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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, October 1, 1998, Issue #34
http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley <mailto:energizr@interlog.com>
Contributor/Copy Editor: Pedro Azevedo <mailto:ei94048@tom.fe.up.pt>
Assistant Copy Editor: John Weathers <mailto:grief@bellsouth.net>
Contributor: Andrew Lewandowski <mailto:kmvb73c@prodigy.com>
Contributor: Alain M. Gaudrault <mailto:alain@gaudrault.net>
Contributor: Brian Meloon <mailto:bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk <mailto:macabre@interlog.com>
Contributor: Paul Schwarz <mailto:saul@mcmail.com>
Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder
NOTE: For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the
'Details' section at the end of this issue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #34 Contents, 10/1/98
---------------------------
- Editorial
- Loud Letters
- Deadly Dialogues
-- Death: Vision of the Anointed
-- Sepultura: Slowed Down, But Not For Long
-- Sentenced: Never to Be Freed
-- Bruce Dickinson: Bruce Don't Bullshit
-- Lesser Known: Who Knew?
-- Adnauseum - _Desire, Aspire, Inspire, Expire_
-- Various - _Amduscias_
-- Arkh'aam - _The Blue Beyond the Black_
-- Ataraxia - _Historiae_
-- Barrit - _Smiles Upon the Stroke That Murders Me_
-- Blood Ritual - _At the Mountains of Madness_
-- Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_
-- Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_
-- Cage - _Unveiled_
-- Castrum - _Black Silhouette Enfolded in Sunrise_
-- Cemetary - _Sweetest Tragedies_
-- Various - _Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4_
-- Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
-- Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_
-- Death List - _Severed_
-- Deuteronomium - _Street Corner Queen_
-- Dying Fetus - _Killing on Adrenaline_
-- Excruciating Terror - _Divided We Fall_
-- Exumer - _Possessed by Fire_ / _Rising From the Sea_
-- Godkiller - _The End of the World_
-- HammerFall - _Legacy of Kings_
-- The Haunted - _The Haunted_
-- H-Bomb - _Coup de Metal_ / _Attaque_
-- HIM - _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_
-- Impending Doom - _Signum of Hate_
-- In Ruins - _For Seasons of Grey_
-- Kataklysm - _Victims of This Fallen World_
-- Lycanthropic - _Obey the Moon_
-- Lycia - _Estrella_
-- Manegarm - _Nordstjarnans Tildsalder_
-- Mental Home - _Black Art_
-- Mercury Rising - _Building Rome_
-- Necromanicide - _Hate Regime_
-- Nembryonic - _Incomplete_
-- Nox Intempesta - _Damnanus Dominus_
-- Oathean - _The Eyes of Tremendous Sorrow_
-- Poetry - _Catharsis_
-- Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_
-- Skepticism - _Lead and Aether_
-- Soilwork - _Steel Bath Suicide_
-- Various - _Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2_
-- Sortilege - _Sortilege_ / _Metamorphose_
-- Spineshank - _Strictly Diesel_
-- Sutcliffe Jugend - _When Pornography Is No Longer Enough _
-- System of a Down - _System of a Down_
-- Theatre Of Tragedy - _Aegis_
-- Transport League - _Superevil_
-- Turkknifes Pope - _Performance Crippling Data Restriction_
-- Ultraspank - _Ultraspank_
-- Zao - _Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest_
-- Bihor Massif - _Gateway to the Fifth Dimension_
-- Cephalectomy - _Dark Waters Rise_
-- Ghoulunatics - _Carving Into You_
-- Graven Image - _Black Lung Cathedral_
-- Immortal Souls -_ Reflections of Doom_
-- Manifestium -_ The Dawn of Domination_
-- Obscure and Violent Canadian Supremacy: Gorguts with Cryptopsy
-- Doom Descends Upon Deutschland: Cradle of Filth, Einherjer, etc.
- What We Have Cranked
- Details
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(_____)
by: Gino Filicetti
Greetings loyal subjects. Once again, CoC descends upon the
earth to strike terror in the hearts of the weak, and glory in the
hearts of the initiated.
The reason I've included an editorial in this issue is to
introduce to you another group of new writers on trial here at
Chronicles of Chaos. Firstly, there is Jody Webb, who is the metal
director at WVKR, Vassar College Radio, and has been a part of the
scene for his fair share of time. Secondly, we have Alex Cantwell,
who is a writer for The Ultimatum Metal Mag. And lastly, we have
David Rocher, who is a good friend of Paul Schwarz and has offered a
hand in doing some reviews.
I hope you all enjoy the work of our new writers as well as our
long time veteran writers. Lest we forget our veterans, for without
them, where would we be?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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:ginof@interlog.com> and enter
'Attention Loud Letters' in the subject field. Hopefully all letters
received will be featured in upcoming issues of Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 1998
From: Blackk Soul <blackksoul@hotmail.com>
Subject: Attention Loud Letters
Dear CoC,
I was very disappointed at reading your 33rd issue. Why? Because
of the review of Sepultura.
Sepultura is ,I think, a trendy and a bad metal band. It might
be a good Dance band but not metal. I used to be a big fan of theirs
when I first listened to 'Morbid Visions'. It is in fact one of the
best,and pioneering,Death Metal realeases ever. Other albums until
Arise are also not bad, but since the release of 'Chaos AD' they have
given a huge blow to the faces of fans like myself. From a very good
Death Metal band, they transformed into a pop/metal band. 'Roots' and
this new album are even worse. The reviewer of the new album has
given it a 9 out of 10. I had thought that CoC was a good zine, but
it seems to me that CoC, too, has bowed down to trends and since
Sepultura is a very popular band, they have given it a 9. Do you
people at CoC really consider the new Sepultura a good metal band?
CoC is a very high standard ezine. Although everything written
on is not up to my liking, I still consider it to be one of the best
zines. As a dedicated reader I urge you not to fall into trends.
Please do not review bad and shitty bands like Sepultura. There are
other thousands of magazines reviewing those pop metallers. Besides
you can do without them, don't you? And since you guys are so much
dedicated to metal, why waste your space on a band that is a shame to
metal (which they truly are not).
Readers who agree/disagree with me send love/hate mails to CoC
or myself.
Sunil 'Blacksoul'
<blackksoul@hotmail.com>
[I do really like the new Sepultura and I don't bow down to trends. I
think that if CoC didn't cover bands on the grounds that they are
suitably heavy and competent (categories which I think Sepultura fall
into easily) and not on the basis that they are "underground enough",
we would be guilty of snobbery and conforming to a sort of trend
based on non-success instead of musical suitability. -- Paul]
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998
From: Dmitry Dyomin <old_one@alice.ukma.kiev.ua>
Subject: Attention Loud Letters
Hi there.
I'm not subscriber of CoC, but I've read some numbers of this fuckin'
great 'zine. I think this one is the best in the world. But in the
No.31 I've read the article 'bout Ukrainian Black metal band
'Nocturnal Mortum'... and ... what I'm reading?: 'Hail from the
frozen Ukrainian tundra!'. I forgot who wrote it, but that
mother-fucker doesn't know anythin' 'bout Ukraine. There is no
fuckin' tundra there. So, fuck ya, man.
Best wishes.
Old One.
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V I S I O N O F T H E A N O I N T E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Death
by: Aaron McKay
Through the course of a thirty minute dialogue with a true metal
icon, Chuck Schuldiner of Death, I had reaffirmed for myself what I
already knew to be accurate. You see, I have been a massive fan of
Death for many years. Growing up in Florida, Mr. Schuldiner and
various members of the band would surface at concerts at which I was
in attendance. Never, not once, did he or any of Death's
rank-and-file ever not have a moment to sign an autograph or take a
moment to bullshit with a fan. I always have found this type of fan
loyalty to be extremely admirable.
This sterling personality trait of Mr. Schuldiner's came
flooding back to me during our discussion. My phone interview with
Death's founding member revealed, once again, a grateful and
articulate gentleman. A true and honest pleasure to converse with.
If I came away from the interview with anything at all, it was
Chuck Schuldiner's message to the listening public stems from the
recognition that no lasting solution to the problem of mediocrity in
music can be brought about with a brief reality check. Through
Death's new masterpiece, _The Sound of Perseverance_, Schuldiner and
Death collectively manifest a new standard by which all metal will
now be judged. Let me share with you some of the passion and
enlightenment of one of metal's greats!
CoC: I've noticed that a lot of bands seem to be relocating to the
"Sunshine State", like Cannibal Corpse and, recently, Pro-Pain.
What draw do you feel Florida has, outside of hurricane season,
of course?
Chuck Schuldiner: <Laughs> Good question. I think, for one thing, I
know personally, survival-wise, it is very
economical. You can get a house down here for what
people up North are paying for an efficiency
apartment. That, I think, is a really big part of
it. Honestly, in Florida, the only bands coming out
of here now are Matchbox 20 and that type of stuff.
For metal, Florida has had a little boom in Tampa
for a while, with a lot of the bands getting picked
up. Florida has never really been a big place for a
lot of the big bands to come out of. [Death being
the OBVIOUS exception! -- Aaron] Bigger bands in
Florida are like Tom Petty from Gainesville...
CoC: Buffett plays there quite a little bit!
CS: Yeah! And Pat Travors! Florida is just a very weird place. I
think, more than anything, if I was going to move down here, it'd
be, for one thing, awesome beaches and the economical side of it.
As a musician, money does not come in all the time and it's hard.
This is the only way to be able to have a decent house and
survive.
CoC: How is the scene there in Florida? I know that you mentioned a
few bands that couldn't even be construed as metal, but, other
than that, how is the scene for bands like Death?
CS: We never play around here. It is pretty lame. Orlando and the
club scene is pretty pathetic. Basically, it has always been bad.
Ever since 1983, when I formed the band, it has always been bad.
It has always been behind the times. We have the House of Blues
now which has been doing, like, Megadeth gigs; the more
mainstream metal type of stuff, which is cool. It's funny, to
tell you the truth, I don't even look at [Florida] as a place for
a scene. I look at Florida as a place where I've lived most of my
life and there has been a little scene bubble up here and there,
but it dies back down real quick. It is an odd place for the
music scene, compared to places like New York that have such an
established reputation.
CoC: When I was growing up there, I remember seeing bands like Nasty
Savage and Rich Elliott's Blackout performing at Masquerade and
J. J. Casino and Lounge. How do you think that kind of
atmosphere affected Death and its development?
CS: Nasty Savage was a big inspiration to me in the beginning,
because they were a real band. I remember still being in high
school and I saw them play and I remember them being so
professional, heavy, and those are some -real- special times. I
still look back on those with a -lot- of cool memories. It was
definitely a major influence to see Nasty Savage. They had this
killer demo out, _The Way to Mayhem_ [I think I heard the name of
this demo correctly... -- Aaron]. I just remember looking up to
them as being so professional and inspirational, as well. I
remember thinking that they were going to be massive. I remember,
honestly, telling my friend that they are going to be as big as
Priest, one day. I thought they would be...
[At this point Mr. Schuldiner cleared up for me a forlorn notion of
mine that, once, at a club in Ybor City, Florida, a buddy of mine and
I thought we saw him take the lead guitar duties for Obituary when
Obituary opened for Morbid Angel. I then asked him about the
relationship between Morbid Angel and Death. -- Aaron]
CoC: Is there any animosity between the bands?
CS: Not that I know of. They have had some really odd statements
about our band. I don't know why.
CoC: Struck me as funny...
CS: I have no idea. Real good question, actually.
CoC: Speaking of that, I have always viewed Death as a group that has
a real good positive vibe -- pointing out ills in society and
things that you could make right. "Overactive Imagination" comes
to mind here. Is this a conscious effort on the part of Death?
CS: It definitely is [about] things that trouble me. I'm a pretty
simple person. Basically, the way I live life is with good people
around me. I love animals. I love normal things. Love going to
the beach. Everything normal. It troubles me that there are so
many people out in the world that want to see people fall flat on
their face and not do well in life. It is weird to me because I,
personally, don't -ever- have the time to sit around and dwell on
other people's lives. It is amazing how many people out there do
nothing -but- that. [They] start rumors, say bad things about
people; I'm just not into this whole negative thing.
CoC: Along those lines, I wanted to ask you, in the liner notes of
_Human_, you stated that this album was more than an album to
you; it was revenge.
CS: Exactly. A lot of people tried to ruin my career, ruin my name,
ruin my integrity. I'm just a musician. I'm here to make music. I
guess that troubles some people.
CoC: Gene Hoglan, in the liner notes on _Individual Thought
Patterns_, called you the best cook in death metal. What did he
mean by that?
CS: I enjoy cooking. Definitely. When Gene was down, whenever he
would come down to rehearse, we'd always barbecue and do some
cooking.
CoC: I think I remember reading that he really benefited,
weight-wise, from your cooking...
CS: I try to help. I thought it was really cool how he was trying to
keep that strong will-power to do good and loose weight. I was
just cooking a lot on the grill. Just a lot of light stuff.
CoC: I remember going to a "Death for Life" benefit for B.E.T.A. and
the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. A kind of record
release party for _Symbolic_.
CS: RIGHT!
CoC: Is there any unofficial release party scheduled for _The Sound
of Perseverance_?
CS: Not really, no. Probably just have a party at my house or
something. You know, just a few friends. Nothing major. I'd like
to do some benefits in the future for, like, the Humane Society.
I love dogs and cats. I think that they are basically a lot
better than people, most times.
CoC: I want to give a great deal of credit here to Nuclear Blast.
They really seem to have come behind Death 110%, giving you guys
some much deserved attention. I know Death had to have been
pursued by any number of labels, so why Nuclear Blast?
CS: There were several labels that were interested [in Death], but
I've seen Nuclear Blast, for one thing, grow so rapidly over the
past couple of years, as a label, that it's insane. It is because
of good decisions that they have made by signing good bands. They
have a lot of good bands on their label right now. They are a
label that, unlike most other labels out there, stuck their necks
out and signed all this metal. It has paid off because now they
are -the- label! I saw that, believe me. As a fan, I recognize
that, and, as a musician in a band that is suffering from -lack-
of proper decision making from other labels; I saw them making a
lot of good decisions. We started talking to each other and had
several really good conversations about things. They know where I
was coming from and I talked in great length about where the band
has been, where it could go, and where it could have gone with
the proper support from [Death's previous] labels. Nuclear Blast
shared my viewpoints and we struck a deal. That was that. It just
made perfect sense. I feel it is the making of a really good
relationship.
CoC: When listening to _The Sound of Perseverance_, it sounds so
multi-layered, dramatically heavy, and complex. Even more so
than _Individual Thought Patterns_. How do you do it?
CS: Funny you should mention _Individual Thought Patterns_. This
record kinda reminds me of the spirit of that, in a way, while I
was moving into a fresh territory, as well. It kinda has that
attitude of when I started writing for this record, I, for one
thing, had my home studio set up and was able to do a lot of
recording and experimenting with different leads, ideas,
harmonies, playing the two guitars off of one another, and have
two different guitar parts going on, as opposed to have them
always doing the exact same thing. This opens up the
possibilities for so many more melodies. It was a matter of just
really experimenting with the material. We re-did the whole
record two times before we even entered the studio with Jim
Morris, so by the time we were at Morrisound, it was the most
prepared I have ever been in my life.
CoC: Fantastic!
CS: Yeah! It paid off. We went in wanting to keep this [album] fresh.
We know what we are doing, we know what we want do to. We worked
with Jim Morris on _Symbolic_, so I knew exactly what to expect,
which was nothing but good things. We recorded and mixed the
album in three weeks, which is kinda really unheard of in the
industry.
CoC: WOW!
CS: It was cool. It felt great. I wanted to capture that "real vibe".
CoC: It definitely came across that way. When I listen to _The Sound
of Perseverance_, it kinda feels like a musical excursion, like
an adventure, clocking in at 56 minutes and change -- by far
Death's longest release. Was there sometime you were trying to
communicate with its length and get across to the listener?
CS: I had a lot of stuff to get out musically! <Laughs> When I
started writing this material, the songs, in general, were a lot
longer. Like "Flesh and the Power it Holds", [which] is over
eight minutes long.
CoC: That song is brilliant!
CS: That is my favorite song on the record, personally. You used that
word "adventure". I like to use that [word] for music. I think
that music -should- be an adventure. For me, these songs turned
in to these adventures more than any other record, I think. It is
a very natural thing for me; when I start writing, I write and
whatever comes out -- comes out. I think [_TSoP_] is a good album
to come out at this time. The state of metal now is so twisted in
America. People take the easy way out musically and everyone is
copying each other and I think this is a good album to kinda
throw in the middle of everyone and say, "Here, take this!"
<Laughs>
CoC: Exactly. I think that Scott [Clendenin], Shannon [Hamm], and
Richard [Christy] had some enormous footsteps to follow in,
because the stream of talented musicians that has come through
Death has been cataclysmic. They all have really risen to the
occasion. What an excellent line-up you have now.
CS: I feel very good about it. We all do. I have basically been
performing with Scott and Shannon for over two years now, so
we've had a really good relationship established, and Richard
came in and just sounded killer.
CoC: It just clicked.
CS: Yeah.
CoC: I know that you personally tip your hat to Mercyful Fate, Venom,
Hellhammer, and the like...
CS: Oh, yeah.
CoC: I feel that the argument can be made, even by me, on occasion,
that Death is kinda the pioneer of the entire field. What kind
of obligation does that place on Death?
CS: I don't know. Several people have mentioned that and, it might
sound weird, but I never really think about it like that. It is
kinda like, I just go my own way and do my own thing and hope
whatever comes out makes people happy. I feel, as a fan, not even
as a musician, but as a metal fan, that I -do- have a
responsibility to keep metal going and alive and do whatever I
can do. That is the fan side of me more than the musician. It is
an intertwined thing because I am -such- a fan still, and I think
that people might forget that. A lot of people in bands stop
becoming fans. You can tell, listening to certain records by the
bigger bands, that they have stopped being a fan of metal. They
are no longer intrigued by it or care especially; when you see
bands like Metallica saying that they are no longer a metal band
and don't want to be called a metal band, yet they got huge off
of being metal. <Laughs>
CoC: I think that is very well put.
CS: It is sad. It makes me sad, as a fan, to see bands turn people
onto great music then whatever... It is kinda like [Metallica]
are old; they are not that much older than me, really. I'm 31 and
they have to be in their mid-thirties; upper-thirties, at the
most.
CoC: You mentioned that you were a fan and every time that I've seen
Death you have always been very supportive other groups. The
band that comes immediately to mind is Sadus.
CS: Oh, yeah.
CoC: You have often gone out of your way to support other acts that
have followed in your wake. I think that you deserve a
tremendous amount of credit for that.
CS: It is like I've said before, I'm just trying to keep things going
and whatever I can do anytime, I will do it. I am lucky to have
some friends in some really cool bands like Sadus, who are such
great people and they are such a great band. I saw them at the
Milwaukee Metal Fest.
CoC: Thank you, by the way, for performing at that show, too.
CS: I had a really great time. It was really hectic, though, man,
'cause those shows are not put on well. Getting on stage and the
equipment being total crap. Richard is one of the greatest
drummers in metal and he had a horrible drum set to play on. His
snare kept falling; he only had two toms and he usually plays
five. It was just a mess, but after the third song, everything
just clicked and the audience was so killer. It was very
uplifting to be a part of that show and look out there and see
all these people there for metal when supposedly metal is dead in
America.
CoC: No way. Not after -that- show.
CS: That show really sent some shockwaves through corporate America.
I thought Mercyful Fate was incredible and Sadus was awesome. I
was honored to sit there in front of Steve [DiGiorgio] and watch
him play. They were just really great.
CoC: I wanted to ask you about the vocal style on _The Sound of
Perseverance_. I've noticed in recent interviews that you said
it was the most limiting style to the genre that Death is in.
CS: It is. That is why I had a lot of fun doing "Painkiller". That
was my chance to do something different that I enjoy doing. [The
vocal style] is basically why I have Control Denied ready to go
after the Death tours are done. Control Denied is the extension
of Death.
CoC: I am excited about it!
CS: I am, too. It has so much potential, because I have been very
blessed by people embracing the music of Death, and when they
hear Control Denied it will be exactly what they are embracing
Death for, only more. It is that next, fifth element, which is
the vocals, that are, honestly, holding this thing back inside of
me. I've grown so much, as the music has; I'm outgrowing it. It
is like a shoe that is getting really tight and you have to
switch to another pair and let things grow and breathe. The music
for Control Denied is all about that. It is about not giving in,
it is not about anything but what the name of the band says. I
don't like to be controlled or limited, and, with music, the
worst thing to do is stay in the same spot when you know there
could be more and better things.
CoC: I personally believe that your fans are growing with you.
CS: I do, too. I think the greatest thing is that everyone is really
embracing the progress.
CoC: How do you feel about your upcoming tour with your label-mates
HammerFall?
CS: It is going to be great. I'm looking forward to it very much.
They are a killer metal band and I think America is going to
enjoy that tour!
CoC: Back to the Milwaukee Metal Fest for a moment, I noticed that
Brian Griffin of Broken Hope was twisting the knobs on the
soundboard for Death's performance. Was that something that was
planned?
CS: Actually, our sound man didn't show up. The bus broke down. The
sound man for Cannibal Corpse is also our sound man, sometimes.
He was going to run our sound at that show, but the bus broke
down, so I was freakin' out. We had to go on in an hour and we
had no sound man; our guitar tech didn't show up, our drum tech
didn't show up. It was a nightmare. I mean, honestly, really, it
was one of the most nightmare-ish like shows leading up to the
performance that I have ever had.
CoC: How was the Dynamo Open Air Festival with Pantera?
CS: Great! Really great response. 35000 people. Insane. Kinda like a
dream looking out and seeing all those people. Really cool, man!
Overwhelming in a really great way. The most organized concert
event that I have ever been a part of. It was so professionally
done and it was just killer. I thought it was a breakthrough for
us to be a part of something like that.
CoC: I noticed there is a lot of groups touring right now. Do you
think that will, in any way, discourage some bands from touring
now that a juggernaut like Death is going to be on the road?
CS: Some people have mentioned that there are a lot of bands on tour
and they are kinda worried that people aren't going to have
enough money to come out to our show. Basically, I think that it
is up to the fans to balance their money wisely. <Laughs>
CoC: I've noticed in the music industry things seem to be extremely
hectic and chaotic. Death, however, never seemed to get swept up
into that. Did the name of the new record come from the struggle
a band like Death must endure to keep on keepin' on?
CS: That is exactly where the whole name was spawned from. For this
record, I felt like it definitely is the most impressionable and
important record that this band has ever done. That is why the
title really had to say something and that it had to make people
realize that it -was- saying something.
CoC: Thank you, Mr. Schuldiner, for all of your time and for the very
impressive _The Sound of Perseverance_ release. Please, end the
interview anyway you would like.
CS: God! I appreciate everyone's support and patience. REAL METAL
DOES LIVE!
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S L O W E D D O W N , B U T N O T F O R L O N G
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Igor Cavalera of Sepultura
by: Paul Schwarz
From their beginnings as what can be vaguely described as a
black metal band, at least in as much as Venom were/are a black metal
band, to their rise through the ranks of death metal and finally
their elevation to the very pinnacle of the metal genre's popularity,
alongside such bands as Pantera and Slayer, Sepultura have always
strived.
Early on they strived to simply become one of the many, but by
the time _Beneath the Remains_ was released, their battle was to
become alone, something special. Though some fans left them in their
transition from _Arise_'s death/thrash to _Chaos A.D._'s catchy,
powerful and less technical style, overall it was _Chaos A.D._ which
brought to Sepultura a mass metal audience. 1996 saw the band's
popularity soar with a Top 20 UK single and eventual gold status for
that year's album, _Roots_. For that year it was almost impossible to
escape the band, as they grabbed magazine covers and metal club play
left and right. Though gaining many fans at the end of this year,
Sepultura lost founding member, vocalist and (at that time) media
focal-point Max Cavalera, in what was at the time widely viewed as a
split, over the contract renewal of Gloria Cavalera (who was then
their manager), which would finish the band. As this interview's mere
presence indicates, Sepultura were not finished. Though Max (who went
on to form Soulfly) has bemoaned the band's retention of the name, it
was their right to keep it both legally and, at least in my opinion,
musically speaking. Sepultura recruited Derrick Green as their new
vocalist and continued striving. With new album _Against_ set to be
unleashed on the world on October 6th, I had a very pleasant talk
with Igor about the new record and the band's current line-up and
situation past and present. I start with the new album.
CoC: I feel there is a strong hardcore and punk influence running
through the new album, _Against_; would you agree?
Igor Cavalera: Yeah, at the end I do, you know. When we were doing it
we didn't really feel that way; we were just writing
and writing, putting shit down without even noticing
those kinds of details. Today, when I sit down and
listen to the CD, I can totally see that. That is very
clear; the whole hardcore [thing] influenced this
album a lot and the way I really see it, it is a very
strong album, very passionate. That's how we wrote it
and somehow it was very influenced by a lot of
hardcore bands, which makes me very proud.
CoC: I also feel that it is, in a strange way, darker or more
brooding than _Roots_. I personally think it has a deeper sound
-- I don't know why, it is just my impression it seems to have
more struggle in it. Would you agree, and, if so, could you
explain how that change came about?
IC: Yeah, to a certain point I agree, the whole struggling point [the
way] that you put it. We really felt a lot of pressure from Max
departing the band and for us to continue [with] this there is a
lot of struggle there. At the same time, I just think that a lot
of feelings are really transparent, very clear when I listen to
the CD, and that's [made it] become a little darker than _Roots_.
I think _Roots_ was a very conceptual album where every song
really had something to do with the other and with the whole
Brazilian roots and a lot of percussive things in the middle of
it; this album is a little more open. It is not really conceptual
or anything like that; it's just a bunch of songs that we felt it
was right to write at that time, we wrote it and it felt good,
and that is what is on the CD.
CoC: With the songs written by single people, did people come in with
full songs, or were they more sort of jammed out by the band?
IC: That's one thing that we tried to keep very straight. Sepultura
has always been about jammed out. It is always about four people
really thinking or four people really fighting for a riff or for
a lyric or for anything, so that is something we all felt [is]
really strong today, that band feeling, where before, on _Roots_,
we really felt that Max was really getting all the credit for
something that we really wrote together. We didn't feel that was
right, we didn't feel that was fair, because it was never
different with Sepultura. It was always about four people locked
up in a room, pouring their sweat together.
CoC: Were the lyrics written in a group or were they more of an
independent thing for the bandmembers?
IC: They're very different in the context of Andreas and me writing
most of the lyrics on this album and them always being a little
different from Max's way of writing; Andreas leaves it a little
more open to different opinions and, you know, different people
can have a different idea of what he is singing. Max's were a lot
more straightforward; though I like it both ways, I can't really
pick and say I like one [approach] better than the other. It is
just different in a way that one is a little darker.
CoC: You used Howard Benson as a producer for the album, which was a
difference, it was a change because I haven't known you to use
him before. What influenced you to use him as opposed to either
Ross Robinson, Scott Burns or Andy Wallace?
IC: Well, the whole thing with Howard Benson was [that] we did like a
pre-production tape with him with a lot of new songs and he was
actually the one that approached us really wanting to do this
project. So it was different from the start already -- it was
like "alright, let's see what he's got". From what we'd heard of
his earlier stuff with Motorhead and Body Count we wouldn't
really have picked him, because we thought [what he did with
those bands] was really average. But he proved us wrong when we
did the tape. It was totally different for us, it was like,
"damn, he's really got something to put together", and plus we
didn't want to repeat ourselves by working with Ross. It is a
different case [with Andy Wallace], because Andy Wallace has
always been a very good mixer, so we might even have ended up
working with Andy -- that's something we put [to the side]: at
the end we always need someone to put all the madness together
and Andy is very good at that.
CoC: How was it working with the Kodo drummers from Japan which you
did on "Kamaitachi"?
IC: That was something very special, especially for me as a drummer,
man. That was almost like a dream coming true. I have always been
a very strong fan of Kodo; the style they put on their drums, the
energy. I [have] always been a drummer very involved on the
energy factor, a lot more than the technical and all that stuff
that goes around the drumming. If I can hear that a person is
really putting energy into every single hit, that for me is what
it takes to be a great drummer. So, for me to work with them, to
be right in front of those drums and feel the energy, it was very
special.
CoC: You've covered a song called "F.O.E.", by James L. Bowen; I
don't know the artist, I am curious...
IC: We didn't know [him] either!
CoC: So what is it exactly, the song, or the cover, or whatever?
IC: Yeah, it is just like... it was a TV show in Brazil that has been
going on for like over ten years and the opening song for this TV
show is exactly that "F.O.E." song, and we always listened to
that and we always thought like "man, this is such a killer
song", but we never knew who wrote it or anything about it; we
just knew it was from that TV show. But then I was in Sao Paulo
and I found an old vinyl with that song on it, which was like a
soundtrack for an old 70s movie called "Vanishing Point", and I
was like "fuck, this is the song". So it was like, "let's go over
that". And we just said "alright, fuck it, let's do it". We
didn't even know the band, or that person, or anything about it.
CoC: That's really cool.
IC: Yeah.
CoC: There's also the question of the last track on the album which
is, I think, pretty different from any other way you've ended an
album before. It's got some similarities to some of things
you've done in the past, like "Kaiowas", maybe, or the acoustic
parts on _Roots_. What were the ideas behind all this strange
noise, and the much quieter, not angry, ending. In the past
you've ended with "Primitive Future", "Clenched Fist", so...
IC: Yeah, I know it is weird. We felt that that song just really
fitted at the end of the album. Then again, this album we also
started with a song which was very different from _Chaos A.D._,
where we started with a catchier, more mid-tempo kind of song
with "Refuse/Resist", and _Roots_. Then with this album we
started with a song that was a lot faster than the usual that
we've been doing, so why not finish also in a different way? And
it is a very interesting song, because we recorded actually the
first half of it in my home in San Diego just with a little DAT
machine. Me, Andreas and Paulo, we were fucking around with
acoustic instruments, actually, as we were watching a football
game on TV, and we were just jamming around like looking at the
TV. And later on, Andreas listened to it and he was like "man!".
'Cause at the time we thought that it was cool, but that there
was really nothing to it, and then Andreas was like "you got to
listen to this shit we recorded the other night, I think it is
really cool". So I listened to it and I was like "wow, this is
really fun!" and then we're like "let's finish it up in the
studio". So the first half, it was done all very crappy, and then
right after that it goes into something a lot more professional;
I don't know what you wanna call it, we just felt it was cool.
Also with the cello, which is an instrument which we really love
and it can fit pretty good with something like that.
CoC: What I found was good about it was that it surprised me, the
cello part really surprised me, which I think was a good thing
for it; good way to end the album, in my view anyway. You've had
two people to do lead vocals and guitars and stuff on various
tracks, Jason Newsted and Joao Gordo. How did these
collaborations come about and was there a reason for it, or did
it just happen?
IC: Pretty much the same way Jello Biafra worked with us. It always
takes this crazy idea of one of us and one phone call: "you wanna
do it?", and that person going like "fuck yeah!" or "Oh, I don't
know if I have the time if I am on tour"... you know. It is not
like contacting any managers or going through any bullshit. it is
just like really friendship and [when] you have that person on
the album it means a lot more to us having a really good friend
working with us rather than someone music-wise that we respect.
Especially with Gordo, he comes from a very different background,
the whole like hardcore scene of Brazil, they [RDP] started way
before Sepultura and it feels very good to have someone like him
on the album and also have Jason [Newsted, Metallica] who is also
a very good friend, and a very big Sepultura fan, which is very
inspiring for us, when he talks a lot about Sepultura on most of
the interviews he does. A lot of mutual respect, that's the main
thing for us.
CoC: How do you feel about _Roots_, looking back on it two years
after it came out? Because it brought you, success-wise, a lot
further than you'd come before. How do you feel about the album
now and what it did for you?
IC: I don't know, man. The more I listen to _Roots_, the harder it is
for me to understand what we were doing. Like, at first I thought
the same way I think about [_Against_] right now: we just throw a
bunch of ideas and put it out and then we'll see what happens.
And now, when I listen back to _Roots_, it is hard to understand
how people really got into that album. To a certain point, it was
like, "damn", 'cause I don't think it is that easy, it is not
that catchy, you know what I mean, for me it was like, "fuck". It
is very weird, there is like a noisy factor to it, like
everything is very noisy and the whole vibe on the album was very
different from anything we'd done before and the whole concept of
how we recorded and everything. It just surprised me that a lot
of people got into it.
CoC: It is not like Metallica's black album, where you could kind of
see how it was more accessible than _... And Justice for All_.
IC: Yeah, you can totally pick out all the catchy stuff on different
albums, but on _Roots_ it's like "fuck".
CoC: Yeah, it's interesting, it seems a mystery and it remains a
mystery. [Though maybe it is explained by the trend-oriented
popularity of the "Korn sound" and _Roots_' similarity to that
sound, which saw Korn's _Follow the Leader_ debut at number 1 in
the States. -- Paul]
IC: It will always be the same mystery as to why some bands work and
some bands don't, and sometimes they have very similar sounds. It
is the same thing behind anything you do involving music, it is
always very good timing with different factors.
CoC: Down to a lot of things other than music, I think. The band, you
personally perhaps, have been very adamant over the last year
and a half, since Sepultura split, not to use the press as a
weapon against Max; you've more or less kept quiet. I do feel,
though, that "Rumours", along, possibly, with other songs, has a
sort of similarity to some of the songs on the Soulfly record --
"Rumours" sounds like it was about the split and a lot of the
songs on the Soulfly record are about the split. Are these songs
about the split and, if so, did you -have- to get some of your
feelings out about that?
IC: In a way, they deal with a lot of things that went on, not
actually about the split; but a song like "Rumours" is really
something about being pissed off with a lot of things you read
that sometimes are not true, including the whole thing between
Max and the band. So it is hard for me to really compare it to
any of the songs on the Soulfly album like you put it, but at the
same time there is definitely a lot to do with it, with this
whole year and a half that we have been through and "Rumours" is
one of the songs that really deals with that. But not only that
but something that could also be in the past of the band.
CoC: This is a hypothetical question. If Max disbanded Soulfly,
agreed that he was wrong or whatever and having Gloria as a
manager was wrong... and he wanted to rejoin Sepultura... would
Sepultura take him back at this point?
IC: I would. I would have him and Derrick.
CoC: You'd have both of them?
IC: Yeah, I think it would be... For me, I am not talking about the
band or the other guys in the band, but for me, I would. I know
they could work together, 'cause he is my blood. If those terms,
as you put it, if they were actually true, for me, as a brother,
I would take him in a minute.
CoC: Do you think that Max's departure and Derrick's addition to the
band will be the last change in Sepultura's line-up?
IC: Oh, that's impossible to answer... I would never have imagined
any change in Sepultura since our first guitar player, Jairo,
left the band, and I never imagined that -he- would leave the
band. So I don't know. There is too much going on in each mind to
try to figure out.
CoC: But you don't -expect- another change, you feel the band is
particularly united at present?
IC: Yeah, I don't really expect anything like that. I just feel very
strong as a band today. After we've been fighting a few years
with our management that we wanted to be portrayed as a band, and
today I have that band feeling. That feels really, really good.
CoC: Do you think your fans will accept this album and the band as it
is now?
IC: It's hard to tell. But one thing that it's really easy for me to
see is how when you do something that you really put 100% of your
feelings into and you really [are] very comfortable with, it is a
lot easier to accept success or even failure. When you know you
gave it everything you've got, whatever happens next is much
easier to accept rather than if you try to please anyone.
CoC: Do you feel that you have almost gone back, to a certain
[extent], via Max's leaving, or do you feel that you can carry
on musically and success-wise from where _Roots_ left off?
IC: I don't know, man. It has always been really about breaking a lot
of barriers and that is the feeling I have always had with
Sepultura, from day one. Men that came out of Brazil and really
break that circle of European and American bands. That's
something that I am so proud of. That itself is something that
keeps me going; when I see the fans from Indonesia, from Brazil,
from South Africa. They talk to us and say "you guys represent
something that is very important for us, not only musically, but
[for] showing people in those circles that it can be done by
people like us from other places in the world."
CoC: On live performances, how is Derrick Green and what is the
difference with doing old songs by Sepultura? Does he attempt to
mimic the old vocal style or does he do it in a different style?
IC: Yeah, it is a different approach. We did a couple of shows with
Derrick and we totally felt that the approach he put on the old
songs was really not about trying to copy Max in any way. That
was something that he always [made] very clear to us and we
always respected that -- that he's got his own ideas. He really
respects Max for what he has done with Sepultura, but at the same
time he doesn't have the intention of copying him in any way, so
when he [sings] the old songs he puts a lot of his own feelings
and also a lot of his own interpretation of things that he is
screaming out. So I really see it as a very positive thing.
CoC: You were talking about being very proud that the band was from
Brazil and that was your particular point of origin. Do you
think it made any difference to the band that Derrick wasn't
Brazilian, originally?
IC: No, that's what I was talking about. We're such a band that it is
very universal, in a way. So when we opened our doors we really
felt like "it doesn't matter where this person is from, this
person has got to be the right person to be with us", and that
could mean a Brazilian, an American, Japanese: anything. We
totally felt that we had to have a really open mind for this and
a lot of people pressured us, like "man, how are you guys going
to continue with someone who is not Brazilian?". Sepultura is not
about being Brazilian; it is about being what we are.
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N E V E R T O B E F R E E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Sentenced
by: Adrian Bromley
It's said that through time, we work things out. That is true
when many think of the career of Sentenced, Finland's depression
ambassadors. It has been a career of working things out.
Like the darkened tales they tell, the music of Sentenced is
intriguing and effective for the most part. It has always been that
way, brooding emotions within its vocal arrangements, detonating
powerful riffs and rhythms that deliver a stellar drive of emotions
for us all to digest. Their current music, though a far cry from the
early death metal days of the band's beginnings, is extremely
effective, with its memorable choruses and well-orchestrated song
structures. The band's latest effort, _Frozen_, continues where the
band left off with the last great recording, _Down_. With new singer
Ville Laihiala, Sentenced steams forward, digging deep into the
blackened sorrows of depression as they did with earlier efforts like
_North From Here_ (1992) or _Amok_ (1994), yet yielding to the
creative energy that allows the band to change over time.
On the phone is singer Ville Laihiala, calling to talk to
Chronicles of Chaos about the band's new effort: "Right now,
Sentenced is more of a band than it has been in years," he starts.
"Everything seems to be working out great right now. We tried a lot
of different song ideas and material to work on this record. It was a
great learning experience for us all. Like most of the past Sentenced
work and _Down_, the most important aspect of Sentenced was for the
music and the lyrics to go hand in hand. To be able to work together.
This time we really wanted to concentrate on working the sound,
aiming to make the sound of the music sound a lot stronger. There was
a lot of effort from all band members to make this record come out a
success sonically."
He adds, "This record feels very current for the band. Right up
to speed with where we are headed as a band. You can hear on the
record that we had a fun time working the songs. Everybody gave 200%
while making this record and it shows up in a big way. There is
nothing I would change with the end result of _Frozen_."
And how have things been with Laihiala as lead singer?
Everything all right in the Sentenced camp? "There was never really
any doubt for the guys in the band [who are guitarists Miika Tenkula
and Sami Lopakka, bassist Sami Kukkohovi and drummer Vesa Ranta] that
I couldn't do the job. They believed in me and what I would be able
to do as singer for the band. With me joining the band, Sentenced has
lost some stuff, but also gained some new ideas for what the band is
about. The reactions from the fans have been great. I was very
surprised on how I was received when I joined the band. I thought I
was in for some kind of trouble, but it's worked out great."
He adds, "It was a great time doing this record, this being my
second time around with the band. When I started out with working
with the band on _Down_ I had only been in the band for three weeks.
For me, I was just in the phase of getting to know them and sing the
songs. I was worried about just doing my job. Now I have been in the
band for a while and going into album number two for me I felt very
at home, 'cause I had known everyone and had become a definite part
of the band."
Building upon their sound from years back, Sentenced has managed
to strengthen their musicianship over the years. It only seems
fitting that a band that has worked as hard as they have to be able
to do stuff like the material found on _Frozen_ in their sleep. It's
built on character and a willingness to exceed at what you do. Where
does Laihiala and the rest of the band believe Sentenced fits into
the fold as a metal band nowadays? "We never really aim to try to fit
into a certain category when we were making this record, the last
record or their older stuff. Sentenced has always been about doing
what you believe in and being creative. I think we fall under the
category of gothic/rock or maybe suicide rock. It's hard to say where
Sentenced has fit in over the years, seeing how much they have
changed. I think with the next record, the follow-up to this, you'll
see a definite change in where Sentenced goes. It doesn't sound
anything like you have heard from Sentenced before."
Does Laihiala see Sentenced as a successful band? What is
success for him? "I think album by album it has been increasing, but
realistically it's not about putting out records that sell. It's
about putting out records and being happy with them. That's success.
Ask any musician, putting out a record is great accomplishment. It
feels good. The reaction of the fans also adds to how we feel. It's
hard to judge the ways of success, but being able to do this for so
long does mean the band has been successful to some degree."
Labelled by many as suicide rock, the music of Sentenced has
been known to be very dark, damaging and downright blunt. It holds no
punches. This is the dark depths of depression for people to be
witness to. Why would Ville want to be a part of this band of
musicians who mask their metal music with terrible doses of
depression? "I dunno, man. It's a tough issue, what we do. I think
this is a definite form of therapy for myself or the other guys in
the band. We deal with serious issues and instead of carrying them
out, we write them down and work them into songs. It's very personal
and allows us to get off a lot of steam."
Doing press before a tour starts up, I ask Laihiala about
touring. He responds. "Touring is very fun for us. Tiring but a great
time for us to get out and expose the band to many people. Playing
live is what it is all about. It has always been. But we do have
problems on tour. Drinking problems always seem to arise. Not
drinking problems for us in the band, just the fact that people take
our liquor. <Laughs> We put our foot down and really come down hard
on people taking our stuff. Sure we make enemies, but we earned that
liquor. It's ours. We're not assholes. We're musicians and in this
business you take what you can get as your career goes along..."
<Laughs again>
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B R U C E D O N ' T B U L L S H I T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Bruce Dickinson
by: Adrian Bromley
"Going into this record, we wanted to make it heavier than the
last few records. It had to be heavy both lyrically and musically,"
starts heavy metal icon/screamer Bruce Dickinson over the phone about
his latest metal masterpiece, _The Chemical Wedding_.
"This is a brilliant record," continues Dickinson about his
sixth solo effort, one of a long list of releases the ex-singer of
Iron Maiden has delivered since leaving that band in 1993. "This
album is a mixture of all the styles of music I have done up to this
point. It has elements of Maiden and the solo stuff that I have done,
but I also think it takes what I have done a bit further in terms of
the sound. It is a much deeper record than [anything] I have done
before. For me, this record really digs down deep."
"This record turned out better than I had imagined or planned
it, too. I think the reason for that is that when I went into the
studio I was a little apprehensive about making the record sound this
heavy. I didn't think I could do it. It just got heavier and heavier
and I was a bit worried that it was too heavy. Then I decided to go
with it and it all turned out for the better."
For Dickinson, leaving Iron Maiden after many years seemed like
the kiss of death. Why would he leave such a pioneering metal outfit?
Many solo artists fail after leaving a prominent band. It has been
the complete opposite for Dickinson. While Iron Maiden has recruited
new singer Blayze Bailey to do the singing for them, their ship
slowly sinks in mediocrity; Dickinson's ship is sailing strong, masts
out and with no end in sight. While his past solo records (i.e.,
1994's _Balls to Picasso_ and 1996's _Skunkworks_) haven't done as
well as 1997's _Accident of Birth_, he kept his momentum strong early
on, which allowed him to get to this point. What creative energy or
ambition within him keeps things going after all these years?
"I think I have come to the conclusion that this metal thing
within me runs deep. It is a true and sincere part of me. That's why
I keep doing this, rather than go off and do a jazz band or something
like that. The challenge for me is to approach the music I play
differently each time out. Being a solo artist and doing that is a
lot easier than it is to do when you are part of a band. When bands
get an identity or style all their own, you sometimes become a
prisoner of that style and it's hard to break away from that."
Once again, as with the brilliant last outing _Accident of
Birth_, ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith once again collaborates
and plays on the record. What was it like to work with Adrian Smith
again? "Working with Adrian again was brilliant. Working with him has
been such a great pleasure. Stuff really works when we get together.
We write three songs together for the last record, and two for this
one. All the rest was written with the other guitarist, Roy Z."
What about the success of working with Roy? "Most of the work
for where each album is headed is done in my head. But working with
Roy is great. It's very easy to work together with him. We basically
work on our own with the music and lyrics and then bring it together.
It works out better that way 'cause I don't have to dictate to him I
want things this way or that way. We both have just that added
initiative to please each other with stuff we work on. Like I said
before, a lot of the ideas go on in my head and all I am trying to do
is make sense of it all and make it work well for the band's sake."
[Note: Bassist Eddie Casillas and drummer Dave Ingraham round out the
five-piece band. -- Adrian]
To many who have heard this effort, _The Chemical Wedding_ is
Dickinson's masterpiece. He has not gone wrong here. It seems as
though as the years have gone on, Dickinson's banging and clanging of
musical ideas has shaped his music into a sound to behold. With
vintage storytelling (heavily based on the works of poet William
Blake), heavy riffs and a flare for old Iron Maiden sensibility, _The
Chemical Wedding_ is a masterful array of Dickinson's good old
fashion know-how and his brilliance rolled into one. "This is one of
those really heavy records. It's very dark and a definite evolution
of what we did in the last effort. It also has a strong poetic theme
to it. Very heavy poetry and that runs very deep within the music. We
worked hard with adding flavors and odd guitar sounds to this effort.
We tweaked things around in the studio. Out of all the things we
focused on with this record, the guitars were a priority. This record
has a lot of guitar work on it. We went to town with this record to
make sure the production and the guitar work showed up predominantly.
There are a lot of things going on with this record like distorted
vocals, noises, keyboards, but in all it's shaped into a good piece
of work."
While Dickinson is no stranger to putting out records and
touring, he admits he is always worried when a new record is to be
released to the masses. "I dunno. I just get worried about all the
records I do. But when records come out, or leading up to their
release, hearing what people say about them is very inspiring and
keeps me calm. Especially if they really are into it. Every artist
faces the worries of what people will think when their record comes
out, but it's something you have to ignore. If not, it'll get the
better of you and the creativity of what you are doing will be lost."
"When we hit hard with _Accident of Birth_ and people were
talking about it, it was a great time for us to be out on the road
and doing press. It was a very instant record for us, in terms of
putting it together and the feedback we got. This record, after two
or three listens you really can see and hear the depth of what we did
here. I'm hoping for some great feedback with this one. I'm
tremendously proud of this record."
In closing, I ask Dickinson about his ex-band's current work.
Two albums with new lead singer Blayze Bailey and the metal machine
of Iron Maiden seems to be running on empty, especially with the
absolutely horrific new LP _Virtual XI_ (1994's _The X-Factor_ being
the debut of Bailey on vocals). Not prying too deep on his feelings
about the band, I ask, "What do you think about the current direction
of the band?"
"I don't know where it's going with them. While I am not part of
them anymore, I still have an attachment to them. I still talk to the
band. I always seem to put it this way: 'We may be divorced or
separated, but we still share the same bathroom.' I don't want to see
them disappear down the tubes or anything like that. It would just be
a shame to see all the past work be washed aside if people don't like
the new stuff."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
W H O K N E W ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interrogates Canada's Lesser Known
by: Adrian Bromley
It's always a great feeling when you discover a great new band
to be into. Such was the case with a couple of listens of the
sophomore effort _Inner Beast_ from Lesser Known. The Windsor,
Ontario quartet (comprised of singer Spaz, drummer Paul Turgeon,
guitarist Cory Chauvin and bassist Roger Beaudry) play some of the
coolest (as they call it) "border-city-groove-core" out there right
now in the independent circle. While influences of many metal / hard
rock acts run through the make-up of Lesser Known, it's the band's
undying love of abstract weirdness and gritty rock 'n roll punch that
makes this an enjoyable listen. Not to mention the band are hard
workers at promoting themselves, putting blood, sweat and tears into
making this band a success. Chronicles of Chaos caught up with lead
singer Mike "Spaz" Davidson via e-mail to shoot the shit about the
band, song writing and the Canadian metal music scene. Here goes:
CoC: Most bands nowadays feel that they have to play a certain style
of hard rock / metal music to fit into the music scene. The
music of Lesser Known, while spirited with hard rockin' grooves
and heaviness, is different from most bands out there. Do you
hear or see that?
Spaz: Definitely, I see that. That's what we are trying to do. Our
biggest thing is not being pigeon holed into being a certain
type of band. Like certain styles are right cool, death metal,
cross-over, thrash -- whatever, but the thing is they've been
done to death! Only the very first bands playing that stuff
were cool in my books, because they were leaders. That's the
path Lesser Known is taking, to create our own image, style and
career. You don't have to play blast beats and tune your
guitars so the strings are hanging like spaghetti to be heavy.
Songs on our records are all over the place and our fans just
say, "Lesser Known is heavy, man".
CoC: What in your mind is the hardest aspect of being an independent
band?
Spaz: Time and money. To be a manager, agent, publicist, accountant,
record company, work 40 hours a week to pay the bills, plus
having to show up at every gig and perform to the utmost of our
ability. And sure, we make good money playing and selling our
merchandise, but the total volume of our overhead is just
barely getting covered by our earnings. On the other hand,
being in an indie band is great, because we have total control
over our careers in every aspect. At this stage in the game,
we've been in this band seven years now, we have developed to
the point where we are seeking to assemble a professional team
to maximize our collective careers and our net worth. So any
industry big wigs out there reading this, call our office if
you want to cash in.
CoC: Going into the sophomore record, was there concern to top the
first record? What production/writing changes occurred the
second time out?
Spaz: In my eyes, _Inner Beast_ smokes _Bring an Open Mind_. Two
major changes happened along the road to releasing _Inner
Beast_. The first was our second guitar player was excused from
the band. After over five years of being with the guy, we came
to a point where we realized that he wasn't on the same
wavelength as us, he didn't have the same goals and objectives.
Lesser Known has always been a family thing, with the same
original members. People were dying to get their shot at being
in the band, but we decided against it because we couldn't see
having someone new in our inner circle. We call it "the gang",
it's like if you're not in the gang you don't know what's going
on in here. So right there, the sound and writing was stripped
down to a more single guitar driven in-your-face approach. The
second major thing was the recording. _Bring an Open Mind_ was
recorded at Metal Works Studios in Toronto in about three
weeks. It was way too anal and uptight, for me anyway.
Excellent production, and a professional environment, but it
seemed constricted. On _Inner Beast_, our veteran producer Ron
Skinner ("The Man, The Myth, The Legend") again came to our
rescue by getting the best gear and setting up sessions in a
farm house in rural southern Ontario. It was a way more laid
back, relaxed atmosphere to lay the beds down in. All in all,
from my view point, _Inner Beast_, from its production,
songwriting and packaging, is what a second full length is
supposed to be.
CoC: What do you think about the Canadian hard rock / metal scene in
general? How is the scene there in Southern Ontario?
Spaz: For some reason, from the public up to the music industry,
people have this impression of Canadian bands as being these
melodic, tree-hugging, acoustic guitar strumming flakes. The
Canadian scene is rocking! From London, to Toronto, to Ottawa,
to the killer Quebec scene, all the way to the far East coast,
then back across to Thunder Bay, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton
and right into Vancouver. Canadian metal is alive and shredding
just like everywhere else in the world. Metal mutates, but it
does not die. Hell, Lesser Known draws from 300 up to 750 all
ages fans to our hall shows down here in southern Ontario, so
no one can tell me that there's no metal scene in Canada!
CoC: In regards to the many influences running through the music of
Lesser Known, what band or bands have been an inspiration
(influence) for the band?
Spaz: I'll start with the biggest thing that binds Lesser Known, the
influence that Metallica has had on us. For all these fools out
there trying to diss them, go lie down. They were the ones that
brought metal to the world on a large scale and opened the
doors for countless bands to follow. Show some respect here;
even if you don't like their new stuff, there's no way that you
can cut down _Kill 'Em All_, _Ride the Lightning_ or _Master of
Puppets_! For our band, we don't scam them or want to be them,
we just really respect what they've done, what they've become
and the whole mystique with them. As for other stuff, I'll just
throw a bunch of band names together that I know the guys and I
listen to or have been inspired by. Bands like Rush, Slayer,
Death, Faith No More, The Cure, RHCP, Discharge, Misfits,
Anthrax/SOD, The Accused, GBH, Minor Threat, Ice T, Public
Enemy, NWA, Sepultura/Soulfly, Alice In Chains / Jerry
Cantrell, Primus... the list goes on and on and on. We are
music lovers who create music for music lovers. As long as you
bring an open mind, there's gonna be something on a Lesser
Known album that grabs you by the balls.
CoC: Having not seen the band live yet, how does the band differ from
record and live?
Spaz: Lesser Known -is- a live band. There is no comparison. Sure
it's great to sit back and throw in our disc and be enveloped
in good production and textured songwriting, but the live show
is where Lesser Known dominates. I grew up being in Detroit
almost every weekend to see gigs at all the small scummy clubs
there. The guys and I have seen countless concerts and that
carries over into our live show. If you are a fan of an
aggressive, non-stop, pounding, sweating, thrashing, head
banging, stage diving, head walking show, then come to a Lesser
Known gig the next time we are in town. Personally, I get right
off being on stage. Sometimes when we walk off after the set, I
look at someone and say, "Fuck me, that was better than sex".
CoC: How often does the band write material? Is the band eager to put
new material out soon, or will you work this material into the
ground before recording again?
Spaz: We worked really hard to put _Inner Beast_ together, so we want
to push it to the limits before laying it into the catalogue.
It came out this spring, so we will push it until the end of
next year. I want to have ample time between writing so that we
can come up with a totally different third LP. That's the great
thing about Lesser Known. Fans are always wondering, "What the
Hell are they gonna do next?", instead of "Yeah, great, another
LK record". Sure, the guys are dying to bang some new stuff out
in the rehearsal room, but I keep them back and want to hold in
all the creative juices until we just explode on the next
album. Actually, we already have the name for it, I have a few
sets of lyrics I am working on, and Cory, our guitar player /
partner in slime, has some riffs laid down on the Fostex. Sorry
I can't tell you any more, but I'd have to kill you if I told
you!
CoC: People out there assume musicians are in their own little world
for the most part? Do you think it takes a certain person to be
a musician, to tour, write music, etc.?
Spaz: You have to be certifiably insane to the core to be a musician.
<Laughs> No, but seriously, there are two ways that you can
look at it. Sure, it takes a certain type of person to do it,
just like a brain surgeon, or a cop or a teacher, whatever. But
in the same respect, it is a job like any other. You have to
work hard at it to ensure that you are successful and it takes
determination, skills and persistence. That's one of the
biggest mistakes that bands just starting out make, not
separating and understanding the words in the phrase "music
business". Sure, it's great to get out there with your buddies
and jam, and say, "Ya, we're gonna be famous", but it's a
totally different story to actually become a professional
musician. A blurb of lyrics from the opening track on _Inner
Beast_, "Hate List", totally sums up this struggle: "It ain't
hard to say, but it's hard to see, this doesn't bother me".
CoC: Most bands have a great tour or show story... any good ones?
Spaz: Oh, man, Lesser Known is like a walking comedy show. We create
new skits every time we get together. Probably about the best
time we've ever had on-stage was when we drew 750 fans to a
headlining gig in Chatham, Ontario, a while back. We were all
having stomach ulcers thinking we were gonna lose our shirts on
the gig, but then just streams and streams of kids came. We
nearly lost our minds! So we had to oblige the mass of
screaming Lesser Known fans by ripping into a devastating set.
We had kids singing along to the lyrics, stage diving, and the
pit was like a whirling cauldron of death! Remember that thing
I said about performing being better than sex? I think I shot
my wad in my shorts that night on stage.
CoC: What does success mean to you? Having an LP out? Playing live?
How does Lesser Known determine success?
Spaz: Well, we've been down in the trenches for seven years now.
Lesser Known is not taking "no" for an answer. We've been to
Hell and back five times, even stopped for a couple cold ones
with the Devil! It's all made up of minor successes every day,
you know, like this album release, our last show in Ottawa,
THIS INTERVIEW. Our big thing is having masses of people enjoy
our music as much as we enjoy creating it. The way we measure
success is the day that I get to shake these guys' hands and
walk on stage at something like the Castle Donnington or the
Dynamo Festival and begin the decimation. We are determined to
do everything in our power to get there as a unit and we're not
going to stop 'til we have it in our hands. Oh, and by the way,
the fans in the front row that day had better have rain coats
on 'cause I'm gonna explode.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____ .__ ___.
/ _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____
/ /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \
/ | \ |_| \_\ \ | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____/___ /____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/
_____ .__
/ _ \ _________.__.| | __ __ _____
/ /_\ \ / ___< | || | | | \/ \
/ | \\___ \ \___ || |_| | / Y Y \
\____|__ /____ >/ ____||____/____/|__|_| /
\/ \/ \/ \/
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!
Adnauseum - _Desire, Aspire, Inspire, Expire_
by: Paul Schwarz (2 out of 10) (Sickness/Horror Shop, August 1998)
Desire: to play brutal death metal.
Aspire: to be Cannibal Corpse.
Inspire: listeners with ears to turn off their stereos.
Expire: soon, please...
Various - _Amduscias_ (Zenflesh, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10)
If you don't follow the procedure I am about to describe when
listening to this bizarre compilation, then you can halve the mark I
have given this CD. Trying to listen to this 74 minute compilation in
isolation (musically speaking) is painful and, for myself at least,
unrewarding. What I find makes this collection of abstract, absurd
and downright bizarre tracks really cool, and eminently more
listenable, is to allow the sounds of the modern urban world to
invade your listening of it and thereby create a new experience each
time you play it. Sit on a high rise balcony or walk through a busy
city street and you'll find, I think, that the strange constructions,
which are about as far from "real songs" as you can get, meld well
with random sounds of the modern urban world. I must confess that I
can't see myself dumping this into my walkman to indulge in this
experience too often, but all the same it is an interesting and
rather original way in which this compilation, in isolation from most
others, can be experienced to the end of making it more enjoyable
rather than less so.
Contact: Zenflesh Records, PO Box 252065 Los Angeles, CA, 90025, USA
WWW: www.zenflesh.com/
mailto:panic@zenflesh.com
Arkh'aam - _The Blue Beyond the Black_ (<Independent>, August 1998)
by: David Rocher (7 out of 10)
Hailing from the Celtic lands of Brittany, this duo demonstrates a
sharp sense for unconventionally approaching "the black metal
question". Cleverly mixing conventional black metal elements with
further metal, gothic, or somewhat "folksy" influences, they have
succeeded in creating a single half-hour track which is interesting,
unusual and, to some extent, rather compelling. The music and the
atmospheres Arkh'aam generate are completely different from what is
usually hulled in the black metal concept, and this is partly the
strength, and partly also the weakness of this CD. Why the weakness?
Simply because not all elements always combine as well as they could,
and the atmospheres Arkh'aam seem to wish to produce don't always
come out to be as evil, mystical or occult as what they seem intended
to be -- as far as I can tell, anyway. This said, however, the
Bretons pull it off thanks to their nearly progressive approach --
not meaning hysterical guitar solos all over the place, but literally
-stunning- breaks set in at regular, frequent intervals -- as well as
some genuinely great ideas, such as the inverted speech in the middle
of the track, or the alternating scheme of chanting/screaming vocals.
The sound is clear, though not revealing as much guitar as I would
have liked (the guitar tone is very similar to that of early works
from Norwegian acts such as Satyricon, Emperor, Dodheimsgard, etc.),
but all instruments are very audible; so, on the whole, _TBBtB_ is an
intriguing and interesting experience to witness, in terms of black
metal.
Contact: ARKH'AAM, Residence des Cotiais, Ave.
De la Bouvardiere, 35650, Le Rheu, FRANCE
Ataraxia - _Historiae_ (Cold Meat Industry, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (6 out of 10)
As seems to be their trade, and I presume joy, Cold Meat Industry
bestow upon the world another band who are anything but just another
(insert music style of latest trend here) band. Ataraxia, who --
according to my press release -- churned out no less than 4 full
length albums and one 10" between 1994 and 1996. Now they present us,
after a two year break, with a full CD worth of tracks in the style
of "ballads from the Middle Ages". Recorded 2/3s in the studio (in
the "Autumn Equinox") and 1/3 live at a Medieval Court (in the
"Spring Equinox"), _Historiae_ clocks in at nearly 40 minutes and
contains 7 out of 9 tracks which are 'original' compositions (the
remaining two being "covers" taken from Carl Orff's choral
masterpiece _Carmina Burana_). "'Original'", as opposed to
"original", because these tracks are, fully admittedly, "based" on
"ballads from the Middle Ages", meaning there is no way for a person
as uninformed about the music of the Middle Ages as I am to know how
much originality the band have injected into these compositions.
Suffice to say it is all new to me, and lyrically totally
unintelligible being sung in a language (or languages) I am quite
unfamiliar with. _Historiae_ has been well composed and produced, and
also performed by musicians who are obviously talented. Where the
band fail is not in their instrumental skill, but in their inability
to break the barrier of my personal taste. Put simply, _Historiae_ is
not something I would put on at home out of choice.
Barrit - _Smiles Upon the Stroke That Murders Me_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Ellington, September 1998)
This band gets thumbs up first and foremost for collaborating with
Steve Austin (of Today Is the Day fame) for the production work here.
Austin, to me, is one of the finest new entries into wicked
innovators of the extreme / metal music scene. Enough praising of
Austin, let's get down to the matter here: Barrit. Barrit fluctuates
between eerie black metal sounding riffage (though they are not even
black metal) and abstract noise ensembles. Severe hardcore/noise
elements bring forth a powerful groove here (i.e., "Transient",
"Mouthman" and "A Planet Wide") as the band disbands any regard for
proper song writing and rages on in a fist of fury from the get go,
stomping on those who get in their way. This is some pretty bizarre
shit and comes highly recommended, should you want a little bid of
oddness in your hard music / metal diet.
Contact: BARRIT, P.O. Box 173 North Hampton, MA USA 01060
Blood Ritual - _At the Mountains of Madness_ (Moribund Records, 1997)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
Some pretty incredible music has come across my path in recent
months, and Blood Ritual's _At the Mountains of Madness_ is no
exception. I was pretty taken with the title of the album. It wasn't
mindless and it immediately created an image of strife and
disturbance. In a nutshell, it communicated to me what was in store.
The next to catch my attention was the disc cover; smooth-featured
ladies fronting an unnervingly deprave background; more
foreshadowing, methinks. Upon my first spin, I was duly invigorated
by the potent viciousness of the music, as it chunks along in places
then systematically rips straight through to your core in others.
Musically, this bad boy would easily have been a 9 maybe, even a 9.5,
but here comes my sticking point: lyrical content. It gets a touch
repetitive and obtuse. Now that this has been aired, I -honestly-
don't mind the way Blood Ritual incorporates their ideology into
_AtMoM_. As a matter of personal opinion, I think that BR accomplish
fusing their chosen philosophy with the raw power of this music
better than anyone, including Deicide, Morbid Angel, (insert band
here). Because I give them this much credit, I only had heart enough
to appropriate a half to a full point from the rating of _AtMoM_.
Please do not let this detract you from this purchase, because any
negatives are more than compensated for by the dynamism of the music.
Highlights on _AtMoM_ come immediately at the disc's genesis with
"Invocation". A morbidly crushing juggernaut of a song, beginning
with an excerpt from one of the "Hellraiser" movies (I believe).
Clocking in at seven plus minutes, a complex tune and, as it turns
out, my favorite on _AtMoM_. "Ancient Rites" is another beautifully
worked piece. Choppier and crunchier than "Invocation", this song
slides into a rush of guitar power showing BR's mastery of their
domain. To a large extent, track seven, "Sweet Suffering", is the
true powerhouse of this release; very weighty in the vocals, but the
slow pummelling of the riffs are punctuated so perfectly with a solo
about half way through the song that it is simply mind-blowing! The
release ends with my second favorite track, "Cruciform Antithesis".
The beginning and ending tracks are, candidly, completely equal,
acting as bookends for a complete library of well-executed mayhem in
between. My only justification for liking one better than the other
is the fact that I was exposed to "Invocation" first. See what you
think!
Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_ (Metal Blade / Attic, November 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
Having been big a fan of the band's earlier years (i.e, _Realm of
Chaos_ and _War Master_ LPs), I was eagerly awaiting this release,
hoping that somehow or some way the band would manage to shift into
gear and put a strong LP, something the band hadn't done in some time
(since 1994's great _... For Victory_). Did they do it? The answer is
yes and no. While the latest LP by England's Bolt Thrower is somewhat
"safe sounding", meaning the band didn't really venture out too much
in the material, the band still manages to concoct some killer riffs
and intense playing scattered throughout the LP. Most notable numbers
include opener "Zeroed" and the heavy-laden "Return From Chaos".
While I am giving this a mediocre rating by Bolt Thrower standards,
it's good to see this band back in the spotlight after a long three
year gap. Karl Willetts' vocals sound pretty strong here, coating the
material with angst and anger and allowing it to enhance into a
full-armored machine when needed be. Some good stuff here. So, Bolt
Thrower has returned, my friends; grab some ale and mead and make a
toast and enjoy the heavy assault.
Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_ (CMC/BMG, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (9.5 out of 10)
Every one and their mother was talking about Bruce Dickinson's
_Accident at Birth_ LP when it came out last year. Bruce had once
again joined up with ex-Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, and,
combined with an excellent band (including guitar whiz Roy Z.), had
put out one of the year's best LPs. Well, the time has come again for
Bruce Dickinson to return to the fold with new material, and my, is
it good. _Chemical Wedding_ is a ballsy, thick n' heavy LP that
shines with unbelievable aggression and triumphant song writing. Look
no further than the title track, "The Tower" or "Gates of Urizen" to
see the detailed work that Dickinson and Co. have put into this LP.
It's a truly masterful record and once again one of the year's best.
Dickinson has put out a lot of solo LPs this decade and still his
music sounds fresh, though some will say he failed with _Skunkworks_
in 1995 -- I disagree, though. Anyway, kids, this LP is definitely
worth a few hundred listens. Dickinson is the man once again.
Cage - _Unveiled_ (Chainsaw, August 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)
Well, Cage are definitely heavy metal: of that there can be no doubt.
Cage owe most to Birmingham's second great gift to metal (after Black
Sabbath), Judas Priest. They don't push themselves into the corner of
becoming a rip-off band, but I think it is fair to say that
_Unveiled_ could easily have been the new Judas Priest album in place
of last year's _Jugulator_. It ain't as good, though. This doesn't
mean Cage are bad: nice guitar riffs, decent solos, nicely performed
Halford-esque vocals and a tight rhythm section combine to make
_Unveiled_ a good album for the band to be debuting with.
Additionally, the respect they've garnered from the Priest camp and
their prestigious live appearances with both the aforementioned and
other metal legends such as Dio assures Cage a good base to begin
building from. The solid and distinctively metal album which
_Unveiled_ is provides ample raw materials for this task.
Castrum - _Black Silhouette Enfolded in Sunrise_
by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10) (Folter/Warfare, August 1998)
Oh my God -- or is that Lord Satan? Well, since I am an atheist, the
expression has no personal significance either way, but the
linguistic implication of either is significant and requires
explanation. Castrum are a true surprise. Though not a black metal
revolution, the quality of the eight tracks, spanning nearly an hour,
which comprise _BSEiS_ is exceptional. Yes, you can hear the
influence of black metal's finest, but what's important is that you
can hear the -influence- instead of the band just ripping off their
"heroes". Production is astounding and instrumentation very
impressive, altogether not for the weak, faint at heart or those
obsessed with brutality alone. That the band claim to be "a clan of
Croatian vampires" and have a press release challenging Holland in
the cheese stakes is excusable only because their music is
exceptional, and therefore I haven't let it affect my mark.
Cemetary - _Sweetest Tragedies_ (Black Mark, June 1998)
by: Adam Wasylyk (8 out of 10)
Very rarely do I care if a band breaks up, although in some cases
it's truly a loss to the metal community. I cared when At the Gates
broke up. I cared when Suffocation broke up. I cared when Pungent
Stench broke up. I even cared when the relatively small band
(although highly underrated) Human Remains broke up. In Cemetary's
case, the band didn't actually break up (at least not the last time I
heard). But honestly, they might as well have broken up when longtime
vocalist Mathias Lodmalm left to form his own band called Sundown.
Speaking of Lodmalm's band, Sundown was also the name of Cemetary's
fourth album, an album I consider to be one of the best in my record
collection. Balls-out rock melodies meets prog metal qualities --
it's just a fucking amazing album. Getting back to what's being
reviewed, _Sweetest Tragedies_ is a retrospective of sorts, featuring
material from prior records up to the band's last one, the somewhat
disappointing _Last Confessions_. Starting off with "Last
Transmission" (the BEST Cemetary song ever recorded), additional
highlights include "Scarecrow", "Ophidian", "Sweet Tragedy", "Elysia"
and "Sundown". The theory rings true, you don't miss something until
it's gone. Bands come and go (or just turn to shit), but it's a
tragedy when it's a band you care about.
Various - _Cry Now, Cry Later -- Vols. 3 & 4_
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10) (Pessimiser, August 1998)
This is two of the double 7" comps in the _Cry Now, Cry Later_ series
from Pessimiser. 30 tracks in all, put onto one CD for your ease and
listening pleasure. Over 50 minutes of grindcore from some of the
underground's nastiest acts (mostly relatively new, but also the
occasional old soldier). Tracks from Relapse signees Soilent Green
and Agoraphobic Nosebleed feature along with talented and little
known acts such as Spazz, Crom (extensively), Man Is the Bastard and
Carol. I would split bands on this compilation into two types:
obscure grind (e.g. Crom, Man Is the Bastard) and all-out grind (e.g.
Excruciating Terror, Agathocles). Either breed of grindcore is
generally suited for a pretty select audience, although really no
more select than the audience for last year's amazing _Sounds of the
Animal Kingdom_ record which Brutal Truth chose to expel, and only
those with open minds and a taste for the truly twisted need apply.
The selection can be patchy, and having so many bands in the same
style on one CD does hurt some of the bands who appear late on the
compilation, but overall this is a good taster of what is there in
the "real" or "true" underground for those without a record player
and a lot of patience for both finding and playing their music.
Contact: PESSIMISER, POB 1070, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254, USA
Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_ (Century Media, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (10 out of 10)
If you are content to know this CD is amazing and want to hear it
without prior intrusion, stop reading -- now! Virtual silence, some
few, low notes usher forth from a bass guitar, a tinny clatter of
drums and a virtually inaudible shout which is suddenly reduced to a
loud whisper. Then: total armageddon. Such is the beginning of
Cryptopsy's third album _Whisper Supremacy_. Though this first track
"Emaciate" is a brutal barrage of truly frightening proportions, its
interesting and lightning fast time changes are far from the heights
of _WS_'s greatness. Second track "Cold Hate, Warm Blood" immediately
picks up the thread with an underlying bass riff and some gentle
acoustic guitar, then a thunderous barrage of DiSalvo's vocals,
Mounier's ever-insane drumming and the full Levasseur/Roy guitar
assault backed by Langlois' bass. The acoustic theme is returned to a
number of times to amazing dynamic effect within this one track. As
_Whisper Supremacy_ continues, touches like the aforementioned
acoustic one crop up all over the place, be they complex, syncopated
timings, sudden stops and starts, maniacally twisted guitar riffs,
catchy percussive passages, sudden string bends throwing off the
harmony lines or any other manner of different touch; the thick layer
of icing on the cake. Cryptopsy's brutal backbone is as strong and
prominent as their inventive streak. Pierre Remillard's production
once again does them proud bringing out thick guitar tones,
multi-faceted vocals, a subtle bass sound and of course those
incredible drums. Each member's individual technical prowess is, as
ever, flawless and virtually unchallengeable. "White Worms" and
"Flame to the Surface" do stand out as being, in parts, a shade less
technical than the rest of the album and, though I don't think
intentionally, may more easily grasp an audience not used to
Cryptopsy's usual super-technical assault. The solos, which this time
are all-but-one by Jon Levasseur, have always been important in
rounding out a Cryptopsy album and _Whisper Supremacy_ is no
exception. Though in general a little shorter and with more
pronounced backing guitars, the solos are excellent and fit as well
or better into the songs this time around. Mike DiSalvo deserves an
individual mention here, mostly because there has been a lot of
speculation among Cryptopsy fans as to whether he was the right
choice for a replacement in terms of both image and singing style.
Whatever the speculation over his somewhat hardcore-influenced
background, I will go on record as saying that he is one of the
things which allows _WS_ to get its full 10 out of 10. Much as Lord
Worm's vocals made _None So Vile_ an amazing record to behold, the
same guttural style on this new album would have brought it down.
Some of DiSalvo's stylings remind one distinctly of Brett Hoffman's
finest moments with Malevolent Creation, but this is only a small
facet of his vocal character, which has a number of other faces (more
than Lord Worm, I think) and certainly a different overall delivery,
which makes the record no less brutal but does make it eminently
different. Some bands just can't seem to get it right; Cryptopsy is
one of the select few whose "problem" seems to be getting it -wrong-.
A top 3 contender for this year's number 1 album.
Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Upheaval Records, September 1998)
From the ashes of the hard working hard core outfit Dirge comes the
blistering, head-down, grindcore/hardcore outfit Days of Mourning.
Intense is putting this mildly. From the get go, these psycho
mutha-fuckers kick out the grooves with a killer assortment of
brutally potent numbers that could easily decapitate an unsuspecting
listener. While the production is mediocre (I had the same problem
with Dirge's debut disc _Hazing Ritual_), the band forges forward and
picks up steam and momentum with such hard-hitters as opener "Breathe
Life Into a Dying Day", "Purity of Life" and "Submission 786". Great
live band, too. If you can handle the vicious grooves and downright
lethal vocals, then Days of Mourning needs to be in your record
collection. Ace job here.
Contact: DAYS OF MOURNING, 2-558 Upper Gage Ave. Suite 110
Hamilton, Ont. CANADA L8V-4J6
Death List - _Severed_ (Cross Rhythms Music, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (8 out of 10)
This is a release which does not require a long review. I believe
that I can sum up this CD with simplicity and conciseness, that will
provide you, the reader, with a clear image of the music. It might be
irresponsible and unprofessional (which, of course, I am) of me to
write such a short review and then simply compare Death List
(formerly known as Obliteration) to other bands, assuming it would
suffice to explain to you what this sounds like. However, if my
saying that _Severed_ sounds like equal parts of Fear Factory,
Sepultura, and Napalm Death, and you don't get a clear image, then a
clear image you shall never obtain (sounds like a Yoda proverb, eh?).
Let me add that a real photo of a girl being severed at the neck is
in extremely bad taste, although not without a message (martyrdom).
Contact: DEATH LIST, P.O. Box 01248, Choctaw, OK 73020, USA
mailto:deathlist@theshop.net
Deuteronomium - _Street Corner Queen_ (Little Rose Productions, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
Spine-chilling black metal, rock, rap, reggae, all on one CD? Is this
a Relapse sampler? No, it's the first full-length from Finland's
Cornucopia of Musical Styles, Deuteronomium. At first listen, this is
an extremely unfocused effort combining all of the aforementioned
styles, sometimes in the context of one song, which proves to be
messy and undesirable. Let me state loud and clear that these guys
are unashamedly metal, but in an effort to be (overly) original goop
everything up. The clean vocals, both male and female, have got to
go, as well as all of the cover artwork. And the title?!?! Not the
best, despite the implication/storyline behind it. Overall, there is
a prevalent mix of black metal, Detritus-like vocals, and a
Xysma-like rock attitude. Let me also say that this is original,
creative, and all the rest of it, but man, if I want to hear rap and
reggae, I sure don't want to hear it from some white guy in Finland,
know what I'm sayin'? Very mixed emotions from this one. If they
could put out a focused black metal release it would be godly,
because they do it exceedingly well. Congratulations are in order to
Manu Lehtinen for finally assembling a full band.
Contact: Little Rose Productions Ky, PO Box 533
40101 Jyvaskyla, FINLAND
mailto:manule@hotmail.com
Dying Fetus - _Killing on Adrenaline_ (Morbid Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
To borrow a phrase from Devin Townsend, the new Dying Fetus is
unquestionably heavy as a really (fuckin') heavy thing. I had
_Killing on Adrenaline_ wedged in my Chevy S-10's disc spinner for
the first time not long ago. For the entire thirty-four minute
running time of the album, I honestly fought down an uncontrollable
urge to stop the damn truck and THRASH about it. Completely
compulsive and utterly crushing is this release. If DF's sound was
any more weighty, I'm -sure- the sound couldn't be conveyed through
normal speaker equipment. This four piece outfit delivers its
ferocity from the Atlantic region of Maryland. An excellent locale
for DF, due to the close proximity to the New York and Washington DC
underground. Both of which DF prosper heavily in. _KoA_ is the third
release for this uncompromising foursome. The first, _Infatuation
With Malevolence_, was a brutal combination of both demos of the
original/founding members, John Gallagher (guitar/vocals) and Jason
Netherton (bass/vocals), released on Wild Rags. The next DF effort,
_Purification Through Violence_, saw a impressively dramatic
maturation in style, presence and musicianship. This feat in the
band's development was second only to DF's growth into the powerful
slash/groove force of _Killing on Adrenaline_. _KoA_ will no doubt
separate this group even further for the ever increasing fold of the
death metal genre. The style of this music you have no doubt heard,
but not done like this in DF style. -Not- typical DF style, mind you,
because I maintain that the band has gone out of their way to
innovate themselves and overhaul the sound into a creation that begs
to be experienced truly only in a live concert setting. In addition
to the highlight of the album for this reviewer, "Absolute Defiance"
(a fuckin' killer cut, gentlemen), _KoA_ includes a cover of
Integrity's "Judgement Day", placed well as track seven before ending
with "Intentional Manslaughter". I encourage any listener yearning to
experience a death metal outfit that stops at nothing to dip into the
fist-wielding whirlpool of _Killing on Adrenaline_. Kudos, gentlemen!
Excruciating Terror - _Divided We Fall_ (Pessimiser, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10)
This is speedy grindcore with the traditional mixture of raw guitars,
plenty of blasting and lyrically inaudible vocal screams. In some
ways this reminds me of the Hateplow CD [CoC #33], in that its
greatest asset is its virtually unrelenting speed and viciousness.
Musically, though, Excruciating Terror definitely lean towards
grindcore's tendency to emanate punk rather than to be indiscernible
from some death metal. Some great drum rhythms and simply crushing
speed assure that Excruciating Terror's first strike is devastating;
it is the aftermath which they need to work on. What so many
grindcore albums lack is longevity, and Excruciating Terror doesn't
break the mold in this respect. Where an album like _Sounds of the
Animal Kingdom_ throws in plenty to mix things up and keep them
interesting and an album like _World Downfall_ is quite simply
classic, _Divided We Fall_ is impressively hard-hitting, but leaves a
far-from-deep impression in the mind.
Contact: EXCRUCIATING TERROR, c/o Jerry
4323 Griffin Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031, USA
Exumer - _Possessed by Fire_ / _Rising From the Sea_
by: Matthias Noll (9 out of 10 / 6 out of 10) (Rock Machine, 1998)
The German trash metal attack of the mid eighties was spearheaded by
legendary bands like Destruction, Kreator and Sodom. Hard on the
heels of these highly influential bands came a second wave of bands
like Assassin, Darkness, Deathrow and Exumer. While from today's
perspective most of these later bands failed to create any worthy
output and usually suffered from a poor singer and uninspired song
material, that's not the case with the first Exumer album, _Possessed
by Fire_. Produced by Harris Johns (Kreator, Pestilence, Sodom, etc.)
and originally released in 1986, this album still is an outstanding
example of 80's quality thrash metal. Exumer's style is mostly fast,
aggressive and hard hitting, with memorable choruses, impressive
breaks and supported by another great production from Mr. Johns.
Vocalist Mem also manages to set this album apart from others with
his intense vocal style, which sometimes reminds me of Paul Bailoff,
and fortunately doesn't sound too "German". While being not as over
the top and raw as Kreator's _Pleasure to Kill_, this album is one of
Germany's finest moments. Featured on the same CD is Exumer's second
output _Rising From the Sea_, which saw the band returning without
vocalist Mem, who had been kicked out of the band in the meantime.
Unfortunately, the band seems to have listened too much to Slayer's
_Reign in Blood_ between the two records (not that it's a bad thing
listening to the best record ever). New vocalist, native Hawaiian
Paul Arakaki, who was now fronting the band, just sounded like
another Araya clone and also gone was part of the originality and
quality of their song material with only the opener "Winds of Death"
and the title track coming close to the standards the first record
had set. Still, this is enjoyable stuff, but also leaves me wondering
what Exumer could have achieved with the original line up. If you're
into 80's thrash metal, check this out!
Extol -_ Burial_ (Endtime Productions, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (10 out of 10)
The place to which this music takes me cannot be described in any
English words that I know of. If only I knew Norwegian! Within the
context of the metal world, this CD, to me, embodies the fullness of
musical brilliance, a mastery of the given instruments, and a highly
satisfactory listening experience. Everything that you could possibly
want from a metal album is contained here. In following Extol since
their initial recordings (four songs on the_ Northern Lights_
compilation), and loving them immediately, I could never have been
prepared for the giant step into the level of excellence such as they
are currently performing. Their 1996 _Embraced_ demo flattened their
previous efforts, replacing groove laden song structures with
ultra-creative riffs that intertwined with a complexity akin to
Carcass and other technical wizards. Luckily, two songs from that
demo also appear on _Burial_, only now they are crowned with awesome,
authoritative production. A big part of Extol's increased learning
curve must be attributed to the joining of Ole Borud to their ranks
on guitar. Ole was the creative force behind the now out-of-print
_Schaliach_ album, and his mark is very noticeable amongst the Extol
compositions -- especially on "Superior", which would not have been
out of place on the aforementioned _Schaliach_ album. Ole also
contributes his trained voice in the way of clean vocals on several
tracks, bringing about another change for this band. The groove
structures from their early days are not entirely gone either,
surfacing in monstrous fashion on "Innbydelse". Peter Espevoll's
vocals are totally shrill and raspy, only making deep growls to
properly accentuate the music, or sometimes to boldly proclaim his
point amongst the abstractness of the lyrics. Without writing a book
here, let me say that I have not been so moved by music since the
very first time I heard _Master of Puppets_, and that is how big of a
mark _Burial_ has left on me. Forever changed.
Contact: EXTOL, Bjerkelundsveien 99, 1340 Beckestua, NORWAY
mailto:endtime@durling.com
Godkiller - _The End of the World_ (Wounded Love, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (6 out of 10)
If any of you reading this are hoping for a sequel to Godkiller's
1996 _Rebirth of the Middle Ages_, then you're all out of luck. Near
enough nothing of the Burzum/Emperor-esque sound of _RotMA_ makes its
way onto _TEotW_. Not that, at least in my view, this is a bad thing:
that CD was not greatly to my liking. However, the band who keeps
cropping up when I try to liken _tEotW_ to something I have heard
before is Samael. Godkiller's likeness is not as great as some
others' (who shall remain nameless), but it is still a likeness which
is damaging to what is actually a good album and enhancing change of
sound for the band. Simple power chord riffs combined with thumping
drums, interspersed with such things as chants and keyboards and
topped off by rasping and harsh vocals evoke visions of _Ceremony of
Opposites_ immediately, and even though "Down Under Ground" features
some interesting use of breakbeat drumming, it does not go far enough
to escape Samael's wide berth. The fact that Godkiller previously
sounded almost nothing like this increases the likelihood that the
band decided to cash in on a sound which has brought certain Swiss
persons a lot of commercial success and critical acclaim, and hence
decreases the aesthetic worth of this otherwise positive change of
sound.
Contact: WOUNDED LOVE, Voice: +39 2 89408677; Fax: +39 2 89408688
HammerFall - _Legacy of Kings_ (Nuclear Blast, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
I'd be lying to you if I said this record was amazing. It's better
than amazing. It's fuckin' awesome. The sophomore effort by
retro/speed metal meisters HammerFall called _Legacy of Kings_ (a
follow-up to 1997's hugely successful _Glory to the Brave_) is a
non-stop rockin' machine. From opener "Heeding the Call" to the
mindblowing melodic dose of "Stronger Than All" or "Dreamland" (the
LPs best track), HammerFall continue providing the listener with
crafty guitar work, memorable choruses and total fun. The band
follows the same groundwork as they did with their debut, but this
record showcases a definite growth in their songwriting. Much more
creative and fuller in sound, _Legacy of Kings_ needs to be heard by
all that fancy powerful melodic metal and good retro guitar work. In
closing, this may be cheesy to some, but the point is with each
listen HammerFall have you pumping your fists and chanting for more.
What more do you want?
The Haunted - _The Haunted_ (Earache, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
Hands down, this has to be one of the most violent and most
anticipated releases (up there with Sepultura, Bruce Dickinson and
Death) that has surfaced in 1998. From the ashes of At the Gates
comes The Haunted, made up of ex-AtG members, guitarist Jensen from
Seance and screamer Peter Dolving (ex-Mary Beats Jane). The result?
To quote ex-CoC writer Steve Hoeltzel: "Sick and brutal music." This
is the shit, kids. A non-stop rush of momentum and hatred within the
band spurs forward some totally out of control musical moments,
blistering us with an onslaught of brash vocals and rip' roarin
speed/thrash metal guitar work. Having had this record for a few
months (the release date had been pushed back several times), I have
grown very attached to what The Haunted do. I'm just blown away by
the precision of the guitar work and just the overall craziness
spewing forth from each track. This IS that good. Whether it be "Hate
Song", "In Vein", the much loved "Undead" or "Shattered", The Haunted
deliver the goods in such a big way. It's gonna be hard for any band
for the remainder of 1998 to top the intensity of this LP. I just
hope they tour North America now.
H-Bomb - _Coup de Metal_ / _Attaque_ (Axe Killers, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll (8 out of 10 / 7 out of 10)
Europe, 1984. Not only the German metal scene was flourishing these
days. France also had its share of fine bands, even if only four come
to mind: Trust, Warning, Sortilege and finally H-Bomb. While Warning
and and Sortilege featured a more traditional heavy metal style,
H-Bomb took the full speed double bass attack of Motorhead and mixed
it with clean, high vocals. Songs like "H-Bomb" and "Chasseur de
Frime" from _Coup de Metal_, the debut six song mini LP, prove how
effective this can be. Singer Didier Izard is something of a "love it
or hate it" affair, while the music always stays simple but powerful
-- and most of the time fast. Don't expect anything extraordinary
from this band in a technical sense -- just power, speed and some
good melodies. Unfortunately, instead of releasing both albums on a
single CD, _Coup de Metal_ got some shitty bonus tracks from a period
after singer Didier had left and the band had completely changed
their style -- it's better to ignore these tracks. Despite the band
sounding a bit tamer in comparison to _Coup de Metal_, the second
album _Attaque_ is also a decent metal album. Songs like the fast
paced "Exterminateurs" or "Double Bang" don't sound different from
their great first effort and, even if I was a bit disappointed at
first, I have played this record quite a lot in the last 13 years.
HIM - _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_ (Supersonic, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll (7 out of 10)
Need a shower that unfortunately will wash away the corpse paint?
Tired of wearing 50 kg chains, spikes and leather? Looking for a
record your girlfriend might be able to enjoy? Well, if you can stand
a vocalist that sounds more like U2's Bono than like Fenriz and songs
that mostly are just a bit heavier than Paradise Lost on _One
Second_, then _Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666_ by HIM from Finland might
be something for you. Now for the minority that hasn't already
stopped reading this review: There are a couple of mellow songs, but
this record definitely has its heavy moments too. Like the slow and
doomy "Our Diabolical Rapture", with brutal, downtuned but original
sounding guitar riffing. There are also some heavy uptempo songs with
great melancholic melody lines. The guitars dominate the sound most
of the time, while keyboards stay in the background, with female
vocals supporting singer Valo on two songs. This album mostly
features verse/chorus/verse/chorus standard song structures, but
still doesn't get repetitive due to the diversity of songs.
Surprisingly, a cover version like BOC's "Don't Fear the Reaper"
sounds pretty good and is hard to identify as not being original HIM
material. This is a decent album if you ever have the desire to chill
out -- don't worry, sometimes it's OK to be a wimp.
Impending Doom - _Signum of Hate_ (<Independent>, September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10)
What first caught my attention about Impending Doom was their
astounding ability (or luck) in managing to give their debut (I am
pretty sure it is their debut) a production which is as clear and
deadly as a glacier in the face. It then dawned upon me, after
repeated listens to _Signum of Hate_, that the band are also talented
musicians and writers. What astounds me is their ability to mix
different metal influences within single tracks to produce good
music, a skill such masters as Celtic Frost were noted for, and their
daring in placing upon _SoH_ a selection of tracks with real variety.
Though "Armageddon Tales" and "Hellhammer" could easily pass for lost
compositions of the latter's band namesake or the early period of the
metal phenomenon which grew out it, "Metal to the Metals" evokes
classic Sodom and owes nothing in feel or sound to Celtic Frost or
Hellhammer. "Land of Burning Coffins" instead nods towards
Destruction. Then, just when you thought all they were going to do
was sound like the classic thrash bands who pre-empted 90s black
metal, you hear "Demon-(Mon)archy" or "Forward to Golgotha". Though
utilizing technical twin guitar work which can be found elsewhere on
the album, the significant difference is that these two tracks in
particular capitalize on melody -- not just guitar melody; tuneful
vocal melody and decent keyboards. The range on offer on _SoH_ is
great, greater than I have seen for a long time. As writing single
tracks go, the band is talented, both in imitating their elders and
composing material, with some originality, which very listenable. As
writing and constructing an album goes, the band needs some help.
_SoH_ doesn't, to my mind, fit together well at all. Instead, it
sounds like a compilation of the cobbled-together-without-thought
sort. Unlike most compilations, there is little itch to skip tracks,
but like most there is no real benefit or enjoyment in listening to
the CD chronologically. As a result, _SoH_ is a disappointingly
disjointed album, but one which showcases a band with serious raw
potential.
Contact: IMPENDING DOOM, c/o Andy Kaufmann
Dorffelstrasse 1, 07570 Weida, GERMANY
In Ruins - _For Seasons of Grey_ (Metal Blade/Attic, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
The thing that works for me with this record is the harsh vocals and
the violent overtones emitted from the rampaging music. Very much old
school metal sounding (i.e., Venom) at times, In Ruins manage to also
break away from a stereotypical (and sometimes boring) metal mood and
break out, capturing a very solid metal sound, placing high interest
in flamboyant guitar riffs and a heart-pounding groove. Throw in
medieval times' ideals and this is a powerhouse to contend with.
While many metal fans out there might give this LP a listen for the
sake of it, only fans that appreciate hard work and sweat will
understand what kind of effort has been put into this LP. Great
songs, including "Nocturne" and "Black Thorns". Another solid release
from Metal Blade this year, along with Beseech, King Diamond, God
Dethroned and Amon Amarth.
Kataklysm - _Victims of This Fallen World_ (Hypnotic, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (6.5 out of 10)
I am really stuck with how to rate this release. I actually like it
more than other Kataklysm releases I have checked out, but in many
cases for the wrong reasons. An older release like _The Mystical Gate
of Reincarnation_ is an expression of hyper-brutal and fast
death-grind which I just happen not to be into. _VoTFW_, however,
actually has quite a number of riffs, sections and even whole songs
which I like. The problem is that when I analyze carefully what it is
I like about these songs, it is their similarity to certain other
artists which I find appealing, and not their own individual sound.
This applies to "As the World Burns" and "Imminent Downfall", which
are -very- Extreme Noise Terror (a la _Damage 381_); "(God)Head",
"Embracing Europa" and "I Remember", all of which contain sections
which bare -more- than a passing resemblance to (mostly old) At the
Gates; "Courage Through Hope" which could -be- on Hypocrisy's _The
Fourth Dimension_; and other bits and bobs throughout the album's 52
minutes. The twist which Kataklysm seem to have newly introduced is a
groove-metal / Biohazard-type attitude with riffs and lyrics to boot.
"Feared Resistance" and "Caged In" suffer most from this invasion of
what is oft referred to as bro-metal within the CoC camp. These
stylings lead the lyric "ain't nobody gonna save your ass" to appear
on "Caged In" and, as a result, their presence is quite inexcusable,
though sometimes providing amusement. Overall patchy and certainly
not for the _TMGoR_ fans.
Contact: Hypnotic Records, 86 Main Street Suite 401, Town Centre Plaza
Dundas, Ontario, Canada, L9H 2R1
Lycanthropic - _Obey the Moon_ (September 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)
"Christian, I have no choice but to kill you." It sounds like a line
from a Marduk or Deicide album, doesn't it? It in fact issues forth
from the collective lyrical mouth of Milwaukee's own Lycanthropic,
who are the subject of this review. Though Christian-bashing,
seemingly in both senses of the word, appears to be on Lycanthropic's
agenda, their attack is neither in the style of the American brutal
death trappings of Deicide or the blast-snare black metal of Marduk.
Instead, Lycanthropic have chosen a sound similar to Centinex or Amon
Amarth: melodic-yet-brutal Swedish death. Their greatest asset at
present in preaching their word lies in their vocalist, whose
powerful throat assures that _Obey the Moon_ has a well rounded
attack as opposed to an over emphasis on non-vocal instruments, as
some other albums of this kind tend towards. Overall, the band play
their chosen style pretty well on this demo-to-CD, with nice leads
and riffs (the most interesting being the irregular and unpredictable
strumming of a single chord). It's let down in points by a production
with a small range, but hey, it's a demo recording.
NOTE: I don't have a label or address for this band because I
misplaced the press release and the tape I was sent was unmarked. If
the band, or someone close to them, could contact CoC with an address
and label, we will feature them next issue.
Lycia - _Estrella_ (Projekt/Mazur, June 1998)
by: Adam Wasylyk (8 out of 10)
The duo that comprise this darkwave/gothic/ambient act have really
done something special here. Although having created some cool music
in the past, Lycia have released an album that should serve as its
apex. Estrella contains swirling emotions which delicately interweave
with graceful keyboards that with each passing get better and more
pronounced. High praise, you say? Damn right! Tracks like the intro
"Clouds in the Southern Sky", "Tainted", "Tongues" and the title
track don't come off in any way as pretentious or egocentric, but
rather emotionally-heartfelt and genuine. The first half of this
album could go toe to toe with any of the better albums of this year,
especially the new Katatonia album, where some parallels exist.
Estrella isn't for everyone -- if you crave an adrenaline rush then
Lycia are simply not for you. But for those who seek a different
experience, to be rendered into a state of awe from overwhelming dark
ambiance, then this comes highly recommended.
Manegarm - _Nordstjarnans Tildsalder_ (Displeased Records, 1997)
by: Aaron McKay (10 out of 10)
I fuckin' love this! I, as a rule, play the particular disc that I am
reviewing as I write to keep the release fresh in my mind and
maintain the thoughts that I want to convey as close to the forefront
of my memory as possible. On the second time through _Nordstjarnans
Tildsalder_, I decided that I should begin to tell the CoC readers
about what I am hearing. -Certainly- Swedish black metal, one cannot
deny that, but much beyond that, everything becomes elusive. The
music becomes as hard to define as the lyrics (in a foreign language,
mind you) are for me to understand. I can't help but get personally
charged in spirit by Manegarm. Whoever at Displeased signed this act
had a stroke of sheer genius that day. Flawless -- and I do mean
flawless -- black metal with a miraculous female vocalist, Vmer
Mossige-Norheim (only used sparingly) and then, only in appropriate
passages, affecting strong folk direction. These points are evidenced
in the track "Vmer", of which I have trouble articulating its beauty.
I could not be more satisfied with _NT_ if Manegarm came to me for
advice on the release. I could talk Manegarm, and particularly _NT_,
to death, but I could not give you even a fair working knowledge of
what is going on even now, as I bathe in the acumen of such a gifted
band. Truly taking the scene as their own; no holds barred. A
spiritual union of souls comprise Manegarm's ranks: two guttural male
vocalists, in addition to Vmer (one of the gentlemen also doubles as
the drummer), two guitar scholars, and a bassist with "jewsharp"
responsibilities. All this superiority manifesting itself as the
album known as _NT_ -- plus it is a computer CD extra, too. If you
are not familiar with Displeased Records ranks -- Sadist (hell
yeah!), Cryptopsy, Infernal Majesty, etc. --, this CD extra by
Displeased could be just what the doctor ordered. God knows Manegarm
is the shot in the arm black metal needed! Needless to say, I'm
impressed, Manegarm!
Mental Home - _Black Art_ (The End, September 1998)
by: Brian Meloon (8.5 out of 10)
This is an excellent doom album. The band dubs themselves
"atmospheric dark doom metal", and that's pretty accurate, though
they're not really that "dark". This is their fourth album, and the
second released by The End records. This time around, the Muscovites
have left behind the Tiamat-styled doom of their previous album
_Vale_ [CoC #29] and have developed their own sound, which is more
varied and innovative. It's heavily orchestrated, with a good use of
keyboards to enhance guitar-driven sections, and to drive the music
at others. The music is generally slow-to-mid paced, but the tones,
textures, and styles that the band employs vary quite a bit, keeping
the music interesting. A few parts have a gothic tinge (a la Cradle
of Filth, complete with scream), but these aren't the majority of the
album. The vocals are grunted some of the time and half-clean at
other times. The playing is very good on all counts, and the parts
are pretty complex for the type of music. The production is
excellent: everything is clear and sharp. Overall, this is an
excellent album, and fans of melodic, atmospheric doom should enjoy
it. As a bonus, the CD also includes a claymation video for the song
"Pagan Freedom".
Mercury Rising - _Building Rome_ (Dominion Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)
This isn't really my forte, musically speaking, but I cannot help but
be blown away by this work of art from Mercury Rising. A magnum opus.
I strongly dislike to draw comparisons between groups (unless it
cries out to be done; does anyone remember Kingdom Come?) because
each, for the most part, struggle for their own individuality in and
of their own right. So, with the utmost reverence and respect to
Mercury Rising, I would argue that there are evident traces of
Queensryche and Fates Warning here, with a warm nod toward Rush in
the vocal department, and a diplomatic power-riff interpretation, a
la Iron Maiden. The instrument separation is fantastic. Each is
clear, distinct and uniform so that, it would appear, the listener
has no occasion to miss a note of this album. The formation of MR
took place in 1991, followed by a five song demo released 1993. In
1994, MR's first full length was unleashed, _Upon Deaf Ears_. Four
years passed until _Building Rome_ made its way to the public, but
-damn- was the wait definitely worth it. _BR_'s track four, "A Narrow
Door", is astounding. The beginning lulls you into a golden
dreamscape with multi-textured imagination, then drops the hammer
into some of the most intense metal riffing. It truly needs to be
heard to be believed. Lyrically, this band is a breath of late Autumn
air. Maybe it is my constant exposure to dark, black, or otherwise
macabre material, but MR has a stark intellectual feel and
intelligent manor to their writing. A welcome change, I admit. _BR_
is truly a journey that, I think, can be viewed in many lights and on
many levels to be interpreted by the listener; each person hearing
what is relevant to them individually. Only a handful of groups can
pull this off with Chuck and Death (FUCKING AWESOME!) being the
undisputed trailblazers of the musical adventure. Chris Brush (bass),
Mike Evans (guitar), Jeff Moos (drums), Clarence Osbourne (vocals),
and Judd Rizzo (guitar) pull together on the truly astonishing _BR_
to release a power metal effort that I can only say I will have
trouble waiting to see performed live.
Necromanicide - _Hate Regime_ (Pony Canyon Music, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
This is my first exposure to Malaysian metal, and, from what I can
tell, this CD is the product of many different styles of metal and
hardcore from around the world falling upon the ears of five young
men in Malaysia. Every song has a slightly different sound, the
common thread through them being a modern thrash/metalcore kind of
style. Whichever guitarist plays the leads seems to have quite a
handle on soloing, which serves as a definite plus for the band. The
riffs are interesting enough, and the production is great. The vocals
are a strained shout, with the occasional low-end and high-end growl.
The exception is the title track, which is sung by the spawn of
Ernie, Kermit, and Cookie Monster, obviously the love child of the
three (and a female donor?) resulting from a frisky night at Sesame
Street. Think I'm joking? Try to listen to it and keep a straight
face.
Contact: Pony Canyon Music, Lot 1.1 and 1.2, 7th Floor
Kompleks Pernas Soqo, 190, Jalan Abdul Rahman
50100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
mailto:necro@usa.net
Nembryonic - _Incomplete_ (Displeased, July 1998)
by: Paul Schwarz (7.5 out of 10)
Here is a recipe for mayhem. Begin with some of the intense
Slayer-esque stylings of The Haunted, combine with the kind of
precise blast snares that would almost make the likes of Benumb
proud, then season with a liberal dose of _Wolverine Blues_-era
Entombed. You've pretty much made Nembryonic's _Incomplete_ -- for
their Dutch fans there is also 14 minutes of their drunk antics which
has within it a two minute "bonus" track. Though not as great as the
sum of the above parts, _Incomplete_ is a fine representation of
Nembryonic's talents. Nembryonic have that all-out feel which makes
Entombed and The Haunted a wake up a call comparable to being
injected with caffeine. Not up there with the best, but certainly a
cut above the rest.
Nox Intempesta - _Damnanus Dominus_ (Folter Records, 1998)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
The four members of Germany's Nox Intempesta -- Coldstone (guitar),
Thrann (guitar/vocals), Monastiir (bass), and Holocaust (drums) --
call their particular brand of musical conundrum "pure black/death
metal adoration". I can go along with that. Blended well are the two
styles that it (dare I say it?) creates, more-or-less, a sub-genre
tailored to NI particularly. Original? Yes, in a lot of ways, but
with regards to aggression and NI's brutal conveyance of their music,
I would say it was typical. Typical with regard to the expectations a
metal fan would come to have from a group hailing from the black and
death metal realms. Integrated with a purposeful touch, NI also
exhibits a fine understanding of layered sound and appropriate
interludes. This is evidenced in a lot of ways on the song "Coldstone
Sacrificial". Enthralling vocals that pour into the diverse and
engrossing musical accompaniment like so much wet cement. I also find
much more than a little enjoyment in the title, as well as the last
track, "Speculum Spaghria Satana". Both are uncompromisingly
relentless and crafted well as to make it difficult to decipher
whether or not you have purchased a death or black metal album. If I
had to cite a criticism of NI, it would have to be the style of
writing on _DD_'s excellent packaging job. The font is hard to read
and unclear to the eye not trained in forms of calligraphy. That
said, what an infinitely small grip to mention in conjunction with
such a fantastic release. I am thusly mighty impressed with NI's
newest effort and with Folter Records for maintaining their ranks
with a great band like Nox Intempesta.
Oathean - _The Eyes of Tremendous Sorrow_
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10) (<Independent>, September 1998)
While I am not the biggest black metal fan out there, I do
occasionally enjoy trudging through this genre's music style and
listening to blackened wails of anguish, crushed beneath sinister
black metal riffs and detonating blast beats. This Korean quartet
outfit manage to hold their own here, playing some really top notch
stuff, while still bringing some interesting ideas into the
traditional black metal sound (i.e., superb guitar work throughout),
which makes it all the more enjoyable to listen to. While a good
portion of the record works off of the guitar's emotions, the wails
of anger surely light things up around here, pushing forth a
tremendous dose of aggression as the record goes along. This record
has a definite momentum working behind it. Something different here
is the tranquil sounds / guitars worked into such a harsh sounding
record, allowing diversity for certain areas of the record. It's not
all heads down, rippin' black metal, and that makes this all the more
enjoyable. Choice cuts from these black metal lads: "In Fear With
Shiver" and "Frigid Space".
Contact: OATHEAN, http://www.shinbiro.com/~oathean
mailto:oathean@sinbiro.com
Poetry - _Catharsis_ (Arise Records, 1998)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
Autumn has arrived, and these next few months of sorrowful bleak
beauty are indeed most adequate for doom metal. _Catharsis_ is the
first doom release to reach my ears in this year's grey Autumn, and
the work it displays from this simplistically named Spanish
doom/death band Poetry is overall quite acceptable. The word
"overall" is important here, because a few of the album's passages
are below average. Apart from those exceptions, the instrumental
component is good enough, whereas the vocals could be better: the
vocalist's English skills are low, which can become annoying, but at
least his vocal delivery is generally reasonable. The production is
acceptable, although irregular and occasionally rather patchy,
suggesting a low budget that highlights the band's effort to produce
quality doom/death. _Catharsis_ is definitely not a hymn to technical
perfection, and it isn't as good as a lot of the doom/death I've been
reviewing lately (Sculpture, Desire, Novembers Doom, Long Winters'
Stare), but it can still be an enjoyable doom/death album with
several good moments.
Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_ (Pulverized, 1998)
by: Brian Meloon (7 out of 10)
Not to be confused with Setherial [CoC #12 and #28], Satariel play
post-At the Gates melodic Swedish death metal, similar in style to A
Canorous Quintet [CoC #20 and #33], Arch Enemy [CoC #32], et al. For
the most part, the album is straightforward melodic death metal:
potent, but not terribly original. Unfortunately, therein lies their
greatest weakness; there's not a lot to differentiate this from
others doing the same style. They do add the occasional atmospheric
touch, some subtle keyboards, and a few melodic sections which remind
me of Borknagar's _The Olden Domain_, but most of the album is pretty
standard. The vocals mostly vary between grunted and half-screamed.
There are a few sections with clean vocals, but they're a weak point,
as the vocals are a little flat, and they're sung over-dramatically.
Luckily, they aren't overused, so they don't detract too much from
the overall sound of the band. Other than those parts, it's very well
done: the playing is great, with some very good drumming, and the
production (done at Sunlight) is excellent. One final note to make is
that they include a cover of Eucharist's "Greeting Immortality".
Overall, this is a very good album, and fans of this style will
surely enjoy it, but these guys are definitely not breaking any new
ground with this album.
Skepticism - _Lead and Aether_ (Red Stream, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
I try not to believe too much of the hype and descriptive adjectives
that labels often use to describe their bands. Thankfully, in the
metal world, they are actually relevant from time to time. When I
read the ad for _Lead and Aether_, it was described as being
"primitive funeral doom", and I'm thinking "well, what the heck is
that?" Then I put the CD in and understood completely -- this is not
metal, it's musical accompaniment to a funeral for a czar or
something. Every track is total funeral dirge, but not without
emotion ("The March and the Stream"). The lyrics are poetic and are
actually kind of "nice", but often expounding upon loneliness as a
theme. The whole CD seems to be dominated by a pipe organ, but yes, a
guitar is in the mix too, sometimes. Layers of keyboards create a
stirring presence, and it's immediately obvious that the drums were
not played on a rock kit, opting instead for kettle drums and
crashing symbols. This is my first exposure to Skepticism, and from
reading a review of _Stormcrow Fleet_ I was under the impression that
they were doom metal, which this is definitely not, with the
exception of hints of doom on a few tracks. Although it is doomy,
it's appeal will be to those who are into dark/ambient.
Soilwork - _Steel Bath Suicide_ (Listenable, August 1998)
by: David Rocher (9 out of 10)
Unleashed from the distant shores of Sweden, a mighty, raging,
melodic thrash assault is about to wash over unsuspecting metal
audiences -- ladies and gentlemen, Soilwork! Kicking off in sheer
style with the brilliant instrumental "Entering the Angel
Diabolique", _SBS_ proves its creators to be an act apart -- and
above -- the writhing, hairy mass of Swedish deathsters. Laying their
songs down on thrash (rather than death) metal structures, relying on
the high number of lightning-speed breaks, razor-sharp riffs and
mouth-dropping guitar leads in each of their tunes to keel you over,
Soilwork can hardly be forced to fit in the usual Swedish metal
frames. Imagine a very mean hybrid of At the Gates (for the
hysterical vocals and the heavier-than-thou riffing), Judas Priest or
Accept (heavy guitar solos rule!) and late Death (for astounding
technicality and a sharp sense of aggression made music), and you're
nearly half-way there! Soilwork are fast, intense and melodic, and
show an unusually acute sense of complexity, power and catchiness,
thus making _SBS_ a refreshing, vindictive response to the now worn
out satanic-death / black /
doom-thing-with-female-vocals-from-Norway. Classy stuff!
Various - _Songs From the Penalty Box: Volume 2_
by: Alex Cantwell (7 out of 10) (Tooth and Nail Records, 1998)
If you thought Ghoti Hook was stupid before, wait till you hear their
version of "I Love Rock and Roll". This track from their new covers
LP is the first track on this latest edition of T&N's finest. The
bulk of the material is hardcore, in all of its various
manifestations, ranging from metalcore (Zao, Training for Utopia,
Living Sacrifice), to indie-rock-core (Frodus, Roadside Monument).
Punk is present in Slick Shoes, Craig's Brother, Outer Circle, and
The Cootees. Rounded off by many bands who are hard to define, such
as Stavesacre and 90 Lb Wuss, this serves as your basic yearly Tooth
and Nail compilation. Tedious because of the lack of non-album
material to loyal devotees, but very much worth the $6 to the newly
initiated, and if that is you, and you've never heard any of these
bands before, this could be mindblowing.
Contact: Tooth and Nail Records, P O Box 12698, Seattle WA 98111-4698
Sortilege - _Sortilege_ / _Metamorphose_ (Axe Killers, 1998)
by: Matthias Noll (both 9 out of 10)
Even a greater delight than the release of the H-Bomb albums is the
two CD re-release edition of the first two Sortilege records.
Featuring an exciting, original sounding lead guitarist plus a
brilliant lead singer with the talents equal to Rob Halford's finest
moments, Sortilege were capable of writing great heavy metal hymns
like "Sortilege", as well as up tempo, heavy riffing material or
classic semi ballads in the vein of Priest's "Beyond the Realms of
Death". Be assured, music-wise this is no lightweight stuff! On the
other hand, French lyrics might definitely not be everybody's piece
of cake, but in this case they really work and make Sortilege's style
even more unique. English song versions that are used to bolster up
the length of both re-releases also sound good, but melodies written
for French lyrics sometimes don't seem to sound right when sung in
English. The production on both albums is good and guitar oriented,
and everybody that enjoys bands like Iced Earth or retro metallers
HammerFall or Pegazus should definitely think about buying something
from one of the originators.
Spineshank - _Strictly Diesel_ (Roadrunner, 1998)
by: Jody Webb (7 out of 10)
Roadrunner is betting on Spineshank to be their next big act, to
follow in the footsteps of Coal Chamber and Vision of Disorder. I
don't expect to see it happen, but hey; I would never have guessed
the success that Coal Chamber has seen -- I just don't like it!
Anyways, I think the best way to summarize _Strictly Diesel_ would be
to mix a glass of Deftones with a shot of Fear Factory. It has all
the trademarks of the Deftones, like aggressive verses and melodic
chorus; just throw in some sparing use of electronic effects on the
guitars and a bit of Fear Factory style shouting. I like more than
half of the thirteen cuts, but I don't feel there is anything killer
on here. Burton Bell from Fear Factory does some throat on "Start the
Machine". Dino Cazares is a big fan, too, as a sticker on the case
says, so expect to see Spineshank open for FF when they headline a
tour later this year.
Sutcliffe Jugend - _When Pornography Is No Longer Enough _
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10) (Death Factory, September 1998)
Real fucked up shit that involves a lot of screaming and just sonic
mayhem all around. This'll really send you to the loonie bin if it
comes too addictive. Anyone know Merzbow or Blunt Force Trauma? This
is for you, then. Truly venom for the mind. 'Nuff said.
Contact: SUTCLIFFE JUGEND, Box 1881 -- 581 Linkoping, Sweden
FAX: +46 13 10 39 06
WWW: http://www.coldmeat.se
System of a Down - _System of a Down_ (Columbia-American, 1998)
by: Jody Webb (8 out of 10)
Most of my friends in the metal industry would choose this for the
debut act of 1998, but I'd reserve that enthusiasm for Ultraspank. I
am willing to grant System a #2 in my book, though, primarily due to
the original writing, non-formulaic structures, and effective vocals.
Overall, I suppose one could describe this as thrash, but the tracks
on this disc hit most of the tempos seen in modern music, from a
crawl to a high-speed chug, although there is no blast beat here. A
few cuts are written in a verse/pre-chorus/chorus arrangement, but,
in general, the band does some innovative things with different
parts. They manage to touch a bit of folk and polka too, but not for
more than a moment. Serge, the vocalist, likes to change up from a
spoken word to a throaty death voice to breaking into song, and he
does this in most of the right places. The net effect is twelve
quality tracks. I can put this disc on a random spin and enjoy it the
whole way through. My only qualms here are the political agenda that
serves as lyrical content, because I just wanna rock, but the music
makes up in a big way. This debut shows more quality tracks than
Ultraspank, but lacks the killer singles.
Theatre of Tragedy - _Aegis_ (Century Media, September 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (5 out of 10)
I dunno about this band. I have never really been a big fan of what
Theatre of Tragedy has been about. I mean, I can get into the whole
gothic/metal overtone and the soft, beautiful vocals accompanying the
sounds of the band, but something within the band's musical agenda
doesn't sit well with me. I know the band has a large fan base, I
just don't get it. With _Aegis_, the band has managed to capture a
pretty tranquil environment, melding passionate displays of
songwriting with soft-spoken vocals and gothic guitar work. While
some of the work here is pretty memorable as the record goes along,
it just doesn't sit in your head too long afterwards. It's kinda
boring, if you ask me; all the fancy coated song structures seem
uninspired at times. The only salvageable material in my mind on this
eight-song effort is the ultra-cool "Siren". Never really been my cup
of tea, and I can see much more why now.
Transport League - _Superevil_ (The Music Cartel, August 1998)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
Mix the ways of Danzig, Entombed, Meshuggah and even Finland's Xysma
and you've got the fucked up, hard-hitting groove of Transport
League. While similar to their debut disc, the sophomore effort
manages to travel down the road of variety a bit more. Lots of the
material here, while in a hard-groovin' state, seems to stand out all
their own. And while heavy as fuck at times, they're catchy to boot.
The elements of Transport League that shine are the use of samples /
sound effects and the tuned down guitar approach. Throw in the harsh
vocals of Tony Julien Jelencovich and it's a winner from start to
finish. Transport League aren't afraid to mesh rock n' roll with
heavy rock either, a feature that comes up quite often here as well.
Turkknifes Pope - _Performance Crippling Data Restriction_
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10) (Zenflesh Records, September 1998)
This odd and eccentric outfit seems to come across as very sedated,
standing still, but still pushing outwards to us riddled compositions
of noise and abstract ideas. At times the musical ideas here are
slowly rumbling towards a dreamlike soundscape to rest within. Most
of this seems drawn out, but that's the idea. A lot happens and it
takes time to build up to it. Powerful ideas and great song
structures based on noises and chaotic paranoia make this quite the
experience to hear. Not much else to say other than get your hands on
this and see how you feel after a few long listens. Powerful stuff.
Contact: Zenflesh Records, P.O. Box 25205 Los Angeles, CA USA 90025
WWW: http://www.zenflesh.com/
mailto:panic@zenflesh.com
Ultraspank - _Ultraspank_ (Epic / Immortal, 1998)
by: Jody Webb (8 out of 10)
This disc is my vote for debut of 1998, and though we have three
months to go, I don't expect to be swayed. This stuff can get my head
nodding even five months after its release. Ultraspank mixes guitars
and a drumkit with some synthesized sounds and programmed drums. They
focus on making tracks you can dance to, and we're talking either
moshing or breakdancing, though it's not so hip hop or groove
oriented as the new Korn disc or Limp Bizkit, nor is it so brutal as
Napalm Death or Slayer. The vocalist can croon a haunting note, which
he does to good effect in some places, and this can sound similar to
Tool's Maynard James Keenan. Yet there is no shortage of the barking
that heavy music fans have come to expect. For some head bobbing fun,
try "5" or "Butter"; to fire up the pit, try "Slip" or "Fired"; and
for simple listening pleasure, try "Suck".
Zao - _Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest_ (Solid State, 1998)
by: Alex Cantwell (9 out of 10)
This is the most brutal hardcore ever. Period. Yes, I know about Acme
and Coalesce, and still my statement stands. But let's forget about
the term "hardcore" for a minute, and set your brains to the "metal"
mode, because although the song structures of this CD are hardcore in
nature, metal influences prevail in a big way. The music is a
sweeping experience of aggressiveness, downtuned and mean; absolutely
brilliant in form and execution. Along with the metal influence is an
extremely energized and chaotic post-modern slant, of which all of
this is probably due to an entire line-up change barring
founder/drummer Jesse Smith. This record should set a new standard
for new-skool hardcore, but for now the shrill vocals and the
pummelling rhythms that make up the structure of the new Zao will be
the soundtrack for many a worship session. Although their last outing
infused quite a bit of death-metal influences as well, their debut
being straight-ahead Midwest hardcore, no one could have expected a
masterpiece like this.
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/\ \ \_____ __ /\ \ \___ (_)___ ___
/ \/ / _ \ \ /\ / / / \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
/ /\ / __/\ V V / / /\ / (_) | \__ \ __/
\_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/ \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|
If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo with a bio if
you want to be reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header.
Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
Bihor Massif - _Gateway to the Fifth Dimension_ (4-track demo)
by: Paul Schwarz (***--)
Listening to this demo of very raw self-confessed "black metal", one
can see how much the style owes to Hellhammer, Destruction, Sodom and
countless other 80s thrash bands who trod the thin line between
extreme and extremely sloppy every time they sat down to lay down a
guitar riff. What is so great about all these early thrash releases,
though, is that the sloppiness only adds to the "raw" feel of
recordings, like "Obsessed by Cruelty", "Sentence of Death" or
"Apocalyptic Raids", and somehow makes them more extreme. Bihor
Massif sounds "raw" like these early releases and it doesn't even
just sound downright bad like so many ultra-raw-black-metal releases,
especially on demo, have the tendency to. What is funny is the
opening, and main, riff to first track "Spectres of Souls" actually
sounds like Cathedral, and good Cathedral. Overall, this release is
nothing special, but uses that time-honored rawness to pinpoint a
dark atmosphere which so many black metal bands overlook, however
good their production is. At present, that atmosphere is the best
thing going for Bihor Massif, but atmosphere is more than half the
battle when you are trying to create great black metal.
Contact: TYR, 4121 Dayton Ave. N. #201, Seattle,
Washington 98103, USA
mailto: bilug@u.washington.edu
$3/demo or trade
Cephalectomy - _Dark Waters Rise_ (5-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (***--)
While the music comes across brutal for all to hear, the production
of this band's material (now on CD format) still lacks something.
Much like the weak production on their three-song _Gateway to the
Gods, _Dark Waters Rise_ loses a bit of appeal with the weak
production, though the music and its wickedly violent pace soon
dissolves that dilemma. From the get-go, the music of Cephalectomy
flows with intensity and anger, lashing out at us with a wicked
sneer, crushing us beneath the weight of the band's multi-styled
playing. Influenced heavily by bands like Brutal Truth and Internal
Bleeding, Cephalectomy rarely slows the pace down, shoving heavy riff
and growls into our face as much as they can. It's intense and quite
good. Snag yourselves a copy by contacting the band (see contact
below) and support the Canadian metal scene.
Contact: Corey Andrews, RR#1 Brookfield, Col. Co N.S.,
B0N-1C0, CANADA
mailto:cephalectomy@hotmail.com
Ghoulunatics - _Carving Into You_ (10-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (***--)
ARGHH!!!!! The production on this 10-song record sucks. It is so poor
sounding, the fuckin' drums sound like they're hitting trash cans and
the guitars sound like muffled metal pipes being clanked together.
But why is this so good? I'll tell you why: attitude. This four-piece
from Quebec kick out the jams, and it's no holds barred where their
playing is concerned. Kind of like a Boy Scout in the woods with no
food. You make with what you got in your surroundings and you get by.
I dunno why the band has such little help getting solid production
here, 'cause they play their instruments like trained veterans,
pounding away at the music with sincere dedication. This is what it's
all about, people. Making music sound good, no matter what obstacles
(in this case the production) are in your way. Vicious and definitely
grinding through numbers with slight grind meets hard core
tendencies, Ghoulunatics are crazy mofos and you know that after each
and every listen.
Contact: GHOULUNATICS, P.O. Box 47574 Montreal, Quebec, CANADA, H2H
2S8
Ghoul Hotline: (514) 990-3553
Graven Image - _Black Lung Cathedral_ (12-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (**---)
Residing in a techno-tinged gothic world, Graven Image do their thing
just many other acts of the gothic genre have done. It's chalk full
of atmosphere, saddened sounds of darkened imagery and eerily pushed
forth by a repetitious electronic beat for the most part. Sounds a
tad bit like Nine Inch Nails at times, too. Like I've said before,
and I'll say it again, it's all been done before. While I enjoyed
this for the most part, after several listens my interest for the
band wandered off. Primarily for goth fans only.
Contact: GRAVEN IMAGE, P.O. Box 771269 Lakewood, OH USA 44107
WWW: http://www.bge.net/gravenimage
mailto:lassen@ameritech.net
Immortal Souls -_ Reflections of Doom_ (8-track demo)
by: Alex Cantwell (**---)
Half good, half not-so-good, I don't know. I think the overall demo
would be rated as less than average by most folks. The vocal
performance is very weak throughout, with the exception of "Hate
Sender", which is surprisingly aggressive. The music is slow to
mid-paced death (rock) with some doom elements, but all too often the
guitars are seemingly not tuned to each other. Interestingly, there
is quite a bit of acoustic guitar, sometimes playing right along with
the main riff. All that said, methinks these guys have tremendous
potential, and there is an obvious Einherjer influence in the title
track and in "I Am Me", that could definitely be developed further.
Contact: Aki Sarkioja, Jalustinkatu 2 D 50, 20880 Turku, Finland
Manifestium -_ The Dawn of Domination_ (8-track demo)
by: Alex Cantwell (***--)
A vast improvement has been made since their previous demo, on all
counts, but there is a brilliance in this band that remains so far
untapped. The cheesy elements of the first demo have been abolished
by this work, making way for good song structures and good playing.
Not great; good. The Amorphis influence is great throughout, and,
after all, what better musical footsteps to follow for a young
Finnish band than the champions of Finnish metal themselves? Also of
note is the use of a wah-wah which serves to really draw you into the
songs -- it's too bad that the guitars are not always quite in-tune
with each other. Oversight, I guess, because I believe that
Manifestium has gone to great lengths to improve, and improve they
shall.
Contact: Juha Luomala, Lillvisinkuja 4, 62100 Lapua, Finland
mailto:ossi@finlink.net
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OBSCURE AND VIOLENT CANADIAN SUPREMACY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC reviews Death Across America
Featuring Gorguts, Oppressor, Cryptopsy, Days of Mourning
and Endless
At the El Mocambo in Toronto, Ontario, September 10, 1998
by: Paul Schwarz
Well, yeah. There is bad news to this story: Nile were supposed
to be on this bill. But, thanks to criminal records, cash shortages
and borders, Canada was deprived, just as the CoC crew who made it to
Metalfest was, of seeing Nile. Fuck. Maybe some other time in some
other country; we'll see.
Tonight began with two Toronto acts. Endless were first and
their mix of death and doom wasn't bad. They interestingly switched
lead vocals and showcased some decent live presentation and playing.
The sound, which I though was exceptionally good this evening,
showcased competently written, though not particularly stand-out,
songs. They filled time, although, to be honest, with the stereo
blaring such classics as Terrorizer and Nocturnus, I'm not sure
whether it would have been more pleasantly filled without them. Days
of Mourning showcased a more interesting sound composed, as I heard
it, of hardcore, grind and death metal. Not leaning -too- far to any
one sound proved to be to the band's advantage and kept their set
more interesting than the previous one. A band whose music on CD I
would be curious to hear.
Cryptopsy time. Whatever dick stuck these home grown and, quite
honestly, supreme death band on -before- Oppressor (an
average-as-hell Morbid Angel-esque death four-piece) deserves to be
tied down, have his balls cut off (or, be it a woman... you can
imagine) by a rusty knife wielded by Grandpa from The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre. Cryptopsy were Cryptopsy: amazing. The sound allowed me to
hear every note of every solo and the playing was phenomenal. Mike
DiSalvo looked like he'd been possessed by some of the demons that
also evidently got into the band's new album, _Whisper Supremacy_
(see review this issue). Classics like "Defenstration", "Slit Your
Guts" and "Crown of Horns" were aired along with brilliant new tracks
"White Worms" and "Flame to the Surface". Though there was a little
crowd derision to Mike -- one person saying "Lord Worm is the king",
to which Mike, in true Cryptopsy style and humor, responded "Lord
Worm is dead" --, it was unwarranted and the performance obviously
made someone's mind up with "Nah, you're better than Lord Worm" being
a comment that came near the end. There was one problem: 30 minute
set. Oppressor got 40 minutes. Well, I could do with a rest from the
crowd and standing, so I went and talked to fellow CoC-ers and other
friends. Oppressors were competent but boring: it is shameful that a
two-album boring band can be placed after a three-album amazing band,
but I guess that's the advantage of touring with Cannibal Corpse.
So it was time for the actual and rightful headliners, Gorguts,
to take the stage. Hailing from the same city as Cryptopsy
(Montreal), Gorguts are yet more proof, if any were needed, of the
quality of music Canada has to offer. They were first, though -- when
Cryptopsy were still making demos, Gorguts were making albums which
would later fall into the tomes of death metal history. However,
virtually none of Gorguts' hour long set was drawn from either of
their first two releases and was therefore composed nearly entirely
from their new _Obscura_ album. No problem, musically, here, though;
as you may be aware, I was astounded by how original and how amazing
that album is, and I also am not too familiar with their older
material. After a number of excellent songs from _Obscura_ and a few
old songs, including the title track, Gorguts closed their set with
"Illuminatum", the album's excruciating closer. A truly gripping end
to a night filled with almost total perfection and near total
disappointment -- the contrasts were as brutal as the music.
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D O O M D E S C E N D S U P O N D E U T S C H L A N D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Einherjer, Old Man's Child, Gorgoroth, Cradle of Filth
At Zeche Carl in Essen, Germany on May 7, 1998
by: Matthias Noll
The Zeche Carl is a former coal mine in the German "Ruhrgebiet".
Its towers and brick wall buildings provide a very special atmosphere
that completely fitted that night's unholy musical onslaught. The
place was packed with about 800 people eagerly waiting for the show
to begin.
First up on stage were Einherjer, a band which is supposed to
portray some kind of Viking image. On stage, the four-piece looked
more like devotees of the alcoholic metal style of Tankard fame.
Compared to their frontman, not wearing a sword, horned skull cap and
leather armor as one might expect, but a green bomber jacket and
ultra tight grey jeans, my mother seemed to look like mighty Thor
himself. The band's rather traditional, medium paced metal with
vocals in a clear and midranged, but poor and limited, style left a
lot to be desired as well. Most of the awkward choruses, during which
the singer was constantly trying to conduct the crowd with a bottle
of beer, seemed to come straight from a "Best of Drunken Soccer Fans"
compilation. Furthermore, they suffered from a miserable sound. The
fact that their only guitar player missed several breaks and riffs
towards the end of their set because of a fit in his left arm (I
would understand if that happens to Yngwie Malmsteen once in a while)
made the group's amateurish approach even more obvious. This gig left
me wondering why the hell Odin (he owns us all, according to
Einherjer) didn't send some undead viking hordes to take revenge.
Next band was Old Man's Child, promoting their new album
_Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion_ on this tour. In comparison to
Einherjer, at least their outfit was quite impressive, with all
members wearing corpsepaint, spikes and more of the usual black metal
stage gear. I had hoped that drum god Gene Hoglan would play on this
tour as on the album, but, to my disappointment, he was nowhere to be
seen. This band also suffered from an extremely poor sound and I had
a hard time figuring out what they were playing. Nevertheless, their
complex (compared to Einherjer) song material was delivered in a
tight fashion. OMC's songs feature a lot of trash riffing that would
have been a lot more effective if only their sound had been better.
On the other hand, frontman Balder was doing his best to win the
"black metal poser of the day" contest by displaying his capabilities
in evil grimacing only when a certain photographer in the front row
was ready to take a picture. The bass player also tried hard to
entertain the crowd. The guy was definitely fighting his way through
the Forest of Equilibrium, being so drunk that he constantly was in
danger of falling into the drumkit. To my disappointment, he always
managed to avoid collapsing and continued to stumble across the
stage. Despite my criticism, OMC's performance achieved a rather good
response from the crowd, but, in my opinion, totally failed to
deliver heaviness and aggression.
Gorgoroth, with the new album _Destroyer_ under their belts,
entered the stage cloaked, spiked and painted. Again, the sound was
horrible, but reached new peaks in volume. Gorgoroth hammered their
way through various (on that day) indistinguishable songs, creating
the most violent aural assault I have ever witnessed. Song
structures, guitar melody lines, rhythm and choruses just didn't seem
to matter and they kept on blasting through their simplistic and raw
material. After about 30 infernal minutes, technical problems with
one of their guitars became serious and they had to leave the stage.
If you were in the mood (which I was that night) to enjoy the sound
of bypassing high speed trains, Gorgoroth kicked ass that night and
were the first band to deliver the goods.
Finally, Cradle of Filth entered the stage. The first thing to
mention was the now brilliant sound. Starting the set with "Dusk and
Her Embrace", drummer Nicholas had some timing problems through the
first fast parts, but immediately recovered from that and played the
rest of the material in ultra tight and faster than on record style
(unbelievable but true in the case of song material like "Beneath the
Howling Stars"). The whole band's appearance was highly professional
and tight, and especially screamer Dani energetically ruled the stage
and delivered an unbelievable vocal onslaught. I always wonder how
much blood this guy spits after each gig. As they didn't bring any
female singers on this tour, he had to do his own interpretation of
the female vocal parts, which wasn't as awkward as you might expect
(nevertheless, I would have preferred samples). The set list was the
expected mix of old and new material: "To Eve the Art of Witchcraft"
and "The Black Goddess Rises", the fantastic and brutally heavy
sounding "The Forest Whispers My Name", three songs from _Cruelty and
the Beast_ and some material from _Dusk... and Her Embrace_. Briefly:
A great show by a great band that doesn't need any hype to prove that
they are unique and groundbreaking.
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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. Various - _The World Domination II_
2. Pungent Stench - _Praise the Names of the Musical Assassins_
3. Dark Funeral - _The Secrets of the Black Arts_
4. Proscriptor - _The Venus Bellona_
5. Biohazard - _Urban Discipline_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Bruce Dickinson - _The Chemical Wedding_
2. Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
3. Sepultura - _Against_
4. Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_
5. Days of Mourning - _Reborn as the Enemy_
Brian's Top 5
1. Spaceboy - _Getting Warm on the Trail of Heat_
2. Mental Home - _Black Art_
3. Satariel - _Lady Lust Lilith_
4. Labyrinth - _Return to Heaven Denied_
5. Michael Harris - _Ego Decimation Profile_
Alain's Top 5
1. Today Is the Day - _Temple of the Morning Star_
2. Suffocation - _Despise the Sun_
3. A Canorous Quintet - _The Only Pure Hate_
4. Death - _The Sound of Perseverance_
5. In Ruins - _Four Seasons of Grey_
Adam's Top 5
1. Cemetary - _Sundown_
2. Lycia - _Estrella_
3. Fear Factory - _Obsolete_
4. Flesh Parade - _Kill Whitey_
5. Type O Negative - _The Origin of the Feces_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Sculpture - _Like a Dead Flower_
2. Dawn - _Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)_
3. Carcass - _Heartwork_
4. Unholy - _Rapture_
5. My Dying Bride - _Trinity_
Paul's Top 5
1. Cryptopsy - _Whisper Supremacy_
2. Manowar - _Battle Hymns_
3. Rush - _2112_
4. The Haunted - _The Haunted_
5. Bolt Thrower - _Mercenary_
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Homepage: http://www.interlog.com/~ginof/coc.html
FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos
--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to:
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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
57 Lexfield Ave
Downsview Ont.
M3M-1M6, Canada
Fax: (416) 693-5240 Voice: (416) 693-9517
e-mail: ginof@interlog.com
----
Our European Office can be reached at:
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS (Europe)
Urb. Souto n.20 Anta
4500 Espinho, PORTUGAL
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DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically distributed
worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all forms
of chaotic music including black, death and doom metal, dark/ambient,
industrial and electronic/noise as well as classic and progressive
metal. Each issue will feature a plethora of album reviews from a
wide range of bands, as well as interviews with some of the
underground's best acts. Also included in each issue are demo reviews
and indie band interviews.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a
message with "coc subscribe <your_name_here>" in the SUBJECT of your
message to <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>. Please note that this command
must NOT be sent to the list address <coc-ezine@lists.colorado.edu>.
AUTOMATIC FILESERVER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for
automatic retrieval through our e-mail fileserver. All you have to do
is send a message to us at <mailto:ginof@interlog.com>. The
'Subject:' field of your message must read: "send file X" where 'X'
is the name of the requested file (do not include the quotes). Back
issues are named 'coc-n', where 'n' is the issue number. For a
description of all files available through this fileserver, request
'list'. Remember to use lowercase letters for all file names.
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #34
All contents copyright 1998 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.