_________ .__ .__ .__
\_ ___ \| |_________ ____ ____ |__| ____ | | ____ ______
/ \ \/| | \_ __ \/ _ \ / \| |/ ___\| | _/ __ \ / ___/
\ \___| Y \ | \( <_> ) | \ \ \___| |_\ ___/ \___ \
\______ /___| /__| \____/|___| /__|\___ >____/\___ >____ >
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
_____ _________ .__
_____/ ____\ \_ ___ \| |__ _____ ____ ______
/ _ \ __\ / \ \/| | \\__ \ / _ \/ ___/
( <_> ) | \ \___| Y \/ __ \( <_> )___ \
\____/|__| \______ /___| (____ /\____/____ >
\/ \/ \/ \/
The New Year's Evil Edition
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, January 10, 2001, Issue #51
http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Assistant Copy Editor / Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Alex Cantwell
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault
The individual writers can be reached by e-mail at
[email protected] ("firstname" must be replaced by the
respective writer's first name, e.g.
[email protected]).
NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by
sending a blank e-mail to <
[email protected]>.
For more Chronicles of Chaos information, check out the
Details section at the end of this issue.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #51 Contents, 1/10/01
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Deadly Dialogues
-- Napalm Death: Killing Is the Business of Their Enemy
-- Cryptopsy: The Shifting Scales of Brutality
-- Thomas Gabriel Fischer: Remembering the Past
-- HammerFall: Renegades Reliving the Glory Days
-- Extol: Death From the North
-- Tristania: Unveiling New Realms of Music
-- Seth: God: Tied in Steel Handcuffs?
-- The Black League: Suomi Finland Perkele!
-- Association Area: Panko's Pancreatic Pandemonium
* Album Asylum
-- Abscess - _Tormented_
-- Acid Death - _Random's Manifest_
-- Arch Enemy - _Burning Japan Live_
-- At Vance - _Heart of Steel_
-- Behemoth - _Thelema.6_
-- Black Abyss - _Land of Darkness_
-- Blood Axe - _In Battle_
-- Blood Duster - _Cunt_
-- Boiler Room - _Can't Breathe_
-- Breakdown - _Battle Hymns for an Angry Planet_
-- Burn It Down - _Let the Dead Bury the Dead_
-- Cage - _Astrology_
-- Cast in Stone - _Life on Trial_
-- Cephalectomy - _Sign of Chaos_
-- Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
-- Darkthrone - _Prepare for War_
-- Deadfood - _Weird Feelings_
-- Dipknoi - _fkddd_
-- Disrespect - _Hit the Ceiling_
-- Dominion Caligula - _A New Era Rises_
-- Dominus - _Godfallos_
-- Dreams of Damnation - _Let the Violence Begin_
-- Embraced - _Within Me_
-- Epoch of Unlight - <advance 3-song demo>
-- Fetus Eaters - _Vomitcore_
-- Fleurety - _Department of Apocalyptic Affairs_
-- Ginger Leigh - _Broken by the World_
-- High on Fire - _The Art of Defense_
-- Hybrid Children - _Stardom Is Here_
-- Hypnos - _In Blood We Trust_
-- i - _One Word_
-- Icon of Coil - _Serenity Is the Devil_
-- Juno Reactor - _Pistolero_
-- Immolation - _Close to a World Below_
-- Impaler - _One Nation Under Ground_
-- Kalmah - _Swamplord_
-- Lethargy - _Discography '93-'99_
-- Love History - _Anasazi_
-- Monster Magnet - _God Says No_
-- My Dying Bride - _Meisterwerk I_
-- Narcissus - _Newwave Techno Homicide_
-- Neglected Fields - _Mephisto Lettonica_
-- Nightwish - _Wishmaster_
-- Novembers Doom - _The Knowing_
-- Odor of Pears - _Crown of Thorns_
-- Primal Fear - _Nuclear Fire_
-- Psychopunch - _Bursting Out of Chucky's Town_
-- Various - _Scream Forth Blasphemy: A Tribute to Morbid Angel_
-- Seth - _The Excellence_
-- Six Feet Under - _Graveyard Classics_
-- Slaughter - _Surrender or Die_
-- Slaves on Dope - _Inches From the Mainline_
-- Suffocate - _Exit 64_
-- Tantrum of the Muse - _Modernmu$ick (2000!)_
-- Tchort - _Love Metal / Government Issue Rock 'n' Roll_
-- Thanatos - _Angelic Encounters_
-- Theatre of the Macabre - _A Paradise in Flesh & Blood_
-- Underoath - _Cries of the Past_
-- Usurper - _Necronemesis_
-- Velvet Acid Christ - _Twisted Thought Generator_
-- Vessel - _Vessel_
-- Vomitory - _Revelation Nausea_
-- WarHorse - _...As Heaven Turns to Ash_
-- Witch-Hunt - _Souls Enshrouded Fire_
-- Wynjara - _Wynjara_
* New Noise
-- All Is Suffering - _All Is Suffering '00_
-- Aphotic - _Aphotic_
-- Bride Adorned - _The Grey Eminence_
-- Forlorn Legacy - _Omega_
-- Habeas Corpus - _Crucified_
-- Scorched-Earth Policy - _Boot-Camp Demo 2000_
-- Tomorrow - _Illusions We Live By_
-- Unevil Hopes - _Pretranscendental_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- Belated Tales of the Unexpected: Morbid Angel, Enslaved, The Crown
-- Canadian Carnage! Cryptopsy and Solus in Toronto
-- Satanic Swedes and Chugging Canadians: Dark Funeral in Canada
* Writer's Wrath
-- The Four MusCoCteers
-- Speak English or Die Because Even Satan Wears Leather
* What We Have Cranked
* Details
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____)
/ /) , , /)
)__ _(/ _/_ _____ _ //
/ (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_
(_____)
by: Gino Filicetti
I'm not going to start this editorial off with some cheesy line
like "Welcome to the 21st century!!" or any other contrived cliche.
However, since it is a new year, I am proud to announce our 6th New
Year's Evil Edition of CoC.
This issue is jam packed with two months worth of material from
our writers. I'm sure you all noticed the absence of a December issue
of CoC. Well, it wasn't due to lack of material; on the contrary, we
had plenty of material. However, I decided that we should maintain
our traditional of putting together an absolutely massive New Year's
Evil Edition, so here it is.
Needless to say, we lapsed in our promise of an unwavering
monthly release schedule. However, from this point forward, you can
rest assured that you'll be receiving a new issue of CoC every month.
As you read this issue, you'll notice a few extra goodies thrown
in from two of our European crew; Matthias Noll brings you a
hilarious look at German metal lyrics through the ages and Paul
Schwarz reports on the European crew's first ever convergence.
Also this issue we have the debut of new writer Kirsty Buchanan,
a friend and school-mate of Paul Schwarz's. Kirsty's presence brings
back the female element to CoC, an element that has been noticably
lacking this past year. Please join me in welcoming her to our fold.
Well, that's about it, people. I'd like to thank everyone who
contributed to and read our magazine in 2000 for a great year, and
especially for what's to come in 2001, a year which I'm sure will
stand out as one of our best.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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:
[email protected]>.
All letters received will be featured in upcoming issues of
Chronicles of Chaos.
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2000
From: "Pierre Gingras" <
[email protected]>
Subject: Blinded by Faith review
Hey Adrian,
Good to see that you had reviewed our stuff, i've just dicovered her
and don't thinking there was another review of "Veiled Hideousness"
somewhere.
Just to inform you that "Veiled" is the first demo of Blinded by
Faith and it's not a children game to have a personal and unified
musical style on the first hit and the experience was at a low
level during the record session. Like many people, you seems had
taken our demo for a first and official album, but it's just an
auto-production. The first album might be release in october 2001
onto Hypnotic Records (Quo Vadis, Obliveon)
Anyway, your review is still straight, honest and open-minded.
Thanks for the efforts you put every day in the underground metal
scene!
Take care,
Daniel Gingras (Blinded by Faith, guitarist)
Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2000
From: Jason Smith <
[email protected]>
Subject: Burzum bootleg!
This is what the reviewer, Alvin Wee wrote about the Burzum disc you
reviewed in Issue #49...
Contact: No Colours Records, Postfach 32, 04541, Borna, Germany
(30DM + postage, $20 should cover it.)
$20? Is that Canadian, American funds? Does this distributor have a
web page where I can find out more accurate pricing, which also takes
postage area into account...? I don't just wanna send $20 when it
could cost more or less...
Thanks in advance...
j.schizoid
www.schizoid.org
[Sorry for the confusion there folks, I merely suggested sending
US$20 as the label did not indicate the exact cost of this item. Feel
free to e-mail the label directly at
[email protected] or
e-mail me directly at my CoC address if it still doesn't work. There
are also quality bootlegs of Strid stuff and a killer Grimm EP, so
you might want to ask about those too. -- Alvin Wee]
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000
From: "Stinson, Morgan"
<
[email protected]>
Subject: Lame Question
Hey, I'm essentially an unblemished virgin when it comes to
goth/metal/industrial music, but I am wondering if you can recommend
any particular music that anyone could like. The darkest stuff I
listen to is Theatre of Tragedy, NIN, Tool, Saturnus, etc. But I need
it to be pretty mainstream. I'm a generalist, and I want to know
about some really artistic and yet almost poppy goth bands. Y'know,
really dumb it down for me.
Thanks in advance.
Morgan
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| | | ( | | ( | ( | | | __/\__ \
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KILLING IS THE BUSINESS OF THEIR ENEMY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Shane Embury of Napalm Death
by: Paul Schwarz
A lot of people didn't like _Scum_ when it came out in 1986. I recall
our our own CoC scribe Matthias Noll, when we were talking about the
explosion of grindcore, making the comment that people in the metal
world at the time felt that this new form of "music" was merely
"noise". Attitudes have changed, and today Napalm Death are both
respected and loved for those ripping first steps they made, and
the various twists and turns their expansive career has taken
since then. Though they never again quite matched the first-time
unlistenability factors of _Scum_ and its successor _From Enslavement
to Obliteration_, Napalm Death continued to assault our ears with
records swaying in varying degrees towards death metal, hardcore and
even melodicised punk, changing and developing with each successive
release. Though stepping away from blunt extremity with _Diatribes_
(1996) and _Inside the Torn Apart_ (1997), Napalm Death nonetheless
continued to grow, expanding their audience with extensive and
increasingly prestigious live work. However, _Words From the Exit
Wound_ -- which was ultimately to be the band's final album for
Earache (the label with whom they had been since _Scum_) --, though a
good album, was not inspiring or encouraging, and there were people
who had begun to exclude the possibility that Napalm Death would
again blast through all the cliches and make a record as truly great
as they used to -- that's the way I was thinking, at least. A
changeover of management personnel, a move to the UK's fledgling
Dream Catcher label and a stomping covers EP later, and I was proved
well and truly wrong by last September's release of the ninth(!)
Napalm Death record, _Enemy of the Music Business_. I said as much as
I needed to in my review [CoC #50], so I'll save you any more gushing
here about the record and deliver you into the hands of bassist and
longest-standing member Shane Embury, with whom I talked in the
latter part of last year.
CoC: First of all, good record. This is the first record of yours
I've really gone for in the last three years. What do you think
it represents? You've called it _Enemy of the Music Business_
and it comes after a period of you going in a direction which
was a little less heavy and a little more song-written, possibly
a little adventurous for the early Napalm. What would you say
this new album represents, with you being on a smaller label, or
a different label at least?
Shane Embury: I think the thing is, with the label, it's a fairly new
one, which is good for us and the guy behind it; he
used to run Music for Nations, so he knows what he's
doing. But, at the same time, I think it's like a fresh
start for him and a fresh start for us. Obviously with
the title and all that: that really just represents a
lot of the crap we had to deal with. It was a bit of a
weird title to pick in some ways.
CoC: It is very proclamatory and, to be honest, when I first heard it
I really kind of groaned inside 'cause it sounded like a
record against something, and nothing else. It didn't sound
like something that would be good. But it's actually quite
appropriate somehow.
SE: It is. I think on face value you can look at it and [think] we
might be sparking off on some fuckin' righteous trip or whatever,
but it's not so much that, really, as a case of documentation of
all the shit that we went through. I mean, I like to think --
without trying to sound too cliched -- that in a way it's a
lesson for other people, to be honest: not to be sort of trapped
into thinking that 'cause you've signed this deal suddenly
everything's a better road. It wasn't just the record label, it
was the whole situation we were surrounded by, y'know. I can
point to a lot of things wrong with Earache, but it's not
completely their blame. I mean, we used a lot of people around us
who nearly suffocated the band and didn't really push the band or
like the band for the right reasons, I don't think. And I think
towards the end of the last album we were basically thrown into
the studio so many times that as much as we had the enthusiasm
for writing songs it was just not enough time to breathe and
fuckin' sort of work out where you wanted to go. And of course we
had loads of personal problems between us as well, which we
managed to get through, but I think this record, for us, as a
band, we're all pretty much on the same level with each other now
-- for the first time in a long time, probably. And it was a
conscious decision for us to just go, "well fuck it, y'know, we
just want this one to be a kick in the face", really. Obviously
there's bits and pieces there that wouldn't have happened if it
wasn't for us experimenting, so to speak, but we went back to
what we felt comfortable with. I mean, I myself, I've come full
circle, in a way, after doing the Lock Up album with Nick from
Dimmu and stuff like that. It just, it just... I don't know! I
mean, I'm just sitting here now with my four track just churning
out riffs and all of a sudden they're just coming to me, y'know.
Which is good because that's kind of how I was around the '92,
'93, '94 period.
CoC: _Utopia Banished_ through to _Fear, Emptiness, Despair_.
SE: And as a reaction to that we made a conscious decision to try do
something different, which is a learning process at the same time
and of course it comes out on record as a documentation. But I
think that's all mingling well with what we've done. There's
elements of difference there, but I think it's more sort of
pasted into all of the typical sort of extremes that we're known
for.
CoC: Absolutely. I think the last three records -- _Diatribes_
onwards -- a lot of people did start to flag off, and I was one
of these people. I bought _Diatribes_ and then heard bits of the
next one. It didn't just hit quite the right spot. Getting the
new one, it reminds me most of _Fear, Emptiness, Despair_ in the
way it's put together. I don't know why, but that's just the
impression that I've got. For me, it's my favourite Napalm
record and I think it'll stay that way; I don't think it's just
'cause it's the new one. You really have kind of mixed in the
old and the new. You seem to have grown -through- the whole
songwriting thing, but also sort of gone back to the earlier
material.
SE: I think it's a learning process, yet again. From _Diatribes_
onwards it was almost a reaction to the blasting in a weird way,
I guess. I always get this picture in my mind of like half of the
Napalm fans running off 'cause of the black metal scene or
something: 'cause it was the fastest thing around at the time.
Why I think that I don't know, but it was just that at that
particular time we were getting into... well, we were always into
our different stuff, but I think it was just our reaction to it
and of course obviously as a band it was always mixed feelings,
but I think it's a learning process. I think because we've
managed to stay around for the duration, we've managed to mix it
well. I'm just glad that we turned around and said "right, we're
gonna do something that we're known for", but obviously with all
the little bits and pieces that we learned from the other shit,
really. And I think that's helped. I mean, when you first try
different things, y'know, it's a whole learning thing of trying
to make it all fit and fit in well, obviously. Your album's
documented so people sort of, the ones who stuck with us, it's
killer for that but obviously, I think with this one we've
probably grabbed a few people who swayed a bit on the last
couple, like yourself.
CoC: You got a lot of good critical acclaim for _Diabtribes_ and
_Inside the Torn Apart_. _Diabtribes_ was quite popular with
Metal Hammer and a few other mags. That whole direction did you
quite well, but the _Enemy of the Music Business_ title and all
the problems you had with Earache and other things just seemed
to sort of sway things the wrong way, in terms of how the band
ended up actually being pushed out there. I think Napalm could
have been a lot more popular based on the kind of sound that you
were putting out with _Diatribes_ and stuff like that.
SE: Well, I mean, y'know, it all depends how you look at it. I think
a lot of people into the band liked the direction and obviously
we pulled a few people that never liked us before. Obviously,
there were also people who said "this is not my cup of tea", or
whatever. I think if we were on a different label maybe [it would
have been different], but I don't think it was so much that. We
just kind of were a little disillusioned at some points with
everything. As you progress and all that bollocks you just want
to do different things, I suppose. I guess. But with the new one,
I don't know, there's just more of a combined sort of affair
between all of us, I think. Even like doing the last few albums,
that became a bit stale because we wanted to sort of pick the
pace up more, really. And it was just like a combined thing where
we just said, "well, this one we really wanna pull all the stops
out if we can". And I think we were fuelled a bit more by what
had happened. I mean, in sort of the middle of '98 -- it's an old
story, really, now -- things were looking very doomy for us,
y'know. And we were just hangin' on by a thread, really, I think.
CoC: This is around _Words From the Exit Wound_?
SE: Well yeah, we had just recorded that, but there wasn't much
enthusiasm from Earache. By their own admittance, they said that
they were getting stale themselves, y'know, of having the
band on the label, and I'm like going "thank you very much"
<sarcastically> <laughs>. A great vote of confidence considering
-- not to blow our own trumpet -- but if it wasn't for us you
probably wouldn't have a fuckin' label!
CoC: Absolutely. The synonymy of Napalm Death and Earache in some
ways is quite scary. In the beginning and all that sort of
thing. You were saying how the personal problems in the band had
sort of died down. Do you think that's just the end of a long
saga of all the stuff that came after _Utopia Banished_? 'Cause
I recall the whole thing about doing _F,E,D_ was that Barney
wanted to do faster things and that wasn't the band's opinion.
Did things just sway one way or the other from that point on and
have they come down now?
SE: Well, I think around that point Barney was taking the lead in a
lot of things -- around '92/'93 -- and some of it we agreed with
and some of it we didn't. We felt that we wanted a whole band.
Now, it's a situation where if you want to talk to Napalm you can
talk to any member of the band; before I think it was mainly
Barney. And that's fine, but we felt that it wasn't totally
representative of the band and I guess for whatever reasons we
all sort of went a little bit haywire and crazy having this
democracy go out the window for a while, really. And I mean, of
course Barn liked some of _Fear..._, but there was a problem when
we were doing that. But I think at the same time he'd admit that
he started to have a few personal problems himself, y'know. Just
whatever. We're lucky enough through all of the years that we've
pretty much stood by him and he's stood by us, y'know. And it's
cool that we managed to get through all of it. I mean, looking
back on it I don't fuckin' know how we did it, to be honest. You
hear about these things with bands and stuff and on a big scale,
and you think well OK, they're selling millions of albums,
y'know, pressure this, pressure that. But there was pressure on
us, I think: _Fear, Emptiness..._ was the Columbia release and
that's when they started to poke their noses in and we were
trying to ignore them as best we could. After that there were
problems with Barney flying and things like that and all sorts of
bits and pieces which you overcome. I think all that didn't help,
y'know, and I think we were putting too much pressure on
ourselves, mainly because I think people around us weren't doing
their jobs. I think their managing, to be perfectly honest, was
fucking useless. I think they were ridin' the crest of the wave,
so to speak. Came in around _Harmony Corruption_ / _Utopia
Banished_ where, to be honest, the band was doing well off its
own name and nothing else, I think. And it's easy for some guy to
come in and suddenly he looks cool because he's managing this
band, but when things need to progress or move in different
directions that's when he shows his worth, y'know, and that
wasn't happening and the agencies really weren't working for us.
And we just found out loads of things behind the scenes and that
all fuelled the new one, I think.
CoC: One of the lyrics I noticed from "Taste the Poison" on the new
record that I thought was quite good was: "Raise a voice? The
art of making noise. Attacking stance? Fist in the face for
personal choice". Is that about trying to get your music past
record labels? Also, what I liked about "Raise a voice? The art
of making noise" was that it reminded me of the way that Napalm
is quite political in some respects and quite intelligent
lyrically, but it's always been very noisy, you have to sit down
and read the lyrics book. Is it anything against the people who
say "what's the point in being political, you can't understand
the lyrics"?
SE: I think it's several things. I mean, that to a point, and also it
deals with certain factions of music where it's sort of trendy to
play extreme as well. Whereas it's actually genuine in the first
place, y'know, it's almost like a fashion in six months time.
They could be a totally different band depending on what the
label wants them to be, I guess. That's a little bit to it. But I
mean, you always get the criticism of "you've got a lot of things
to say, why can't I understand the lyrics", but we've always said
that that's what the lyrics sheets are for, y'know, use the
brain, -read-, you know what I mean. It's just like part and
parcel, I think. "You've got to have some accessible voice to
understand you"? I've never quite understood that, really.
CoC: I've never got it either. I think it's one of the things that
works better as a statement of energy, as a statement of what it
is musically. I think that says a lot, if you see what I mean.
SE: And I think people can just go "I can't understand what you're
saying" and there you go, read! You just take it in, because
you're going to take it in a lot better readin' it than you are
just singin' along with the guy. Anyone can sing along and not
realise what the person's singin', really. You look at the piece
of paper and just take it in visually and go "well, I know where
he's coming from" or "I don't".
CoC: What led you to work with Simon Efemey and not Colin Richardson?
You went back to the old logo and some of the old sounds, so it
was interesting not to see Colin there.
SE: Well I've told you the general vibe of the album, I think after I
did the Lock Up album -- that was just an experience which I was
really pleased about because it was just a three day, four day
affair: we just blasted the shit out -- which sounded good and
there was an energy captured and shortly after we'd just signed
to Dream Catcher after we did the American tour and we thought,
"right, we don't really wanna go in and do an album straight
away, let's take some time out". Y'know, try and repair some of
the damage that we felt had been done by our label and manager
and stuff. We did the covers EP and Simon Efemey has been a good
friend of mine for years, really. I mean the guy's a complete
maniac, y'know. His sense of humour is like right on par with
mine and the rest of the guys. It's just, Colin, I mean, he's a
lovely guy, he's a great bloke, I've known him for years, but I
think as he's got more popular, I think he almost -- without
being disrespectful to the guy -- has to prove how much he's
worth, y'know. And towards the last album, we were just sitting
around twiddling our fingers going "fuck me, four days on the
guitar sound!", y'know. We were going, "this is just bollocks!",
y'know. And I was just going, "it never used to be like this" and
I'm there moaning, running around, going "it never used to be
like this years ago". We used to get in there, couple of fuckin'
days at the most. And we just wanted a fresher approach, y'know,
we were getting a bit tired. I think we/he just killed the vibe,
by the time people started to record their songs, you're just
fuckin' tired, I think. Simon's not like that. I mean, he works
differently with each band, I think, but he likes to get things
moving.
CoC: Absolutely. I mean, you did this whole album in two weeks.
SE: Pretty much.
CoC: That's a pretty short time for a band on their -- god, what is
it -- eighth or ninth record.
SE: Yeah, I mean the other guy Russ Russell who produced it with
Simon, he's our live sound engineer. Which is great, because I
think he incorporated in his own way what he tries to get live.
He tried to put that in the album and I think it's a very live
sounding album as well.
CoC: Absolutely, it is, it's got a lot of bite to it.
SE: Which I think a lot of bands try to get. I've always wanted that.
I think that's maybe been a missing ingredient for a few years:
that you put it on and it feels exciting. And that's really the
main reason, plus, with the guys down the studio, it was not just
like recording an album: it was fun, y'know. And that had been
missing for a couple of albums; let us get on with what we're
doing and the other people can worry about what they've got to
do. As opposed to us just trying to sit in the studio and stress
about fuckin' everything else at the same time, y'know.
CoC: Yeah, you can't be the band and the manager and everything.
SE: Not really, no. So we have people with us now who are extremely
enthusiastic and know what they need to do and it's great. It's a
weird, bizarre thing, because we've all sort of come together as
a team of people and they themselves, before they got involved
with us -- y'know, Russ, Simon, Rudy Reid who's our manager and
Jez who's our manager or whatever --, they were saying that years
ago they really wanted to meet some fuckin' crazy people and all
of a sudden after this shit hit the fan you just got the other.
I'm not one for fate or anything like that, but it just seemed
kind of <he pauses> well timed, y'know. So I think all that sort
of throws into the bag and makes the record what it is.
CoC: Touching on the idea of _EotMB_ as a protest record, I just
wanted to quote something out of the review in Terrorizer of the
album. "If _EotMB_, as the title suggests, is a protest record,
it's one that manages to make its case by the force of its
existence. Right now I couldn't give monkeys about the push and
pull of trends, marketability, any kind of discourse you might
drum up to put Napalm Death in their place. This record lives by
its own rules and that feels to me like the whole of the law."
Do you think that is where you've tried to put _EotMB_: outside
of progression and trends and all this sort of thing?
SE: There is an element of the record there, y'know, that we just
fuckin' -- not for any particular other reason than what it is:
we're just sick and tired of some of the music scene. Whether
we're old bastards I don't know. I sit there and think: am I
getting this? And some new bands come along and I do think
they're fuckin' good. It is a whole different scene. I am not
trying for fuckin' people to be like "they're the mods, they're
the fuckin' rockers", that kind of thing, y'know. I am not crying
for that again, I just think that music's so intertwined with
each other that people don't know where they're going or whatever
the fuck. And I just think people are just... people don't search
for music anymore, they are told what to buy. And obviously with
marketing this record in magazines people are going to see Napalm
and they might check it out because they think that's what
they've got to get, y'know, but at the same time we just wanted a
record that says "fuck all that shit, we are what we are and
we're outside all that". We make no bones about it. Some of it we
don't know where it comes from. Some bands we think, "well yes,
that's genuine, that's good and they've started something", but
the copious thing just seems ridiculous to me to an extent. We
just wanted to see something that people either like it or they
won't, really.
CoC: I mean the shirts you guys wear on the album are quite
indicative of that: Possessed and Venom. But I noticed that in
some of the interview shots your wearing Nasum shirts and stuff
like that. Are there a couple of bands like that out of the
music scene now who you think -are- doing something worthwhile
and you might -- it sounds a bit cheesy -- ally yourselves with?
SE: Yeah, I mean the Nasum thing is just... I think the first time I
heard them was during the _Words From the Exit Wound_ and they
just gave me a kick in the ass, to be honest. It was staying
fresh, to me. I mean, it's nothing really original, but it's just
staying fresh. I just think it sounded like they were doing it
with conviction whereas some bands who do that, don't. I don't
know, but I'm a great believer in the idea that you can -hear-
fuckin' integrity on records. I'm sure you can.
CoC: I think so.
SE: And I think that's what I heard in them, and it definitely
sparked the Lock Up thing with us. Fuckin' 'ell. I mean, we were
talkin' about it anyway and it just mutated from there, really.
And I think that's when we decided that the next Napalm album
should be a right kick in the ass, y'know. There are a lot of
good bands that are out there. Unfortunately my ear's not as to
the ground as it was. I used to tape trade years ago. I've got an
Internet now so it's a bit easier, but the fuckin' time to sit
down and write letters has never been my greatest thing lately.
But there are a lot of good bands out there, but they especially
did sort of spark some of this, y'know. I don't think it's
fuckin' a case of we're like 30+ or whatever. We just look back
at our own scene that we come from and we just think, "but then,
people, they craved, fuckin', the music and they went out, they
went to find it."
CoC: Yeah, I think definitely the late-eighties grindcore and the
early nineties death metal scene had a lot more of that because
it hadn't become an industry yet. I think that's the case
now with some of the emerging musical styles. Like American
noisecore isn't really trend-oriented yet. If you've heard
Botch, and The Dillinger Escape Plan...
SE: Hm <acknowledging>.
CoC: I think they're a little more out of that whole system, but
yeah, death metal releases now are marketed to shit, marketed on
poor ideas, but because they have a very solid fan base people
keep, seemingly, buying the same records over and over again.
Which is very strange, I find, because originally it was such an
interesting musical style. When all that stuff came out it was
new and fresh.
SE: Well, I think it's like anything after a while. It just gets
copious and then it explodes and then all of a sudden it's deemed
the fuckin' wrong thing to be playing, y'know. We've always tried
to mix a shitload of different ideas from different areas. I mean
Napalm's not just a death metal band, it's a hardcore band, it's
got fuckin' industrial influences, it's got all kinds of stuff.
And I think maybe that's where some bands fall short. I mean, the
black metal thing's getting -- well, has been -- swamped to fuck
now. I don't know where that's gonna go next.
CoC: I don't know. It seems that the main bands of it seem to
have sort of almost killed it themselves intentionally, by
making sort of odd, very right-angled records, which is a bit
different. A lot of the death metal bands went a bit Roadrunnery
about '94/'95, where the black metal scene -- Emperor, Ulver,
Mayhem and others -- have just gone a bit weird. But still
there's the melee of keyboards and Cradle of Filth guitars which
is selling the same sort of way that the SOD reading faction of
the death metal crowd does. I was wondering what you thought of
the whole Napster revolution and the whole Emusic revolution
which Earache is taking part in?
SE: The whole Napster thing's a bit weird. Strangely enough
I was just lookin' on that site today because some
guy fuckin' wrote into the website we've just started
(www.enemyofthemusicbusiness.com) just saying how he purchased
the Lock Up album off Napster and I was like, fuckin' bastard!
I've mixed feelings about it in some ways. The idea essentially
is good, I think, but I know that for small bands it could be a
pain in the fuckin' arse.
CoC: You think for small bands?
SE: Yeah, I think so in some respects. It depends on how you look at
it. For very, very small bands it could be good, but I think when
you've got fuckin' bands on a sort of ten, fifteen thousand
selling basis or they've got some fuckin' record label who're
stingin' 'em badly, it could really fuck them over. No-one
intentionally does this for money, but for some bands -- going
back to how we signed our record deal with Earache, I know that
in the early days our royalty rate was not the greatest, y'know.
You've got Napster putting the record out and in essence it's
killer, but you've also got a fuckin' label puttin' the album out
who're just fuckin' the band over twice as hard in a way. It's
not particularly -their- fault. There's a million ways to look at
it, I think. Essentially it's a good thing, I think. I don't know
whether it affects bands' sales that much anyway, to be honest.
CoC: To be honest, I think at the moment it has very little effect,
because of the number of users who use it and how many of them
are fans of small bands. I think a lot of them are older, better
off people with computers. I think most of the worry about
Napster is gonna be for the future: in ten years, where will
people be buying CDs, and all that sort of thing.
SE: I mean, that's the only thing that I would say, if a band was
signed to so many albums for a label and they had a shit fuckin'
deal, it would really affect them -- maybe not so much now but
maybe in three or four years time, y'know what I mean, if a
thousand kids download the album or whatever.
CoC: For some bands that is a good proportion of their sales. On the
other hand, it depends how much people keep their honesty. I use
Napster and I use the local university network to get music and
stuff, but I never keep anything on MP3 and don't buy it, that I
would keep. In the end, if I want something I'll buy it, because
I feel some sort of debt to the people who made it. Even if that
money doesn't necessarily go to the band directly, every sale
tends to make -some- sort of difference as to whether they get
another deal or whatever. But for bands from where Napalm were
coming from -- when Earache started and that sort of thing -- in
theory Napster is a really good place to discover music. Like
you were saying about people just buying what was out there and
not going and looking for stuff, one of the things about Napster
is you can just go and look and download one track of anything
out there that someone's got on a computer somewhere. That's one
of the serious advantages. What do you think of the actual sales
on the Internet? Do you think that's in some way gonna
dehumanise CDs and music because, for example, the bands you
covered and bands like Possessed and Venom and that sort of
thing came from the vinyl age when everything had a lot of
character, it had two sides and it was big: there was a whole
image to it. If it goes digital, do you think that will die and
bands will sort of become just sounds?
SE: There is a danger of that, I think. But I don't know, I think in
some ways it's interesting to us because especially in years to
come we're definitely thinking about where it's gonna be on the
Internet in five or ten years time and where we as band could
just like totally control our own output as well. I think there's
a million ways. The whole vinyl thing's pretty much dead,
unfortunately. Well, I suppose it's there to a point, but it was
always great when you bought a record you could see that you got
value for money, so to speak. But it's interesting that for some
bands in the years to come you could have total control, which is
good, y'know. I mean, I don't know how far it's gonna go because
you are gonna need, probably, a really good distribution as well.
We've been talking about this quite a while. In five years time,
I think, probably.
CoC: It depends, but with Internet use going up at the rate it is,
there will be an obscene amount of people on the Internet. It's
ironic that someone like Metallica have been so hounding of
Napster's phenomenon considering that they come very much from
the tape trading circuit. One of the things that could be good
with Napster if it gets to a bigger audience is that it could
become like tape trading. A buzz could go around about a band --
like it did with yourselves or Morbid Angel -- before their
album came out.
SE: With Metallica, I don't understand that, because they're so
fuckin' huge anyway. What's the big deal, y'know? That was my
only complaint -- what I said before -- with like certain bands
on certain deals where it could potentially affect them. I mean I
would see how that would piss -those- bands off: a) we have a
shit deal; b) we're not recouped yet... and Napster's selling our
album. That's the only way I would look at it at that point; as
regards bands who press their own CD, it's a killer way of
getting their name around. But on the spectrum of bands as big as
Metallica I can't even see the point in getting worried about it,
'cause they sell so many bastard million albums anyway -- why get
stressed? They're fuckin' beyond millionaires or whatever. And as
you say, you know, the whole process of their first album came
about through tape trading.
CoC: Absolutely, through _No Life 'Til Leather_.
SE: That's the one that's responsible. I mean in some ways the
Internet reminds me of tape trading because since I've been on it
I've talked to the guy from our website in Brazil and a few other
people. Spoke to a guy today who wants to license our album in
Russia. OK, it's not a great deal of money, but who gives a fuck:
it gets out there and, y'know, the kids can get the record, which
is the main thing. And you know, hopefully we can get some gigs
out there. It just reminds me, all of a sudden I'm starting to
keep in contact. It gives me something to fuckin' do again,
y'know, it's great during the day. That's something that's been
lacking a little bit, it just reminds me a lot of tape trading. I
mean a band called Hirax who were one of our favourite bands
years ago, all of a sudden they were reformed and I got an e-mail
out of the blue like, "hey guys, blah, blah, blah", and it's
killer. And in a way I think it is -good-. It definitely is a
damn site easier than writing a fuckin' letter, y'know.
CoC: Yeah, e-mail has become a really, really good thing. One of the
things about the Internet -- it's very obvious from Napalm that
you're not 100% there with Capitalism -- is that it's quite an
egalitarian thing in principle. Though maybe it'll stop being so
in practice. But in theory the idea of something like Napster is
that anyone can get it, and just say, for example, that there's
some way of paying the artist, or some way of keeping him in the
business -- that's one of the things I do like about the
Internet, that it doesn't sort of say that if you don't have any
money then you can't listen to good music. One of the things
about the underground music scene that's annoying and difficult
is that the records are often difficult to get and expensive
when you find them. If you wanted to get Dying Fetus albums you
more or less had to import them from the States until recently.
You have to have a very sort of close knit sale thing, and I
don't know where Napalm are financially at the moment, but a lot
of the bands I've talked to over the last couple of years
-- Cryptopsy, Vader and others -- spend Monday till Friday
practicing and working -- running their lives to run a band --
and that's quite a commitment. If the Internet could in any way
alleviate that, it would be great.
SE: I mean, the four of us, four of the band, we share a house
together. We have our own little squat, so to speak. Barn, he
writes for Kerrang! and reviews computer games for Kerrang! as
well. We don't have to do the whole nine to five thing, but
saying that, there are times when -- you know at moment -- it's
all a bit scarce, really, to be honest. When it's good, it's
good, and when it's bad, it can be bad. It's just one of those
things. I think things are picking up a bit, obviously: we're
gonna be on tour this Sunday for seven weeks, so that gets us out
of the rut, so to speak, and playing the songs live, which'll be
good.
CoC: Which political system between the US and the UK do you feel is
more detrimental to people, which one do you think is better one
way or another?
SE: I don't know... neither, probably. I am a bit of a doomist on
that kind of thing. Barney's probably the person to answer a
question on that, really. I am a bit more of an end of the world
type fuckin' nutcase, y'know what I mean?
CoC: But not quite an anarchist, then?
SE: Not really. I'm more like, "they're all fucked basically and
anyone who comes in doesn't change things anyway". Speaking for
England, it just seems to get worse anyway. I don't pretend to
understand the political designs or anything, really, I just look
at it in a face value and try to use common sense and it just
seems to me like things get worse anyway.
CoC: Would you say that's not the case with music or would you say
you're just trying to combat that?
SE: What d'you mean?
CoC: Well, in the sense that a lot of what you said, a lot of what
seems to be part of Napalm Death, is that you're not obeying to
musical conventions, but in the same way what's popular and
what's getting the most money and the way that the music
industry flows is quite difficult to affect, but on the other
hand a band like Napalm Death, back in '86/'87, no one would
have expected it to make as much impact as it did, but it -did-
make that much impact.
SE: That was quite a surprising thing, really, but I mean we never
tried to play to people's whims, I suppose. I don't know. I mean,
it's a surprise. I get surprised still, surprised that I'm still
around after all this time, really. I never really thought I'd be
here still doing music at this age. It's a bit of a surprise. We
never tried to fit in, I don't think. We get a nice, weird kick
out annoying people, I think.
CoC: Is it or is it not ultimately your hope that people do get into
Napalm and do get into better bands than they sometimes might do?
SE: Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously if no-one liked as at all we'd
probably cease to exist except for very infrequent gigs or
whatever. I think obviously you want people to like you. But I
don't know, I read a great Queens of the Stone Age thing in
Kerrang! last week -- or some magazine -- and they said that if
you want people to like you, pretend to have a secret that people
wanna get into. So you cup your hands and when people come near
you, you just tell them to fuck off and get away: it's not for
you. I quite like that because in some ways it makes people
think, "I'm intrigued, I've got some curiosity here", y'know. So
in some weird way, I think maybe we do a similar sort of thing;
it's just a case of can you really sort of handle what we're
about, y'know.
CoC: I guess that's kind of what _Scum_ did. It was right angled. It
didn't say come and listen to me, it said don't ever listen to
me.
SE: We've got a little thing on our website -- Steven Welsh wrote it
for us -- which just gets to the point where it just tells people
to log off right now, remove yourselves. Which is a similar kind
of thing in some respects. I mean with the new one, as I say,
we're completely into it and we've just got to the point now
where if people like it, great, and if they don't, we're just not
really bothered anymore. This is what we want to do.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
T H E S H I F T I N G S C A L E S O F B R U T A L I T Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Jon Levasseur from Cryptopsy
by: Paul Schwarz
Death metal's stalwarts, beware: you may not like the new Cryptopsy
album. "Why?", I hear you ask. Well, because Cryptopsy can no longer
be labelled a "death metal" band and even roughly summed up. Their
fourth offering, _And Then You'll Beg_, is yet more bewilderingly
technical than even _Whisper Supremacy_ [CoC #34] was, and though it
is quite fully recognisable as Cryptopsy, the album also sheds nearly
all the band's debts to the death metal scene that they were spawned
from. Jon Levasseur prefers to use the term "extreme metal", and
Cryptopsy's musical progression and expansion justifies such a wide
classification. Listen to what he has to say, because whether it be
about Cryptopsy or the extreme music scene in general, I think Jon
has a lot of interesting perspectives and insights to offer.
CoC: How are things in the Cryptopsy camp?
Jon Levasseur: Pretty cool, we're pretty relaxed, pretty happy with
everything that happened. The studio time was very
cool, we had the time to do everything that we wanted.
It was more relaxed this time, no pressure, we had the
time that we -wanted-: _Whisper Supremacy_ we jammed
everything in like three weeks and this time we had
-a month- and three weeks, and that makes a big
difference! We're kinda happy 'cause we've already
done a couple of the shows, so we're getting used to
being on the road again, driving and connecting with
the crowds and everything. We did three shows, we
played in Wooster, MA, Meriden, Connecticut and New
York city in Manhattan, and it was an awesome show,
and we played in a place here in Quebec. Our album
launch is coming up and it's our next show in
Montreal. I wish you could see it, 'cause we're
putting everything we've got into it. I can't say what
we're putting into it, but it's gonna be the biggest
Cryptopsy show ever at The Medley and we're putting
everything we've got into it. But we're putting it on
film though, so it should be a live video.
CoC: Wicked, that would be cool.
JL: That's why we're doing it with like four cameras and we're gonna
edit the whole thing and it should be... I can't say too much
here.
CoC: Bug Century Media and put it on DVD!
JL: <laughs>
CoC: That way we can switch the camera angles.
JL: That would be something else, wouldn't it.
CoC: You were saying that it was really relaxed in the studio. You
found there wasn't any pressure going into doing the fourth
album -- second one for Century Media -- and I assume from what
you say there was no pressure from the label to do one thing or
another?
JL: Not at all, not at all. 'Cause obviously Century Media signed
us for who we are and they knew what we were about. With
_Whisper..._ we didn't have any pressure from Century Media but
we put ourselves under a lot of pressure, because we had a hard
level to overcome after coming out with _None So Vile_ and it
getting such great reviews. People were questioning whether we
would be able to top _None So Vile_. But what we did was we went
into real extremity, a few grooves, really intense, really
technical, and it was our first album on Century Media, so those
two reasons were really putting us under some pressure. Since we
did the album in a short period of time it was pretty rushed,
actually. But this time -- Century Media know that we put out an
album every two years and a couple of months, so they respect
that, and especially since we toured for like a whole year,
though not continually. We played Japan. We played twice in the
States to start off and then right after that our first show in
Europe was Dynamo [CoC #40]. That was awesome. We were playing
and weren't even realising we were there because us here in North
America, we hear talk about Dynamo and it's the biggest metal
festival in the world and just the idea of making it there is...
impossible! But obviously, coming back to Century Media, Century
Media Germany had a lot to do with it. Coming back to the album,
they helped out a lot with the time: they gave us a greater
budget so we had the time to do what we wanted to do. And we
worked with Pierre Remillard again and they had no problem with
that. Things have been just booming and the studio was relaxed
'cause we had the time to do anything that we wanted. Century
Media have been just great about it, waiting for it. Now they've
heard it and their feedback to us is very, very positive
considering the album. I told them: it's gonna take time, but
once it's done it's gonna be something else.
CoC: And it really is something else. It's the second album you guys
have done with Mike and it sounds like you've become more
comfortable just doing whatever you want. It seems like a very
free album.
JL: Yes.
CoC: _NSV_ and _WS_ were both creatively interesting and different
but this one you just seem to have written -an album-. There
doesn't seem to have been any need for it to be a death metal
album or any particular kind of album, it's just a Cryptopsy
album.
JL: Exactly. I can't say it better than what you just said. That's
exactly it, you're right. _Whisper..._ was the beginning of our
"extreme metal" side. _None So Vile_ is like the beginning. _None
So Vile_ is still a -death metal- album, but the beginning of
technicality started there. And then for _Whisper..._ -- because
of all the pressure that I mentioned earlier -- we wanted to give
something even more. But by being extremely intense. But this
album, like you said, it's a free album, and what contributed a
lot to it is that there was a lot of help from everyone. Before,
me and Flo [Mounier, drums] used to be the main writers --
for _None So Vile_ and even a lot of _Whisper..._. But on
_Whisper..._ Eric had adapted to the band -- he's been in the
band a long time now -- so he started writing a lot, and on this
album he wrote an entire song. "...And Then It Passes" is his
song. He showed me the riff, we worked it out with Flo and that's
what came out. Other songs like "We Bleed" and "Voice of
Unreason" me and Flo wrote, but all the other five new songs on
the album -- I couldn't even say that it's more me than anybody
else: it's a group effort. Even Alex, our new guitar player, had
a couple of ideas. Obviously he had just entered the band and it
wasn't an easy task for him to adapt so fast to a band that was
extreme when he was coming from a more power metal type of band,
but he did! Because he practiced. But obviously his ideas, some
of them were not exactly in the Cryptopsy vein, but some of them
that we found interesting we, like, worked on with him, so at
least the basic ideas came from him, y'know. So it was very much
a group effort and it's a free album, like you say. It bounces
from Morbid Angel to Primus.
CoC: It definitely flips from one place to another. Recently I've
found that a lot of the death metal scene's lacking creativity.
JL: Yeah, in death metal, yes.
CoC: One of the things that really got me going recently has been
some of the American noisecore stuff like Botch and The
Dillinger Escape Plan. I was curious whether you'd picked up any
of that, whether that had sort of influenced -- maybe not the
album, but you musically?
JL: Well, I know Dillinger and they are indeed very fucked up and I
respect them at a high level for what they do because they're
crazy. It's something else: the musicianship and the way that
they change things around is on the money all the time. It
demands a lot of work. I can't really say that we're directly
influenced. I think that maybe what happens is that we are a bit
influenced by what they're a bit influenced by also. 'Cause for
example, Mike's influenced by like death metal, but with a
hardcore feel -- which is still really aggressive 'cause there
are some hardcore singers that I've seen live that are just ten
times more brutal than some basic death metal singer. So that's
it, you know.
CoC: These days I think those noisecore bands are closer to Cryptopsy
in both talent and extremity -- the way they do things -- than a
lot of the death metal bands out there. There are still plenty
of good death metal bands around, but I think what you do
technically is closer to what those bands do: using odd timings,
syncopating things and weaving stranger stuff into whatever
you're doing.
JL: Yeah, if we influence it or not it's kind of hard to say,
'cause we're still a growing band. When people tell me they're
influenced by Cryptopsy I find it awkward, because I'm supposed
to be influenced, because on a musician point of view it's very
different from an outside point of view. What I find cool is that
at least recently there's been bands coming out that have been
doing extreme music, but that is totally different from one
another. There are so many bands now that are so brutal, but they
all have something that's them, and it's their musical composure
that makes them that band. And it's good musicians too. To be
able to go through so many things and so fast -- as bands are
doing now --, you have to be on your game. Like you have to be
there mentally and you have to be knowing what the hell you're
doing.
CoC: I think that's completely true. As far as touring partners for
this album go, who are you thinking of going out with?
JL: Well, often agencies book those tours; we don't really have a big
choice. But, if we were to go out on tour, the ideal tour for now
in my mind in -extreme- metal -- because I think that now the
death metal we've become with other bands is more as extreme
metal than death metal. Obviously death metal is our roots --
there's no hiding that. Like before death metal was big it was
thrash metal, then ten years later it was death metal. And now we
are ten years later than death metal, so I tend to think of it
more as extreme metal. I would see on tour three bands; the ideal
tour for now I think would be Nile, Cryptopsy and Cephalic
Carnage.
CoC: Cephalic Carnage is a very cool band.
JL: We've toured twice with Nile already and we get along just great
with those guys, they've actually become like tour brothers. And
we've met Cephalic Carnage many times and those guys are very
fucked up too. And even their music is like: oh my god! But it's
cool, 'cause you have to listen to it to appreciate it. It's
like, you listen to it once, for sure, the first listen is very
awkward 'cause you don't know really what to expect, but after
listening to it you realise the detail coming out of it and it's
there that you realise that the extreme bands are giving a lot of
thought to what they do: they take time and they let inspiration
come naturally. That in all would be cool if from now on the
bands would always continue to have a new side. 'Cause let's face
it, these bands are not only influenced -- as with us --
from typical death metal bands, because we couldn't influence
ourselves on typical death metal to start getting ideas that are
weirder. When death metal was at a low five years ago there was
nothing we could influence ourselves upon, and we wanted to
create music that was continually evolving, so that's why we
changed, and a lot of people did that too.
CoC: I think Cryptopsy and Cephalic Carnage and a lot of bands now
have really gone beyond scene music. Death metal really used to
be divided into scenes: what scene you came from determined
where your music came from.
JL: Yes.
CoC: I think that's really starting to dissipate.
JL: Oh yes.
CoC: Scene death metal is all old. There is nothing more you can
really do with the Florida death metal sound, y'know.
JL: And it's okay, 'cause that's the evolution of music. If we just
take metal it always has: Black Sabbath came out with it and then
Metallica was huge and then thrash metal was huge and then speed
metal and Slayer came about and when Slayer came that was a -big-
turning. I think that Slayer were the beginning of the even more
violent music. And what's great about Slayer is that they've
stayed the same throughout all the years and that's why I think
as a metal band Slayer would have to be the most unanimous,
respected band in the world.
CoC: I think they should be, if they aren't.
JL: These guys have been going at it -- and we've seen metal bands go
commercial, we all know that --, but they've stayed true and
accepted their popularity and didn't care and always did it for
metal.
CoC: And I think nowadays there are a lot of places you can go. Going
back to the album, what made you decide to use the digereedoo at
the beginning of "Screams Go Unheard"?
JL: That is part of the free flowing of the album, it's just that at
a certain time while we were writing new material our manager --
the ex-manager from Voivod, Morris Richard, who also manages
Obliveon. Well, he manages other Quebec artists -- francophone
artists -- and Morris invited, one night, Flo and Alex to go see
the show. It's commercial, but the guy's a good singer, his name
is Burno Pensi, very good singer. That digereedoo guy did a piece
at this show and he played the digereedoo not as commonly as what
you would hear like in Austalia or something.
CoC: Not the traditional way, right?
JL: Exactly. He uses it in a really -weird- way and then we said:
well, we gotta have that on the album 'cause it's an instrument
where, in the studio, when he was taping it and we were listening
to playback, we were cranking it out loud and it's as if you...
You know that disease you have when you look at a painting, when
there's a bit of hypnotism there?
CoC: Magic eye, when it all goes strange, right?
JL: Exactly, you can spend like an hour and a half looking at it and
have the impression that it's fifteen minutes. The same effect
happens, you're there and time just stands still. You lose the
notion of time -- and then we realised: this lasted two minutes!
I didn't feel it was two minutes 'cause I was so stunned by it.
It's great. Crank it loud on a good sound system, 'cause it
fuckin' blows you away, man.
CoC: I'll give it a shot!
JL: And the guy came in, did three tracks with three different
digereedoos, one from Australia, from the tribal regions -- the
higher pitch one, that is very much more like the Australian one.
But the two others, he has one intonated in D and I think the
other one was an E or something like that. We thought of putting
it right near the end because we put "Back to the Worms" right
before that. But on the album there's a tendency: it starts off
with like new stuff and then towards the end of the album, when
you're at the "Equivalent Equilibrium", it's more a song that's
going back to the old days of Cryptopsy. It's two songs. It's
like a _None So Vile_-ish, _Blasphemy Made Flesh_-ish type of
song, and that's how we wanted to write it, too. So that's why,
by having that song there, we said: well, then we're gonna use
"Back to the Worms" to put right afterwards 'cause since we're
bringing people back to what Cryptopsy used to be on the
first two albums we still put some new stuff in there. In
"Equivalent..." there's that funky bass thing. Then we're gonna
finish the album with "Screams Go Unheard", with the digereedoo,
and the song itself, with the ending, we always thought -- when
we finished that song, we said: this is a cool song for just
ending an album. And we said: we'll have to end it with power
this time. It was actually pretty funny 'cause we did a listening
party in Montreal at one of the biggest metal clubs there. We put
the CD on and it was free, so fans could just walk in and hear
the album. They heard the album before anyone else. It was pretty
funny because when the didge started, people thought it was the
end of the album -- as if it was the end of the song --, so
people started walking out, because it lasts long, and then the
song starts and everyone comes running back in.
CoC: And after "Screams Go Unheard" it kinda fades back into
something similar to the intro. What's the deal with the intro,
'cause I was told that there was supposed to be a sample from
"Matrix" that you couldn't get licensing for or something?
JL: Well, obviously the main idea came from that, but the way that
the guy says it in the movie is cool, but if you listen to it
loud enough there's a lot of ambient noises. It would be too
ambient when you blow it up loud and what the guy says would not
be as in your face. Also, we talked with Century Media about it
and obviously for the rights maybe it could have been done, but
since there was the ambient noise factor we thought: we're just
gonna do something that is quite similar. And with the intro to
the album, I'm glad that you saw that at the end of the album we
come back to what we've done in the beginning. It's cool that you
noticed that pattern going towards the old and didge and then the
new stuff like the beginning of the album. But the intro itself,
at the beginning, we tried to just not have an intro that would
start typically. Some albums you hear the intro and then it
starts and then it just continues. So we thought: we're gonna put
the intro, put a little bit of music, and then continue the intro
to confuse people. Then start off with the initial beat of the
album.
CoC: It's a cool intro, and I think it's better if you don't take it
from the film, it gives the album more of an individual
character.
JL: And it was a lot more imposing in the studio 'cause we didn't
have to deal with that ambient noise. It's more in your face:
vocals and train. As far as sampling goes, we had more time to
work on samplings, because _Whisper..._ was so one shot we didn't
have time to do any real intro. This time we had time and ideas
prior to going into the studio. The scream of the girl, the
beginning of "Screams Go Unheard", the digereedoo plays a while
with us. It's panned from side to side.
CoC: Is the cover the specific to anything or is it just a great
image to have with the whole train sound and everything?
JL: Well, it's just that the whole image was an idea that we had but
it didn't only come from us. By touring and by talking to people
playing North America, Europe and Japan -- it's fucked up 'cause
there's always been something that people would come up to us and
say and some people would come up and say: "when I listen to a
Cryptopsy CD I feel like I am getting run over by a train". <I
laugh> And we said: OK. We take it as a compliment, it's cool.
Then we just said: it's a cool image, it's now a question of just
getting a perfect image. And then we gave the idea to our graphic
designer -- not too sure, but our graphic designer once again did
a great job on the artwork. We went with the concept of not
showing too much of the image; what we show on the cover is just
a part of the image, because when you'll be able to open up the
whole CD there's more. So that's it; that was pretty much just
the idea. We took the band photo in an old train in Ottawa. The
Museum of Science and Technology, they pulled out an old wagon of
1908. They pulled it out of a huge garage there and took
everything off and they made it so we could take pictures and
then they put it back in after. They were really cool with us. We
took the picture in there and obviously our graphic designer
again worked a lot as far as designs. He's a big perfectionist:
when we tell him to stop 'cause it's nice enough, he never stops.
As he did on our website (www.cryptopsy.net). I'll give you a
secret: if you fuck around with it long enough you can open
hidden things.
CoC: Now that Mike's been in the band long enough I assume he's
writing most of the lyrics, right?
JL: Yes, Mike is complete lyricist and vocalist. He writes all the
lyrics, also in part because Alex used to write lyrics for his
band, I used to -- a long time ago, ten years ago -- write
lyrics, but now Mike writes his lyrics to the songs. While we
write the song, even if Mike can't sing the song because he
doesn't know the song, he's always sitting there listening to our
progression, and even giving his opinion because while we're
going -- if he has a vocal idea -- he stops us and says: okay
guys, I'm thinking about doing this and this. So we modify the
music. That's what I meant about a -tighter teamwork- this time.
And he writes his lyrics to the songs so the feeling that he gets
from the song gives him the feeling to what he writes about, and
he writes about it and just structures everything into the song.
And on this album he did even better than he did on _Whisper
Supremacy_ because there's a lot of details that musically are
there that Mike realises are there. So what he does is, he'll
sing and when this slight detail comes along in the music that is
gonna give a little spice to it, he's just gonna let it go and
catch on on vocals later on or something like that. So it's cool
to see that a singer is really implicated in the musical aspect.
So compared to Lord Worm I think that we're much more a tight
unit.
CoC: Yeah, there doesn't seem to be any sort of ego clash: "I wanna
do some more vocals" or "I wanna do some more guitar".
JL: No. I mean, guitar, I could say: I wanna do a solo per song. But
for how long has that been done? Some songs don't need it. Some
songs, I think, do need it. In "We Bleed", which is much more
progressive, yes, Alex and I each have a solo: it's a progressive
song. But there's other songs when we go back to the past, like
typical brutal stuff like "Voice of Unreason" that just don't
need a solo.
CoC: For me it worked well as an album because "...And Then It
Passes" has a little bit of lead widdling but there's no solo in
it. And you have to get all the way to "We Bleed" and it builds
you up more for it.
JL: Exactly, and "...And Then It Passes" is actually a first for
Cryptopsy: a twin technical solo, me and Alex together at once. I
start off the solo, we join in together and he finishes off the
solo. And within that, while we're twin soloing there's no rhythm
guitar in the back, it's just bass popping. We just said: we're
just gonna go crazy, we're just gonna do something that's just
gonna sound -whack-, you know. Me and Alex didn't really try to
go musical on there because the song is pretty whack to start off
with. We said: we're just gonna go for like craziness, that's
all.
CoC: It's a very pounding piece of music.
JL: It's funny, I find. <we both laugh>
CoC: Finally, you as a band seem to have raised your profile with the
dates in Europe [CoC #42] and all that sort of thing and people
seem to be much more aware of this new album than they have been
before. People seem to be way more into the band than they were
a few years ago, and do you think that with what the album is --
being very technical -- that it might break new ground for you
popularity-wise?
JL: Hopefully. Again, we do our music because we want to do the music
that we do, and obviously we don't think of any commercial part.
We do music that challenges us, challenges the people who listen
to it, so it's a challenge and it's just new. And if it does
[gain more popularity] then cool, but -- as you were even saying
earlier -- in general the styles are warping together now. A lot
more. And what's cool about the extreme metal scene as a scene
for ourselves and other bands: you don't only have the death
metal people there. And it's cool because the people from death
metal are also going to hear something that's a bit new. So they
go more towards that so it's a good follow-up, as we did. We are
from death metal, but you've got some people now, we've got a
certain -- the more violent hardcore scene, bands like Converge
and Hatebreed. Some fans of that recognise themselves in what we
do because we're extreme. Because hardcore -- like Converge,
Converge is a hardcore band and a half! A hardcore band with
blastbeats, that was like: holy shit!
CoC: I think the dissipation of some of the scenes has been sad
in some ways [I'm thinking of death metal and black metal
particularly here -- Paul], but I think that's also forced
people out of their little, kind of like, hiding holes. There's
still a lot of people who stick to their scene and don't really
move outside of that, but to be honest I think there is more
possibility for people to get into different bands wherever
they're from and whatever they're doing.
JL: Exactly, and that's the beauty of it 'cause now, instead of ten
years ago, we're uniting styles instead of separating styles.
Before, like you said earlier, either you were a metal fan or you
were a hardcore fan or you were a fan of a specific style. And
now you talk to people and they don't even have to look metal,
they listen to some new age but they still appreciate what you
do. It's cool because people are opening their minds to music and
it's great because we'll be able to make music in general evolve
instead of having all that commercial crap that's all the same
and lame all the time, you know. At least there's a music style
in our scene of metal that's gonna go towards a certain
evolution. So at least it's still going on, because music is an
art for the ear and in every art there's a progression and we've
gotta ensure this progression, you know. Towards time, towards
the future, because music has to change. If in a hundred years
someone listens to Cryptopsy and they say, "these guys are
totally nuts", I'll say, "well, it's cool", because even in a
hundred years maybe they've not fully assimilated what the band
is about. But I wouldn't be surprised that in a hundred years
there'll be like bands that are like two times faster, and we're
considered like the slo-mos. Because everyone thought: Jimi
Hendrix can't go any faster, blah, blah, blah. And then here's
Yngwie Malmsteen. There's always going to be evolution, so even
if people think that this is the last speed that they'll be able
to hear as far as speed, no. Even Slayer, for a long time it was:
you can't go faster than Slayer.
CoC: I recently borrowed some thrash mags done around '85 [thank you,
Matthias -- Paul] and people are saying: it can't get any
heavier than this.
JL: Exactly.
CoC: It's amazing because people are like saying this now and I'm
always very dubious. I think that you can't really see a
possibility until someone does it for you.
JL: Yeah.
CoC: I remember -- not to be too sycophantic -- when _None So Vile_
came out I remember a lot of people being shocked, people who
were into death metal, because it was -that- fast, it was -that-
aggressive.
JL: That's just progression, 'cause now bands have come up to that
level and there will be bands who come after who will be even
more extreme. That's progression. In how long, it's hard to say,
but it will happen. In time, if Cryptopsy is just one of the
bands who helped to make the liaison between, well, great! And
next album, well, I can't say that we have any songs written for
it, but it's gonna be again something different like we've always
done: from _Blasphemy..._ to _None So Vile_ to _Whisper..._ to
_And Then You'll Beg_. The next album: expect the unexpected.
Jon and I also chatted about:
Albums that grow...
JL: The albums that I've taken the most time to get used to are the
ones I put on regularly, like Liquid Tension Experiment. That's
fucked up.
My appraisal of Cryptopsy [yes, my ego needed feeding... -- Paul]
JL: I see that you've listened to the album very carefully 'cause you
were on the ball about everything musically.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
R E M E M B E R I N G T H E P A S T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Thomas Gabriel Fischer about his book "Are You Morbid?"
by: Adrian Bromley
A lot of people will tell you that Celtic Frost was one of those
bands that didn't really change metal music, rather they just helped
put a lot of inspiration and attitude into it. Their work now seemed
cult-like, and was created out of the need to see how far metal music
could bend. What could become of the simple chord playing and harsh
vocals. Experimentation and lots of thought helped shape the music of
the band and more than a decade later since their peak, we once again
are talking about Celtic Frost.
In the last few years, the band has, with the help of their old
label Noise Records, re-issued all of their classic records (except
for the frustrating _Cold Lake_ disc) and singer Tom G. Warrior has
taken flight with his new avant-garde industrial act Apollyon Sun.
Now comes the new book "Are You Morbid? (Into the Pandemonium of
Celtic Frost)", written by the singer.
Chronicles of Chaos caught up with Fischer by phone while he was
in New York in late November to do North American press for the book.
Here is his account on the book, the tales it tells and the role
Celtic Frost played in metal music.
"Since I don't take drugs, I had a lots of time and lots of
boredom", cracks Fischer on how the book came about. "I always wanted
to write a book and I always wrote stuff. I started researching for
this book back in 1990 when the band was still together and it took
me a long time to get this going. It took me three years of research,
'cause I didn't remember all of the details either. By the time I had
all of this done and had started on the manuscript, the band was
over. A lot of people were always asking me about Celtic Frost and
why we put this particular album out or wrote music this way and all
of our legal problems and it just seemed obvious for me to finish
this book so all those questions could be answered to fans."
One read of the book, and it is quite obvious Fischer
doesn't hold any punches. He tells it like it is -- a rewarding
characteristic of the book, which could have easily followed the safe
route and kept things straightforward and unconfrontational. Not
here, folks. And Fischer likes that element of the book too.
"This is a very open book and just the way I wanted to tell it:
like it was. As a legal disclaimer I had to put in that this was my
opinion of how things were. I'm not lying about any of this. I had to
say it was my opinion and if other people have other opinions, then
so be it. I've been sued by Noise Records in the '80s and I don't
want that again. If other people are ticked off, then that is what I
have to deal with."
"Many of the band members read the manuscript before it even
came out", notes Fischer. "And I've been asked several times to
delete stuff from the book and I considered it and out of respect for
these people I took it out. It made them feel uncomfortable, so I
left it out. I tried to write this as it happened and sometimes I
left our last names or just didn't mention names at all for legal
reasons. In essence, the book does not distort the truth. While there
is some bad stuff written about people in the book, including myself,
there is also a lot of good said about those people inside too. I'm
very critical of myself throughout the book and if I can do that
throughout the book, why can't others step up and face what they did,
be it good or bad?"
Does he think the book covers every aspect of the career of
Celtic Frost, or was stuff left out? Fischer answers: "The original
manuscript was twice as voluminous as this book [which is close to
300 pages -- Adrian] and it was far more detailed. I didn't want to
bore people and because of publishing reasons, I had to cut it down
and make it very streamlined. I basically had to pick out what I
thought was important to keep in the book. It was great, they allowed
me to do the editing of the manuscript and I was able to choose what
stayed in. There was so much that could have got into this and from
the original manuscript, there was even more that wasn't there. I
mean, I could have gone on more about tour anecdotes and legal
issues, but how many can you put in before you start yawning? The
book is pretty detailed and not very repetitive. I think I touched
upon everything."
"There are a lot of stories I couldn't really trace or track
down, but that was bound to happen. A lot happened for this band and
it was just impossible to get it right. Sometimes I thought a story
happened one way, and all the band members recounted it another way.
Those ideas had to be dropped and couldn't be in the book because
there was no real agreement on how things unfolded there."
"Writing this book was a very emotional thing for me", he says.
"It sounds cliche, but I was very overwhelmed by a lot of the
memories I brought back from writing certain parts of the book. It
brought back a lot of things. Even Reed [St. Mark, drummer] was
reading the stuff and getting emotional. We were weeping like little
idiots, but it is just because these years of being in the band were
a very important part of our lives. These years changed our lives
forever."
So does writing the book help Fischer realize just how important
the band was in the metal realm and what they did for metal music?
"This book wasn't written for me to go around saying "yeah, I was in
Celtic Frost and I am so important". That wasn't the case at all.
That would be just so rock star like. I think this book really helped
me understand Celtic Frost as a band and only writing this book
helped me free my mind and start to work on my new band Apollyon Sun.
That is the effect this book had. As far as how we changed the metal
scene, I touched upon the stuff that was brought to us and what
people said about us, but I would never go out saying Frost was so
important."
Fischer ends: "To this day I still have a hard time believing we
were important at all. We were just a band that set out to make music
and we got all messed up with the business and each other. It happens
all of the time, except with Celtic Frost it was more visible and the
story needed to be told."
Book Review: "ARE YOU MORBID?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Sanctuary Publishing, $12.99 UK, $19.95 US)
I'm going to make this short, as I think Fischer let those
reading the interview know what to expect from "Are you Morbid?".
While I was not a big Celtic Frost fan going into the book, I
left a fan, not only for the band's hard work and struggle in the
music business, but also for the fact that the band always made an
effort to take their music to a higher level. Celtic Frost really
wanted to explore metal music. And they did.
Fischer's words are very honest, and while he may not be the
best writer in the world (this is his first book), his clever writing
passages are interesting and (at times) very funny. Fischer could
have easily painted himself as the ring leader and savior of the
band, but as mentioned in the interview above, his evils come out in
this book. Nobody in this world is perfect and Celtic Frost was
living proof of that.
As I read "Are You Morbid?" I would listen to the music of the
band at that era, whether it was _Morbid Tales_ or _Into the
Pandemonium_. Reading the excerpts about the making of each record
and listening to the music made me appreciate it more.
In closing, I must say that "Are You Morbid?" is a book not only
for Celtic Frost fans, but other fans and up-and-coming bands who
want to know just what it takes (the good and the bad) to get far in
this business from a first hand account. A good read for sure.
Discography:
~~~~~~~~~~~~
_Morbid Tales_ (1984)
_To Mega Therion_ (1985)
_Into the Pandemonium_ (1987)
_Cold Lake_ (1988)
_Vanity/Nemesis_ (1990)
_Parched With Thirst Am I, And Dying_ (1992)
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R E N E G A D E S R E L I V I N G T H E G L O R Y D A Y S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Oscar Dronjak of HammerFall
by: Adrian Bromley
I'll admit right off the bat that I am not a big fan of the
latest HammerFall record _Renegade_. It just doesn't sit well with
me. I am not sure why it really is, but I think one of the reasons is
that unlike the band's blistering 1997 Nuclear Blast debut _Glory to
the Brave_, or its mediocre follow-up _Legacy of Kings_ (1998),
_Renegade_ lacks momentum and attitude. The once vibrant "heavy
metal" cause has been downsized, replaced by more melodies and some
slow and often unnecessary ballads. No balls this time out and that
is not a good warning sign for things to come, is it?
But you can't write things off right away (unless of course your
band name is Mortification), and so the phone call comes in from
guitarist Oscar Dronjak to talk about the new disc (and hopefully
explain it a bit better for me) and life in HammerFall. We begin...
"This album is a definite continuation of what we started with
HammerFall", says Dronjak. "This record is a lot more professional
and more polished. This is a mature version of the band, I think. We
got a lot of experience making records and going out touring and all
that and it just made its way into the record. We took all of what we
learned and brought that into the songwriting. The experience we have
had is the key factor with this record." He states, "We put a lot of
heart and soul into the work we do and I think each record has shown
that. We believe in what we are doing."
And what about the experience of working with high-profile
producer Michael Wagner (Alice Cooper / Skid Row / Motley Crue) and
recording on US soil in Nashville -- what was that like?
"He is so down to earth and easily the coolest person that you
could meet", says Dronjak with enthusiasm. "He brought a great
atmosphere into the studio and it just made everyone so relaxed. He
just wanted us to be ourselves and come in and play the music. He is
really good at getting material out of people, especially the
vocalist. This relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere just made it a lot of
fun to work on this disc and I think it shows."
And why Michael Wagner? "Because of his track record. He was
everything we expected him to be. We wanted to have a big producer to
help and coach us, with vocals and the guitar work. We wanted a
producer that would help us make music to the best of our ability.
Michael has produced a lot of varied styles of music over his career
and we thought that him working with us would be the perfect match.
He told us that he was looking forward to working with us. He is into
heavy metal. Even though he has produced the likes of Janet Jackson
and a string of other acts, he was interested in working with
HammerFall."
The band -- rounded out by singer Joacim Cans, guitarist Stefan
Elmgren, bassist Magnus Rosen and drummer Anders Johannson -- really
made a name for themselves in 1997 with the release of the debut
record [note: Chronicles of Chaos did the band's first-ever interview
in CoC #21]. Not for the fact that the record was a solid piece of
music, but for the fact that the band championed bands to bring back
the heavy metal sound of past and have fun playing guitar solos and
having melody. They made heavy metal return to the scene with
vibrance and wicked guitar solos. It was a lot of fun and it seems to
have spawned a vast amount of new bands to pop up and join the heavy
metal cause. How does Dronjak feel about the movement and the bands
that have surfaced?
"I think it is great that there are many other bands playing
this type of music. In order for the sound of heavy metal to have
some longevity, we need more bands playing this type of music. It is
important. Bands like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest can't carry the
torch [of heavy metal] for the next twenty years. They are getting
old. Bands like HammerFall won't be around forever either. We need
all of these new bands playing heavy metal and getting more and more
people into this genre of music." He adds: "It is good to see that a
lot of magazines and labels have opened their eyes to this type of
music and realized that it is not just the same old thing with each
band. There is a lot of good stuff out there."
One thing that has been always affiliated with HammerFall is the
amazing and detailed artwork that accompanies each record. All three
records have sported this towering knight, clad in armour and
wielding a massive weapon. The warrior is ready for battle and ready
to defend the cause of heavy metal. I have always wondered, "Do you
see the artwork before or after you write the material? If so, are
you inspired to write a theme to correspond with the artwork?"
"What we do is: we pick song titles to use for the record, then
we pick the album title from that and then we come up with an idea
for the artwork and what we want to see on the cover. We do a sketch
and a description of what we want to see and then we send it Nuclear
Blast for them to forward it to the artist, Andreas Marshall. His
work is truly amazing and it captures the real passion of HammerFall
and what we sing and play about."
Seeing that the band has stuck to their same heavy metal sound
for three records, and plan to do so for the rest of their career
from the sound of it, I ask Dronjak if the band has ever thought of
incorporating new sounds/styles into their music. He answers: "We
will always play music like this. We'll keep it heavy metal. We
always are trying to go out there and make the ultimate music and the
ultimate record. That is the goal for us. I mean, we'll never make
the perfect album, 'cause if we did we might as well stop playing
music. We know what we want with HammerFall and that doesn't include
orchestrations or death growls. That is not what we want with
HammerFall." He continues: "If we were to bring another style into
the band and change things up, that would not only be betrayal for us
as a band, but we would be betraying our fans as well. This is what
we do. This is heavy metal. Any new incorporation of new sounds and
styles for HammerFall would be a definite step down for us."
In closing, I ask Dronjak about heavy metal in today's music
scene and how he rates it. "Heavy metal is as strong as it has ever
been. Actually, that is not true. It was the strongest in the '80s
because it was the only thing. Heavy metal now has been the strongest
since the '80s and it just seems to be growing. I see the future of
heavy metal and it is a bright one, especially with all of these
great new bands coming up and playing good music. If there are ten
bands playing this music or 100 bands, that is a good sign. Of
course, I'd like to have five good bands playing this type of music
rather than fifteen so-so bands playing it. I think a lot of people
nowadays are pretty well informed and know just who is playing the
good stuff and what they should buy."
As I hang up the phone I admire the vision that Dronjak has cast
upon heavy metal music with his band, but I can only hope (and pray)
that next opus HammerFall returns with a mighty crush, rather than a
polished mediocre offering. The passion is there, let's hope it gets
used more next time.
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D E A T H F R O M T H E N O R T H
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Christer Espevoll of Extol
by: Alex Cantwell
Anyone who is a devoted reader of this publication probably knows by
now that I hold Extol in extremely high regard. Although I love to
tell their tale, and how I discovered them, and blah, blah, blah, I
have done it already in past issues and will not go into any of that
here. I was extremely curious as to how their recent and third tour
of the US had been, seeing as how I was not able to attend one of
their shows this time, and I also wanted to see what was in their
immediate future, following recent triumphs such as the release of
_Undecieved_ [CoC #49] and a feature in Metal Maniacs. After months
of inquiring about the possibility of doing an e-mail interview with
the band, I was finally granted that honour with guitarist Christer
Espevoll, and the results are as follows...
CoC: Tell me about your US tour this past Summer.
Christer Espevoll: We had a good time and played a lot of shows.
Thumbs up for the crowd at Club 412 in Ft. Worth,
Texas, the best crowd we ever played in front of.
Cornerstone was fun as usual; too muddy this year,
though. I'm really happy we stayed at a motel...
CoC: America has had a mad influx of Norwegian black metal bands
touring this year, but most are not able to. Why have you been
here three times already and why is touring in America so
important to the band?
CE: Touring is good no matter where. It's good because we get to meet
new people and we get to talk about Jesus. Musically it's good
because the stage presence gets better and we grow as musicians.
The reason we've only toured USA so far (by touring I mean lots
of shows in a short period of time) is that's where we have
contacts, and that's where we've had the chance to tour. We love
touring. It rocks.
CoC: But as big as metal is in Europe, don't you think it will be
important to the future of the band to try to tour there as?
well Does SolidState require you to tour the US after each?
release ?
CE: Oh yes, we really want to tour Europe, but since we don't have
very good distribution in Europe people haven't heard of us, so
that's a problem. SolidState doesn't require anything like that
from us, we just love touring.
CoC: How does Extol fit into the metal scene in Norway?
CE: Very well, I think; the only "drawback" is that we are
Christians. I think that's how the secular scene looks at us.
They respect us for the music we play, but not necessarily for us
being Christians, which is kind of sad, but the music is a good
opener for us to get to talk about our faith anyway, so that's
really cool.
CoC: What is Extol doing currently?
CE: Writing music for the next album. And we're dealing with a new
label for distribution in Europe. Can't tell you which one...
We're also doing a few shows in Sweden and Germany before
Christmas.
CoC: Could you please inform me on the details of Ole Borud's
departure from the band?
CE: Well, he felt like doing other things musically, and he was tired
of metal. We knew it was coming, so when he told us around
Christmas last year, we were prepared for it. Of course there are
no hard feelings or anything, and we wish him good luck further
on whatever he does in music. He is a very good musician, so I
have no doubt that whatever he decides to do is going to be good.
CoC: He introduced clean vocals into your sound, has served as
co-producer and sound engineer for your recordings, and
contributed musically. How will you replace him?
CE: We won't. As for the clean vocals, that was something we wanted
to exploit because we knew he was a good singer. It was never
part of our original sound. But we might do some clean vocals on
the next album in another form... you'll just have to wait and
hear. When it comes to the engineering part, we've been really
lucky to have Ole and his family's studio, because we had the
privilege to take the time we needed to make our albums as good
as possible, but there are several good studios around here with
good engineers, so I don't think that's going to be a problem on
the next album.
CoC: Are you guys still friends with him?
CE: Yes.
CoC: So is Tor Magne still not an actual member of the band?
CE: Well, he is, but he is not. Right now Lengsel and Extol are
helping each other out. Tor Magne and Jon Robert help us out on
guitar and bass, and David and Peter help them out on drums and
vocals. So Peter, David and I are still the core of Extol, but
still both Tor Magne and Jon Robert are more than just stand-in
musicians. They are really good friends. Officially, though, they
are not permanent members.
CoC: _Undecieved_ is full of very technical death metal with many
mdark elodies, but with less of a black metal influence
mthan previous aterial. Why did Extol make an album like
m_Undecieved_?
CE: We felt that was the direction to go after _Burial_. Our next
album is probably going to be more towards black metal. Not pure
black, of course, but faster and more chaotic, I think. We still
have a lot more songs to write, but that's the way it looks right
now.
CoC: How much influence does traditional Norwegian music have on you
guys? There have been hints of it during the orchestral parts on
both full-lengths, but then you have bands like Manegarm, Twin
Obscenity, and (early) Ulver who really incorporate traditional
sounding music into their own. Do you think Extol might ever
travel down this road?
CE: As far as I know we are not influenced by any of those kind of
bands. Some of the things Ole wrote I know were inspired by the
Beatles and some classical composer (can't remember which one),
and then of course you have Rush. Ole loves Rush. As for myself,
I have never listened to any Norwegian folk music at all.
CoC: Where do you see the band going in the future, musically?
CE: Like I said, it's going be faster and more chaotic, but we'll
still keep the melodies. Peter [Espevoll, vocals] puts it very
nicely when he tries to explain our new direction: it's more
beautiful and more brutal.
CoC: Is there a chance that you will ever record in one of the more
well-known studios in Norway or Sweden?
CE: Probably not. We know what kind of sound we want and don't really
feel the need for a producer or a famous engineer.
CoC: What is your favorite Van Halen song?
CE: Don't have one.
CoC: Please tell me about your "Believer wannabe" thrash band.
CE: Well, it's just a project and we're not Believer wannabes, but
we're Believer influenced. We love Believer and David and I
wanted to make some thrash music... so sometime in the future
when we've made ten or twelve songs we'll probably release it.
CoC: Why was the _Mesmerized_ EP never released in the US?
CE: It was, through SolidState.
CoC: And finally, what up-and-coming Norwegian bands do we need to
know about?
CE: Can't think of any right now. Oh yeah, Umbrella (girl punk) and
Silver (old school rock and roll) are names to notice.
CoC: That's it, I guess -- I could ask you 100 questions. Monga tusin
tuk. [I was attempting to say "many thousand thanks" here --
Alex]
CE: Hehe, that would be: mange tusen takk.
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U N V E I L I N G N E W R E A L M S O F M U S I C
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC interviews Morten Veland of Tristania
by: Adrian Bromley
Tristania's new gothic metal masterpiece _Beyond the Veil_ [CoC
#45] has been out some time now, but this fall was supposed to be a
big deal for Tristania's career. The band was to tour parts of the
United States and Mexico, as well as participate in the metal
festival November to Dismember in Los Angeles. While the band has a
core following, praised by critics and fans around the globe, this
trek to North American soil was going to bring about more exposure
for this Norwegian act. That was the plan.
As the interview takes place, Morten Veland is holed up in a
hotel room in Los Angeles with the flu and getting ready to go back
home after just a brief four-day visit to the United States. The tour
they had planned is canceled and there will be no show in Mexico. And
to boot, the band only played a 30-minute set at the festival, which
was marred (how unusual?) by cancellations by anticipated acts like
Venom and label mates The Sins of thy Beloved. Welcome to America,
Morten!
"It has been a short trip for us here, but I guess it was worth
it. The festival was good exposure for the band. Playing the festival
was okay; a few technical problems with our set but it was okay.
We're getting ready to go home tomorrow", explains Veland. "In the
beginning we were supposed to do a bunch of shows here in the US and
in Mexico, but that didn't happen. It's quite unfortunate."
"This whole trip hasn't been a real big thing because we have
not really been a big part of it. We came to our hotel after we
arrived and I got real sick and I have just stayed in my hotel room
drinking lots of water and taking painkillers. Then we went to the
festival an hour before we played, talked to the stage managers, set
up our equipment, played and then came back to the hotel. From that
point on I have been nursing this cold." Veland adds: "As I said
before, we weren't a big part of all of these things going on, but it
was a treat for our fans to see us play in the US and that makes me
happy. It is a shame that there were all of these problems with the
festival, but at least we played."
Talking about the way the band (female vocalist Vibeke Stene,
synth/programmer Einar Moen, bassist Rune Osterhus, drummer Kenneth
Olsson and guitarist Anders H. Hidle) approached the new disc, he
offers: "We have always been about expanding our sound. With each
release, we take what we have as a band and try to make it go a lot
further. We want to be able to keep all of the elements and
influences, but not be afraid to bring in new ideas. With the new
disc, we wanted to take the music of Tristania into a much harder
direction. We added some aggressive parts to the record and tried to
add a bit more of an electronic feel as well. It worked out well for
us, I think."
What draws Veland into the music of the band and keeps him
interested in what he does musically? "I think the main reason is
that we as a band always try to make the music so versatile and we
never get sick of it. We have tried so many different things over the
years. Each song has its own form of expression and ideas making it
up. When we started we kept to the same style of music and it was
getting boring for us. By changing things up and doing new things
with the music, we are all still very excited about what Tristania
does as a band and within the music."
"Making music for this band has become a lot easier over the
years", he states. "It has become a luxury of sorts for me to do. I
enjoy making music. In the beginning of the band, after a record, I
had very few ideas left over. Now I have hundreds left over and that
is great because I know that I have so much to look forward to with
the next release."
Any new sounds and ideas for a new disc yet? "Oh yeah. We are in
the middle of the process of writing new material for the next
record. We go into the studio in February and the record should be
out sometime in May or so. It is a bit too early to really say just
what the new stuff sounds like, but it is a definite progression for
us. At least that is what we are trying to do."
"I love the studio", he says. "Studio work is one of the things
I love most about working with this band and making music. I like to
be able to come into the studio with the sketches of songs and
carefully work on them and watch them grow into new songs. It is just
a great feeling to be able to go into a studio and have your songs
turn out the way you want them to."
He finishes, "There is nothing more exciting than making music
that you can be really happy about and fall in love with your work. I
have been very lucky with Tristania and I'm sure things in the future
will be just as good."
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G O D : T I E D I N S T E E L H A N D C U F F S ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Heimoth from Seth
by: Paul Schwarz
It's possible that to many people the phrase "good French metal" is
an oxymoron. However, I'd say that this is most commonly due to
a lack of investigation combined with prejudicial nationalistic
sentiments. That said, good French metal bands do not come -my- way
with a great deal of frequency, although in the last year the likes
of Symbiosis, Scarve and --- case in point -- Seth have somewhat
turned that tide. Seth's style is strongly influenced by Sweden's
Dissection, but what stands out is not only the high quality of their
black/death metal assault, but also the fierce individual character
they imprint onto their work. Guitarist Heimoth chatted with CoC
about Osmose's "French metal revelation".
CoC: How do you feel about being called a "French metal revelation"
by Osmose? How much do you think Seth connect to French metal?
Heimoth: Actually, it's something that has been around since our
first album, _Les Blessures de L'Ame_, because people were
quite astonished, because they didn't expect this kind of
band in France. It was maybe a surprise because we were not
well known before this album.
CoC: Do you think it's at all because of the musical style? It's
quite a Norwegian style.
H: Yes.
CoC: To my ears it owes quite a bit to Dissection as well. It was
quite interesting, after I listened to the album, I started
singing Dissection again [I had "Unhallowed" stuck in my head
for nearly a week -- Paul]. I think you've worked in a lot of
good stuff, I think you've done it tastefully. What d'you think?
H: I think that this time I wanted to present the album as something
based on guitars and we wanted to make something more unusual
compared to the first album, and when you mentioned Dissection I
think you were totally right, because they are one of the few
bands that shows that it is possible to create atmosphere only
using guitars.
CoC: Absolutely.
H: I wanted, in a way, to create this feeling. So I think with this
new album everything is more efficient; the tracks are more
concise.
CoC: They don't overstay their welcome.
H: Exactly, and we worked a lot with my drummer on a lot breaks: to
get a good structure. I have done this album under the idea of not
making a compilation of riffs or something. I have tried to make
good links between all the riffs.
CoC: Talking about the lyrics, you've done them in four different
languages -- as far as the song-titles go, at least -- German,
Latin, French and English. I am curious why, and what effect do
you think that creates?
H: The thing is that on the first album everything was sung 100% in
French. Now, about 60% of it is in French and the rest is in
English. For us it was important to keep our roots.
CoC: What did Fenriz from Darkthrone contribute to the album and also
why?
H: Maybe you have noticed that he mentioned our band in the
_Goatlord_ album. We just wanted in return to in a way include him
on this opus, we thought that was maybe the best thing we could
do. We told him and he agreed to make a song; he wrote "Let Me Be
the Salt in Your Wound", which is possibly my favourite track. The
lyrics and the music go right together.
CoC: I liked that song and also "Bastard Beast" a lot. I was really
impressed with how well you managed to weave in the acoustics
and crescendo it back into the song. It must have been
difficult.
H: You're right, this and "Legion Spirituelle Damnatrice" are maybe
like the only two tracks that add a lot of heavy metal stuff.
CoC: Would you say you're ideologically anti-Christian, with song
titles like "Acid Christ"?
H: Well, of course you have anti-Christian mention but it's more like
an anti-religious stance. We just think that a lot of people can
have their own idea, better people can have a will to create what
they think and not to follow a principle. It's just something we
feel should be [the case].
CoC: Also with "Acid Christ", is that a pun? [Anti-Christ -- Paul]
H: You thought it was like a word game? No, no, it has nothing to do
with a comparison or a link or something like that, it was just an
idea of how it would be trying to put acid on Christ. And I think
another reason of this song was about the symbols, the icons of
religion.
CoC: How did Peter Tagtgren end up remixing the album? What was wrong
with the original mix? How did it come about?
H: Well, actually there was a lot of confusion about that, because we
recorded the album in France, and we remixed it in France. We
-wanted- to have a remix in the Abyss studio but it wasn't
possible because we didn't get the right connections with the
tapes, so it didn't happen. So only the mastering was done there.
CoC: It has got a very good sound, actually.
H: It was recorded in December and January and mastered in July.
CoC: Are you happy with the result you've got in the album?
H: Yeah, I am happy with the whole CD, maybe. This is one of the
first times I've been very proud of what I've done. I've
completely realised what I wanted -- what I composed -- and it was
a goal for me. Yes, maybe there are points that could have been
better -- that could have been improved for me --, but obviously I
can't be very proud of everything; I can't be happy with
everything I've done. When you have done the CD nothing can be
changed. No one can be happy with everything.
CoC: Generally, where are you, Seth, aiming to get as a band? At the
moment it's good and it's interesting but it's not pushing any
particular boundaries. I was curious where you might be hoping
to go in the future with the sound. What is your idea?
H: It's a bit complicated because a lot of ideas have been coming to
my mind, maybe. I'd like to go ahead and to change again but I
don't have precise ideas so far. So I can't answer precisely, but
in the future we have got a few dates in Europe.
CoC: Right, touring.
H: Yeah, but we don't know yet with what band we're gonna tour. I
guess some French dates will be done about December.
CoC: So, are you the principal writer in Seth? Do you write pretty
much all of it?
H: Am I the composer, do you mean?
CoC: Yeah.
H: Yeah, yeah, I suppose almost everything. On this album I composed
about 80% or 90% of the material. Before, it was shared between my
bass player -- about 50% each. Now I have done almost everything.
I had more time to work and I got more time to work arrangements
and put it with my drummer so the music can just be better.
CoC: Is the band name Seth with regard to the Egyptian god of death?
H: Yeah, we chose that name at the beginning of Seth in '95. So it
was a long time ago and in reference as well to the bible because
it's Adam's son. We thought that it was interesting to find this
word because we wanted to get a short name as well. Not to get
something with "of" or "on" in the name.
CoC: Like Maze of Torment?
H: <laughs>
CoC: You know, where you rip off some other band's song title. Not
that like half the bands on Nuclear Blast don't do that.
H: Yeah <laughs>, exactly.
CoC: Any particular significance to the cover, these bound
stigmatated hands?
H: Yeah, exactly. We wanted to symbolise that Seth has been able to
take God's place with these handcuffs and the scars. It is God's
arrest and the topic of the album concerns this image, this idea:
that it's possible to get this power. The title goes with that as
well, it doesn't mean that we are making excellent music <we both
laugh>, but we wanted to get really strong words and it marks a
lot of people.
CoC: It's definitely a striking title. How are things with Void
[excellent London-based black metal band echoing Dodheimsgard's
recent work; see demo review in CoC #47 -- Paul] going?
H: I will have to go back probably at the end of this month or maybe
in December. I don't know, I don't know how Void are going on. But
I guess I am gonna go back. <laughs>
CoC: Are you finding it difficult to divide your time between the two
bands?
H: No, no, no, because so far Void doesn't take me so much time. So,
I will see in the future.
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S U O M I F I N L A N D P E R K E L E !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC talks to Taneli Jarva of The Black League
by: Adrian Bromley
All singer Taneli Jarva wants to do is get on with his new band
The Black League and his music. It has been a few years since he
parted ways with his old band, Finnish act Sentenced, and he just
wants the past to stay the past.
Finally, after years of hard work, Jarva has managed to group
together a sturdy set of veteran metal henchmen to form the League --
bassist Florida (Legenda, Impaled Nazarene), drummer Sir Luttinen
(Legenda), guitarists Maike Valanne (ex-Faff-Bey and Terveet Kadet)
and Alexi Ranta -- and release their Spinefarm debut _Ichor_. But you
know what? His past still haunts him and there is nothing the
somewhat irritated Jarva can do about it. Or is there?
"A lot of the fans who seem to be into this band seem to be
ex-Sentenced fans and remember me in the old line-up", starts Jarva
down the line. "Obviously my past accomplishments with my old band
have helped in spreading the name of The Black League out to metal
fans, but as it might be a blessing in a way, it is also a curse."
"I'm not to keen on discussing old times and my previous band",
he explains. "Somebody did an interview with me yesterday and
two-thirds of the interview was about Sentenced. Overall, I think
people who liked the _Amok_ album also like the Black League record.
A lot of people think this Black League record is a continuation of
_Amok_, but I don't really think so. It bears some similarities, but
mainly it is a completely new band with a new sound. The only thing
that is the same is that it is the same old singer. <laughs>"
On the topic of the inception of the band, Jarva says: "This
whole project began back in 1996, I had the ideas and it grew from
there. I had just left my previous band Sentenced and I was unsure if
I wanted to continue in this music business. But because of this
"disease of my soul" and the love of music, I found I couldn't live
without it. So in 1997 I met up with Sir Luttinen (drummer) and we
started working on material for the band. We rehearsed as a two-piece
for several months before we got the rest of the line-up solidified.
By Christmas 1998, we had a solid line-up to work with for The Black
League.
"It is an honour for me to play with such a talented and
skillful group of men. It is just perfect. This record is a very
strong record and it is full of passion. I couldn't really tell you
where the musical influences come from for this disc, but the lyrical
inspiration for songs came from the work of Nick Cave. His work has
easily been a big part of how I approach the lyrics to the music. I
draw from my experiences or other experiences of those around me.
Everything in some way triggers my writing and makes me want to write
about it. I can't explain it. It just happens."
While Finnish label Spinefarm is releasing the record, Nuclear
Blast has picked the record up for distribution in North America and
a larger scale of Europe. How does Jarva feel about them getting some
strong support from NBA? "It is a good thing for us, but to tell you
the truth, we didn't really expect much from this release and have it
go crazy and sell all of these records... We were unsure of how this
disc would do. We are glad just to see the record get a better
distribution and to send the name out to people."
And The Black League is spending no time waiting around. They
already have new material on the way. Jarva fills us in: "Like I said
before, music is the "disease of my soul". Our songwriting is in a
continuous process. It goes on all of the time. From the recording
sessions of the debut disc, I was secretly thinking of new ideas for
the new disc. Once the record was done, I started to concentrate on
the next album. A good chunk of that material is done and we have
already rehearsed a lot of it. We're ready to enter the studio again
already. We're going to polish it for six months or so and then
record in the Summer of 2001."
"But we have something on the go, coming out real soon", blurts
Jarva. "It is an MCD titled _The Doomsday Sun_ EP. It is a grouping
of older tracks and a cover of Nick Cave's cult classic "City of
Refuge". The music on the EP is really tight and experimental, but
not very different from what people have heard with _Ichor_."
And while Jarva has a dislike for questions regarding his past
work with Sentenced, his dislike always wanders into the path of
today's metal music scene (including his homeland's). The veteran
metal man has a few choice words on the subject.
"I'm sorry to say that I don't really care too much about all of
that and what is going on. Right now some people feel that the
Finnish music scene is at its peak and it is great that all of these
bands are getting exposure everywhere. I agree, it is a good thing
and a lot of bands are helping expose other bands, but The Black
League wants to just be the outsider to this kind of music scene
going on here. If you compare us to the other stuff going on, we
don't really have much in common with the power metal or goth bands.
I'd rather have people see us as a different band than part of a
scene."
"Whether people like what we are doing or not, as long as people
acknowledge that we are doing something different, then I take that
as a compliment", Jarva says. "It is always a compliment that people
see it as fresh or something not done before. I've always said
this. I'd rather see The Black League become a cult band with a
long-lasting following rather than become overnight sensations and
sell 100,000 records and forgotten later on."
"There's a lot of people in the music business who are intrigued
and follow what is going on and what is popular. I don't care what is
popular or not. We do what comes naturally and that is the only way
it has been and will be for the band."
The Finn finishes: "Seriously, I believe, or I want to think,
that we are doing something timeless or something that cannot be
connected with a certain period of metal music. I want it to last and
people to be impressed with what we are doing."
Contact:
http://theblackleague.cjb.net
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P A N K O ' S P A N C R E A T I C P A N D E M O N I U M
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC chats with Kevin Stewart-Panko of Association Area
by: Adrian Bromley
If you've heard the name of Association Area mentioned, chances
are:
a) you've heard the CoC staff mention the name;
b) you read some bad graffiti on the bathroom wall in a truck
stop somewhere in Detroit;
or c) you were lucky enough to come in contact with Kevin
Stewart-Panko's glorious zine Doomhauled during its brief
but truly memorable existence, and saw it mentioned there.
The zine, a mixture of off-beat humour and well-written band
interviews/reviews and essays, is a definite landmark in the zine
world, no doubt up on the pedestal with The Grimoire of Exalted Deeds
when it comes to crazy-ass ideas and downright rude 'n' crude humour.
In short, Doomhauled will never be duplicated and that is a good
thing. Neither will the music of Association Area, hopefully, 'cause
one of these fine messes is enough for all of us music freaks to
digest.
The hardest thing about Association Area (other than some of the
monstrous wallops they dish out for us) is the task of trying to
pinpoint who or what they sound like (see Stewart-Panko's description
below). The spirited free form, noisy numbers come off like algebraic
formulas of riffs and vocals screams, sandwiched between a killer
rhythm section and jazz-filled beats. This is music that'll leave
your stomach in knots, but have your brain going off in an ecstatic
frenzy.
The man on the end of the line is Kevin Stewart-Panko, guitarist
for the Toronto band Association Area and writer for England's
Terrorizer magazine. He's got a busy schedule, but Chronicles of
Chaos was lucky enough to drag him away from a busy night of washing
dishing and porn to chat it up with and get down to business.
Throughout the interview, we discuss their debut for Swedish label
Lunasound Recordings (titled _Loathsome Deco_) and what inspires them
to play music. Mr. Stewart-Panko gives us the lowdown...
"I'll tell you something, I don't know what the motivations for
anyone else in the band are to create music, but music is something I
have always been interested in. I have always done something
regarding music. Ever since I was like nine years old, I have been
playing some form of instrument. I like all types of music and just
playing", says Stewart-Panko. "Even tapping beats on a table gets me
happy about doing this. Some people get excited about movies and all
that; music is just that for me. I like the idea of being in a band."
He continues, "Being in a band is not just about being in a
band. It is also about traveling around and meeting people. It is a
huge learning process. You have to learn about yourself in a social
sense, how to manage your money and how to manage your time, in
regards to touring and managing your work and relationships. You
learn a lot on the road. You learn who you can put up with and who
your true friends really are."
Along with the rest of the band -- drummer Chris Gramlich,
singer Craig Young and bassist Matt Daley --, Stewart-Panko has made
an extra effort to get noticed and keeps the sound of AA alive and
well throughout the years of molding and honing in on their sound.
Throughout the years the band has released a 7" (titled _Tundra_) and
a debut CD titled _Stop Motion Has Been_. These accomplishments not
only please Stewart-Panko, but have allowed him and the rest of the
band to see how they have grown as musicians and just where they are
headed.
"In the beginning, I was always very strong in believing that I
wanted to take my time with this band when it came to making music. I
wanted to write good solid songs, as opposed to just rushing through
and recording whatever came out and sticking with that. When we went
in to make music, I wanted it to be as good as it was going to be
when we went in to record. I didn't want to sit around and write the
perfect song, but I didn't want to go in half-assed either."
"You always want to do your best when it comes to music and that
is what keeps you going at this and constantly trying to top yourself
or just do something different. But there is also something said for
taking your time", he notes. "As free-form as things are with us,
there is some degree of planning involved."
Why should people listen to AA? Stewart-Panko laughs out loud.
"I dunno... I think it depends on who you are. If you are young and
getting into heavy music by way of what you see on Much Music
[Canada's superior version of MTV -- Adrian] and nu-metal then it is
good for them to know that there is more than just mainstream music
to sample. There is life outside of the seven string guitar riffs and
just listening to some guy scream his head off. It allows them to
explore and try new things and just see what else is out there. As
for older music fans and why they should check us out? If people have
had it with the scene and you're sick with all of the bands sounding
the same and just not doing much, I think we offer a bit more of an
involved sound to really listen to. We give people who are really
jaded maybe something a bit different to latch onto. I think older
fans will hear some older music influences in our music, just
presented in a different manner. It is not that we play original
music, it is just the way we put it together and try doing it a
different way. I think
people will take note of that and maybe give us a listen."
I ask Stewart-Panko to describe the sound of AA in one sentence
or a grouping of adjectives. After numerous failed attempts to
concoct a sentence of ideas, he lets loose: "Okay... how about this?
"Canada's Most Dyslexic BTO Cover Band", or "Constipated Mass Rock
for the Masses". Wait! This sounds good: "A 35-Minute Roller-Coaster
Ride of Algebraic Noise Concoctions Created in a Post-Punk World by
Post-Modernist Anti-Artistic New Age Explorers". I dunno... <laughs>
something like that."
So does he think their abstract and sometimes odd sound helps or
hampers them as a band? "I think a little of both. It hurts in the
sense of when we try to book our shows and some DIY hardcore kid
thinks we are not hardcore enough to play on that bill. We have
encountered that quite a bit. But it also helps, because it draws
people in who want more from music. It is a personal challenge to
just write any type of music that doesn't sound like anything else
out there. I think our music really helps us stand out. It is a
slower road for us, because we don't really fit in and we have to
play lots of small shows and lots of really weird places to get
noticed. I think we are attracting the real music fan, as opposed to
just the really trendy scenesters."
And what about reviews of the forthcoming record? Is
Stewart-Panko expecting a lot of album bashing? What has the response
been like so far? He states, "I am actually surprised how positive it
has really been for the reviews with this album. From the beginning I
have been prepared for the bad reviews. You just know that not
everyone is going to like what you do. You have to be ready for it. I
am ready for people to say the music is shit and I am a real bad
guitar player. I don't care. I actually take perverse pleasure in
really bad reviews, because I like to see what people don't like and
I find it funny."
While Stewart-Panko and the AA crew have a lot of initiative
going for them and their music, it is the support of Stuart Ness
(Lunasound Recordings owner) that will hopefully make a name for
them. At least this fan (and guitarist) hopes so.
"We never really planned to hook up with a label overseas, it
just happened that way. The funny thing is we sent out all of our
demos to many labels and friends out there to see what they think and
maybe somebody would take interest in what we were doing. Stuart was
the only one who really came out and told us that he really liked us
and the music we played. We've had friends in bands tell us we were
good and some labels saying good things, but Lunasound really showed
interest. We had some interest from Roadrunner Records a few years
back when our 7" came out. But nothing came from that -- thank God!
<laughs> Stuart was the only guy who wanted to work with us."
"Sure it is an upstart new label", explains Stewart-Panko, "but
I did some research on the guy and I asked around. I asked a lot of
people in England and overseas, "Who is this guy?" I had never heard
of him and his story seemed good. I asked my friends at Terrorizer
and some other people and they said to me, "If there is a guy who can
do a lot of good for you and break you in Europe, then this is the
guy." He knows his shit and he has tons of contacts and..."
"...And he likes porn", I jut in.
"Yeah, whatever. <laughs> The bottom line is he liked the stuff,
he wanted to work with us and that was good enough for me. It didn't
matter to me that it is just him and his wife working the label. He
is very professional on how he does things and I can't complain. This
guy believes in us. At least someone does. <laughs>"
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
_____ .__ ___.
/ _ \ | |\_ |__ __ __ _____
/ /_\ \| | | __ \| | \/ \
/ | \ |_| \_\ \ | / 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!
Abscess - _Tormented_ (Listenable, October 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)
It's just possible that some poor misled soul has led you to think
that _Tormented_ can rise to the challenge of in some way matching up
to Autopsy's 1991 classic, _Mental Funeral_. However, though Reifert
and his present cohorts did indeed return to Different Fur in San
Francisco to lay down the thirteen tracks which make up Abscess'
latest recording, _Tormented_ is not the second coming drenched in
blasphemous gore which one supposes Reifert may one day make to death
metal. On the other hand, _Tormented_ is surprisingly good for an
Autopsy fan such as myself who always felt Abscess was just a silly
mistake bred of not knowing when things stop being disgusting and
just get a bit silly -- that combined with listening to a bit much
of the wrong kind of punk. _Tormented_ proves to be a well
assembled pile of rotting blasphemy- and madness-drenched decay, and
demonstrates that some character-building dabbling has been going on
in the Abscess camp. The invasion of death rocking guitars set to
"Entombed overdrive" in "Madness and Parasites", "Halo of Disease"
and "Ratbag" suggest that Reifert watched the progression of the
nineties contemporaries he had ironically helped influence into
existence. Despite its moments of quality, _Tormented_ is ultimately
unlikely to be of sustained interest: a year from now, I doubt anyone
will really care about it. It may seem harsh, but whatever its
redeeming qualities, Autopsy's latest displays nothing to me to
suggest it will warrant remembering.
Acid Death - _Random's Manifest_ (Black Lotus, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)
Greece's Acid Death return with the follow-up to 1997's impressive
_Pieces of Mankind_. This album shows them moving toward a heavier
and more technical style. While I'd generally applaud such a move,
I'm not sure that that's the best move for them. What made
_Pieces..._ special in my opinion was the mixing of styles, from
power metal to death metal, with interesting and innovative breaks in
between. This album has a more consistently heavy sound. While the
band still showcases the same diversity of styles and breaks, their
effectiveness is somewhat muted due to the more consistent tone of
the album. The playing is very good, as the band capably switches
styles between heavy thrash, power metal, fusion, and other styles
without a hitch. In addition, the music features a number of fairly
technical sections, all of which are performed with admirable aplomb.
My only real complaint in this regard are the clean vocals: they're
not bad, but they certainly could be better. The production is very
good, though it sounds somewhat sterile. A warmer production might've
been beneficial. While I've been somewhat disappointed by this album,
I must say that it (like _Pieces..._) has grown on me with repeated
listens. Overall, it's a good album, and should appeal to fans of
well-played and diverse metal.
Arch Enemy - _Burning Japan Live_ (Century Media, 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10)
A Japan-only release, this forty-eight minute live album, recorded at
a single show, has a clear yet characteristic sound which places it
in the rare category of being a live album well worth owning. The
musical elements have a live-sounding rawness while retaining the
subtleties which are such essential parts of Arch Enemy's masterful
mixture of pure riff and metal melodies. Furthermore, Johan Liiva's
vocal delivery is both powerful and expressive -- and similarly
well-balanced and accentuated by the top-notch production. The
set list focuses on Arch Enemy's last two releases, _Stigmata_
[CoC #32] and _Burning Bridges_ [CoC #41], with "Dark Insanity"
and "Transmigration Macabre" from 1996's _Black Earth_ and "Diva
Satanica" (_Burning Bridges_'s Japanese bonus track) being the three
exceptions out of the eleven songs on offer here. The crowd are
enthusiastically loud though their fanatical support is thankfully
quite unintrusive to the enjoyment of the record. However, though
good, _BJL_ does not seem worth shelling out extortionate import
prices for, sight-unseen: I'd suggest trying to track it down by some
other less costly method before you lay out large sums for a full,
proper copy.
At Vance - _Heart of Steel_ (Shark, 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (9.5 out of 10)
Helloween maniacs, listen up: all is not lost with the deluge of
sub-standard power/prog acts pouring out of Europe these days. At
Vance attack with a stunning blend of top-level virtuosity and
masterful song-writing that belies the obscure nature of the band.
_Heart of Steel_ scales the heights of bands like Freedom Call
and Edguy, as soaring melodies sweep forth in torrents of epic
majesty. Cheesy to some, but for most bands, finding a competent
voice to carry forth the music is challenge enough (see Drakkar,
Heimdall, etc.). Vocalist Oliver Hartmann rises to the occasion
even as Olaf Lenk shreds his way through solo after incendiary
solo. Tracks like the opening "Soldier of Time" are few and far
between, often the highlight of the album, but the following
anthems don't leave any room for complaint. Right down to ballad
"Princess of the Night", an old-school crooner a la Axel Rudi
Pell, the quality of music and musician never once fall short of
near-perfection. Axel Thubeauville's impeccable production leaves
nothing to the imagination, accentuating every incisive beat and
heart-rending note with a crystal-clear punchiness. Die-hard fans of
ballsy, "true" metal might find the smoothness somewhat offending,
and should stick to the new Exciter instead. But anyone who
appreciates classy Teutonic Helloween-worship must never miss this
classic-in-the-making. Take my word for it.
Behemoth - _Thelema.6_ (Avantgarde, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
It wasn't much more than a year ago that Behemoth unleashed their
mighty _Satanica_ [CoC #43], but this Polish force of remarkably
powerful and technical metal seems to be very restless indeed these
days. Not many out there seem capable of putting out a record that
contains so many technical nuances while remaining such a bludgeoning
force. Having said this, the production here didn't turn out to be as
impressive as _Satanica_'s -- but it still is very good, though, and
the searing vocals are still definitely there. Nevertheless, and
despite the fact that none of the tracks on _Thelema.6_ managed to
impress me more than _Satanica_'s amazing opener "Decade of Oepion",
Behemoth's latest seems overall more consistent than its predecessor.
The songs seem to work a bit better together and, as the band
continues to move away from black metal and towards a very technical
style of modern death metal, more elements have again been added to
the mix that keep things very interesting indeed: the drumming is yet
more complex and varied than before, as is the guitar and bass work.
Another brilliant output from Behemoth -- although _Thelema.6_
doesn't go far enough for me to want to bestow upon Behemoth the 10
out of 10 that I hoped I would, I find in it no relevant signs of the
band stagnating or losing momentum either.
Black Abyss - _Land of Darkness_ (B.O. Records, 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (6 out of 10)
Considering their Teutonic origins, it doesn't take much to predict
what debutants Black Abyss present on _Land of Darkness_. Going for a
darker image than most of their fellow countrymen, this five-piece
deliver a somewhat mediocre slab of Teutonic speed-power with a
less-than-epic feel (in comparison to Freedom Call, At Vance et al).
A highly promising opener seems to bode well for the remaining
tracks, with a typically catchy group chorus kicking things off. Like
compatriots Custard, singer Oliver Hornung handles his vocal duties
amply enough, but in a somewhat low register that doesn't quite
achieve the same effect as the usual brand of high-pitched singing.
It is perhaps this aspect which casts the entire album in a less
than favorable light, lending the songs a rather lacklustre feel.
Little to complain about the music, a blend of Primal Fear and
aforementioned Custard (the similarities are too many to ignore), a
mixture I've never been extremely keen on. Things take a definite
downturn after four tracks, the only relatively pleasant surprise
being a pedestrian cover of "The Trooper" near the end. Even the
title track closing out the album falls short of its promising intro,
the nicely penned chorus being the only highlight of the track. With
new vocalist and a sharper mix, Black Abyss are capable of so much
more, and it hurts to see this album go to waste. As it is, Black
Abyss has received excellent response from their homeland, and fans
of Primal Fear -- not me -- will enjoy this solid piece of metal.
Easily obtained in Europe; U.S. readers might try import mailorders.
Blood Axe - _In Battle_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (2 out of 10)
This is one of those records where after just a few minutes of
spinning it, I wonder if I should just take it off, throw it on my CD
shelf and just forget about it. I got this feeling right away with
Blood Axe. I didn't know what to do. The sound quality of this
supposed "Viking Metal" from Canada was just abominable. The voices
were so low in the mix (almost inaudible at times) that I had to turn
it up louder to just hear snippets of gargling metal groans. And the
music? There is nothing at all creative about what Battle Axe do.
Their music is just mediocre at best, no doubt its effect deflated by
the miserable production and horrendous vocals. Only good point: the
artwork. I think Battle Axe better brush up on their production
skills before they try to forge forward new ground with their Viking
Metal. I'd rather jump into a fjord than spin this disc again --
serious!
Contact: Blood Axe, Suite 15 1204-A Roland Street, Thunder Bay,
Ontario P7B 5M4, Canada
mailto:
[email protected]
http://www.bloodaxe.net
Blood Duster - _Cunt_ (Dr. Jim's Records, November 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (9 out of 10)
Not only has the "thunder from Down Under" returned to the metal
scene, but they have also managed to return in classy form. The new
disc, appropriately titled _Cunt_, is a blistering wave of grindcore
mayhem that just crushes anything they have ever done. The music is
faster, the movie clip samples are classic and the band's sense of
humour has escalated ten fold since their inception in 1991. Managing
to break away from the experimental side of _Str8OuttaNorthcote_, an
album Adam Wasylyk hated (why, Adam? Why?) -- myself and Alain
Gaudrault have yet to forgive him for that --, the band has regrouped
with old members and just cranked the amps up and played their guts
out. The end result is _Cunt_, a wild realm of no nonsense
bullshit that just paints a picture of the fucked up world Blood
Duster reside in. Fans will rejoice in their return to the metal
scene and others will just be disgusted and irritated at the
sight/sound of Blood Duster's pent up aggression churning our new
ditties like "Pornstorestiffi", "Anotherslackerarsedaussieband" and
"Don'tcallmehomeboyya'cunt". Childish? Maybe, but it is all Blood
Duster and they wouldn't have (or want it) any other way. Warning:
watch out for the photo inside the CD sleeve. You've been warned!
Boiler Room - _Can't Breathe_ (Tommy Boy, December 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
This album just rings of nu-metal sounds and style, but I'm not going
to write off Boiler Room. I'm a fan of some of the nu-metal sounds
and I don't have a problem with it as long as it is done right and
done with conviction. The music has to move me. Who cares what genre
it is? If it moves me, I'm impressed. So you're asking yourself, "How
does Boiler Room stack up?" I'll tell ya people, Boiler Room
definitely have the shit going on and no doubt OzzFest veterans and
the new breed of high school nu-metal scavengers will be all over
this. The selling point of Boiler Room is the vocal delivery of
singer Chris Lind, backed tightly and quite adequately by his
hombres. At times it sounds cliche -- it all does at times --, but
when they hit a stride they can prove quite impressive. Mainstream
for sure, but with some footing that is helping them keep it real in
metal's realm of existence. Choice cut: opener "Do It Again" or the
cool-vibe of "Insomnia".
Breakdown - _Battle Hymns for an Angry Planet_ (Thorp Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (8 out of 10)
This record consists of one "battle hymn" after another, and the songs
seemingly get better as the record progresses. Although it seems that
these guys have been a staple in the East Coast hardcore scene for
many years, I had never heard of them before this came in the mail
(freakin' poseur that I am!). I am happy to say that this is finely
crafted hardcore with thought-provoking lyrics that is creative,
non-redundant, and there's sing-a-long choruses to boot. Roger Miret
(Agnostic Front) makes a great guest appearance on "Freedom Song".
Makes me want to lace up the old boots again.
Contact: Thorp Records, P.O. Box 2007, Upper Darby PA 19082, USA
http://www.chordrecordings.com
Burn It Down - _Let the Dead Bury the Dead_ (Escape Artist, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10)
The rollercoaster ride of Burn It Down's latest offering _Let the
Dead Bury the Dead_ is not for everyone, and that comes in quite loud
and clear with the manic frenzy of the hardcore rhythms, the (at
times) rather melodic vocals and the shredding guitars. There is a
lot going on and the emotional ideas of the album's theme run even
deeper. Singer Ryan Downey is solid in all shape and form, a
ringleader to the chaos and charismatic enough to take us by the hand
and let us trust him as all Hell breaks loose. The thing about Burn
It Down is not the hardcore elements or the diversity. The power of
Burn It Down lies in the passion of their music. Their material is
just such a passionate flow of ideas that gel with an intense
hardcore groove that never seems to let up. Just check out numbers
like "The Most Beautiful Lie I Ever Told or Sold", "Do Your Worst" or
"Every Man's Got a Devil" and you'll see the dynamic diversity this
band has to offer. Throw in a blistering cover of the classic Rolling
Stones song "Paint it Black" and this record just shines. The theme
of the record revolves around choosing a path in life and trying to
get the most out of it, regardless of where you are currently
situated. This is a deep record and a must for fans who want to
experience something above par to the regular cliche of sounds and
styles flooding the market. Burn It Down are true to what they and do
and the ideas they believe in -- and it shows.
Cage - _Astrology_ (Omega / Universal, September 2000)
by: Kirsty Buchanan (4 out of 10)
Despite having a frontman who bears more than a passing resemblance
to British Klingon-faced comedian Bill Bailey, appearance cannot save
Cage. Opening with a brief (and yet still pretentious) introduction,
this record only goes downhill. From there on in there is nothing but
a catalogue of excessive, unnecessary guitar "nonsense", squealing
American men, frankly slapdash drumming and poorly dreamt up
concepts. Each song relating to an individual element of the
zodiac!!! I wish I could credit Cage with a good idea, but basically,
this effort doesn't work: it's a bad plan to start with and is
horrendously executed. Let's play a little game, shall we. What did
Dave Garcia (guitar) and Sean Peck (vocals and Klingon warrior)
listen to last decade? That's right, nothing but early Judas Priest
and late eighties Iron Maiden. The whole thing comes across as
convoluted, pretentious and visionless. With no desire to -affect-
the public, Cage seem happy merely lining their pockets with
Deutschmarks. If only they had some degree of freshness, innovation
or a modern context. Though I doubt any of that would help. With
lyrics that "a teenager in anguish" would be ashamed of, Cage fail to
even interest me -- and their band photo resembles the local pub
darts team that your dad and uncle play on. It's merely a matter of
time before silly hats, beige cardigans and dominoes become the order
of the day. Rubbish. Nothing more.
Cast in Stone - _Life on Trial_ (Warfare Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (8 out of 10)
This six song CD is full of totally infectious West Coast hardcore.
On the first two songs, the band really reminds me of early Earth
Crisis, but they do have the distinctive West Coast aggro thing
intact. It also reminds me to quit listening to that damn Christina
Aguilera CD just because she has cool red streaks in her hair now. By
the third song they throw that vibe out the window and get down to
some speed and mosh riffs. Yeah baby, there are many out there in
whose hearts this stuff will never die! Drummer Derek Youngsma's
snare is very tight, and has a cool, non-over-produced papery sound
to it, which drives the music to great effect. Cast in Stone are yet
another energetic hardcore band from the very fertile grounds of
California, and it's almost enough to get me packing my bags and
getting out there. Hopefully this EP is a good example of things to
come from this scene and this band in particular. Shave that head
which doesn't bang!
Contact: Warfare Records, 2036 Alexander Dr., Escondido CA 92025, USA
http://www.warfarerecords.net
Cephalectomy - _Sign of Chaos_ (Discorporate Music, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
The last time I reviewed Cephalectomy, it was their five-track demo
_Dark Waters Rise_ in CoC #34. Things have definitely changed for the
band, both in sound and most importantly production. While still
garnishing their brutal death metal attack with sounds reminiscent of
Brutal Truth and Internal Bleeding, the band has managed to forge for
themselves a solid death metal groove of sorts. Not bad for two guys
(Jason Nichols and Corey Andrews), eh? Powerfully commanding, the
band's deliverance will blow you away should you stand close enough
to the speakers of your stereo system. While some might shrug them
off as just another indie Canadian death metal act, Cephalectomy have
proven that with time and patience, their direction and sound can be
intensified -- check out tracks "The Ravaged Crimson Fields of
Evanescence" or "Dimensional Manifestations of Ashen Forms". If you
like your metal fast and furious, I suggest some East Coast (Canada)
death metal to digest over the holidays.
Contact: Corey Andrews, 68 Walker St. Apt. 2, Truro,
Nova Scotia B2N 4A7, Canada
http://www.cephalectomy.com
Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_ (Century Media, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (8.5 out of 10)
In reference to _Whisper Supremacy_ in CoC #34, Paul Schwarz mentions
the random rumblings and clicks that precede what he describes as
being "total Armageddon", which was a completely accurate description
of the first track on that album, and I always have those words in
mind when listening to it. Well, not astonishingly, Cryptopsy have
created more "total Armageddon" with _And Then You'll Beg_, pleasing
fans and fuelling the fire for critics. You see, many criticize
Cryptopsy for throwing disjointed sections together and calling them
"songs", but for the fan this is of course the true beauty of this
band. The riffs that they throw together alongside the incessant
pounding of the fastest drummer in the world, Flo Mounier, are
mind-numbing and are bound to confuse even those with well trained
ears and appreciation for technical chaos. Cryptopsy excel at this
like no other band currently. Meshuggah can compose chaos, and
Cannibal Corpse can throw disjointed parts together and make them
work, but Cryptopsy's songs are better, more listenable, and more
entertaining than Meshuggah's wall of noise, and they are set apart
from Cannibal Corpse right away because they have more of a grind
element, and with the addition of Mike DiSalvo on vocals a few years
back, a certain hardcore element as well. The first track on this
album sums up what this band is all about perfectly: extreme blasting
speed, crazy grooves, aggressive technicality, awesome bass tone and
chaotic leadwork, and serves as a dead-on example of what to expect
for the rest of the 39 minute ride. I have found that these songs
only become catchy after the sixth listen, and I will keep on coming
back to this album through the years because I know that I will hear
something new every time I choose to make the descent into this realm
of brutal complexity. Throughout the whole album, each band member
fights for his part to be heard, but somehow it all comes together to
make for a thoroughly satisfying yet terribly confusing listening
experience.
Darkthrone - _Prepare for War_ (Peaceville, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
Together with part one of the My Dying Bride collection [also
reviewed in this issue], this Darkthrone compilation opens a series
of "best of" albums from Peaceville that will also feature bands
such as Anathema, At the Gates and Autopsy. For the time being,
admirers of this grimly influential Norwegian ensemble are given the
opportunity to read a Darkthrone biography of sorts written by Fenriz
himself whilst indulging in early Darkthrone material (1988/89)
taken from two demo tapes and a live concert. Besides these four
tracks, the rest of _Prepare for War_ consists of two death metal
tracks from _Soulside Journey_, a couple others from the distinctly
black landmark _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_, two more from
_Under a Funeral Moon_ and three from what is perhaps their most
famous release, _Transilvanian Hunger_ (with whose inspiring title
track opener this compilation starts). Darkthrone's latest album,
_Ravishing Grimness_, is not represented as it was not released
through Peaceville. The material on _Prepare for War_ is quite
varied, reflecting the band's progression throughout the years, and
although the multitude of different production options tends to
detract from the overall flow of the compilation, that was hardly
avoidable anyway. A very well balanced compilation indeed, featuring
both a selection of the band's classic material and also rare demo
and live tracks -- very interesting both for collectors who already
know all about Darkthrone and for those who want to know more about
this legendary band.
Deadfood - _Weird Feelings_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (no rating)
This be a strange beast indeed. Although it seems to be based on
somewhat of a grind aesthetic, there are many other things to take
into consideration, such as clean vocals, piano, sound effects,
keyboards and xylophones, and they actually only go full-tilt grind
on the track "Eximo". Cowpunk and older Meat Puppets (and I'm not
just making a food association here) also play a role in the sound of
Deadfood, but they are really too strange to describe with any
clarity, and totally impossible to categorize. The track "Barbara"
sounds like Pspazz, and a highlight of the album is a cover of the
Old Lady Drivers' hit "Colostomy Grab Bag". The last two tracks are
ambient soundscapes -- what the heck is going on here?
Contact: Deadfood, P.O. Box 6488, Burbank, CA 91510-6488, USA
http://www.deadfood.com
Dipknoi - _fkddd_ (Moonza Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
All the way from Brazil comes the rock 'n' roll (with a definite
metal groove at times) of Dipknoi. The music, a little bit weak on
the production end, is a loose assortment of bar band-like numbers
that rock when need to but do little to spark any real foot tapping.
I think the music is too weak for the harsh delivery of singer
Ricardo Matsumoto and I really think they need to explore a more
vibrant production element. The music wanders in and out, rarely
showcasing any real mentionable qualities. Good musicians no doubt,
but Dipnoi needs more than that to make a statement to those of us
living in North America and abroad. This disc, _fkddd_, needs more
work.
Contact: Dipknoi, P.O. Box 2313, Sao Paulo, SP 01060-970, Brazil
mailto:
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/sunsetstrip/studio/3016/
(soon:
http://www.dipnoi.com)
Disrespect - _Hit the Ceiling_ (Diehard, November 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (7.5 out of 10)
Drawing considerable influence from pre-_Slither_ Earth Crisis
material, Disrespect have hammered out a solid thirty-odd minutes of
metallic hardcore featuring battering drumming, fat guitars and
Buechner-grade indecipherable vocals. Despite a clean and individual
execution, _HtC_ does leave slightly too strong an aftertaste of
Earth Crisis than Disrespect's better judgement should have allowed.
However, the strategic deployment of good, Obituary-esque melodic
lead work serves to reduce the album's potential for tedium or
excessive similarity to the Syracuse bruisers' signature. It's
cool to think that Disrespect crank _Cause of Death_ alongside
_Destroy the Machines_ -- even though the hardcore / death metal
cross-pollination means that they wouldn't necessarily have had to.
Solid, aggressive and centrally honest, a good record from what are
probably a good band to see live.
Dominion Caligula - _A New Era Rises_ (No Fashion Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
Now this is a compulsory piece of work. Very riff-happy and
listener-friendly. I like this more and more with each spin in my
player. What do I like, you ask? Well, how about the horrific
"Domination" track, for starters. Ripping and bloodless as the song
invades your consciousness. Cool as hell. Vocals are what you might
come to expect from Emperor Magus Caligula of Dark Funeral, but at
the same time, nothing like DF's scrapped, black metal approach.
Dominion adds his professionalism to that of Lars Johansson on
guitar, and what a combination -that- is. For example, take in the
sheer ability of the solo about three minutes and ten seconds
into song four, the indiscreet "In Love With the Gods". Dominion
Caligula is much more than a spin here and there CD -- it is
certainly a welcome staple on any metalhead's playlist. Producer
Peter Tagtgren only helps this debut reach its objectives that
much more professionally and easily. Nearly forty-five minutes of
rebelliously cold, catching black metal taken down a path less
traveled. Find it. Enjoy it.
Dominus - _Godfallos_ (Diehard Music, November 2000)
by: David Rocher (7 out of 10)
Having never heard any of Dominus' earlier material, the bio provided
with their new release enlightened me to the fact that _Godfallos_ is
none other, or less, than "the creature that lives up God's ass".
With this very revealing thought in mind, a first spin of _Godfallos_
still proves to be rather hard to define. Shifting between rabid
thrash and blatantly _Metallica_-influenced heavy metal, _Godfallos_
offers eleven entertaining, competently played and written tracks:
_Godfallos_ boasts some cool riffage, great vocals, oozes with killer
guitar leads, and generally offers some really catchy material. Lead
axeman Pete Storm and vocalist Michael Poulsen do a great job,
delivering zany leads and hooklines, shifting from death metal rasps
to cool, virile heavy metal vocals with amazing ease and a good deal
of power. Unfortunately, however, not all tracks prove to be as
efficient and memorable as the opener "Thine", which boasts a great
structure, a cool chorus and a really wicked vocal line -- on the
whole, in fact, _Godfallos_ soon turns out to sound kind of "samey",
although "samey" here is on a distinctly high level. I honestly
believe that if Dominus can channel their ideas better and more
efficiently as on their scorching "Thine", they have more than what
is just required to be a good aggressive heavy metal band, both
recognised and sought for.
Dreams of Damnation - _Let the Violence Begin_ (Necropolis, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10)
What to do? Dark Angel is far and away one of my favorites. Dreams of
Damnation publicize themselves as a Dark Angel replicas. I, for one,
don't hear it. I -may- be alone on that, too, but I don't care. If I
would not have come to understand that Jim Durkin was in this band
and playing guitar, I would have -never- guessed it. Is this band
good and proper in their own right? YES! Savage and severe,
DoD force their scarred thrash reality upon you like a midnight
stalker's wrath. For one reason or another, I am suffering from the
Burning Inside syndrome (see issue #49). Dreams of Damnation's
vocalist/bassist, Charlie Silva, doesn't complete the circle for me
in the vocal arena. I like the whole band as a package unit and
singling out the vocals is essentially nitpicking, but I don't feel
comfortable saying that everything is hunky-dory here; it isn't. I
surely will listen to _Let the Violence Begin_, but will it keep my
interest? Only time will tell. I see better things for this band on
the horizon unless the much talked about Dark Angel reunion occurs.
If that happens, I'll drop DoD like a bad habit -- otherwise I -may-
hold on to it like an ol' warm blanket reminding me of years long
gone that by when even the mere thought of Mr. Hoglan and the boys
live in concert boiled my fiercely human blood! LONG LIVE DARK ANGEL!
Contact:
http://www.necropolisrecords.com
Embraced - _Within Me_ (Regain, December 2000)
by: Chris Flaaten (8.5 out of 10)
I absolutely loved Embraced's debut, _Amourous Anathema_. Now they
are finally back with a follow-up album, which I have eagerly waited
for after hearing a few tracks from it at their awesome gig in Oslo
in March 1999. Embraced has very a distinct sound. It is like a mix
between Gothenburg-style death metal and light black metal with heavy
use of both synth/piano and hammering riffs. The album is like its
predecessor, full of variations in tempo and structure, but the songs
may be a tad more similar to each other this time. There are too many
great moments on this album to mention, but at the same time these
moments are less frequent on _Within Me_ than on their previous
album. In other words, their debut is still their best work yet, but
_Within Me_ is a great album, one of my favorites of 2000. Tracks
like "Nighttime Drama" and "Sacred Tears" explain why. I suspect that
their next record will be their best, though. The band was offered
several deals from big labels, but was unable to break loose from
their contract with Regain Records, a label which released their new
album well over a year after its completion and not with a big
budget. Annoying when labels cling to bands and drag them down like
this...
Epoch of Unlight - <advance 3-song demo> (The End Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (9.5 out of 10)
Three glimpses of bliss: "The Last to Fall", "In the Absence of
Light" and "Return to Eidolon". I've waited longer than I care to
explain for a new Epoch of Unlight release. Seeing these guys at the
Milwaukee Metalfest this last Summer was enough to hold me over
until got my greedy little hands on this extremely advance demo.
Compelling, professional, ripping, scalpel-sharp, and very hard to
tear yourself away from, this kind of metal is as oxygen is to a
fire: indispensable. If you have any reservations about what I am
referring to, at your first opportunity, I would appeal to your good
taste and encourage you to look at "In the Absence of Light" to
buttress my claim. A bombastic introduction followed by a guitar riff
so compelling it'll dislodge even the basest of intrinsic instincts.
Believe me when I tell you, this will wound your inner-child!
Recorded ruggedly, this advance three-tracker is as precise as it is
captivating. The caustic atmosphere of the recording contributes to
the demo's universal sundering prominence. Make no mistake about it,
Epoch of Unlight's work is some of the most authoritative and
commanding in recent years. Any music that is strong enough to
challenge my focus and question my logic is what I have come to look
for in bands such as Epoch of Unlight. Awaken to the new era -- the
age of Epoch of Unlight.
Fetus Eaters - _Vomitcore_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
I would say that Fetus Eaters is an awful name for a band, unless
we're talking pig here. _Vomitcore_ is twenty one tracks of crazy
grind in the vein of A.C., which they actually make a reference to in
"Seth Is Gay". If you find that title amusing, how about "C'mon,
Nobody Really Likes Manowar" or "The Bus Should Have Fell on Lars"
(yes in-freakin'-deed!). It's really a shame that there are no lyrics
to be found to decipher the mad vocals supporting such grand ideas.
Amongst all the grind, you will also hear train whistles, circus
music and other bits of ear candy to Bungle things up a bit. This is
the kind of music that will just straight up get you fired if you
listen to it at work, so I guess I'm living life on the edge now --
yeah buddy.
Contact: Fetus Eaters, P.O. Box 6488, Burbank CA 91510-6488, USA
mailto:
[email protected]
Fleurety - _Department of Apocalyptic Affairs_
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10) (Supernal Music, May 2000)
Supernal Music's rather hilarious "warning about Fleurety" (i.e. the
release info and band biography), "signed" by Norwegian trade and
tourism authorities, tells you about these "traitors" to "true black
metal" whose music is all "avant garde" instead of "fast and icy".
What it also tells you is that _Department of Apocalyptic Affairs_
features a lot more than the two actual band members, and the list is
impressive: Maniac, Hellhammer, Garm, Sverd, Carl Michael and ten
others (not all of them necessarily related to the metal scene). In
fact, in the list you will find members of bands such as Ulver,
Arcturus, Dodheimsgard and Beyond Dawn, all of whom are hardly rooted
in the metal scene at all anymore nowadays. That is the case of
Fleurety as well, and _Department of Apocalyptic Affairs_ is about as
difficult to squeeze into a genre pigeonhole as I've ever found with
a release on a metal label. Despite the aforementioned promotional
material having helped prepare me and get me in the mood for the
musical experiments and (hopefully) entertaining creativity to come,
I was put off by the cheerful, bouncy start of _DoAA_'s opening
track. This was fortunately not going to be the case for the rest of
the record, however, and things soon got better. Using the massive
number of guests that I mentioned before (also including, for
instance, a saxophone player and female vocalists), Fleurety keep
things remarkably unpredictable if you pay attention to detail.
Opting for a somewhat subdued sound instead of all-out aggression,
the Norwegian duo challenges (and often seems to tease) the listener
throughout the record. Following Maniac's appearance on third track
"Shotgun Blast", the album enters what I perceive as its finest
stage: the following three tracks, most of which are sung with female
vocals ("Last-Minute Lies" also features Garm's guest appearance). A
rather Portishead-like song then follows before a "radio edit"
version of second track "Face in a Fever" closes _DoAA_. Having
generally enjoyed the record, I still cannot say it really enthralled
me despite all the interesting experimentation going on -- some of
the music could have been more emotionally charged and sometimes the
experimentation seems to harm the consistency of the album itself
somewhat. Nevertheless, _DoAA_ is an interesting and enjoyable album
from a creative duo that refuses to conform to any standards.
Contact:
http://www.supernalmusic.com
Ginger Leigh - _Broken by the World_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
I was actually taking my time deciding on whether or not to review
this for CoC. I decided to give it a chance and let the readers of
the magazine decide if it was worth investigating. This is indeed a
strange mix of sounds and styles, most noticeably drawing from the
likes of Godflesh, Johnny Violent and Nine Inch Nails, though less of
the latter's commercial substance. The beats of this electronic
outfit are whisked into a fevered frenzy, as distorted sounds and
samples make their way throughout the song. The end result? A
mish-mash of sounds and ideas that sound like you're at a rave at
times, but quite easily make it seem like you've been abducted by
aliens and are in another world. Cool, creepy and just downright
crafty. I think this belongs in CoC 'cause it will no doubt expose
many people to a form of music they may not know of or really care
for. We all need to just get away (especially us metalheads) and why
not let someone else do the driving for a while? It's worth the trip
to Ginger Leigh's world.
Contact: Ginger Leigh, P.O. Box 863 Artesia, CA 90702-0683, USA
http://www.gingerleigh.com
High on Fire - _The Art of Defense_ (Man's Ruin, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7.5 out of 10)
Ex-Sleep singer Matt Pike steps away from the sometimes long routed,
sludge and grind of Sleep to form a high-octane stoner-rock band
chock full of thrashing guitar riffs, hearty vocals and a solid
rhythm section to boot. The music on _The Art of Defense_ is very
heavy, a trait that comes to the front almost as soon as the disc
starts, due to the rawness of the production. My only complaint is
that some of the songs sound the same. This is their first disc, so
I'll cut them some slack. Fans looking for a reason to rock out and
get high, pick up High on Fire's debut and get smokin'. Choice cuts:
Opener "Baghdad" and "Blood From Zion".
Hybrid Children - _Stardom Is Here_ (Dream Catcher, June 2000)
by: Kirsty Buchanan (7 out of 10)
What a shame that Hybrid Children chose such a stuttering non-entity
of a track as "No Parade at the End of the Drain" as one of the
openers to this collection of pop-rock fun. From the lamenting ballad
style of "Crawl Back to Win" to the fiercely opinionated "I'm a Work
of Art", _SIH_ is anything but consistent in quality. This release
marks a foray into more pop based sounds; _SIH_ is less metal
themed than 1998's _Drugster_. Although an essentially listenable
album with a light-hearted, feel-good vibe, _SIH_ can and does
at times seem somewhat contrived. While "Like Every Day Is the
Last" is an introspective statement with powerful complimentary
guitar, it nonetheless sounds excessively vocally led. Potential live
favourite "Urban White Boy Blues" suffers the same problem with its
sing-along-a-Hybrid feel: their Finnish accents transfer through
slightly poorly into the vocals, and they can end up sounding like
upper-class Oxford boys. I have no concrete proof or specific example
with which to refer and compare, but "Down for Evermore" just sounds
a little too familiar to me. I can't say to what because I'm not
sure. There is always the possibility that it's just one of those
songs, but I don't know... However, a mainly mediocre album is
redeemed from the detriments of sloppy guitar work and weak song
construction by the pure happy energy fired into it -- a fact
exemplified by the upbeat percussion. On a number of journeys
around his kit, I was both surprised and impressed by the way
(the intriguingly named) Headache's talents overshadowed the other
Children. Generally an amiable offering; although there are other
Kids in the playground who play the game better, few have the simple
gusto of the Finns.
Hypnos - _In Blood We Trust_ (Morbid, September 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10)
Evil Dead samples and references may not be original as features of
death metal albums, but that makes them no less cool. Hypnos do
themselves the credit of choosing a good tone-setting edit from the
first film (the recitation from "The Book of the Dead") for their
intro, and don't even completely spoil things when they come crashing
in with their music. This quick-fire follow-up to Hypnos' self-titled
EP is cruder and simpler than the output of the death metal
scene's leaders, but nonetheless offers a well-constructed and
more-than-usually varied platter of music. Mixing brutality, melody,
good solos and dynamic work into a well-rounded package, Hypnos
impress and invigorate to a surprising extent, though they ultimately
fail to have you headbanging and screaming their name from the
rooftops. As regards the band's own progression, they've improved
their production and developed their songwriting: the five non-EP
tracks presented here remind less of Krabathor than the EP did. The
result is to place Hypnos near or on top of the Czech death metal
pile, in my eyes.
i - _One Word_ (Let It Burn Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (6 out of 10)
East Coast hxc done German style that is actually not bad. The vocals
are surprisingly not accented heavily even in the clean parts, and the
lyrics are expounded upon by accompanying liner notes provided by
members of the band. The music is not bad, but nothing too great
either, and I will say that the drum sound is the worst that I've
heard in awhile (think cardboard). i has only been a band since March
of 2000, but have already toured and released a split 7" with High
Hopes previous to this MCD, so they must be an ambitious bunch -- let's
hope that ambitiousness translates into some truly great hardcore on
their upcoming full-length.
Contact: Let It Burn Records, c/o Christoph Zehetleitner,
Benno-Benedicter Str. 31, 86609 Donauworth, Germany
Icon of Coil - _Serenity Is the Devil_ (Metropolis, 2000)
Juno Reactor - _Pistolero_ (Metropolis, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (both 7 out of 10)
What do Juno Reactor and Icon of Coil have in common other than that
both are on the Metropolis label? Nothing, but I decided to use a bit
of creative license and put them in the same review. Why? I felt like
it -- plain and simple. That and I didn't have a lot to say about
Juno Reactor other than what I already brought up about their fifth
release, _Shango_ [CoC #49]. _Pistolero_ is a singles compilation of
remixes, a la Nine Inch Nails, centered around, of course, the
original cut. A beneficial CD for the inquisitive in our midst. Icon
of Coil isn't as easy to tag. _Serenity Is the Devil_ whips up
dance-frenzy of musical delineations reminiscent of 1982's Steven
Lisberger film, "Tron". Infectious? Fuck, yea! If you are at all
familiar with the Metropolis label, Icon of Coil is a perfect match.
Beating his way to you from Norway, Andy LaPlegua's started IoC as a
one man project in 1998. No longer; Mr. LaPlegua is joined by
Sebastian Komor, with Computer Girl and Christian Lund for live
performances. _Serenity Is the Devil_ is this band's first and
initial release. Tried and true dance/synth trends aplenty, _Serenity
Is the Devil_ is a nearly sixty minute, air-tightly fresh effort of
power prancing "pop"; underground, of course.
Immolation - _Close to a World Below_ (Metal Blade, November 2000)
by: Kirsty Buchanan (9 out of 10)
Often the level of production levered into a band's work, and/or the
obvious effort put into the artwork, are a cover. Such things can
often be a sugar coating for a sour, sour pill. However, in this
situation the production value and extensively blasphemous artwork
can only add to an already fantastic release. Not this time the
superficial glaze of lesser bands, no, an extension of the pure
genius that shows itself through the music of Immolation. There are
reasons that Immolation are still to the fore in the death metal
scene, and they don't need to be discussed after listening to this
album. Bass guitar, an oft ignored medium in this genre, is
particularly audible, specifically in the clamoring wonder of "Fall
From a High Place". Not only audible though, the bass rings through
as an echo to the powerful voice of Ross Dolan. Not for nothing is
the vocalist also the bassist; he complements himself wonderfully. As
a listener, the comprehensive blasphemy is a standard to the genre;
but as a young Catholic girl I was impressed with the obvious
research which Immolation have clearly experienced to bring this
joyous disquiet to our ears. Nothing short of phenomenal, a truly
astounding effort.
Impaler - _One Nation Under Ground_ (Root of All Evil, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10)
My very first exposure to Impaler was on the Root of All Evil 2000
second anniversary sampler [CoC #49]. I truly enjoyed that CD taster.
Impaler are raw and, in their own right, peerless. Not for everyone,
however. Not many strive to the garden-variety goals of Impaler.
There is a method to this band's madness after all. Pretty basic,
though pointed and convenient. Rhymes wax poetic lyric after lyric
-- sometimes purposely laughable. Imagine a rudimentary Deceased
stripped down as far as you can take it and you kinda have an idea of
_One Nation Under Ground_. Like on the Root of All Evil 2000
second anniversary sampler, the song "Under the Dirt" is on _One
Nation Under Ground_; a plus. Track six, "Dead as a Doornail", is
pretty catchy. I surely appreciate the cover of Cooper's "Teenage
Frankenstein" and the use of the Mortician-like gore/horror samples
throughout the effort. "Scream Machine" and "Girl of My Screams"
should supply enough of an insight as to what Impaler is all about. I
think Impaler may enjoy their modest appointment of being a B-rated
Necrophagia.
Contact:
http://www.rootofallevil.com
Kalmah - _Swamplord_ (Spikefarm, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
While the music of Kalmah is fast paced and intense, the pairing of
harrowing riffs and melody is a match made in heaven. Thrown into the
sound an eloquent flare of creativity, and the metallic beast known
as Kalmah takes shape; a solid outing from start to finish. In this
day and age, with so many bands trying to hard to outdo one another,
Kalmah keep their heads down and just churn our melodically vibrant
death metal. Paying homage to the metal veterans of the '80s, Kalmah
manage to keep things crisp and never become oversaturated with
ideas. The flow of such songs as "Heritance of Berija", "Alteration"
or "Withering Away" have just enough keyboard to add atmosphere and
style, while the punishing drive of their death metal attack takes
charge. Well executed and worthy of repeated listens.
Lethargy - _Discography '93-'99_ (Spoth, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (10 out of 10)
The on-again-off-again career of Lethargy appears to finally be over.
As a final tribute, Spoth records released this double CD, which is
basically everything they've ever recorded. Included are their 1996
album _It's Hard to Write With a Little Hand_ [CoC #14], the _Humor
Me_ demo [1995, CoC #4], the _Tainted_ demo (my personal favorite,
1994), the _Lost in This Existence_ demo (1993), the two songs from
the Watchmen comps [1997 and 1998, CoC #27], three songs from 1999,
and the unplugged version of "Lost in This Existence" from their
split with Big Hair (1994). It adds up to 32 songs, clocking in at a
whopping 133 minutes. Their style can be described as "palsycore",
meaning that it's a hardcore/metal hybrid with spastic riff and tempo
changes and little regular song structure. Human Remains would be a
good comparison, though Lethargy are generally less extreme and more
convoluted. Their riffs aren't always technical, but the way they are
organized makes for a challenging listen. Riffs are thrown together
in a hodge-podge style, with no thought given to song flow or
development. But impressively, the band is rock solid even for the
most difficult sections, where the riffs last only a few seconds
each. And this lack of structure is itself a structure, giving the
band their distinctive sound. Fans of technical and quirky death
metal should pick this up. Highest recommendations.
Love History - _Anasazi_ (The End Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8.5 out of 10)
This effort is nearly as difficult to describe and explain as
_Organasm_ by Alchemist [CoC #49] was, but along those same lines,
too. Both bands share similar qualities without ebbing over to the
point of cloning each other's sound either. Wickedly complex as one
passage braids into another almost more naturally than Love History's
musicians embrace their instruments. It is almost as if this whole
band creation was second-nature. This Czech group has an interesting
vocal duo mixing Borknagar or Emperor-like spoken chants with a Chris
Barnes throaty accentuation. To a lesser degree, lofty female
vocal touches are utilized well, like on track four, "Masterless".
Effective. I get a sense of the simplicity from Love History, too,
between the complications of their sound. For example, all of
the band's song titles are one or two words long ("Angealism",
"Spiritual", "Sown") and the material is very easy to follow and
enjoy. For those of you who have a desire for a lot of change-ups on
a release, _Anasazi_ is just that. No overly abrupt segues make the
flow of Love History's material pleasing. Orchestral parts play
into more metal traits with the vocals punctuating in a gruffly
inspirational way. A very thought-provoking CD-ROM bonus clip of the
song "Lost" is also included. When viewing this, one is reminded of a
short film that might possibly be presented at the Cannes Film
Festival. To say this CD-ROM extra is just meaningful is putting it
mildly. I believe now more than ever, bands like Love History can
cover a lot of ground for music in general, but metal in particular.
Contact:
http://www.theendrecords.com
Monster Magnet - _God Says No_ (A&M, November 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10)
Is this my favourite Monster Magnet record? Probably not. To be
honest, my fave disc by Dave Wyndorf and his henchmen is either
1993's _Superjudge_ or 1995's _Dopes to Infinity_. But to tell you
the truth, this is my favourite Monster Magnet disc right now. Less
lavish and more basic than the last record _Powertrip_, _God Says No_
is one of those records that needs repeated listens before the magic
and dynamics of what the band has been able to capture here sinks in.
And as many Monster Magnet fans know, this band doesn't really write
or play by any book. They write music based on feelings. It is that
simple. That could explain why a song like the tripping title track
can co-exist with the rocking first single "Heads Explode" and a
bizarre '60s-tinged piece like "Kiss of the Scorpion". I admit, the
guitar work and songwriting here isn't as out there as the past work
of the band, but get past those few rough edges and _GSN_ will no
doubt be spinning on your CD player well into the new year. Monster
Magnet's latest is pure chaos wrapped tightly into a rockin' roller
coaster ride of fun.
My Dying Bride - _Meisterwerk I_ (Peaceville, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
Part one of the My Dying Bride anthology is more of a collector's
album than one that lives up to its title. I could certainly think of
some far more appropriate tracks for MDB's "masterpieces" than the
three demo tracks that make up about one third of the record, for
example, but then again that's probably what makes this record
most valuable for collectors (together with the big digipak).
The compilation starts with the classic "The Crown of Sympathy"
from _Turn Loose the Swans_ sandwiched between opener "Symphonaire
Infernus et Spera Empyrium" (the rather inferior demo version of this
song having been used instead of the MCD one) and demo track "The
Grief of Age". _Meisterwerk I_ then takes the listener on a trip to
_Like Gods of the Sun_ land with "A Kiss to Remember", followed by a
good but rather long remix of "Grace Unhearing" and then "For You"
all in a row. The rare demo track "Unreleased Bitterness" follows,
and "Sear Me III" from the band's latest, _The Light at the End of
the World_, wraps up the disc. I can hardly agree that this is a very
significant part of MDB's best material, but on the other hand there
are plenty of rare tracks to be found, plus the video clip for "The
Cry of Mankind" from _The Angel and the Dark River_. Perhaps this
compilation would have been better if it contained less tracks from
_Like Gods of the Sun_, but it may be worth the investment for the
rare material (not that its sound quality is great, though). I would
now expect a more thoroughly enjoyable and less collector-oriented
compilation for part two.
Narcissus - _Newwave Techno Homicide_ (Takehold Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (9.5 out of 10)
This is quite a band indeed, and I will state right away that fans of
Refused should check this out. They really have a creative edge that
many hardcore bands are not blessed with, and therefore do not rely
solely on the "chugga chugga" approach to riffing and song structure.
They don't even utilize a guitar tone that would do that simple stuff
justice anyway. It's sort of what I imagine Stavesacre would sound
like if they were aggressive, and what Neurosis might contrive if
they went back to playing hxc. _Newwave Techno Homicide_ drew me in
to such an extent that before I knew it I was on track four. I had to
pay such close attention to the raging vocals and interesting guitar
playing that I totally lost my sense of space and time, and this was
the sixth time I had listened to it. What is going on here? Clean
vocals make several appearances here as well. This is truly an
amazing CD from this unknown band. Own it and support talent.
Contact: Takehold Records, P.O. Box 19831, Birmingham AL 35219, USA
http://www.takehold.com
Neglected Fields - _Mephisto Lettonica_ (Scarlet, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon (8 out of 10)
This is Neglected Fields' second album, following their 1998 debut
_Synthinity_. While that album showed some serious Sentenced (_North
From Here_ era) worship, this album is a more distinctive effort.
They've moved toward the orchestral black metal sound of bands like
Limbonic Art and Nokturnal Mortum by adding more prominent keyboards.
The music is still heavily guitar dominated, and the riffs and vocals
are still heavily Sentenced-influenced, but the keyboards temper the
guitars and give the music a unique feel. The playing is generally
quite good, though there are a few moments where things could be
improved. The production is excellent: clear and powerful. The songs
are generally interesting and inspired, and their core sound is
dense and thick. The keyboards really add depth to their sound,
not dominating the music, but expanding and filling it out. In
addition, the album offers a moderate diversity of styles. The band
occasionally strays away from their core sound to explore new
territory, and most of these departures are successful, such as the
vaguely Satriani-like instrumental "Presentiment". But this is a
consistently heavy album, and the departures aren't radical enough to
break its mood. Overall, this is a step in the right direction for
the band, and I look forward to their next effort.
Nightwish - _Wishmaster_ (Spinefarm / Vinyl Collectors, 2000)
by: Alvin Wee (8 out of 10)
Perhaps my expectations were overly high for Finland's operatic
masters Nightwish, but _Wishmaster_, their third offering, seems
rather lacklustre in view of _Oceanborn_'s excellence. While by no
means a bad album, the band's knack for soaring, epic melody-lines
seems to be compromised in favour of a slightly more experimental
approach, introducing more atonality and staccato rhythm into the
previously smooth songwriting. Many fans have already ascribed the
new direction to progression, and less melody-oriented tracks like
"The Kinslayer" do add a touch of spice, offsetting the sublimely
beautiful "Come Cover Me". Remarks have been made about _Oceanborn_
being more straightforward than _Wishmaster_; on the other hand, the
music on the latter album appeals more to conventional power-metal
sensibilities, downplaying the complex virtuosity and neo-classical
arrangements in favor of harder-hitting power riffs. Tarja's polished
soprano seems in fine form, but once again lacks the raw inspiration
and operatic conviction of her previous efforts, lending the music a
rather over-produced, boringly polished feel (read: The Gathering).
Hammerheart's LP version boasts top quality pressing on heavy-vinyl;
add to that a beautiful gatefold cover complete with separate lyric
sheet and vinyl lovers have a near-flawless example of vinyl
production. Certainly a recommended album despite the minor let-down,
but to expect the band to top an effort like _Oceanborn_ would be
asking too much, surely.
Novembers Doom - _The Knowing_ (Dark Symphonies, October 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)
Together with Evoken, Novembers Doom have been trying to create
quality doom metal in the USA that can compete against European
bands, and both bands have definitely succeeded in this. Novembers
Doom -- now quite suitably signed to Dark Symphonies -- have
continued to hone their sound into something more atmospheric
but still as emotional as ever, whilst trying to express that
emotion yet more eloquently than before, and they have succeeded in
doing so. With Eric Burnley's driving guitar dirges and Paul
Kuhr's highly competent doom/death growls and clean vocals as a
foundation, Novembers Doom now articulate their doom/death with more
atmospheric parts, acoustic guitars and piano passages than before.
This generally increases both the overall variety and the impact of
some heavier sections as Novembers Doom tell of grief, sorrow and
heartache with a sound that can successively be amongst the angriest
and the most soothing in the genre. Only "In Memories Past" seems to
be rather misplaced in _The Knowing_, but it can easily be programmed
out of this hour long record. An excellent album, powerful both
sonically and emotionally.
Odor of Pears - _Crown of Thorns_ (<Independent>, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
I don't know how we snagged a copy of this to review, but this is one
of those borderline records to review in CoC. Does it fit the mold?
Is it metal? Is it extreme? Where does it go? While I am at a loss on
why the band would choose such a bizarre name as Odor of Pears,
their music is a haunting trip through emotions, darkness and
electronic/industrial-tinged offerings. The music is coated with a
surreal state of sound, a sound emanating rhythms that'll sink deep
into your psyche and cause you to feel bizarre and tingly all over.
Odor of Pears is a cool band to take in stages, as their hypnotic
guitar playing and '80s gothic inspired song patterns require a lot
of concentration to get the full effect, something no doubt lost if
there were to be repeated listens. Not for everyone, but definitely
unique and no doubt a sonic stew of ideas for those who find comfort
in bizarre music to relax and unwind to.
Contact: mailto:
[email protected]
http://www.odorofpears.com
Primal Fear - _Nuclear Fire_ (Nuclear Blast, January 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan (4 out of 10)
Pure "Screaming Dad-Rock" at its best, or worst: it depends whether
or not you are partial to the re-heated ideas of others. To my mind
there is no more than 1 minute 30 seconds of original material in
this release. It's all very well paying homage to your idols and
those who influenced you, but some streak of personality would be a
treat. This 53 minute romp through the record collections of five
middle-aged men is an intriguing beast. At times it betrays the vague
talent of the musicians, but just as I felt I was warming to them,
another cliche was poured into my ears. Admittedly, as a band in this
genre it is important to stamp your identity on your work; but
there's personal identity, and then there's: a pretty basic font,
cover-art to sell the cheapest of all budget computer games, and over
use of the word "fire". However, the percussion on many of the tracks
is skilled and the guitar work competent and at times noticeably good
-- during the lyrically impressive "Now or Never", for example.
Although in places more Aerosmith than anything else, a competent
album can be found within _Nuclear Fire_'s unconvincing sleeve. The
single standout track on this release is mercifully recognised as the
"bonustrack", "Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove". It is a foray into the
original land of personal thought. Passable, despite the Tommy Cooper
band photo.
Psychopunch - _Bursting Out of Chucky's Town_
by: Aaron McKay (3 out of 10) (White Jazz / House of Kicks, 2000)
I haven't any idea where these guys were trying to go with this
release. I think I hear a 1970s punk aspect to this album, but who
would claim Psychopunch as protegees? Idol's Generation X? The
Damned? The Buzzcocks? No fuckin' way! This is Psychopunch's second
effort after _We Are Just as Welcome as Holy Water in Satan's Drink_,
a pretty amusing title, but _Bursting Out of Chucky's Town_ isn't
even -that-. If you'd like some straight-forwarded mindlessness with
little to nothing more than watered-down, warmed-over, sub-par
Motorhead riffs added to inadequate Jimmy Pursey (Sham 69) meets
Faster Pussycat vocals, Psychopunch might be your alarm. Like Faster
Pussycat, wake -me- when it's over!!
Various - _Scream Forth Blasphemy: A Tribute to Morbid Angel_
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10) (Dwell, November 2000)
Personally, I'd have begun this compilation with Diabolic's "Rapture"
or Headhunter D.C.'s "Blessed Are the Sick / Desolate Ways". Listen
to that beautiful Richard Brunelle-like guitar work on "Desolate
Ways". Pretty damn fine. Coffin Texts and The Chasm accomplish their
tasks effectively on "Thy Kingdom Come" and "Abominations". Infamy's
"Fall From Grace" cover is surely time well invested, too. I was glad
to see "Chapel of Ghouls" on here as well, but Mystifier was a poor
choice, I thought, to do this track. Only my opinion, though. Even
their take on "The Invocation" was a bit loose. Other than that,
Damnation hits their mark with "Bleed for the Devil". I often wonder,
what would I have done without Morbid Angel's _Altars of Madness_
release? I'm glad to see bands like Damnation do brutal justice to
Morbid Angel's supreme struggle in making _AoM_ as great as I
believe it to be. Damnation's version of "Bleed for the Devil" was
reinforcement to that notion if ever I did hear one. Be wary, reader,
there are as many cuts of _Scream Forth Blasphemy_ to watch out for
as there are ones I've brought up here in this review. Better than
average, though; that's for damn sure.
Seth - _The Excellence_ (Osmose, September 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (8.5 out of 10)
Aggressive, dark, atmospheric and infectious are not adjectives which
often apply to a single release in a case where each quality is in
appropriate and significant abundance. However -- carefully studying
the lamentably deceased masters of blackened death, Dissection,
beforehand --, Seth have given us a sophomore release which delivers
the goods far more than merely adequately in all those areas. With a
bit of luck, _The Excellence_ will be the genesis point which sees
Seth soar to far more personally remarkable heights in the future,
but for now, let's just stick with what the present has to offer,
'cause it is considerable. What most marks Seth as unusual and
special is the strength and consistency of their guitar and drum
attack. The former bites down hard, thrashes with style, punctuates
wonderfully when required to do so, and has that essential power to
emphasise and underscore melody with that seemingly contradictory mix
of subtlety and profundity which acts like a magic potion for
capturing atmosphere. The upfront but not intrusive drumwork melds to
this, augmenting its power, underscoring its sincerity: the symbiosis
of the two is ultimately what guarantees that _The Excellence_ is as
remarkable and affecting as it is. That said, the vocals are by no
means shoddy. Varied in general and powerful at appropriate moments,
they show off a decent range and adequate ability to affect the
listener. Admittedly, Seth do owe a stylistic debt to Dissection, but
they are not ripping them off. _The Excellence_ doesn't grate: it's
not a sound-a-like album. Seth have taken influence from a great band
and forged a sound that has the potential to develop into something
truly, individually their own. I hope they can make that step next
time, but 'til then this beastly black/death opus will more than
suffice.
Six Feet Under - _Graveyard Classics_ (Metal Blade, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (2.5 out of 10)
What was Chris Barnes thinking... er... smoking when he decided that
the next release, following the brilliant _Maximum Violence_, was
going to be a covers album? Oh man. Not only are most of the
original, classic songs destroyed by the death metal wringer they are
rung through, those classic songs just don't attain any of the
relevant spark that made them classics. Case in point, the atrocious
cover of Hendrix's classic "Purple Haze", the mediocre offerings of
Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf" and Scorpions' "Blackout", or even the rocker
"Smoke on the Water" (by Deep Purple). I must admit I like the AC/DC
cover of "TNT", but that is about as far as it goes. Hopefully this
is just Barnes and co. letting off a little bit of steam before they
conquer a new disc. I at least hope so.
Slaughter - _Surrender or Die_ (Utopian Vision Music, November 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
The legendary band gets high marks in my books for just starting off
with the chainsaw. Yeah! Fucking metal! But there is more to the
power of Canada's mighty Slaughter than a chainsaw intro. This was
-the- band that influenced a legion of other bands with their
ravaging metal sound and raw production, including heavyweights like
Mortician and Napalm Death. Even though the original material (from
1985) has been remastered, Slaughter's music still sounds dated --
but in a good way. Back then, before Metallica broke out big and
Death ever existed, Slaughter was breaking all the rules. A cult
classic -- one listen to songs like "Incinerator", "Cult of the Dead"
or "Shadow of Death" and you'll know why. God bless them for being
Canucks!
Contact:
http://www.utopianvisionmusic.com
Slaves on Dope - _Inches From the Mainline_ (Divine Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (1 out of 10)
More like inches from falling into my trash can. Ugh!? This
is absolutely horrible. This major label debut by Canuck (now
L.A.-based) act Slaves on Dope is just like a shot to the head. It is
so full of cliche metal sounds and nu-metal styles that I cringe at
what they have become. Take the styles of Pantera, Soulfly, Korn,
Deftones, Godsmack, Boiler Room, Slipknot, Incubus and any other
OzzFest nu-metal band and you've got the music of Slaves on Dope. I
don't know what people are raving about, 'cause this band really does
nothing for me. This just goes to show that marketing and label
influence can piece together a sound and image that'll please
thousands, but nauseate those like me. One of the worst discs of
2000.
Suffocate - _Exit 64_ (GWN / Warfare Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
All the way from Slovakia comes the punishing death metal grooves of
Suffocate, a hardened death metal regime that just plays head to the
ground and full of aggression. While the material here (coming from
the 1998 demo tape and transplanted onto CD) is not of the best
production, the strength of the playing, and especially the powerful
drumming and violent vocals (i.e. "If You Can't Be Strong...",
"Duplicity"), make that an easy blemish to overlook. Looking for
death metal that really lives up to the genre's characteristics?
Suffocate just might turn your crank. Awesome album artwork as well.
Contact: P.O. Box 65095, CSP Place Longueuil, QC J4K 5J4, Canada
http://www.gwnrecords.com
Tantrum of the Muse - _Modernmu$ick (2000!)_
by: Alex Cantwell (7 out of 10) (Takehold Records, 2000)
What a trip. These guys from Pennsylvania take the sly talent of The
Melvins and mix in keen emo/indie sensibilities, along with a few
grindcore episodes. This is not easy-listening, nor are they a band
to "jam out to", as they deal with heavy sexual topics in "Eunuch
(The Sinai Orgies)", "Happy as a Lark", and "Victoria Has a Secret",
as well as some other fun topics (check out "10-10-99/$screw the
Christian Industry$"). Some of the lyrics are really vague, though,
and although they are written from a Christian viewpoint, this band
lets loose like any group of tormented souls would in "Caught With
Your Halo Around Your Knees" and "Chiroptera Armada" ("In my mind
lives a swine, the ones possessed by demons, my soul has made a
covenant but it's all stalked by darkness"). Sheesh. I would
recommend this to those who enjoy the lyrical rantings of Roadside
Monument, and fans of Built to Spill and Warlord.
Contact: Takehold Records, P.O. Box 19831, Birmingham AL 35219, USA
http://www.takehold.com
Tchort - _Love Metal / Government Issue Rock 'n' Roll_
by: Adrian Bromley (8.5 out of 10) (Illuminatus Records, 2000)
Looking back at all the years I have being doing music journalism,
since 1992, I can honestly say that Toronto metalheads Tchort live
and breathe metal. They are an asset to Toronto's growing metal scene
and true purveyors of fine heavy metal, in music and on stage. If you
ever get a chance to see them, please make an effort. The rock 'n'
roll poses, guitar solos and fireworks will knock your socks off. The
new split disc, the _Love Metal_ EP combined with the one-time
"available on vinyl" only _Government Issue Rock 'n' Roll_ record is
absolutely fabulous. The disc's title track is a true metal anthem
and the cover of the Boney M disco hit "Rasputin" is awesome. The
other material (i.e. "Virgin Forest" and the cool "Soul Embargo")
rocks hard 'n' heavy, no doubt helping Tchort spread the word of
metal a bit further. Be metal and get this disc!
Contact: mailto:
[email protected]
http://uncertain.org/~illuminatus/
Thanatos - _Angelic Encounters_ (Hammerheart, January 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan (8 out of 10)
With the opening title track standing at an immense, thundering six
minutes, Thanatos immediately grab your attention; it is merely a
pity the following track makes little or no attempt to emulate this
and thus carry the listener through the album. However, after a
faltering beginning, _Angelic Encounters_ just gets better and
better. I have never heard anything quite as intense as "Sincere
Chainsaw Salvation" or "Gods of War". The combined experience of the
musicians does not, as I would have imagined, lessen the experience
of the record; it is often possible for bands to seem stale and
somewhat stagnant if suffering from age, not so Thanatos. Their
experience seems to have given them the ability to take stock of the
Dutch death metal scene and release something worthy of great praise.
The drumming is astoundingly performed with seemingly the greatest of
skill and ease; "The Howling" stands as a prime example of the
ex-Sinister stickman's ability. The wittily titled "Thou Shalt Rot"
closes this musical journey in much the way it began: with a lengthy
but proficient aural pleasure.
Theatre of the Macabre - _A Paradise in Flesh & Blood_
by: Aaron McKay (7.5 out of 10) (Root of All Evil, 2000)
Sounding a lot like Lorde of All Desires, Theatre of the Macabre
manage to salvage a shred of uniqueness and avoid the "clone" label
with their sound. LeRue Delashay parted company with LoAD to wind-up
forming Theatre of the Macabre. I heard this in the band's style even
before learning of the stark connection between the two groups. You
can also see my review of Root of All Evil's second anniversary
sampler in issue #49 for some more information about Lorde of All
Desires and Theatre of the Macabre. On and on and so forth. This is
the band's first full length effort and, thusly, a debut of sorts.
Black metal is the respective target TotM is aiming for and very
nearly hits. Some attractive guitar passages can be discovered here,
like the beginning to track five, "Forsaken in the Garden of Earthly
Delights" (Hieronymus Bosch, anyone?). I like a cerebral reference
here and there. This song is equally as enthralling as Bosch's work.
Not overtly fast musically, TotM changes that in for of a more catchy
riff progression. If you'd like a bit of obscure magnetism conjured
in your black metal, Theatre of the Macabre may be your witches'
brew. A potent concoction.
Underoath - _Cries of the Past_ (Takehold Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (9.5 out of 10)
Crazy, crazy hardcore with a very direct black metal influence. Or is
it the other way around? I could just as easily say that this is
crazy, crazy black metal with hardcore leanings, because these
upstarts have succeeded indeed when it comes to the game of
obliterating lines between classifications of metal. Sometimes life
is actually worth the living, and releases like this fan my flames to
get through the day. Besides the fact that Underoath have pioneered a
completely new sub-genre, let it be known that this CD is 42 minutes
long but consists of only five songs, and therefore, the compositions
consist of many different parts. Lightning-fast riffing leads into a
melodic section that turns into a giant mosh riff as keyboards weigh
heavy upon the soul, drums of doom keep it all in time and shrill
black metal vocals scare any small children in the vicinity -- this
is just an example of what a few minutes listening to one of these
dark sagas would put you through. Amazing, really; as much as I am
personally into black metal as well as hardcore (which from their
typical respective viewpoints, would be two forms of music/lifestyles
very opposed to one another), I never dreamt of melding the two, but
I am extremely glad that these six young men did, and I believe that
with this album they have done it with such creativity and style that
fans of both genres would embrace them. You really must check this
out, not only due to the novelty of it, but because these songs are
good ones! Cradle of Filth meets Hatebreed -- gnarly!
Contact: Takehold Records, P.O. Box 19831, Birmingham AL 35219, USA
http://www.takehold.com
Usurper - _Necronemesis_ (Necropolis Records, April 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (8 out of 10)
Riff-tastic as it comes, kiddies. Mature, solid and brutal. Want
proof? Listen to the title track, especially the opening to about the
two minute mark. Back to back, nuts to butts persuasive. WAIT! Is
that King Diamond on backing vocals on "Necronemesis", track four?
Fuck yea! Impressed? I was. Nice bad-ass riff at the onset of "1666
AD", too. These guys know what metal is all about. Usurper's _Visions
From the Gods_ was reviewed in issue #48, so for some further
edification, check that out, too. I haven't been this satisfied with
a metal-groove smorgasbord since _Wiseblood_ or maybe _Temple of
Knowledge_. "Funeral Waters", track nine, gives you a perfect
representation of Usurper's ability as it drags you through the
venom-laced tyranny of their kingdom; at times sounding like a
heavier than lead Dimmu Borgir circa _Stormblast_. Riddled with real
feeling and creativity. Very compelling. The last cut, "Into the
Oblong Box", is -the- scrupulously totalitarian exodus a band strives
to achieve effort after soul-searching effort. Also, it is my
understanding that Usurper is heading all over Europe supporting
Cradle of Filth and Christian Death for the whole of November.
Usurper have certainly found their own way through this genre's
confusion. Find _Necronemesis_ soon. It'll be worth it.
Velvet Acid Christ - _Twisted Thought Generator_
by: Aaron McKay (9 out 10) (Metropolis, November 2000)
My first exposure to Velvet Acid Christ was through a Suicide
Commando remix of "State of Emergency". If you haven't tried to
mentally grasp hold of it, I'd sure give it a shot! What a ride. Now,
all too suddenly, I find the group offering forth their newest album.
I do enjoy the sampling VAC uses so very competently; often humorous,
sometimes disturbing, but always topical and relevant. "Asphixia
(Wasted)", song five, uses David Duchovny's ("X-Files") voice. This
adds a certain amount of creepiness. I'll give 'em that. One thing
that people could -never- accuse this band of is sounding like a
high-school kid with a laptop Casio keyboard. Influenced by many a
person, VAC, at its core, is comprised of two individuals, Bryan and
Chris. Heavy is this band's nature. Calling upon influences from
Napalm Death and Godflesh, Bryan and Chris calculate inspiration from
Skinny Puppy and The Cure, as well. Obviously technology-based, VAC
rises above the norm to a particular height of ability. Darkness and
eeriness dance unfettered throughout _Twisted Thought Generator_.
This is blamed mostly on the drug use the band advocated early on
(_Fun With Drugs_ and _Church of Acid_), but not so much any more, I
understand. Ambiguity still invades the music, but possibly more out
of habit than substance abuse. Track six, "Never Worship (Bruised
Knees Mix)", beckons a sampling from Al Pacino taken from the Warner
Brothers movie "The Devil's Advocate". This German-sounding American
outfit is no champion of the Evil One, however. Naw. I think they are
in it more for themselves. "Here, as far as could be heard, there was
no weeping except of sighs which caused the eternal air to tremble;
these resulted from grief without torture, felt by the crowds, which
were many and large, of infants and of women and of men... Great
sorrow seized my heart... because I knew that people of great worth
were suspended in that limbo." (Dante, "The Divine Comedy: Inferno".)
Vessel - _Vessel_ (Burning Records, 2000)
by: Alex Cantwell (7 out of 10)
You ready for a stompin' good time? Although Vessel's music takes on
somewhat of a dark edge, it's also pretty easy to mosh around the
living room to with a big ol' sloppy grin on your grill. I know
nothing of this band or their background, but although Vessel is
pretty much new-skool hardcore, I would imagine they listen to quite
a bit of metal as well. To make it easy on myself and you as well, I
will just say that this band land somewhere between Pro-Pain, Drill
187 and whatever '90s hardcore band you care to think of. Now, that
is not to say that their music is generic, or without a face of its
own; it's just that they will need to work on personalizing
their sound. Some of the things that they already have going for
them include the ability to transform their anger and frustration
into good songs, and combine good hardcore breakdowns with brutal
double-bass drumming. Labels like Metal Blade and Goldtrax are
signing bands like this right now, ya know? I recommend this to all
the punters out there, but also to all of the kids whose CD
collection consists of merely Deftones and Machine Head.
Contact: Burning Records, 518 Elm St., Carnegie PA 15106, USA
http://burningrecords.com
Vomitory - _Revelation Nausea_ (Metal Blade, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)
Vomitory seem to have no qualms about calling themselves purveyors
of old-school Swedish death metal. So, casting any thought of
originality aside, the question is: how good are they at playing it?
As you can imagine from my rating above, I think they're pretty damn
good. The vocals are a bit faceless and even somewhat casual
sounding, but apart from that, _Revelation Nausea_ is powerful,
tight, catchy and dynamic. Even when -- after an excellent couple of
opening tracks -- Vomitory make me wonder about the Swedish-ness of
it all as the twin riff of something Bolt Thrower once wrote makes
its appearance midway through third track "Beneath the Soil", I am
still enjoying it. This is not necessarily the case for the entirety
of the remaining tracks, but as far as I'm concerned Vomitory are
generally welcome to tear into the next track each time they finish
one. This is not to say that you're likely to be listening to this
record very often far into the year 2001 if you know what the genre
is about, because entertaining and enjoyable as _Revelation Nausea_
may be, innovation does not abound here -- but quality does, and
Vomitory should get some credit for that.
WarHorse - _...As Heaven Turns to Ash_ (Southern Lord Records, 2000)
by: Adrian Bromley (9.5 out of 10)
Ever been kicked in the head? Been punched in the mouth? How about
toppled over by an angry mob? Well, as Ben Grimm (aka The Thing of
the Fantastic Four) used to say: "It's clobbering' time!" It has been
some time since I have been won over by such a heavy, doom-like
release. While I am a fan of the genre, I pick and choose my acts to
follow. I have been following this band since their inception in 1996
(from the ashes of Desolation and Infestation) and have always been
fond of their work. And while line-up changes have been ongoing, the
band has solidified a three-piece line-up to record their debut for
Southern Lord Records. And what magic they have created. The
debut for Southern Lord is a culmination of all their influences
(everything from Black Sabbath to Cathedral to EYEHATEGOD) and their
own set style, a mixture of hardened guitar riffs and death metal
stylings. While more doom than anything else, _...As Heaven Turns to
Ash_ is a brilliant dose of creativity and song structures (check out
numbers like "Dusk", "Black Acid Prophecy" and "Lysergic Communion")
that could tear walls down. Thick, solid riffs pummel us as the disc
goes on. This band floors me and I want everyone to know it. WarHorse
deserve everyone's attention as we head into 2001 and their record
gets released. Know the name, buy the disc. It's that simple.
Witch-Hunt - _Souls Enshrouded Fire_ (X-Rated, November 2000)
by: Paul Schwarz (8 out of 10)
Though the first impressions created by the relatively lo-fi, badly
balanced sound seemed to suggest Witch-Hunt were headed for another
anti-climax (see their _Prophecies of a Great Plague_ EP [CoC #25]),
_SEF_ as an album is actually pretty damned impressive. Witch-Hunt's
breadth of expression and talent for melody-weaving and songwriting
is almost as pleasantly free in its choice of expression as
Gardenian's impressive _Soulburner_ [CoC #43] effort of last year. It
all goes to show that time and effort can really pay off. Three years
ago Witch-Hunt were easy to dismiss as a serious concern; now they
are getting somewhere. It seems that it is once again necessary to
forgive an underground act their rubbish name, some bad grammar and a
terrible album cover, and instead concentrate on the music they make.
_Souls Enshrouded Fire_ has individual merit and charisma. Lurking
within its dark, obscure atmosphere there is considerable potential.
Wynjara - _Wynjara_ (Nocturnal Art Productions, October 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)
An American death metal band with an Australian Aboriginal word for a
name releasing an album through Norway's Nocturnal Art Productions?
Well, NAP releasing a death metal album is hardly something I'm used
to in the first place, and I was quite curious to find out what
was so special about Wynjara that turned them into a seemingly
exceptional case for the Norwegian label. If not the doom/death-like
Scorpions cover included in this disc, then what? Most likely it was
the fact that Wynjara tend to sound somewhat different from most
other bands in the genre. They use a drum machine competently enough
to make sure it doesn't become a problem and have a relatively
unusual guitar style on top of that; furthermore, there is plenty of
variation throughout the record in terms of both style and tempo.
Occasional instrumental tracks and passages (including some rather
subdued and acoustic ones) add more variety and length to the record:
some sound like they're adding some of the former, others just more
of the latter. Overall, there seems to be a bit too much mid-paced
chugging riffage going on for this 53 minute long album's own good,
but with the variety and technicality on offer here, Wynjara's
self-titled release should be well worth a try for death metal
addicts.
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If you have a band, don't forget to send us your demo, including a
bio, if you want to be reviewed. We accept demos either on
traditional media or MP3 format. E-mail us at
<mailto:
[email protected]> to know which is the most
appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape, in case
you are sending one, or to indicate the location of a website from
which we can download the MP3 files of your entire demo (but do
NOT send any files attached to your e-mail).
Scoring: ***** -- A flawless demo
**** -- Great piece of work
*** -- Good effort
** -- A major overhaul is in order
* -- A career change is advisable
All Is Suffering - _All Is Suffering '00_ (5-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (****-)
Wading deep down in a pool of muck and darkened realms of obscurity
is the work of All Is Suffering, a highly effective and darkened
death metal act. This band just seems to pool all of its resources
from the weak and helpless and watch it grow into this monstrous
battering ram. This powerful death metal outfit has secured a solid
and abrasive sound that bands rarely can achieve with a demo tape.
This is raw, unkind and no doubt meant for those who like to get more
than just speed and fancy riffs from their metal music. I recommend
this demo to all those metal fans out there who want to be thrown
into a world of chaos and disorder. Those willing to take a few bumps
and bruises as the pits of Hell open up and all Hell breaks loose. A
scary sounding record that goes the distance with its sheer brutality
and uneasiness. Another great band from the state of Maryland, that
also brought us acts Lucifer and Dying Fetus. Incredibly cool.
Contact: 4220 Solomons Isle Rd., St. Leonard, MD 20605, USA
mailto:
[email protected]
Aphotic - _Aphotic_ (5-track demo)
by: David Rocher (*****)
When casting a first listen to Aphotic's gentle, grave, and
melancholic music, the first question which springs to the mind is
"why -the hell- aren't these guys signed?!" The eponymous demo
_Aphotic_ contains five tracks of melancholic, dark and slow metal,
very reminiscent of masters Katatonia on _Brave Murder Day_, and
although this band can not as of yet claim to delve as deep into
sorrowful emotions as Katatonia once did, Aphotic's compositions are
breathtakingly moody, fantastically efficient and of enrapturing
beauty in their "ordinary" moments, and are massively enthralling at
their best, such as on the magnificent track "Psycoma" -- probably
one of the best dark, forlorn metal tracks I've heard in a long
time. Although I inevitably end up holding a grudge against bands
preferring drum machines to human beings, Aphotic use this element to
its fullest, and actually succeed in turning what could be a weak
point into an instrument of cold, calculated rhythmic exactness. This
American trio have a powerful, meaningful form of music conjured
here, and if they prove to rise towards the heights of "Psycoma" or
"Livid Dread" on their forthcoming material, they have more than
their fair chance to become one of the most significant and followed
acts out in their own, darkened realms.
Contact: Aphotic, P.O. Box 8236, Green Bay, WI 5408-2030, USA
Bride Adorned - _The Grey Eminence_ (4-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo (*****)
The Rhapsody shirt on one of the members in the group photo may be
rather revealing of the band's influences, but Bride Adorned's
mixture of power metal and somewhat Therion-like chants worked far
better for me than I initially expected. This Finnish band, whilst
technically very good and able to create some fine melodies and
arrangements, fortunately seems quite concerned with not allowing
technicality to become needlessly flashy or melody to become
annoyingly repetitive (even if their band name may not suggest that).
The instrumental side flows very well and is greatly enhanced by a
choir that consists of four male and four female voices. The song
structures are generally interesting (particularly on the title
track) and production is very good for a demo CD. The whole thing
could of course have sounded a lot darker for my taste, but the
choirs and inventive instrumental sections ensure that _The Grey
Eminence_ does not end up a boring piece of standard power metal, nor
is it a cheerful-sounding one within its genre. The sheer amount of
work that appears to have gone into the making of this demo is indeed
remarkable per se. Add that to the fact that even though I am not a
power metal fan I still enjoyed this demo, and I don't think you can
ask any more from a -demo- release.
Contact: mailto:
[email protected]
http://brideadorned.cjb.net
Forlorn Legacy - _Omega_ (5-track MP3 demo)
by: Brian Meloon (****-)
Forlorn Legacy bill themselves as the "premiere Croatian technical
death metal band". While that may be true, the word "technical" is a
bit of a stretch. Forlorn Legacy are a good band, but overly
technical they're not. This demo is their third effort since 1996,
and is available in MP3 format from their webpage. Their style is
pretty typical death metal, with good musicianship, above average
guitar solos, some clean vocals and some melodic sections. In other
words, it's not very different from what a lot of other bands (such
as Shadows Fall) are doing these days. However, the band are pretty
good at the style, and with the right break, I could see them being
signed shortly. They usually strike a nice balance between melody and
brutality, though I'd like to see a little more diversity in terms of
riff styles. The sections seem to be either melodic or brutal, with
little in the way of a middle ground. The production is top notch:
clear and appropriate for the music. The band are currently planning
a new release. With some improvement, and a further refining of their
style, they could be quite good. As it is, this demo is worth
checking out if you have the bandwidth.
Contact:
http://forlorn_legacy.tripod.com
Habeas Corpus - _Crucified_ (5-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (**---)
Veteran California thrash/death metal act Habeas Corpus (they formed
in 1989) have released numerous demos over the years, though this is
the first time I received something from them. The five-song demo
tape starts off with a lengthy sample for Steven Spielberg's "Saving
Private Ryan" (does he know about this?) and kicks right into this
blistering rush of thrashing metal. Solid production and deep growls
keep this sucker afloat, though the music is a bit cliche. The band
are good musicians, I mean, they have been around longer than most
bands, so they should be, but I don't really see much else than that.
No new ground is really covered with Crucified. You'd think that by
now the band would have something to offer us. I guess this would
have been real big back in 1989 when that whole scene was still
vibrant. Things didn't catch on then and I'm not sure it will now.
Who knows? I may be wrong.
Contact: Dark Horse Entertainment, 724 Cottonwood Street #225,
Woodland, CA 95695, USA
mailto:
[email protected]
http://www.angelfire.com/tx4/habeas/
Scorched-Earth Policy - _Boot-Camp Demo 2000_ (4-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (****-)
Having liked their last offering titled _Tones of Ambivalence XCIX_
[CoC #40], I was excited to hear what new sounds the band was going
to push for with the new _Boot-Camp Demo 2000_. Just how would it
stack up? Well, it is safe to say that the band's latest batch of
material is a powerful set of strong, highly balanced songs with
steady rhythms and heavy guitar riffs. Some definite Bay Area
influences are apparent, as the band rifles through such killer
numbers as "Come Clean" and the heavy "Politics". The band no doubt
is painting their take on society with each number, but it is kind of
cool how they have managed to stay heavy and deliver numerous
messages with their music. Tight, fast and in need of being signed,
Scorched-Earth Policy is the real deal when it comes to thrash/speed
metal. It seems the Bay Area has struck again. Support SEP!
Contact: 6168 Park Blvd. Oakland, CA 94602, USA
mailto:
[email protected]
http://www.scorched-earthpolicy.com
Tomorrow - _Illusions We Live By_ (5-track demo)
by: Alex Cantwell (***--)
Pretty rockin' stuff from these hardcore undergrounders. The riffs
are simple but the songs are emotional and good. The vocals are of
the raspy variety, but definitely need to be smoothed out and
refined. This is a young band who probably has not been playing
together for a long time, and as such are a fairly tight unit, but
they will need to pay more attention to detail when constructing
their songs in the future, methinks. I suppose the way I can
summarize their sound is to slap the term "alt-core" out there, and
it's really not bad stuff at all. The CD will include two additional
tracks and is available for a measly $4 from Tyler Cassley at the
address below.
Contact: Tomorrow, 7319 Silver Mead Rd NW,
Calgary, AB T3B-3VI, Canada
Unevil Hopes - _Pretranscendental_ (5-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley (**---)
Having just reviewed the band's split demo with Bealiah [CoC #49], I
kind of knew what to expect with this keyboard-oriented, atmospheric
act. I must admit this work is a bit better, maybe a bit more focused
than the last record or an older review I did [_As the Light Crushed
the Darkness_ demo in CoC #46], but it still sounds like something
Burzum would be working on. The music is simple, but effective at
times, managing to stay true to the pattern of ideas it sets out to
bring forth with the music. While I now have a few demos of this band
lying around, I can say that even all of the work combined doesn't
really make a solid work to play on your stereo. The ideas are there,
I just think the Unevil Hopes needs to shape the emotions a bit
tighter and aim for something really lasting. Lacklustre work like
this goes unnoticed most of the time, so I think the band is lucky we
here at CoC at least give it a chance.
Contact: Unevil Hopes, 28/4 Marata, St. Petersburg 19140, Russia
mailto:
[email protected]
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\ \ \/_/_ / __`\ /' _ `\ /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/ /',__\
\ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\ __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
\ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\ \ \__\/\____/
\/___/ \/___/ \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/ \/__/\/___/
B E L A T E D T A L E S O F T H E U N E X P E C T E D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CoC haunts Morbid Angel, Enslaved, The Crown,
Dying Fetus, Behemoth and Hypnos
in l'Olympic, Nantes (France), December 19th, 2000
by: David Rocher
To awaken the familiar ghost named "poor organisation" that
usually lurks around underground metal gigs, well, this day is
going to be remembered as a pretty classy appearance of this
not-very-unearthly phenomenon. With the concert room doors initially
meant to open at 5:30pm, many extreme metal addicts from lands afar
(including yours truly) had made sure to turn up at 4:30, so as
not to miss any bands... which basically then left us a full
two-and-a-half hours to relish to the taste of cheap watered-down
beer at an adjacent bar, as the Olympic's doors in fact only opened
at 7:15pm.
The best was yet to come: about one minute after the doors
opened, Hypnos arrived on stage, and obviously faced a virtually
empty room, as the one thousand plus attending metalheads gradually
started flooding the concert hall.
This of course just goes to say that I barely managed to catch
the last ten minutes of Hypnos' set -- but don't go thinking I've
lost any sleep about it. All Hypnos succeeded in doing, in the space
of three songs flat, was proving they were distinctly nothing to
write home about -- another decent but dully-glowing death/thrash
buoy bobbing around an already hopelessly saturated sea. The closing
track to their set, however, "In Blood We Trust", was a cut above in
terms of quality and "kickassness", featuring cool leads, catchy
rhythms and shedding a good deal of intensity onto the growing
audience. But the concert was running late already, so Hypnos were
mercilessly shunted off the scene as the roadies, with the concert's
massive belatedness in mind, frantically started preparing Behemoth's
equipment.
Five minutes later indeed, the Polish quartet invaded the stage,
and kicked in fast, hard, and with murderous precision into the
glorious _Satanica_ opener, "Decade of Oepion", before moving on into
an array of material from their new meisterwerk _Thelema.6_. I had
placed great expectations in Behemoth this evening, and the band
flawlessly lived up to these, as they covered material from almost
the whole of their career, looming as far back as _Grom_ and
_Sventevith: Storming Near the Baltic_. The show they delivered, led
by the energetic and charismatic vocalist Nergal, was metal 'til the
very end, and entertaining to the extreme; the audience responded
accordingly, chanting the band's name and roaring with satisfaction
after each track -- hmm, maybe Morbid Angel (as I will broach further
down) should consider taking lessons with these guys!
As Behemoth left the stage after an elating half-hour
performance, roadies once again suddenly arose from the shadows and
got down to frantic work to prepare Dying Fetus' arrival. As I am
definitely no aficionado of this band, I can hardly comment on the
quality of the live renditions they delivered; I can, however,
certify that Dying Fetus were massively heavy, totally extreme and as
wildly entertaining as they could get, even though I had trouble
telling one song from another after a while -- I did recognise two
tracks from their catchy effort _Killing on Adrenaline_, and that's
about all I could really make out. Sound and playing were both cool,
and the best point was you could tell that, similarly to Behemoth,
Dying Fetus were really having fun up there, as the crowd writhed,
swirled and sweated to the grinding blasts of their music.
Dying Fetus then left the stage to make space for The Crown, and
this is where I started getting -really- twitchy. I have been
following The Crown since the time of their 1993 demo _Forever Heaven
Gone_, and will unabashedly declare that they were -the- only other
band -- Behemoth being the first of these -- that I was really
waiting for that night. Admittedly, I was more than just slightly
eager to see Morbid Angel live, but to some extent, I somehow knew
that if the Americans would certainly provide professional-level
entertainment -- which they didn't, actually --, the Swedes would be
out for blood -- which they were, totally!
And indeed, The Crown were undoubtedly, that night, the band
which wreaked the most havoc among the audience, and fittingly got
the very best imaginable response from the crowd. Beginning their set
with the killer opener "Deathrace King", the rabid quintet covered
material from all of their albums, including their debut _The
Burning_ ("Of Good and Evil") and its sequel _Eternal Death_ (the
devastating opener "Angels Die" and "Beautiful Evil Soul"). The
coolest, most elating feature with this band is just how totally
fucking -metal- they are -- in fact, the whole band look like a
quintet of Swedish sales reps in '80s thrash paraphernalia... but
gone -completely- brutal; and as to the actual quality of their music
and performance -- oh, man! Vocalist Johan Lindstrand's voice was
absolutely -incredible-, literally oozing with utter aggression, and
skinsman supreme Janne Sarenpaa put on an incredible show, providing
some of the most precise, intense and thunderous drumming I've heard
in a -long- time. The string section's work was also flawless, and
the whole 45 minutes of the show just seemed to blow by like a
totally savage maelstrom of metal! The Crown made a totally amazing
appearance that night and, beyond all doubt to me, were the true
headliners -- hell yeah!
As The Crown left the stage, seeming quite satisfied with the
incredible chaos they'd strewn among the audience, the frantic
roadies once again got down to settling a new world record in
lightspeed drumkit installations, and pretty much succeeded, since
Enslaved took to the stage within a mere ten minutes.
And a mere ten minutes is also what it took Enslaved to put me
off, as their show just didn't work on me. I had just been keeled
over by a searing, hammering blast session, and the Norwegians'
renditions of their latest material just couldn't claim to match.
I've mildly lost track of Enslaved since they moved into their "new"
style with _Blodhemn_, and their show just failed to whet my
appetite. It's all about chemistry, really, I thought to myself, and
therefore decided to go downstairs to the bar to give my eardrums a
rest, and the dubious chemically invaded local ale another try.
About three quarters of an hour later, the bar suddenly
got crowded, clearly revealing that Enslaved were done, and that
headliners Morbid Angel were soon to appear on stage and kick
everyone's asses blue and black. At least that's what I supposed,
having overheard the rather dramatic statement that Morbid Angel live
were as good as... Slayer. Ah, over-emphatic fan talk -- there's
nothing like it. Anyway, the lights dimmed, the quartet took to
the stage as "Kawazu", the intro to _Gateways to Annihilation_,
played, announcing a live rendition of the awesome opener "The
Summoning". Morbid Angel played this very faithfully to the album,
were technically stunning and murderously precise, but already
something was wrong -- why the hell was Pete Sandoval playing in the
dark, while Trey Azagthoth was already bathing in an aura of golden
lighting effects? Wordlessly, the band then moved on to play "To
the Victor, the Spoils" and some other track off their rather
unconvincing sixth chapter _Formulas Fatal to the Flesh_, both of
which received a slightly less heated welcome than the previous track
had, before bassist and grunter Steve Tucker announced the glorious
"Day of Suffering", which worked like a massive intravenous surge of
napalm laced with adrenaline on the whole of the audience --
proof, in my humble opinion (and if proof was ever needed), that
Morbid Angel's post-David Vincent new material just can't claim to
unleash the same compelling, apocalyptic darkness as Morbid Angel's
pre-_Domination_ tracks.
Unrelenting, the band then offered perfectly-timed renditions of
"Thy Kingdom Come", "Rapture", "Pain Divine", "Lord of All Fevers and
Plague" and more material off their various releases; Pete Sandoval's
drumming was awesome, Erik Rutan and Steve Tucker's playing was in
perfect timing, but the most eye-catching phenomenon on stage was
undoubtedly Trey Azagthoth. All throughout the set, his guitar
work was absolutely enrapturing, and all his stance and attitude
irradiated a genuinely mesmerising bizarreness which, combined with
his incredible dexterity, made for a series of rather tantalising
guitar demonstrations.
However, with this very idealistic description penned, and as I
readily have mumbled about before, all these individual qualities
just couldn't save Morbid Angel's show from the general impression of
dull boredom that gradually settled in with the whole audience; the
Americans' live performance just didn't seem to -work- on more than
five percent of their own fans, and this date in fact soon turned out
to be a rather blunt, unexciting and motionless moment -- especially
when compared to the massive, murderous adrenaline surges Behemoth
and The Crown had provided that evening!
Bored and blase, I actually left the room before the end of
Morbid's rather unconvinced encore, during which they stabbed at
"Chapel of Ghouls", "Maze of Torment" and some excerpt from _Formulas
Fatal to the Flesh_. All in all, Morbid Angel's show was a definite
disappointment to me, but also provided some further incontestable
evidence that the band has lost a lot more, in the worryingly
obfuscous person of David Vincent, than a technically competent
and genuinely motivated bassist and vocalist -- with this unholy
departure, Morbid Angel have simply been deprived of that essential
component in their music that was dark, choking and unearthly.
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C A N A D I A N C A R N A G E !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cryptopsy, Solus, Rotting and Horde of Worms
play The Kathedral in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
on November 10th 2000
by: Adam Wasylyk
A fine assemblage of all-Canadian bands with an unexpectedly
huge turnout made this show one of the best in Toronto this year.
Indie Canadian talent and the internationally recognized brutality of
Quebec's Cryptopsy made this show one to remember; it wasn't as much
a great show but more a statement proving the strength of our local
scene. There's no doubt that the show being held on a Friday night
had something to do with the large crowd on hand, but the sole reason
they were here was obvious.
Opening the show was Toronto's Horde of Worms, one of Canada's
brightest talents in the death/black genre. With both metal music and
smoke machine turned on full blast, the Horde turned out a great set;
playing material from their self-titled release from a couple of
years ago, tracks from their last CD _Dreams and Dying Eyes_ and a
couple of new ones from their upcoming release. With drum machine in
tow, they are one of the few bands who can successfully utilize one
and not come off sounding weak or just plain ridiculous. The crowd
rightfully showed their appreciation for their heavy, energetic set.
Markham's Rotting delivered a mighty set of brutal death
metal, proving they should be counted among the best in this most
underground and lethal sub-genre of metal. Pouring out blast beat
after blast beat with crushing riffs cushioned in between, songs like
"Fisted Sisters", "Homosexual Grave Robber" and "Stomped to Death"
delighted many on hand, causing the rare mosh pit for a local band
(Torontonians don't seem to mosh to local bands, for some reason).
Showcasing material off their upcoming _The Original Christcrusher_
album (on United Guttural), there's no wonder to how this band have
made a name for themselves, and will inevitably continue to do so.
Toronto's Solus sport a metal sound I'm not too fond of, and on
this night they failed to get a rise out of me. Solus' sound has
always been open to interpretation; they are a band whose sound is
hard to nail down or pigeonhole, which in turn may be their biggest
problem. Black or death metal fans may find the music of Solus to
be weak, while traditional heavy metal fans would find it too
aggressive, so what's left is a small cross section of metal fans who
could find them palatable or challenging. During one song of their
set I thought I heard some black metal-like riffing, so naturally my
ears perked up, but their ability to hold my attention wasn't to
last. Disappointingly timid.
Cryptopsy always know how to put on a show. Mike DiSalvo paces
the stage like a caged tiger, delivering his vocals in his usual
pissed-off manner. Flo Mounier without fail, show after show, proves
he's one of the best death metal drummers of all time. The riffs that
come forth from newcomer of Alex Auburn and longtime axeslinger Jon
Levasseur are always a treat to hear, not to mention the great bass
touches from Eric Langlois. Each member of the band has a distinctive
role in delivering the sheer brutality of this music to their
fans and, in my experience, they've never disappointed. Playing
tracks like "Defenestration", "Phobophile", "White Worms" and some
devastating material off their new album _And Then You'll Beg_ prove
why they're considered Canada's best band. And who am I to argue with
the metal majority? To put it simply: I concur.
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SATANIC SWEDES AND CHUGGING CANADIANS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dark Funeral, Blood of Christ and Endless
play The Kathedral in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
on November 13th 2000
by: Adam Wasylyk
With my ears still ringing from the Cryptopsy show the previous
Friday, it was time yet again to make the long trek out to T.O. for
the sake of metal. Having seen three shows in the past couple of
weeks (all with good attendance), each of them testify to the
strength the Toronto metal scene has garnered over the past couple of
years. Monday is a tough night for a show, but the black metal
diehards along with the simply curious were on hand to lend their
support. Let the metal begin!
This time around, a different set of Canadian bands opened up
the night's festivities. Up first were Endless, who were, or played,
a set that seemed endless. The "chugga chugga" guitar sound is
-so- played, Entombed and/or Dismember should be receiving royalty
payments from these guys. And it didn't help that the drummer kept
the same beat in nearly every song, rarely getting to a mid-paced
speed and instead miring their music in monotonous beats. If these
simply injected some speed into their music there would be potential,
but it's just too slow and weak.
It's almost criminal that Endless are signed to Pavement while
the infinitely better Blood of Christ are presently an independent
band. Blending the best elements of death and black metal with
occasional acoustic passages makes this band a true original.
Elements of bands like Morbid Angel and Enslaved can be heard in some
of the riffs, while the vocals are nicely diversified, touching on
growls, shrieks and clean spoken passages. Playing an equally
powerful set as they did opening for Macabre [see last issue],
it's always a treat to see these guys play. Anyone looking to
discover some great underground talent, check out their web site at:
http://members.nbci.com/bloodofchrst/
I'll be the first to admit I've never been a big fan of Dark
Funeral. I've always found that their brutal black metal approach
pales in comparison to other Swedish acts like Marduk, Setherial or
In Battle, but I was surprisingly impressed by the high quality of
material played, with great sound to boot. Songs like "Shadows of
Transylvania", "The Secrets of the Black Arts", "Bloodfrozen" and
"Vobiscum Satanas" were performed with dark efficiency that only our
lord Satan can inspire. The drumming was among the best and fastest
I've ever heard from a live band; they totally crushed! The only
negative point from their set would have to be the corpse paint job
on guitarist Lord Ahriman. You might as well put one of those big red
fuzzy balls on the end of his nose and call him a clown, and leave it
at that. I've always had a fear of clowns -- I think it stems from
childhood viewings of Poltergeist, and I'm sure that serial killer
John Wayne Gacy had something to do with that too. Point being, there
are both evil clowns and goofy looking ones. Lord Ahriman definitely
finds himself in the latter. 'Nuff said.
Lessons learned:
1) In the future I will try to arrive at shows late when Endless
are on the bill.
2) If I ever need corpse paint lessons, steer clear of Lord
Ahriman for tips.
3) Scandinavian black metal must not be missed in a town near
you. You've been warned.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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@!! !!@ @!@ @!@!!@! !!@ @!! @!!!:! @!@!!@! !@@!!
!: !!: !! !!: :!! !!: !!: !!: !!: :!! !:!
::.: ::: : : : : : : :: ::: : : : ::.: :
@@@ @@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@@ @@@
@@! @@! @@! @@! @@@ @@! @@@ @@! @@! @@@
@!! !!@ @!@ @!@!!@! @!@!@!@! @!! @!@!@!@!
!: !!: !! !!: :!! !!: !!! !!: !!: !!!
::.: ::: : : : : : : : : : :
Here is where things get ugly. Writer's Wrath gives our writers a
chance to voice their own opinions about certain hot topics in the
scene today. Check out this column for the most obscene and
controversial ramblings this side of the National Enquirer.
T H E F O U R M U S C o C T E E R S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Paul Schwarz
Last year, at the dawn of Summer, the European CoC contingent
decided to co-ordinate a meet. David Rocher's abode in Brittany was
chosen, not only because it was so hospitably offered, but also
because it was the most central of our homes. Pedro was in England at
this time and Matthias in his native Germany. However, though I
usually reside in England and could have taken a train directly to
the meeting point in Rennes (the large city close to David's home in
Breteil), mine ultimately proved to be the most complex journey. I
was to visit my relatives in Bielefeld, Germany in the selfsame
Easter break, and so I decided to take the train from Bielefeld to
Frankfurt, meet Matthias and then make the roadtrip to Rennes with
him. Here's the first part of my story of the European CoC
contingent's first meet.
The idea of this piece is not only to convey the narrative of
what occurred -- some of which is amusing and interesting in itself
--, but to relate what made us laugh, think and argue over the few
excellent days we had together. It was a very full few days: full of
great music, food, jokes, discussions and arguments, and even some
"sightseeing". We enjoyed it a lot and thought some of you would find
it interesting and/or amusing as well. A lot happened, and I hope I
can convey as much of it and as much of the -feeling- as is possible
through this article. I'd like to hear any feedback you have, not
only for my interest but also to know whether it would be worth doing
more of these kinds of things for CoC. The next two (or possibly
three) instalments should follow in the next two or three issues of
CoC if all goes to plan. For now, enjoy this first chronicle of last
year's few days of congregated European chaos.
Episode 1: THE BESTIAL DEVASTATION OF FRANKFURT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words From One Who Knows So Much About Nothing At All *(1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Three changes of train, some interesting countryside, and a
complaint from a moustachioed (but not thrash-tashed...) German about
the volume of the Russians playing Swedish death metal into my ears
later, and my trip from Bielefeld to Frankfurt is finally complete.
Once down the platform, I expect to meet our own shaven headed
metal monk Matthias Noll and afterwards speedily head off to
the (relatively) wild, (relatively) untamed Breton countryside to
rendezvous with fellow EuroCoCers David Rocher and Pedro Azevedo at
the former's abode.
However, Matthias was nowhere to be found -- though his choice
of haircut, it soon becomes evident, is irritatingly popular in
Deutschland, a fact which led to many a false alarm. Changing into
the o-so-late-'80s Sepultura shirt that Matthias kindly gave me when
he visited Britain, I managed to create some minor mass hypnosis via
the awful artwork, but nothing that got me any closer to finding the
garment's original owner. After pottering about and waiting at the
station's meeting point for a while, I realized that something had
obviously gone wrong: someone had fucked up; I hoped it wasn't me. My
next problem I had only myself to blame for: I'd forgotten Matthias'
contact details! I trawled through the Frankfurt phone directories to
no avail. I called my parents in Bielefeld to see if they and my
relatives could help. They couldn't, and my frustration, which I took
out on the phone box, drew the unwanted attention of two of the
security police -- extremely intense looking, moustachioed and
beret-clad fellows looking for all the world like a bizarre amalgam
of Peter Sellers' Inspecteur Clouseau and Saddam Hussein -- whom I
had to placate before continuing my search. I went to the Internet
cafe, connected to the CoC website, and e-mailed Matthias from there,
not expecting this last-resort to work. Being at work, Matthias
answered almost instantaneously, and was soon on his way to the train
station. So who fucked up? Me: I arrived a day early! Thus, after
playing apology tennis for a while -- an uneasy game which Matthias
thankfully halted with the sensible statement: "We both know the
other's sorry, shall we just both stop saying it?" -- Matthias was
back finishing his day at work and I was sitting comfortably in the
Metal Meat Market of Matthias' spacious living room with pizza, coke
and some mid-'80s metal mags, in addition to a very substantial music
collection.
*(1) Well, according to Chuck Schuldiner ("The Philosopher",
_Individual Thought Patterns_), at least.
Are You Not Entertained?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am sure I could have spent a few days, maybe weeks,
discovering the treasures hidden in the proverbial trove Matthias had
left me in. I started by checking out Saxon's _Wheels of Fire_ -- I'd
never heard the band before. After perusing the CDs on offer, I moved
onto looking through the vinyl. Original vinyl collections are great:
they have a two-pronged attraction. On the one hand there are the
classic albums and stunning gatefold editions to marvel at. On this
score, I cursed Matthias' name as I leafed with the greatest
care through his gatefold Possessed _Beyond the Gates_, and quite
literally dropped my pen as I unearthed Slayer's _Haunting the
Chapel_ EP. The other attraction is the awful bands, band names and
album covers that never made it out of the vinyl era, which includes
some comedy classics of forgotten albums and before-they-were-famous
relics by known artists. Thus did I see Rob Flynn sporting a Voivod
t-shirt and showing me his pants through trousers more holes than
denim on the reverse of one of those early Vio-Lence albums, and
Marty Friedman posing in poodle-permed anti-glory with Jason Becker
on the cover of their _Speed Metal Symphony_ record under the name
Cacophony (labelled a "guitar hand job LP" by Dave Reynolds of Metal
Forces) -- and if it's possible to cram more trills into an album,
I'd like to see how.
Saxon finished, and Voivod's abrasive _War and Pain_ debut went
on -- then God intervened. The church bells from across the street
began to chime and chime and chime, making it utterly impossible to
listen to anything but their prominent knell. As I waited, I began
really cracking into the metal mags. Metal Forces #26 was first on my
list, for the simple reason that one of its contributors, Mike Exley,
works in a second hand CD store near my house and, until recently, was
publishing his own 'zine, Firefight. I was interested to read Mike's
opinions circa 1987. Metal Forces #26 provides much to laugh at, and I
don't just mean the kitsch pictures of bands like Infernal Majesty,
Tyrant (I don't think I've seen more than four -women- who've managed
to use that much make-up and hairspray!), Rated X, Tough or Rebel --
I'll try and get some scans linked to the CoC website ASAP. No, the
-reviews section- was almost equally comedic. And amusingly enough for
me some of the most humour-inducing opinions were Mike's. Venom's
_Calm Before the Storm_ (receiving a score of 95 out of 100) -- which
no-one to my knowledge now regards as a Venom classic, and many fans,
our own Matthias Noll for example, thought was a bit rubbish -- Mike
claimed was "the definitive Venom release". He felt that "the band are
so energetic this time I'd go so far as to say that all their old fans
will come running back as soon as they hear this...". They didn't,
they waited until ten years later and 1997's _Cast in Stone_ to the
best of my knowledge. However, Mike's crowning glory in comedy value
comes in his review of Infernal Majesty's _None Shall Defy_ (80/100),
where he makes the highly critical comment: "I could only find two
tracks which really sent me storming for the old guitar without
strings in the corner of my room...". OK, hands up anyone who has a
guitar without strings purposefully placed in the corner of their room
for shameless air guitar antics? Personally, I'm fine with just my
hands...
The church bells had long finished, Voivod had been replaced by
Entombed's _Uprising_, and yet Metal Forces was still proving
interesting and amusing in good measure. Names like Mark Palmer (now
head of Roadrunner UK) and Borigov Krigin (well-known for his
patronage of Sepultura) turned up to my exclamation. In a review of
Celtic Frost live in London, Mike Exeley mentioned two new post-_Into
the Pandemonium_ songs, "Jehad" and "Barrel of Fear", which were aired
-- I wondered what had happened to these songs since and why there was
no mention of them on Celtic Frost's exhaustive back catalogue
re-issue of last year.
Returning to the reviews section, Carl Williams provided me with
a few more opinions of the time worth reflecting on as I slapped
Exciter's _Violence and Force_ onto the stereo. Try and guess what
release Carl's reviewing. "This is a band to challenge early Sodom and
Antichrist for the world's trashiest thrashers." OK, that's not an
easy one to narrow down; what if I said: "The vocals are awful and the
drumming is totally unintelligible". OK, fair enough, could be a lot
of releases. How about this one: "For the most part this is utter
crap, but there is the occasional rather good musical thing going on
underneath the mayhem." Yeah, OK, some people would say that about a
lot of metal releases, though I hasten to add that there -is- a
cryptic reference in that quote... Let's get more specific: "There is
a cover of Venom's "Witching Hour" included and I didn't recognise it
until the solo". Anyone got it yet? Well, if you haven't got it by
now, you should all get it after this next one -- or you need to
seriously improve your knowledge of -black metal- trivia: "There are
only 1,000 copies available...", I think you know... "so if you really
want to be revolted by the likes of "Necrolust" and "Pure Fucking
Armageddon" then you'll have to move fast." Yeah, it's Mayhem's first
vomit of vinyl, _Deathcrush_. The questions I had to ask were: would
Euronymous actually have been happy with that review? Was being
slagged off by the likes of Metal Forces exactly what he would have
wanted? Also, if Carl Williams continued in metal journalism into the
'90s, did he do an about turn when _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_ became
the thing to be listening to from the mysterious black metal
underground? Finally, see if this surprises you. What is "An LP chock
full of precise technical metal"? Necrophagia's _Season of the Dead_
(88/100), apparently -- I would not describe Necrophagia as fitting
that description at any point in their career.
Readying a Roady for a Roadtrip
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suppose you're wondering what (former) roady I might be
referring to: Matthias Noll. Yes, Matthias was a roady for a while
for Germany's Exhumer, and if you've got a copy of their _Possessed
by Fire_ debut you can find a picture of him when he still had metal
hair, as opposed to just a metal heart -- though you'll probably need
a vinyl copy to make him out in the album's (obligatory) thrash
picture collage. Matthias' past is also the reason why he has a big
Suicidal Tendencies poster from the _Join the Army_ tour in his
living room, signed by all of the band: Suicidal were playing with
Exhumer. I was jealous.
Matthias and I spent the evening laughing, talking and blowing
our ears out to some kick ass, some hilarious, and some rare musical
treats. Here are a couple of snapshots you might enjoy. Minidisced
from tape, Matthias has what is probably the first -ever- Destruction
live performance, which took place in Frankfurt in 1984, and which I
have tagged _Bestial Invasion of Frankfurt_. The "gig" was an
impromptu affair which took place at a Tankard/Sodom signing session /
gig affair. A few of Destruction's friends urged them onto stage and
they jammed out a handful of tracks, basically. As I heard, and
Matthias admitted, Destruction played awfully and didn't have the
greatest sound, but as you can kind of hear, and Matthias insists,
they had an energy which hooked the crowd. In fact, it seems that
Destruction were so "good" that a certain frontman of a certain other
German thrash act -- Obsessed by Cruelty at the time, it seems -- who
had already played and got a lukewarm response, was tactically tipping
over guitar cables seemingly in an effort to sabotage Destruction's
set... allegedly. It was an enthralling and hilarious experience to
hear _Bestial Invasion of Frankfurt_; Matthias certainly got a
reaction from me. I got much less of a reaction from playing Matthias
Apollyon Sun's _Sub_; I was hoping for shock, horror or at least mild
confusion at the direction Thomas Gabriel Fisher had taken since his
'Frost days from someone who has the Metal Massacre comp which first
featured Hellhammer -- well, you win some, you lose some.
Testament's _The Legacy_ demo went on so that I could hear Steve
Souza's vocals, then Matthias, in a flash of inspiration, decided to
expose me to Rose Tatoo. I'd never realised before that "Nice Boys"
from Guns 'n' Roses' _Live Like a Suicide_ was not in fact their song:
more the fool me. I was impressed with Rose Tatoo, though I was more
impressed, and amused, with a little story Matthias told me about him
and his old-time metal buddies which ended up with them all standing
outside a cabin in the snow rocking out and playing air guitar to Rose
Tatoo.
At a relatively early hour, we retired to our beds. We had a
long day of driving ahead of us and would have to be up early the next
day. I went to sleep with the thought that judging by how interesting
and fun it was hangin' out with just Matthias, all four of the
EuroCoCers hangin' out together should be absolutely excellent.
That's all for now. Next month I'll continue my telling of the
meeting of our European CoC contingent.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
SPEAK ENGLISH OR DIE BECAUSE EVEN SATAN WEARS LEATHER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(A Look at German Metal Lyrics From the '80s)
by: Matthias Noll
This is being published in our Writer's Wrath column, which is
probably misleading because this is about love and not wrath... but
here we go.
The curse of the compact disc is that I hardly ever touch my
vinyl these days. Well, once in a while I dig out my old record
player and give the ancient ones a spin or two. While recently going
through my collection of German thrash metal, the brilliance of the
lyrics left me breathless and I hope you'll understand once you read
further. Unfortunately, most bands didn't even bother with a lyric
sheet (I would have loved to see those of Deathrow and Iron Angel)
and therefore this is far from complete. My admiration belongs to
those who dared to print what they were singing about.
Love, Sex and... Violence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Even Germans do have feelings. And perhaps even more astounding:
German bangers do actually not only like metal but sex too. If you
look at their promotion photos, it might have been easier to sing
about the latter than getting a chance to really do it. Sex Maniac
and wannabe guitar hero Axel Rudi Pell (definitely a specialist in
female psychology) penned the following lyrics for his band Steeler
(who weren't thrash but nevertheless had some mighty funny moments):
"It's eight o clock and time to rock
The woman's alone, no man she's got
She stroke him down cause he was dead
No more love and sex she said"
(Steeler, "Love for Sale")
Obviously driven insane by unfulfilled sexual desire, Pell let
the story continue with this example of Teutonic love poetry (note:
lila is the German word for purple:
"Every night the time is right, to touch her cunt of fire
Straps in black, lips in lila, knows my cool desire"
(Steeler, "Call Her Princess")
Even more romantic is what can be found in the insane depths of
Living Death's _Vengeance of Hell_ album:
"She was only fifteen, when I killed her screen
But it wasn't bad, because she drove me mad
Since these days, we go the way
Whole life long we'll love us so strong"
(Living Death, "Riding a Virgin")
And, in an emotional moment, Kreator decided to sing about
flowers.
"On a field littered with corpses
Stands a lonely flower
It reminds the world how it was
But we kicked it away with power"
(Kreator, "Riot of Violence")
If there is romance, then treachery is just around the corner,
and even the love machines from Living Death know about that (I don't
know what they mean with "planed", that's how it is on the lyric
sheet).
"When you're skulling, you planed a bad thing
And in your eyes, I see the lies"
(Living Death, "You and Me")
Coming from the barbarian wastelands of southern Germany, the
aptly named Destruction, probably considering these fantasies too
wimpy, show appreciation for a mixture of sex and violence and
shatter all illusions about ever finding the love of your life with
their shocking bedroom tales.
"You lie on your bed, your view real seems great
But instead of his prick
He's drawing his blade"
(Destruction, "Mad Butcher")
Even Living Death finally got the message. Let the killing begin!
"When they lie I must try that they all have to die
than I come on my flame and they were never seen again"
(Living Death, "My Victim")
..And the Bottle Is Your Only Friend
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There seems to have been a strong preoccupation with booze in
the German scene. While their American and English counterparts
seemed to focus either on violence (Exodus), Satan and his evil deeds
(Venom, Slayer) or a mixture of each and everything (the others), the
Germans definitely love their beer. Maybe this happened as a
result of their failed attempts to impress the other gender and
circumstances best described by Frankfurt's thrashers Tankard.
"There are thugs and murders here
They want kill and raping you
Houses are not very good
Only badly ruins"
(Tankard, "Rundown Quarter")
Reality looks indeed rather grim and is aptly described by
people with promising pseudonyms like Angelripper, Grave Violator,
etc.:
"With swords and axes
The fight hard
In a massacre
they feel the hot smart"
(Sodom, "Outbreak of Evil")
"Time has come, the peace can't stand
Masters of switch now rule the land
Push their switch and send the death
Politician war-pigs got only shit in their heads"
(Kreator, "Total Death")
"He bursts their heads till they die
You feel so mad you're feeling so high
He arrives he's sent from hell
Running wild by the sound of the bell"
(Kreator, "Bonebreaker")
"We live our life in grieved desire
Our hopeless is getting higher
You cry for freedom, but nobody hear you
The end of the world is true"
(Sodom, "Burst Command Til War!")
So, what else have you got in an environment like that?
"Alcoholic forces power
Will take us higher"
(Violent Force, "Dead City")
And despite serious advise from professionals...
"The doc told me I wouldn't get old
My liver's broken down
But I only had a smile for what he told
Hey doc I'll get around"
(Violent Force, "Destructed Life")
"Liver is broken down so bloody hard
I keep on drinking until I drop
Bang your head against the fuckin' wall
Show the damned wimps who we are"
(Tankard, "Empty Tankard")
Heavy Metal Hurricane
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Booze and women are secondary, though. The main thing that keeps
a thrasher going is metal. Avoiding the cheesiness of metal warriors
like Manowar -- and long before modern day mullet bangers like, for
example, Sacred Steel expressed their love for broadswords, iron and
steel --, the German scene found unparalleled ways to praise the
power of metal.
"The moon stood high it was no lie
When I told it so shy
I was warning you
[...]
It was a battle like heavy metal
All the freaks banged their heads
Heavy metal hurricane in the hell and back again
Heavy metal hurricane
Bloody action see again"
(Living Death, "Heavy Metal Hurricane")
"There's nothing else in all the world
That will bring it down
We will play our wildest step to all around
We need it as a liquid in our veins instead of blood
Power, burnin', brains out
United metallians -- ready to strike"
(Helloween, "Heavy Metal Is the Law")
"Long haired crowd
is going their own way
they are invincible
if together they stand"
(Destruction, "Eternal Ban")
Even more astounding: years before metal became trendy and
associated with abysmal rap, funk whatever crossover, Tankard and
Violent Force unleashed the following prophecies -- a warning, it now
seems, of unspeakable things to come:
"Every day and all night long
The fucking Breakdancer wanna be strong
We can't hear their fucking sound
We want Metal -- play it loud!"
(Tankard, "Death by Whips")
"You'll kill flower power
That is our desire"
(Violent Force, "Dead City")
Did Angelripper, like Tankard and Violent Force, also foresee,
or even -- probably by accident -- influence bands like Soulfly, Limp
Bizkit and Korn? I heard that Max Cavalera claims to have been the
one to fuse death metal and rap, but looking at these rhymes, history
probably needs to get rewritten. One thing is clear: MC Angelripper
has got flow and style.
"War, Law, Slave of Sodom
Lust, Gods, Unholy Times
Night, Light, this fight is might"
(Sodom, "Witching Metal")
Bang Your Head for Satan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Drunk beyond comprehension, horny as hell and with a Heavy Metal
Hurricane approaching (bloody action see again), the time was
definitely right for the powers of evil to take over. Living Death
managed to give a vivid description of the arrival of the evil
forces.
"He comes up
Out of hell
All men who saw it
Hold it for spell"
(Living Death, "Vengeance of Hell")
Running Wild, however, seemed to be much better informed about
the origin of terror:
"He grew in a womb of a hellpossessed whore
Born to be a king to give the badness war"
(Running Wild, "Adrian")
There seemed to be no stopping as the Satanic forces took
control. Read these shocking accounts of unspeakable terror.
"Hell troops conquer, burning the church
Raising hellfire, satanic rules to urge
Reaper takes, commander's black
The living deads at his back"
(Running Wild, "Black Demon")
"Nemesis hordes of hades are blasting over the earth
Saveness disappearing frightning of the human
Execution has begun, the goddess decided to kill
Massacre creates a new world, blood has to be spoiled"
(Assassin, "Nemesis")
The battlecry "violence for the virgin" is still relevant after
all these years:
"Masquarade as he rides through the night
Blitzkrieg torture blade shining bright
In his eyes dreams of pain
As he kills the lovely shame
Messengers from fiery will
Speaking out what no one will
Violence for the virgin
Death falls from his bloody skin"
(Kreator, "Son of Evil")
Even the forces of nature were possessed by Satan.
"Witches decided to take vengeance
Satan sent a legion of poisoned rats
The warriors of death and most evil inhuman"
(Destruction, "Satan's Vengeance")
Only metallers seemed to find a way out of this hell. A cunning
plan was quickly developed: sympathize with the evil forces, become
servants of Hell and unite with Satan's army.
"The voice of Hell, sound is so nice
The final death is the price
You can't wait much longer to give 'em what they need
You'll burst down their heads and spread Hellish heat
Feel the Endless Pain locked in metal chain"
(Kreator, "Endless Pain")
"I can never trust the virgin preacher
I can never believe in Jesus Christ
It's all right 'coz Satan is my teacher
People hidden them when we arised"
(Destruction, "Total Desaster")
There was hardly any open resistance, but not everybody seemed
to be 100% into the alliance with Satan. The maniacs from Kreator,
perhaps still impressed by the beauty of a flower, seemed to shy away
from going totally berserk:
"Brutality and mighty wars warriors start to fight
With bombs and guns the troops have come to extinguish the light
I'd rather not go wild tonight but I must save myself"
(Kreator, "Riot of Violence")
Others, like Angelripper, condemned to play the black metal
game, blamed society:
"Black metal is the game I play
'cause no one show me the right way
I am a bloody Antichrist, only believe in bad
Spit at the church, Evil I get"
(Sodom, "Blasphemer")
Fortunately, at least for true Norwegian black metal, Sodom did
not falter but pleaded for "impalement for destroy" and fulfilled
their promise of "evil I get".
"Obsessed by Cruelty
Impalement for destroy
Obsessed by Cruelty
Deadly, cold and grey"
(Sodom, "Obsessed by Cruelty")
Now that the vaults are unlocked... Who in our readership has
been informed about the leading role Running Wild had in the rise and
fall of true black metal? Forget Darkthrone, burning churches, etc.;
here's the truth how to really shock the authorities:
"Black metal grifittis are thrown against the wall
Crucifixes are inversed
Pictures are signed by the triple six
Black metal art is shocking Law 'n' order man"
(Running Wild, "Prisoners of Our Time")
And once again, Running Wild, who, at the forefront of the
Satanic allegiance, seem to have the knowledge that even outfit-wise
there are strong bonds...
"We are right, praying metal tonight
The message from hell and ist spell
Even Satan wears leather, our souls to it forever
Let us pray our rules tonight
Chains and Leather and Rivets"
(Running Wild, "Chains and Leather")
Scarred for Life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Such talent has forever left its mark on the development of
metal lyrics. What would bands like The Crown or Raise Hell sing
about hadn't the Germans shown them the way to metallic immortality?
Would Norwegian black metal have been possible, Varg Vikernes spend
his time in prison, Limp Bizkit rule the charts, the global warming
happen without a significant increase of "Hellish Heat" and the leaks
in the ozone layer be a problem today without "Impalement for
Destroy"? Definitely not! So let's bow to the masters and chant
together: "Heavy Metal Hurricane, Bloody Action see again"!
Resources From Hell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All lyrics printed without permission. Most records bought from
official record stores and paid with hard-earned cash. There might be
typos in the original lyrics which distort their own meaning.
Assassin - _The Upcoming Terror_ (Steamhammer, 1987)
Destruction - _Sentence of Death_ (Steamhammer, 1984)
Destruction - _Eternal Devastation_ (Steamhammer, 1986)
Helloween - _Walls of Jericho_ (Noise, 1986)
Kreator - _Endless Pain_ (Noise, 1985)
Kreator - _Pleasure to Kill_ (Noise, 1986)
Living Death - _Vengeance of Hell_ (Earthshaker, 1984)
Running Wild - _Gates to Purgatory_ (Noise, 1984)
Running Wild - _Branded and Exiled_ (Noise, 1985)
Sodom - _In the Sign of Evil_ (Steamhammer, 1984)
Sodom - _Obsessed by Cruelty_ (Steamhammer, 1986)
Steeler - _Steeler_ (Earthshaker, 1984)
Tankard - _Alcoholic Metal_ (demo tape, 1983)
Tankard - _Zombie Attack_ (Noise, 1985)
Violent Force - _Malevolent Assault of Tomorrow_ (Roadrunner, 1987)
Thanks to Paul Schwarz, Pedro Azevedo and David Rocher for a
fantastic time in France. It was then that the idea to write this
article was born. Also thanks to Fozzy II for inspiration. I raise my
bloodfilled chalice and salute you and all our readers -- "Total
Satan"!
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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. Immortal - _Damned in Black_
2. Enslaved - _Blodhemn_
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers - _Californication_
4. Dying Fetus - _Destroy the Opposition_
5. A Perfect Circle - _Mer de Noms_
Adrian's Top 5
1. WarHorse - _...As Heaven Turns to Ash_
2. Various - _Campaign of Hate Vol. 1_
3. Nevermore - _Dead Heart in a Dead World_
4. At the Drive-In - _Relationship of Command_
5. Meat Loaf - _Bat Out of Hell_
Brian's Top 5
1. Septic Flesh - _Mystic Places of Dawn_
2. Mortiis - _Kaiser av en Dimensjon Ukjent_
3. Nocturnus - _Ethereal Tomb_
4. Tenebris - _O.F.D._
5. Dammercide - _Link_
Alain's Top 5
1. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
2. Summoning - _Dol Guldur_
3. Nile - _Black Seeds of Vengeance_
4. Dark Funeral - _Vobiscum Satanas_
5. dead horse - _peaceful death and pretty flowers_
Adam's Top 5
1. Amorphis - _Elegy_
2. Portishead - _Roseland NYC Live_
3. My Dying Bride - _34.788%... Complete_
4. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
5. Malevolent Creation - _Envenomed_
Pedro's Top 5
1. Discordance Axis - _The Inalienable Dreamless_
2. Behemoth - _Thelema.6_
3. Vomitory - _Revelation Nausea_
4. Novembers Doom - _The Knowing_
5. The Haunted - _The Haunted Made Me Do It_
Paul's Top 5
1. Naked City - _Torture Garden_
2. Vision of Disorder - _Imprint_
3. Drowning Man - _Busy Signal at the Suicide Hotline_
4. AC/DC - _Let There Be Rock_
5. Dire Straits - _Alchemy_
Aaron's Top 5
1. Dark Angel - _Leave Scars_
2. White Zombie - _Make Them Die Slowly_
3. Napalm Death - _Harmony Corruption_
4. Cradle of Filth - _Midian_
5. Epoch of Unlight - <advance> (Thanks, Andreas!!!)
David's Top 5
1. Nevermore - _Dead Heart in a Dead World_
2. The Crown - _Deathrace King_
3. Withering Surface - _Scarlet Silhouettes_
4. Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
5. Necrophobic - _The 3rd Antichrist_
Alex's Top 5
1. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
2. In Flames - _Clayman_
3. Enslaved - _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_
4. Underoath - _Cries of the Past_
5. D.R.I. - _Thrash Zone_
Matthias' Top 5
1. Cradle of Filth - _Midian_
2. Cryptopsy - _And Then You'll Beg_
3. Napalm Death - _Enemy of the Music Business_
4. Cannibal Corpse - _Live Cannibalism_
5. Carnal Forge - _Firedemon_
Alvin's Top 5
1. Running Wild - _Victory_
2. Abyssic Hate - _Suicidal Emotions_
3. Vociferation Eternity - _Meadow's Yearn_
4. Manilla Road - _Mystification_
5. Cradle of Filth - _Midian_
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Chronicles of Chaos is a FREE monthly magazine electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages of Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to electronic/noise
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #51
All contents copyright 2001 by individual creators of included work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.
