoC: <definitely skeptical> So, you mean music that completely leaves
the field of metal?
F: No, no! It's always in metal, I'm proud to say I'm always a death
metal fan, so it's metal everyday for me -- but it's a lot of other
things everyday too. Music is larger than life for me; this
occurred to me maybe three or four years ago, and it's totally
exploded in my life, so I've just been into getting a huge record
collection. But I have to tell you that for Darkthrone influences,
Nocturno Culto and I just listen to what we always did, because we
don't want to change. The thing is that if I listen to all this
weird stuff -- and Nocturno Culto is also listening to a lot of
psytrance -- it doesn't influence our sound at all, because this is
important for us. A lot of people get very enthusiastic when they
discover a new style of music, and they try to... no, they don't
try, they -put- it with the music that they play, and then it comes
like a new style, entertainment, crossover or stuff, but not what I
would call the old school black metal that Darkthrone is about. Any
influences coming from the new things we listen to will not enter
Darkthrone, we will just stay the same.
CoC: <gradually losing foot!> You just said Nocturno Culto is pretty
much into techno...
F: <cutting across> It's mostly psytrance. Uh, it's just that we're
not talking about this or that trance, we're talking about
-psytrance-. <chuckles> It's really important for us, it's like
what we are discussing right now -- we know the difference between
death and black metal, so it's important to get things right. I'm
more of the aesthetic techno, underground techno, house and
everything, and he's getting into darker drum 'n' bass, but I've
been through all possible styles within the electronic field, and
I'm still into that. I'm checking out a lot of older music, now.
CoC: So what do you think of the way several black metal bands, among
which Samael and Arcturus, despite never having been really
raw black metal bands, have recently opened their sounds to
electronics; I'm particularly referring to Samael post-_Passage_
era, and to Arcturus' latest output, _Disguised Masters_?
F: I haven't really heard either -- I haven't heard the latest
Arcturus, and I haven't really checked out Samael since the first
one! <laughs> But I love the first Samael, it was important. They
were a very important band for us -- not that we're inspired by
them, but it was a great thing that they could stay occult at a
time when the scene was not really interested in this. The same
thing goes for bands like Tormentor and Sarcofago.
CoC: And what do you think of the more industrial way...
F: <cutting across> I don't like Fear Factory, for instance...
CoC: <also cutting across!> I was more precisely thinking of a band
like Attila Csihar's band, Aborym.
F: Oh, Aborym? Is that Italian? I haven't heard it yet... I'm supposed
to be sent a copy of that, because I was meant to do an interview
with a guy who's playing in the band. When he explained the idea,
it sounded like old Necromantia -- it was black metal, and then
some esoteric parts like Cold Meat Industry bands. It sounded like
he was analysing some old Necromantia things, because I was into
Necromantia for several years.
CoC: To get back to _Ravishing Grimness_...
F: Oh yeah, I completely forgot! <we laugh>
CoC: What does it represent to you in terms of Darkthrone's life?
F: For us, it's one more nail in the coffin <laughs> -- just another
album, really! We don't try to make a big thing about it -- of
course we are, actually, because we're doing all these interviews;
but I've been told to do interviews and to be nice! <we laugh>
CoC: I'm glad you're broaching this -- you do it rather well,
actually...
F: Well, because I fucked up so many things I said in the earlier
years, so... we're trying to hold the distribution that we have,
but I think I'm actually undermining the credibility of Darkthrone
by doing all these interviews. But at least we're not doing more
photos -- we haven't been doing photos since '93, so why the hell
should we start now? We should have decided then to do it in the
_Total Death_ era. If I were a Darkthrone fan seeing all these
things from the outside, I would not want to read all these
interviews, see new photo sessions in a nice studio and that shit
-- but for us too, this is -not- a good idea.
CoC: Fair enough. That's comprehensible to me...
F: I usually use this argument, and now you will hear my argument
<speaking with a deadly serious tone>, and I'm saying: I've been
liking Bathory since '86, and you don't see me crying for new
photos! <we both laugh> So if Bathory can do this, why the fuck
can't we, man?! <we laugh again> Basically, we're not trying to say
we are changing anything with this new album, but we are offering
one more alternative to the new school style, which is now dominant
in the scene, while we are still able to make some old school shit,
so that the people who are interested in that can also have
something to listen to. We're sort of Samaritans! <laughs>
CoC: I was looking at the lyrics sheet I received with _Ravishing
Grimness_...
F: <cutting across> There's a lot of misprints there, but it's not my
fault, I'm not the dyslexic! <laughs>
CoC: I was quite surprised by the lyrics, actually...
F: I know, it's just me, I'm a big cry-baby, and I've been having some
problems with my mind recently, so I'm writing a lot about that,
and a lot about death and hatred and things.
CoC: It looks like a lot of instinctive writing...
F: <ponders> Hmm, it's instinctive, but it is also poetic, and it is
sort of calculated, because I have been writing lyrics for a long,
long time, and I have a certain set of aesthetic rules that I won't
change; and I'm also trying to put these words into the mouth of
the guy who's singing, which is Nocturno Culto, so I'm trying to
make words that are great, and cut out in rock for some of them --
but they still must be something new, and still must be good for
Nocturno Culto to sing them. It's a very difficult job, and this
time I worked my ass off for that shit, and it feels like we're
moving a lever for every word. It's painful.
CoC: And how did you come across words like "necrohate", "panzergrim"?
F: For me, they're totally logical. "Panzer" is like "very", so it's
something "very grim". These are small details that are very
important for me -- a good example of a new word is "deathsane",
instead of "insane". A very strange word, but I knew exactly what
it meant for me when I wrote it down, but now I think I've
forgotten already. <he pauses> There's a lot of pain involved here,
and I think my mind has attempted to suppress it when I couldn't
deal with it.
CoC: The way the mind automatically tends to sort good memories from
bad ones...
F: Yeah! <he chuckles nervously> Man, my life is totally fucked!
CoC: So "necrohated" would then mean "hated to death"?
F: Yeah. To me, it's also a magical word, "hating to death" means
you're so rotten that even the angels hate you, because usually,
they won't hate you. [The quote from the track "Claws of Time" is
"Necrohated by angels..." -- David]
CoC: _Ravishing Grimness_ also has a very melancholic-sounding
track, "Claws of Time", which is rather unusual by Darkthrone
standards...
F: Oh yeah, yeah... People keep mentioning that track, but I didn't
make it, so there! <laughs> I don't know, but if you saw the
fucking place where Nocturno Culto is living now, maybe you'd
understand, because it's rather beautiful, and the place where he
lives sounds like the opening riff. I'm in nature the whole fucking
time, and he lives in nature too, and although he doesn't go out
walking in the mountains, I still think he uses nature as a source
of inspiration. When I make riffs, I don't refer to that anymore,
because I'm really close to nature all the time. [I suppose Fenriz
meant that he had got used to nature, and didn't actually notice it
any more -- David] I spend two or three days a week in the forest
when I can -- because we have a problem with the weather here in
Oslo, it's really unstable --, but the thing is that when I write
riffs, I rather think of smoking and drinking beer, and Hellhammer
and shit. I think Nocturno Culto takes care of the melodies now.
CoC: I noticed _Ravishing Grimness_ has no more lyrics in Norwegian...
F: No, there's just a line in there which is Norwegian. We were the
first band to sing in Norwegian, and that was very brave. What
happened at that time was I had been told by the guys from a
Norwegian band called [I couldn't quite make out what Fenriz said
at this point, it sounded like "Moment" -- David], they were around
in '85-'86, and made -excellent- death metal, but they broke up,
and the two guys started playing for Mayhem. So they told us, "hey,
it's about time somebody sung in Norwegian" -- by then, they [the
band] weren't about to do it, because they didn't want to play any
more; so I guess I just had that in the back of my mind for a
couple of years before I actually wrote some lyrics -- it's very
suitable for being sung by Nocturno Culto. After that, I think a
lot of people tried to sing in Norwegian, and some of it's been
great, and some of it's been not so great. When you sing in your
own language, you should be really careful about using the words.
It easily feels pathetic for us, and sometimes it works, sometimes
it doesn't work, I don't know. I don't want to mean that I've done
everything perfectly, but still <Fenriz suddenly cuts off> -- but
we didn't have any lyrics in Norwegian on _A Blaze in the Northern
Sky_, so what's the big deal, man? <laughs> [This is indeed true,
but Darkthrone -did- use Norwegian lyrics on releases consecutive
to _A Blaze..._, which is where my question arose from -- David]
CoC: What do you think of Darkthrone's earlier albums when you look
back upon them?
F: The point is that Nocturno Culto and me really agree on this: when
we look upon the albums, we're looking at things that happened in
our lives, around this album, whereas the people that will read
your interview and have the albums will not -- they will just think
about the music, that's all. It's really not that interesting, and
when people ask me if I have a favourite album, I'd rather say I
have favourite songs. You have what studio it was recorded in,
things that don't matter to the audience at all -- and also, this
has nothing to do with what the album will sound like for the
audience. I don't really travel much, so when I'm in the studio,
it's like very exciting for me, I'm getting out of Oslo, and that's
what I'm thinking about <laughs> -- the car trip, the cheeseburger
I ate on the way and things like this, and that uninteresting shit!
<laughs> Well, at least we never used more than 30 hours to make an
album, this time neither. We just go straight in and straight out
again, and it goes very quickly. This time it took four days with
the mix and everything like that! <he stops> But why am I saying
this?! <laughs as though he's embarrassed> I didn't fucking
remember, sorry! <chuckles>
CoC: <totally disconcerted> Erm -- no problem at all... <after
a bewildered pause> After _Soulside Journey_ had disclosed
Darkthrone as being an excellent occult death metal band, with _A
Blaze in the Northern Sky_ you actually created a musical and
thinking style, with the raw sound and repetitive riffing of the
Norwegian black metal style, that actually became a trademark
which thousands then followed -- how did you first move towards
this musical extremism?
F: Uh -- I'm going to give you a really long answer now, I guess. The
thing is, we had all the important albums from before in the
eighties, because we bought all that shit you -need- to make black
metal, like everyone else thought they all had the right albums,
like Hellhammer, old Bathory, and that shit. But then we got
totally worked up in the underground and death metal scene, at
least I did, and there were compilation tapes out, and death metal
was still pretty uninteresting shit, and I think it was late '89,
and I remember the whole side A was nothing really interesting for
me, and the first song on side B was sung by Tormentor, from
Hungary. And I was like, "ooooh yeah, that -old- feeling, this is
IT", and suddenly, the interest was there again, it was just like
picking up the whole fucking Destruction and Kreator shit again,
and this time I saw it in a new light, in what I would call a
-black- light, then I hooked up with Mayhem pretty quickly after
that -- I hadn't been talking with Mayhem for about a year at that
time -- and thought "this is really where it is". Still we were
playing death metal, and even better death metal after _Soulside
Journey_ -- the _Goatlord_ stuff that we made was really good
riffs, and would be one killer death metal album, but we couldn't
really continue, because the rest of the band was also starting to
get into the whole sound of Bathory and Celtic Frost, and that was
IT for us, except for our bass player, who wanted to play more
technical, so he had to leave. This was it, and one thing that I
have to say is that we're still doing this primitive style, and
this is because we've already been through the evolution of the
band -- you know, we started playing, and we weren't really good in
the start, and then suddenly we could play difficult things in
death metal, and playing a lot of complex drum stuff and shit like
that, and we've been through it, so when we took the decision that
we wanted to play black metal, it was like "we will not play
technical again", at least not in black metal, but a lot of black
metal bands you see today are totally technical -- it even sounds
like death metal with some minor changes. These are bands that
haven't gone through the evolution first; they started out as black
metal, and the natural evolution still has to happen, and it
happens within black metal. We took that outside black metal, we
didn't start playing black metal until we were finished with the
evolution, that's why it's easy for us to make primitive black
metal. Other people I know have really big problems if they play a
riff eight times in a row -- they become very insecure and think
"this is boring, this is shit", but it's not -- it's like, just
listen to Hellhammer -- if you like that, it's not shit to play
primitive!
CoC: Sure. And where did the idea of the really thin sound come from?
F: The thin sound is typical Bathory, along the lines of _Bathory_ and
_Under the Sign of the Black Mark_, there you have the really thin
sound, and this is what we want. You have a totally thin sound on
an album like _Eternal Devastation_ by Destruction.
CoC: It's pretty amazing now when you see the number of bands that
took to this sound.
F: Well, I think Immortal, for instance, went through the same thing,
and Burzum too -- Count Grishnack was a part of Old Funeral and
shit, and I think we have the same background, and Emperor also had
the same type of background, and Mayhem was there too, to keep it
all together. And then Thorns were there, and they were among the
ones who really invented the typical Norwegian black metal riffing,
which is sort of special. I don't wan to hum it to you <laughs>,
but I can easily tell you what that sort of riffing is all about.
That's really the typical Norwegian sound, and what the press have
been saying is typically Norwegian often isn't -- but they don't
really know. But I've seen the history -- I've been there, so I
know what's what!
CoC: And this black metal movement actually grew more than anything
you could expect, and actually became a social movement...
F: Yeah, but that's because it leaked through to the press, and all
the shit. I'm always going back to '91/'92 when I think about the
black metal shit. I can't deal with all this press, man, it's
horrible, man, horrible. I wasn't really smiling back in '94, I can
tell you! <laughs> That was a fucking drag, man!
CoC: Was this the reason why Darkthrone was such a secretive band back
then?
F: Yeah, we didn't want to do that media thing. I was like hanging
around in Euronymous' shop back in '91-'92, and I thought it was
great, but Zephyrous and Nocturno Culto quickly drew out of that
small circle because they thought it was beginning to look like a
social club, and we were like -- eight! No big thing, you know? We
were all centred here in Oslo, but no-one actually came from Oslo.
In '90, there was actually not one single black metal dude in Oslo
-- it's only 500 000 people here, but you can imagine how small it
all was at that time. Later there were like eight, ten of us, and
then that grew into a stronger following. Enslaved and Emperor were
also important, although Enslaved didn't want to be part of the
black metal scene, they wanted to do that Viking stuff, and then
you had like Satyricon and Gorgoroth coming into the scene, and
then other bands from Bergen, like Hades and others, and I'm sure
I'm forgetting some -- it's really embarrassing when I do.
<chuckles> There were just a few of us, but it was really
disgusting when that whole thing blew up in the press, it was so
tabloid. That's also why I liked to keep playing old school, like
nothing ever happened, you know? I'm living a lie!!!! <laughs>
We'll just do old school stuff until the day we die.
CoC: What does Darkthrone represent to you now, as an individual?
F: It represents at least that I'm very proud that I was born when I
was born, so that I could be able to take my place in creating a
strong style. That's great, to have released at least a couple of
classics, that is fucking beautiful. That makes me feel that I am
someone, but I don't know if people will remember this thirty years
from now -- at least I hope they will remember Mayhem.
CoC: Darkthrone were also granted a nearly "religious" status
throughout these years...
F: Not after I've been doing all these interviews! <laughs> I feel I'm
exposing Darkthrone to death, I'm really worried about this
situation.
CoC: I don't really follow you -- do you think Darkthrone audiences
are going to turn their backs on the band now?
F: Well, I would! <hesitates> I don't know, man, I've been told to be
polite and to have as much fun as possible, but the typical
Darkthrone fan may not be into so much fellowship... but I am, you
know?
CoC: Do you think it would actually be preferable for the band not to
give any interviews at all?
F: Well, it would be... preferable, actually, but it would be killing
for the label. But I wouldn't mind -- there was a long, long period
when we did no interviews, and I have no problems with that. The
rumours will still circulate, I don't even do interviews to stop
rumours, I usually get misquoted a lot, so the rumours will always
be there. I'm just talking, and talking... Where I was brought up,
my first six years were like I had no kids around to play with, so
I'm doing all the talking I missed then! <laughs> But at some
point, I had a lot of people refusing to do interviews with me.
They were expecting that I would be really mean! <chuckles>
CoC: Talking about this, what do you think of the often excessively
misanthropic attitude that is displayed by many followers of the
black metal genre?
F: Oh, I think it's important to go through this sort of phase the
first two or three years, I really do. If you get that black metal
feeling, man, you're not the most positive character in the world,
you know? But this wears off, but it's important that I've had
this, that I've been through this myself, and I've been enemies
with a lot of people I never should have been enemies with, and all
that shit, but I think that was necessary for me, and I hope a lot
of people will be like that. But I guess you're a bit sick to start
with when you -are- into the likes of Morbid Angel and stuff --
it's "blessed are the sick", man! <chuckles>
CoC: OK, thanks for your time, Fenriz -- what are the chances seeing
Darkthrone on tour?
F: Well, unless we're shipped away against our will, you won't get to
see us, because we don't like to travel, and to play live, we want
Newman from the "Seinfeld" series playing bass for us, and if we
don't get that, we want JR from "Dallas". <chuckles> And I think
this will not happen. And even if it does, we will only tour in
Peru! <laughs>
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
D E T O X E D B U T N O T D I S A R M E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Zamoth/Samoth of Zyklon/Emperor
by: Paul Schwarz
OK, I guess you might be wondering why I've used that strange two
names / two bands format on the interview header there. Well,
essentially it's because Emperor founder and guitarist Samoth has
put together a new full-time band, Zyklon (their name shortened
from Samoth's retro side-project of five years ago, Zyklon-B),
but the press release to their debut album, _World Ov Worms_ on
Candlelight [reviewed in this issue], notes his name as Zamoth but
does not specify whether this is his "Zyklon-name" or whether he has
"officially" altered his pseudonym. Ultimately, it's not important:
Zamoth (as I'll continue to reference him) should be judged by words
and not deeds, and on this basis, his judgement is emerging as
resoundingly favourable.
For a band essentially constituting an offshoot of a band as big
as Emperor, I found it surprising that I'd not even heard of Zyklon
until after the _World Ov Worms_ promo was already in my possession. I
probably just missed the hype, but once I found this out _World Ov
Worms_ was soon after spinning in my CD drive. A percussive assault
reminding me centrally of the impressive Myrkskog and flavoured with
curious mechanical and electronic sections greeted my ears. Upon
perusing the press release, I was hardly surprised to find a member
of the aforementioned Myrkskog residing in Zyklon, and even less
surprised that that "percussive assault" I mentioned was courtesy of
Samoth's fellow Emperor (sic) Trym.
In this interview from the latter part of December 2000 I
attempted not only to extract from Zamoth as much about Zyklon as
seemed appropriate, but also to delve into the past of Emperor (it
being around a full decade since the band had first emerged) and
further to try to ascertain what would be the course of their future
actions -- whether there would be more than one more Emperor album
before the band was no more, for example. I hope the results are
informative.
CoC: Zyklon shows a huge mix of influences. It definitely doesn't
sound the same as Emperor, but at the same time it doesn't sound
-- y'know -- very specifically black metal. Would you say that
you took a very different approach to how you wrote the music
compared to how you did it with Emperor?
Zamoth: No, not really. I mean, I do not really ever decide what kind
of music I write; I just write. And a lot of the music I write
-- out of Emperor -- is rather more primitive. With Emperor I
work together with Ihsahn and he's always developing my ideas
into more symphonic ideas or monumental parts, and adding a
lot of stuff, while with Zyklon we kind of kept it more in
your face and straightforward, primitive and intense.
CoC: It's definitely more riff-heavy. It has a lot of that sort of
machine-gun riff and drum work and things like that. Do you
think using different people -- apart from Trym who does the
drumming for Emperor, obviously -- like the guy from Myrkskog
[Destructhor] made an impact?
Z: Yeah, he had a huge impact on the final outcome of the music, I
think. I mean, me and Trym worked for it for, like, a while -- got
the basic material ready -- but as soon as we got Destructhor in
the band we got more like a unit and we improved all the songs and,
yeah, got a more totality of the music.
CoC: It definitely shows an influence. I remember getting [Myrkskog's]
_Deathmachine_ [CoC #47] nearly a year ago. And the sound of
Zyklon reminded me of that somewhat, but far more developed...
Z: Yeah, there's a little, I can hear that. I think Myrkskog is
actually more death metal and more -- Zyklon is even more intense
and extreme in a way, I think. And also more sharp in sound.
CoC: I think so. It's a lot more of a -cutting-, -ripping- sound. One
of the things about it is that it's almost completely the
opposite to what you do with Emperor on a conceptual, lyrical
scale. I mean, nowadays Emperor have developed a lot, but
certainly in the beginning Emperor, like a lot of black metal
bands, had this sort of throwback, past concept to it, whereas
Zyklon is very much futuristic. What made you choose that slant
and musically, what made you use electronic elements?
Z: Well, I guess it's because I'm a little bit more up-to-date,
on-the-ball: living in today. I mean, I realise I don't live a
thousand years ago. So I'm rather taking the inspiration maybe more
from things that I absorb in this life. Before, with Emperor, we
had a lot of this longing for the past, the old ancient days.
CoC: Medievalism and that sort of thing.
Z: Yeah. So in a way I kind of grew tired of that whole concept. I
still have an interest in the old days, but my main influence these
days is more like horror from the real life of today.
CoC: What was the motivation behind the title "World Ov Worms"?
Z: Well, that title is obviously open to interpretation, but it's
based around the song "Worm World". So, it's just like a twist on
that title and that specific lyric is a quite primitive hate-text
describing human depravity, in a way.
CoC: Unfortunately I don't have a lyrics sheet, but I do know from the
press release that Faust did the lyrics. I know from reading
interviews that you've kept in contact with Faust through his
prison sentence, but I was curious why you chose to use his
lyrics for this project. Was it due to his involvement in the
-other- incarnation of Zyklon, Zyklon-B?
Z: No, it was not really due to that, it's just that we have a good
communication and he has for these last years been doing a lot of
studies while he's been in prison and he's on a university level
now on the religion of history. So he has a lot of intellectual
insight into the topics of religion and history and this whole
thing. And I gave him some ideas and hinted that maybe he could
come up with some lyrics and he wrote a set of lyrics and it was
really good stuff. So he will be doing the lyrics for the next
album as well. I think he's a big part of the conceptual side of
the band, actually.
CoC: And I'm assuming that that makes you quite happy, working with
him again.
Z: Yeah, yeah, and I think it's also good for him. He's also a bit
more active in the scene again.
CoC: Any idea of him taking over on drums at any point?
Z: Actually he did some drums on -- you know the band Sirius which I
released on Nocturnal Art?
CoC: No.
Z: It's a Portuguese black metal band. He did some drums on their new
album, actually, which is coming out on Nocturnal Art in March
[reviewed in this issue -- Paul].
CoC: What would you think of him doing drumming for Zyklon?
Z: Yeah, I mean he still has several years to go in prison. I don't
know how good his talent is these days.
CoC: Fair enough, I guess they don't allow you those sorts of things.
[Thank you, Mr. Obvious... DOH! -- Paul]
Z: No, it's strict.
CoC: OK. Basically, with Zyklon being a full-time band, as you've
stated [in the press and promotion] a number of times, how is
that gonna fit in with Emperor? And on that note, could you
address the rumours that have been going around that the next
Emperor album may be the last one?
Z: Uuuuuuh, well... I mean, we haven't made any decisions about that
being the last one or not, that's just rumours because we're not --
I mean, we have now officially said we're not gonna be an active
touring band for this new album and Ihsahn has a few bands on the
side and I have Zyklon on the side, so I think due to all these
things people started to think: is this gonna be the last? And who
knows, maybe it will be the last, but it's never been a decision:
we have not made a decision that this next Emperor album is the
last one.
CoC: Fair enough.
Z: And, as I said, Ihsahn has a few bands on the side and so do I --
so I feel I have the time for it as well, especially now that
Emperor is not gonna be an active touring band. It's no problem to
have Zyklon as a full-time band.
CoC: Are you looking forward to touring with Zyklon?
Z: Yeah, absolutely.
CoC: Where are you guys heading out to?
Z: Well, we've done a few gigs in Norway now -- last month and this
month and we have a few more gigs coming up in the beginning of
2001 and then hopefully we'll be off on a full European tour in
April or May.
CoC: So how's the whole kind of sound been working live? 'Cause, I
mean, the majority of the material is, you know, riffs, drums and
vocals, but I think for me what makes the album a lot more
special and good is that -- for example, on "Chaos Deathcult" and
"Zykloned" -- it spirals off into electronic parts which really
work.
Z: Yeah. That's the thing, like, live we won't be having all those
effects as we have on the album -- except for "Zykloned", the
mid-part, obviously we'll have the industrial part 'cause that's
half of the song. Can't leave that out. But so far it's been
working quite OK live. It's really intense, I mean everybody who
saw us was like: wow, it's brutal! And also I think with Daemon [of
Limbonic Art -- Paul], he is a very good stage character. He's got
a very strong charisma.
CoC: His vocals worked really well on the album.
Z: Yeah, yeah. So he's doing very well, looking like he's gonna kill
ya...!
CoC: So he'll probably continue as vocalist? You're hoping he'll join?
[The PR for Zyklon has him down as doing live work but not
necessarily being a permanent member; he is not in the press
photos. -- Paul]
Z: Yeah, he is actually to be seen as a permanent member now. So he's
gonna follow us all next year on live stuff and on the next album.
CoC: When is the next album planned for? Do you have any ideas of
where you wanna go with it?
Z: No, not really. I mean, we'll have to see how much touring we're
gonna be doing first. Probably, if that is going well, maybe we'll
have another tour in the Autumn. Then it will take a long time
before we get started on the new album. And it's depending on
Emperor: how well the new album is doing and... yeah <sighs>, many
things and the label and everything.
CoC: The two guests on the album -- Trickster G [a.k.a. Garm, of
Ulver] and [US fetish queen] Persephone -- did they help only
with vocals or did they also help with the electronic parts?
Z: No, they were only doing vocals.
CoC: So the electronic parts are just something that you and the band
decided to include just for variety and interest?
Z: Yeah. Intentionally, like in the beginning, we wanted to use more
electronic parts, but after a while we found out that the basic
drums and guitar worked by itself as well so we didn't feel we
needed to add any more than was necessary.
CoC: On the subject of Emperor, what is the status of Emperor at the
moment? What is the band doing? Is the album planned? What ideas
do you have?
Z: Yeah, I would say with Emperor it's quite -- we are on a quite
positive vibe at the moment. Of course there has been quite a long
silence now for some time. I mean, since we did the last gig for
_IX Equilibrium_ in, I think it was Poland, October last year
[remember that's 1999 -- Paul] and since then we didn't really play
together until now. So it's been a long silence, but now we are
getting back together and working again and Ihsahn has got all the
material ready for the new album and so we hope to start to record
it in January. But it might be a bit later. So, if all goes
according to plan, then it should be ready for a Spring release,
but most likely it's gonna be in Autumn.
CoC: Do you think the fact that the band's been over a year apart from
touring will change the vibe of the album a lot, because you
won't have been playing together, on a stage, for so long?
Z: No, but I think the change may be the vibe a bit between us as, uh,
people, because in the end, not everybody was overly excited about
this touring and we some bullshit with some of the tours, so I
think it was good for us to just have a little break, to get things
into perspective. Now I feel it's a positive vibe going.
CoC: That's cool. It should be interesting to see what that results
in. OK, on a different tack I wanted to see what you said to some
ideas of mine. I think when black metal started, it started in
many respects as a reaction against other musical styles, against
the way that things had gone in music. I don't know whether you'd
agree with that, but certainly the way that Euronymous put it was
that, like, the death metal scene had killed whatever vibe came
from the earlier "death metal" music. When you were originally
doing Emperor, if you can remember, on the one hand were you
strongly influenced by either Euronymous personally or that whole
ethos, and in other respects were you kind of trying to create
something evil, trying to create something -like- something else?
Z: Well, when we started Emperor -- well, I mean, it was me who
started it and I started it with the intention of creating, like,
to... almost copy Celtic Frost and Bathory. And that was like: we
gotta make old school extreme black metal. And Celtic Frost and
Bathory were my favourite bands, so we took them as direct
influences. If you listen to the _Wrath of the Tyrant_ demo you can
easily hear it. It's nothing original, really. As for this
Euronymous... I mean, obviously we were really young back then and
he was pretty much older than everybody else back then and he was
like -the- character in the Norwegian scene, and he was the leader
of Mayhem and the Deathlike Silence [label], the Helvete shop and
everything, and so obviously he had quite some respect from people
and he managed to put quite a lot of influence to people.
CoC: Would you say that Emperor would have progressed -- I mean one of
the things that I thought of was: if Euronymous hadn't have died,
hadn't have been killed in 1993, how would things have been
different? Because in the end where black metal has got to in the
year 2000, it's a significant, recognised musical scene and it's
progressed in a huge, crazy sort of way -- none of which seems to
have been his, or anyone else's, intention at the original point.
Do you think Emperor and other bands would have progressed if
Euronymous hadn't disappeared from the scene?
Z: Yes, I think so, but it's difficult to imagine how it would be if
he hadn't died. But I mean, he wasn't like a god, he didn't decide
everything, so I think it's natural for a human being to progress.
And a lot of the black metal bands then were teenagers or [in
their] really early twenties. So if you stop progressing at that
age -- it's not normal, it's normal to have an evolution in your
life. But I noticed a change with him as well, because in the
beginning he was like: underground, underground, everything was
really very strict underground. But they were running Deathlike
Silence for many years and it went nowhere: they were broke, they
had nothing and it was crap, really. At some point you have to kind
of earn some money to get anywhere. So there was a certain time
when he kind of like, changed his attitudes, like to get the bands
big and get the money so that you can build up your own thing
stronger. In a way that's what happened, but it has got a little
bit out of hand because the term "black metal", it's completely
watered out. Like, what is black metal today? I don't really know.
I mean, you have all kinds of bands claiming to play black metal
and the original idea is completely gone.
CoC: It seems so ridiculous now when you get bands who sort of come
out, make their production values extremely low and basically try
and copy, I don't know, _Wrath of the Tyrant_ or [Darkthrone's]
_A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ or what have you, and say: right,
this is true black metal. It's kind of like, in the end you can't
just keep ripping off the same bands and calling it true...
Z: No, exactly. I mean, you kill the genre by doing that. There has to
be some fresh blood. Also,I think you have the stuff that's going a
bit softer: you have all this keyboard, like these Cradle copies
and I'm not thinking of Cradle of Filth but all the copy bands,
third generation bands copying Dimmu Borgir and Cradle. I mean,
such bands, they are not interesting at all. I think these bands
are watering things out. And then you have the ones who're really
extreme, who don't know how to play anything, who just make some
noise and say: this is true and it's whatever.
CoC: Do you think that now black metal has become diverse or do you
think that many bands have simply ceased to be black metal bands?
'Cause I mean, with Emperor, Mayhem and pretty much most other
major black metal bands apart from Darkthrone, you all branched
out in what I'd say was a very interesting and good way. I have
no problem with that, but it's certainly not the same as what you
were doing years ago.
Z: No.
CoC: And would you say that that's progressive black metal or would
you say that that's ceased to be black metal?
Z: Well, I guess that's open for interpretation, but for me it's not
really that important that Emperor has to be labelled as black
metal today -- but it started as a black metal band and I still
have quite the same ideas as I had before. I still have some of
these ideas, but musically we have kind of progressed, like beyond
what people used to think of as black metal. I don't really see any
problem with that.
CoC: What's interesting about black metal, is that in a similar way to
punk -- I mean punk on a musical level to some extent tries to
rebel against things, but certainly on a social level it was
an expression of rebellion. I'd say with black metal what's
interesting is that, through a musical style which was trying to
repeat the past, I think people managed -- yourselves, possibly
Mayhem, possibly others -- to actually reach new places. I'd say
for example Dodheimsgard did that.
Z: I think that is really cool. I mean, we started this thing with
strong inspirations from a genre which basically was dead, almost.
I mean when this rise of black metal came in Norway in '92/'93,
bands like Bathory and Venom, they were completely out. So we kind
of brought that thing in again and we took inspirations from these
bands but then we developed and mixed it with our own personal
musical ideas. And developed, in a way, a new form of extreme
music.
CoC: I think maybe somehow it's kind of, in one sense, highlighted
that kind of darker, earlier thrash feel and in another sense,
kind of put a lot of that back into music. Even as far forward as
Zyklon, the riffing is not all from the late '80s; a lot of it is
kind of a darker, harder sound.
Z: Yeah.
CoC: Which you've kind of gone back to.
Z: Absolutely.
CoC: Do you have any final words for us?
Z: "Check out the album" is basically all I've gotta say.
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M A J E S T I C V I S I O N S , T R I U M P H A N T S O U N D S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Silenoz of Dimmu Borgir
by: Adrian Bromley
When I first received an advance copy of the new Dimmu Borgir
disc _Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia_ [CoC #52], I was a little
apprehensive about spinning it. Not that I was not looking forward to
a new album by this Norwegian black metal sextet (singer Shagrath,
guitarists Silenoz and Galder (Old Man's Child), bassist/singer
Vortex (ex-Borknagar), drummer Nick Barker (ex-Cradle of Filth) and
keyboardist Mustis), but more wondering where the band would have
taken their sound in 2001.
Their last effort _Spiritual Black Dimensions_ [CoC #38] was
good, but a little too slick sounding, and for sure breaking away from
the black metal roots. Die-hard black metal fans were starting to feel
some disgust with Dimmu Borgir as they had already done with the work
of Cradle of Filth.
But, as it turns out, the new disc is an abrasive and totally
majestic state of affairs full of killer guitar riffs, menacing vocal
cries, eerie atmosphere and some collaborating work with a real
orchestra. You heard me -- an orchestra!
So the phone call comes in late one afternoon from guitarist
Silenoz to talk about what could just be the best Dimmu Borgir album.
Here is how it all went down.. .
"This new record is by far the best album Dimmu Borgir has done
so far", starts Silenoz. "I am sure a lot of people out there don't
like what we do, but to tell you the truth, we don't care. We have
never really cared what people thought about what we do. We just do
what we think needs to be achieved within our music. The whole
powerful aspect of this record isn't really a statement to all those
who didn't care for us, this is just where we are right now. People
can either love or hate us."
What was the studio experience like this time out, seeing that
the band had switched producers (from Peter Tagtgren to Fredrik
Nordstrom) and had worked with an orchestra (conducted by Gaute
Storas)? Was it hard to get _PEM_ assembled?
"This was a great experience for us all. It was a bit of work to
get it all going, but once we got into the studio and we started
laying down guitar tracks, I knew this was going to be killer. We were
excited about using the orchestra as well. Gaute Storas had worked
with us a few years ago when we had performed on the [Norwegian]
Grammy Awards. It was a great time and we offered to work with him
again, and the end result was his magnificent work on _PEM_."
"When you play the new record against any of the past records,
especially _Spiritual Black Dimensions_ you can definitely hear the
difference in the arrangements and the production", he says when
talking of the new disc. "This record is totally different. For
example, we used Fredrik this time around. The reason why is because
we felt that Peter and the way he works in the studio, is kind of like
following an old recipe and knowing how it will taste each time out.
He needs to maybe try a few new things and re-arrange how he does his
production. Fredrik is great because he is able to do what we ask him
to do. That is the main reason why we wanted to work with him. He came
to Norway to hear some of the songs and we discussed what we wanted to
do and he said he'd be able to do it, with a bit of work. That really
got us wanting to work with him. Peter would be saying stuff like,
"Well, you can do that, I guess, but you should try it this way".
Fredrik is much easier going when it comes to band ideas in the studio
and would say something like, "It might not work, but at least we can
try". I think we made a record that will hopefully open up more
borders. I think we have done a superb album has helped expand and
keep the music of Dimmu Borgir interesting."
How would you rate your guitar playing on this record? "Better
than the last album. <laughs> I think my guitar work is pretty good. I
let Galder take on the leads on this record while I concentrated on
the rhythm and making it all sound so tight."
One question that must be asked: what do you think about the
cover artwork for _PEM_ being censored by the label? "The label
already censored the cover. We had to tone it down. Originally you had
the torso with chopped off legs and arms and they thought it was too
much. We told them to put a black sleeve over it, but they wanted
changes. They got the final word on this, and if there had been
any bigger problems stemming from it, it might have affected the
promotion, the North American tour and the release of the record. I
guess we were on the weak end of that decision, but you have to
swallow shit sometimes in this business to get somewhere." He
continues, "I remember years ago they had macabre looking covers from
bands like Pungent Stench and Dismember, but I guess it is just an old
thing for them and they want to move on. We got the freedom to do
ideas for the bandmember shots within the CD sleeve, so we are happy
with that."
Looking back at the career of the band -- way back to the early
black metal experience of _Inn I Evighetens Morke_ (1993) or _For All
Tid_ (1994) --, it is amazing to see how the band has not only altered
their sound, but remained tight and in focus. Their sound has evolved,
but their musicianship has grown and tightened ten-fold.
"Each record of Dimmu Borgir sounds like us. But each time out we
always manage to do something different and that is a very natural
experience for us, to tell you the truth. Even though there are six of
us in the band with different ideas and visions, we all pretty much
have the same goal with this band. When we put our minds together we
will always come out varied and different sounding from any other acts
out there."
And Silenoz's take on the whole black metal scene -- does he
care? What are his views on it? "I don't really follow it much
anymore. I don't really have the time anymore to follow the bands that
are playing the scene and hear all of the new bands that are making
black metal music. I just hope I get to hear the good ones. I hope I
don't miss out on anything good."
One of the band's most infamous traits is the large amount of
musicians that have come and gone throughout the years of Dimmu
Borgir's existence -- how has that helped or hindered the band?
"All of these line-up changes have definitely helped the band",
Silenoz states. "But at the same time, it can be extremely frustrating
to be in a situation where you need to teach people the songs you have
played for so long. With new people, you need to help them get
familiar with the songs and work with the band. It is a great feeling
to have someone like Galder in the band because we have pretty much
the same background of playing music. It just felt natural when he
joined the band." He adds, "I remember saying on the last promotional
tour that that was the best line-up we had ever had. Well, I guess I
am saying the same thing for this album. "This is the best line-up
we've ever had." <laughs> Every line-up change has made us stronger
and better."
"We still get excited with the music we make and what we do", he
notes when asked why he still plays black metal-inspired music after
all of these years. "I think a lot of bands out there get bored of
what they do and want to try new things. That is great for them, but
for us, we want to evolve the sound and take it where we want to go. I
think each Dimmu Borgir record becomes more extreme each time out.
That is how bands vary differently -- some want to change, some
don't."
About their longevity in this music business, Silenoz comments,
"Yeah, we're stubborn bastards. We don't want to give up. You have to
be really confident and have ambitions to be in this music business
and you need to fulfil those ambitions. If problems arise, you need to
get rid of them and move on. That is why we are still here and why
we'll be here next year as well."
"After so many years in this business you know how to take people
for what they are. This is the shittiest business to be in. You see a
lot of fake people and it really disgusts you, but playing music is
what I do and I can take care of those fake people anyway. As long as
I can make music and be creative, I'll stay in this business. I just
have to -- as I have done in the past -- deal with the bad side of
this job."
In closing I comment, "I can see you guys getting some weird
groupies. Is that true?"
Silenoz pauses. "Yeah, we get girls around our tour buses all the
time, but I have never been into that whole groupie thing, really. I'm
engaged right now, so that whole groupie thing means nothing [to me].
Let the other bandmembers have fun. I just stay focused on my
relationship and the music I bring to the band."
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H A R V E S T O F B L A C K N E S S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth
by: Adrian Bromley
While Opeth's singer/songwriter/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt is
excited about the buzz that his band's latest offering _Blackwater
Park_ [reviewed in this issue] is receiving, his love for his music is
greater than what fans or critics have to say: good or bad.
"It is great to hear all of that, but to be honest with you I
stopped caring about all of that a long time ago", Akerfeldt starts.
"I don't really care about reviews anymore or what people have to say.
It's great to read a great review or be nominated for the album of
year, but at the end of the day it doesn't change much for me. Even if
this was a super underground release, it would still be a great album
for me."
"This record, like many other records, is a big task for me to
take on", says Akerfeldt. "When I go into making a record I try not to
think about how the record will sound or what we will do differently
or how the guitar will sound. The way I make music is the way it has
always been. I just sit down and play guitar every day and just gather
together a bunch of riffs and arrangements and then try to piece it
all together. I only try to come up with cool songs and not a master
plan of how certain songs will sound on an album. This just happens
for us. We don't really know how the album will sound until it has
been mastered and finished because we experiment so much in the
studio. When we go in to make a record we just let the music flow.
That's it."
About his work with _Blackwater Park_, Akerfeldt says: "I am very
proud of everything on this record. I am proud of all the songs. I am
proud of the vocal lines that we did on the song "The Drapery Falls"
and also the overall production of the record. We worked with Steven
Wilson this time and he did a lot of great things to help the album
sound good." He adds, "It is hard for me to say if this is the
ultimate Opeth album, but right now it feels like it is the best one."
"The studio is a very inspirational environment", Akerfeldt
admits. "The only thing I wanted to make sure of when we wrote and
recorded this album was that we liked it. That was the only thing that
mattered. We wrote a few songs together and went in to record them. It
wasn't that tough at all. People think that we rehearse like one
hundred times a day or go sit out in the forest and play guitars, but
it isn't like that. Like any guitar player, I get the urge to play
every day and sometimes I come up with some cool riffs and ideas."
"We are willing to try a lot of things within our music, but we
don't want to stray too far from our sound", says Akerfeldt about the
band's love of experimenting with each recording. "I think ever since
we found the sound we did on the first record, we have gone on to try
and develop it over the years. We will continue to try and develop it.
Opeth's sound covers a lot of ground and we can go in many different
directions and still be Opeth. I think we are going to try and milk
this sound of Opeth until there is nothing left. I think we have a
long way to go. I think we will be able to come up with some cool
albums in the future."
Does Akerfeldt ever listen to older Opeth records when making an
album? "No", he sharply juts in. "I want to keep a clear head. If I
repeat something I have already done, I don't want to know about it
till afterwards. We basically concentrate on what we have before us in
the studio and take it from there. The past is pretty much gone when
we enter the studio for a new record."
Having seen the band two times in the past month, live the band
(the rest of Opeth is rounded out by guitarist Peter Lindgren, drummer
Martin Lopez and bassist Martin Mendez) make sure to cover all of
Opeth's work, from the early days of 1995's _Orchid_ onto 1998's _My
Arms, Your Hearse_ [CoC #32] and onto the new material. What does
Akerfeldt think about playing the older songs with the newer ones?
"I think those songs are very representative of what we sounded
like seven years ago. Playing those songs live is a bit different
because of the way they were done. We don't think "oh, this will sound
cheesy, we better not play it". We just bring it into the mix of
things and crank it out. I don't feel the contrast between those
songs. The listener in the audience may. I'm just there to have a good
time live and have some diversity with our set."
One of the most rewarding factors about the new releases is that
it marks the first time the band has solid distribution in North
America via Koch Records. Is he excited about the deal to get the
band's name out even more now?
"It feels real good", says the singer. "We've never had proper
distribution in North America till now and the album is everywhere.
Those at Koch are doing a great job at promoting us and they are one
of the key reasons why we are touring over here right now. This is a
big deal for us -- we are playing fifty dates in North America. After
this tour we will go back to Europe and play festivals and wrap it all
up with a European tour in the Fall. After that, we will stop this and
take some time off till we put out the next album, which should be
late next year."
What are you going to do with your time off?
"I have some other stuff I want to do music wise with some
friends of mine."
Really? Does it sound different from Opeth? Who else is involved?
"The band consists of myself, the keyboard player from Spiritual
Beggars and a famous guitar player from over here in Sweden named
Renneh. We want to do something together, and I have written some
songs, but we have yet to play together. We are going to record some
material soon. Once that is all done and finished, I will then begin
assembling new material for the next Opeth album."
"I've always wanted to do this. I just have urge to work with
other musicians", confides Akerfeldt about the need to work on the
new, yet unnamed project. "I really want to work with a keyboard
player because I love the vintage sounds of keyboard work. It'll be
very dark, gloomy '70s stuff. It'll be very mellow. The keyboardist
can sing as well, so we plan to have these Simon & Garfunkle harmony
lines, but not your run-of-the-mill vocal lines. This will be a lot of
fun for me to break away from Opeth."
As most fans know, Opeth's music is very hard to categorize.
While the band plays metal music, with intense mood swings and melodic
overtones, everyone has their own take on what Opeth is about. Even
Akerfeldt does. And because of that, he finds that to be strong
characteristic about the band's music.
"People call us a metal band and I am happy with that. Metal to
me is a very wide term. It is not just 100% speed all of the time. To
me, metal is ranging from The Beatles onward", he explains. "It just
sounds ridiculous for me to say something like Opeth plays symphonic
extreme progressive gothic epic metal -- that just sounds like too
much."
Akerfeldt ends, "We are not a run-of-the-mill type of death metal
band. We play metal music. I like the fact that we can go about doing
what we want and have fun creating the sounds with Opeth. It seems the
fans do too."
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I A M T H E O N E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Proscriptor
by: Adam Wasylyk
One of the American black metal scene's most prolific artists,
Absu's vocalist/percussionist Sir Proscriptor McGovern, is also
responsible for one of the better darkwave/ambient acts I've had the
pleasure to hear -- named Proscriptor. Making its debut with _The
Venus Bellona_ (Cruel Moon), the occultic/atmospheric flavour which
revolves around the ancestral bloodlines of Proscriptor's Scottish
roots proved not only to be an invigorating and an almost magical
listen, but also served as a truly original recording. Twenty songs
(or "acts") immersed the listener into the mystical world of this most
fascinating musician, one in which dedicated fans, such as myself and
the editor of this fine publication, are quite grateful for.
Despite delays and unforeseen circumstances, a follow up has been
released in the form of _The Serpentine Has Risen_ (Dark Age
Productions). Taking off from where _TVB_ left off, the newest
Proscriptor recording sees more concentration being placed on
songwriting (eight tracks grace _The Serpentine..._ compared to twenty
on its predecessor) and, as a nice surprise, features some echoes from
the past (who could forget the immortal line, "My Words are the Flames
for you..."). There's no question that Proscriptor are a cult band,
one whose recordings will always be relished by its dedicated fan
base.
The prerequisite to have a few questions answered was gladly
accepted by Proscriptor McGovern, so hopefully those unfamiliar with
this most special band will find the following informative and
enlightening. Onward!
CoC: I'm sure that there are those who are unfamiliar with
Proscriptor, so perhaps you can detail how it differs from your
work in Absu. Do you see any similarities between the two bands?
Proscriptor McGovern: Absu can be classified as "mythological occult
metal", as Proscriptor can be classified as
"Allaxitonian/Glenorchy Fantasy Musick" or
"Scotch Folkwave". Absu has the set mind to
execute the most baneful fashion of metal
projected towards mankind, as Proscriptor does
not have a set mind; I personally execute
whatever I ethereally feel when writing that
style of music. The only similarity that Absu
and Proscriptor share are two things: the inner
domains of immortality and some Celtic themes,
but not too many.
CoC: I read that _The Serpentine Has Risen_ was recorded in 1997...
what were the causes for its delay?
PM: In 1997, my initial idea was to release _The Serpentine Has Risen_
as a picture-disque 7" EP. After I kept writing more songs and
collaborating various ideologies, it turned into a mini CD
and then eventually it became a full-length opus. The Cold
Meat Industry subsidiary label for Dark Age Productions, Cruel
Moon International, decided to follow up with a second release
off-shooting from _The Venus Bellona_. After the album was
recorded, I planned on releasing _The Serpentine Has Risen_ on
both Cruel Moon as well as Dark Age. After I sent all of the
master materials to Roger Karmanik (Cold Meat's label manager), I
did not hear any feedback from him in almost three months. I was
rather curious to know what his reaction was towards the new
album, yet I knew he'd have different notions regarding it. In an
e-mail he replied back to me, he told me that it was completely
horrendous and there was no way he would release it. His opinion
did not affect me at all, so I simply asked for the master
materials back from him. I received them from Sweden five days
later. Afterwards, I sent the album to roughly 50 labels (most of
them non-metal) and they refused it by saying that it was "too
diverse" and "not directed towards a certain market". I realize
this because every song I wrote for it came from a spontaneous
thought in my mind and whatever style best fits its ideology is
the way it will come out to be. Most humans that have been
indulged by the "personal" music of Proscriptor ever love it or
hate it. It's not black metal, nor is it hardly metal at all, but
a concoction of styles, such as pre/post wave rock, art rock,
oscillation/experimental, and Allaxtonian folklore. Finally, a
breakthrough arrived in the latter portion of 1999 when a company
here in Dallas called Reality Music assisted me in the biggest
way. The founder of Reality Music, Cristal Clopton (a.k.a.
Tiamatsu McGovern), decided that she would help me release the
_Serpentine..._ album and help promote it for me as well. So with
her facilitation, she was able to release it with me through both
Dark Age and Reality Music. Well last year, a Greek record label
called In Vision Musick decided that they wanted to license it
from me and release it on a worldwide basis. However, it is still
not out yet and I am presently being ripped off by a particular,
deceiving mortal from that enterprise! In hindsight and in
conclusion, _The Serpentine Has Risen_ has not been crowned with
too much success, but ironically speaking, I think it's my best
solo work up to date.
CoC: Does Proscriptor have ambitions to play in a live setting, or
does the complexity of the music render this impossible?
PM: It is possible that I could perform in a concert atmosphere, but
not in the near future. I have three other live acts to be
concerned with at the moment.
CoC: Do you take influences from other ambient/atmospheric bands, who
therefore influence the music of Proscriptor?
PM: The chief inspiration of Proscriptor really comes from dogmas of
Thoth, metaphysical expeditions concerning my past immortality,
yet my deathless spirit throughout the Glenorchy District of
Central-Western Alba (Scotland). Of course, occultic lifestyles
inspire me; however, I can say that there are many influences of
music that interest me and my solo efforts, such as the Art Bears,
Henry Cow, Magma, Granada, Holy Toy, Tangerine Dream, Captain
Beefheart, The Tubes, Mellow Candle, Lucifer, Blondie, Human
League, A Flock of Seagulls, Sparks, Plasma Pool, Devo, Kraftwerk,
Popol Vuh, King Crimson, Genesis, Soft Machine, Ween, M, Joe
Jackson, Pat Benatar, Styx, Dan Fogelberg, ABC, Split Enz, Romeo
Void, Yello, and Aphrodite's Child.
CoC: The tracks on _The Serpentine..._ are lengthier and sound
much more epic than those on _The Venus Bellona_. Was it a
preconceived idea to write lengthier pieces of music as opposed
to the numerous tracks on The Venus Bellona, or did this just
occur naturally?
PM: Yes, it was intentional to write longer and more abstruse-like
songs and I'll tell you why. _The Venus Bellona_ is an actual
past life experience I have dealt with in the 13th Century,
[while] _The Serpentine Has Risen_ is a collection of dreams and
subconscious realms I have encountered directly after the debut
opus. What more can I say?
CoC: Will Proscriptor continue to release recordings (or has new
material been written since the recording of the new album)?
PM: Yes, my first project I will be working on is a seven-inch EP
called _Thoth Music(k)_ and I shall follow up with my third
full-length nightmare called _726: The Sign of My Number_. And
always recall this equation: 726=6x11 (ii) / 33x22 (Vitriolistic
Nous). "The sign of my number is the arithmetical formula to the
Universal Solvent, which lies beneath the soil you are currently
standing on. The abyss: it's right below you."
Contact: Dark Age Productions (Southern Tower), c/o Cristal
Clopton, P.O. Box 743307, Dallas, TX 75374-3307, USA
http://www.realitymusic.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
D A V E S A Y S Y E S !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet
by: Adrian Bromley
I know there are a lot of Monster Magnet fans in North America
wondering why the Hell it has taken so long to get the new Monster
Magnet _God Says No_ [CoC #51] on store shelves in North America. I
mean, the record was released five months ago in Europe. What the
Hell?!
Don't fret any longer, metal heads, as Chronicles of Chaos hooked
up with supergalactic rebel leader Dave Wyndorf to talk about the new
album, drugs, comic books and of course, why it took so long to get
_GSN_ in our hands.
We begin...
CoC: The record came out in November in Europe and I had heard that
the reason why it wasn't released here was because of the release
schedule for North America around that time and that you didn't
want to get buried beneath all of these bigger releases. Is that
true?
Dave Wyndorf: What happened was that we had finished up the album a
bit late and it was too late to get it out in the Summer
of last year, so the only time they had to put it out
was in September or October. They were trying to get it
out before Christmas because the only thing that really
sells around Christmas are box sets, Electric Light
Orchestra or Billy Joel. <laughs> So I was cool with
September and I thought it was a bold move seeing that
we weren't the biggest band in the world and we had
never released a record then. Then I walked into my own
record company and saw that they had on the same release
schedule, or around that time, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn
Manson, U2, The Wallflowers and somebody else, and I was
like, "No! This is going to kill us!". Monster Magnet
has always stood to the left of everything else and we
thought the best way to go about this was to come in the
back way and have it released after New Year's.
CoC: And how was the record received in Europe?
DW: Really well. The best one ever. We always do well over there. They
are just eating it up. It worked out goof to have it out in
Europe. We also played six weeks over there and it is good for us
here [in North America] because we are ready.
CoC: Initially, when you sat down to record this album and soaked up
the success of the last disc (_Powertrip_ [CoC#31]), what was the
mindset going into this record? Did you feel the need to rush in
and put out another record or did you want to take your time?
DW: I didn't want to rush into this, but I did want a record out
sooner than the last one. The last one I was dicking off for two
years when I wrote it. This one, I said to myself, "Okay, we've
been on the road for two years with _Powertrip_, everyone take six
months off and I'll write the record." So we did that and I had
never written that long and I just let it come together real easy.
I started putting together a little here and a little there, some
words from this day and some music ideas here and collect them
together. Then after I get all of these ideas together and get
ready to throw it together, it'll be like a cache of ammunition
when it becomes really serious. I had done this over those six
months and more or so was ready to get it all down and recorded.
About two months before we went in to record, I was seriously
grouping together the ideas. In the middle of all that, I had my
stuff stolen from me.
CoC: What!? Really? What happened?
DW: It was a real bummer. I was driving around and I was at some truck
stop just outside of Toledo. So my stuff was gone. I dunno what I
really lost, as it was just being assembled half-assed and I don't
know how much was gone. Once again I was forced to write
_Powertrip_ style and I just freaked out, came right home and went
in to my kitchen and set up the four-track and started writing. I
was able to come up with about fifteen songs in twenty days. It
was scary. My whole time of taking it easy went right out the
window.
CoC: Were you able to piece back together any ideas you had lost? Or
did you say "Fuck it!" and started from scratch again?
DW: First I was terrified and thought I would never be able to
remember any of the ideas I had come up with. But in the process
of working on those songs in my kitchen, a lot of the stuff came
back. The words didn't come back and that is what I miss the most,
but the music did. Music always comes back because it percolates
in you all the time. I remember turning phrases and stuff I liked
in those notes and not really making an effort to record knowing
that I would eventually bring the ideas together. I'll never
really know what I lost.
CoC: So someone out there right now is trying to decipher your notes?
DW: Yeah! <laughs> Some crackhead is burning my notes.
CoC: It has been a long career for Monster Magnet, with the band
shapeshifting sounds and ideas as the career has gone on. Each
album is different and represents new ideas and new vibes. Do you
like to feel that from each record?
DW: Totally. If I didn't get a different vibe from each record, I
wouldn't do this. I have limited musical ability and so what I
have to do is change things around with the mood and atmosphere on
each record. As the producer and writer I'll try to write songs in
different keys and different ways to get the most out of the band,
yet remaining true to my core and what I am strong at doing. In
order to keep myself sane, I need a new mood each record. And the
hard part, seeing that I am limited and just a rock 'n' roll guy,
is to do that successfully each time out. Making a record is
amazing. You can colour anything anyway you want it. It is
important for me to be happy with a record and the way it sounds
and the way it moves me as a musician.
CoC: Do you get tired of doing certain song ideas and moods for the
Monster Magnet albums?
DW: What I want to do, especially on this record, is to compress the
things I like about each record into shorter forms and try to get
the most out of those parts. If something in the past was glossed
over with psychedelic sounds, it would go on for three or four
minutes. On this album I wanted to have a song structure and use
the psychedelic sounds as something that would pop out and then go
away. This record is stripped down, but in my mind it is the most
complicated of all the Monster Magnet records because I really
needed to pay attention to each and every step that I wanted in
there and more importantly what I didn't want in there. Y'know?
Don't scream the whole record, try to sing.
CoC: A lot of bands who get into the flow of making a record really
make an effort to just clamp down for four weeks and just finish
it up, rarely taking a break from recording and resting.
Are you like that or do you like to take "breathers" from
songwriting/recording?
DW: I love to walk away from something for two days, but I normally
don't do that very often, only if I am having problems. 20% of a
Monster Magnet record is do over, the rest is just almost straight
down. There comes a point for me where I just figure it just won't
be right for me and I just let it go. If I am 60% happy with the
disc, I let it go. After that it is up to the listeners to decide
if they like what they hear.
CoC: What excites you about the new record when you play it back and
hear it?
DW: This record I am proud of the diversity, which is what I was
really trying for. I wanted to have different scopes for my voice
'cause the voice rhythm is one of the most important pieces for a
record -- at least I think. I wanted this record to be much more
subtle too. Not weak, but just subtle. I wanted it to be less
screaming than the last record. I like the fact that I can go off
into insanity with songs like "Melt" and "Heads Explode" and then
take it down a bit and go off an do a song like "Gravity Well".
CoC: Do you find yourself going back to listen to older Monster Magnet
records either in preparation for a new record or just to listen
to them for nostalgia sake?
DW: I don't listen to the older Magnet records that often. But every
once in a while after we come off tour I'll throw on all of the
records over the course of the week and just listen to them and
go, "I should have done this better". Or I'll just know what to do
or what not to do and just bring ideas that I have done into the
new recording as an idea. It is very weird to go back and listen
to your own music. It is like reading a diary. I don't want to
listen to my music too much because I might get caught up in it.
CoC: What is your least favourite Monster Magnet record? Is there one?
DW: The one that totally bagged out on me and was the most trouble
was _Superjudge_. It was a very troublesome record for me.
_Superjudge_ and _Dopes to Infinity_ were both pains in the ass,
really. _Powertrip_ too, but it was a lot quicker. I just love
knowing it is what it is. I love having mistakes and I love
unhappy mistakes. When I listen to _Superjudge_ now I get
frustrated because I knew how little time I had to make the
record. I get mad knowing how I didn't plan out the production
correctly and I can hear songs that are unfinished on it. As a
songwriter and producer I had to wear all of these hats and I was
wasn't prepared to and sometimes the songs suffer. On the other
hand, some of it is really psychotically cool because of that
fact. I was pissed off when I wrote that record and it sounds like
it. I just take it all for what it is, but if you ask me which one
I am least happy with, it is that one. That record was over and
done before I knew it was done. If I could have walked away and
come back, it would have been a million times better.
CoC: You seem to be like the kind of musician who doesn't mind dealing
with the business aspect of things, but you don't want to get too
caught up in it. Is that a valid assessment, Dave?
DW: Yeah. I don't want to get too caught up in it. I don't think it
pays off spiritually or financially. If I was into all of the
business sides of things I would go crazy, I think. Being involved
in that is just so anti-art. Part of rock 'n' roll is when
commerce meets creativity. You can see now what happens when
people take complete control of it. You get people like Fred Durst
[Limp Bizkit]. There is a guy who is more concerned with money
than music and it shows. He is just out there saying, "Hey, I'm
the big daddy! Oh, and I also make music." Whatever. He is like a
goddamn clothing ad. I am just so old school, I think, when it
comes to all of that. I just want to make sure all the bills get
paid and that no one dies. Let's just make music and think in
concept rather than what the single is going to sound like.
CoC: Seeing that you played a few weeks over in Europe, how'd the new
stuff go over in the live environment and with the older Monster
Magnet material?
DW: Surprisingly well. I was a little scared that it wasn't going to
work, to be honest. As usual, when we play live, if I see that we
have an organ part and no organ player, we switch that with a
guitar part. From that the songs get different, yet still stay the
same somewhat. A lot of the songs sound more rocking too, I think.
You just really need to go out. Play the songs and turn up the
volume. I am happy they are going over well. They seem to meld
with the old stuff well. It took me like five times to get the
right set list that would work for the new songs and old songs to
work off one another well.
CoC: When Monster Magnet took off almost a decade ago, it was a
different musical state. The sounds were different and bands were
doing different things. There was just a different vibe going on.
What is your take on music nowadays?
DW: The late '80s and the early '90s was a really cool time. It was a
time of a lot of promise and a lot of cool bands. There was a lot
of psychedelia for those of us who enjoyed it. Bands like
Screaming Trees, first couple of Soundgarden records, Spaceman3. A
lot of bands had psychedelic tinges and just really rocked. Not
indie rock, but real rock. Now that promise was bought up by
record companies and it just ran its course up to where it is
today, at the bottom of the pop mountain. Nowadays there doesn't
seem to be any breeding ground that is far away from record
companies to gestate properly. There are no scenes because the
scenes get co-opted immediately by guys with checkbooks. I think
the next big thing to come and maybe make a change to the scene
will be from the Internet. But that is a lot less human.
CoC: So where do you see Monster Magnet heading over the next few
years? Is there still longevity in the band and its music?
DW: I think about that all the time, really. It has been about ten
years since we really became a real band, but the concept has been
around since 1989. Every time I turn around, it seems like I have
been out for only like two or three years. When it actually hits
me how long it has been and I say, "Man, it feels like I have been
out for twelve years", that is when I'll say I can't do this
anymore. I just get so excited making records. Music is never
going to go away from me. I'll be doing this for a long time, with
Monster Magnet or without. There are a lot of other things I would
like to do...
CoC: Like what?
DW: I'd like to go to school. I quit when I was in high school. I'd
like to study pop culture. I just like to indulge in all of that.
Twentieth century pop culture just fascinates me. I'd also like to
write. I am starting to get at my point where I can sit still for
a couple of seconds. I am not there totally, but I am sitting
still a bit. That is why rock 'n' roll is so cool: 'cause you
don't have to sit still. You get to jump around and rock out.
CoC: You obviously lived the rock 'n' roll experience. A lot of
excess, a lot of ups and downs and a lot of drugs and sex. But it
does take its toll. How do you feel about all of that which you
have experienced?
DW: The drinking and the drugs: that is what killed me. I have been
straight for six years now. That stuff, what it did, it just
blocked my imagination and my songwriting process. When you are a
consumer, that is one thing; when you are a creator, that is
something else. When you work on things and create stuff all the
time and use drugs, you are just blocking yourself and what you
do. It wasn't for me. I just realized after a lot of drug and
alcohol abuse that it wasn't for me. This was just so crazy. I was
trying to get in touch with my inner child. That is mostly what
drugs are about. If it is not about pain, it is about your inner
child. It is not about smothering pain, really, it is more about
feeling uninhibited, the way you did when you were five. I
realized if I could get through that without the drugs, then I can
be seeing clearer and having a good time. The excess part got more
out of hand. It just got way out of hand. It wasn't just sloppy
stoner sex. It was full on, like the next plateau. It was extreme
behavior. It really spooked me. Here I was running this rock 'n'
roll ship and I felt like Captain Kirk on the Enterprise in "Star
Trek". Captain Kirk in the '60s would fuck up every mission
because he was too busy trying to ball some purple woman on a
planet. That is what it was like for me. I was making bad business
decisions and that took me into the real rock 'n' roll excess:
money and women. It was the whole power thing. I just needed to
step back from all of that, I realized, and now when I look back I
can see where I went wrong. Now I try to conserve my energy for
when it is absolutely necessary. It is a very crazy world out
there and it is very stereotypical. I look back and everything
looks very Spinal Tap-like.
CoC: I remember the last time we chatted, for the _Powertrip_ album,
you mentioned an interest in electronic music. Are you still into
electronic music?
DW: I love all of that stuff. I haven't heard anything recently that
has blown me away, but I'm always looking.
CoC: Would you ever do an electronic record or band project?
DW: I do it home and I have all these sequencers around the house, but
it strikes me as something almost anyone can do; but in reality,
it should be made by the people who listen to it and not by
artists. Part of the fun of electronic music is being able to add
stuff to sounds so quickly and play it back almost immediately. I
just think sometimes, "Why should I do this when everyone else out
there can do it and probably better than me?" It is fun to do, and
make music and all these crazy sounds, but I'll stick to putting
out my rock records.
CoC: As we close down here with the interview, I'd like to know: how
would you describe this record to Monster Magnet fans?
DW: This is a very lush and deep record. I think this is more
psychedelic than _Powertrip_. I hate to say varied or diverse,
because it scares people away and can be the "Kiss of Death" in
the music business, but it has more diverse character than any
Monster Magnet record.
CoC: And with each recording, is the excitement still there?
DW: Every record is totally exciting. It gets better as you go on and
there is less stuff to stress you out. When I was first working on
records I was scared to make them and work with 24-track studio
equipment. Now it is like a breeze and a real enjoyment to do
studio work. Now the thing for me is to try and get into a lot of
challenging situations with a record and the music I make. I want
to pull off a huge song and then go onto a real simple song. I
just want to make a record that works well with one another and
not follow a certain style. Making records is a lot of fun and
after so many years of doing it I get excited. I'm like, "New
record? Let's go!" It is like being in a circus or military camp.
Y'know? Forward! Forward!
CoC: Is it still worth it?
DW: Yeah. It was worth it the first year I was doing the band. This is
just a natural part of my life. I can't imagine not making music.
Discography:
_God Says No_ (2001)
_Powertrip_ (1998)
_Dopes to Infinity_ (1995)
_Superjudge_ (1993)
_Tab_ (1992)
_Spine Of God_ (1991)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A T R U L Y I N D I V I D U A L S I N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Robert Vigna and Ross Dolan of Immolation
by: Paul Schwarz
It is hard to know what qualities other people look for when they
search out music. Judging by the amount of bands in the world who make
a living out of essentially contributing to a collective stockpile of
albums that sound more or less the same, it seems evident that many
people hear one thing they like and just want more of the same. I'll
admit, I have been guilty of succumbing to this tendency -- and many
times without shame, even in retrospect. However, more and more I am
finding that records, or bands, without something unique to themselves
-- something that can't be found elsewhere or at least can't be found
in a "better" form -- are gradually disappearing from my music
collection. This is why, for example, _The Bleeding_ is the only
Cannibal Corpse album I still own -- every other one except _Eaten
Back to Life_ has been sold-on through lack of interest. I have been
realising recently that many bands only make a few albums which are
truly worth owning, and many more merely a handful of songs. Mostly,
the bands who suffer from this syndrome are what I would describe
roughly as "genre" bands: bands who produce music of a certain "type"
(e.g. "Florida death metal", "Gothenburg death metal", "standard
American brutal death metal"), not music which is unmistakably a
product of the band in question. I can't see the point of listening to
many of these bands who don't have something individual to offer. Why
would you bother with Fleshcrawl when you have Entombed, Mangled when
you have Cannibal Corpse, or Primal Fear when you have Judas Priest? I
really do wonder. Immolation are a band I have never wondered about,
at least not in this way. It's not that Immolation are the best at
what they do, it's that they don't "do" the same thing as any other
band. Immolation are a fiercely, fiercely singular musical entity.
They may be a death metal band, but they're a death metal band living
entirely by their own rules. To paraphrase Nile guitarist Dallas
Toller Wade, Immolation don't care about pandering to the popular,
they care about making music that moves them, and about making
themselves and their listeners happy.
Last November, Immolation delivered the finest album of their
career thus far, their fourth release _Close to a World Below_ [CoC
#51]. The album's production, for the first time in Immolation's
decade-spanning history, managed to properly and fully represent their
individual sound in the full glory it so long cried out for.
Immolation wrote their sharpest songs and committed to tape their
finest performances. This may all sound like typical fan hyperbole,
but it isn't -- Immolation really have far exceeded reasonable
expectations with _CtaWB_. Long-standing fans of the band like Dallas
or myself agree that _CtaWB_ is Immolation's finest album, while even
previous haters or doubters of the band's work such as CoC's beloved
David Rocher have found an album they can't deny its worth. I hope if
you haven't given it a chance yet, you will in the near future.
This interview is in two parts. First is a conversation with
Immolation guitarist Robert Vigna conducted one week before _CtaWB_
was released. Second is a short e-mail chat with bassist and vocalist
Ross Dolan done in mid-February. I hope the insights into this very
special band's work, as well as the "before-and-after" aspect of this
particular story, prove interesting for you.
Immolation are currently on the road in support of
_CtaWB_ playing dates on both sides of the pond. See
http://www.ImmolationDirect.com for details of whether they'll hit a
town near you at a convenient time. If they are, don't miss them: I
assure you, you'd be missing quite a treat.
November 2000: Robert Vigna
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC: How are things in the band going at the moment, what have you got
lined up for the next little while?
Robert Vigna: We've got the album coming out in a couple of weeks.
Right now we're just working on the website. We wanna
change that by the time the album is out. We were going
to do some tours with Morbid Angel at the end of the
year, but that didn't work out because they've got some
other things goin' on so we're gonna probably postpone
that 'til February. So we don't have any touring planned
until early February. We're just going to let the album
get out there, let everyone absorb it for a couple of
months. From now until February we're probably just
gonna work on the next album and get that written.
CoC: That's pretty good, I guess, 'cause this album is the first album
that has really seen you get onto a good track with releasing.
RV: Without a doubt.
CoC: It's one year from _Failures for Gods_ [CoC #41] and the others
had been (at least) three year gaps. How did it feel to actually
get it out on time for the first time?
RV: Well, we used to be real lazy bastards back in the day, so this is
pretty good. <laughs> We got _Failures..._ out last June [of 1999]
and it was recorded in June of '98. It didn't come out 'til a year
later 'cause we couldn't get in touch with Andreas Marschall about
the artwork. It was delayed but it was well worth the wait, 'cause
it was a fantastic cover. That was what we wanted, so we had to
wait. When we'd got the album out -- and we were happy with it --
we did the [Milwaukee] MetalFest, did a few headlining tours, we
did a tour with Six Feet Under at the beginning of this year and
pretty much in March we were thinking about doing some touring on
our own and we just decided to get this album done: to get an
album out this year. In March we made the decision. We made the
studio time for June: two months later we were in the studio with
a new album. So that's basically it. We wanted to get it done and
we just pulled it together and did it and I think it's the best
thing we've ever done.
CoC: Yeah. To be honest, I love pretty much all your albums and I am a
fan, but I am very surprised 'cause I really think it's the best
one.
RV: Without a doubt.
CoC: Surprisingly enough because it's coming out only a year later,
and I was very worried that it might be written too quickly or
written in a rush.
RV: You thought it was gonna be crap! <jokingly, and with accompanying
laughter>
CoC: It happens to a lot of bands, but this really has come out
excellently well. And you've worked again with Paul Orofino.
Again, you've never before repeated use of a producer, so you
were particularly happy with his production, right?
RV: We had met Paul when we were looking for studios for _Failures..._
and we had a mutual friend, so we went up, met with Paul -- his
studio's about an hour north of where we're at here --, saw the
studio, obviously the studio was definitely capable and he was.
He'd worked with a lot of classic metal acts such as Between Kids,
Dee Snider, Riot, Blue Oyster Cult and Liquid Tension -- he'd also
worked with big jazz names -- so he was definitely capable and
more importantly he was a very personal person, a very nice guy,
down to earth. We went in, the whole _Failures..._ session was a
great session, very comfortable, the most comfortable we've been
in the studio, not only because it was our third time in the
studio but because of him too. Our relationship was very calm.
None of them in the past were bad, but this one was just that bit
more comfortable. It worked out very well, we had a good rapport
with each other, so when it came time to doing this album he was
the first guy we wanted to call. _Failures..._ was the first album
he ever did in any kind of death/black metal ever -- and I think
he did a fantastic job --, so this time we thought he'd do that
much better. And not only did we do better in the studio as a
tighter unit, but I think he did a hundred times better and he
actually enjoyed the music that much more and the whole thing just
worked out 'cause we were both using each other and knew what to
expect from each other. So it was very comfortable and it came out
fantastic.
CoC: I agree. I think it's the first time you've got a production
which has really, really pushed out everything about the sound
that's good.
RV: Oh, definitely.
CoC: It's really powerful, it really emphasises the drums but also the
guitars.
RV: A fantastic job.
CoC: Absolutely. Also, you were saying you got tighter in the studio:
it is faster -- not in the sense that it's all fast but the parts
that are fast are faster and it's harder, it's more percussive.
RV: Right, I mean this band's never been about speed for speed's sake
or anything like that anyway, so what we do is just try to make
things as creative as possible. So there's probably some of the
best slow and medium stuff we've ever done, but there's also the
fastest stuff we've ever done and there's also just a lot of
in-between, because when we're writing music we don't say: OK,
this is -gonna- be this way -- we need a song like this -- we just
keep going, and it's whatever comes out. And I think this album in
particular flows the best out of any one we've done and flows from
the first second to the last. The music is easier to get into but
at the same time it's very...
CoC: Cohesive?
RV: Dimensional.
CoC: Absolutely. I think also it's the first album you've done where
everything's come together and it's like with Slayer or certain
other bands: every album you do seems to be very much you. I'd
say you're a great example of someone from the American death
metal scene because you're very good but you're not scene based.
It's not a scene sound, it's an "Immolation" sound.
RV: Without a doubt, yeah. I mean, we've always strived to be
different and do our own thing: from day one. We never got on a
trend or what was the new thing or the thing going on at that
time. We just went with what we believed in and how we thought the
music should sound. The first album [1991's _Dawn of Possession_],
where the whole Florida scene was such a big thing -- Scott Burns
and Morrisound great producers, nothing against them, but so many
bands that went there, there was no reason for them to go there
and [they] sounded like other bands. So we went with Harris Johns,
who did the classic stuff like Kreator, Sodom and Voivod. To us
that was so classic and it came out really great: it was
a different kind of production and it really had a lot of
atmosphere. And with the second album [1996's _Here In After_, CoC
#6], it just worked out where we decided to try something a little
different and we ended up doing kind of like our own thing with an
engineer and it came out different but again it came out
Immolation, but maybe a bit more straightforward -- the production
was a bit more intense and dynamic but when we went to Paul
Orofino I think he put the two together and on this album he did
that even better.
CoC: Absolutely, I mean the drums are just like -thunder-!
RV: Thanks man, I mean that's what we look for, we want a nice big,
heavy sound. We want to emphasise those qualities. That's really
what it's about: the feeling, the atmosphere, that's what we're
looking for.
CoC: Atmosphere would be a word I'd definitely use. Especially in the
last year, the death metal scene has really been starting to run
out of steam in the case of certain bands. I think a lot of bands
have run dry on creativity. [Morbid Angel, I'm looking at you!] I
think one of the things you guys have is atmosphere. I think
that's exemplified on the album on the final track -- the title
track -- "Close to a World Below". It's long, it's an eight
minute affair, and you haven't done much like that except for
"Christ's Cage" [_Here in After_], I think.
RV: That one's pretty short too. [He was right, only 5:51. -- Paul] I
think this song is definitely the longest one we've ever done and
the funny part is it didn't take that long to write but we were on
such a roll with it that it all came together so nicely. And it's
an eight minute song but it doesn't feel like eight minutes:
that's the important thing.
CoC: Absolutely.
RV: It flows. Everything's there and before you know it it's done and
it's eight minutes later. So it wasn't intentionally made to be a
long song but it came out that way and yeah, we're real happy with
everything on the sound.
CoC: It really brings out the dynamics, it goes up and down and really
captures a lot. I was gonna talk about the lyrics. No offence,
but I thought I was gonna be talking to Ross, who I talked to
last time. So I don't know how far we're gonna get on the lyrics.
Are they written by the whole band?
RV: We all have a play in the lyric department, and a lot of times I
don't wanna be too descriptive about the lyrics 'cause sometimes
you describe it too much and everyone has their own idea when they
listen to the music: they get their own thing out of it. When you
look at songs like "Father, You're Not a Father", which is a
pretty straightforward song: it's pretty much about the people in
the priesthood out there that have abused children for years and
have got away with it. And we saw stuff on the news just last week
about one person in particular that had abused tons of kids and
people, and he was on his deathbed now, at 90, and what good does
it do now, you know? I mean, he's already destroyed countless
lives. That was one thing we targeted. A song like "Lost Passion",
for instance, deals with, in the song and the context, it deals
with a poor soul who believes in Christ, believes in God and was
disappointed and let down, and all the effort and time they put
into that: it meant nothing. But at the same time, the song can
also reflect anything from a relationship with someone or a type
of person, or another type of thing you look up to. I mean, the
world has let-downs all around us, you know what I mean?
CoC: Absolutely.
RV: The songs are one thing on the surface but they always have double
meanings and they always have other things inside them. So, we
always like to put a lot of thought and time into the lyrics and
the music 'cause to us one without the other loses the meaning and
the feeling, so we always do 100% on both.
CoC: I was gonna just say a couple of things about the lyrics as well.
I felt one of the things about the lyrics this time was that they
were a lot more personal. On _FfG_ I felt that it was very much
about the concepts a lot more. There are concepts on _CtaWB_ but
_FfG_ was more conceptual, it was more about movements of
religion, like "Failures for Gods" was about organised religion.
This seems to be on a much more personal level.
RV: Without a doubt, without a doubt and it's just the way it came
out. We're always trying new angles, new ideas and pretty much we
mature as musicians and as songwriters as we go, so this time it
came out that much better. We always try to go deeper and deeper,
so this one just goes that much deeper into the feel of
everything.
CoC: Two bits I wanted to mention out of the lyrics. First, the
beginning of "Unpardonable Sin": "Take your Heaven and your hell
and leave them for the children. I refuse to believe these lies."
Is this connected with the fact that you guys were brought up in
quite a Catholic background?
RV: It's really saying that all these types of icons of religion and
all that -- to us -- is just nonsense. And the song "Unpardonable
Sin" is saying like: all the stuff that was created by people over
the centuries or whatever, is just nonsense. Believe in yourself!
For instance: "I commend myself for this unpardonable sin. For now
more than ever I see clearer than before." "Unpardonable Sin" is
basically saying: I defy and deny God and Christ as existing or
anything, I am totally against it, I don't believe in it, I am
disgusted with it. And anyone that goes up, according to the
church, and defies the lord consciously, it's unpardonable sin:
it'll never be forgiven by the church. We're proud of that fact
'cause we believe that everyone that doesn't believe in that isn't
a bad person. I think we're better people than most people 'cause
people in religion and stuff like that, a lot of them tend to be
either weak or pretty much doing stuff behind everyone's doors
anyway. So that's what that song kind of like teeters on.
CoC: Absolutely, the Catholic church is notoriously corrupt. The other
lyrics I really liked were the set for "Close to a World Below".
It sounds like it's toying with the idea of "hell on earth" or
that earth is more like hell than anything else.
RV: Pretty much, I mean there's other meanings too. Like I said, if
you start dissecting the stuff -- I was just talking to Ross about
this like half an hour ago, and he said, "I'm gonna try not to
dissect stuff" -- like if I tell you this is exactly what it's
about and this and that, maybe you'll look at it a little
differently, and maybe it's not as cool for you anymore, it
doesn't fit you personally anymore, you know what I'm saying? Some
people just listen to the music -- I've had a couple of people
e-mail us recently saying: "I'm really into the band, I've heard
this new album, it's great. I'm a Christian, and maybe I'm don't
particularly agree with the lyrics, but I love your music and you
know what? Your lyrics are more intelligible than most death/black
metal bands and I kinda understand where you're coming from." So
they might not even agree with what we're saying, but they can
accept the fact of what we believe in, and enjoy the music for
what it is. Whatever anyone's gonna get out of it is their own
thing, so when -you- say what it depicts to -you-, you're right,
'cause that's what it means to you. That's really what it's about.
CoC: So from that perspective what you'd basically say is: read the
lyrics, see what they're about.
RV: Exactly, see what they're about for you, see what they draw out of
you. Some people are gonna get one thing out of it and some
people are gonna get something else. That's cool. Whatever suits
the person, that's what music is about. Mainly it's obviously
entertainment and enjoyment. Also, we wanna make you think too and
those who wanna keep thinking more and more and look deeper into
it then that's cool.
CoC: One last thing I wanted to touch on was the inlay and the
beginning of the CD which, being an atheist, I thought was great
-- "Didn't you say... Jesus was coming". Were you just waiting
for the millennium to put that one on?
RV: That's been an idea of Tom's for a while. All these Christians out
there are just expecting Christ to show up any minute now and it's
just a way of kinda being sarcastic about it. Like: didn't you say
Jesus was coming? 'Cause we know for a fact that he's not, you
know. And the way it's written is distorted and the sample at the
beginning is distorted, which sort of represents how it's one of
the distorted views of religion. The album cover in general,
Andreas did a phenomenal job on that. It's unbelievable 'cause we
give him concepts and he just knows what to do. He's really on the
same level. He makes it happen. With this album we really wanted
to try something different and with the cover we really wanted to
try doing something where people didn't know what it was at first.
Then they see that it's fire and then you kinda notice the
crucifix and then you notice that there's all these figures in the
fire and the flames kinda like making it something interesting.
The whole packing in general: we have a team so that it reflects
the songs and there's a lot of symbolism and stuff. We pretty much
put that together ourselves. I did that with my brother. To us
everything's gotta be 100 percent. The look of the CD has to be
right too. I think this CD looks a lot more brutal and intense
than _Failures..._ did.
February 2001: Ross Dolan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC: Were you happy/satisfied with the reaction _Close to a World
Below_ garnered, in the end?
Ross Dolan: Yes, we are very happy and satisfied with the reaction we
have been and still are getting for the new album. The
reaction has in fact been even better than we had hoped
for. We are constantly getting e-mails from people who
really like the new album, as well as getting many great
reviews and positive write-ups in the press, so it is a
very nice feeling since we are very proud of _Close to a
World Below_ and feel it is by far our strongest release
yet. So it is nice to see most people feel as we do about
it.
CoC: Looking back on the album, are you still as satisfied with it as
you were October/November time? Anything really specific you wish
wasn't on there or that you had changed?
RD: Our feelings for the new album have not changed a bit since we
last spoke. We feel even stronger about it now since we have
finally received some feedback. It is really the first time in our
thirteen year career that we are completely satisfied with every
aspect of a release, especially production. We have always felt
our past releases could have been a bit better in the production
department, but this release we feel has it all. The music is
strong, dark and very intense. The lyrics, I feel, are some of our
best. The packaging is right on the money and most of all, it
sounds incredible. This is definitely the production we have been
striving for for the past three releases and we have finally found
it. We don't feel there is anything we could change that would
make this CD any better.
CoC: What has been happening with Immolation in the last three or so
months since _Close..._ was released?
RD: Well, we are really getting ready for our world wide assault. We
have Bill Taylor [ex-AngelCorpse] playing guitar with us for all
of our live performances now since Tom [Wilkinson] will not be
able to come out on the road with us this time around. Bill
learned all the songs very quickly and fits in perfectly. He will
be a strong addition to the Immolation live show. We have been
getting ready for our US "World of Darkness" Tour which will run
for 43 dates starting mid March, and will also include the awesome
talents of Incantation and Goatwhore. This is truly a tour we are
really looking forward to and we feel it will make its mark as far
as tours go. Then immediately following, we begin the "Darkness
Over Europe" Tour, a 20 date European tour starting on May 1st in
London. Joining us on this tour will be Deranged from Sweden,
Destroyer666 from Australia and Decapitated from Poland, so this
will surely be an event for all fans of extreme dark music. So we
have been real busy. This is just the calm before the storm!
CoC: Do you have much or any material written for the next Immolation
album? Any idea when that will be or hints as to what it will be
like?
RD: We have not begun writing any material yet for the next album,
although we do have some ideas lyrically which will follow closely
to the subject matter on _Close to a World Below_. Musically, our
intentions are to keep the new material as intense and dark as
_CtaWB_, with of course some new elements just to drive the point
home; what one can usually expect from one of our CDs. I think we
plan to push the next album a bit farther, a bit more intense and
a bit more extreme. And of course, we do plan to use Paul Orofino
and Millbrook Studios again to capture the great sound we had for
this album.
CoC: Have you done any touring so far for the record, if so, how have
shows gone, and are you looking forward to playing the UK again?
RD: We have only played one show since the new record was released. We
did a belated record release show at CBGB's in New York City,
playing almost two straight hours of material from the first album
up until the new album, which we played in its entirety. We played
close to twenty songs and it went over great. It was a truly great
night, the crowd really knew and liked the new material, so it was
just a boost for us in preparation for the upcoming tours. We are
really looking forward to the tours and we are especially looking
forward to the London show. We had such a great response there the
last time around for the _Failures for Gods_ tour that we can't
wait to bring some new darkness and chaos for them to enjoy.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
U N L E A S H E D A N D R E A D Y F O R S T A R D O M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil
by: Adrian Bromley
You don't have to tell Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia that
the band's new disc _Unleashed Memories_ [reviewed in this issue] is
going to break the Milan, Italy-based band into stardom. She knows
this already. She just wants the metal world to discover the record
and let fate take its course.
"This is a very emotional and powerful record", starts a vibrant
Scabbia down the line from Milan, Italy. "We have become more than
just a gothic metal band with a female singer and male growled vocals.
The band has grown tremendously. We've have matured as singers and as
songwriters and I think people, especially those who have followed our
career up to this point, will hear that with _Unleashed Memories_. We
worked hard with this record and I know it'll open a lot of doors for
us, doors we haven't been able to open yet."
Listening to the passionate and expressive compositions making up
_Unleashed Memories_, such as the beautiful opener "Heir of a Dying
Day", "When a Dead Man Walks" and "Cold Heritage" (the song closest to
Scabbia's heart), one must wonder what inspired Scabbia and the rest
of Lacuna Coil -- the sextet is rounded out by Andrea Ferro (male
vocals), guitarists Cristiano Migliore and Marco Biazzi, bassist Marco
Coti Zelati and drummer Cristiano Mozzati -- to really make an effort
to take flight and be able to produce a unique offering for metal fans
to digest.
"I think we just wanted to have a record that we could be really
happy about, both as songwriters and as musicians", she relays. "The
last few recordings were great, but they didn't really capture what
Lacuna Coil was about, I think. This record is all that. I feel very
strongly about the disc. I love it!"
And what about The Gathering references that seem to have dogged
the band since signing on with Century Media back in 1998 with the
self-titled EP [CoC #31]? Does it bother her and her band mates?
"Not really", she comments. "I mean, I can see how it happened
early on. Two gothic metal bands with female singers and soft
melodies. The comparisons were expected. But that has all changed now,
really. We both have changed so much as bands. The Gathering are going
off and doing their thing and bringing new sounds into their music and
we are just doing our own thing too, just getting better at it. People
can say what they want. It doesn't bother me."
The topic of conversation turns toward the recording of
_Unleashed Memories_ and how it all came about. While it wasn't really
an arduous task, seeing that the band was working once again with
gifted producer Waldemar Sorychta (Moonspell, Tiamat), finding the
time and initiative to get the ball rolling was another thing.
States Scabbia, "Making a record is always a big deal for us. We
know what we want and how we want to do things. It's just the act of
getting into the studio and getting it all down on record. <laughs>
After the last EP (_Halflife_ in 2000) we set a goal to have another
disc out within a year. A month went by and no real work, then four
months and then another couple of months and then we realized we
wouldn't be keeping our commitment to have something out. So we got
our act together and went in to record the new disc."
"I really get excited about my music and just making music in the
studio and playing live", says the singer. "I don't know... I just
think making records and being creative with all of those involved in
the band is such a wonderful experience. Making a record is tiring,
yes, but so rewarding. I couldn't be happier with the end result. It
just adds another direction and style for Lacuna Coil. I can see the
changes within what we do."
Unlike the way things were going for the European metal community
a few years back with a major emphasis on Scandinavian acts, Italy
seems to be spurting out some quality bands like Rhapsody, Domine,
Power Symphony and White Skull. What does Scabbia credit this to? Why
are these bands making names for themselves after years of not getting
noticed?
"I am so proud to see a lot of these bands, a lot of good bands,
getting noticed by the metal fans around the world. There are a lot of
good acts here", she insists. "I think the reason why a lot of bands
have never really taken off is because most of them were afraid to try
new things and just copied other acts and it all sounded too much of
the same and fans never caught on. Now a lot of Italian bands are
making an effort to be true to what they want to do and make music for
the sake of making music, not just to be a part of a trend or to copy
bands they worship."
She adds: "I think we were in the same frame of mind when we
started out and we just realized we needed to make an effort to be
true to what we wanted to do as a band. We needed to grow and expand."
"When I listen to the new record, I get this real strong feeling
of passion. The record is full of some great moments, both from myself
and all of the others in the band. The real strength is in the
songwriting this time. I think this is some of our deepest, as well as
best work", she notes. "We knew we had a lot to provide for this
record and one listen and you'll know we were on fire when it came to
songwriting."
Scabbia continues: "I think it was important for us to explore
new ideas and not be worried with what people would say", she says of
the band's varied approach to certain songs. "Nothing on this record
sounds the same, yet it all meshes together quite well. That is the
way any good record should be."
"Being part of this creative team is like no other job. Every day
it is a new experience. And the music just makes it even more
enjoyable", she ends. "I'm just proud to be a part of music that not
only moves our fans, but moves me as well."
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D E A T H ' N ' R O L L M A C H I N E R O L L S O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Nalle Osterman of Gandalf
by: Adrian Bromley
Sophomore jinx? I think not. Finland's death 'n' roll machine
Gandalf move forward with their sophomore effort _Rock Hell_ (Wicked
World / Earache), a potent fire 'n' brimstone, balls to the wall
concoction of AC/DC drive and devil worshipping attitude. [See CoC #52
for a different opinion.] Lock up the kids, Gandalf is ready to rock
the house!
Unfortunately, that same drive can't be associated with Gandalf
drummer Nalle Osterman right now, as it closes in on 1:30am his time
and he is dead tired. But like a true trooper of metal, and from under
the covers in his bed, he relates to Chronicles of Chaos why rock 'n'
roll drives his band's music and why he doesn't like Entombed anymore.
"I think we really wanted to capture the essence of every metal
era with this new record", starts Osterman. "We took a bit of
everything from those eras. From the '60s with Black Sabbath and Deep
Purple, onto the '70s with what Rainbow, Judas Priest and Led Zeppelin
and what they did with the music, then moving into the '80s and what
Iron Maiden and Slayer provided us with, and then into the '90s with
what bands like Machine Head were doing. We took all of those
influences and brought them into the new millennium with our music. We
aimed for something unique and I think we were able to bring that out
in _Rock Hell_."
Has Osterman seen changes in his playing since the band's Wicked
World debut disc titled _Deadly Fairytales_ (1998)? "Of course you
become more mature as things go on, and I think we as a band [rounded
out by singer Jari Hurskainen, guitarist Timo Nyberg and bassist Kimmo
Aroluoma -- Adrian] have been able to see what we want to do. We
definitely understand music a lot more than we did when we first
started out as a band. Those changes have helped us to not only evolve
our sound but become more original in what we do as a band. We want to
make things more interesting as the years go on and I think you can
hear that with the new record."
About the studio experience for this record, he says: "We knew
exactly how this whole studio experience was supposed to work out. We
had rehearsed all of our parts and knew what was going to happen, but
each studio trip brings out new ideas as well. Just by trying other
ideas in the studio and working with a producer [Hannu "Guts" Leiden
at Seawolf Studios -- Adrian] who wanted to get more out of us, I
think the record really turned out better than we had ever hoped for.
He was able to bring out a lot from inside of us. It was all rehearsed
musically, but that whole studio experience was aided by the visions
of all these great engineers who just added to the strength of _Rock
Hell_. All of these ideas just stand so strong compared to what we
have done in the past."
On the songwriting process, he comments: "It is always a new
musical adventure each time out that we go into record an album. I
don't want to see us repeating our ideas or ourselves. Everything has
to be new and inspiring for us to go forward with recording material.
I make an effort to write songs that are just different from each
other. There are so many bands out there right now that have found
their particular sound and they just stick with it an cash in and not
worry about it all. They can make money now and not worry. But for the
visionaries in this music industry, it is much more challenging to
find new visions with each song that you create." He adds, "Making an
album is supposed to be rewarding. How can you feel rewarded with an
album if it sounds like the last one? I think we are one of the few
who make an effort to be creative and not predictable."
"I want to make records a lot faster, but the label's policy on
recording and releasing albums isn't like that. If you look at all of
the bands on Wicked World when they started releasing material --
bands like Elysian Fields, December Wolves, etc. -- you will know that
we are one of first bands to put out our second record. Obviously we
want to record and put stuff out. I don't want to wait too long to
record material because you start to lose the momentum and lose fans
along the way, because they forget about you. It is as if you have to
start from scratch again. This is a good record and we don't want to
go unnoticed. We need to make an effort to get back into the scene
after not having a record out for two and a half years and let people
know we are still here. We are inspired to create music that we want
to share with metal fans worldwide."
Speaking of inspiring music, what albums influenced Osterman to
want to join a band and make music? "I'd have to say Slayer's _Reign
in Blood_, At The Gates' disc _Slaughter of the Soul_ and Entombed's
_Wolverine Blues_. Slayer's disc at the time just changed things
around so much. A lot of people think it is the quantity of music that
matters. _Reign in Blood_ is under 30 minutes and it just delivers
such a punch. It still stands up after all of these years and hasn't
lost any appeal to metal fans. _Slaughter of the Soul_ was such a
powerful record. I never liked At the Gates, but after I heard _SotS_
I was like, "What the fuck is happening?" It blew me away! It still
does. As for _Wolverine Blues_, I just was so fond of that record.
Nicke Andersson [Entombed drummer -- Adrian] was my mentor of sorts.
He influenced me so much. He just really made me appreciate what they
were all about. This record just really inspired me. After he left the
band, it just wasn't the same for me. All of those records, when they
came out they added fresh blood to the stagnant death metal scene."
So Nalle, is it fair to call Gandalf a "death 'n' roll band"?
"I don't know what we should be called", quips Osterman. "Our
producer told us it is metal rock or rocking metal. I don't really see
a use in putting a term on what we play. We are just here to rock
hell! <laughs> Let the fans decide what they want to call us. I don't
care what they all say, as long as it is something good -- that is all
that matters."
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N O R W A Y ' S G O T H E N B U R G S O N S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Rune Holm of The Embraced
by: Alvin Wee
Though not as high-profile as some of their Swedish melodic death
counterparts, The Embraced (not to be confused with Regain Records'
keyboard-based black metal act Embraced [CoC #51]) pull off a
decidedly non-Norwegian stunt on their newest opus _The Birth_.
Eschewing the Norse "holocaust-metal" ethic of old and all but
ignoring the latest wave of electro-industrial pouring forth from
their homeland, this Norwegian quintet embrace (sorry!) a technical
death perspective that's refreshing coming from Norway. After numerous
line-up changes, a messy deal demise with the now-defunct Invasion
Records and the band's subsequent return to original label Aftermath,
The Embraced are back with a vengeance and a solid new album, almost a
year delayed. Axe-man Rune Holm gave me an idea of their ambitions,
and was (I suspect) nearly driven to exasperation with my critical
views of the Gothenburg genre.
CoC: First off, I'd like to ask about your expectations regarding your
new album. How do you expect the response to be this time round?
Any hopes?
Rune Holm: We're pretty enthusiastic about this release! I think we
have a much stronger album than _In My Dreams..._. The
songs on _The Birth_ are all more technical, melodic and
brutally different than our debut album. This time we have
a better distro than the last time so we're promoted
basically in all of Europe, Japan, USA and Scandinavia. We
look forward to hearing how people will react to our music
and we hope they'll like it!
CoC: And the label?
RH: Aftermath have attained a lot of new distros in the last few
years, so they are really working hard to promote their bands.
We're very happy with Aftermath so far, but we'll see what happens
in the future. Our record deal was only for one album, so now we
just sit back and see what happens...
CoC: There's been a separate Asian release too, hasn't there?
RH: In Japan we let Soundholic records release the album on license
from Aftermath. It was easier for both Aftermath and Soundholic,
because Soundholic agreed to do all the promotion down there and
that was a release for our label. There's also a bonus track on
the Japanese version, so it's pretty cool when all of our friends
order the Japanese version instead of the European.
CoC: A good decision, since Japanese pressings seem to be doing pretty
well in terms of demand nowadays. Now I must admit that I'm
pretty unfamiliar with your previous releases. How did they do in
terms of sales?
RH: In 1998 we released our debut album called _In My Dreams... I Am
Armageddon_ on Aftermath music. It was Aftermath's first release,
so we were both pretty anxious to see how this would turn out. As
time went by, we discovered that distros all over Europe [were]
interested in our album and Aftermath's forthcoming releases! We
had estimated a total sale of 500 ex. [copies -- Alvin] for the
album, but it turned out that we sold about 2000! Not the biggest
number in terms of sales, but I must say that things look
interesting in the future! Soundholic has estimated a sale of 3000
ex. only in Japan, so this looks good for us!
CoC: How have you matured since then?
RH: Immediately after releasing our debut album we started to rehearse
and compose new songs for our follow-up _The Birth_. During this
period we listened a lot to Dream Theater, Children of Bodom,
Hypocrisy and such. Our music was quickly inspired by these bands,
so there is a significant change in how we sound! _The Birth_ is
much more powerful, technical, melodic and brutal than our debut.
CoC: From what I see you're really quite determined to go beyond the
underground and achieve some form of success worldwide...
RH: We try to create a name so that people know that Norway has a
death metal band included in the black metal jungle here. We're
also planning a tour in Scandinavia to begin with, so we try to be
recognized in the media wherever we go. What we really want is to
go out and play live as much as possible, so we're promoting
ourselves quite heavily at the moment to get the people's
reaction, you know...
CoC: Your bio states that you're now playing a "more brutal, yet
technical form of death". Sure, there are faster parts here and
there, but your overriding concern seems to be melody and
atmosphere rather than the brutal/technical aspects of it. I
mean, with all the acoustic segments, melodic leads etc.. So
what's the issue here?
RH: We like to put in some clean guitars / parts to create a more
diverse feeling in the songs. I still believe that this album _The
Birth_ is more brutal than _In My Dreams..._, our last album, so
we're definitely moving towards a more brutal and technical
approach. The new songs for our next album sound a lot like old
death metal, [like] Hypocrisy's _Osculum Obscenum_.
CoC: This description doesn't sound very different from the
fifth-hundred band out there playing cool Gothenburg metal...
What's to stop us from labeling you guys as just another generic
Gothenburg act?
RH: This is the way we like it! If you want to call us "just another
generic Gothenburg act", then so be it! We like to put in some of
our inspiration sources in our music and if people doesn't [sic]
like it they can simply buy a different album!
CoC: Hmm? OK, in my opinion, the new wave of melodic death has about
as much in common with the traditional Morbid Angel style as
Britney Spears has to do with rock. Where have the original
attitudes gone? Death metal wasn't meant to be catchy and
melodic!
RH: I know what you mean...but get ten people to label one band and
you get ten different answers! It's pretty hard to label bands
these days because they play so many different styles in one
album... I like "the originals" as you call them, but a lot of the
newcomers have some interesting approaches in their music too. I'm
really fond of the '80s hard rock bands and I like to combine that
feeling with our death metal inspired music.
CoC: Even in the death metal boom of '92 and '93, bands like
Suffocation, Cancer and Monstrosity were all playing brutal,
crushing music. Today however, the rise of NWOSDM has contributed
to the scene being filled with previously non-metallers. Some
blame the "pollution" of the scene on this new wave of bands...
What's your opinion on this? Isn't the scene exclusive anymore?
RH: I really don't care what other people think. If someone thinks
that this "new wave" thing is polluting the scene, that's OK!
CoC: Uh huh...
RH: I don't care what label people put us under, or how they respond
to our music. If they like it it's cool, but if not I just don't
give a shit! Personally, I think it's good that new bands enter
the scene with other inspirations and a different approach to
their music. This helps to create a big mass of metal based fans
and I think that's a great idea! I must admit that some of the new
bands like HammerFall, Rhapsody and Edguy don't appeal that much
to me... It seems to me that when people have heard HammerFall or
Edguy a few times too much, they begin to listen to more brutal
metal! I managed to get my girlfriend to enjoy death/black metal
using this technique... <grin>
CoC: Quite right indeed! So are you still inspired by old-school
brutal death?
RH: Absolutely! I still listen to Carcass, Death, Hypocrisy and so
on... Our new bassist Tom gave me a CD the other [day] to listen
to. The CD was [by Nocturnus] and it totally blew me away! I
rushed out to buy as many of their albums I could possibly find...
CoC: And how do you integrate this into your melodic material?
RH: I'm not really sure how we do that... I often get inspired by
whatever I hear on my stereo, so everything can turn up! I can
listen to Children of Bodom or Dismember and play that kind of
style for the rest of the week! When I'm making a song I'm just
fooling around trying to mix two, three or four riffs together. At
this stage I have ruled out ten other riffs that I didn't like or
[couldn't] do anything with. If it's a traditional death metal
riff or a Children of Bodom-like riff I don't really care about
it. If I (and the rest of the band) like what we hear, I'm happy!
CoC: So, bringing things back to the new album, what can the fans
expect this time round?
RH: This time they can expect (as I mentioned earlier) a more brutal,
melodic and technical album than _In My Dreams..._. We have added
a lot more technical elements in the songs and the melodies fit
the songs in a nicer way than the last album. Maybe we remembered
to tune our guitars on _The Birth_ too? On a few of the songs on
_In My Dreams..._ we didn't bother to fine-tune our guitars... bad
mistake!
CoC: So you're satisfied with the result?
RH: My personal goal with _The Birth_ was to achieve a decent sound
and an overall good production. As I listen to it now I'm pretty
satisfied with it, since we got to do all the work ourselves
(supervised by the studio owner, of course).
CoC: To end off, what are your plans for the future? What can we
expect soon: tours, new material, etc.?
RH: Well, first of all we're going out touring around Norway, Sweden
and Denmark (and possibly Finland). We're also in the process of
making a new album, so we'll probably play some new songs on the
tour to check out the response. There's also some talk about
longsleeve T-shirts and an LP version of _The Birth_.
[Readers interested in The Embraced merchandise can contact Aftermath
Music at: mailto:ruholm@online.no -- Alvin]
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U N L E A S H I N G T E R R O R O N C E A G A I N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P.
by: Adrian Bromley
W.A.S.P. guitarist/frontman/songwriter Blackie Lawless has seen
himself put through the ringer over the years for whatever reason, but
it seems as though today's press day for the new disc _Unholy Terror_
(Metal-is) might take the cake. You see, he has been doing promotional
interviews for the album day since 9am PST, and so by the time the
phone call comes to my home (an hour and a half late) he as been going
solid for almost ten hours, with still four more interviews to go.
Not a good day, Blackie, is it?
"No, it isn't. It has been quite a grueling day, actually, but
what are you going to do."
Exactly, there is nothing Lawless can do on the outside world,
where his music is put on store shelves, promoted in magazines and
played on the airwaves. But in the studio he is the "Master of His
Domain". This is where he takes his visions and passion and creates
his artwork: his music. The new album -- thanks in part to the now
steady line-up of guitarist Chris Holmes, bassist Mike Duda and
drummer Stet Howland -- is a much darker record than in recent years.
The music is rich in ideas and Lawless has done quite a number on the
production here. The terror reigns within the music as expected and
Lawless has still managed after all these years to keep the music
sounding like W.A.S.P..
"I work hard at keeping up with that continuity on all of our
records", he starts. "I have always made an effort to keep W.A.S.P.
focused. All of those other bands out there have kind of strayed away
from their sound because they are all chasing the tail of the charts
and trying to find out what is happening and what is going to be the
next big thing. You can't do that. All you can do is what feels right
to you. There is no need to be like a chicken with its head cut off
running around trying to find out what is going on. You don't want to
do that. That is just a fool's game."
So what is going on? What does Lawless know about the music
industry that we don't?
"I think number one, you just need to keep in mind that you have
to just make the best record that you can. You put one foot in front
of the other and whatever happens after that is just out of your
control from that point on. There is nothing you can do about it. All
you can do is be true to yourself. I have fairly general tastes when
it comes to music. What I am moved by, I'm pretty sure someone else
will be moved by too."
He adds, "Like I have said in the past, it is all about who you
are right now and what you are feeling. When you take people on a trip
with your music, and they want to be lifelong fans of the band, you've
got to be willing to open up your head and let them be able to run
around and see what is going on in your head. You can't be afraid to
let people see what is in there. If you are afraid, you'll never be
able to develop this intimacy that you need to do this. If you don't
have the intimacy, you aren't going to go on this ride for life."
So what is Lawless's trip like for W.A.S.P. fans in his own
words?
"I am a big fan of what we do musically, but I honestly think the
lyrics are what I do best. If I am writing lyrics that I believe in, I
am basically making up my own storyboard that you can make your own
movie to. As the movie is going on in your head, the music acts as a
soundtrack for you as the movie is going along. I want to write lyrics
that create imagery. I'm not at all interested in writing lyrics that
don't have imagery."
"I think this record is a good cross between our first record
[self-titled disc in 1984 -- Adrian] and _The Headless Children_
[1989]", states Lawless when asked to describe and compare the new
disc to older recordings. "I find a lot of similarities with this
record and those two. For example, the song "Let It Roar" on the new
disc is kind of like a newer version of "I Wanna Be Somebody". It
wasn't until after I finished recording it that I noticed the
similarities."
"Time also seems to be my enemy of everything I do", continues
Lawless about the recording of _Unholy Terror_. "That is why I am
always so historically late with records and jamming at the last
minute. The new album was literally being done as the last song was
being mixed. I was in the makeshift situation trying to finish it up.
If you had seen that you wouldn't have believed it. <laughs> It just
looked real crude, the way the recording was done and how I got what I
needed for that song. It was just something that I felt I needed to do
on the last day to that song to make it just a bit better and be happy
with the end result. For me, it is a real personal statement for me to
get everything in my head about that record out. I want all the ideas
swept clean. I want to record a record to the last minute to punctuate
what I was thinking at that particular place and time. Then I move
on."
"I don't like things rattling around", he explains. "If I don't
get it out of me at that moment, it just doesn't feel right to go onto
the next thing. It isn't always the way for each recording, but most
of the time I need to get it all out of me and make sure I have it all
done on record."
Leading up to this record, a lot of things have changed in the
metal music business and life itself. Bands have come and gone,
technology is just booming and "Survivor" is ruling television. These
times are a changing. What are the W.A.S.P. frontman's thoughts on all
of this?
"I don't care. I really don't care what is going on", he laughs.
"And to tell you the truth, I have never watched "Survivor". I know of
it, but have never seen it. I am not at all interested in any of that.
My music is what means a lot to me. My music moves me and that is what
keeps me interested in all of this. I like to be creative and just let
loose and let my fans take in what I have provided them with on each
album."
And writing music for each album -- has it become easier?
"Shit, I wish", blurts out Lawless. "Every time I go into making
a record and writing material, the time frame is different each time
out. Songs just come together easily sometimes, but sometimes the
problem lies within the making of a song where you reach a roadblock.
But that is the writing process and how it comes about. A song like
"Hate to Love Me" happened immediately. The song "Charisma" took a
month to do."
"Regardless of if the song makes the record or not, that is the
exploration process that comes with songwriting. You need to discover
if after all the work -- either a short time frame or not -- if it is
worth it all in the end. You have to twist and turn it and take it
apart to really get to know the song and the end result."
Lawless ends, "A good song will last for ever; it just may take
you that long to get it right."
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C O M M E N T S F R O M C A P T A I N C O N T A M I N A T I O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Matthew F. Jacobson, head of Relapse Records
by: Paul Schwarz and Adrian Bromley
You will probably have heard of _Contaminated 3.0_. If you haven't,
get ye hence with your eight US dollars and purchase what must be the
best value-for-money extreme metal-centric compilations around. Two
CDs and fifty-one (yes, 51!) tracks await you -- and if you hadn't
heard that extreme music and focussed grind label Relapse were putting
out this compilation, this will be your education, your first step
into a new world of vicious extremity and vibrant variation. Matt F.
Jacobson started it all -- just to put out a 7" from a friend's
hardcore band! Ten years have passed since then, Relapse has grown,
and in the last three years particularly, the label has blossomed to
bear the fruit of many of extreme metal's more interesting and most
spectacular moments. 2000 was what I'd call a career best so far. As
2001 and its many future possibilities began unfolding before Relapse,
I chatted with Matt F. Jacobson... and so did Adrian Bromley -- he had
a lot to say!
Paul Schwarz
~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC: What was the idea of putting out _Contaminated 3.0_, in its
volume of tracks especially?
Matt F. Jacobson: The whole purpose of _Contaminated 3.0_ was to allow
people an overview of what Relapse is about and what
we've done over the last ten years. And we wanted to
be able to put it out there and make it available
for a low price -- in the States, it's less that
eight bucks. I just wanted to give people a lot of
music for a little amount of money and give them an
idea of what we're about.
CoC: It represents mostly from '95 onwards, it doesn't reach back
quite to the beginning; it's got more of a focus on the slightly
more developed angle of Relapse.
MFJ: Well, I can tell you that when we sat down to come up with the
track-listing it was really difficult and I can say that there's
certainly some of the early stuff that I'm really excited about,
like Exit-13, Disembowelment, Disrupt in particular. Obviously,
we didn't get to dig into the 7" round just because there was a
limited amount of space. There's certainly a lot more that I
wanted to put on there, but it just wasn't feasible for us to put
out a five CD package. It really would take five CDs to really
get the idea. So we tried to represent as much as we could and of
course there is a little bit more of an emphasis on what's
happened lately, and we tried to keep it up-to-date by putting
some of the new stuff on there as well. I wanted to give the
existing Relapse fans who may be familiar with most of that stuff
something still that was gonna be interesting and new and worth
their eight bucks. One of the things you'll see is that a lot of
the earlier tracks are some of the same tracks from like the
_Corporate Death_ compilation, but we really just felt that those
were the tracks that best represented what we were about and what
we did. So that's why we chose to put them on here again.
CoC: With where Relapse has got to, did you ever expect it to be as
encompassing and as big as it is?
MFJ: I certainly didn't in the beginning. When I first started it I
just put out a 7" for my friend's hardcore band and one thing led
to another and it was probably a year and a half, two years into
it before I really realised: wow, we've surpassed everything that
I thought we might reach and I realised there's not necessarily a
limit on what we can accomplish. So, that was kind of a turning
point in my mind when I realised: wow, we can really go far with
this and, um, here we are...
CoC: Especially the last three to four years Relapse has really shot
up. When I first got into the more extreme side of metal
in 1996/1997, I knew a few bands on Relapse, it was only
pushed into my face every now and again, and it was kind of
around 1997/1998, especially after doing Nile and Incantation's
_Diabolical Conquest_ -- it really started to take off around
that time. From there you've got to where you are now, but do you
expect that same thing to happen again, do you expect over the
next two years Relapse will grow to "the next level" as it were?
MFJ: There's no way to predict for sure, although I feel that that's
what gonna happen. From day one we've grown very organically, and
frankly our biggest problem is always having enough resources,
enough working capital, to do what we want to do. We never do, we
never have. And that's why we've been forced to grow creatively,
and forced to grow slowly and painfully anyway. So, I've seen a
lot of very positive things happen and we've reached levels that
we haven't before with some of our bands and especially with
bands like Dillinger Escape Plan -- this last release has done so
incredibly well and the amazing thing is that it's their first
album. So, one thing that I see happening with the label is that
we still have a number of artists who are still on their first
and second records, and when they reach third or fourth records
and they have that catalogue that is there to support it as well,
it definitely starts to change the dynamics. So, I expect a lot
of growth, for sure.
CoC: Virtually none of the bands of the early days of Relapse did as
well on their first one or two albums...
MFJ: Correct.
CoC: ...as Nile and Dillinger have done.
MFJ: Except for Amorphis, which is the only exception: they're the
exception to every rule.
CoC: What I find interesting is that you've got to a point now where
you could take a very commercial angle. A lot of the bands will
now start to get, if the progression of sales continues, to a
point where you can make a lot more money and it's interesting
what you were saying: you do put a lot of money on the line as
far as I can see...
MFJ: Yeah, we certainly do.
CoC: ...doing the Contamination tours, doing various other tours and
doing Milwaukee, where Relapse's presence is almost omnipresent.
Do you feel that if you kept on making more money with the label
that you'd keep that close margin, really pushing yourselves to
spend money on the bands?
MFJ: I think so. I'm just kind of -driven- that way by nature for a
number of reasons. Number one, I believe so strongly in what
we're doing that I'm convinced that if we had more resources to
put our stuff here and here and here, to do this and this and
this, that we could just reach a larger audience. My primary
objective is to make our bands as popular as possible, not
necessarily 'cause we can make a lot of money, but because
they're great bands that deserve the exposure. I mean, I started
this as a hobby when I was eighteen years old because I wanted to
put out cool records, and I didn't really realise in the process
I would become a business man, which is something that I have to
deal with. But our ultimate goal, what we really deal with is art
and we have art and we have to have business and we want a
balance -- but with art first. And we try to incorporate great
art with creative marketing and smart business and I hope that it
continues to grow and expand and I'd love to expand it beyond
just where it is today as far as, even the things we are dealing
in. Right now, we're a record company and we're a mailorder, but
I see many other things that I would love to be involved with in
the future, creatively speaking, and we'll have to see what that
brings. We're not gonna go in a more commercial direction because
we're not Roadrunner, we're not a company that says: OK, now we
can try to break the major labels and reach this other level.
We're about underground music and while some of our bands may
evolve to have a more developed or accessible sound, and while
our roster will continue to diversify and expand in other
directions, it's not with the intention of: OK, now we can shift
100 million units. And I see some of the labels that are out
there that moved away from what established them to begin with
and I think it's a shame, because that's their core audience. And
we're always going to maintain that direction as well as
expanding from there. There are some people who accuse us of
selling out and so on and all I can tell them is: look at the new
Regurgitate album! Whatever dude, you know.
CoC: Would you say that you expect that this sort of music will go
more into the mainstream or maybe that just the audience for
extreme music will expand?
MFJ: I think all of the above. I think that you have kids, the
outcasts in high-school, who start out with things like Korn and
Limp Bizkit, that now the jocks listen to, so they can't listen
to that anymore because it's not cool. So they naturally
gravitate to something that's more and more underground. Everyone
needs a bridge. I mean, when I started listening to extreme music
I didn't go from pop radio to Napalm Death, I went through ZZ Top
and Black Sabbath, to Motley Crue and Iron Maiden, to Metallica,
Slayer, Celtic Frost, Napalm Death. And I see those same kinds of
things happening. I think that there are gonna be more people out
there that are conditioned and have the bridge to get them into
more underground music, and I just think that over a long period
of time word of mouth just builds things, and if you keep doing
exactly what you're doing, over a period of time more people will
be aware of it, and because more people are aware of it, more
people are interested. There's a million bands out there that
change what they do to make them more accessible or commercial,
when really sometimes, over the long haul, they'd be better off
sticking true and wait it out, because their fanbase will build
over time -- but they try to take the shortcut and often they
lose their fanbase, and go down the tubes. So, I'm conscious of
those things and I wanna always do what we've always done and
what establishes those things that we love, but I think that we
can expand well outside of that as well and we just plan to try
to do it all.
CoC: I've got to agree, I'd be very interested to see where
the generation of nu-metal-type sports metal stuff goes and
obviously, as usual, will be watching the progress of the label.
MFJ: There's one thing I would like to squeeze in there: I really am
proud of our website and would really encourage people to check
out Relapse.com because I think it's really at the forefront of
the metal sites, and we try to do as much with it as we can and
there's a lot to offer.
CoC: It is one of few websites where you can really get into it.
MFJ: I think some of that has to do with the fact that Relapse has
more of a distinct personality than some of the companies that
are out there. I'm not slagging anyone 'cause everyone has their
own thing, but companies like Century Media and Nuclear Blast,
they put out black metal when that's popular and power metal...
and they just kind of move with the flow and that's really smart
from the business perspective, but we have more of a defined
personality that's still nebulous but I think that allows some
people to kind of identify with it and be into it and we get a
quarter of a million unique visits a month to our website. We've
had hundreds of thousands of posts on our bulletin board that we
have to keep deleting 'cause otherwise it'll crash our site. And
I think that's pretty special.
CoC: I think Relapse has a distinct personality where other labels
don't. You don't know what to expect from Century Media or
Nuclear Blast...
MFJ: ...And I don't think you know what to expect with Relapse,
necessarily.
CoC: I was gonna say: you don't know what to expect with Relapse.
<Matt laughs> The interesting thing is, you don't know what to
expect from Relapse but you know that it won't just be something
that's coming out on all the other labels.
MFJ: Right.
CoC: It'll be whatever Relapse sees as interesting and, generally, as
going to the extremes of things.
MFJ: Definitely. It's kind of hard to narrow it down or put it into
words, but there's something there, I think. I think it's true,
and what I'm really excited about now is -- I was very frustrated
for a long time because these were the kinds of things that I
felt but it didn't seem like many other people recognised. But,
over the last couple of years especially, other people have
started to recognise those very things and I'm really psyched
'cause that's what we set out to do. And I'm happy to see it
happening.
Adrian Bromley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC: Are you surprised that Relapse Records has been able to stay
grounded after so many years and not sign a billion acts to the
roster and have it all spin out of control?
Matt F. Jacobson: It has been deliberate that we haven't done that.
We've tried to have a balanced roster. That is
really our goal. Sure, sometimes we have a bit too
much of this sound and it falls out of whack, but we
try to keep it mixed up. We can't really control how
our roster goes because we only aim to sign great
bands.
CoC: I'm sure you are faced day in and day out with numerous other
problems that come with this business other than signing bands
and putting out records. What inspires you to keep wanting to do
this, since this has obviously grown much bigger than you had set
out to do with the label?
MFJ: I think it is my passion for music. I also think it is because
Relapse is my creative outlet for both my involvement with the
aesthetics and presentation of our material, as well as the
business side of things. I approach our business side of things
very creatively and I think we do well, but that just may be
behind the scenes. There are times when you are up against
something that it is hard to make an advance with certain
decisions and it gets difficult at times, but those are just
temporary setbacks for us.
CoC: How important to you is your relationship with your bands?
MFJ: I think it is very important. The relationship with our bands is
incredibly important to me and I realize the longer that we do
this and the bigger that we become, there are going to be some
people that won't be happy with what we do. I think most of our
bands are happy with what we do.
CoC: How do you think Relapse Records has affected today's metal music
scene?
MFJ: I am very proud that we have had such an impact on the music
scene, because we have such dedicated people and super bands
working together. Maybe our bands don't sell the most, but they
are doing something that is making an impact somewhere and making
people take notice out there. I am glad we have been able to
first establish our vibe in the metal scene, especially the death
metal scene, and then expand out from there. We are still
remaining true to what helped establish us in the beginning, but
continuing to push forwards in many different directions.
CoC: How does Relapse decide what bands they want to work with?
MFJ: We get tons of stuff sent to us all the time. We don't have a
checklist or look for bands a certain way. We just look for great
music. I don't know if we want a certain band until we hear their
music or see them play. But one thing that seems to carry through
with most of our artists is that they are either incredibly good
at what they do -- I'm talking cream of the crop of their niche
or sub genre -- or they are doing something fresh and interesting
and can't be labeled. I think we are a lot more interested in
putting out music that'll be interesting for the music scene,
rather than if it will sell a lot of records. From a business
perspective that sounds stupid, but I didn't start this to have a
business, I started this to put out cool records.
CoC: I don't hear much about and/or from William Yurkiewicz anymore --
is he still with the label?
MFJ: Bill became a silent partner of the label. The short of it is
that with the pressures of running a serious business with a lot
of stress that comes along with it, it just wasn't something he
was looking for. When we started the label, he wanted to just put
out cool music like I did. But inevitably as the company grew, it
wasn't just about hanging out with the bands and smoking pot --
not that that was what he expected. The reality was that it was
pretty stressful for him and that put him in a bad mood and he
caused stress in the office and it just wasn't creating a
positive environment for anyone. As a result from this, it just
made sense for him to get on with his life and do other things.
He is still a silent partner.
CoC: Why has there been such a strong allegiance to death metal music
for Relapse Records?
MFJ: When we started out, death metal was at its peak and with
bands like Suffocation, Incantation and Mortician we were onto
something. We were interested in the music style and working with
bands of that genre. Death metal had originated in Europe and so
we were one of the few labels that was pushing it. Then a few
years later other labels like Century Media, Nuclear Blast and
Earache dropped all the death metal acts and signed power metal
bands, black metal bands and just other genres of bands to
promote. We just kept on doing what we wanted to work with and
guess what? Now death metal has come back around again and peaked
people's interest and all of these labels are signing death metal
acts, something we never stopped doing.
CoC: Seeing that you are the head guy at Relapse and know all that is
going on, what is coming down the Relapse pipeline that you are
excited about?
MFJ: There are so many coming up. One of the ones I am so excited
about is the Burnt by the Sun EP [reviewed in this issue --
Adrian]. Fucking incredible band! I am so excited about this
band. I am really into the new Amorphis album, the new Neurosis
disc as well as a new signee called Mastedon, which has ex-Today
Is the Day members. I'm down with Skinless and Pig Destroyer. I
just heard some of the new rough material from Pig Destroyer --
whew! That is all I gotta say.
CoC: Tell me about Relapse's role on the Internet. It is a big deal
and you guys go all out for promoting Relapse stuff.
MFJ: I think that the Internet and our website are a very important
part of our focus of moving forward. I do believe we have one of
the premiere sites in the metal realm. We wanted to expand that,
though, and that is all part of my vision to help move Relapse
forward in the coming years. The vision continues to go. By
nature, I have always been a dreamer and the more successful I
am, the bigger dreams I have and want to carry out. Some of my
ideas seem crazy to people, and a fraction of them will become
reality, but the ones that do become reality I am very happy
about.
CoC: What was the reason behind the label name?
MFJ: It goes back to the days when I used to do a fanzine before
Relapse with John Canady called Horrendified, which was inspired
by a Sore Throat song title. We were both going to do compilation
tapes and started brainstorming about names for these tapes. I
can't remember the name he came up with, but I came up with
Relapse. Eventually we couldn't agree on a name so we chose
Lethal Records. Coincidentally, when I was set to release a 7" of
John's band, I chose to release it under Relapse. The reason I
chose that name was 1) it had a nice ring to it and was easy to
remember and 2) most importantly, it wasn't limiting. Some people
come up with record labels like Deathgrind Records or Fuck Your
Mom Records. I didn't know where I was going with this label at
the time and I was happy to have it be open-ended.
CoC: To give you a bit of a history lesson about Chronicles of Chaos,
when Gino [Filicetti, editor] and I started up Chronicles of
Chaos, we had another name planned out. We don't think it would
have gotten us this far. The name was originally going to be, and
I still laugh to this day when I say it, The Brutal Bugle.
MFJ: <laughs> Yeah! That is incredible!
CoC: <laughs> Isn't that funny. Hey! Stop laughing.
MFJ: <laughter dies down> I just want to say that it is good to see
you guys stick with a name and continue to support the scene. It
always makes me feel good to see publications supporting the
cause. Thanks for your time.
Contact: http://www.relapse.com
Label biography: http://www.relapse.com/high/relapse/biography.html
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/ _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____
/ /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \
/ | \ |_| \_\ \ | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____/___ /____/|__|_| /
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_____ .__
/ _ \ _________.__.| | __ __ _____
/ /_\ \ / ___< | || | | | \/ \
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\/ \/ \/ \/
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!
Abyssic Hate - _Suicidal Emotions_ (No Colours, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10)
Finally... the long awaited full-length from this Aussie cult, after
driving fans nuts with a stream of elusive tracks on compilations,
split CDs and tapes. Followers of the underground scene should
already know what to expect: pure Burzum/Darkthrone worship in
the old way like many of the bands in the NSBM scene. For a
band that's often mentioned in the same breath as Mutiilation,
Nargaroth and Judas Iscariot, Abyssic Hate doesn't fail to deliver the
coldest breath of melancholy on _Suicidal Emotions_. The four track
titles reading "Depression: Part I", "Betrayed", Depression: Part II"
and "Despondency" should be warning enough even before the disc
begins spinning; indeed, the opening dirge reeks of Burzum's early
repetitive, droning melancholy, setting the stage for more gloom to
come. Clocking in at a surprising 49 minutes, the four tracks
don't stand out individually as much as create a single oppressive
atmosphere. Not a band to work up a sweat, Abyssic Hate never allows
the pace to increase beyond a docile canter; rhythm-wise, things
are equally understated with the drums tapping out a simplistic
Fenriz-type tattoo in the background while the guitars buzz along
amiably (well, not quite) with the old atmosphere sadly lacking in the
current scene. Not much left to say, really, as originality isn't
quite the band's forte. Still not a bad thing for die-hards who can't
get over Grischnack's change of style since _Hvis Lyset Tar Oss_, and
even the pervasive monotony and repetition on the album can be passed
off with a straight face as atmosphere. Certainly up there with the
best of 'em in the genre (read: Judas Iscariot, Moonblood, Katharsis,
etc.), and it's wonderful to see a few German underground labels
spewing out bands like these.
Contact: mailto:info@no-colours-records.de
Archaean Harmony - _Nihility Mundane Soul_ (Solemn Music, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (6 out of 10)
A re-release of the band's 1999 demo, _Nihility Mundane Soul_ is also
the debut MCD of Malta's Archaean Harmony -- one of these days I'll be
able to say I've heard metal from every country in Europe. Starting
with a short intro somewhat similar to a passage from Emperor's own
intro on _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_, Archaean Harmony then
present half an hour of their blackened form of progressive metal.
Technically adventurous in terms of guitar and keyboard work, on _NMS_
Archaean Harmony relied on a drum machine that will in the future be
partially or entirely replaced by a human drummer. The band does
achieve interesting passages, but alas these generally don't last for
long -- experimenting with strange tempos and often drifting off into
seemingly unrelated guitar soloing doesn't do the fluidity of their
music much good. _Nihility Mundane Soul_ could do with some more
direction and consistency, but considering this is a re-recorded demo,
Archaean Harmony may well already be on their way to finding such
needed qualities to add to their technical skill and will to innovate.
Contact: Archaean Harmony, P.O. Box 8, Zurrieq BPO, Malta
mailto:darkmortem@hotmail.com
http://www.darkmetal.com/archaean/
Arghoslent - _Troops of Unfeigned Might_ 7" (Horror Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10)
Stateside blasphemers Arghoslent return with a brilliant three-tracker
on Horror Records' trademark vinyl. Arghoslent is one of the select
few who can rightly claim to play war metal: the atmosphere of pagan
battle and pride is unmistakable throughout the all-too-short EP,
and is all the more impressive for not resorting to the generic
Graveland-type bombastics. Boasting a catchy pagan riff to die for,
the title track marches forth bearing traditional metal, folk and
death metal banners with equal pride, and will have the most
melancholy of you humming all the way to the battlefield. Indeed, few
bands have managed to fuse the genres as well as Arghoslent have, and
those who have are currently riding on far greater commercial success.
B-side "Jaws of the Furnace" turns up the aggression a notch,
pummeling out churning waves of old-school death. True death metal
hasn't been seen outside the underground arenas for a while now, and
it's heartening to see talented formations keeping the tradition
alive. Charming as the typically dirty mix may be (characteristic of
all Horror Rec. vinyl it seems), it doesn't do justice to the powerful
music of the title track; this material begs the clarity and punch of
a better production, though it must be said the primitive B-side seems
tailor made for such rawness. Limited and hand-numbered to 666 copies
(in two colours), it's a wonder there are any left at the label.
Contact: $7 to Horror Records, Joergensgaard 49B, 1.-4,
DK-6400 Soenderborg, Denmark
Arthemesia - _Devs-Iratvs_ (Native North Records, January 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
With a style that lies somewhere between old Obtained Enslavement and
present day Dimmu Borgir, these Finnish debutantes have produced a
very competent hour of classically influenced symphonic black metal.
The music is fluid and dynamic, alternatively emphasizing melody and
aggression, keyboard and guitar. Most of the melodies and arrangements
are quite smart, usually keeping a good balance and avoiding keyboard
sweetness. The band achieves some pretty emotional passages as well
as effective outbursts of energy and keeps it all flowing quite
consistently. Despite a couple of weaker passages (especially the
guitar work around the one minute mark in "Celebration of the Heaven
Lost"), the band is very competent technically and there is usually
enough going on to keep the listener interested throughout the album
-- that is in case you are appreciative of classically influenced
symphonic black metal; otherwise, it is unlikely that Arthemesia will
win you over. However, those who have been moaning about Obtained
Enslavement having recently forsaken their keyboards [CoC #46] should
find solace in Arthemesia. A very good debut indeed and one of the
best records I have heard in a while in this genre, even if the band
is hardly breaking new ground.
Contact: http://www.arthemesia.com
http://www.nativenorth.com
At the Gates - _Suicidal Final Art_ (Peaceville, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
These days Peaceville may be more famous for My Dying Bride and
Anathema, but there is huge injustice in forgetting this is also the
label that released At the Gates' first three full-length records. In
my view, At the Gates have always had the ability to innovate and
influence other bands and a whole scene with their talent, uniqueness
and vision. Their records remain as classics that to me seem not only
virtually ageless but also unparalleled in some ways. _Slaughter of
the Soul_ in particular sets the standard [CoC #4, #48], but the
uniqueness of _The Red in the Sky Is Ours_ and _With Fear I Kiss the
Burning Darkness_ and also the special blend found in _Terminal Spirit
Disease_ remain equally unmatched in their own way. In addition to
their aggressiveness, technicality and excellent songwriting skills,
At the Gates further mark their importance in the history of metal
with the sheer emotion they have always managed to imbue their music
with. If you don't know these masters of Swedish death metal yet, then
I hope that by now I have managed to impart to you at least some of
the quality, importance and relevance I find in their work. _Suicidal
Final Art_, the compilation now at hand, arrives six years after AtG's
swansong album, _Slaughter of the Soul_, the final and also highest
point of their career. Only two tracks from _Slaughter of the Soul_
(which came out on Earache) are featured, but I must say I find that a
good effort from Peaceville in trying to make sure this compilation
isn't flawed through the omission of the band's greatest achievement.
The bonuses for those who already own the entire AtG discography are
mildly appetising, but far from overwhelming. First, a band biography
written by vocalist Tomas Lindberg, which in my case provided an
interesting read. Second, two demo versions of songs from _With Fear
I Kiss the Burning Darkness_, which are good but not amazingly
different from the better known versions. And third, enhanced CD-ROM
video clips of "Terminal Spirit Disease" and the very unique "The
Burning Darkness", which constitute nice collector's items, but aren't
something you are likely to be watching over and over again. All put
together, there may be just about enough to justify a purchase if you
already own their records, but I would have -really- appreciated a few
unreleased live cuts. If you are not familiar with everything
AtG released, however, you should definitely consider buying this
collection of brilliant tracks as a starting point for purchasing the
albums themselves (hence my balanced 7 out of 10 rating). Contrarily
to, for example, the first part of the My Dying Bride compilation [CoC
#51], I feel the value of _Suicidal Final Art_ depends mostly on how
familiar you are with the band; it has something to offer even to
those who own their whole discography, but I feel including some
unreleased live tracks would have made a lot of difference. If you
don't know the band, however, then either buy this or take advantage
of Peaceville's current series of reissues, which includes the first
three AtG full-length albums.
Aurora Borealis - _Northern Lights_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
If you are going to play black metal music and you live in the United
States, you better be good at it -- none of this Cradle of Filth pansy
screaming and cape wearing stuff. If you are into all that, you'd
better find a new sound to hone your musical skills on, as that is
just getting a tad tiresome. For those into metal music, you know
black metal is a big deal for music lovers, and while in recent years
it has become somewhat of a commercial commodity in this music
business, the raw feel and coldness of it all is what keeps those fans
true to the sounds and styles of it all. For fans picking up the
latest disc _Northern Lights_ by Maryland act Aurora Borealis, their
black hearts will warm up to this. Fast and furious, Aurora Borealis
aim high and hard to make sure your time with them is well spent. No
doubt fans of black metal will be in awe as they take in the sinister
vocals, the monstrous drumming (listen to the fucking blasting
drumbeats on "Sky Dweller" -- incredible!) and the raw guitar tone
blasting from this disc. While some black metal fans (I guess the
"true" ones?) say that there are very few black metal acts in North
America keeping the spirit of black metal real and intense, I can
think of numerous black metal acts that are doing fine jobs. You can
add Aurora Borealis to the list of such notable acts as Noctuary,
Acheron, Absu and Canada's Burning Moon. And while Aurora Borealis are
black metal at heart, there is a definite death metal feel at times
radiating throughout their music, most notably in the guitar work and
some vocal arrangements. All of these ideas and sounds work for me, as
Aurora Borealis has managed to keep things interesting from start to
finish. Black metal is alive and well on the US East Coast. Feel the
coldness as it delivers its crushing blow.
Contact: Ron Vento, P.O. Box 1327, Clinton, MD 20735-5327, USA
mailto:ronvento@auroraborealis.org
http://www.auroraborealis.org
Blood Stained Dusk - _Dirge of Death's Silence_
by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) (Baphomet, February 2001)
My first impulse was to take this band over the coals -- not because
they were sub-par or inadequate, but instead because I hear -so- much
more to Blood Stained Dusk than what I think is offered on _Dirge of
Death's Silence_. Possessing a strip-mine, excavatingly harsh sound,
this band displayed the right combination of ability and aptitude to
attract the attention of Killjoy from Necrophagia / Viking Crown /
Eibon fame. Released in cooperation with Red Stream Records, BSD's
demo was issued forth as a mini-CD. The way I see things, I believe
Blood Stained Dusk's greatest strength rests in their ability to
soothe the volcanic chaos they so wantonly create. Take for example
the fourth track at about the three and a half minute mark (3:28), a
cooling salve is applied to the blistering burn the rest of "The
Infernal Praise" scorches on the unprepared listener. Unique and
fulfilling riffs also surface from time to time throughout _Dirge of
Death's Silence_. "Vastland of the Empire Lost" in its more than eight
minute duration displays just such an example. Deep guitar cuts unlike
many others in the genre slice intently (2:54) before they slather on
the soothing ointment about the starting at the four minute and
nineteen second mark. Far from the prospect now with as solid an
effort as _Dirge of Death's Silence_ is, this Alabama four-piece needs
to emphasize their incomparable attributes or find themselves being
held back with the less gifted bands in the black metal class. They
say silence is deafening at times, even dirges relating there to, but
BSD could profit more from a judicious utilization of quieter
stillness amidst the pandemonium.
Burnt by the Sun - _Burnt by the Sun_ (Relapse, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
This kinda shit really blows my hair back. Four tracks seemingly have
been pulled behind a tractor trailer through downtown Detroit, as this
band smacks down an EP of interminable hardcore/metal. Not too far
removed from a Human Remains / Dillinger Escape Plan / Discordance
Axis blend, Burnt by the Sun is intriguing and forcefully energetic.
"Buffy", "You Will Move", "Lizard-Skin Barbie" and "The Fish Under the
Sea Dance" will get you revved-up like a 454 big block for a live show
by the band. The rumor mill is churning out that BbtS is confirmed at
the Metal Meltdown, New England Metal & Hardcore Fest, and, of course,
the Milwaukee MetalFest. That last one I can hardly wait for, 'cause
live is where I think Burnt by the Sun will heat things up!
Cathedral - _Endtyme_ (Earache, April 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (9.5 out of 10)
After a two-album sojourn through the realms of groovy stoner-doom,
Lee and Co. are back with a hugely surprising, monumental piece
of depression. With a heaviness that's reminiscent of the band's
pre-_Carnival..._ halcyon days, _Endtyme_ opens with the grindingly
sluggish "Cathedral Flames", forcefully pounding home their newfound
seriousness chord after crushing chord. The torturously wrenched-out
"Melancholy Emperor" has enough bottom-end riffage and anguished
wails to make any _Forest of Equilibrium_ maniac cream his pants;
yet beneath the utter depression lie the undeniable dynamics
characteristic of the band's mid-'90s work. It's a welcome change for
die-hard fans to see the band steering back to their monstrously heavy
roots, yet retain the psychedelic excitement of the later releases.
Backing up the potent mix is a surprisingly grungey production, with
the emphasis returning to the infamous Cathedral bottom-end plunged
into a vat of grainy psychedelia. A sound which fits the band's new
material well, taking the slightly non-serious edge off their previous
attempts and coating it in a lysergic haze of leviathan proportions.
Dorrian's tongue-in-cheek quirkiness hasn't entirely disappeared, as
the no-holds-barred arena-chants towards the end of "Whores to
Oblivion" show, and with twists like the soft, cosmic dream-sequence
of "Astral Queen" sneaking in among the other devastatingly heavy
pounders, there's proof enough that the band's got more tricks up
their sleeve than anyone's ready to admit. You've got to hand it to a
doom institution like Cathedral to hold their own against the deluge
of stoner-rock pretenders to the throne: few others are capable of
redefining the genre while revisiting the benchmark merits of their
past. That said, this crusher is absolutely essential for both
long-time believers in the band and new followers of the stoner-rock
scene, and pretty much everybody else in between. European release out
since February; the US will have to wait as usual.
Charnel House - _Sample of Murder_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (4 out of 10)
There are several reasons why I am not getting too much out of the
death metal groove of New York act Charnel House. One of the reasons
is the really poor production of their material here. While the
production does capture the raw stomp of their death metal grooves
effectively, better production would no doubt raise their sound to a
much more palatable level for what they are trying to convey with
their music. The second reason is the vocals/lyrics. The lyrics sound
too cheesy, too cliche. Songs about murder and crushing skulls are
sung with such a boring death metal snarl that it is just oh so wrong
for Charnel House and the music they play. They sound like a bar band
trying to play death metal music. I know the band is getting ready to
release their twelve-song _From Birth to Burial_ and I can only hope
they got a better producer and kind of cleaned "House" so that their
next attempt at providing music to the masses will be much more
acceptable. My fingers are crossed.
Contact: P.O. Box 570677, Whitestone, NY 11357, USA
mailto:charnel10-83@juno.com
http://www.mp3.com/ACharnelHouse/
Chikmountain - _Porn on the Cob_ (Tachist Records, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
I almost threw this record out my window, seriously, What a truly
irritating piece of music, annoying enough to give me a mild headache
-- yet I am compelled to listen as the chaos unfolds. Not really
rocket science here, folks, as Chikmountain dissect porn clips and
mesh them with abrasive sound effects. Throw in a huge wad of nonsense
like echoing screams, grinding machinery and incoherent babble and you
have the general makeup of _PotC_. In some way -- and this may send
the members of Chikmountian into a furious fit of excitement -- I can
hear a bit of Neurosis within their music. Just a bit, but the
influence is obviously there, even if they don't want to admit it.
Neurosis are known for bringing together a vast wave of sounds and
styles into a massive flow of energy and Chikmountain does that, but
only in small sections of _PotC_. I guess someone out there will go
ape-shit about all of this noise; I just can't really get too far into
this before I feel like I need a break. Intense and annoying,
Chikmountain do their best here and for that I salute them. Now where
is the Advil?
Contact: 1643 13th St, NW #1, Washington, DC 20009, USA
mailto:tachist@yahoo.com
Children of Bodom - _Follow the Reaper_ (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (7 out of 10)
Yet another melodic assault from the Finnish superstars, _Follow the
Reaper_ is everything we've come to expect from the new wave of
Finnish talent sweeping the commercial metal world. CoB belt out track
after track of virtuosic ear-candy with an unashamed rock 'n' roll
ethic to put even their country mates Sentenced to shame. If I thought
the opening title track was proof of the band's ability, the second
track proves me wrong almost instantly. Blazing with incendiary solos,
crunchy riffing and semi-melodic group chorus chants, it's the raw
energy and pure fun-ness of the music that makes it so appealing.
Setting the band apart from the hordes of Gothenburg clones is their
absolute lack of pretensions to being the slightest bit "death metal";
conversely, the music also rises above the lacklustre "gothic"-ness of
Sentenced's latter works. The only problem is the lack of depth so
characteristic of the genre: after three or four spins it becomes
apparent that the initial jaw-dropping impact of the music loses its
edge after some time. Still, the album is one huge celebration of
heavy metal for heavy metal's sake, and the bonus cover of Blackie
Lawless' "Hellion" is a firm hint to where the band's roots lie.
Certainly not every metaller's cup of tea, but if a purist like me can
enjoy it, it's worth giving it a try! (Look out for the one of three
different bonus tracks offered depending on country of release.)
Craft - _Total Soul Rape_ (Rage of Achilles, September 2000)
by: David Rocher (7.5 out of 10)
Standing fast against the ebbing tide, with which as the raucous,
harsh, near-primitive tones of primeval black metal have in time
mutated into highly sophisticated, intricate and melodious extreme
metal, Craft hark back to the malignant times of Darkthrone's
_Transylvanian Hunger_ and _Panzerfaust_, _Total Soul Rape_ being
their first offering of "vicious black metal". And these Swedes' first
effort indeed lives up to its denomination, offering seven tracks
(plus an outro programmed by Arckanum's own Shamataae) of grim,
raw and extremely misanthropic black metal massively influenced by
Darkthrone and Burzum. From the album opener "World of Plague" to
the bitter end of "Total Soul Rape", Craft convincingly display
their extreme ability to write harsh, violent material, which they
successfully fuse with a great sense of dynamics. In fact, although
Craft's songwriting is definitely predictable, it nonetheless oozes
with energetic time changes, suitably chaotic and un-melodious leads,
catchy percussive tricks and -- this is one of Craft's most potent
features -- vocalist Mikael's totally insane, painful screams. This
hellishly malevolent five-piece clearly have more than just the basic
technical abilities and talent required to play quality, compelling
black metal, and thus _Total Soul Rape_ is a promising first attempt
-- if the squeaky-clean, finely-tuned material of present-day Dimmu
Borgir, Cradle of Filth or Marduk fails to whet your appetite for
seething, raucous musical unearthliness, fail not to turn to Craft for
a rush of true, angered and professional black metal, summoned from
the blackest years of the genre.
Cybernetic Erosion - _Materialisation of Abomination_
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) (<Independent>, 2001)
I must admit, after reading the bio for this one-man project by Vadim
Ozvald Davidson -- with the tales of a talented young musician leaving
his homeland of the Soviet Union to relocate in Tennessee, thrown into
a mental institution and later spending years striving to find musical
creativity through various projects until he found this one -- I was a
little bit worried that this cheesy As the World Turns scenario would
result in the music being utter crap. Not the case here with
_Materialisation of Abomination_, as I am blown away by the surreal
charge of this electronic based project. Atmospheric and eerily sedate
at times, the music of _MoA_ moves forward with grace, even though it
alters its direction and intensity as the disc goes on. The use of
synthesizers is done with excellence, as Davidson really has grand
control of this electronic experience we are taking in. Out of the six
tracks provided on _MoA_, I'd have to say that "Salt Iron Blood" and
the lengthy "2000 Years" really shine as exquisite pieces of work.
Even after more than ten minutes of electronic, atmospheric flare on
"2000 Years", Davidson still keeps things interesting. Cybernetic
Erosion is a great find for fans of this genre to take in. I'm hoping
Davidson plans another expedition sometime soon, 'cause this trip has
been worth it.
Contact: Funeral Decadence Prod., 304 12th St. Apt. #5,
Knoxville, TN 37916, USA
mailto:ulv815@hotmail.com
Daeonia - _Crescendo_ (Candlelight, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (1 out of 10)
Are bands like this still signed? I just don't understand the reason
for bands like Daeonia to exist, really. I like gothic music, I really
like gothic metal, but gothic rock sounds just too pansy and really
unsure of what it is really doing. There is nothing more irritating
than hearing some guy singing like he has a stuffed up nose while the
overdone keyboards echo in the background and the band keeps up a real
pompous rock and roll beat to go along with the keyboards. I
personally think Daeonia are one of the worst gothic rock bands I have
heard in some time. The music is very bland, never really getting any
momentum worth noting. And the lyrics? Don't get me started, but for a
laugh read lyrics to "The Bridge and the Ashes". I am sure these guys
worked their asses off to get them where they are, but I think people
really need to tell them that they need to call it a day or add some
real fire to their sound. Regardless of whether they change or not,
I'm keeping my distance from this band -- forever!
Defiled - _Ugliness Revealed_ (Baphomet, March 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10)
Over and over have I listened to _Ugliness Revealed_. I even made a
list of things I found interesting about this record and things that I
would have done differently. First off, coming from Tokyo, I was
instantly drawn to the band. "Oh, something different", I thought.
Getting into _Ugliness Revealed_, I delighted in this band's skillful
use of atypical beats and "off rhythms". Very wicked indeed. Fitting
intros to most songs are a huge plus and, of course, Defiled's speed
is nothing if not a bonus. Lastly, having a previous history with
Brian Griffin in 1997 bolstered my respect for this Japanese outfit
instantly. The drawbacks, however few, have unfortunately largely
counterbalanced my built-up esteem for Defiled. Other than the astute
use of unique tempos, Defiled's material is same-y and too _Reborn in
Chaos_-esque to be overwhelmingly original. Will I listen to Defiled
often? No. Do I think they may have an impossibly bright future should
they develop themselves further musically? Very definitely!
Contact: http://www.necropolisrec.com
Demence - _Goutte a Goutte_ (Neoblast/Warfare, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
The last thing that I had heard from Montreal death metal / gore act
Demence was 1996's _Total Demembrement_ CD and that was a long time
ago. Just where would the band's sound be in 2001? Would they still
sing in French only? Would they still sing about the evils that men
do? In short: could they deliver the goods? After a few spins, I think
it is safe to say that Demence have managed to stay focused and not
lose their touch over the years. _Goutte a Goutte_ is a punishing and
brutal assortment of tight death metal numbers that shape themselves
around heavy grooves, technical guitar playing and sadistic vocal
growls. The one thing I like about Demence is the kind of dark humour
they bring to death metal. You can see it in their artwork and I am
sure the lyrics are laced with witty humour (I can't read/write
French). Best tracks here: "Vilaine Locuste", "Cervivore" and the
title track. Fans of other Quebec acts like Cryptopsy, Quo Vadis and
Ghoulunatics will want to find out just what Demence is about.
Contact: Demence, 5840 St-Andre Montreal, Quebec H2S 2K4, Canada
http://www.neoblast.com/demence/
Desecrator - _Negative Progress_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
It is safe to say that Desecrator are indeed good musicians -- just
listen to their latest offering _Negative Progress_ --, but I do think
a name change is in order. Desecrator sounds like some basement
dwelling, brutal death metal act out to shred more riffs than humanly
possible, and not a name associated with a gifted prog metal / '80s
inspired metal act from New York. In the vein of Iced Earth and Jag
Panzer, throw in some synth-inspired ideas a la Rush/Styx and the epic
range of early Iron Maiden, and you have the sound of this band. Good,
long and interesting song structures for the most part can be found
here, with only the cover of the Kansas classic "Dust in the Wind"
having me shake my head with some form of uneasiness as I listened to
it. Great song, wrong band to cover it. Anyway, the music of
Desecrator flows with a deep sense of melody and strong guitar work,
aided nicely by intense vocal ranges. While I was excited over the
work of another prog metal-tinged band (see Monument), Desecrator make
a real lasting impression here. I hope they change their name, 'cause
I really think it'll give people the wrong impression of what they are
all about. Plus, they'll miss out on the truly impressive numbers like
"Strive for Perfection" and "The Struggle Between Good and Evil" if
they don't give them a chance.
Contact: P.O. Box 170 Celoron, NY 14720, USA
http://www.desecrator-usa.com
Detachment - _Suspended in Stone_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (9 out of 10)
As I've been saying for years, the main problem with Top 10 lists is
that they're out of date almost immediately after being put in
writing. Such is the case with my Top 10 of 2000 list, as within days
of the release of CoC #52, I received two releases which belong in my
top 10: Mutant's _The Aeonic Majesty_ [CoC #47] and Detachment's
_Suspended in Stone_. Detachment hail from the metal hot spot of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, but their album was recorded at Morrisound, so the
production is excellent. Their music is technical, melodic thrash with
keyboards, similar to old Nocturnus, but tighter, catchier, more
diverse and less sci-fi. As with Nocturnus, their music has a good
degree of keyboard work, though the music is heavily guitar-based. The
keyboards add melodies and atmosphere to fill out rather than dominate
the band's sound. The vocals are shouted in a style which suits the
music, but there are some sections with decent power metal style clean
vocals ("Empty Attack"). The songs are moderate in complexity: not
repetitive, but not straightforward, and generally show a good mix of
tempos and riff styles. The playing is excellent on all counts: varied
and interesting, as well as being very tight. In particular, the
guitar work is exceptional, as their guitarist handles many different
styles -- from tight, staccato harmonized single-note lines to chunky
power chords to quirky, percussive sections -- with ease. His solos
are technical, but appropriate for the song, and not overused. The
band diversifies their sound with some experimental sections, most
of which are well done, but feel a little out of place. The
Cynic-influenced jazz break in "Bloodmirror" is one such section.
Overall, this is a very impressive debut, and I hope to hear more from
the band in the future. Their website is currently under construction,
but it does have some links to downloadable MP3s. Tracks I'd recommend
as examples of what the band is capable of are "Unintelligible" and
"Empty Attack". CDs are available from the band for now, but the band
is working on wider distribution.
Contact: mailto:detachment_1@hotmail.com
http://www.detachmentkicksass.com (website)
http://www.musicbuilder.com/detachment/ (MP3s)
Evanesce - _Sower of Sedition_ (Retribute Records, September 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
<spoken in a young girl's voice> "When I wanna feel close to my
special friend Jesus, I sing him a very special song. You wanna hear
it?" And then begins "Winters Sun", track seven of _Sower of
Sedition_. Evanesce occasionally make an effort, either through a
sample like this one or some unexpectedly more subdued instrumental
passage, to keep the death metal on _Sower of Sedition_ varied.
Evanesce's style of death metal reminds me most of Malevolent
Creation's recent efforts, as the band opts for rasped vocals instead
of a death grunt much like Malevolent Creation. Evanesce differentiate
themselves somewhat from the death metal masses, even if not in a
particular original way, and achieve rather pleasant results through
their competent musical skills and very reasonable songwriting. The
aforementioned "Winters Sun", "Autumnal Death", "Eternal Decadence"
and "Second City of Empire" (the only song where they use some death
grunts) are all good tracks, and the band occasionally even hints at
what might be a slight influence from At the Gates. Evanesce keep
things reasonably varied in terms of pace and style, and although not
brilliantly, they do succeed in generally keeping the listener
interested. A very decent debut in which Evanesce show a good amount
of potential.
Contact: http://www.evanesce.co.uk
Contact: Retribute Recs, P.O. Box 76, New Ferry, CH63 0QT, England
mailto:retribute@aol.com
Falconer - _Falconer_ (Metal Blade, April 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (10 out of 10)
For the benefit of readers with short attention spans: BUY THIS!!!!! I
haven't been this excited about a new power metal release since
Freedom Call's debut, and even then the potential this new outfit
shows puts the majority of recent German endeavors to shame!
Ex-Mithotyn Viking-warrior Stefan Weinerhall drops his black metal
ethic here in favor of a pure folk-based power metal direction not
unlike Blind Guardian, producing as close to a perfect album as I
dare to imagine. A few seconds into the opening track is all it
takes to convince this stunned reviewer of the miraculous powers
these guys possess: such a combination of astounding musicianship
and divinely-inspired songwriting has seldom been attained in the
history of melodic metal. Drawing together the best of the band's
Mithotyn-folk past and traditional Maiden-inspired heavy metal, the
mesmerizing beauty and infectious energy of metal-hymns like "Wings of
Serenity" scale infinitely epic heights while never succumbing to the
overblown cheese of Freedom Call or At Vance, retaining its freshness
and appeal even after countless replays. Olde English-style ballad "A
Quest For the Crown" sweeps many of Blind Guardian's similarly-themed
tracks under the carpet for the moment, conjuring up the days of
minstrels and bards with its insidiously catchy, authentic-sounding
refrain. Traditional seabound rockers like "Royal Galley" put the band
on dangerous par with benchmark-setting pirates Running Wild, yet
maintaining a distinctly unique sound of their own: something one can
only describe as Mithotyn-ian. Lead minstrel Mathias Blad issues a
spirited challenge to the ranks of famed metal vocalists like Jeff
Scott Soto or Rob Rock, drawing on his unique experience as a
full-time stage-musical singer (this I gathered after hearing a radio
interview with Stefan), bringing a whole new vocal dimension --
exciting and vibrant -- into a tired genre. Stefan's inimitable
songwriting shines through with the impeccable Los Angered Studios
production, and even on the twentieth listen, I still marvel at the
melodies of the characteristically florid leads on "Substitutional
World" and the opening track. Attempting to describe this unbelievable
sound in mere words is futile: you have to hear it to understand it.
The limited first edition also comes with a bonus track: a purely
traditional folk song (reminiscent of Storm's old material), and
absolutely worth the extra effort obtaining. All I can say is: beg,
steal or borrow; this album is worth dying for, stunning cover-art and
all! Blows away all of Mithotyn's back catalogue (not an easy thing to
do by any standard), proving the change of direction a worthy one.
Without a doubt slated to be this year's top power metal release, and
definitely one of the most important releases in the history of the
genre!
Feikn - _Helhesten/Aamanden_ 7" (Horror Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (9.5 out of 10)
If you think you've seen this reviewed ages ago, you're right. But the
recent re-release of this obscurity on beautiful picture vinyl by
Denmark's Horror Records warrants a short note. That the entire
edition sold out rapidly from even an underground label like Horror
Records attests to the quality of material on offer here. Two tracks
of highly, -HIGHLY- atmospheric black metal on offer here, the likes
of which hasn't often been encountered since _For All Tid_ and
_Bergtatt_. True fans missing the good old days of muffled guitar and
soft acoustic passages interspersed with fast yet atmospheric mayhem
shouldn't miss this for all the world: one listen to this and you'll
be digging up all your old Manes stuff. Coming on a beautifully
rendered picture-7" and hand-numbered to 111 copies, this one's sold
out from the label too (yes that's right, instantly again) but finding
it on distros shouldn't take too much effort.
Fictional Prison - _Dream Killer_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10)
Holy bizarreness, Batman! I have to tell you CoC readers, it had been
a long time since a record (indie or major label) had really turned my
stomach and thrown me for a loop. Coming across the CD for review, I
was unsure of what to expect, but from having done this for so long
and seeing the layout, song titles and images, I was able to conclude
that Fictional Prison would be some kind of progressive rock band. I
was somewhat close. This Ohio band plays a really bizarre mixture of
progressive rock, hard rock and heavy metal, all tossed into a
smorgasbord of sounds and more emotional ups and downs that my
grandmother on medication. Think Rush meets Queensryche meets Savatage
meets King Diamond and throw in a huge helping of "look what I can
play" guitar riffs. Too weird for me to take in. I also have a problem
with the singer -- front man Caine gets a little too theatrical for me
at times as the disc goes on and that was a total turn off. This isn't
a dream, more like a nightmare.
Contact: 1519 Harrison Ave. SW, Canton, OH 44706, USA
Freedom Call - _Crystal Empire_ (SPV, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
As much as I'd like to give _Crystal Empire_ another perfect score,
something inside just refuses to click. Despite the flawless scripting
and performance of each anthemic track, _CE_ just gives the impression
of another band going the HammerFall / Nocturnal Rites way: too much
of a good thing can hurt. An entire album of "everybody-sing!"
choruses and saccharine-sweet melodies is hard enough to bring off as
convincing, let alone a sequel of almost-identical nature. Notables
include the incredibly cheesy yet somehow embarrassingly catchy
"Pharaoh" with its plodding, epic chorus; the blazing "Call of Fame"
is reminiscent of latter-day Gamma Ray in its punchy delivery. Closer
"The Wanderer" adopts an almost Blind Guardian-esque folksiness, only
to lapse into another fairy-tale chorus to make Helloween sound like
Venom. If you find yourself inadvertently singing along... don't say I
didn't warn you! Semi-legendary Charlie Bauerfeind seems intent on
outdoing himself behind the consoles once more, gifting the album with
a rock-solid production that puts 1999's _Stairway to Fairyland_ to
shame. Still, all the lavish packaging cannot disguise the fact that
Freedom Call plays a style of music that's ambrosia only in small
quantities -- and no more than that.
Funeral Rites - _Necroeater_ (Painkiller, 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (4 out of 10)
A somewhat old release, but since Painkiller sent it over I thought
I'd say a few words. Not that there's a lot to be said about
this Japanese quartet claiming to play old-school black metal. If
"old-school" has become a euphemism for "outdated", then I'd agree
fully with the greatly overstated bio. Seven "Hellish" (certainly not
my words) tracks of generic Norsecore replete with kindergarten-level
keyboards in the vein of old Covenant don't make for much of a listen,
and the fact that most tracks are re-recorded material from their
demos barely accounts for the lamentable lack of originality on
the album. The embarrassing simplicity of keyboard instrumental
"Disenchantment" could make even Mortiis weep with pity. In all
fairness, there isn't really anything truly horrendous about this
album; it's just the absolute lack of -any- imagination that makes it
such a drag. With country-mates like Sigh, Sabbat and Ritual Carnage
vying for our attention, this is the stuff we really don't need
clogging our shelves. Then again, if you love old Covenant...
Contact: mailto:painkiller@infonie.be
Funker Vogt - _t_ (Metropolis, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (5 out of 10)
Heavily rhythmic, dance-infused electro industrial power is a good
description of Funker Vogt, but especially as that statement relates
to their newest offering, _t_. I would strongly encourage reading my
review of _Maschine Zeit_ in Chronicles of Chaos #49. Much of what I
imparted to you, the CoC reader, in that review still holds true
for this Funker Vogt offering. Charged electronics disclose the
stripped-down, back-to-the-basics effort this band is know for can be
found all through this double disc, fourteen track escapade. Some
claim they bear witness to KMFDM influences in FV's material -- I do
not. Funker Vogt, in my opinion, maintains their own identity, though
a strong argument could possibly be made to the contrary. The reason
for my uncharacteristically low tally for this usually superior band
is the lack of any standouts on this release. I can find no track to
point out to you as if to say, "listen to this cut -- it is -really-
great". A fine band, but I would rather have -one- CD from _Maschine
Zeit_ than -two- from _t_.
God Forbid - _Determination_ (Century Media, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (9.5 out of 10)
If there was any record hitting the market this year that will surely
decimate the metal population, God Forbid's debut CD for Century Media
titled _Determination_ will surely be leading the charge. Not since
The Haunted's self-titled disc a few years' back has a debut disc just
knocked me right on my ass. Singer Byron Davis leads the attack with
his bellowing screams of aggression as the tight outfit hits solid
strides with their rhythm section and creates havoc with the shredding
guitar riffs and stomping groove. The shape-shifting sounds of the
band, from a violent charge to powerful groove sections, has to be one
of their most appealing qualities, as does the intense production.
Never does the disc weaken with material, as the listener is
constantly embracing eat wallop as the songs keep coming. This is just
one solid beating. It is safe to say that God Forbid push all the
right buttons on _Determination_ with the brutal factor, but are smart
to leave enough room for them to move things around and keep us coming
back for more.
Haste - _When Reason Sleeps_ (Century Media, March 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
It's a given that sophomore albums are the most crucial in any band's
career. You might make an impact with a debut disc, but the second
album always means more. Scary thought, I know, but how many bands can
you think of that faded after a debut disc? HammerFall, anyone? Well,
Alabama hardcore/metal sextet Haste don't have to worry about being
pushed to the wayside with their second offering _When Reason Sleeps_,
as it pummels the listener with its dual vocal assault and some of the
mightiest guitar riffs to embrace hardcore music in some time. In
other words, this is balls to the wall intensity. And while heavy on
the intensity, the dual vocals allow Haste to add a much deeper sense
of melody to the aggressive nature of the band. Don't believe me? Just
check out numbers like "Confessions of a Lesser Known Saint" and
"Engine" and see how the band are capable of reaching highs in both
aggression and melody. Tres cool! If I was to put my finger on the
real uniqueness to Haste, I'd have to say it has to be the unique
vocal arrangements the bring into the sometime derivative hardcore
realm. I'm excited about seeing these guys on tour this year and so
should you. _When Reason Sleeps_ is worthy of multiple spins this
year.
Himinbjorg - _Third_ (Red Stream, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
While this is exactly the same rating I gave _In the Raven's Shadow_
back in 2000 [CoC #46], I think the fact that _Third_ is an MCD means
it is at least a half a step superior. In all actuality, I am thinking
seriously about including this latest Himinbjorg piece of divinity on
my Top 10 releases of 2001. Yes!, I realize it is only March, but it
is -that- good. A blistered and chapped Opeth/Burzum feel slyly runs
through _Third_ as it coils around your interest peaking your
intellect. I think that you will find it is one of the finest
French arctic chills you've ever had creep over you, freezing your
comprehension. Deep diversity, atmospheric anomalies and monumental
moods sweep consistently through _Third_'s twenty-five minutes and
forty-seven seconds. I'd get my hands on a copy of this if you knew
what I know.
hurt - _hurt_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
If you are looking for no-nonsense, straight-ahead vile and extreme
grindcore music, then look no further than disturbingly violent Canuck
act hurt. Trust me, the name does this band justice. Transplanting
themselves from the prairies of Canada to Vancouver, BC, hurt have
spent years trying to take their music to the extreme. Y'know? Push
the boundaries of where they can and can't go. As the years have gone
on, it is quite obvious that hurt have managed to grow as a unit and
with their violent approach to music making. And these guys say they
want to take it more extreme? Wow! And while chaotic for the most part
(just listen to songs like "deemon" or "lobo"), there is not much I
can say other than that fans of Brutal Truth, Discordance Axis (RIP)
and Pig Destroyer should scope out these guys and get all whacked out
on their crazy-ass songs. In closing, I'll pass this bit of info onto
you. The bio on their website says: "No one will be safe from this
sonic onslaught. Be forewarned!" Don't say I didn't warn you.
Contact: mailto:hurt@idirect.ca
http://www.hurting.org
Ikon - _On the Edge of Forever_ (Metropolis, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
Strong, stalwart goth rock is what Ikon lays on the cheerless masses
with textures of despondency caked on in liberal strokes. Incredible
song structures comprise _On the Edge of Forever_ from start to
finish. Hailed as the die-hard cross-bearer of the Ikon heritage,
Chris McCarter (vocals, guitars, keyboards) works a nice wreathe of
clean vocals, sounding at times like The Jesus and Mary Chain or Clan
of Xymox, and instrumentation communicating a flushed out, sullen
message. This Australian enigma known as Ikon has an inexorably
powerful sound pulling musical edifices off ever-so-lightly from
Egyptian culture, blurring the point of knowing for sure whether Ikon
is talking about the ancient pharaohs or you. Clocking in at over
fifty minutes of preeminent goth rock, _On the Edge of Forever_ is as
curious as the Sphinx and prying as the thieves of Giza. While
inspired from onset to conclusion, the treasure in my mind is just
before the finish of the disc. "Afterlife" and "World Beneath the
Sand" are positioned so perfectly as closing tracks, Imhotep's
architectural prowess could not have placed them any better.
Impaled - _Choice Cuts_ (Deathvomit, March 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (5 out of 10)
Growth seems to be the least of this band's concern. Staying the
course, on the other hand, is what Impaled is all about. In CoC #48, I
reviewed Impaled's _The Dead Shall Dead Remain_. In #50, I interviewed
Leon Del Muerte. Little has changed with this band since then, save
this new effort. Exactly a year to the month later, these grind/gore
fiends issue forth what they appropriately dubbed their "greatest
shits". The tracks comprising _Choice Cuts_, I understand, are mostly
unreleased and certainly rare. Serving to pacify fans, _Choice
Cuts_ does its job exhaustively with demo versions ("Immaculate
Defecation", "Flesh & Blood", "From Here to Colostomy", etc.) to
Carcass and Impetigo covers ("Carneous Cacoffiny" and "I Work for the
Streetcleaner", respectively). Two new tracks can also be heard
on _Choice Cuts_: "Nightsoil" and "Until Death". Expect the same
unfailing Impaled sound and style on both of them. Thirteen total
songs on this effort to be offered at an EP price, I believe. Impaled
fans should relish this, but from my perspective the new full-length
to be recorded this coming Winter has a better than average shot at
being something more notable. Why? "Nightsoil" and "Until Death",
while very representative of Impaled's gore-ish nature, have a certain
potential that, properly developed (choppier and more rhythmic), could
be their ticket outta the gutter slime and cess. Then again, I'd bet
Impaled like it there.
Contact: http://www.impaled.net
Judas Iscariot - _Dethroned, Conquered and Forgotten_ +4 LP
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10) (No Colours, 2001)
If you think you've seen this review before, you're not completely
wrong. But Germany's No Colours has performed another masterstroke by
releasing the MCD on vinyl, and throwing on the sought-after,
impossible-to-find demo from 1993 that was pressed in only 20
units(!!). For a full review of the MCD material, refer to CoC #50
(although it can't be said I hold the same views -- sorry Aaron!).
Raw, bestial and black to the extreme, the material from the
eight-year-old demo holds up surprisingly well considering what
Akhenaten is doing today, and it's hard to believe that the band is
only getting the attention it deserves these days (1997's _Of Great
Eternity_ is way out of print and has been all but ignored). Total
Burzum worship that wouldn't have sounded out of place in the old
scene, and a grim reminder of the direction the wayward scene has
taken since then. Of course, the simplicity of tracks like "The Cold
Earth" reveal the immaturity of the recording, but hugely atmospheric
cuts like "In Den Quaelen de Hoelle" benefit greatly from the rawness
of the production. Certainly a cult demo up there with the legendary
ones like Strid and Carpathian Forest (back then). Worthy of any
Nargaroth / Mutiilation / Abyssic Hate fan to check out, just for the
rare demo tracks, especially on this noble, limited piece of vinyl. On
a side note, the band seems to be German, but the letters I exchanged
with Akhenaten years ago were to/from the States. Go figure.
Jungle Rot - _Dead and Buried_ (Olympic Recordings, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (9.5 out of 10)
I'll be hung, drawn and quartered (to borrow unpretentiously from a
Cancer song) if this CD from Wisconsin's Jungle Rot isn't one of the
most riff-ervescent packages ever crushed onto disc. Unlike the
camouflaged disc and the _Dead and Buried_ cover would have you
believe, this effort is anything but covert -- instead, I would call
it the most in-your-fucking-face blast of aggressive confrontation
since Dying Fetus' _Purification Through Violence_ [CoC #20]. Great
riffing, superiorly technical, and commandingly engaging is this
effort. I'd have to say that _Slaughter the Weak_ solidified Jungle
Rot's position in the front line of old school extreme death metal,
but the raw frontal blitzkrieg executed on _Dead and Buried_ is top
brass! Take for instance the choppiness about the one minute and
twenty-three second mark area of "Strangulation Mutilation", track
five; its roller-coaster guitar chops rhythmically smite the listener
violently into a bass line to rival old Overkill on a very good day.
"Red Skies" holds the crown for brilliance in sniper-fire, fox-hole
slammingly heavy cuts, however. No doubt this newest Jungle Rot slice
of rapid-fire barbarity will capture your attention like a firing
squad filling a mass grave with civilian women and children. Probably
"Top 15" material so far this year for this reviewer. Certainly an
advised purchase.
Kaos Rising - _Wiped Away_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
If I had to lump independent Illinois act Kaos Rising into a grouping
of bands who they sound like, I'd have to say Soulfly and/or Skinlab,
though with a real brutal death metal stomp to things. Now some may be
cringing at that comparison, but this is 2001 and bands like Soulfly
and Skinlab can easily be pinpointed as bands that really help
establish a solid hardcore/metal groove in metal music. And while
those bands are no doubt influences, it is good to see Kaos Rising
taking a few bars of inspiration from the classic brutal death metal
sound. The combination of both styles helps reinforce their attack, a
menacing flow of sinister vocal cries and thick guitar riffs that
slash 'n' mash the listener. Kaos Rising are good at what they do, and
it is quite obvious they put a lot of work into their band, but I'm
hoping they can find a style/sound that they can call their own. I can
see some metal fans out there that might listen to their sound and say
it has been done before. Let's hope it doesn't come to that with their
music in the future. Choice cut: "Pieced Through".
Contact: P.O. Box 375, Monea, IL 60449, USA
mailto:kaostorise@aol.com
http://www.kaosrising.com
KorovaKill - _WaterHells_ (Red Stream, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (4 out of 10)
Trying to cope with the ebb and flow of this Austrian outfit was like
shoveling shit against the tide. Not always a bad thing saying that
one cannot easily affix a label to a band immediately, but for
KorovaKill it is a mixed bag. The music is often incredible:
meticulously played and extremely interesting for the black metal the
band claims they belong to. The guitars are gritty, with enough choppy
texture to fishnet the interest of even discriminating aficionados.
"Drown Symphony", toward the beginning of _WaterHells_, employs many
devices to snare intrigue. Well used female vocals (on this track)
complement the rough and choppy guitar riff and the deeper vocals lull
you in like a lighted port in the storm. My favorite track immediately
follows "Drown Symphony": it is entitled "Into the Waterwhils". The
song is heavy, somber, but with a quicker tempo. The gruff vocals wash
against the sand of your perception with grace witnessed only in
the talents of this planet's aquatic inhabitants. Some less than
complementary points I would raise might include doing away with the
female vocals utilized hit-and-miss on _WaterHells_. Infrequently
used, KorovaKill could have drowned the listener in washes of feminine
ambience, but I feel _WaterHells_ is overkill in this area. The male
vocals stretch from clean to husky to strep-throat a la King Diamond
on _Them_. I would struggle to call this effort black metal. Dive into
this submersible of an effort if you dare. Personally, I'd stay high
and dry and look into something that would provide me with less of a
sinking feeling.
Lacuna Coil - _Unleashed Memories_ (Century Media, March 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10)
I'll admit it, folks. I'm in love with Cristina Scabbia's voice. Not
only is the woman a work of art physically, but her voice is so
angelic and so mesmerizing, it just leaves me powerless with each
listen of Lacuna Coil's new disc _Unleashed Memories_. While the
Italian band has grown tremendously since their self-titled EP debut
for Century Media back in 1998 [CoC #31], the band still maintains the
gothic elements and dual vocals they had early on. And that is a good
thing. While change has come to the band, no doubt in Scabbia's vocal
range and the songwriting aspect of the band, Lacuna Coil don't show
off too much with what they do. They just do what needs to be done and
move on. Some of the grander moments that permeate throughout _UM_ are
songs like "Heir of a Dying Day" and "When a Dead Man Walks", songs
that reek of perfection and long hours trying to bring an epic feel to
them. I've always liked the dual vocals of Scabbia and Andrea Ferro
(growls), a trait I've always appreciated with another great band,
Within Temptation. _UM_ is a great record for fans of metal music to
take in nowadays, because not only does it offer a solid set of
variety, it also takes you on a journey that few bands can take you
on. Brutality is left at the door with Lacuna Coil, only to have it
creep into the music for short intervals as the beautifully sculpted
sound flickers and regroups to take shape as another stunning display
of musicianship. This record should break Lacuna Coil open big time --
at least I'm hoping it will.
Love Like Blood - _Chronology of a Love Affair_
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10) (The End / Hall of Sermon, 2000)
My first experience with this goth rock troupe was the "Shed Your
Skin" track on the _Beauty in Darkness_ compilation about 1997. The
Eysel brothers' music was instantly alluring as their respect for the
darker aspect of music unfolded before me by virtue of this single
track. _Chronology of a Love Affair_ has a truly professional feel due
to production being handled by Gunnar Eysel at Spacepark Studios.
There are many things I would point out in relation to this album, but
in the interest of brevity, I'll say this: _Chronology of a Love
Affair_ is a very fine effort. The CD, running over seventy-eight
minutes in length, is a chronology (hence the name) of some of the
biggest and more respected goth bands during the majority of my music
listening background. For the most part, this release is the textbook
definition of a compilation. Love Like Blood spared no expense in time
or trouble making this disc one of the better gothic group "tributes"
I have heard. Broken down into four time frames, LLB embraces the
founders of the movement ('80 to '85), the distant past ('86 to '90),
the recent past ('91 to '95) and, more-or-less, the present. Joy
Division, Bauhaus (yea! Peter Murphy), The Cure and The Sisters of
Mercy constitute the founders of the genre on _Chronology of a Love
Affair_. Christian Death, The Mission, The Cult and Jesus and Mary
Chain are more of the past far removed. Fields of Nephilim (McCoy's
great "Love Under Will" from 1994's _Revelations_), a redone version
of LLB's "Injustice" (from the MCD _Ecstacy_), Killing Joke and
Paradise Lost all from the not-so-withdrawn age of yesteryear. Most
recently categorized on _Chronology of a Love Affair_, Love Like Blood
features works from Lacrimosa, Type O Negative, Tiamat, and yes, even
a notorious Marilyn Manson cover of "The Great (Big) White World".
Unlike Love Like Blood's past renditions from David Bowie, Rolling
Stones or King Crimson, this compilation is a fine representation
in their own style of dark/goth rock from historically prominent
musicians in a methodically laid-out package that can hardly be
topped. If this kind of thing blows your hair back as it does mine,
I'd not hesitate in snatching myself a copy of _Chronology of a Love
Affair_. I've enjoyed every minute of this musically lyrical escapade.
I hope you will, too.
Contact: http://www.theendrecords.com
Contact: http://www.love-like-blood.com
Marduk - _La Grande Danse Macabre_ (Regain, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10)
Marduk, I think most of our readers will agree, is a band with a
rather limited creative potential. Unlike artists who try to explore
unknown, visionary territory, Morgan Hakansson and co are extremely
skilled craftsmen -- engineers rather than visionaries -- capable of
utilizing their skills within a given framework, determined by the
merciless laws of the True Black Metal style. On their last studio
record, _Panzer Division Marduk_ [CoC #42], they made the right move
for a band with such a handicap: they avoided the creativity trap by
moving into an even more extreme direction and occupying the throne of
the fastest black metal band on earth. Let's not forget that
being "the fastest" has been a very popular idea for twenty years
or so and countless bands have made this claim. What ultimately
matters is that Marduk have succeeded and others haven't. Now that
with _LGDM_ the focus has switched back to a more varied, almost
unspectacular approach, Marduk's limitations aren't camouflaged by the
over-the-top onslaught that characterized _Panzer Division Marduk_.
These limitations I see are a rather small arsenal of really inspired
riff and break ideas (especially in the mid-tempo range), the
foreseeable structure of almost all material on _LGDM_ once the first
couple of seconds have indicated the general direction of the song or
section, and Legion's unidimensional vocals. This might be true for
older material as well, but increased diversity puts it more into the
spotlight -- _Nightwing_, for example, had better songs and its
two-part structure worked in favor of the general flow. Nevertheless,
the super-tight ferocity of faster-than-the-speed-of-light tracks like
the opener "Azrael" or the slow and pounding "Bonds of the Unholy
Matrimony" are highly impressive and no song on this album is what you
would call weak. The accompanying lyrics, which deal with the last
theme in the trilogy of blood, war and death, are quite acceptable
with the exception of "Jesus Christ... Sodomized". Featuring gems like
"Piss on Christ and kill the priest, follow nature -- praise the
beast", this is even more stupid and hilarious than almost anything I
quoted in my German Metal Lyrics article in CoC #50. If they just
wouldn't try to put such crap in rhymes... Excuse my ranting, but I
really wonder how someone can seriously consider Marduk to have more
integrity than bands with T-Shirt backprints like "Jesus Is a
Cunt" or "Cunt Hunters of the Night". Production-wise, the Tagtgren
brothers have done another good job and provided the instruments with
more space than ever. They have even avoided to make _LGDM_ too
Abyss-typical. I would have preferred less treble in exchange for more
guitar volume, low end and distortion in the mix, which would have
enforced the heaviness of the slower material, but overall the sound
is good. With respect to clarity, it is probably the best Abyss
work to date. In conclusion, this is a decent, diverse record,
unfortunately with some weaknesses that make it inferior to both
_Nightwing_ and _Panzer Division Marduk_. It is by no means a
milestone, but certainly a necessary purchase for black metal maniacs
and of course all of Marduk's broad fanbase.
Mentallo & the Fixer - _ Return to Grimpen Ward_ (Metropolis, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (6 out of 10)
Mood inducing, beat driven, open-minded industrial tracks flaunt
themselves unashamed all throughout _Return to Grimpen Ward_. Totaling
fourteen tracks, _Return to Grimpen Ward_ is the latest in a -long-
history of releases from this Texas duo who also happen to be
brothers. Drawing from a predisposition to bands like The Cars and
Gary Numan ("Cars", also -- how 'bout that?), Mentallo & the Fixer
began to lay down a framework for new wave material only from their
perspective. Coming to Metropolis Records with their last album, _Love
Is the Law_, _Return to Grimpen Ward_ denotes only the second release
for the band on this label after a history of ten previously, by my
count. As you can see, Mentallo & the Fixer have a nice, congenial
past of utilitarian efforts that give them a perspective few in the
industrial genre possess. Very light, pulsating measures drive songs
like "Murders Amoung Us" ever-so-slightly into our sub-conscience.
Buttress your skepticism upon Mentallo & the Fixer's history. I can
assure you, I did. Other than a somewhat lack of stimulated ingenuity
-- hence the rating --, I was, for the most part, not disappointed by
the harvest brothers Mentallo & the Fixer (Gary and Dwayne Dessing)
reaped with _Return to Grimpen Ward_.
Midnight Syndicate - _Gates of Delirium_
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10) (Entity Productions, April 2001)
Having followed this band for almost as long as CoC has been around
(just comb through the many reviews we have done on this band), the
latest installment of horror-inspired atmospheric numbers by Midnight
Syndicate is no doubt their most impressive and mind-blowing. Midnight
Syndicate, comprised of the duo Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka, take
their visions of the macabre and transform them into huge theatrical
numbers that are as eerie as they are magnificent to take in. This is
soundtrack music that no doubt inspires the listener to become part of
what is going on. _GoD_ is inspired by the madness that goes on within
a turn-of-the-century asylum and the treatment of the patients, but
there is a lot more to the ambiance of the album than just that. Each
listen proves to be as rewarding as the last one. Truly pioneers in
their field, this may just be the record that allows Midnight
Syndicate to get noticed outside of the realm of fans that already
swear by their talented work. Not only should the new disc be heard
from start to finish without interruptions, may I suggest a dark
candlelit room and just headphones. Geesh! I'm getting freaked out
just imagining that. Take a bow Midnight Syndicate, your work is
marvelous and oh so creepy.
Contact: 7100 Rushmore Way, Concord, OH 44077, USA
http://www.midnightsyndicate.com
Contact: http://www.entityprod.com
Minas Tirith - _Demons Are Forever_ (FaceFront, 1998)
by: Chris Flaaten (9 out of 10)
Since I refer to Minas Tirith in this issue's Chaotic Concerts, I
thought it would be natural to include a retro-review of their newest
album as it hasn't been previously reviewed in CoC. Despite having a
name from Tolkien, being Norwegian and having opened for Mayhem in
Jessheim 1989 and now recently in Oslo March this year, Minas Tirith
is not a black metal band. Far from it. They have been around for a
long while, but they still have only released one album that wasn't
self-financed. This album was released on FaceFront, Norwegian Scream
Magazine's tiny label (see contact information below). _Demons Are
Forever_ opens with a spooky, somewhat annoying intro. Disregard it --
the music starts at track two. This music is not easy to describe,
though: it is truly unique. Imagine a technical fusion of heavy metal,
progressive death/thrash with the feel and, at least to some extent,
sound from Nevermore's 99(!) release _Dreaming Neon Black_ [CoC
#38]. Minas Tirith, a three-piece consisting of extremely talented
musicians, have the tightest sound I have ever heard. This comes out
especially well in the production of this album, perfect for their
"one for all, all for one" style of playing. Bass, guitar and drums
have equal weight and on top comes bassist Frode Forsmo's clean,
elegiac vocals and death grunts. The album, along with the songs
themselves, is greatly varied and you'll hear everything from black
metal riffs to cheerful strat-harmonies. Don't let that last statement
of merriness, nor song titles like "NecroNoMicOn" or "Mad Alpha
(Lunatic-tac)" scare you, though. This album provides a depressive,
misanthropic feel, thanks mostly to the vocals and lyrics. Minas
Tirith has, in their trademark eccentricity, produced an album that
requires some spins before it really makes sense, but it won't take
long before it has crawled under your skin. If you like tight,
technical metal you should be pleased. Hopefully these musketeers will
get a deal with a bigger label and release another album soon, I crave
more!
Contact: FaceFront, Postboks 3865, Ulleval Stadion,
N-0805, Norway ($15)
Monument - _The Millennial Death of Success_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
If Monument singer Kirk Callaway had to round up the troops to pick a
certain style of metal music to play and stick with it, I don't think
he and his band could do it. I don't think I would want them to do it.
Why ruin something good when it all seems to be headed in the
right direction? Monument's third release _The Millennial Death of
Success_ is a wonderful array of song vocal styles, prog/power metal
musicianship and an old school thrash element that just seems to
shape this into a stellar release from all angles. Right from the
in-your-face assault of opener "Guilt Is the Sin", the guys have you
by the throat, dragging your ass right into the thick of things. And
while the power metal aspect of their sound is obviously one of the
draws of this band, their metallic heaviness and doom-like groove at
times adds a real treat for the listener with _TMDoS_. With the
success of such bands as Iced Earth and Nevermore in the past few
years, I can definitely see fans of those two acts latching onto
Monument and being excited about what they are provided here with.
While Monument are still on an independent level, they could easily
pass for a signed act on the Century Media or Metal Blade roster. I
can only imagine what better production would do to this already
impressive sounding disc. Monument are indeed a talented independent
act that know the importance of honing your skills with years of
practice and taking the time to let the buzz build. Good things are
surely coming their way.
Contact: P.O. Box 892881 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73189, USA
mailto:webmaster@monumetal.com
http://www.monumetal.com
Moshquito - _Worlds End_ (Morbid Records, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll (3 out of 10)
Once upon a time, in the land where Iron and Steel never rust, the
Gods of Metal sat in their assembly hall and polished their mighty
broadswords. Suddenly, from out of nowhere a voice was heard. "Gods of
Metal, we summon thee!" "Oh no, not Germany again", one of the lesser
Gods remarked, and they continued with their daily routine. "Gods of
Metal, we summon thee" was heard again and probably because polishing
broadswords all day long is a mighty boring task even for Gods, this
time they acknowledged the summoning. "What is your desire?", they
asked. "We are the band Moshquito and we need your advice." The gods
looked at each other and replied: "Moshquito, despite your absolutely
stupid band name we look upon you with great sympathy, because you
have been around for more than fifteen years. You have even been
worshipping us from behind the wall that once separated Eastern
and Western Germany. Ask and you will receive advice!" "Gods of
Metal, allow us to describe the problem", the band Moshquito said.
"Unfortunately we have no clue how to write a song. We also do not
know how to write a single really crushing metal riff, but we can come
up with a high quantity of less impressive riffs instead. Further on,
we have a singer who can neither sing, nor screech, nor growl, and
doesn't have any real qualities. On the other hand, our rhythm section
is quite tight and enjoys doing intricate stuff, even if they are no
match for masters like Meshuggah or Watchtower. We also have no big
budget and the sound engineer we plan to use for our next record is
not very capable. Almighty Gods of Metal, please help us -- what
should we do?" The Gods of Metal looked at each other, already
regretting that they had offered their support. "Moshquito", they
said, "Why don't you play covers?" "No way, we want to do our own
stuff and we have a record deal", Moshquito answered. "Okay, your
dedication honours you, Moshquito. There's only one way to go. Play
very technical thrash metal. That way you don't need songs, but
instead many, many breaks. Just try to sound weird and interesting and
use as many average riffs as possible. You also won't need a good
singer, because if you engage in pseudo-technical wankery long enough,
you'll produce so much intricacy there'll be no need for melodies
anyway. And don't worry about the sound. Even producers like our
beloved Fredrik Nordstrom and Peter Tagtgren wouldn't be able to
substantially improve your record. Now you must leave us alone and
start to do the deeds of Metal!" "Gods of Metal, we praise you
eternally. Allow us one last question. Will we be successful with that
album?" "Moshquito, you are grown up people and you deserve to know
the truth. You'll sell records only to your friends and families,
because you do not have much talent. And now off with you, or we'll
put you under the spell of the disappearing mullet, which will leave
you bald-headed forevermore!" And so the band Moshquito, happy with
the advice they got from the Gods of Metal, recorded their album,
which will soon be available on eBay and bargain bins throughout
Europe for extremely reasonable prices.
Mourning Beloveth - _Dust_ (Bron, April 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
If the fact that a band with a name such as Mourning Beloveth has just
recorded their debut full-length at the Academy Studios with Mags as
producer doesn't ring a bell (or a whole lot of them), then you should
probably skip to the next review. Otherwise, you can surely guess
_Dust_ brings back strong memories of early My Dying Bride and
Anathema. _Dust_, "a true Irish tragedy", is a crushingly heavy,
mournful doom/death dirge comprised of five tracks that last for a
total of about an hour. Mourning Beloveth combine sombre clean vocals
with a majority of harsh death vox, and add that to the massive
sound of their instrumental side. Dismal and bleak, _Dust_ is
also an emotional record (though not exactly in a romantic way)
that is not concerned with being innovative or experimental, but
simply compensates that with quality. _Dust_ reminds me think of
Enchantment's _Dance the Marble Naked_, but not because the music is
particularly similar (_Dust_ is much slower). Enchantment's only
record became, for various reasons, quite a cult album in the
doom metal underground -- but either underrated or simply unknown
outside it, and the band disappeared shortly after releasing _DtMN_.
Here's hoping that Mourning Beloveth will have much more of a fair
opportunity to succeed at a higher level.
Contact: mailto:mourningbeloveth@ireland.com
http://www.clubi.ie/primordial/beloveth/
Mudslinger - _Cover the Sun_ (Lord Slog Recordings, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
Even though it may be hard to breathe at times with the air of
heaviness bogging you down as Mudslinger plays on, the doom-influenced
sludge machine manages to allow some breathing room as they storm
through their tonnage of material. Only a bit, though. Taking some
spirit from the ways of EYEHATEGOD and Soilent Green (in regards to
the heavy sludge-tone), Mudslinger really digs deep into the ground to
set up their attack of noisy mayhem, heard quite effectively on tracks
like "Swamp" and "Lambs". The music of Mudslinger is pretty rock solid
when it comes to really putting weight on the listener; it is the
mediocre death-like growls that sometimes seem too pressured to reach
the bowels of the earth that the music hits so effectively. A minor
black mark on a disc that shows a lot of promise. I'll be spinning
this for a while more till I get my hands on the new Soilent Green.
Contact: mailto:dacouch@pacbell.net
http://www.mudslinger1.com
Nocturnal Winds - _Of Art and Suffering_ (Aftermath, February 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10)
After the numerous accolades gathered for their impressive debut
_Everlasting Fall_, Finnish sons Nocturnal Winds opt for a more
complex formula on _OAaS_. Way more technical than the catchy, almost
simplistically enjoyable _EF_, the new album takes on progressive
elements, melding the jazz-like dissonance into other more formulaic
Gothenburg portions. The opener "Chaotic Universe of Mind" hints at
the band's newfound ability with rapidly evolving hooks and rhythms,
moving away from the beaten path and into more technical territory.
I'm not really one for the dissonance of progressive death, but like
Unmoored, Nocturnal Winds retain enough basic musicality to make
listening bearable, unfolding in texture and complexity with each
listen. Memorable leads still abound, like on the moving "Erased", but
hidden in the sweetness lie the claws of the traditional Florida
sound: "Winter in My Heart" opens with a pummeling intro foreshadowing
all-out brutality only to diffuse into a nostalgic sound reminiscent
of old Eucharist. If _Everlasting Fall_ was too sweetly "Gothenburg"
for you, then give _Of Art and Suffering_ a try. Those who remember
the good old days of _A Velvet Creation_ will appreciate Nocturnal
Winds' newfound maturity.
Contact: mailto:ruholm@online.no (Aftermath)
Obsidian - _On the Path of Others We Follow_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Rage of Achilles, April 2001)
When I first read the sticker on the album cover ("Ex-members of
Cradle of Filth and Infestation -- with guest vocals from Dani
Filth"), I'll admit I was a little hesitant about putting on Obsidian.
But relatively new British label Rage of Achilles' track record has
been pretty good so far (i.e. Goatsblood and Catholicon) so I decided
to give it a few spins on my boombox. Consisting of former Cradle of
Filth / Infestation drummer Dave Hirschheimer and former Infestation
lead guitarist Jamie Evans, Obsidian has managed to gather a strong
set of individuals to help add to the demonic death metal assault this
five-song EP provides us with. While songs like "Sunsets the Dawn" and
"Self Inflicted Enslavement" are tight and as ferocious as can be,
check out track five "Massada" (which features Dani Filth doing guest
vocals). The sheer brutality of this song -- most notably the drumming
and the growls of singer Pete Knight -- is unbelievable. A great
closer for a real solid death metal release.
Contact: PO Box 20508, London NW8 8WT, England
mailto:rageofachilles@clara.net
http://www.rageofachilles.clara.net
Octinomos - _Fuckhole Armageddon_ (Baphomet, February 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
Like Judas Iscariot, Octinomos is comprised of a single individual: F.
Soderlund, of Puissance notoriety. Possessing a proclivity for the
misanthropic, Octinomos blasts forth with unhinged aggression and
fury. Seven tracks pummel and batter the listener into complete and
utter acquiescence. Having never heard this band's freshman effort,
_Welcome to My Planet_, I can only guess at its unbridled passion, but
calculated thought compels me to inform you definitively of the power
_Fuckhole Armageddon_ holds in its command. I usher your attention to
track five, "Wipeout", as it is currently my favorite of the bunch.
Open disregard for conventionality, "Wipeout" dominates the release
with its seething conviction and steep black metal prowess as it dips
in and around the feast and the famine that _Fuckhole Armageddon_
controls. If the title doesn't perk your spirit up, the music surely
will. When I communicate to you Mr. Soderlund is misanthropic, I am
putting things delicately. Only the blackest of orbits are dim enough
to estimate the far-reaching scope of Octinomos's dominion. A room
with(out) a view.
Opeth - _Blackwater Park_ (Music For Nations, 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10)
My favorite band is out with their fifth album. When talking to other
Opeth fans, no single album seems to be the most liked. Some favour
their old material, some think they get better with each album and
others, like myself, think _My Arms, Your Hearse_ [CoC #32] is their
best yet. _Blackwater Park_ opens very much in the vein of _MAYH_ and
my expectations enter lunar orbit. However, I notice the lack of
linearity some minutes into the opener, "The Leper Affinity". They
started including some verse/chorus elements on _Still Life_ [CoC #44]
and this is now the norm on _Blackwater Park_. This does give the
songs more identity, but of course makes the album more repetitive.
Even though this is Opeth's longest running album, it contains the
least music. The lyrics too are separated from each other, not
following a concept like previous albums did. Well, enough about the
structure -- let's delve into the music. Opeth have always flirted
with progressive rock influences and have, by incorporating these into
their extreme music, created a truly unique sound. On this album the
prog rock elements are clearer than ever, and although this makes the
music more melancholic and "beautiful", it also muffles the rawness
and intensity and thus creates a small shift in their usual balance
between brutality and beauty. This works well in "The Drapery Falls"
-- a stunning piece with great atmosphere -- but in other songs I find
myself yearning for more fuel. "Dirge For November" is a good example.
After a one and a half minute long acoustic opening, the amps are
turned on and the typical Opeth mellow-but-hard harmonies continue.
This lasts for four minutes, though, with hardly any variation at all,
and is then followed by a slow, repetitive acoustic guitar melody
going on for two minutes. An eight minute Opeth song with essentially
only three different elements... who would have thought? Still, there
are solid enough quantities of well written music here to make this a
good album; I just feel Opeth can do better. _Morningrise_ [CoC #14]
was written over a five year period, _Blackwater Park_ was written and
recorded in less than six months. That may be one of the reasons for
what I feel is a slight lack of variation and dynamics, but then
again, _MAYH_ was written in a hurry too. A good album, but my least
favorite by this great band.
[Pedro Azevedo: "At times uncannily repetitive for an Opeth record,
_Blackwater Park_ nevertheless proved marginally more enjoyable for
me than its predecessor _Still Life_. Brilliant music as one would
expect from Opeth, fortunately not going too far into their mellow
'70s-influenced side, but still not as close to matching the superb
_My Arms, Your Hearse_ as I hoped it would be. Excellent record in
its own right, though, with remarkable artwork to accompany it."]
[Brian Meloon: "I'm disappointed with _Blackwater Park_. Not that it's
a bad album, but it isn't an improvement in any way. If anything,
these songs are less memorable, partly because some of the riffs and
changes are similar to ones on their previous albums. You will
probably enjoy it if you like Opeth's style, but if you don't, it
won't change your mind about them."]
[Paul Schwarz: "Rare are albums which inspire such a feeling of wonder
as _Blackwater Park_ does, yet from Opeth such an exquisitely
brilliant release is not a surprise, but an expectation. Opeth are
songwriters of the highest order who are expert at combining strains
of dark, distorted intensity with moments of exquisite melancholic
beauty. Opeth are truly in a league all their own."]
Pagan Altar - _Volume 1_ (Oracle Records, 1998)
by: Alvin Wee (10 out of 10)
This album means salvation for true metal devotees! Released ages ago,
this only came to me recently. The lack of attention this release has
got is lamentable considering this may be one of the most important
re-releases in the past few years! Released as a bootleg LP with a b&w
cover years ago, it soon became a highly sought-after collector's
item, despite the horrendous sound quality. Now, Oracle Records has
done the metal world a huge favor by finally exhuming this cult
classic with a decent sound-mix. A collection of demo material, the
album is monumental in its ability to evoke scales of pitch-dark
epicness reached in the commercial metal world only by Candlemass'
early works. By turns reminiscent of Ozzy-era Sabbath, Witchfinder
General and even some of Manilla Road's slower _Dreams of Eschaton_
demo material, every single track stretches the very limitations of
epic doom metal. Words cannot describe the heights these guys reach
with their music, and considering the year of recording (1982, with
some material written in 1979!), it's only possible to compare
their pitch-black image alongside Death SS and perhaps Black Widow.
Brimming with unforgettable, epic melody like the old NWOBHM bands
(anyone remember Incubus?), it's bands like Pagan Altar who downright
embarrass today's commercial impostors HammerFall and Nocturnal Rites.
Shrouded in flowing black robes and belting out eerie dirges like "The
Black Mass", the band must have cut a terrifying figure onstage as
they are pictured on the front cover. It's a pity the lyrics aren't
included with the CD, but lyrics like "Blue velvet shrouds the altar,
black candles pierce the dark / The skulls of unbelievers peer
sightless, bleached and stark" should give you an idea! NWOBHM, doom,
or just plain heavy-metal, Pagan Altar are simply Gods, and if you
haven't grown up on Dimmu Borgir or In Flames, there's a chance you
might be true enough to realize this stands alongside the likes of
Pentagram and Death SS. And if you've ever spun a Demon record on your
turntable and loved it, spare no effort to lay your hands on this
disc. You'll thank me for it. The label (thanks Lynn!) also sent over
a T-shirt (which is on sale) with the band logo that's pretty damn
cult! Visit the merchandise page at:
Contact: mailto:oraclepromotions@lineone.net
http://www.btinternet.com/~paganaltar/ (merchandise)
PCP - _Evil Hate Motherfucker_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
While California act PCP play death metal with a real brutal and heavy
edge to it, there is a definite groove going on within the music
of _EHM_ as well, bringing some diversity to their attack. The
guitar riffs are tight and the drumming is fast and furious, good
characteristics to have when you want your death metal to serve up a
punch. Mammoth bass player / singer Nate Clark growls like there is no
tomorrow on tracks like "Mr. Issimo" and "Hypocrisy, Lies and Deceit",
but his real work can be found on the cool "Volatile Ghost". Fans of
the Bay Area thrash/death metal scene will find something appealing in
the music of PCP as the band pushes all the right buttons in making a
record move metal fans with such force it could knock over a trailer
park. No doubt better production would have earned them a higher mark,
but hey, this still rocks heavy on us!
Contact: P.O. Box 332, Vineburg, CA 95487, USA
http://hometown.aol.com/evilh8mf/pcp.html
Plan E - _Found & Lost_ (Solardisk / Spinefarm, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (3 out of 10)
Never having heard of this band before, I had no idea what to expect
going into _Found & Lost_. As it turns out, this is a collection of
mostly slow and depressed material that relies on electronic-sounding
synth and morphine-drenched deep goth vocals accompanied by simple
fuzzy guitar riffs and percussion. When I say this is -mostly- slow
and depressed, I mean Plan E may also surprise you midway through the
record by going into upbeat mode and therefore adding insult to
injury, because while the slower material is dull and repetitive, the
more upbeat stuff is downright irritating. Recorded at Tico Tico
Studio, _F&L_'s only credit is the expectably decent production. I
shall not try to guess why the band decided to repeat the entire 35+
minutes of _F&L_ all glued together in the final track and apparently
being played -backwards-. Ultimately, in my opinion, Plan E just fall
into the abyss that separates being affectingly doomy and being
pleasantly catchy without ever getting anywhere near achieving either.
Contact: http://www.solardisk.com
Pro-Pain - _Round 6_ (Century Media, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10)
I have the feeling that the closer music gets to the very basic rock
'n' roll formula, the more I am able to tolerate a lack of innovation
and progress. I'm not really able to explain why, but just look at
AC/DC. Can it get any simpler and less adventurous than that? And
still they enjoy well-deserved massive popularity and are respected
for their stubbornness. I already made an AC/DC comparison in my last
Pro-Pain review [CoC #38], but it is still valid -- maybe more than
ever -- because Pro-Pain have made another record devoid of any
changes to their old and well proven formula. The only exception,
almost too small to mention, is the use of clean vocals on one
chorus. Besides that, _Round 6_ is the typical, Gary Meskil-steered
steamroller, perfectly constructed to crush everything in its path.
This year's groove-metal attack is slightly more up-tempo than _Act of
God_, but other than that there's really nothing to say that I haven't
already mentioned in my review of that previous album. Just the
thought of seeing them live with this record makes me salivate, and
almost every track on _Round 6_ is a killer, but I can't help but
wonder how much longer this formula is going to remain effective
before even a fan like myself gets bored.
Psycroptic - _The Isle of Disenchantment_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10)
It is hard nowadays to really find death metal music with an edge to
it. Sure there are numerous acts out there (thousands, in fact) that
play death metal with passion and honesty, but few manage to bring a
distinct element to what they do. Just think of the numerous bands you
have heard throughout the years that sounded like Cannibal Corpse,
Incantation or Suffocation. Too many to count on two hands, eh? But
every once in a while a band will pop up out of nowhere (or in this
band's case near the edge of the world) and just dazzle you with their
talent and musicianship. With a definite tight sound and a real knack
for raw 'n' dark death metal comes Psycroptic, a punishing band that
rallies a stunning display of death metal dexterity all over this
nine-song debut disc. Singer Matthew Chalk delivers a vicious vocal
assault, especially on such tracks as "Condemned by Discontent" (my
fave track), the title track and the cleverly chaotic "Beneath the
Ground We Dwell". Not only is this band playing death metal with
passion but also they are making a strong effort to show variety and
not be afraid to move their style from point A to B with a few new
twists. This is not complex and varied like Gorguts (who is?), but
_TIoD_ pumps a real adrenaline rush into your veins with each listen.
Contact: 70 Lochner St., West Hobart, 7000 Tasmania, Australia
mailto:psycroptic@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/psycroptic/
Purgation - _Realm of the Dead_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (4 out of 10)
While the doom-inspired rock 'n' roll flow of Purgation is addictive
and meant to draw you in, there is also another underlying message to
their music: the word of God. This three-piece from Louisiana are
inspired by God's message and make an effort to let the listener know
this through their lyrics. Now, if you decide you've had enough of
this religious angle of the band and want to skip this review, go
right ahead; but I have to be honest, despite their message (which I
have no interest in -- that is my own view), they do have a nice,
groove-driven sound at times. I'm particularly fond to track three of
this four-song disc, titled "Slumber". A lot of the music here sounds
like early '90s rock, with a slightly doomier feel to it. Powerful
drumming and eerie vocal cries add some dimension to the mix, but in
the end, the music here just seems to come up with less bite than
would be needed to draw me in for repeated listens over the next few
years. Good luck to Purgation and their crusade for God.
Contact: P.O. Box 640672. Kenner, LA 70064, USA
mailto:info@purgation.com
http://www.purgation.com
Regurgitate - _Carnivorous Erection_ (Relapse, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10)
While I think I would prefer Pig Destroyer's _38 Counts of Battery_,
I'd have to say Regurgitate is a gunnery array of physical abuse
themselves. Chaotic and wildly violent, this Swedish four-piece sure
knows its "Bloody Pile of Human Waste", track 20, from its "Stinking
Genital Warts", track 34, when it comes to heinous grindcore!
Red-blooded vomitous vocals spew forth gut-wrenchingly as to almost
cause the listener empathetic pains. I'd say slurp _Carnivorous
Erection_ up in small doses or risk dysentery. After even a small wiff
of Regurgitate's stench, you'll know what I mean. Nauseating, to say
the very least.
Contact: http://www.regurgitate.net
Various - _Requiems of Revulsion: A Tribute to Carcass_
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10) (Deathvomit, March 2001)
Carcass. One of the greats. This effort is sure done pretty fucking
well, too, as to reverently pay respect to the one of the giants in
the genre. Some tracks listed on this compilation have been mentioned
elsewhere by this writer on occasion -- for example, Rotten Sound and
their re-do of "Reek of Putrefaction", Impaled's cover of "Carneous
Cacoffiny" and Pig Destroyer's brilliant re-working of "Genital
Grinder / Regurgitation of Giblets", among others. For the majority of
the remaining fifteen tracks or so, I could have not been much
more impressed. Some cuts I personally might have left off this
tribute, like Machetazo ("Suppuration") and Dead Infection ("Pungent
Excruciation"), however the diversity of the participating bands is
mostly astounding and their execution of Carcass's material is
wonderful. Anyone as transfixed by this now defunct but celebrated
great will cherish _Requiems of Revulsion_, I believe, as I have.
Godfathers of gore, recognize the retribution!
Sabbat - _Live Meltdown_ (HMSS/Horror, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
Another obscure release from the Japanese-based Heavy Metal Superstar
Records, this time a collaboration with Denmark's Horror Records. A
blessing for die-hard Sabbat maniacs, for this means this edition
of the infuriatingly elusive _Live..._ records will finally be
available outside Japan. Notoriously underground and misanthropic,
HMSS Rec.'s previous releases of live Sabbat performances on vinyl
(_Live Kindergarten_, _Live Curse_, etc.) sold out instantly, with the
few remaining copies reaching incredible prices ($40 or so). _Live
Meltdown_ presents the Japanese Cult live in Sweden while on tour with
Unpure, Denial of God, Urn and Pagan Rites, on beautifully colored
picture vinyl complete with obi and backing sheet. On show are the
usual cult favorites "Evil Nations" and "Satan Bless You" together
with newer cuts like "Charisma" from their latest album, and the
recording quality proves remarkable, given the somewhat dodgy nature
of the HMSS releases. Accusations of Sabbat putting out too much
miscellaneous material are unfounded; despite the incredible slew of
7"s and stuff the band has released on a consistent basis, the
material on _Live Meltdown_ speaks for itself: an iron-spiked fist in
the face of wimpy commercial black metal. Well worth the high price
tag if only you could find a copy, the entire edition of 100(!!)
hand-numbered copies sold out from Horror Records even before it was
pressed in February, with fans like myself having to buy their copy a
month in advance.
Contact: http://hmssrex.hoops.ne.jp
Sacred Sin - _Translucid Dream Mirror_ (Demolition, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
There is something really unique sounding about the music of
Portuguese act Sacred Sin. The epic vibes of their music on
_Translucid Dream Mirror_, mixed with the aggressive metal assault and
fancy keyboard work, really throws this act into the spotlight in my
books. Unlike a lot of bands out there nowadays who try their hardest
to fit into a scene or style, it is great to hear an album like _TDM_
where the band has made a conscious effort to explore everything about
themselves as musicians and bring that out in the music. The band
obviously disregarded whatever is popular in the spectrum of music
nowadays and aimed to capture their metal essence within _TDM_. Just
listen to the work on songs like "Ravish the Soul" or "Gift of Second
Sight" and you can just feel the intensity they bring to their sound
and style. This is epic death metal, with a flair for progressive
metal at times (though in small doses) and of course the radiance of
the black metal aura. A great band that deserves a lot of exposure for
the hard work they put into _TDM_.
Contact: http://www.demolitionrecords.com
Savatage - _Poets and Madmen_ (Nuclear Blast, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
Very few bands in metal music have been as successful at making
concept records as Florida's Savatage, who are one of the few bands
making metal music that have the talent and control to stay focused
and weave a wonderful tale for us to follow. Take for example the
plunge we took into a drug-ridden world of _Streets: A Rock Opera_
(1991). That was mind-blowing work, and still stands as one of my
favourite albums of all time. While the band has crusaded a lot of
other ideas over the years since _Streets_, I haven't been as
intrigued with much of their work of late as I have with the new album
_Poets and Madmen_. Yet another journey by a group of musicians about
an insane asylum (see Midnight Syndicate), the new album (as the bio
says) "explores the dangers of not looking deeper at the individuals,
objects and incidence that surround all our lives". A big round of
applause must go out to Jon Oliva, who returns to the frontman role
for this record (though now they have Damond Jiniya, who replaces
departing singer Zak Stevens). He does an exceptional job at bringing
an older-era flair to the band once again, something chipped away when
Stevens began fronting the band in the mid-'90s. While the power of
the record relies on the structure of the story, which is quite a good
read, the music of Savatage seems to have become a bit more toned down
and thus gives the mood of the record a really simple glow of
aggressiveness. There is a lot of keyboard work from Oliva here as
well. It still sounds tight (listen to the track "I Seek Power" and
"Awaken") and it is good to see Savatage still keeping their wheels
turning and making quality music. I guess it is true what they say:
storytellers never seem to fade away.
Schizoid - _All Things Are Connected_ (D-Trash, March 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
If you were to scrape away all of the sound clips, the gabba techno
rhythms, the hypnotic drum beats and all the screams, Schizoid would
be nothing more than a dark, evil rock 'n' roll machine. A scary one
at that, thought. But with these elements at the band's disposal,
Schizoid has managed to take the sound to a higher level, a gargantuan
array of song ideas that stomp the listener and destroy everything in
its path. At times the electronic mayhem seems to be headed in various
directions, thus weakening the drive, but for most of the record the
cramming of sounds, ideas and whatever else seems to be the right
thing to do. It is hard to say where Schizoid draws most of the
inspiration for _All Things Are Connected_, but to be honest, with so
much going on you don't really have time to think about that -- you're
more worried about what is coming around the bend and bracing for the
next sonic charge. Want to piss off a neighbour / your parents / a
loved one? Put this on and watch the fireworks start. Can't wait to
hear Round 2!
Contact: 34 Ontario St. N. #1, Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4Y4, Canada
mailto:gfyrecords@hotmail.com
http://www.schizoid.org
Serberus - _In Eternity_ (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
While at first I was interested in the aggressive overtones of
this death metal act (with some melodic grooves), I slowly became
disinterested after a few spins. Colorado act Serberus are talented
and can play, it just seems like they can't really get the ball
rolling when it comes time to avoid the cliche metal music they seem
to be gnawing on. The vocals are a bit over the top at times with its
raspy, echoing growl, the drums seem a tad bit heavier in the mix and
also the drummer seems to have gone loony on wanting to have the
double-kick drumming on Mach3. Sounds like a great idea "YES", but
when it starts to sound like a typewriter stuck on the "Z" key, it
gets out of hand. I'll give out some good marks for the solid and
blistering opener of "Ancient Throne" -- heavy, melodic growls
accompanied by a sinister guitar riff that would make Tony Iommi proud
--, but not really much else stands out as worthy of heavy praising.
Serberus play very adequately on _In Eternity_ and it shows. It is
quite possible they may win me over with their next outing, but right
now I'm not really interested in where they are taking their music.
Contact: mailto:info@serberus.com
http://www.serberus.com
Shadowbreed - _Only Shadows Remain_ (Painkiller, March 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (7.5 out of 10)
I've always been a huge fan of Dutch death metal, but I have my
reservations about Shadowbreed's newest offering. Don't expect the
grinding torture of Asphyx, or the thrashy Frost-isms of Pentacle:
what's on offer here is a rehashing of Unleashed's brand of
semi-melodic northern death metal. Track titles like "In the Shadow of
Yggdrassil" and "Battlerager" don't leave much room for doubt as to
where their persuasions lie; the Viking/Northern theme shines through
musically as well, if not as strongly as in some Aeturnus material.
Vocalist Remigius' characteristically torrid Dutch growls have me
wondering if there's something in the water over there that gives them
all this higher-pitched timbre... then again, it's a refreshing
change from the guttural American mic-cuppers. There's little to
criticize on this album: the songwriting is competent if somewhat
pedestrian, and backed up by the confident musicianship, makes for a
pretty solid listen. The press-release's comparisons to Bolt Thrower
and Sepultura seem largely unsubstantiated; with the exception of
Unleashed (and perhaps Aeturnus) being the fore-runners in this genre,
Shadowbreed come off as predominantly original. Still, it lacks the
edge to make it a truly exceptional album, and with country-mates
God Dethroned releasing an album almost simultaneously, Shadowbreed
face tough competition from their home-land itself, not to mention
internationally. Great artwork by Kris Verwimp (hey, it's a pagan
theme, right?) rounds off a quality package, and all in all it's a
pretty good sophomore album for these Dutch Deathsters. Released in
(get ready): digipak, jewel case, LP and PicLP formats. Will never go
out of print this way...
Contact: mailto:painkiller@infonie.be
Sirius - _Spectral Transition - Dimension Sirius_
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10) (Nocturnal Art, March 2001)
This Portuguese black metal band have toned down the classical and
symphonic aspect of their sound since their promising debut _Aeons of
Magick_ [CoC #46]. Following in the footsteps of Emperor, they have
recorded their newest album in Akkerhaugen studio and ended up with a
sound not very far from _IX Equillibrium_ [CoC #39]. As this would
indicate, the guitar work is much more present now and since their
riffs are much more interesting and aggressive this time around it
suits them well. In fact, this album packs quite a punch and yet they
have kept enough symphonic elements to ensure variety and maintain
interest. Still, I have to comment on their lack of originality. If
this album had come out two years ago, it would have raised a lot of
eyebrows, but releasing it way into this "black metal bands get vastly
inspired by death metal" wave the scene seems to be on, seems like
just following the trend. The inspiration from Emperor's _In the
Nightside Eclipse_ was very apparent on their debut too, so there
seems to be a pattern. Having a cover of "The Majesty of the Nightsky"
as a bonus track on their newest album also signals who they look up
to musically. Too bad they skipped _Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk_.
That being said, one can't deny the quality of this music. These guys
can play well and know how to make solid songs. Let's hope they gain
enough confidence with this album to truly stand on their own with
their next release.
[Pedro Azevedo: "Sirius position themselves at the forefront of
symphonic black metal with _ST-DS_, updating and developing
their sound in this second full-length album of theirs. More
guitar-oriented than its predecessor, _ST-DS_ features very good
musicianship and songwriting, competent production and a few famous
guests. A very worthy purchase for followers of this sub-genre of
black metal."]
Sisthema - _The Fourth Discontinuity_ (Noise, April 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
While I am down with the Meshuggah-inspired grooves of Italian act
Sisthema, everything from the metallic crunch of the guitars and the
vocal pattern of singer Massimo Pirazzoli (who is copying Meshuggah
singer Jens Kidman big time!), I have to say that it gets pretty
tiring after a while. Not the Meshuggah worshipping -- I don't mind
that, really -- I mean the lack of diversity to their sound. They hit
one groove pattern and it sticks throughout the disc. And when it
isn't Meshuggah they are carving ideas from, it is _Chaos A.D._-era
Sepultura they hit up for inspiration. Even though songs like
"Distorthica" and "When Everything Turns to None" are quite memorable,
it is sad to hear Sisthema trying to play futuristic-style metal when
they can't help but dip deep into the past to mold their music. Good
for what it is, but only worth buying if all the Meshuggah records are
sold out at your local store.
Skinless - _Foreshadowing Our Demise_ (Relapse, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10)
What I can appreciate about Skinless is their in-your-fucking-face
style of brutality. The bass guitar, expertly played by Joe Keyser, is
another reason for my unabashed fondness for this New York based four
piece with an attitude. Does it remind me of the Florida bands I grew
up listening to? YEA, but so what?! What 1998's _Progression Towards
Evil_ did to rope me in, _Foreshadowing our Demise_ did to solidify my
allegiance. Brutal, barbaric, heavy, catching and bold -- everything I
like in a death metal band (complete with some audacious sampling).
Same-y? Probably, but shit this severe is worth owning. Don't believe
me? Check out "The Optimist"; you'll be singing praise for evermore...
Skylark - _The Divine Gates Pt. II - Gate of Heaven_
by: Alvin Wee (8.5 out of 10) (Underground Symphony, 2001)
Eddie Antonini and crew are back with the second installment in
Skylark's "Divine Gates" series (trilogy?). Once again Luis Royo's
fantasy cover art almost steals the limelight from the music itself,
and presented in the limited A5-digipak format, is simply a stunning
sight to behold. Musically a continuation of their previous works --
and effectively a summary of the entire Italian power metal scene --,
_Gate of Heaven_ simply bursts with symphonic epicness and soaring
atmospheres, all the while maintaining the metallic edge missing in
Antonini's solo work. Somewhat handicapped by the horrendously thin,
squeaky production and Fabio Dozzo's typically nasal vocal style
(another characteristic of the Italian method), the quality of the
material still shines through in bursts of brilliant melody and
emotion. The deceptively under-produced drumming holds the material
together with deft passages of pummeling tightness, the equally
understated guitars chug along contentedly in the background with the
keyboards providing a subtle, epic backdrop, and it is Dozzo who
holds court with an impressively charismatic vocal performance in
the forefront. Tracks like "Lady of the Sky" and "The Heaven
Church" clock in impressively at 11 and 13 minutes respectively,
flaunting Antonini's mastery at creating complex, non-repetitive
song-structures, and proving the band's eagerness to make the most of
such splendid material. While Skylark never once comes close to
Rhapsody's monumental orchestrations, the effectiveness of the music
is remarkable considering its relatively effortless simplicity. All in
all another masterwork by the maestro and team, reminding their
country-mates like Drakkar and Power Symphony that it is still bands
like Skylark and Rhapsody who are at the top of Italy's power metal
scene.
Contact: mailto:underground.symphony@tiscalinet.it
Soils of Fate - _Sandstorm_ (Retribute Records, February 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (4 out of 10)
The words "ultra guttural blasting sickness" can be read near the band
name and album title in _Sandstorm_'s front cover, and it might make
you wonder whether Soils of Fate have been listening to Mortician a
bit too much. Well, Soils of Fate do have a human drummer, and a
competent one at that, so I thought they might not be that much of a
copy of Mortician after all. I was right, but SoF's goal of being
considered Sweden's most brutal band ever is decisively hampered by
mostly uninspired riffs, generic songwriting and the deeply sad result
of their attempt at "ultra guttural" vocals. SoF shoot themselves in
the foot by trying so hard to ensure the vocals are as brutal as
possible that they completely overdo it. As a result, the ultra-low,
barely human death grunts (allegedly effect-free, by the way) sound
practically powerless, expressionless and amusing at best -- just a
rumbling, unintelligible sound. The final scream that echoes long
after the last song is over (before they go into "hidden track"
bonanza, that is) provides the proverbial icing on the cake. But
even if the vocals didn't ruin the whole thing, their mostly
blastbeat-driven riffs are unimpressively passable at best and generic
throughout. In this debut album of theirs, SoF seemingly fail to
understand that there is far more subtlety to creating really
effective aggression than simply exaggerating your sound as much as
you can. _Sandstorm_ is a record that could eventually be played
simply for fun, but which lacks any real substance.
Contact: Retribute Recs, P.O. Box 76, New Ferry, CH63 0QT, England
mailto:retribute@aol.com
Susperia - _Predominance_ (Nuclear Blast, March 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10)
Tjodalv left Dimmu Borgir because their intense touring schedule was
incompatible with his personal responsibilities. Now he's playing in
Susperia, signed on Nuclear Blast and currently on tour with --
you guessed it -- Dimmu Borgir. Maybe not the biggest change
after all, but at least there was a change in music. Susperia
doesn't play symphonic black metal like most (myself included)
expected. _Predominance_ opens with a riff similar to Immortal's
latest album, and Susperia continues with 100% synth-free thrash/death
metal throughout the entire album. Cyrus, their lead guitarist, has
composed good songs with plenty of interesting and dynamic riffs.
Vocalist Athera impresses with very varied vocal work and Tjodalv has
continued to improve as a drummer. They have recorded the album in The
Abyss and although the production differs a bit from the usual of that
studio, there are no big surprises. That's not a bad thing, though;
The Abyss sound fits well with guitar-oriented metal. Overall, this is
an even and enjoyable thrash album and it is obvious that they got
signed to Nuclear Blast for reasons other than Tjodalv's presence.
Various - _The Return of Darkness and Hate_ (Drakkar, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
Probably the most eagerly anticipated underground compilation this
year, and understandably so: the mere thought of fifteen previously
unreleased tracks by names like Unpure, Sabbat, Mutiilation, Demon
Realm, etc. are enough to make a die-hard blackster cream his pants.
Aussies Anatomy kick off the festivities with a ripping preview of
their new album _The Witches of Dathomir_, while Celestia rapidly
takes over with their expected brand of melodic, Swedish-inspired
black metal, showing unsurprisingly little progress from their MCD
material. French underground proponents Count Nosferatu prove their
worth with a semi-symphonic piece of darkness reminiscent of early
Mysticum, which turns out to be one of the more memorable tracks on
the CD. I've never quite liked Sweden's Unpure, but "Incubus" rapidly
makes me reconsider my stand with its unique blend of oppressive
dissonance and strangely headbang-inducing crunchiness. It's well
followed up by an dual Asian onslaught: Singaporean thrashers Impiety
are in fine form after signing to Drakkar and blast the faces off any
detractors with the raging "Sodomythical Frostgoats"; the Japanese
legend Sabbat follow hot on their heels with a marginally more subdued
but no less crushing live outtake "Evoke the Evil". It's doubtful that
any band can successfully follow up such killer tracks, but the
French-cult Mutiilation holds the fort pretty well in the expected
Burzum-esque style. By this time, it isn't so easy to remain
clear-headed about each track anymore, and after the following
unimpressive track it's easy to understand why Danish destroyers Demon
Realm have received mixed reviews in the past. Still not a bad piece,
and the same mediocrity could be applied to Norway's Nebular Mystic,
who follow on with a typically symphonic approach. Two French hordes
come on next with marginally better results: Temple of Baal with a
strangely convincing crudeness and mayhem, while Garwall adopt a
slightly more sober approach with some semblance of melody lurking at
the edges. Japanese crew Magane are a breath of fresh air after the
suffocating bout of primitiveness, offering a more melodic style
reminiscent of now-defunct country-mates Tyrant, but the repetition of
"Izanafi" makes for somewhat tiring listening after a while. Cursed is
the only band refusing to provide contact info in the nicely laid-out
booklet, but are somehow terribly compelling with their brand of
dirty, primitive evilness. Certainly a band to keep an eye on, more so
than Grimlord or Nebiros, who round off the gala with two tracks of
pedestrian, yet not unpromising blackness. All in all a great buy
for any dedicated follower of the underground, and a fantastic
introduction for anyone who's ever wondered about the Drakkar circle
of bands: they're all here in full glory. $18 from the label.
Contact: mailto:drakkar2@wanadoo.fr
Thorns - _Thorns_ (Moonfog, March 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten (9 out of 10)
More than ten years after the legendary Trondertun recordings, perhaps
one of the most inspiring sources to Norwegian black metal as we know
it today, Thorns finally release their debut(!) album. Contrary to
what one would think, this record sounds completely fresh and
original. The sound is similar to a mix of other Moonfog artists like
Satyricon and Dodheimsgard, but colder, grimmer and perhaps even more
futuristic. Thorns mainman Snorre has come up with some psychotic
riffs that are truly hypnotising. Add to them magnificent drumming
courtesy of Hellhammer and vocals by both Satyr and Aldrahn, and
quality is ensured. Songs vary from soothing ambient pieces like the
intro to "Underneath the Universe" to the ultrafast and aggressive
"Interface to God". Like _Rebel Extravaganza_ [CoC #43], this album is
black metal(R) to the bone, albeit in a quite different form from what
most are used to. The production is perfect; crystal clear. Sheer
coldness, laced with a synthetic, machine-like feel. _Thorns_ has a
feel to it that cannot be fully explained; it needs to be experienced.
[Paul Schwarz: "Though not as mind-fuckingly weird as Dodheimsgard's
_666 International_, _Thorns_ is nonetheless one of the most
effectively progressed albums to come from black metal in years --
and is undoubtedly the best yet this year. A strong electronic
tendency is explored to great effect without interfering in any
negative way whatsoever with a remarkably tight, intense and
wonderfully uncomfortable traditional-instrumental assault, iced with
top-class vocal performances from Satyr and Dodheimsgard's Aldrahn."]
Thornspawn - _Empress From the Realms of Blasphemy_
by: Aaron McKay (7 out of 10) (Baphomet, February 2001)
Never an opportunity lost for this damn impressive embodiment of
horror to mystify their audience with black metal of the most
uncompromising sort. Back in CoC #48 last year, I was floored by
_Blood of the Holy, Taint thy Steel_'s unreal fervency, but this Texas
four-piece has upped the ante for certain here on this MCD, _Empress
From the Realms of Blasphemy_. Only three new tracks were added to the
release I have: "Master of Blood Fury", "Everlasting Siege of
the Necro-Soldiers" and, of course, "Empress From the Realms of
Blasphemy". Without so much as a second thought, I would declare
"Everlasting Siege of the Necro-Soldiers" the best new cut on the
album. I believe it embodies the direction Thornspawn would be wise to
move in: brutal, but uniquely obscure as the eviscerated passages
scrimp across occasionally among the wild debauchery. See the review
of _Blood of the Holy, Taint thy Steel_ in CoC #48 for more insight
into this band, but let it be known these additional three tracks are
more than a welcome addition to Thornspawn's repertoire.
Watain - _Rabid Death's Curse_ (Drakkar, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
It's gonna happen again: sold out before anyone realizes what hit
them. Latest news is that the last copies of this are moving fast at
the Drakkar camp... all without any of the promotion or prior
excitement from the other bands on the label. Pure Swedish fury of the
highest quality from these unannounced debutantes, and with such
astonishing quality for a debut, Watain are set to leave a blazing
mark on the international underground. Combining the intensity of
Marduk / Dark Funeral with melody akin to Sorhin or early Algaion
is something Thy Primordial has already set the stage for, and
_RDC_ works hard at pushing the limits here, proving that utter
violence and ferocity didn't end with Immortal's _Battles in the
North_. Alternating between an all-out Norwegian-style holocaust and
razor-sharp melodic hooks, these four blasphemers hurl forth all eight
tracks at the altar of Christ with a terrifying tightness and
conviction that belies their relative newness on the scene. Lyrically
too, the band stand head and shoulders above many of their labelmates;
while the subject matter won't be too hard to guess at, it's all said
in a lean, refined style that somehow reflects the utter blackness of
the musical atmosphere without resorting to crudities. It's great to
see there's some life yet in the old corpse of the Swedish scene; not
all has gone soft and Gothen-fied, and lately _RDC_ has been getting
more air-time on my speakers than Marduk's latest offering. _Rabid
Death's Curse_ is also available as a gatefold LP on End All Life, but
like their two other 7"s this won't last more than an instant.
Contact: mailto:drakkar2@wanadoo.fr (Drakkar)
Contact: mailto:eal@wanadoo.fr (End All Life)
Zyklon - _World Ov Worms_ (Candlelight, February 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
Zyklon sounds like an explosive concept even before you play the CD:
it is comprised of Emperor guitarist Samoth (now Zamoth) and drummer
Trym, Myrkskog guitarist Destructhor, and Limbonic Art's Daemon on
vocals. Furthermore, considerable effort seems to be going into
making it clear to everyone that this is a full-time band and
not just a side project. So, in the end, what does it sound
like? Well, it tends to sit somewhere between Myrkskog and a
guitar-oriented Emperor. Daemon's vocals are competent, but a bit
different and less remarkable than his work with Limbonic Art, perhaps
because the rest of the sound has so little in common with LA's
symphonies. Trym's drumming and the guitar playing, however, reveal
their imperial origins, but the Myrkskog component in the latter is
often clear. The result is a sharp-sounding, agile and dynamic album
that combines massive aggression and superior technicality with good
ambient-setting, somewhat futuristic (or perhaps present day?) samples
and electronic passages. The music is intense and rapidly shifting;
modern black/death metal is perhaps the description that suits it
better, as their style lies somewhere between Emperor's black metal
(sans keyboards) and Myrkskog's stronger death metal influences. The
result definitely works well and _World Ov Worms_ is generally
consistent and varied throughout. Ulver's Trickster G (i.e. Garm)
contributes a few vocal lines in the last track, which turns out to be
quite pleasant. _World Ov Worms_ is quite clearly derived from Emperor
and Myrkskog, but it is nevertheless a very impressive record in its
own right.
[Paul Schwarz: "Though solid brutal death/black riff and rhythm work
sits comfortably with modern electronic sounds at intervals on _World
Ov Worms_, this record focuses on getting the most it can from
metal's instrumental set-up. The result is a good, enjoyable record,
but looks creatively tame and almost repetitive next to the Thorns
album."]
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/ \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
/ /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/
\_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|
If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo, including a
bio, if you want to be reviewed. We accept demos either on
traditional media or MP3 format. E-mail us at
<mailto:Demos@ChroniclesOfChaos.com> to know which is the most
appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape, in case
you are sending one, or to indicate the location of a website from
which we can download the MP3 files of your entire demo (but do
NOT send any files attached to your e-mail).
Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
Arctic Circle - _Arctic Circle_ (12-track demo)
Arctic Circle - _Weird Winds_
Arctic Circle - _Dimension Dreaming_
by: Adrian Bromley (***--)
I think it is safe to say that you need to be in another state of mind
to fully enjoy the bizarre nature of the one-man outing calling itself
Arctic Winds. I don't necessarily mean drug intake, but hey, it
could only help. With a real raw production (some might even say
"horrible"), Arctic Circle manages to plunge itself deep into the
bowels of lunacy, abrasive riffs, samples and screams that are so
piercing they seem they could cut through walls. I am actually glad
that I received three demos at once from Arctic Circle so that I could
see just how far this man, machine and four-track project has taken
its sound. The self-titled demo is a mish-mash of ideas really, aiming
for a eerie atmospheric sound (with distortion throughout) and
moves through certain black metal inspired song structures. The low
production seems to take kindly to the song-like sections quite
nicely, proving that things are flowing with some form of idea behind
them. The following demo, _Weird Winds_, sees the project trying to
find a bit more structure in the material, more vocal arrangements and
lots of guitar work flow evenly here. It seems as with this
demo, Arctic Circle discovered that the anarchy could mold itself.
Interesting, as Arctic Circle has somewhat disbanded the notion of
atmosphere and gone down the route somewhat of becoming a regular
band. As I play the third demo, _Dimension Dreaming_, it is good to
see that the anarchy is still there, as is the songwriting (growing as
the months go on), but still a sense of uncertainty with what you get
as the demo plays on. I like the ideas here, and it is cool to see the
strong ideas (and sounds) coming from Arctic Winds; I'm just wondering
if people will have time to sit through this and come away with some
kind of satisfaction. I did for the most part, but I'm left a little
dumbfounded of what was being thrown in my face as the material
played on. Good, but there is room for improvement. Arctic Wind's
creator Sean should be excited that his creativity has spawned some
interesting ideas. Now it is up to him to take them further.
Contact: 8-258 12th St., Brandon, MB R7B 2X5, Canada
mailto:arcticcircle50@hotmail.com
Aurora - _Promo 2001_ (4-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (*****)
Following the demise of their label Serious Entertainment, Aurora are
now seeking a new home. This demo CD therefore contains four tracks
which they hope will help them secure a new deal, and for me
constitutes a more than welcome surprise after their superb _Devotion_
[CoC #49], which I elected my favourite record of 2000. I entirely
expected being treated to another dose of excellent technical,
emotional extreme metal, but I was wondering whether the production
would be up to par -- fortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, it
sounds just like _Devotion_, i.e. clear, sharp and powerful. As for
the four songs on display, Aurora simply continue to demonstrate how
extensively they master their art, again adding well thought-out
songwriting to superb technical skills. The first three songs are all
normal Aurora material, mixing dynamic extreme metal with anguished
Swedish-sounding vocals and more subdued sections with tortuous clean
vox -- memorable, powerful and emotional. I have compared them to
Opeth and Dark Tranquillity's _The Gallery_ before, and the comparison
still sounds valid to me, even if ultimately these are just influences
and these Danes definitely have their own unique sound -- which makes
it all the more worthwhile. Fourth and final track "Chains of God",
however, is rather different, as Aurora explore their very doomy,
tensely tranquil side before exploding onto one final burst of
aggression. Overall, surely demo CDs can't come any more brilliant
than this. This ought to be such a quick signing that they should
already have a label by the time this review comes out, but just in
case there's something wrong with all the labels out there and no
one's picked them up yet, I'll put it this way to try and get my point
across clearly: if -I- had a label, I'd do all I could to make sure I
signed Aurora.
Contact: http://www.aurora.ms
Mithras - _Dreaming in Splendour_ (3-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (***--)
They may have changed their name from Imperator since their _Gods
Among Men_ demo [CoC #46], but their goal still remains the same: to
create what they describe as "brutal, experimental, epic death metal".
With a massive Morbid Angel influence, I might add. Last time around
the band was seeking a new drummer; however, founding member Leon
Macey is the one behind the drums on _Dreaming in Splendour_, and I
feel they -still- need to look for a new drummer to get some real
consistency into their tempos. Nevertheless, _DiS_ is certainly an
improvement over _GAM_: the songwriting is less drawn out, more
concise, the instrumental side is generally better and the death
grunts sound quite competent, if generic. Mithras now need to become a
tighter unit and shake off this Morbid Angel shroud they carry around,
in the process hopefully creating some more impressive riffs as well.
Mithras show they have been working hard, and apparently they have an
entire album ready for recording; whilst I think it might be somewhat
early for that, I'm pleased to see Mithras improving and it might not
be long before they are indeed ready for the next step in their
career. For now, however, I would still recommend some more maturing a
bit more before moving on.
Contact: http://www.mithras.freeserve.co.uk
Vokodlok - _Unchain the Wolf_ (5-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (****-)
With their band name coming from ancient Romanian "vukodlak", meaning
"werewolf", and their demo being titled _Unchain the Wolf_, you can
probably guess Vokodlok play black metal, and not of a modern kind.
These naming choices might even lead you to think Vokodlok are some
sort of a Romanian version of Ulver circa their esoteric masterpiece
_Nattens Madrigal_ [CoC #21]. The former conclusion would be more
accurate than the latter, for Vokodlok do play relatively raw black
metal and shun keyboards, but in a rather different way from what
Ulver ever did. Vokodlok utilise a guitar-driven style, the guitar
work being rather busy in its creation of Norwegian-sounding icy
melodies and riffs. _Unchain the Wolf_ is mostly mid-paced, but it
does contain plenty of effective outbursts of speed as well. The music
harkens back to older black metal influences, whilst at the same time
boasting good (yet cold-sounding) production and a drum machine, which
is competently used. The vocals work well with the guitar lines and
artificial drumming, creating some good, even memorable passages, and
the overall result is a rather pleasant demo. I see no reason why this
young band would not be able to follow the footsteps of country-mates
Negura Bunget, for example, even if their style is quite different.
Contact: Andrei Pantiru, str. Aleea Saturn nr. 9,
bl. A11, sc. A, Ap. 2, Arad 2900, Romania
mailto:vokodloks@usa.net
Znich - _Adchuwanni Vyasny_ (3-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (**---)
Znich are from Belarus and play Slavonic folk metal. How about that
for unusual? Wait, there's more: they sing in their native language,
and everything on this demo tape is written using their Cyrillic
alphabet. By now you're probably getting a feeling that this might be
something quite special, different from the norm. Well, it is, and
Znich (formerly a doom/death band) should certainly receive some
credit for their unusual style -- in fact, you should add another mark
to my rating if what I described so far sounds especially interesting
to you. As for their music, a simple guitar line leads the way, the
female vocals evolving around it rather repetitively -- and it is
essentially through the female chanting that the folk element becomes
more apparent, as the male vocals (ranging from clean to occasionally
growled) and instrumental side are a bit more normal. Znich have been
around for some time, having two previous releases to their name and
many a live concert (not to mention numerous line-up changes), and all
in all that tends to detract from the value of _Adchuwanni Vyasny_: it
could have been a reasonably promising and somewhat daring demo from a
young band, but given the experience Znich should have by now, one
would expect something much more consistently interesting. The very
prominent and peculiar female vocals are not to my liking, but at
least Znich are trying to do something different from the norm;
however, there is still great room for improvement.
Contact: Yuhnevich Sergey, Box 473 Minsk, 220047 Belarus
mailto:manager@znich.com
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\ \ \/_/_\ \ _ `\ /'__`\ / __`\ \ \/\/\ \ /'___\
\ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
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\/___/ \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/ \/__/ \/_/\/____/
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/\ _`\ /\ \__
\ \ \/\_\ ___ ___ ___ __ _ __\ \ ,_\ ____
\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
MASSACHUSETTS + METAL = WICKED BRUTAL PISSA!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New England Hardcore and Metal Festival
April 13/14th 2001 @ The Palladium in Worcester, MA
by: Adam Wasylyk
Ah yes, another road trip. Although a bit early this time around,
as our usual haunt of the infamous summer festival the Milwaukee
MetalFest has been usurped by the springtime annual New England
festival. This year being my first in attendance, reflecting back I
must admit, despite not being floored by many of the bands on hand,
this was the best scheduled and most effortlessly planned music
festival I've had the pleasure to see. Bands played when they were
supposed to, cancellations (which are always inevitable) didn't slow
things down... it's nice to see some order to the chaos the bands on
hand were in the process of delivering.
My lasting impressions of the venue, the Palladium, aren't too
great. Featuring two stages -- the "Main Stage" and the "Second Stage"
-- is a good idea simply because of the diversity of the acts on hand.
For example, death/black metal fans could check out Vital Remains
while those into the noisecore spectrum of music could witness Burnt
by the Sun. There was always a band to check out which matched one's
tastes in music, which I'm sure all in attendance were thankful for.
My only beef was how small the second stage was, causing standing room
only and preventing some from seeing bands simply because of lack of
room. The acoustics were average, but that pretty much met the
expectation I had going in, so no disappointments there. I hear the
venue will be changed to a bigger one that sits close by, which should
be a smart move as I only see this festival gaining momentum and
popularity in the years to come.
The CoC contingent this year consisted of yours truly, the
editors Gino and Adrian, along with CoC alumni Alain and Steve. Along
with a lot of metal went the usual chemical consumption by some of our
crew, including plenty of green (and I'm not just talking about
Heineken) and Jager for all.
Day 1
~~~~~
The first band I was able to check out wasn't the greatest way to
get things started in my mind. Pessimist took to the Main Stage and
surprisingly left a lot to be desired. The shoddy sound had a big hand
in it, along with my complete unfamiliarity with the material being
played. If any of it was old stuff, I wasn't able to recognize it. I
know the band have had line-up problems recently, so that may have
factored into it, but what I heard was indistinguishable from the many
generic death metal band's I've forgotten about over the years. A true
disappointment.
Having seen Vital Remains before, it was a good opportunity to
check out Burnt by the Sun. Powered by the drumming prowess of Dave
Witte (ex-Human Remains, Discordance Axis), the Relapse signee ripped
through a half hour set to a -packed- Second Stage. The track "Lizard
Skin Barbie" was but one highlight in the noisecore/grind set these
guys churned out. Lethal.
It was now time to see just how bad Catastrophic could get.
Having been completely turned off by their debut album _The Cleansing_
[CoC #52], this was their time -- their second chance essentially --
to prove me wrong and to give me a reason to re-explore their music.
Proving that I do know something metal, they went to sound like
the pretenders that they are. Some have said they sound like an
invigorated Obituary... bah! Just because a band contains an ex-member
of Floridian death metal legends Obituary doesn't equate to a spin-off
band being as good. Their sound can't compete, in any way, to the gods
of this music -- Nile, Morbid Angel, Death... even Cannibal Corpse.
There's really no reason for this music. Catastrophic -are- the
weakest link. Goodbye.
Having seen Monstrosity once before, I was expecting the band to
turn in another good performance. Boy was I wrong. Making it to the
stage just in time (to the threats of the P.A. guy who announced
"Monstrosity to the stage, this is the final time, Monstrosity to the
stage"), they fell beneath the bad sound emanating throughout the
Main Stage and couldn't free themselves. Sure material like "Fatal
Millennium" and "Imperial Doom" is a great idea to perform live, but
not coming out of these speakers. I can only pray that I see them
again in a better venue, as I know this set wasn't indicative of their
live performance.
Checking out my set list for the rest of the night's festivities,
I soon found that the Main Stage was a lock for the rest of the night.
The time in between I was able to peruse the suffocatingly small space
the vendors occupied, and become better familiar with the structure
and architecture of the building I currently resided. The main stage
has a nice gothic feel to it, very similar in both mood and look to
the Opera House in Toronto, Canada, but ten times the size. It's
unfortunate that the acoustics were so poor, as bands would fight them
the entire length of the festival.
The Main Stage would soon see one of the biggest tours in metal
thus far in 2001, featuring Lamb of God, The Haunted, Dimmu Borgir and
Cannibal Corpse. By about 9pm the news circulated that the first night
had sold out... metal had indeed scored a big one that night.
Lamb of God had the task to begin the four-band tour off, and
they did so with a lot of gusto and flair. The noisecoric and jagged
metal riffs from the guitars were only magnified by the pissed-off
vocals and stage theatrics of singer Randy Blythe, who prowled the
stage like a madman and made machine-gun gestures to the thousands in
the crowd. A great warm-up for what was to come.
The Swedes in The Haunted put on a good performance of their
style of metal, which sat well with me, but failed to "move me" in any
significant way. Indeed tracks such as "Hate Song", "Bury Your Dead"
and "Hollow Ground" were performed exceedingly well, but I'll admit
that the excessively melodic nature of the band gets to me. When it
gets to sound a little too happy or bouncy, well, that ain't me. The
crowd respectfully and faithfully gave the band an enthusiastic
response, visibly affecting the band. They deserved it, despite my
occasional indifference.
Dimmu Borgir were to follow, sure to appease those who crave for
pseudo-orchestrated black metal. Opening to an orchestrated piece and
a green-coloured fog, the Norwegians entered the battle arena to lay
claim to lost souls and badly corpsepainted fans. A good number of fan
favourites mostly came from the past three albums, songs including
"Spellbound by the Devil", "Master of Disharmony", and a big chuck off
their newest LP _Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia_ [CoC #52]. What
did I think? I thought they were capable of attaining some serious
atmosphere and chaos, but oftentimes fell into a foray of banality
which, again, may be in part due to a lack of the good acoustics a
band such as Dimmu Borgir depend on.
Deciding to retire early, the preference to hang out and sleep
early than to bear witness to the brutal death metal stylings of the
closers to the tour, Cannibal Corpse, was too strong. The rest of the
night is clouded in memories of green haze and harsh black liquids.
Day 2
~~~~~
Day two began with a slight hangover, but a brisk shower and
sunny, warm weather had a positive toll on my head. Forgoing as many
forgettable bands as possible, I arrive to see Skinless closing out
their set. Playing a powerful blend of mosh-heavy riffs and sick
blast beats, Skinless performed a good deal of their Relapse debut
_Foreshadowing Our Demise_ [reviewed in this issue], much to the
delight of their many fans in attendance. Definitely a band who has
potential to perhaps one day lead the brutal death metal scene. Yes,
they are that good.
Disappointingly, Gorguts had cancelled their set, so Exhumed
stormed the stage to the tune of their brand of gore metal. Furious
death metal was accentuated by projectile vomiting, fire breathing and
corpse head vomiting... how could someone -not- like this? Damn
entertaining, hope to see more of them sometime soon.
The rumour started to circulate that this was Dying Fetus'
farewell tour, although this has been discounted by the band on their
website, so fans can rest easy and expect a new line-up for future
recordings. Playing a tight and brutal set, which is what has made
these guys so popular, kicking into "Killing on Adrenaline" ranks as
one my favourite moments at the Fest. My only criticism is with their
new vocalist, who takes care of the mid-range growls. His vocals
aren't bad, but don't quite measure up to ex-bassist/vocalist Jason
Netherton, whose former role in the band may never be filled properly.
Nevertheless, it was a very powerful set, easily one of the best.
Sweden's Opeth opened to the rousing cheers and shouts of their
many fans on hand, delivering a powerful set of their championed
melodic death. Despite my alcohol-soaked brain, gems like "White
Cluster", "Forest of October", "Advent" and "The Drapery Falls" were
performed effortlessly, although they would perform said songs in
Toronto about two weeks later with much better sound. But it was nice
to enjoy Opeth with what was at least 2000 people minimum, many
showing their appreciation with the flame of their lighters. Powerful
set.
I've always had a love/hate relationship with Amorphis in a live
setting. I've always felt that the members never do their recorded
material justice. After seeing the band a couple of times in the past,
apparently #3 was the trick as it finally offered me a set of Amorphis
music I could enjoy. Plush with high quality tracks ("Greed", "The
Castaway", "My Kantele", "Better Unborn"), their set was an enjoyable
one if not perfect. I still believe their treatment of "Black Winter
Day" does not signify the brilliance of said track, but that's just
me. And Tomi really needs to start singing the growls again, as even
though Pasi is getting better with time it still isn't the same. Oh
well, I exist in frustration.
Time for Meshuggah! They proved to be the perfect band to
headline the second and last night of the festival, as Meshuggah hold
musical qualities that both hardcore/noisecore and metal fans can
enjoy. Mosh heavy and maniacal, I guess this is as good a place to
discuss the "moshing" that went on during the festival. I don't know
what they call this in New England, but back in Canada we call that
assault! Flying fists and elbows, blind kicks... I'm surprised I
didn't hear any serious injury stories during my stay. Anyhow,
Meshuggah picked a great set list to perform, songs like "Sane",
"Future Breed Machine" and "Vanished" were vomited forth and eagerly
devoured by its most rabid fans. There's still debate as to whether
"Transfixion" was played... if it was, I must have gone momentarily
deaf during its performance. A great way to finish the Fest off, with
thoughts of possibly attending next year as strong as ever.
My favourite moments of the Fest: hangin' out with the CoC crew,
watching some brave soul breakdance in the mosh pit, the brutality
(Skinless, Dying Fetus, Meshuggah), the melody (Opeth, Amorphis) and
meeting friends both old and new. Thank you all for making it a great
Fest.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
B A P T I Z E D B Y F I R E A N D B E E R
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marduk, Mortician, Vader, God Dethroned, Amon Amarth,
Mystic Circle, Sinister, ...And Oceans and Bal Sagoth
at the Hafenbahn, Offenbach, Germany, April 14th 2001
by: Matthias Noll
No Mercy tour again. And in the shitty Hafenbahn again, too. This
place should really get eradicated from the face of the earth. Packed
like a cattle transport, incompetent personnel at the entrance, no
place to sit or rest other than the slime-covered floor, a heating
system running on full power during a seven hour plus gig. The
situation was worsened by hordes of stereotypical dumb-faced black
metal retards whose intelligence was obviously just sufficient to put
on a Burzum T-shirt and by unknown means of transport arrive at the
location, only to collapse during the first two or three gigs due to
an overdose of German beer.
The first two bands, Bal Sagoth and Finland's ...And Oceans, were
equally crappy. Bal Sagoth's dwarfish vocalist, his face covered with
a leather mask, posed with a sword straight out of the King Arthur
memorabilia shop in Cornwall, England, while his colleagues created an
absolutely horrible and undistinguishable rumble in the background.
Utter crap!
Commencing in this interesting style of performance, more
appropriate for a bad comedy show, the ...And Oceans singer wore a
white T-shirt, white boxer shorts(!) plus biker boots(!!). His bald
head and the T-shirt were smeared with blue paint. This looked neither
weird nor psycho -- it looked nothing other than totally moronic.
Backing him up on his crusade for more humour in metal were two
baby-faced six stringers who turned out to possess a master's degree
in the art of motionlessly watching their left hands fumbling the neck
of their guitars. From time to time they hid their faces behind
angelic blond hair and engaged in head banging of a type even people
with serious spine injuries would consider healthy. A bass player with
a plastic bag over his head and a surprisingly normal looking drummer
without any noteworthy skills completed this theatre of tragedy. I'm
not really sure if there was a keyboard player, because from where I
was watching I couldn't see anyone, but keyboards weren't audible at
all anyway. Before someone accuses me of judging a band on the visual
impression alone: the music was likewise. My original plan for the
night had included buying their new album, _AMGOD_, from which I had
heard a convincing track, at the merchandise booth. Some plans are
made to be changed.
Holland's Sinister, whom I did not really remember for anything
but a couple of rather average records in the first half of the '90s,
must just recently have joined the ranks of death metal outfits with
female vocalists. A dainty brunette with quite a mean grunt. With
songs like "Bastard Saints", the Dutchmen sent the audience into a
frenzy I had never expected so early and definitely not during
Sinister's gig. Their simple but effective death metal was very well
executed and there were enough old school death metal freaks to
initiate some considerable chaos in front of the stage. Others were
also surprised by how well Sinister went down and got rid of objects
hindering them in their thrashing. A full plastic mug emerged from the
front row. The owner must have been a specialist in ballistics,
probably a veteran of the German World War II rocket factories in
Peenemunde, because once on its trajectory the mug sailed over the
crowd without spilling any of its content. I saw the projectile coming
straight at me, but my arms were pinned to my body by the crowd, so I
wasn't able to do anything but slightly bow my head. With a weird
sound, which was audible to bystanders even with Sinister playing, the
mug hit my forehead and provided me with a baptism in true Teutonic
style. Despite this unpleasant but funny incident, Sinister were good
enough to make me order two of their albums from Nuclear Blast today.
Germany's most hated black metal band, Mystic Circle, played in
fourth place. I saw quite some people in the audience with Nargaroth
T-shirts, having the quite entertaining back print "Anti Count v.
Beelzebub Corporation". The much-hated count turned out to be a not
really Satanic looking, bald shaven guy, who would have been well
advised to wear a T-shirt instead of presenting his wobbly chest.
Their music never left the realm of cheesy, typical keyboard laden
black metal with incompetent guitar solos. To my ears Mystic Circle
sounded like a watered down, simplified and uninspired Dimmu Borgir or
Cradle of Filth rip-off. Some in the audience showed their sympathy by
constantly flipping the bird towards the stage, others engaged in
weird dancing as if listening to disco type music. Mystic Circle
completed their set without commenting on any of that, and even if
there's no reason to hate them I can agree with the Nargaroth fan base
that Mystic Circle suck.
Amon Amarth were next and one of the four bands that had already
played on the No Mercy tour 2000 [CoC #48]. This time they didn't
impress me quite as much as last year. This was mostly due to a muddy
sound, which was heavy and in your face but made most of the guitar
melodies inaudible. They also omitted all their older material and
played only songs from _The Crusher_ [reviewed in this issue]. There's
no doubt that this is a great album, but I missed songs like
"Victorious March", which worked so brilliantly last time. The band
played a very short set of approximately 30 minutes and performed
tracks like "Bastards of a Lying Breed", "The Sound of Eight Hooves"
and at last the brutal "Masters of War", which must have caused some
snapped necks in the crowd. Amon Amarth's stage performance was
convincing as usual and singer Johan Hegg (a man with the proportions
of a mountain) never lost control of the audience, which in return
gave Amon Amarth a level of response worthy of a headliner.
Although I failed to understand the reasoning behind this
particular sequence of bands, Holland's God Dethroned played after and
not before Amon Amarth. They went down a lot better than on the year
2000 version of No Mercy, but considering the amount of crowd
participation, they should have been placed before Sinister as well.
With a new permanent skinsman and not Tony from AngelCorpse behind the
drums, the band played a very tight set, including tracks like "The
Art of Immolation", "Boiling Blood" and "Serpent King", plus a couple
of tracks from their new album _Ravenous_. Despite some decent song
material, they never managed to cross the frontier that separates the
good but slightly insipid from the great live acts. They ended their
set with an almost unidentifiable cover version of Death's "Evil
Dead".
The first band to have the full stage and play on the main
drum set was Vader. Unfortunately, the continuously bad sound was
responsible for the only disappointing show I've seen from the Poles
so far. While Peter's solos were more at the forefront than ever, his
and Mauser's rhythm guitars remained almost inaudible throughout the
set. This became so frustrating that I was almost happy they didn't
play my favourite song "Xeper", which would have been completely
ruined by the lack of guitars. Still, the audience went crazy to the
sound of tracks like "Carnal", "Silent Empire", "Sothis", "Wings" and
two songs from their latest release, _Reign Forever World_ [CoC #52].
The band's stage performance was as energetic as ever but could not
really make up for the sound problems. Fortunately, they'll be back in
late Summer, supported by Cryptopsy and a couple of other bands, and
from my last encounter with Vader on the _Litany_ tour I can testify
that under more favourable conditions they are on par with the very
best live acts. If Vader and Slayer would play on the same day in
different places, you wouldn't find me at the Slayer gig. I hope this
illustrates how highly I rate this band.
Now it was time for the second headliner, Mortician. For some
people this band is the most brutal thing around, but I'm more with
Paul Schwarz and the 0(!) points he gave Mortician for _Chainsaw
Dismemberment_ [CoC #42]. They were entertaining for exactly two
songs. And, like a slightly above average joke which is good for a
laugh and a half but gets incredibly annoying when told twenty times
in a row, things got extremely tiresome from the third song onwards.
Would the next song start with the staccato riff and end in the blur
of noise or vice versa? It got truly hilarious when the guy at the
mixing desk got confused which song-intro to select. Directed by Will
Rahmer himself from the stage, he skipped through a couple of tracks
on his CD to finally find the right piece of gore movie sample. As if
it mattered. Unfortunately I can't give you any song titles, as I
didn't bother to take any notes and also did not attempt to unscramble
announcements like (in a normal voice) "This is from _Domain of
Death_" and then (obviously starting the evil machine from Hell)
"Uuuuuuurghhhh uuuuurghhhh uuuuurguguuuurgh". Probably one fifth of
the audience enjoyed Mortician's gig and there was some moshing in
front of the stage, but most stood and watched and a small minority
obviously had a good laugh.
It was around 11:15pm now and I had been standing in the shitty
venue for more than six hours -- my desire to listen to metal had
already given way to complete exhaustion. Even worse, Marduk was not
part of my must-see list after one bad and one okay-ish encounter in
the past, and only pride made me stay even though I was tempted to
leave. Unexpectedly, Marduk did absolutely slay on this occasion.
After the intro they launched "Azrael", the lightning-fast opener of
_La Grande Danse Macabre_ [reviewed in this issue], operating at an
almost unbearable volume. The whole band seemed to be far more agile
than at the previous shows I had witnessed. Even B. War had replaced
his "stand still and stare, looking as evil as possible" stage acting
with serious headbanging. Legion whirled around like a demon from Hell
and showed that he has developed remarkable frontman skills. I even
became worried about how much longer his voice was going to endure the
strain of endless touring and recording. His rasp was popping in and
out like listening to music on headphones with a broken cable. Somehow
that made the aural onslaught even more ferocious and genuine. I
wouldn't have been surprised to see him spitting blood sooner or later
without him caring about it. The sound experience was not only like
standing behind a starting 747, the engineer got the mix dead
right with clear and powerful drums, a punishing guitar sound and,
surprisingly for a black metal show, audible bass work. Continuing
with a mixture of old and new material, Marduk really convinced me
this time, and that means quite a lot taking into account that I had
almost left the venue before they started. A killer show, during which
almost everybody in the audience mobilized their last bit of energy
and which ended with the doomy "Summer's End" -- and at last the No
Mercy tour was saved from being a disappointing event.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A T T H E H A U N T E D G A T E S O F V E N G E A N C E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC attends Nile, The Haunted, Carnal Forge and The Forsaken
in l'Antipode, Rennes, France, 9th February 2001
by: David Rocher
For a devoted follower of the Swedish death metal genre such as
myself, the 9th of February 2001 was more than likely going to be a
day to remember -- condemned as I am to live with the rancorous
insight that I will very likely never get to see At the Gates on
stage, the prospect of beholding a full set of Jenssen and the Bjorler
brothers' energetic material live was definitely getting me to grow
more than just twitchy as I waited for the venue doors to open.
Finally, running a full hour late -- I am, in time, getting the
inkling that this is a recurring curse punctually bestowed unto me for
every each underground metal gig I attend --, the doors opened, and
the assembled hairy crowd rushed in to meet tonight's openers, The
Forsaken.
I am rather perplexed about The Forsaken's debut, _Manifest of
Hate_ [CoC #52]. The high 'n' mighty praise cooked up by Century
Media's press releases prior to the album's release had somehow
succeeded in really firing me up -- what death metal addict could fail
to be allured by a band that supposedly, to state their official bio,
fuses the "untamed power of the sadly defunct At the Gates, the
songwriting wit of Arch Enemy and the obscure atmospheric twists of
Morbid Angel"? Well, all in all, _Manifest of Hate_ is a great,
intense death metal album, showcasing brilliant musicianship and great
songwriting, but The Forsaken simply seem to have occurred -too late-
to the metal world to really leave an indelible mark in it the way
Arch Enemy's _Black Earth_, Morbid Angel's _Blessed Are the Sick_ or
At the Gates' _Slaughter of the Soul_ have. Therefore, it was with
great curiosity I awaited to be enthralled or be rebuked by The
Forsaken's live appearance. Fronted by Ominous' vocalist Anders
Sjoholm, the five-piece very professionally went about rendering a
fine selection of tracks from _Manifest of Hate_ on stage, and proved
to be precise, efficient, incisive and entertaining. Tracks such as
"Seers Hatred", "Demon Breed" or "Manifest of Hate" really worked, and
definitely succeeded in opening my ears wide to The Forsaken's cool
death metal. Their sound was also fittingly powerful and clear, and
completed the five-piece's flawless playing.
After a very intense and successful twenty minutes, The Forsaken
cleared the stage for labelmates Carnal Forge, who released their
_Firedemon_ on Century Media after their rather mitigated debut
_Who's Gonna Burn_ was released on Sweden's WAR Music. Fusing
hardcore-influenced thrashing metal with Swedish death metal tones,
Carnal Forge are capable of writing some very good tracks, just as
they are quite as likely to produce some clumsier, less interesting
tracks. So, Carnal Forge arrived on stage, and went about their
performance with a very honourable dose of enthusiasm and conviction,
which made them, for the first few tracks, a worthwhile experience.
However, Carnal Forge live suffer from the same defects as Carnal
Forge on disc, and after a few tracks, a form of sameness and deja-vu
seeped in, dulling my interest for the rest of their show, despite the
inflamed passion this band obviously have for their music and, more
generally, the metal genre. Their track listing covered an array of
material from both their outputs, with some particularly convincing
tracks such as "Too Much Hell Ain't Enough For Me" and the title track
"Firedemon", and also some rather less convincing material, where they
bluntly reverted to sounding like a tachycardiac Pantera on a Swedish
death metal spree. I didn't succeed in paying them due attention
throughout all of their set, and I deserted the room to give my ears a
bit of a rest before The Haunted, the band I had -really- been
awaiting, took to the stage.
As The Haunted appeared on stage, and immediately proceeded to
play the opener "Dark Intentions", followed by the very muscular and
catchy "Bury Your Dead", the first striking point was that, as I knew,
former Mary Beats Jane vocalist Peter Dolving had been replaced by the
sadly missed Face Down's Marco Aro, but as I knew not, At the Gates'
skinsman Adrian Erlandsson has also been replaced by Per M. Jensen, of
who I know nothing. The Haunted then went through a tasty sample of
material from both their albums, including "Leech", "Hollow Ground"
(on which Marco Aro's vocals were somewhat flat and disputably
pleasant to my ear), as well as "Three Times", "Chasm", "In Vein",
with however a wide majority of material from _The Haunted_. The
crowd's reaction was amazing, as a huge moshpit formed at the
front, and stage divers continually launched off the scene, which
unfortunately, as many a time, turned out be a blatant pain. The catch
is, I don't mind stage-divers, but some egotistical wannabe showmen
just can't refrain from lingering on the stage, sometimes for as much
as a full fucking minute -- a minute during which they often succeed
in getting in the musician's way, and sometimes also in damaging some
equipment, as was the case here, since one of the speaker racks cable
was partly torn out at some point, which resulted in a series of minor
sound problems that somewhat hampered both The Haunted's and Nile's
performance that night. Nonetheless, The Haunted's show was compelling
enough to take my mind of these issues, and all seemed more than
satisfied with the chaos they stirred up that evening. As The Haunted
finished their set with the excellently violent "Hate Song", the
audience cheered, roared and raged for an encore, which took the form
of a very cool moment indeed -- Marco announced that they were about
to play a track specially for Rennes, and, pointing at the sweaty
Bjorler brothers, hinted that it was "a track written by these two
fuckers here"... And here it came, the awaited and hoped-for crowning
final blow, as The Haunted launched themselves into the killer opener
from "Blinded by Fear", from At the Gates' godly _Slaughter of the
Soul_. At this point, I was totally elated -- although Marco's vocal
delivery failed to constantly impress me throughout the whole gig, his
rendition of Tompa Lindberg's screamed vocals were spot-on, and made
this live performance track an unforgettable two minutes of metal
brilliance which I will very likely never -forget-. After this, The
Haunted saluted and left, leaving a sweaty mass of fans of theirs
dazed and gasping for breath. Totally wicked, to the very bitter end!
It was now up to roadies to begin the lengthy setup for Nile to take
to the stage, so I sauntered off to the overcrowded bar for a beer or
ten during the twenty-something minute wait which preceded Nile's
appearance.
Finally, as waiting time drew to an end, the lights dimmed, and
Nile's memorable intro started playing, foreshadowing the brutal,
enrapturing forty-minute set which was to come. Cruising with amazing
ease through insanely intricate material off all their releases, Nile
were simply enthralling that night. Whether on "Black Seeds of
Vengeance", "Pestilence and Iniquity", "Ramses Bringer of War", or
"Stones of Sorrow", Nile's performance was flawless, powerful and
literally hypnotic. Although a few particularly bovine members of the
audience still persisted in wearily moshing and elbowing around, most
of the attendance were simply mesmerised by the -perfect- show Nile
put on that night. The technically astounding, atmospheric and violent
music was perfectly completed by Nile's characteristic three-throated
vocal assault, and by ex-Angel Corpse skinthrasher Tony Laureno's
totally awe-inspiring performance. I don't think I have, -ever- in my
life, seen four musicians play this hard, this fast and this...
perfectly. For a full forty minutes, Nile very literally -entranced-
the attending crowd with impeccable restitutions of the tantalising
"Masturbating the War God" and "Multitude of Foes" from _Black Seeds
of Vengeance_, "Opening of the Mouth" and "Howling of the Jinn" from
_Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ka_, plus various other tracks whose
titles I fail to recall. Although the very predictable encore gimmick
was played, I was elated when the ginning four-piece Nile reappeared
on stage after a due two minutes of the crowd chanting and growling,
and happier still when they kicked into the murderous "Defiling
the Gates of Ishtar" -- much-awaited and oh so predictable, but
nonetheless, a final, crushing blow to the neck which left the
extenuated gathering of fans to slowly descend back the glum reality
of modern times after a truly bewitching journey to the Egyptian
battlefields.
Sadly, shortly after the gig, it was learned that Chief Spires
had left Nile -- although Nile's songwriting shall apparently not be
hindered by his departure, his warlike scenic presence and wild mass
of red hair will be missed direly during Nile's appearances to come.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I N F E R N A L F E S T I V I T I E S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Inferno Festival
at Rockefeller and John Dee, Oslo, Norway,
April 13th and 14th 2001
by: Chris Flaaten
Friday the 13th -- Good Friday the 13th even -- saw the first
ever Inferno Festival kicking off. The festival bragged about every
top Norwegian act and said it would be the greatest gathering of
extreme metal bands ever. As it turned out, they had only -asked- the
great bands to play, no contracts having yet been signed. Still, they
wound up with a decent line-up and 22 bands over two days for roughly
$2.50 each, which is a bargain. The festival had two stages.
Rockefeller, which was the main stage, and John Dee, a smaller stage /
pub in the basement of the same building. Throughout the entire
festival, things went as on tracks. As soon as a band were done on one
stage, another band started playing on the opposite stage. Very
professionally run, big props to the organizers there.
Day 1
~~~~~
Khold kicked the arrangement off. Khold have received much praise
from the likes of Satyr, who also signed them to his Moonfog label,
and there was also a certain buzz going around about them. Can't say I
was too impressed, though. Slow, monotonous metal with black vocals
was their thing. Even with the great sound they had, I still got
dreadfully bored. Some songs I swear consisted of only one riff, and
the variations in tempo within songs were virtually non-existent. I
later found out that this band is basically a continuation of Tulus
and features two of the same members along with the same music. Many
seemed to enjoy their performance, though, so I guess they're good at
what they do. Just not my thing.
Audiopain were next. Playing quite '80-ish speed metal with
semi-brutal vocals, they were just what I needed after Khold. The
guitarist/vocalist really knew what he was doing, churning out one
hyperspeed riff after another while staring upwards into the mic
Lemmy-style. They had decent sound; such metal doesn't require total
hi-fi from the PA. They rocked, especially on a song where Apollyon
from Cadaver Inc. guested on vocals.
When I got back to the main stage Peccatum had already begun
playing. I am not a big fan of this band -- the music is great at
times, but the vocals leave much to be desired. This was also my
impression of them in the concert setting. Ihriel and Lord PZ just
don't have the necessary timing and vocal abilities to pull the
theatrical thing off. Add to this an overly dramatic appearance and
you have to backstreet cats wauling to Ihsahn's guitars. Towards the
end of their gig, Peccatum, thanks mostly to Ihriel, also did manage
to wreck Bjork's "Play Dead" to a point of no repair. Disappointing
performance, even though the sound was good.
Crest of Darkness followed at John Dee. I found their sophomore
album _The Ogress_ [CoC #39] quite decent, mostly due to the keys and
female vocals. At Inferno, they had neither and played mostly songs
from their latest album. They had a very poor sound and since they
lacked the elements that make their music interesting to me, I left
after two very noisy songs.
Trail of Tears then seized the main stage. ToT has released
two solid albums, but I've never spent much time listening to
them, preferring other bands in the same genre and most of all
preferring other genres. I might have to rethink this strategy,
though, since this seven-piece was magnificent! With professional
musicians, glittering vocal performances (unlike the previous band on
the main stage) and excellent sound, Trail of Tears was a highlight
and also the most positive surprise I had at the Inferno festival.
Bloodthorn had terrible sound when I returned to John Dee. Not
being in the mood for a wall of feedback and other noise and not
knowing their music, I left quickly. I later heard that the sound got
better after a while and that Necrobutcher joined them for a cover of
"Deathcrush". Oh well...
Time for Gehenna. I have not acquainted myself properly with
their discography, but it wasn't hard to enjoy their intense
performance. They had hired a session keyboardist to do the synth
parts and I imagine it could have gotten a tad tiresome without them
in the background. Big plus to the drummer for pounding the skins so
hard; rare to see drummers to that. Highlights were "A Witch Is Born"
and "Lord of Flies".
Hades Almighty (Norwegian black metal band previously named just
Hades) played at John Dee afterwards, but since I was extremely hungry
I opted for a calzone instead of catching them.
Witchery cancelled due to illness at the last minute and thus
Zyklon were pushed ahead. Instead of closing John Dee, they were next
up at the main stage. Zyklon played well, but were plagued by poor
sound. Trym had both sound and technical problems with the drums, it
seemed, and the guitars were too blurry to drive the music properly
ahead. Daemon is an excellent front figure in the live setting and his
vocal abilities are awesome -- but still, I feel he fits better in
Limbonic Art, where he has time to put some quality length to his
screams.
Enslaved had the honour of closing day one. Their sound was
decent, but on the blurry and chaotic side. That's not that big a deal
considering their music, though. Enslaved focused on their heavier
material, leaving out the more epic things like my favorite "Storre
Enn Tid - Tyngre Enn Natt", but fortunately included the monumental
"Aeges Draum", which was the highlight for me. They played songs from
their entire discography and the audience seemed -quite- pleased. They
finished early, though. They obeyed the original schedule, but since
they didn't have anyone playing after them I felt they could have
played something extra.
Day 2
~~~~~
Entering the venue day two, I heard some modern metal with angry
vocals and pictured a big, mean vocalist. To my surprise, Zeenon was
three girls and a male drummer. I had decided to go to John Dee early
to hopefully get seats, thus ignoring Zeenon's performance.
I never bought Tidfall's _Circular Supremacy_ [CoC #48], thinking
I would rather have the originals than copycats. Keyboard driven black
metal is always interesting to see live, though, and despite having
some problems with the sound they delivered a good performance. They
included a taste from their forthcoming album as well -- quite
promising. With more identity in their material and a bit more touring
experience, Tidfall might become big.
Having been successful in finding good seats at John Dee, I
skipped M-Eternal's performance altogether.
Ram-Zet had close to no live experience beforehand, but one
couldn't tell from watching them. In fact, Ram-Zet's performance was
by far the most professional of the entire festival! The drummer was
probably the most impressive, flawlessly playing the complex staccato
rhythms that Ram-Zet is all about. Having a female vocalist, a
violinist and a talented fellow on the synths, the atmospheric element
was also very well kept intact. They used synth effects and sampling
in between their songs to weave everything together. Flawless and very
impressive, although Ramseth's vocals got tiresome, just like on their
debut album _Pure Therapy_ [CoC #50].
Susperia were next on the main stage. I saw them live a few
months ago, before they began touring with Dimmu Borgir, and they were
already good back then. Susperia's thrashy, death-ish metal does
extremely well in the live setting, and when the sound is great
enjoyment is inevitable. They played the best and most riffy material
from their debut _Predominance_ [reviewed in this issue], and apart
from vocalist Athera seeming a little tired, everything was close to
perfect.
Burning Rubber was next on John Dee, but were ignored in favor of
more calzone.
Hypocrisy was, along with Borknagar, the first band to be
confirmed for the festival. However, Peter Tagtgren found it was too
much trouble rehearsing for only one gig this year and cancelled. He
offered Pain as a substitute, though, and they played. I find Pain
quite uninteresting. The tempo and beat was the exact same throughout
the gig and they rarely put more than two riffs into a song.
Their music was better live than on CD, though, despite Peter
singing a bit out of tune. They played five or six songs from
_Rebirth_, all sounding exactly the same to me, and a version of The
Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby". Some of the audience seemed to be enjoying
themselves. I wasn't.
Farout Fishing had a "gig" outside Rockefeller once while people
were waiting to get in at the Satyricon/Pantera gig not long ago.
Playing angry and very "American" hard rock, they are not among my
favourites and were ignored this time around.
Cadaver Inc., formerly named Cadaver, are back. They have a new
album, _Discipline_, coming out sometime in April. I was fortunate
enough to have heard the album beforehand, unlike the audience. It's
usually a big plus to know the material being performed. Cadaver Inc.
rocked hard, playing their ultra-hard and brutal death metal. Led by
the always smoking and drinking Apollyon, who performed awesome live
vocals (possibly due to him putting his cigarettes out in his own
forearm for extra effect), Cadaver Inc. won my "being most extreme at
Inferno" award, just ahead of Gehenna.
I was curious as to how Red Harvest's music would do live. It did
great! The drums were much more noticeable and made the music sound
more intense. They focused mostly on their latest album, _Cold Dark
Matter_ [CoC #48], and live the walls of sound were even more
impressive. The synth on "Last Call" could have been stronger, but all
in all the sound was great and the gig left me with a great feeling.
Borknagar was the only band remaining. Guitarist Jens F. Ryland
was actually the one, along with some help of course, in charge
of making the festival happen. Borknagar opened with "Rivalry of
Phantoms" and "Ruins of the Future" from _Quintessence_ [CoC #48]. The
sound was decent, but the drums were a complete mess during the first
song and the toms were absent throughout the entire gig. New vocalist
Vintersorg surprised me greatly -- he fit much better than I thought,
and apart from struggling a bit on "The Black Token" from _The Archaic
Course_ [CoC #36], he delivered a very solid performance. It's
not easy to imitate Simen Hestnaes's wild, ingenious vocal lines.
Borknagar played songs from their last three albums and the set was
close to perfect, the most obvious flaw being not having included "The
Presence Is Ominous", my favorite. They also introduced us to a new
song, but I need to hear it a couple more times before I pass
judgement on it. The vocals seemed less interesting on it than I'd
hoped, though. It was great to finally see this band live, and I look
forward to catching them again.
That concluded the first ever Inferno Festival, easily the best
metal arrangement in Norway ever. Plans are being made to turn this
into an annual event -- may all infernal forces help the people behind
the festival make that happen!
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C o C M A R C H E S O N T H E M E T A L M E L T D O W N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Metal Meltdown III, day 1
Asbury Park, NJ, April 6, 2001
by: Brian Meloon
This year's edition of the NJ MetalFest (a.k.a. Metal Meltdown
III) provided pretty much what you'd expect from such a gathering:
lots of people dressed in black, CD hawkers, people handing out
flyers, flyers all over the floor, overpriced food and drinks, drunks,
last-minute schedule changes, and delays in getting the bands on
stage.
Asbury Park's Convention Hall is a nearly ideal venue for such an
event: not only is there plenty of space to put three stages without
too much interference from the other stages, but there is plenty of
space for booths without being on top of the stage. The entrance
hallway / ticket booth leads directly to a large open warehouse-style
area. Immediately as you enter are the booths, and in the back
is the Relapse stage. Off to the right is the Digital Metal
stage, in a gymnasium, complete with bleachers. Off to the left
and down a small hallway is the SnakeNet stage, in what was
formerly a playhouse or movie theater. I found the SnakeNet's
dilapidated-but-formerly-glamorous stage provides a wonderful "decay
of society" backdrop for a death metal concert. That said, the
existence of immovable seats in the SnakeNet stage was rather odd. A
theater full of death metal fans in their seats watching a death metal
concert and politely clapping after each song is almost surreal. Of
course, it also makes moshing rather difficult, but there are still
those who will try (like that drunk idiot who tried to mosh by himself
during Amorphis' set).
Although the show started at 4:00, we didn't arrive until 8:00.
We caught the last few minutes of a set by a band whose name I didn't
catch (Natron, perhaps?), and spent some time wandering around the CD
and T-shirt vendors.
After a full day of work, I wasn't up for a lot of aimless
wandering, so we ended up in the SnakeNet stage for the next few
hours. Opeth was scheduled for 10:20, followed by Amorphis at 11:20,
and I wanted to catch both of these bands. I was hoping to also catch
Monstrosity, but they were scheduled for the same time as Opeth, so I
had pretty much ruled that out.
The first band we ended up seeing was Austin, Texas' Vesperian
Sorrow. I have their debut album _Beyond the Cursed Eclipse_ [CoC
#41], and found it pretty decent melodic black metal. They played
tracks from that album and their forthcoming Displeased release. The
band put on a solid and energetic performance. They had several
problems with the sound, as the cheesy keyboards were too way heavy
for the first three songs. When the sound finally evened out, it
became more impressive, but they only had a song or two left. Still,
this was a good showing for them: their performance was tight,
and they got a good reception. Their singer's stage presence was
excellent, and during the songs, he threw almost a dozen T-shirts to
enthusiastic fans.
Next up was Sweden's Vintersorg, a band whose music I wasn't
overly familiar with. Their Viking metal sound didn't do a lot to
impress me, but their performance was solid. They were short on
between-song dialog, and lacking a dedicated singer hurt their rapport
with the crowd, but their set was moderately well received.
After their set was a long delay, followed by the first actual
soundcheck of the evening. At around 10:45, Pain finally arrived on
stage. They played a short but energetic set of industrial-tinged
death metal, finishing with an amusing cover of the Beatles' "Eleanor
Rigby". Their set was quite well received, as many people had filtered
in to check them out or reserve good seats for Opeth.
Finally, at around 11:45, Opeth took the stage. Their performance
was nothing short of excellent. The only flaws I could find were the
first few notes of each clean singing section, which were slightly
off, but the songs were otherwise flawlessly performed. Their manner
was very relaxed and informal. Not only did they do their own
soundcheck, but after Mikael Akerfeldt's tuning got screwed up (after
the first song), he methodically re-tuned his guitar and politely
apologized for having difficulties. They played six songs: one each
from _Orchid_, _Morningrise_, _My Arms, Your Hearse_, and _Still
Life_, and two from _Blackwater Park_ [see CoC #14, #32, #44, and also
this issue]. Their set lasted over an hour, finishing around 1:00. One
thing that struck me about Opeth during their set was how much their
music is influenced by '70s progrock. Of course, one can get this idea
just by looking at their photos in the _Blackwater Park_ sleeve, but
hearing them live really drove this point home to me. Another thing
that struck me was just how much bass player Martin Mendez (whose
birthday it was) looks like Spinal Tap's Derek Smalls on stage. Their
set was certainly the highlight of my evening, as I'm sure it was for
most in attendance.
Opeth's website billed their appearance as "Opeth supporting
Amorphis", but these roles should have been reversed, as there were
roughly half as many people for Amorphis as there were for Opeth.
Surprisingly, I only saw one person get up and leave during their set.
I know I was tempted to, as Amorphis put on a terrible performance.
The only reason I stayed was that I was hoping they'd play an old song
or two. I suppose asking for "Exile of the Sons of Iusliu" is a bit
much, but they could've played something off of _Tales From the
Thousand Lakes_ or even _Elegy_ [CoC #10]. Heck, even Metallica still
play old songs.
Now, I haven't been a fan of their material since _Tales From the
Thousand Lakes_ (Opeth is as much '70s influence as I can stomach),
but this performance was particularly bad. The music was adequately
performed, though the guitarists seemed half-asleep at times. However,
their singer single-handedly ruined their performance. He has a much
whinier and more nasally voice than he does on their studio efforts.
In addition, I think the poor fellow is having delusions that he's Jim
Morrison. In sharp contrast to the informal and personable set of
Opeth, Amorphis' performance was haughty and impersonal. To make
matters worse, not only was his voice incredibly bad, his stage
presence was pathetic. When he wasn't singing, he just stood there
like a tree. And at the end of their set, he dropped the mic (with an
audible clunk), and walked off stage.
And on that note, the first day of the MetalFest ended. There was
still a whole day's worth of metal on Saturday, but as there was
only one band I was interested in seeing (Gorguts), I didn't
attend. Overall, the show seemed pretty well orchestrated. Aside from
the scheduling changes -- it turns out I probably could've seen
Monstrosity's set after all --, I had few complaints. I'm hoping next
year's show is much the same as this year's, as I'll definitely be
making the trip again.
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C R I M E S I N T H E M O U R N I N G P A L A C E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dimmu Borgir, In Flames and Nevermore
at the Longhorn, Stuttgart, Germany, April 4th 2001
by: Matthias Noll
Arriving late due to heavy traffic on the famous German Autobahn
(to all ye foreigners: forget about free wheel burning without speed
limits) plus a long queue at the entrance, I was just in time to see
Lacuna Coil's last song, witnessed by an audience of 800 to 1000
people. A turnout that is not surprising at all, considering that
Dimmu Borgir and In Flames usually enter the German charts with every
new record of theirs (according to Nuclear Blast, Dimmu Borgir's new
_Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia_ entered the German and Norwegian
charts in 16th position). In addition to this high caliber package,
the Longhorn was chosen as a film set for the famous German crime
series "Tatort" ("Crime Scene"). This proved to be quite a distraction
during Nevermore's set, because the lights had to stay on to provide
the cameras with sufficient illumination. Although the audience
endured it with a stoic, "we don't care" attitude, the resulting
atmosphere turned out to be somewhat unreal. Rather than seeing a gig,
one had the impression of watching some fake, staged scenario, devoid
of the typical characteristics of a live show.
Nevermore's show didn't really help to overcome these averse
conditions. Singer Warrel Dane had obviously lost almost half of his
normal vocal range, due to a cold I assume, and had to leave most of
the higher notes to the audience, an extremely painful experience
during the likes of "Believe in Nothing". Besides this, his continuous
attempts to rally the audience seemed somewhat out of place and would
have been better left to bands like Machine Head of Biohazard. "I want
to see a moshpit from the front to the back" as an introduction to the
thrashing but very complex "The Sound of Silence" cover was logically
not followed by anything resembling a pit nor any movement one would
call "moshing". Another disappointment was Nevermore's setlist, which
consisted solely of material from _Dead Heart in a Dead World_ [CoC
#50]. A weird choice, because even if _DHiaDW_ is a fantastic album,
the previous Nevermore records are of similar quality and many had
expected to even hear some Sanctuary material. Despite the brilliance
of their last album, Nevermore failed to do justice to material like
"Narcosynthesis", due to an uninspired, mediocre performance, which
was plagued by a muddy, weird sound.
Fortunately, the end of the filming for "Tatort" shortly after
the break between In Flames and Nevermore meant no further disturbance
for a brilliant set by the Swedes. It's hard to believe that this is
the same band I saw for the first time in 1997, also supporting Dimmu
Borgir, that time on the _Enthrone Darkness Triumphant_ tour. On that
gig In Flames resembled a bunch of teenagers who by some accident
found themselves on a stage with instruments in their hands. Since
then, the band has become professional in the most favourable meaning
of the word. These days the guitar tandem Gelotte/Stromblad plays with
a coolness and tightness that often resembles immortal six string duos
like Thin Lizzy's Sykes/Gorham. Anders Friden has become extremely
skilled in handling the crowd, entertaining everybody with a good dose
of humour and physically and vocally exhausting himself on stage. The
coolest thing about In Flames is the complete absence of any kind of
image, spikes and leather outfit and the incredible positive vibe they
manage to create with their music. Had you been there you would have
seen me grinning like a moron while headbanging and air-guitaring
during most of the set. The track list was the expected greatest hits
collection and included mostly tracks from the last three albums.
Beginning with the excellent, in comparison to the recorded version
far more dynamic "Bullet Ride", they played "Gyroscope", "Beyond
Space", "Episode 666", "Ordinary Story", "Pinball Map", "Only For the
Weak", "Embody the Invisible", "Colony" as the encore and a couple of
others. They even had a couple of pyros firing off but that didn't
do much to enhance the experience. Regarding crowd participation,
cheering and visible movement in the front rows, In Flames were
celebrated like the headliner and delivered a gig which will be among
the best I'll see this year.
I couldn't help but feel rather skeptical that Dimmu Borgir would
be able to top this tremendous performance. I turned out to be right,
but I'm convinced no one in the audience was dissatisfied either. The
Norwegians had a bigger sound, but unfortunately Nick Barker's
incredible drumming was lost in the mix and only fully audible when I
occasionally used my earplugs. Partially making up for that, Simen
Hestnaes could be heard clear and strong through the PA. Overall I had
the impression that their song material seems to develop more and more
into areas where it requires concentrated listening on your home
stereo instead of demanding intense thrashing and headbanging. The
amount of crowd reaction was definitely less than throughout In
Flames' set and in general things stayed rather calm. There was loud
cheering in between songs, but instead of going over the top people
seemed to prefer to stand and watch. Only during less complicated
songs like "Mourning Palace" or "Spellbound" the majority broke out of
their stasis. Visually Dimmu Borgir weren't very spectacular. Shagrath
isn't the most impressive frontman around and in general there wasn't
much going on onstage besides some more pyros. The setlist included
"The Insight and the Catharsis", "Arcane Lifeform Mysteria", "Kings of
the Carnival Creation", "Puritania", "IndoctriNation", "The Maelstrom
Mephisto" and "Tormentor of Christian Souls". In general, Dimmu Borgir
played a solid gig but offered nothing to get overly excited about.
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T O O F A S T F O R L O V E
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dying Fetus, Gorguts, Skinless and The Berserker
at E9, El Paso, Texas, USA, on March 27th 2001
by: Alex Cantwell
This night's festivities began with a shock as Australia's The
Berserker took the stage wearing crazed monster masks. Having not seen
a photo of them previous to this show, I was obviously not expecting
this, and it was real hard not to laugh, even though the music was
beyond reproach. The band kept having technical problems through the
entirety of their set, never knowing which microphone would actually
work, and vocalist Luke got more and more agitated and remained
visibly frustrated as their set progressed, bumping into band members
and throwing the mic down. Their brand of industrial-tinged grindcore
just pretty much freaked people out (or was it those darn masks?), and
everyone stood still the whole time. The thing I most appreciated
about them was their killer rendition of Carcass's "Incarnated Solvent
Abuse".
Tonight was also my introduction to New York's Skinless, and
although their debut album had just been released four days prior,
there were some in attendance who were familiar with their material --
much to the amusement of their vocalist, who made his bewilderment
known, but then stated "oh yeah, the internet -- nobody has to pay for
music anymore, I love it". Skinless tore through songs new and old,
and made many new fans in the process, as most everyone I talked to
talked about them favorably. Skinless are not the best or the
brightest, but their mix of crust, mosh parts, and old style death
metal made for a good live set.
This was my second time seeing Montreal's Gorguts, so I had a
clue as far as what to expect -- but what I did not expect was
new guitarist Daniel Mongrain's complete control of the stage and
audience. Not to take away from the other members of the band at all,
who obviously have to hold their ground to play their over-the-top
style of chaotic death metal, but all eyes were on Daniel as he
dazzled us with an incredible one-handed tapping technique, wild
glares, intense virtuosity, and all around charisma. So there's this
wild man on stage left capturing the visual aspect, whilst the rest of
the band plays a perfect set of carefully timed mayhem, providing the
aural pleasures. Although their set was over much too quickly, they
tore through two new songs, and standouts like "Obscura", "With Their
Flesh... He'll Create" and "Stiff and Cold", amongst a few others.
This band is one which demands to be seen live in order to be
understood, because quite honestly, the technicality and the new
approaches to squeezing and scraping sound out of guitars which they
have taken on their last two albums must be -seen-, or else it runs
the risk of being dismissed as noise. A superb set on all counts, and
Luc Lemay and the boys must be commended on hitting the road and
letting us sit in on a musical experience that can't be forgotten.
It was late by the time headliners Dying Fetus took the stage,
and most of the night's excitement and enthusiasm had been directed
toward Gorguts. It didn't help matters much that it took three songs
for Dying Fetus to get up a full head of steam. The guitar sound
sucked, and all of the band except the lead vocalist just stood there
the whole time. On the other hand, the drummer ruled, and their songs
were good, but it was actually too fast to mosh to, and so for a
second time, everyone just stood still and watched, clapping politely
after each song. I had never seen such a lack of response from an
audience towards a headlining band, but it seemed that by some strange
course of events many were in agreement with me: that the true
headliners had already played and packed up their gear.
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NORWEGIAN OLDIES AND NORWEGIAN OLDSCHOOL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mayhem, Carpathian Forest and Minas Tirith
at Rockefeller Music Hall, Oslo, March 10th 2001
by: Chris Flaaten
Minas Tirith were first up. I had already seen them live once
before, but then they had a rotten sound. This time everything was
-much- better; in fact, close to perfect. They opened with some new
material which turned out to be an intro to "Hellfaith", the opening
track from _Demons Are Forever_ [reviewed in this issue]. They played
a great set, including some old favorites and a new song. They sounded
tight as glue; these guys know each other's musical abilities and the
songs intimately. The only drawback is that they do not present a very
entertaining visual performance. Both vocalist/bassist Frode Forsmo
and guitarist Stian Krobol stood with their feet planted on the
ground, never interacting much with the audience. This and the fact
that their music is far from black metal are probably the two reasons
why most of the audience never got into their performance. The ones
who knew them beforehand did, though, as they played marvelously.
Carpathian Forest were next. The first thing I noticed was that
they seemed to have kept the bass settings from Minas Tirith: you
could hardly hear the guitars because it was so high in the mix.
Carpathian Forest do not have any interesting bass lines, though, so
they sounded dreadfully uninteresting. The second thing that struck me
was the guy behind the synth. Big, strapping fellow wearing a ton of
spikes, etc.. He touched the synth only during one song, though; the
rest of the time he basically stood there looking mean. He did some
vocals on a couple of tracks too, but did a poorer job at it than
their original vocalist. Near the end of their set the sound got
somewhat better and I could hear some riffs. Still wasn't impressed,
though. I was not a big fan of their music before the concert and am
possibly even less enthusiastic about it now. They had a good
vocalist, though.
Mayhem opened in a fury of pyrotechnics with "In the Lies Where
Upon You Lay". Apart from a slightly messy sound from Hellhammer's
V-drums, they had a great sound. Driven by Blasphemer's precision
riffing and Hellhammer's drumming-inferno, Mayhem were very convincing
musically, and also visually thanks to madman Maniac. Maniac is
probably one of my least favourite vocalists, but he does well in the
concert setting. Mayhem played a well rounded set including greats
such as "Deathcrush" and "Freezing Moon", old obscurities like
"Carnage" and four or five songs from their latest album. There was a
decent response from the audience, which is rare in Oslo, and Maniac
of course responded by cutting himself. All in all it was a good
concert, with Mayhem being Mayhem, Minas Tirith ruling musically and
Carpathian Forest being somewhat of a disappointment.
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H O W T I M E F L I E S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pantera, Soulfly, Morbid Angel and Nothingface
at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
February 23, 2001
by: Aaron McKay
You've all no doubt heard the saying "It's a bitch to get old".
Well, I think I am now beginning to have some insight into that
particular phrase.
Maybe it was the size of the crowd (though that never has
bothered me in the past), or maybe it was the type of crowd, or maybe
it was something else entirely, but the Pantera / Soulfly / Morbid
Angel / Nothingface performance in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at the U.S.
Cellular Center was not what I had expected.
Three years ago to the month, and nearly to the day, I saw
Pantera at the very same venue, then called the Five Seasons Center,
with Anthrax. Even though Phil Anselmo and the guys had some serious
difficulty with their sound at the time cutting out on them a lot, the
crowd was understanding and the band was apologetic. It turned out to
be a very killer evening. Whoever is to credit for Pantera thinking
enough of Iowa and Cedar Rapids in particular to have the band perform
on a weekend back-to-back times is an asset to his or her profession.
My comments here have little to do with the band, speaking solely
to the crowd aspect: the individuals in attendance were idiotic --
taking an evening out to pull themselves from the primordial ooze of
high school athletics to "be seen" acting cool at the Pantera show.
More there for the popularity factor than the music, these dolts
sought the fights rather than the experience. Follow the herd -- just
another cow. 'Nuff said. I think nothing of morons of this caliber and
see no reason to dwell on them in this article any further.
I spent a portion of the show trying to get to an arranged
interview that never happened, so I missed Nothingface. Not seeing
them was not that big of a loss for me. As I was chatting with
Trey Azagthoth backstage, he was summoned on stage. WHAT?! Morbid
Angel next? Shit. As experienced concert-goers know, this meant an
abbreviated set. Sure enough, around a half-hour was the entire
duration of their set. A band of MA's caliber and experience needs
forty-five minutes minimum. If they were trading on an off going on
right before Pantera, I understand that. If Morbid Angel was relegated
to this position for the entire tour, I am insulted! They are -far-
too talented for such an inadequate position on a bill.
That aside, Morbid Angel was beyond great; flawless execution of
their material from past to present. Phil Anselmo even joined the guys
on stage for a song and watched the band's entire set from off-stage.
That speaks well of Trey, Steve, Erik and Pete, if you ask me. Also, I
picked _Gateways to Annihilation_ in my soon-to-be famous Top 5 albums
of last year. This performance did nothing if not reinforce that
opinion.
I admit, I skipped Soulfly, as I have little time for them. Their
music is respectable, but not to my taste, so I sought out some
refreshments. Gauging from the time in the beer line, Soulfly got
about forty-five minutes or so. At this point I would like to give a
special "HELL YEA!" to the awesome security guard who could obviously
tell my need for a Michelob and told me where I could find a shorter
line... Here's to you, brother! Cheers.
Pantera graced the stage at approximately 9:15pm or so. I have
always had nothing but respect for these fine gentlemen and this
performance did nothing but strengthen that resolve. Personally, I
would have included a greater range of Pantera's lasting classics into
the set, but no one asked me. The band sounded like a blitzkrieg
anyway. Admittedly, I do not own _Reinventing the Steel_ and I would
say a fair portion of the songs on friday evening were taken from that
release, but I picked out a gem of recognition here and there. A
rather killer rendition of a not-so-favorite song of mine, "Floods"
from _The Great Southern Trendkill_, came out sounding like a
berserker's rage. Fire, theatrics and showmanship accompanied all of
Pantera's ninety minutes.
Unlike three years ago when I last saw this four-piece, there
were no unabashed anti-Metallica tirades a la Anselmo style. DAMN!
Hats off Phil, Rex, Dimebag and Vinnie. Next time, Mr. Anselmo, work
in a cover of "Invocation Towards the Conjuration of Black Souls";
other than Morbid Angel, that would have been a supreme reason for
attendance!
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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. Absu - _Tara_
2. Various - _Campaign of Hate Compilation_ (Hell disc)
3. Proscriptor - _The Serpentine Has Risen_
4. Nastrond - _Age of Fire_
5. Judas Priest - _The Best of Judas Priest_ (1978)
Adrian's Top 5
1. God Forbid - _Determination_
2. hurt - _hurt_
3. Lacuna Coil - _Unleashed Memories_
4. Sepultura - _Nation_
5. Arise From Thorns - _Before an Audience of Stars_
Brian's Top 5
1. Weakling - _Dead As Dreams_
2. Gory Blister - _Art Bleeds_
3. Nokturnal Mortum - _Lunar Poetry_
4. Forlorn Legacy - _Dead Man's Fear_
5. Epoch of Unlight - _Caught in the Unlight!_
Alain's Top 5
1. Thorns - _Thorns_
2. Dimmu Borgir - _Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia_
3. Opeth - _Blackwater Park_
4. Zyklon - _World Ov Worms_
5. Monster Magnet - _God Says No_
Adam's Top 5
1. Aborym - _Fire Walk With Us_
2. Karaboudjan - _Sbrodj_
3. Katatonia - _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_
4. Various - Norwegian black metal circa 1989-1995
5. Proscriptor - _The Serpentine Has Risen_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Katatonia - _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_ / _Teargas_
2. The Forsaken - _Manifest of Hate_
3. Aurora - _Promo 2001_
4. Zyklon - _World Ov Worms_
5. Opeth - _Blackwater Park_
Paul's Top 5
1. Keelhaul - _II_
2. Old Man Gloom - _Seminars II & III_
3. Dismember - _Death Metal_
4. Dismember - _Indecent & Obscene_
5. Scissorfight - _New Hampshire_
Aaron's Top 5
1. Jungle Rot - _Dead and Buried_
2. Himinbjorg - _Third_
3. Dark Tranquillity - _Haven_
4. Catastrophic - _The Cleansing_
5. Thorns - _Thorns_
Matthias' Top 5
1. Disbelief - _Worst Enemy_
2. Katatonia - _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_
3. Thorns - _Thorns_
4. Dimmu Borgir - _Puritanical Euphoric Misantrophia_
5. Ulver - _Perdition City_
Alvin's Top 5
1. Falconer - _Falconer_
2. Pagan Altar - _Volume One_
3. Virgin Steele - _The House of Atreus Act II_
4. Marduk - _La Grande Danse Macabre_
5. Various - _The Return of Darkness and Hate_
Chris' Top 5
1. Diabolical Masquerade - _Death's Design_
2. Thorns - _Thorns_
3. Opeth - _Blackwater Park_
4. Susperia - _Predominance_
5. Zyklon - _World Ov Worms_
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Homepage: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos
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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
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mailto:Adrian@ChroniclesOfChaos.com
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Our European Office can be reached at:
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS (Europe)
Urb. Souto n.20
4500-117 Anta, PORTUGAL
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DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise
to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles of Chaos is dedicated
to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie
bands who send us material, as well as interviews with a select
number of independent acts. Join our mailing list to receive a free
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AUTOMATIC FILESERVER
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All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #53
All contents copyright 2001 by individual creators of included work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.